Thanks to your calls and emails I’ve readied a quick sampling of the questions you’ve been asking:
Q: Which of the following should I be sure to include on my resume: gender, marital status, age, race, health, height, weight, and religion?
A: Stay away from all of them.
Q: We have a family crest which I am very proud to include on my stationery. I’d like to include it on my resume. A “good friend” told me that it was pretentious. I disagree. What do you think?
A: I think you’d be wise to save it for personal correspondence.
Q: As I write my resume it occurs to me that the accomplishment of which I am most proud is my child. Shall I include his name, awards, and the schools he’s attended?
A: Beautiful thought and good information to save for family and friends.
Q: What’s the difference between contingency and retainer recruiters?
A: Contingency recruiters are compensated on the “contingency” that their candidate is hired. Client companies “retain” recruiters for specialized search assignments and compensate them regardless of the outcome.
Q: What’s the difference between a “head hunter” and a “search specialist?”
A: There is no difference.
Q: I can’t seem to get a recruiter sufficiently interested in my resume to return my calls. What can I do to improve my odds?
A: Recruiters are having a tough time finding companies willing to pay fees and are being deluged with unsolicited resumes. To improve your odds, you’ll need to do a better job of telling your story on your resume and your cover letter.
Q: I’m constructing a resume and have done a good job of writing an objective. Now I’m working on my executive summary. Do I need both?
A: The former states what you want. The latter states what you’ve done. Prospective employers scan resumes looking for key words that match their needs. They’re more likely to find them in your summary statement.
Q: I’ve printed my resume on brightly colored paper so that it will stand out from the competition. Is that a good idea?
A. I think there are better ways to highlight your strengths.
Q: Which resume format do you prefer, reverse-chronological or topical?
A: The reverse-chronological is more reader-friendly. It gives interviewers what they want at a glance: the where, when, and what of the applicants’ background. The topical style (separate narratives, each focusing on a skill set) flags the reader that all is not as it appears. When in doubt, readers throw them out.
Q: I think it’s faster to email my resumes and cover letters. My dad says it’s not professional. What’s your take?
A: Email is a convenient, efficient, and cost effective way to relay your information. Just be sure that your screen name is business appropriate. If you go by the moniker, “beach bum”; “air head”; “sleeping beauty”; and the like, I doubt that you’ll be taken as seriously as you intend.
Q: I’m running out of search options and giving serious consideration to mass mailing my resume to a thousand companies. If I get a handful of responses I’ll be ahead of where I am now. What’s your reaction?
A: If you email them, they’re apt to be treated like spam. If you go first class mail you’ll have a first class bill with a third rate return on investment. Before you crank up the printing press and the postage meter, go back to basics. Review your search strategy with a professional career coach who can help you evaluate what’s working and, more importantly, what isn’t.
Q: How specific do I need to be when sending out my resume?
A: The more targeted you are in your approach to the job market, the more successful you are likely to be. The more generalized, the more likely you are to be overlooked.
Q: I’m overwhelmed at the search possibilities available to me by the internet. How can I get my arms around all this stuff to know where to focus my attention?
A: Thanks to the willing services and research savvy of business reference librarians, help could be close at hand. Call, visit, or ask for their assistance on-line.
