Why Your Resume is Important

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I still get asked – quite regularly, actually – about the importance of a resume as one moves through the selection process. Your resume (and other job search documents) actually become more important as the competition becomes tighter.

Let me explain.

We all know that an outstanding resume is a critical component of an effective job search. However, we tend to forget the valuable role the resume can play during the interview and selection process. An outstanding, achievement-focused resume can set you apart in a sea of mediocre job search documents, and not just initially. As you move through the process, your resume continues to represent you.

Once the candidate pool has been whittled down, your resume becomes even more important. For instance, after you have secured an interview, the resume can help to steer the conversation. What you include on the resume can serve as a jumping off point for the interview and may focus the interviewer's attention on those achievements about which you are most proud and / or most prepared to speak.

Finally – and in many ways, most importantly – an outstanding resume and any associated documents (cover letter, follow up letter, thank you letter) can serve as a tie-breaker when just a few candidates remain.

Maximizing LinkedIn Skills Endorsements

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I reviewed the LinkedIn profile of a client the other day and saw that she had numerous endorsements for "Cars." "Cars" might be an area of expertise – albeit a very generic one – if the client where, say, an auto mechanic or NASCAR driver. In those cases, "Cars" could make some sense. But this client was in event marketing for an auto manufacturer. Despite "Cars" being practically meaningless, especially in regards to her career, it remained at the top of her list of endorsements.

The Skills and Endorsements section of LinkedIn – that section that provides a way for your connections to let others know that they think you have what it takes in a certain area – is a really critical part of your LinkedIn profile. Not only is it like a list of mini-recommendations, it is also an easy way to shape perceptions about your professional skill set. Despite the section being visually prominent and important, many LinkedIn users don't actively manage it – likely because they don't know that they can.

Here are a few tips for curating a list of Skills and Endorsements that adds value to your profile and provides some actual insights into your areas of expertise:

• Make a habit of reviewing the Skills and Endorsements section of your profile (maybe once a month).

• Don't be afraid to remove a skill that you don't feel is relevant or that doesn't align with your career objectives.

• Reorder skills so that that the skills you are most proud of or that you most want to highlight are at the top of the list and deemphasize skills that are relevant, but perhaps don't align with your career objectives.

Keeping Track of How Great You Are

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How do I keep track of my accomplishments?

That's a question I get all of the time. Here is my best advice.

A win file, for those of you who don’t already have one, is a place were you keep track of all of your successes.  It’s a central depository for things like:

– Performance evaluations

– Client commendations

– Awards and recognition

It also a place to keep notes about things like achievements and positive feedback.  For example you might jot down:

– Account wins

– Successful campaigns / programs / initiatives

– Outperforming targets / quotas

– Process improvements

– Favorable negotiations

Regardless of what you are writing down, make sure to quantify the achievement whenever possible.

Having a win file will make updating your resume a breeze. It will also make the performance appraisal process smoother and more effective. Most importantly, it will help you better recognize and communicate your impact – a critical part of making yourself indispensable.

Your Longevity Could Work Against You

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"What sets me apart is that I've been in the same position for 12 years and with the same company for 23 years."

Yes, that kind of longevity is certainly a big differentiator and, as I wrote a while back, potentially attractive to some employers. However, in the rapidly shifting employment landscape, what was once looked at as the hallmark of a great employee is now – by many – side-eyed with some skepticism. If that sounds crazy to you, let me provide some insight into the negative perceptions that are associated with longevity and tips for how to overcome those potential perceptions:

The candidate is unambitious – The easiest way to combat this especially negative perception is to highlight a track record of taking on new challenges. Make sure to clearly outline ways in which you’ve expanded or stepped outside of your role. Speak to specific projects you’ve taken on or responsibilities you’ve assumed. Most critically, highlight clear, quantified achievements.

The candidate lacks agility – Unlike candidates with several positions within multiple organizations, agility isn’t implied by your professional timeline. In this case, make sure to speak to overcoming obstacles in your role. Use your achievements to speak to managing transitions and, perhaps, adopting to new technologies. Speak to instances of adapting to a changing organization or industry.

The candidate's skills are stagnant – This is a perception that is fairly easy to combat, but no less critical to be mindful of. In addition to highlighting achievements that show clear growth in the role, make sure your resume is clearly outlining recent and relevant training. Show professional affiliations and, even higher impact, thought leadership through professional social media profiles.

The good news is that longevity still translates to “loyalty” in the minds of many readers, which will certainly set you apart. But times and perceptions are changing. Knowing the potentially negative way readers can view longevity means you can manage perceptions while highlighting a quality that is increasingly rare.

Linking to a Personal Website on a Resume

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Many of the creative professionals and software / web developers that I work with have on-line portfolios or personal websites. Generally speaking, it is a great idea to link to these sites from your resume so that potential employers can evaluate your work. But there is a caveat…

Hiring managers are going to evaluate the content AND the code / design of the site when considering you, so make sure you feel like your personal website or portfolio represents the best of your skills. Not just in the work you are choosing to highlight or the content of the site, the site itself. So if you are developer and your personal website is clunky, slow, or backed by inelegant code, that could be a big problem. If you are a designer, make sure your website is as visually compelling as the creative works you've curated.

The Name On Your Resume

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It's okay to use the name you are commonly known by on your resume.

So, gone are the days when you have to say "Elizabeth Jones" – "Liz Jones" is just fine. If your potential employer is going to look into your background, they'll have you fill out paperwork that asks for your legal name. That's when, naturally, you'll provide  the name that appears on your birth certificate.

Go ahead. Be YOU on your resume.

Professional Social Media, Religion, and Politics

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I am a big advocate of including links to your social media profiles on your resume. No, not your Facebook page where your Mom comments on your vacation photos; professionally focused social media accounts where you show that you are engaged in your professional community and perhaps even a thought leader in your arena. However, there are times when it is best to not even highlight professional social media.

If you use social platforms like Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest to share your political or religious views–which is a perfectly fine activity for social media–then I don't suggest including those profiles on your resume, even if they also are professional in nature. You want potential employers to evaluate you based on professional qualifications, not politics or religious views. Just like listing religious or political affiliations on your resume, by listing you’re a social media feed that plainly shares those views, you are welcoming employers to consider the content of the profile when making a hiring a decision.

On a related note, it is increasingly important to have a well-curated "social resume." While I generally encourage people to live fully-integrated lives, you have to be very careful with what you include on a professionally focused social media profile. Otherwise, you might find that all the work you've done to build a professional profile is moot because you can't feel confident sharing it with potential employers.

Tandem Empowers 2016

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It's been way too long since I've talked about Tandem Empowers here on the blog.

Many people here in the United States - and, more so, around the world - have to endure a lot of hardship. About 2 of 3 people lack access to clean drinking water and about 1 of 3 people live on less than $1 a day. In a world with so much wealth, it really is unimaginable.

On top of these already disquieting statistics, many of these same people have to endure colossal tragedies. 

Oftentimes, when I get into these topics, I have to resist the urge to feel as though I am getting “off topic” from the core purpose of Tandem. During those moments, though, I’m quickly reminded that this, too, is what Tandem is all about.

Tandem is, of course, about consulting, resume writing, and career development. Essentially, inspiring people to get more aligned with their authentic selves and, therefore, closer and closer to career (and life!) satisfaction. If you’ve used Tandem’s services or have spent some time here on the website, you likely know that it goes deeper than that.

My desire to empower people and communities transcends career development activities. In fact, Tandem got off the ground emboldened by the belief that we are all connected as world citizens. Meaning, what’s good for you is good for me.

I routinely support disadvantaged people with help in the professional development arena. I also like to have a Charity of Choice to which I donate a portion of my sales. I am currently deciding on a Charity of Choice for 2016 (maybe two!). Stay tuned.

Okay, back to resumes and consulting.

Say "Yes" to Cover Letters

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There are a few questions that are routinely in the race for my "most asked question" award.

One of those contenders is: "Do I really need to send cover letters?"

Some advice I've given before here on the blog:

First, 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 to be sure, but its main goal should 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.

Now, go get to work on your best cover letter yet!

Summary of Qualifications

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A Summary of Qualifications isn't an awful thing. But a Summary of Qualifications, front and center, right at the top of your resume better be on point. Unfortunately, that's not what I often see.

Recently, I saw an overview of qualifications for a Senior Professional that read like that of a candidate right out of college. Reading through this too-junior-for-the-person section, it hit me. People often start with something like this on their first resume and simply repurpose it as the resume gets band-aid-like updates throughout a career.

In clear terms, if you are a Director with 20 years of experience, you should not be mentioning Microsoft Office at the top of your resume.

Is it time for your resume to match the current version of you?