Resume Writing Truth: What You Have To Offer Is More Important Than What You Want.
I’d like to think that resume writing is a lost art. You have to imagine that back in the day when we had nothing more than a typewriter, stamps and envelopes, that people sent in their ‘resumes’ via delivery pigeons and they dropped rolled resume packages at the doorstep of your prospective employer. I’d say that’s pretty accurate.
So you wonder just how much competition there was. Probably a lot. Resume writing was defined, specific, even a practice that caused a lot of bleeding fingers. However, old habits die hard, and companies still look for candidates in various ways, thanks to the rise of the internet and the record expansion of the workforce.
Now instead of just a few pigeons showing up at the door with the rolled-up ‘resumes,’ we have tons and tons of digital copies arriving in the company INBOX, and someone’s left with the uncompromisingly difficult task of having to sift through all of it.
Companies are looking to identify value, which means quality candidates over quantity. That makes the resume not just a document listing the person’s history, but a marketing plan convincing the hiring manager why the candidate is a much better choice than the rest!
No Objectives
Here’s an interesting statistic for you – 99% of candidates who write about what they want in their resumes never get on top of the list! Huh? What kind of statistic is that? A correct and accurate one, actually.
When you think about it, the resume isn’t necessarily about what you want. Yes, you’re using it to get a job. But the content of the resume isn’t about what you want; rather, it’s about what the employer needs!
Objectives are dinosaurs. They’re extinct. Focus on professional profiles, paragraphs summarizing you as a professional. Only you. Nothing about what you want or expect. When you think about it, it makes perfect sense. These hiring managers don’t really need to see that you’re out getting a job.
They see it already just by looking at your resume. If you weren’t looking for a job, you wouldn’t have sent it in.
Oh, By the Way…
This is a series on content, leading you into the world of current resume writing techniques. Your weapon is the resume. Not every weapon always works, unless it’s sharp enough to cut through stone.
Keep reading and realize that you may be without the sharpest sword. The job market’s waiting to be cut by you. Sharpen your blade. Your time is now.
A professionally written resume and cover letter will make a difference. Contact Vertical Media Solutions and speak with a certified professional resume writer. Grand Rapids: 616-631-4300 | Lansing: 517-308-0800 | Ann Arbor: 734-385-7000
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