Read What Color Is Your Parachute? Online
Authors: Richard N. Bolles
What Color Is Your Parachute? (18 page)
Nonetheless, a resume
still has its uses. Experts have been saying, for decades, that
a resume is something you should never send ahead of you, but always leave behind you
, after the interview. This is, of course, an oversimplification. But, taking its spirit, a resume does have a usefulness to you in helping you organize your own thoughts about yourself, your training, your record, your experience, your usefulness to a prospective employer. And, hand in hand with that, a resume has a usefulness to an employer, which is to jog her or his memory,
after
you’ve been there, when they are later trying to tell the other decision-makers at that organization, why he or she particularly favors you.
For guidance as to how to write your resume, go on the Internet and type “how to write a resume” into your favorite search engine (e.g.,
www.google.com
or
www.metacrawler.com
). Alternatively, type in the words “tips on writing a resume” or “keywords on an electronic resume” or “examples of resumes.”
This will not only turn up free resources and advice on the Internet, but also the names of books, if you want to get
very
thorough. You should look particularly for books by Yana Parker and Susan Whitcomb.
There are no
rules
about the proper form for a resume, etc. The only question is,
If you send this resume of yours, to a place where you’d like to work, will it persuade the person who has the power to hire, there, to invite you in?
If the answer is, Yes, then it matters not what form it took.
I used to have a hobby of collecting “winning” resumes—that is, resumes that had actually gotten someone a job-interview and, ultimately, a job. I’m kind of playful by nature, so I would show these without comment, to employer friends of mine, over lunch. Many of them didn’t like these winning resumes at all. “That resume will never get anyone a job,” they would say. Then I would reply, “Sorry, you’re wrong. It already has. I think what you mean is that it wouldn’t get them a job
with you.
”
The resume reproduced on the following page is a good example of what I mean; you did want an example, didn’t you?
Click
here
to view a PDF version of the Resume.
Jim Dyer, who had been in the U.S. Marines for twenty years, wanted a job as a salesman for heavy construction and mining equipment, thousands of miles from where he was then living. He devised the resume you see, and had just fifteen copies made. He mailed them out, he said, “to a grand total of seven before I got the job in the place I wanted!”
Like the employer who hired him, I loved this resume. Yet some of the employers I showed it to
(over lunch, as I said)
criticized it for using a picture or for being too long, or for being too short, etc. In other words, had Jim sent that resume to
them
, they wouldn’t have even invited him in for an interview.
Trouble is, you don’t know which employer likes
what.
That’s why many job-hunters, if they use resumes, pray as they mail their resume:
Please, dear God, let them be employers who like resumes in general, and may the form of my resume appeal to those employers I care the most about, in particular.
Many experts suggest that instead of sending a resume, you send just a “cover letter” instead, summarizing all that a longer resume might have covered. If you don’t know what a cover letter is, or how to write it, the Internet can rescue you handily. Just type “cover letters” into your favorite search engine. You’ll be surprised at how many tips, examples, etc., you find. Look particularly for Susan Ireland’s free Cover Letter Guide (it’s at
http://susanireland.com/coverletterwork.htm
). Incidentally, recent surveys have revealed that many employers prefer a cover letter to a resume.
Another alternative to a classic resume is a Job- or Career-Portfolio. A portfolio may be electronic (posted on the Internet) or on paper/a notebook/or in a large display case (as with artists), of your accomplishments, experience, training, and commendations or awards, from the past. Artists have a portfolio, with samples of their work. You knew that. But portfolios are equally apt in other fields.
Instead of “portfolio” we might just call them “
Evidence of What I Can Do and Have Done
,” or “
Proof of Performance
.” One programmer I know applied for a job, and decided to bring in a kind of portfolio—about twenty to thirty pages of actual programming he had done. None
of the other candidates brought in any evidence of what they could do. He got the job.
For guidance on how to prepare a job-portfolio, and what to include, type “job portfolios” into Google; you’ll get a wealth of tips and information. I particularly recommend Martin Kimeldorf’s site (
http://amby.com/kimeldorf/portfolio
). Other names to remember (longtime advocates of career-portfolios) are Kate Duttro and Carmen Croonquist. (Put their names into Google.) If you want to go deeper, like, to books, I recommend
The Career Portfolio Workbook: Using the Newest Tool in Your Job-Hunting Arsenal to Impress Employers and Land a Great Job!
by Frank Satterthwaite and Gary D’Orsi. There is also
Proof of Performance: How to Build a Career Portfolio to Land a Great New Job
by Rick Nelles. Try your local bookstore, or online at
www.amazon.com
or
www.barnesandnoble.com
.
A resume is about your past. Here is a framework for recalling your past.
If you cannot think of any achievements under the categories below, don’t be concerned, as the Flower Exercise later in this book will help you greatly.
For now, think of your working and personal experiences and skills that you believe you possess innately, or have learned. Which ones are you proud of? What things have you done in your life or work experience that no one else has done? Take some blank sheets of paper and fill in any answers that occur to you, please.
Volunteer, Community, and Unpaid Work
Have you completed any voluntary or unpaid work for any organization or company? (e.g., church, synagogue, mosque, school, community service, or special needs organization)
Educational
Did you work while you were studying? If so, did you receive any promotions or achievements in that role?
Did you gain any scholarships?
Were you involved in any committees, etc.?
Did you win any awards for study?
Did you have any high (e.g., A or above) grades? If so, what were the subjects—and grades?
Sales or Account Management
Have you ever been in sales? If so, what were some of your achievements? For example:
Have you ever consistently exceeded your set budget in that role? If so, by what percent or dollar value?
Have you exceeded your set budget in a particular month(s)/quarter(s) in a role? If so, by what percent or dollar value?
What level were you, compared to other sales professionals in your company? (e.g., “Number three out of twenty on the sales team.”)
Have you ever increased market share for your company? If so, by what percent or dollar value?
Have you ever brought in any major clients to your company?
What major clients are/were you responsible for managing and selling to?
Did you ever manage to generate repeat business or increase current business? If so, by what percent or dollar value?
Have you won any internal or external sales awards?
Did you develop any new successful promotional or marketing ideas that increased sales?
Administration, Customer Services, and Accounts
Have you ever been in customer service or helped run a business unit? If so:
Did you assist in reducing customer complaints, etc.?
Did you set up or improve any systems and/or processes?
Was there a quantifiable difference in the company or business unit when you first joined the business or project and when you completed the project or left the business?
Did you take any old administration- or paperwork-based systems and convert them into an IT-based system?
Responsibility
Have you ever been responsible for the purchase of any goods or services in some job? (e.g., air travel or PC acquisition)
Have you ever had any budget responsibility? If so, to what level? (e.g., “Responsible for division budget of $200,000 per annum.”)
Have you ever been responsible for any staff oversight? If so, in what capacity and/or how many staff members were you responsible for?
Were you responsible for any official or unofficial training? If so, what type, for whom, and how many people have you trained? (e.g., “Responsible for training twelve new staff in customer service as well as in using the in-house computer system.”)
Were you responsible for any official or unofficial coaching or mentoring of other staff?
Events or Conference Planning or Logistical Management
Have you organized any events or conferences? If so, how large were they (both people attending and total budget if possible) and where and when was the event(s) held?
Have you been involved in any major relocation projects?
Have you had responsibility with regard to any major suppliers? If so, who?
Computers, PCs, and Macs
What systems, software, and hardware experience do you have?
What software have you utilized?
Have you developed any websites or systems software? If so, what were they, and did it positively affect the business?
Were you involved in any special projects that were outside of your job description?
Mechanical
Other than computers, have you had experience on any kinds of machines or equipment? Please list them together with the number of years.
If you ever worked on transportation devices, what were the airplane, farm equipment, truck, car, machine, or bike brands that you serviced, maintained, or repaired?
Building, Construction, Electrical, and Plumbing
If you ever worked in those fields, were there any major projects you have worked on? How much did the project(s) cost? (e.g., “Reception refurbishment—ABC Bank [Auckland Central Head Office] $1.2m.”)
General
How long have you spent within any industry? (e.g., “Twelve years experience within the fashion industry.”)
Were you promoted in any of your roles? If so, in what years and to which roles?
Was extra authority awarded to you after a period of time within a role? (e.g., “Commenced as receptionist; then, after three months, awarded by being given further clerical responsibilities including data entry and accounts payable.”) It is not necessary that these responsibilities awarded to you should have changed your job-title and/or salary.
Have you been asked to take part in any trainee management courses or management development programs?
Were you asked to get involved in any special projects outside your job description? Or, did you ever volunteer for such? What was the result?
Positive Feedback
Have you ever received any written or verbal client, customer, or managerial commendations or letters of praise?
Can you think of any occasions where you gave excellent customer service? If so, how did you know the customer was satisfied? (Also: What was the outcome? How did it benefit the company?)
Did you receive any awards within your company or industry? (e.g., “Acknowledged for support or service of clients or staff, etc.”)
Memberships
Have you been a representative on any committees (e.g., health and safety committee)? Any special responsibilities there?
Do you belong or have you belonged to any professional clubs such as Toastmasters, Lions, or Rotary?
Published or Presented Work
Have you had any articles, papers, or features published in any magazines, journals, or books? If so, what publications and when?
Have you presented any topics at any conferences or completed any public speaking? If so, what subjects have you talked about and how large was the audience? List in detail.