DITCH THE RESUME

Why would a guy that writes resumes tell you to ditch the resume? Some people have submitted their resumes to 5, 10 even 20 potential employers and have not received one response. Don’t get me wrong, a resume is the foundation of your job search, but you have to build up from there, otherwise you are just a one dimensional applicant and not a multi-faceted potential employee.

My suggestion for a greater yield, move your job search out of the realm of just a resume and into the realm of risk-taking, relationships, and results.

1. Risk-taking. In this competitive market, you would be ill-advised to leave your job before you have another lined up. But you will have to put yourself out there a little more to gain any attention from potential employers. This means finding a way to devote more time to the search, which will call for personal sacrifice in the form of off-hours effort or official vacation time.

1. Relationships. Making connections provides the most promising opportunity for hearing about jobs in the “hidden” job market (existing openings that aren’t advertised). Identifying people to talk to in companies of interest, joining a professional association to network with other members, attending professional conferences, job fairs and, if you are a recent graduate, contacting your college career center and alumni office for connections will increase your networking ability significantly.

1. Results. Communicate your expertise to future employers in the context of potential results. This is something easy to put on a resume, but describing how you will help these companies in person can be a challenge. Because many job seekers stop short of bridging their strengths to the employer’s needs, your ability to demonstrate this alignment will distinguish you from the crowd in a tight market.

So, before you delete your resume file and torch a pile of your portfolios, keep in mind that the resume and cover letter are a basic necessity but it is not the summation of your job search.

If you need help with your job search, need a new resume, a revision to your resume or interview coaching, please feel free to contact me at richardfruscione@hotmail.com