Multiple Versions of Your Resume

“I am going to need at least three different versions of my resume.” While it would make smart financial sense for me to simply say "yes" to the above (very common) request, the truth is that clients rarely need multiple resume versions. What they really need is one agile, easy to target resume. And as I have written about before, you should always be targeting your resume toward each specific position.

Let’s use a recent client as an example... John got in touch because he wanted to pursue opportunities in business analysis and IT solutions development. He was certain he needed two versions of his resume to accomplish this. He didn’t.

In John’s case, those two areas of expertise complement each other very well and are both natural extensions of his experience. So instead of creating multiple versions of his resume, we developed one easy-to-target version that highlighted those aspects of his background that were relevant to both business analysis and IT solutions development. By working in some customizable introductory elements, he was able to easily target the resume so readers were prepared to “see” his expertise in a specific area.

There are times, though, when it makes sense to have multiple versions of your resume. I recently worked with a client whose background was equal parts administrative support and social media marketing. Those are pretty different career paths. Because her goal was to lean further into social media marketing, it made sense to create a resume that shined a spotlight on that aspect of her experience while downplaying her background in administrative support. However, she felt like she might also still pursue administrative support roles. Because we had limited the focus on administrative support in her social media marketing resume, it made sense to create a second version where we shifted the spotlight to her administrative support experience.

If you think you need multiple versions of your resume, reach out. You may be surprised to learn that one, customizable resume will serve you better than multiple versions ever could.

Social Media Lock Down

Today, a quick post about the intersection of social media and job hunting. I get asked repeatedly about the need to "scrub" social media accounts when searching for a job. I have severely mixed feelings about this but will keep it very simple because the reality of the employment landscape makes it my response necessarily simple.

Recruiters, hiring managers and interviewers will likely use your social media accounts to make determinations about you. Even if it illegally figures into an employment decision (because it's done casually or, perhaps, off the record), it will happen.

Do not serve up another reason for these reviewers to eliminate you. Remember, with loads of people applying for every position, that's what they are looking to do – thin out the pool of candidates.

Bottom line... I hate that this invasion of privacy can have such a detrimental effect. Even more, though, I hate that candidates are sailing along as if drunk pictures of themselves on Facebook and Instagram don't matter.

People are looking at your social media accounts when making employment decisions. Act accordingly.

Applying For Multiple Positions Within One Company

Q. There are three positions at a NGO that I am really interested in. The on-line application system allows me to upload a targeted version of my resume for each position. Is that a good idea or should I just use one resume for all three? A. I get this question a lot and there tends to be a deeper concern lying just below the surface. The worry seems to be “will I get found out for targeting my resume?” So let’s just get this out of the way. Targeting your resume is a smart strategy and a courtesy to the reader. You are simply highlighting your specific qualifications for a specific role. There is nothing suspicious about that.

So to answer you actual question, yes. Submit a targeted resume for each of the three positions.

Because it is likely that all three resumes will be read by the same people (just assume they will be), make sure the three resumes complement one another. Remember, targeting does not mean sweeping changes (or presenting dishonest content), it means subtle shifts to focus on different aspects of your expertise. That's why it's a smart move!

Listing Career Development Work and Training On Your Resume

Q. I’ve taken several Coursera.com courses while I have been out of work. Should I list these on my resume? A. Expanding your professional skill set and honing your expertise is an excellent way to maintain your competitive edge while out of work.

For the most part, I suggest you list on-line courses like those offered by Coursera.com and Codeacadamy.com on your LinkedIn profile and keep your resume to degrees and highly relevant “on-site” training. Even with LinkedIn, don’t overdo it. If you’ve a lot of courses, select a handful of the training courses that you feel are most relevant or that highlight your knowledge in especially-in-demand areas.

When you do list career development and training on your resume, it's a good idea to separate the activities from your degrees. Consider placing them in a separate Career Development section. That way your degree(s) don't get lost among less critical content.

Novella Or Resume?

Does your resume look like an assignment for a creative writing class? Be honest. If you are using large chunks of narrative to tell your “story,” then that is how readers are likely perceiving your resume. And since almost nobody has time to read a short story at work, that is a perception that you want to avoid. If you are currently taking a narrative approach to your resume or are playing around with the idea, consider these three things:

1. Narrative makes it very difficult for readers to quickly scan your resume. You might say, “Good, I want them to read it closely!” The truth is that if a reader feels overwhelmed by your resume, they likely won’t read it at all.

2. Like them or hate them, bullet points – when written well – are incredibly effective. They are considered a best practice because they make it easy for readers to quickly grasp your achievements.

3. Density is the enemy when it comes to resumes. If your resume feels dense, then it is probably difficult for readers to pick out the important parts. You never want to make readers “work” to find your achievements and impact.

One of the main reasons that client sometimes request a narrative approach is because they believe it will make them stand out. And they are right. Unfortunately, a narrative resume may make you stand out – but likely for the wrong reasons. What will make you stand out even more is an achievement-focused resume that clearly and concisely communicates your impact.

A New Package

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Cover Letters Matter

Here is a re-post of something I wrote that addresses one of my most common questions: Does a cover letter matter? I just checked in with a recent client, Jane, who – at the start of our project – was as anti-cover-letter as anti-cover-letter gets. She was one of the many people out there who believe that a cover letter is a “throw away” item – something that needs to be done but not very mindfully. Early on, I explained to her (as I often do when clients ask) the importance of a cover letter.

First off, always submit a cover letter with your resume unless a company/organization specifically asks for only a resume. An ideal cover letter can take many forms, but it’s main goal will generally be to motivate the reader to take a close look at your resume. Moreover, I typically like to see a cover letter that gives the reader a bit more information – some “context” that will help them to make further sense of the resume. Oftentimes, a cover letter becomes more important once the list of job candidates has been whittled down.  That’s when the “extras” that a cover letter provides can make all of the difference.

Jane let me know that she believes it was ultimately her cover letter that got her a job. Her new employer told her that it expressed a level of interest and sincerity that set her apart from other applicants. Cover letters are still a big part of the job-search routine. Use that fact to your advantage.

How Do I Get My Resume Noticed?

Q. I’ve read several of your posts on creative resume formats. If you don’t suggest colors or graphics, how do I get my resume noticed?

A. While I don’t suggest colors or graphics, I do recommend you employ some strategic formatting. Having said that, the single most effective way to make your resume stand out is to include clear, quantifiable accomplishments. Because they are so rare, there is simply nothing more effective and disruptive than an accomplishment focused resume.

Remember, it's about you but for your audience. You may like color, but they probably won't. Make sense?

Cut The Crop

When LinkedIn updated the look of profiles, they made the profile picture larger and more prominent. So it is even more important that your profile picture show you in the best light possible. Literally. Here are three things to consider when selecting your LinkedIn profile picture:

Don’t crop a group photo – You may think that the photo of you as the best man on your friend's wedding day – the one with several others in the photo – is the best picture of you. But when that picture is you and the shoulder of a friend, it’s going to look silly on your LI profile.

Go as high quality as possible – Pixelated, low-quality photos make terrible profile pictures. You may be striking just the perfect balance of professional and approachable, but if the quality is bad, it doesn’t matter. Always upload the highest quality picture possible.

Avoid the flash shadow – You’ve seen this picture. Someone standing in front of a cubical wall looking like a deer in the headlights with a horrible shadow behind their head. This kind of photo could make a nobel laureate look like an amateur.

In a perfect world, your LI profile picture would have zero relevance. But the fact is that readers will make immediate judgments based solely on your photo, so take it seriously.