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Stronger Resume to Increase your Odds
Reality Check:
Given the choice of two candidates of equal ability, hiring managers
will always prefer to interview the one with the most artfully constructed
and attractive resume. For that reason, candidates with superb qualifications
are often overlooked. And companies end up hiring from a more shallow
pool of talent; a pool made up of those candidates whose experience
is represented by powerfully written, visually appealing resumes.
Of course, many
of the best candidates also have the best resumes; and sometimes,
highly qualified candidates manage to surface through word-of-mouth
referral. In fact, the referral method is the one I use to present
talented people to my client companies.
But unless you
can afford to rely on your "reputation," or on the recommendation
of a barracuda recruiter, you'll need more than the right qualifications
to get the job you wantyou'll need a dynamite resume.
In today's competitive
employment market, your resume has to stand out in order to get
the attention of the decision maker and create a strong impression.
And later on, when you meet the prospective employer face to face,
a strong resume will act as a valuable tool during the interviewing
process.
Truth
in Advertising
The best way to prepare a dynamite resume is not to change the facts,
just make them more presentable. This can be accomplished in two
ways: [1] by strengthening the content of your resume; and [2] by
enhancing its appearance.
Although there's
no federal regulatory agency like the FDA or FCC to act as a watchdog,
I consider it to be ethical common sense to honestly and clearly
document your credentials. In other words, don't make exaggerated
claims about your past.
Remember, your
resume is written for the employer, not for you. Its main purpose,
once in the hands of the reader, is to answer the following questions:
How do you present yourself to others? What have you done in the
past? And what are you likely to accomplish in the future?
In addition
to providing a factual representation of your background, your resume
serves as an advertisement. The more effective your 30-second commercial,
the more the customerthe employerwill want to buy the
expertise you're selling.
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