A Linear Format Worked for Richard

Richard earned an audience with several companies by dressing up his résumé. The Before and After versions follow (see Résumés below). Documenting specific accomplishments was key to an offer he received for a promotion and salary increase.

Points

• Delivers a hard-hitting sales presentation of your skills.
• Is quickly scanned by people or computers.
• Great for professions that have easily measured performance criteria, such as sales or production.

Pitfall

Same as for the accomplishments format. It hogs the space you might use to describe details with past employers.

• Marital status: Single
• Date of birth: November 14, 1957
• Place of birth: Nice, France
• Dual citizenship: U.S.A. and France
• Passport: U.S.A. and French (both currently valid)
• Health: Excellent
• Availability: Immediate; open to travel or relocation worldwide for the right opportunity Languages: French, Italian, English (fluent), German (business fluency)

Other notables:

• Currency: Specify monetary denominations, such as U.S. dollars, by writing “US$1 billion.”
• Telephone: Because you may not know what country your potential employer is calling from, do not include an international access code because it differs slightly from country to country. Instead, when residing in the United States, list only the country code (1), your area code, and telephone number. For instance, if you were targeting jobs in Europe while living state-side, your telephone number would appear as +1-707-222-3333.
• Country: Remember to add “U.S.” to your address if you’re using an address in the States.
• Education: Different countries have different protocol on detailing education. If you’re looking for jobs in Asia, employers prefer details on education as far back as grammar school.

Points

• Shows your international business savvy by using the appropriate format.
• Allows you to take advantage of the “tell more, sell more” theory. You can offer readers a lengthy, blow-by-blow narration of your track record.

Pitfalls

• Reveals personal information you might not want employers to know.
• Sets you up for discriminatory hiring practices (if you’re not of the “right” age, ethnicity, marital status, or other persuasion).

Steve Horstman, an on-camera newsman who is not afraid to stand out, used a three-column newsletter format to differentiate himself from his competition. This creative résumé helped him secure a main anchor slot in one of the top 30 U.S. markets (a strong jump from a mid-50s market). Compare his Before and After résumés (see them below).

You can also design a “theme” résumé to complement a particular company’s interests. For instance, a marketing representative applying to an amusement water park might use a long and narrow paper (card-stock weight) that folds into thirds. When opened, it displays a shadow of a waterfall (using a word-processing watermark function) on a light jade-green background. Alternative category headings can replace traditional ones: Make a Splash instead of Accomplishments, Water Chemistry instead of Experience, Pooled Resources instead of References, and so on.

Using Specialty Paper

Specialty paper is another tool you can use to display your creativity. The next four examples use unusual paper stock to complement each job seeker’s profession or industry.

Randy Bez’s Before résumé (see Résumé below) is a list-driven, “just the facts” presentation. The After version (see Résumé below) reflects his talents in the classroom and offers an inspiring “blackboard” quote, perfect for a teacher in the early elementary grades.

Sandi Stroop, an elementary educator specializing in early literacy development, uses an “ABC” paper and a font that looks like a child’s handwriting (see Résumé below). Tiny book images are used as bullets to set off key qualifications.

Finally, Sasha Berenton chose a jungle-theme paper to apply for a marketing position with a regional zoo (see Résumé below). Note the complete revision of content as well, which was needed because her Before version (see Résumé below) was intended for use in education.

Point

This is a great forum to showcase talents in a profession that calls for inventiveness—art, design, special events, promotions, and the like.

Pitfalls

• Creative résumés are difficult to pull off and should not be attempted by the imaginatively challenged (for example, novice writers and inexperienced graphic designers). Your intention is to be remembered, not embarrassed.
• Even if you are a creative genius, a traditional business format for the résumé is often preferred. Word has it from most advertising agencies that you should save the creative material for your “book” (your portfolio).
• Although the possibilities for creative résumés are endless, the professions for which they work are not.

Grace needed a change. The survivor of a messy divorce, she opted to explore other career options to give her a change of pace. After a long tenure as a classroom teacher, she wanted to pursue customer-service work in the private sector. Her new résumé is a strong example of a functional format and landed her a “fun and upbeat” job in the tourism industry.

Teacher’s Resume Before

Teacher’s Resume After

A “Wonder Mom” Goes Back to Work

Functional résumés are often the best choice for parents entering the workforce with minimal or no paid experience. Marlene, a career mom who did an admirable job of raising three children (I speak from personal experience) used a functional format to sum up several decades of volunteer work. Her only paid experience was two years of secretarial work several decades ago.

With skills in planning, administration, and business-office operations, she now manages business affairs for a production agriculture company. My “wonder mom” was kind enough to let me present her reentry résumé  as an example of how to convert countless hours of volunteer service to an attractive, business-oriented presentation for employers.

Marching to New Orders

James Delano’s résumé displays how a career military officer can facilitate a transition to the business world. Note the emphasis on quantifiable results and supervisor quotes—both of which were gleaned from past military performance evaluations—to help fill in the full picture of James’s capabilities and professionalism. All military-speak (acronyms, project names, numbered forms, and so forth) was translated to business terms.

Business Office Management Resume:

Resume: Qualified for mid-management administratove requiring proven ability to enhance operational efficiency, affect team productivity, and maximize operating funds

Points

Although not a cure-all for every career inadequacy, the functional format can camouflage the appearance of an unstable, unorthodox, or interrupted career caused by

• Gaps between jobs
• Job hopping
• Spouse relocation
• Typecasting
• Limited paid experience
• Returning to a career after time off for family or personal reasons
• Recent graduation with limited experience

Also a valid vehicle for conventional careers, the functional format shouldn’t be associated only with “fixing” employment problems. If you belong to any of the following categories, the functional might be your best fit:

• Career specialization (performed the same responsibilities at multiple employers)
• Overqualified
• Senior citizen
• Military conversion

If your vocational hurdle is included above (from job hopping to military conversion), the skills section in chapter 5 will show you how the functional format can get you back in the race.

Pitfall

The functional format’s greatest plus is also its primary pitfall. Employers know that a functional format will camouflage career glitches, thus raising the question, “What is the candidate trying to hide?”

One-Minute Quick Quiz

Now add the check marks for both the Chronological and Functional columns and place the total for each column in the Totals row. If the number of “chronologicals” outweighs the “functionals,” you should probably use a chronological format. If the reverse is true, and you have more “functional” responses, consider presenting your skills in a functional format.

Tip: Weigh the pros and cons of each format when determining which to use. If you’re a candidate who might go either way, write both versions; then “test market” the résumé with friends or colleagues who have human resources backgrounds or hiring experience. Honest feedback from colleagues can be invaluable in determining the best presentation for your résumé.

Remember, this quiz is a simplified formula to use when you want to crank out a résumé in about an hour. For those of you with inquiring minds who want to know the strategy behind why you’re using a particular format (remember, knowledge is power), you’ll benefit from reading through the rest. In it, you’ll learn that, beyond the chronological and functionalformats, you can choose from many other format variations, one of which will suit your unique mix of career experiences. You’ll also be encouraged when you see how these different formats solved a variety of professional problems for some average people and some not-so-average people.

One Page or Two?

Résumé length should be determined by several factors, including the number of years of experience you possess, your position level, and your industry (for instance, résumés for educators are typically longer than résumés for sales professionals). Use this general rule of thumb for deciding on length:

• One page for new graduates or people with 5 to 10 years of experience.
• Two pages for management-level candidates and those with more than 10 years of experience.
• Two to three pages for “C”-level executives (such as chief executive officer, chief operating officer, or chief financial officer).

Getting the Reader to Act Worked for William

Many job hunters close their cover letters with something along the lines of this:

Thank you for the opportunity to be considered for the Product Engineer position.

Much more effective is the technique that William, a production engineer, used. Here’s the closing paragraph on his cover letter:

Your schedule permitting, I’d like just a few minutes to show you some prototypes. The technology I developed was successful in solving issues similar to what ABC Company faces. I’ll be in the area next week and will call on Monday, the 21st, to see what time might work best with your schedule.

William persuasively, yet politely, wrangled himself an audience with the plant manager who, by the way, cleared a 2 p.m. slot to look at William’s prototypes.

Adding a Pager with an 800 Number

Make it easy for your reader to take action. Make sure your telephone number is easy to see. If you’re relocating for your next job, consider getting a pager or telephone with an 800 number to overcome any employer concern about an area code that seems like it’s from a strange and distant land. Or use a friend’s telephone as a message number to give the impression you’re serious about relocating.

Ross had recently married. His wife, Zena, lived in San Francisco. He lived and worked in Fresno. A seven-hour, round-trip commute is not terribly conducive to a healthy marriage. Ross was looking for a new job in the Bay Area. Simply revising his Before résumé heading helped to generate callbacks on three of the next five résumés he sent:

Before:

After:

The address and telephone were his wife’s apartment in the city, and the pager made it easy for employers to reach him. Your accessibility may mean the difference between getting an interview or not.

The quote that introduces this chapter asserts that advertising is not a science but an art. I believe that the art of persuading can be likened to science. Just as in chemistry, where mixing certain compounds produces specific results, incorporating time-tested advertising formulas into your résumé can get employers’ attention, capture their interest, and create desire in your candidacy. When used thoughtfully and tastefully, advertising formulas can produce the desired outcome-an interview with your boss-to- be.

Desire is created when you

• Show why the employer needs you.
• Show how you can satisfy the need.
• Prove your superiority in fulfilling the need.

When your effort to create desire is persuasive, the buyer (your boss-to-be) will want to “own” the product (your services).

Why You Buy

Your decision to buy a product is driven by different needs and wants, such as the following:

• Prestige
• Security
• Convenience
• Comfort
• Fun
• Health
• Greed
• Guilt
• Vanity

It’s interesting to stop and really think about what motivates us to spend. Take out your checkbook and look over your recent purchases. In the chart that follows, list in the left column a few items that you have bought in the past month or so. Review the preceding list of buying motivators (prestige, security, convenience, and so on) and identify what prompted you to buy. You might have buying motivators that aren’t on the list. And, just as I found, you might have more than one buying motivator per purchase.

Why Employers Buy

Employers also have motivations to “buy.” Among them are the following:

• Make money.
• Save money.
• Save time.
• Make work easier.
• Solve a specific problem.
• Be more competitive.
• Build relationships/an image.
• Expand business.
• Attract new customers.
• Retain existing customers.

Finding your boss-to-be’s “buying motivators” might take some digging. Research the Internet, industry publications, company newsletters, and annual reports. Call friends in the industry. Network online. Interview company employees, customers, or competitors. In short, develop a list of specific needs and interests the company has; then address those needs in your résumé or cover letter. When researching, categorize your findings according to these TOP issues:

• Trends-the company’s five-year financial trends, strategic direction, and industry trends
• Opportunities-new ideas on the drawing board and company priorities
• Problems/Projects-competition or challenges that are keeping the organization from being as productive or profitable as possible-projects the company needs help implementing.

This information will be critical in your networking and interviewing.

Tip: Don’t overlook chemistry when it comes to buying motivators. Hiring managers (or their computer systems) may screen initially on competencies, but final decisions will factor heavily on chemistry. Include character traits or other personal branding elements that hint of positive chemistry and a good organizational cultural fit.

Use the next chart to begin thinking of the specific needs employers have that you can meet. Jot these down in the left column. In the right column, select a corresponding buying motivator from the preceding list. This exercise can help you get into an employer-focused mindset.

Both sides win when you address buying motivators in your résumé. Your boss-to-be will get the company’s needs met: problems solved and profits realized. And you’ll get your needs met: You’ll be employed, appreciated, and paid more!

Addressing Buying Motivators Worked for Mario

Mario heard that DataSafe Company was growing by leaps and bounds. The company specialized in data security and disaster recovery. He’d read about the company in the Business section of the newspaper. (This is a great source of job leads. If you’re on the prowl for a new job and haven’t been reading the Wall Street Journal or local business paper, get to the library today and check out back issues.) A star salesman, Mario wanted to be part of the action with this local company that had made Fortune’s list of fastest-growing companies.

Mario made three calls: one to an employee in the company, one to a customer, and one to a competitor of the company. Asking a few pointed questions, he found out what the hot buttons were for DataSafe: territory expansion and product launches. Although he had extensive experience in both areas, his résumé didn’t show it. The following section shows how rewriting just a few of his accomplishments homed in on his boss-to-be’s needs.

Notice how Mario introduces his accomplishments with words that specifically address his target company’s needs. He also uses check boxes instead of more traditional bullets. They give the reader the subconscious impression that “yes, this candidate has everything I need.”

Prove Your Superiority

Remember that every candidate must answer the employer’s question of “Why hire you over someone else?” You must prove your superiority! This is most easily done through the use of comparison-with others on your team, with other regions or districts in your company, with your company’s competitors, or with the industry standard.

Caution: When comparing yourself with others on your team or within your company, be careful! You don’t want to sound like a narcissistic Lone Ranger in a climate that worships the consummate team player. Use phrases like “contributed to company successes in revenue growth, profit enhancement” or “member of team that delivered threefold growth in sales.”

Asserting Superiority Without Put-Downs

Liz had interviewed for a sales position in the DME (durable medical equipment) industry. During the battery of interview questions from the interviewer, she was asked, “Where do you rank among your sales team?” Liz’s response was, “Well, I don’t have a ranking, since I’m the company’s only full-time sales associate.”

After the interview, Liz reviewed her handwritten notes. She realized her response to the “where do you rank” question could have been stronger. So, in her thank-you-for-the-interview, follow-up letter, she redeemed this weak response by writing the following:

During our conversation, you inquired about my sales ranking. As I mentioned, the present structure at Dantron does not lend itself to ranking since I am the branch’s only full-time sales associate. However, I did some research and found a few numbers that will confirm my performance as a top producer.

The average sales production for the two sales associates who preceded me was $27,000 per month. As of January, my monthly average was $39,000-a 44% increase in sales activity and a record for the branch.

Branch performance is, of course, a team effort. At the same time, it is driven by individual sales. Again, because I was the branch’s sole full-time sales associate, my contributions were critical in improving performance scores across the board last year. For instance

• Irvine tied for first place in the gross profit percentage category.
• The branch generated 100% of sales to budget in a year when the figures for promotions and other expense categories more than tripled.
• Most important, we finished first among eight offices for pretax income to budget.

Notice how Liz demonstrates her superiority through comparison with former sales associates and with other branches without stepping on anyone’s toes. She dispels any unvoiced thoughts of the Lone Ranger syndrome by weaving in the sentence, “Branch performance is, of course, a team effort.” She also addresses another of the interviewer’s buying motivators. The interviewer told Liz her DME company was “driven by sales.” Liz had taken good notes in the interview, so she “fed” this point back to the interviewer with the sentence “At the same time, it is driven by sales.”

Tip: If you’re like most of us, you’ll walk out of the interview wishing you had phrased something differently. Or, two hours later, you’ll remember a great example that would have perfectly illustrated your skills. The followup letter is a great place to polish responses that might have been rough or lacking during the interview.

External Variables:

Function (F):

Function represents job titles and tasks; for example, titles such as accountant, copywriter, or customer service representative or tasks such as analyzing, planning, or writing. Although you’re capable of doing a number of different functional jobs or tasks, you’ll want to concentrate on your innate talents and skills, and favorite experiences.

Industry/Interests (I):

Industry refers to where you will apply your functional skills. Frequently your functional interests can be used within a number of industries. For example, a customer service representative (Function) with a passion for organic products might target call centers (Industry) or retailers (Industry) that specialize. in natural products (Interests).

Things That Matter (T)

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could open the medicine cabinet each morning and pop a pill that would motivate you to go to work? That pill does exist! It takes the shape of having your values and needs met. Your “Things That Matter” category might include an impressive title, solid relationships with your boss or peers, a high level of authority, salary range or perks, cultural diversity, independence, travel, or a host of other elements that will take your job from good to great!

Internal Variables

Fulfillment (F)

Fulfillment is synonymous with purpose. Career purpose can be defined as being “radically rewarded and enthusiastically engaged in work that adds value to others.” Your definition should capture the essence of how you will bring value to your employer, as well as how you will fulfill yourself. It’s something you can intentionally look forward to on a Monday morning and say, “this is what I am committed to,” as well as look back on Friday afternoon and say, “I have accomplished my purpose.”

Identity (I)

Identity refers to how you see yourself—your internal self-image. Who are you and who are you becoming? What distinguishing characteristics do you want others to perceive in you? What do you believe you are capable of accomplishing? How do you want others to perceive you? Those who experience the greatest meaning and fulfillment in life and work periodically redefine themselves and move beyond their previously accepted limitations.

Type (T)

Type refers to your personality. You came wired-at-birth with four main personality preferences: where you focus your energy (your outer world or inner world); how you take in information (concretely or intuitively); how you make decisions (based on logic or feelings); and how you approach the world (in a planned or spontaneous manner).

If you’re thinking that it will be a challenge to target a position that ideally suits all six elements-your functional skills, ideal industry/interests, personality type, fulfilling purpose, evolving identity, and things that matter-don’t be discouraged. It is possible; however, recognize that it is a process of fine-tuning your career over time. Start by making sure you’re clear about the first-level elements-Function, Industry/Interests, and Things That Matter-as you target new positions. Then, weave in your second-level elements-Fulfillment, Identity, and Type-to take your career to the next level.

Advantages

The second A in your personal brand, Advantages, is synonymous with benefits and value. These are the advantages that you bring to employers. They should be linked to the employer’s “buying motivators,” such as the ability to help generate income or save costs for the company. You’ll learn more about these in this chapter and in chapter 6 on accomplishments.

Awareness

The final A, Awareness, refers to communicating your brand in a manner that makes people attentive and responsive to it. You can do that both in print and in person during your job search. Your résumé and career marketing documents (cover letters, follow-up letters, reference sheets, project lists, online portfolio, and so on) can all convey your brand in print. Your choice of font, tasteful use of color in traditional paper résumés, use of visuals and color in online résumés, insertion of industry icons or logos, and so on will add to brand identity. And, of course, getting your résumé in front of decision makers is an important aspect of brand awareness.

• A great impression makes an immediate connection and compels your reader to go on reading…right now.
• An average impression may win a read-through…later…maybe.
• A bad impression will halt the process; your résumé (and your aspirations) could be destined for the same place you toss your junk mail.

Every year, American companies spend in excess of $52 billion (that’s nine zeros!) on direct-mail advertising, $46 billion on newspaper advertising, and $16 billion on ads in consumer magazine and business publications. Another $88 billion is spent on annual television and radio advertising, with Internet advertising at nearly $7 billion, but fast increasing with double-digit annual growth (Source: 2006 Fact Pack: 4th Annual Guide to Advertising Marketing, Crain Communications). Like it or not, the advertising gurus are pretty persuasive at getting us to spend part of our hard-earned paychecks.

Because they are so good at their craft, it makes sense to capitalize on some of their “trade secrets.” In this chapter, we’ll touch on personal branding, as well as explain how adopting and adapting bits and pieces of successful “advertising formulas” to the résumé-writing process has brought great success to people from all walks of life, from entry level to executive.

Personal or career branding is all about image (what you want to be known for) and connection or attraction (what kind of employer you want to connect with or attract). A compelling career brand can

• Make you more attractive to employers, even when there are no formal job openings
• Control what networking contacts and interviewers remember most about you
• Lower the barriers to hiring by creating trust and conveying value
• Elevate you from the status of commonplace commodity to one-of-a-kind service
• Differentiate you from the competition
• Guide you in your decisions about which interviews to pursue
• Create employer desire to buy (hire)

Many of the same dynamics behind why a consumer chooses Crest over Colgate also apply in hiring. That’s why it’s important to have a clear brand and communicate it consistently. Creating your brand is not a five-minute exercise, but there are some key points that will fast-forward the process.

True/False questions:

• Employers and candidates view résumés as having the same purpose.
• A résumé is most effective when it precedes your interview with the hiring manager.
• A hiring decision maker will be the one to screen your résumé.
• Résumés are read thoroughly.
• You will need a résumé to land a job.

Many people answer True to all of these statements. Read on to find out why I’ve found them all to be false.

Employers and Candidates Usually View Résumés as Having Different Purposes

Employers use résumés as a screening device to deal with the deluge of responses to job postings. Just as a boat jettisons cargo to stay afloat in a storm, the résumé screener-drowning in dozens if not hundreds or thousands of résumés all vying for one single position—is purposefully looking for reasons to dump you. The slightest “error”-skills missing, disorganized content, a tiny typo-may be cause to disqualify and discard you (your résumé is now a liability). The rules of law and civility do not apply here. You are not presumed innocent or given the benefit of the doubt. The mentality is weed, winnow, and whack to get the pile down to manageable size. A mediocre or even average résumé can knock you out of the running for positions for which you might be wholly qualified.

In contrast, applicants use résumés to introduce themselves to employers, with the hope of getting an audience (interview) with a hiring decision maker. Too often, applicants use résumés incorrectly, making it their primary tool in the job search with the mistaken belief that employers will be thrilled or have the time to read every word about them. That’s just not the case in this imperfect world!

A Résumé Is Most Effective When It Follows Face-to-Face or Voice Contact with a Hiring Manager

The employer’s initial focus is to find grounds for discarding résumés. Again, your résumé can be more of a liability than an asset. After working with thousands of candidates over the years, I believe a better strategy is to establish rapport with the hiring manager (or others who influence hiring decisions) before submitting a résumé. For most people, an initial face-to-face or voice contact is more engaging than print-on-paper.

In some cases, a direct encounter will be difficult if not impossible because many corporate systems are set up to insulate managers from “interruptions” like you. But with a little sleuthing and perseverance on your part, it can be done (see the hint in the next paragraph). After you’ve established rapport and the hiring manager knows of your relevant experience in solving problems (you’ve said so in your rapport building), then you can introduce the résumé to reinforce your initial statements, reveal more about your skills and accomplishments, and remind the hiring manager of how wonderful you are.

A Support Person or Computer Program Will Probably Be the One to Screen Your Résumé

Unless you’re applying to a relatively small organization, it’s more likely that a support staff member or computer program, rather than a hiring manager, will be screening your résumé and comparing it to a “walk-on-water wish list” of superhuman endowments, education, and experience. What? Your résumé doesn’t include walking on water under the Skills section? Liability. And, if your résumé is being electronically processed, there’s an even greater chasm between you and the hiring manager. Depending on the applicant-tracking software the company uses, there’s the possibility that your résumé will not be categorized properly or that your terminology will not match the keywords the organization uses to find a strong candidate match. Even executive recruiters hire researchers who spend hours every day combing Internet databases for keywords and key candidates. For these reasons, it’s critical that your résumé be as screen-proof as possible. Better yet, use your initiative to get your résumé directly to the decision maker.

Résumés Are Not Read Thoroughly

Not on the first go-around. Feedback from screeners is that an inviting-toread, “pretty” résumé is more likely to get into the interview pile. Then, if you’re lucky enough to get the résumé into the interview pile, you’ll eventually get a read-through. However, more than a few candidates report that interviewers admitted not reading their résumés word for word; rather, they liked the look of a résumé and quickly were able to locate key achievements and skills that were important for the position being filled.

You Won’t Always Need a Résumé to Land a Job

You will, however, always need an interview. To my continued surprise, I still meet professionals who tell me they got their last job without a résumé. So, as proud as I am of my profession that helps people write their professional “success story,” I must humble myself and admit that my services as a résumé writer are not indispensable.

I will report, however, that the number of people who sail into a position sans résumé is decreasing. Companies, especially smaller ventures, are finding that formal, well-documented personnel files (complete with résumé) help to comply with labor laws and protect against the litigious attitude so prevalent today.

Some people find themselves in situations where the employer-to-be has obliquely offered a job and requested a résumé as “a formality.” Be cautious if this is the case. Remember that you are a slave to your written words and can’t easily take them back. A quickly thrown-together résumé reflects the quality of work you will put forth in the future. It may happen that the boss-to-be also has a super-sharp résumé for a candidate competing for your supposed “sure-thing” job.