The Perfect Resume

Before you get excited, there is no such thing as a perfect resume. Anyone who tells you that the resume they will prepare for you will get you a job is either (a) a liar, (b) naive, or (c) does not know either the purpose of a resume or how it is read. Let’s discuss point c:

Purpose of the Resume

Regular readers of my articles know what I am about to write: The purpose of the cover letter is to get the recipient to look at the resume. The purpose of the resume is to get the interview. And, just to finish the trilogy, the purpose of the interview is to get the job offer.

How a Resume is Read (By a Human)

If it is a human who is reading the resume, it won’t (initially) be read. Who has the time? The recipient is looking for specific people, i.e., those who meet certain qualifications. They may have scores of resumes to review. By the time they get to yours they will be tired, so, at best, they willskim scan your resume (and they’ll skim it even if they are not tired because they don’t want to waste time with applicants who apply for every job they see in their industry regardless of their qualifications). You do not want tiredness, laziness, or eye-fatigue, to cost you an interview. So provide the recipient with the information they want in such a way that they cannot help but to find it.

First, they want to know where you live. All they need to see, at the top of the first page of your resume, is your city and state of residence, not your address. You don’t know the type of person who will be looking at the resume, so don’t tell them where you live. (And, sorry that I have to write this, include your full name, phone number and email address. Your LinkedIn profile URL is also not a bad idea to include, but continue reading.)

Second, they want to know if you can keep a job. Clearly show the dates (see below) of your employment per employer, not just position. So, for example, if you had five jobs, each for two years, but all for the same employer, show the dates for the employer in bold and the dates for each position in regular type. That way the recipient of the resume will know you can keep a job and that you were so good that you were promoted multiple times. You don’t want them to think that you had five jobs/employers in 10 years!

Third, initially, they dont want to know your responsibilities but your accomplishments. In other words, focusing on what you did for previous employers will tell them what you can do for them. So begin the resume with “Selected Accomplishments” – a list of bullet points (see below) which succinctly list your major achievements.

Fourth, have a section on your education clearly showing the degrees you actually earned. If you did not earn the degree, make that clear. If they need someone with an undergraduate degree, and you listed “Studied,” they may think you earned the degree. When they find out you didn’t, you’ll be out of a job. You can also note the expected date of graduation. Of course, if the degree is a requirement for the job, and you don’t have it, you are probably wasting your time. Applying for jobs for which you are not qualified will eventually lead to increased frustration, stress and lack of sleep.

Fifth, list any certifications/licenses you have, indicating the issuer, date you were awarded, and, if applicable, the Number and expiration date.

That is all a recipient will initially look at. If you are not actually qualified for the position, why should they bother reading the entire resume? The only thing that might save you is the list of Selected Accomplishments. If you saved your last employer millions of dollars, but are not a CPA, maybe they will make an exception if being a CPA is a qualification. Or, maybe, and more likely, they will consider you for something else.

You might also list any volunteer activities with which you have been involved. You never know what will appeal to an employer. Also, to show that other people think you are great, list your speaking engagements, media citations, and publications. For academics, showing your Google Scholar URL is encouraged.

So much for humans. Large companies initially have resumes scanned into Applicant Tracking Systems. In other words, they are first “read” by a computer. Think of the ATS as the gatekeeper, the assistant, once known as a “secretary,” who only lets certain people talk to the boss. Back in the day, you had to learn how to get past her (it was almost always a woman). Now you have to learn how to get past the ATS. Here’s how:

How a Resume is Read (By a Computer – ATS)

You have to assume that the company is using a “bad” ATS system. A “good” ATS should be able to “read” any resume. But let’s assume the ATS is bad. Here is what to remember:

• Don’t worry about keywords. If your resume is honest and accurate, all the keywords will be there. If, for example, the job description says something about Yardi (software for property management), and you include “Yardi” in your resume, but have never used it, you’ll look foolish when being interviewed, won’t get the job offer, and will simply have wasted everyone’s time, including your own.
• No hyperlinks (for your email address, LinkedIn profile, or anything else for that matter).
• Don’t use a font smaller than 11 and use Calibri.
• Don’t have any graphics, logos, pictures, boxes, or shadings (black background, white font), or use italics. Bold is alright. In any case, infographics are just silly. The recipient may look at it in a way not intended by the applicant. The best is to use words; that’s why Dr. Samuel Johnson invented them! Ecplain what your would have wanated to recipient to learn had you included infographics. Of course, if you are applying for a graphic designer position, including graphics may be to your advantage (as long as the company does not use an ATS.)
• Don’t have any headers or footers. They won’t be “read.” Manually insert pages numbers, which brings me to my next point…
• Keep the resume to no more than three pages. Apparently, some ATS systems don’t like to read alot!
• Bullets should be a simple round black dot, as used here.
• Submit your resume as a Word document as some ATSs don’t like PDFs or Google Docs, even if the online application accepts them (which makes no sense to me but I’m following the advice of the so-called “experts”).
• For the record, ATSs apparently like to search for accomplishments, so my initial advice, which I have been giving since before there were ATSs, should be followed.
• Dates of employment should be formatted as two-digit month slash four-digit year. If you are still employed, “- Present” is perfectly acceptable in lieu of a final date.

Keep in mind that a resume is a summary. Under each job, don’t list all of your responsibilities. That’s a sign you can’t prioritize. Think of the resume as a teaser for the main event, the interview. It’s the commercial for the movie the producers want you to see. By all means have a “Skills” section. That can enable you to include keywords associated with some of your (previous) less important respsonsibilities.

Good luck with your job search, and Have a happy Labor Day!

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In light of the current economic difficulties job seekers are facing, I have lowered the price of my career counseling services by 50%. This will continue through the end of the year.

How to Properly Resign

I don’t know, probably no one does, who the first person was who said, “Never burn your bridges.” Even though you have decided to leave your employer, and hope never to lay eyes on them again, it’s a small world and, especially if you are in a small industry, you may run into them in the future.

The rule of thumb for resigning is to always give notice equal to your annual vacation time. The higher up you are in the organizational chart, the more time you should give. The amount of time may be stipulated in your contract. Of course, most employees don’t have contracts.

Before proceeding, persons resigning should be aware that their employer may thank them for their offer of whatever period of time before they leave and then immediately show them the door. It is actually a reasonable policy since the employer may not want them to have continued access to corporate secrets and data. So, before you tender your resignation make certain (a) you have a new job and (b) you have cleaned out your office/cubicle of your personal property. They tell me the walk out the door, carrying a box, is not fun!

The reason for the resignee (I had to look this one up. The resignee is someone who resigns from employment, the resigner is someone who simply resigns in a non-employment sense. But, apparently they are synonyms, so I am completely confused!), the person who is resigning, giving more than the customary amount of time is a reflection on the projects on which they are working. That is also why it is so important to make sure, and to include this in the letter of resignation, that you will be available to answer any questions anyone might have who will be taking over for you. The resignee should also summarize all work that needs to be finished. 

The reason for giving less time than traditionally acceptable is that the resignee’s new employer needs them sooner, which may be a bad sign.  Ethics are important and if a new employer tells a new hire not to give their current employer reasonable notice, that should pretty much tell them all they need to know about their new employer. Of course, the new employer may not have a choice as they may need the new hire to participate in a specific event. But that begs the question, Why did they wait so long to hire someone?

In any event, when it comes to the resignation letter, and you always want to give something in writing, first, don’t attack. Don’t say anything negative. The letter will be your only chance, in your personnel file, to counter anything negative that your supervisor, who may be the reason for your resignation, or someone else, is going to write about you.

Second, be appreciative. Thank specific people for their support, especially the person to whom you are writing the letter. Continuing the above thought, if one of them writes something nasty in your file, it is going to look suspicious.

Third, summarize your achievements and regrets. By summarizing your achievements, you are saying what the company is going to lack by not having you there and, more importantly, defending your reputation. Summarizing your regrets, the things you wish you had done, shows what you believe the company’s future agenda should be and the additional contributions you could have made.

Finally, make certain you will be available to answer any questions anyone may have. As already alluded to, provide your cell number and personal email. And mention the fact that you have left instructions about what work needs to be completed and how to do it, as well as a copy of your calendar so that meetings are not missed.

In other words, be professional, state your case, don’t allow anyone to claim that you left the employer “high and dry,” and don’t write anything that you would not want to become public knowledge. Idiots resign in a nasty tweet (an X?). They may get a laugh, they may go viral, but they won’t get another job – at least one they would really want. What employer would want to hire them?

The Power of Perseverance

The New Cover Letter – How to Get the Hiring Manager’s Attention

I have written many articles on cover letters. So let me begin with the one thing that will never change:

The purpose of the cover letter is to get the recipient to read the applicant’s resume. Do the math. If the recipient gets 50 applications for each job posting, and everyone writes a letter that takes a minute or two to read, you are looking at well over an hour of time spent reading letters instead of looking at resumes and scheduling and conducting interviews. As an applicant, what would you prefer the recipient of the application do?

Most cover letters prove that the applicant can’t get to the point, has no idea what is important to the recipient, and does not understand the purpose of the letter. The letter will not get the applicant an intervew; the resume will. That said, the letter may cost the applicant an interview.

A key to success in the job applicantion process is differentiation. All an applicant has to do in the cover letter to differentiate themselves from their competition is to tell the recipient what they, the applicant, want, put the recipient’s mind at ease that they are not a risky hire, show that they know how to write a business letter, are professional and polite. And it can all be done in 10 seconds.

What do you want?

FIRST PARAGRAPH:

I wish to apply for the position of director of Sales.

Put their mind at ease that you are not a risky hire, and get them to look at the resume.

SECOND PARAGRAPH:

Having increased sales by over 150%, per year, for the past five consecutive years, I am not only confident that I can fulfill the goals of the posiiton, but exceed them.

In other words, the applicant is telling the employer, “I have done it for someone else and I can do it for you! Oh, and by the way, if you don’t hire me, I’ll end up working for your competition. I can do it for you or for them. Your choice.”

Another way to put the recipient’s mind at ease.

THIRD OPTIONAL PARAGRAPH, IF, BASED ON YOUR RESEARCH OF THE COMPANY, YOU FEEL THIS WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.

While I am totally opposed to injecting politics into the workplace, given today’s day and age, I want to assure you that I am not woke and, for that matter, I am more than happy to work on-site, but I can also effectively work remotely. The choice is yours.

So, the applicant, in only a few lines, has told the employer that they understand what they want and can do the job; that they understand their concerns and they don’t have to worry about them trying to force their politics on the company (think Bud Light or Target); and that they know how to write a professional business letter.

Now to end on a polite note:

CLOSE:

Attached please find a copy of my resume for your review. Thank you in advance for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Jane Doe

And that is all there is to it. It is so short it will be read, and as it is focused, it will be effective. Now all you have to worry about are your resume and interviewing skills…

Dealing with Incompetent Management

You ask; I write! (Please ask for more. It isn’t easy coming up with a different topic every week. I can use the help! Email me at bh@hsstaffing.com.) Now to the reader’s request:

Another way of saying “younger” is “less qualified” or “less experienced” professionals. So, my first response, which you will not like, is, maybe management is not incompetent or unprofessional. It could be that you simply do not understand or appreciate what they are doing. In other words, and here’s where you are really going to get angry, “You’ll understand when you’re older.”

And since you are “younger,” you can turn this to your advantage. By being polite, asking for an explanation, and not being accusatorial, you are showing maturity that the boss should like. Place the conversation in the context of your professional growth. In other words, this is a learning opportunity. You can even tell the manager, “I’m here to learn.” (For an example, see below, how I asked my boss about firing the bookkeeper.)

I have worked with liars, cheats, and thieves at every level of a company. And, I have worked with just plain ole fools. (For the record, I have also been fortunate to deal with good, decent, ethical, and even brilliant people.) Let me give you my favorite example of former:

I went to the boss, after being totally frustrated with our part-time bookkeeper who simply could not do anything outside of her comfort zone, and was not willing to learn anything new, including how to back up her computer after she had finished the week’s (she came in once a week) entries. The boss had had me show her multiple times how to do it, but she refused. Then one day something happened, and her work was lost. I asked her for the backup drive. She handed it to me. After reviewing it, I asked her why she had not backed anything up for a month. She said, “I don’t do that!” I then explained to the boss that she would have to reenter a month’s worth of data. In front of her I said, “Since she refused to follow your directions, which you had me convey to her, she should have to come in on the weekend and work overtime during the week, and NOT be paid for it.” She did but, of course, he paid her!

One day, I had had enough. I went to his office, shut the door, and said to the boss, “I want to ask you a question. I’m not looking to have an argument with you. I just want to understand something. Why don’t you fire the bookkeeper?”

His response told me all I needed to know. He said, and I’ll never forget it, “She’s great with the IRS!”

And I was certain she was. She had enough dealings with them because of her incompetence. If she had been any good, she would not have even known their phone number! He may have been the boss, but he did not have clue what was happening at his company. I sought employment elsewhere.

The ironic thing is, I learned a great deal from my “incompetent” and “unprofessional” bosses. Dealing with them is not a total negative. I learned, for example, the importance of giving. and not claiming, credit. Whenever I was asked, “Whose idea was this?” and “this” was something that ended up being positive, if it was mine, I would always respond “ours,” “us,” or “we” as required by the rules of English grammar. (Of course, if it was someone else’s idea, I gave them full credit.) If everything had gone wrong, I would take sole responsibility, when appropriate. (You can’t very well take the blame for something with which you were never involved or were publicly against from the start!)

One day I was attending a board subcommittee meeting. I would always bring with me a file labeled “Ideas.” I left to use the restroom and when I came back, the board member who I was sitting beside, was holding one of my “ideas” in his hand, with a smile on his face. (It, the idea, was rather funny, if I do say so myself.) He asked me why I had not tried it. I always recorded on my “idea sheets” when they were submitted and, if rejected, the reason(s). I looked at it and deciphered my scribble. “The boss rejected it on this date for this reason.” Little did I know that he had already asked the boss, and the boss claimed never to have seen it. He got caught in the lie. (After the meeting, the board member apologized to me for going through the file and told me what the boss had said.)

Another time, a different boss took credit for my idea. Her boss, the “big boss,” was in the room. I was fuming but said nothing. When I was leaving the room, he walked up beside me, put his arm around me, and asked, “Isn’t it maddening when people take credit for other people’s work?” He knew. They always know.

All the bad bosses were eventually fired, quit, the companies went out of business, or they left the company and were fired from their new jobs, seeming promotions, because they could not deliver on their promises which were based on the fictitious reputations they had created for themselves.

The lesson, my answer to the reader’s question, is simply this: First, ask the boss why they are doing what they are doing. Maybe you are wrong about them. In any event, learn as much as you can from the bad bosses as you do from the good ones. But, unlike with the good bosses, look for a new job. Sooner or later, the incompetent will always pay for their incompetence. Just make sure you are not around when it happens. In employment, guilt by association is a real thing!

One of my bosses had an ego that could not fit in any known space. When I finally had enough, and quit, I went to a number of recruiters. I had a few first interviews but no second interviews. Finally, one of the recruiters told me the reason: Everyone knows your last boss. The fact that you lasted so long with him makes you undesirable. They simply don’t want to consider you. They have no respect for him and can’t imagine anyone good having worked for him. Not an exact quote, but close enough.

Stess Test Your Career

A few years ago, when it was safe (or, at least, not so dangerous) to go to Manhattan, I worked on 35th Street off of Eighth Avenue. As I was walking to my office, I saw that water was pouring out of the corner building turning 36th Street into a roaring river.

When I made it to the front of the building, I was met by a very angry facilities director who was carrying a wrench that I doubt I was ever strong enough to hold let alone use. He yelled at me to “Stop!” and at a woman in front of the building to “Move!” He then took the wrench and hit, with all his might, the connections used by the fire department to connect their hoses to the building. The connections flew off (a miracle no one was hurt and no vehicle damaged), along with part of the building facade. Then came the torrent of water. When it decreased to a simple flow, I made my way to work, arriving dry.

On my way back, the director was in front of the building. I asked him what had happened. He told me, “We were stress testing our system.” I said, “The test failed.” He said, “No, it didn’t. We discovered a serious problem. Better before a fire than when there is one!” I stood corrected.

The same thing is true for a career. (For the record, I will be publishing an article on career advancement on October 27.) Regardless of how often you have a performance review with your supervisor, you should initiate a meeting. Keep the following lesson in mind:

As I was writing this article, I came across a video of a young woman, totally stressed out. She had gone to her supervisor and told her that she needed a second part-time job. She would let her supervisor know her available days as soon as possible. The supervisor pressured her for the days she would be able to work for the company. Finally, she provided the requested information. Based on it, the supervisor hired two people to replace her on the days she had indicated she would not be available. Then, the second job fell through. The supervisor could not give her any more work. The woman now only had one day’s work at the company. The supervisor did nothing wrong; she was looking out for her company (employer). The woman did everything wrong. Never inform an employer you will not be available to work on certain days, or, for that matter, never resign your position, until you have secured the new position. If everything falls apart, it is your fault, not your supervisor’s or employer’s.

Accordingly, when initiating a meeting to discuss your carreer, make it clear that you are happy and are not looking to leave. You don’t want them thinking you are planning on leaving and then be in a race to see if you find a new job or if they find your replacement first. Give your reasons. Talk about your pervious successes and the projects you are excited to be working on and look forward to finishing. Emphasize what you would like to contribute to the future growth of the company. Explain that the reason you asked for the meeting is because you want to know where your supervisor sees you contributing to the company in three- or five-years’ time. Are there any skills you lack, or knowledge you should acquire?

It’s important to know where you stand and what people (don’t be shy about asking your supervisor about what colleagues and not just him or her) think of you. When I was given responsibility for running two of the divisions of the non-profit for which I was working, it was the first time I ever had to supervise anyone. Put differently, it was the first time I ever had to explain my processes to anyone. My bosses were always interested in my results, not how I achieved them. Supervisees, so I learned, care about the “how” even more than the results.

At a staff meeting, I asked everyone how I was doing, what they liked and where I could improve. None of them believed me when I assured them I wanted honesty and that there would be no retaliation. Usually, I made jokes to break the tension, when there was any. In this case, I didn’t. That was intentional and they picked up on it. “You’re serious!” “Yes, I am. I want to know the truth.”

Their collective complaint was that I did not listen to them and made decisions too quickly. I knew that was not true but I understood the impression. So, I explained to them my decision-making process. Then, to prove my point, I told them that I wanted their input on something. After they responded, I immediately said, “This is what we will do.”

But this time, and every time thereafter until they told me I could stop, I repeated their advice, so they knew I had heard them. I told them why I accepted some things and rejected others. They were all appreciative, including those who didn’t get their way.

In other words, people have to know you are listening to them, that they are being heard. It’s not enough that you know it, they have to know it. By the same token, your supervisor has to be heard and you have to know if your career path is smooth or if it has to be paved over to remove potholes. Thus, your sit-down with your supervisor.

If everything goes well, great! If, to continue the obvious metaphor, the pressure bursts your pipes, also great! Now you know what you need to know so you don’t wind up watching your colleagues advance ahead of you, or worse, finding yourself metaphorically washed out of your job!