Own Your Own Ideas

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"I implemented a new payment processing system that saved a lot of time and money"

"Whose idea was it to implement this system?"

"It was mine! I try to keep up to date on the new solutions and I thought this would be perfect for the company. I actually pitched the idea to the leadership team and they were totally on board."

That is a fairly common back-and-forth I have with my clients. During the process of creating a new resume, clients will often share an achievement that, on the surface, is impressive (saving your company time and money is perfect resume content). However, it is not rare that a little digging will turn-up something even more impressive; that the achievement was the client's idea – they just didn't think to mention it.

Executing someone else's idea well is great. But if the idea was yours, you need to make that clear.

Control What You Can

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I recently had a client request that the resume and LinkedIn profile we develop together get him higher quality offers from recruiters. There is nothing unusual about that request. What surprised me was what followed. He wanted the resume and LinkedIn profile to also reduce the number of low quality offers he received. 

Of course it makes sense to want fewer low quality offers. This particular client has some fairly rare programming expertise, so he is inundated with offers. Not a bad problem to have. Unfortunately, a large chunk of those offers are for positions that are either significantly below his “pay grade” or totally unrelated to his area of expertise. These offers are annoying.

The problem is that trying to reduce the amount of spam “opportunities” means you are making an external failing an internal problem. There is simply no way to make a resume that, miraculously, makes ineffective recruiters more thoughtful.

As I advised this client, you can only focus on what is in your control. Instead of trying to reduce the bad offers he receives, we put our energy into building a resume and LinkedIn profile that is discoverable by – and piques the interest of – recruiters with high-quality offers in his desired field. These new job search tools may do nothing to dissuade bad recruiters or stop the deluge of spam job offers, but they should increase the number of the desirable opportunities that make it to his email box.

I Don't Have Any Achievements

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"I don't have any achievements, I really just do what I'm asked to do."

I regularly hear some form of this statement, and I understand. Many people are in positions where they feel like they are simply executing a list of tasks. When you feel like you are just performing the functions of your role, it can be hard to recognize achievements. But here is the good news:

Performed Tasks = Achievements

Almost every task you perform – regardless of your role – is in some way making an impact on the organization. For example, if you are sweeping floors you are helping to create a more pleasant environment for internal and external customers. You are also potentially helping to minimize risk. The point is that there is a reason that the floors need to be swept, and that reason points to an achievement.

That example might seem like a stretch, but it highlights that you can find achievements in even the most rudimentary task. Now consider how this applies to more complex tasks and you can see how much potential there is to highlight achievements.

If you are having a difficult time identifying achievements, I suggest that you start with your job description. For each task, ask yourself:

1. What is the impact of performing this task?

2. What does performing this task well look like?

Those answers will help you to identify achievements. As a bonus, they can also make it easier for you to excel in your role, which will make it even easier to speak to achievements in your resume (and get that next job!).

It Takes More Than Just a Resume

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I often get asked to explain why I frequently reference a "toolkit of job search documents" and not simply a resume. Here are three reasons (of many) why I believe it is critical to have a job search toolkit, including a powerful resume.

The job market is still a bit of a knife fight. There are several opportunities to “tell your story” and improve your visibility among hiring managers – cover letters, resume follow-up letters, and post interview thank you letters being chief among them. In a highly competetive job market, you need to seize on every opportunity you have to set yourself apart.

“Luck is what happens when opportunity meets preparation.” Having a complete set of job search documents means you are prepared to jump on opportunities that arise and see it through. All too often I get emails from potential clients who need something “yesterday” because an opportunity popped up and they aren’t prepared.

You’re more likely to use the tools you have. Sitting down to write a cover letter from scratch or to come up with a thoughtful resume follow-up letter is enough to make most people throw in the towel. It is much less daunting to provide a thoughtful cover letter or send of a resume follow-up letter when you have a template on hand.

A powerful resume is critical, but it is just part of the equation. Increase your chances of job search success by being prepared with a complete job search toolkit.

3 Things Your Resume Does Not Need

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Have you been working with the mindset that your resume is a nuisance that periodically needs to be dealt with. Snap out of it!

If you've so much as thought any of the three following things, you need to evaluate your mindset.

1. I just need to add my latest job to my resume. I cringe. This is why I see so many resumes that read as a series of disconnected job descriptions with no clear through story. What you actually need is to take the time to thoughtfully add in your most recent position.

2. My resume just needs a quick touch up. Let's be really honest here. Chances are, it's been years since you gave your resume some attention. First clue: it still has an Objective up top.

3. I need to tell every detail of every job. If you do, nobody will read it. Instead of boring people with a list of tasks, focus on achievements since they inherently communicate responsibilities. Is your resume task-oriented or accomplishment-oriented?

Speak to the Least Experienced Person (in your field) on the Hiring Panel

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I work with a lot of clients who have extremely specialized experience – data scientists, research associates, programmers, Service Members, etc. – and I have a piece of advice that I give no matter what field they are in: communicate your experience as if you are speaking to the least knowledgeable person (in your field) on a hiring panel.

When I work with a clients in highly specialized fields, I put myself into the mindset of a person sitting on a hiring panel who is not an expert in the same things as my client, which is not too challenging given that I’m generally not an expert in their field! With that mindset, I make sure that the information in the resume is likely to resonate with that person. Doing this ensures that no matter who is part of the hiring process, every person can quickly grasp my client's qualifications and recognize the unique value that they represent.

If you are in a highly specialized field and are finding it hard to communicate your experience in lay terms, you might benefit form getting help from an outsider.

Meet Your Audience Where They Are

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I recently wrote about the importance of writing your resume as if you are speaking to the least knowledgeable person (in your field) on a hiring panel. That post was all about how important it is to communicate your experience in lay terms so that any reader can quickly grasp your qualifications and achievements.

I was reminded of this post whenI worked with an information security professional who shared that he has avoided using the word "cyber" in his resume. When I asked why he would want to avoid a word that seems so common, he made a very good point. "What exactly is cyber and how do you protect it" he asked.

Point well taken, but we ultimately did include the word cyber, very strategically, on his resume. Here's why.

As he went on to point out, despite finding broad agreement among his peers that this term was pretty dumb, it is commonly used throughout the field. In fact, he was interested in a specific position where "cyber" was in the title.

When developing your resume, it is critical to use the words readers will expect to see and meet your audience where they are. Strategically use the terminology that they use so that you are understood and they can see the clear fit. Then, once you are in your new position, you can do the good work of educating people and driving a shift (if it matters that much to you).

Say "No!" to Quick Fixes

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A majority of my clients are referred.

Few realities of my business make me as proud as that fact because nothing speaks louder than the voices of those who have experienced – and loved – what you offer.

My clients – referred or not – know what they're getting into when they sign on with Tandem Powered. And it's not a "quick fix" process. I make that clear across my website and in the robust e-mail communications prior to starting.

That's why it's very bothersome when I speak with someone who has no interest in approaching career development properly. After all, this is your life we're talking about. It's very important to be set you up for success in navigating a career path that will lead to great job success, fulfillment, and – in most cases – greater income.

And you know what happens when you're happier in your career?

• You're happier at home.

• You're more confident.

• You're more interesting.

The list goes on and on.

Here are three ideas for helping you to keep career trajectory top-of-mind:

1. Keep track of your wins as they happen. Start an e-file or an analog file in which you can store all of your positive career movement: commendations, additional training, achievements, etc.

2. Use "comfortable time" as "career building" time. The time to work on your career development activities is when you are all settled into a job. Period. You don't want to wait until things go bad to focus on pulling these things together.

3. Focus relentlessly on what differentiates you. The world of work is increasingly competitive. As you move through the days / weeks / months give a lot of thought to adjustments you can make to become more of a specialist.

Beyond Compensation: Healthier Ways to Evaluate A Potential Employer

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I got a few e-mails about something I wrote in a recent post:

HR departments best serve the company when employees are happy and heard. These are the kinds of HR departments I work with as a Business Consultant. Well oiled HR departments know that their job is to find the link between employee goals and the goals of the company.

So, when you're interviewing for your next job, ensure that the organization you're interviewing with values – truly values – employees' reasons for joining the company. Organizations that walk the talk will have employee-forward initiatives baked right into recruiting materials and employee literature.

More specifically, A few readers noted that they only really consider compensation when making an employment decision. And then – because they are making compensation-based decisions – they tend to be looking for new jobs frequently.

Those readers asked for guidance concerning what to look for in a company, beyond dollar signs:

Culture. No matter what level you are at, ask to shadow someone for an hour or two, or even half a day. The purpose for this is so that you can get a feel for the culture. It's amazing what you can learn by simply taking it all in for a few hours. Do people engage and actively share information? Do you see signs that ideas and diverging viewpoints are welcome?

Goals. Companies that employ new-school HR practices will be very interested in seeing how your ambitions track to the company's objectives. Ask how your prospective employers develop employees' objectives. If goals are completely determined outside of employees, look elsewhere.

Success. How does your potential employer measure success? If it's just "revenue," "attention," or "clicks," you might have a problem. Look for a company that views success modernly. For instance, couch surfing measures success by "net orchestrated conviviality."

When visiting NYC a few weeks ago, I overheard several guys talking about wanting to break the cycle of making employment decisions based solely on monetary compensation. Our turbulent political climate has really got people looking at work and life in a more empowered way. That's a positive outcome in these contentious times.

Your Resume Isn't Working If...

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I often get asked about the biggest resume "fails" that I see as someone who also works on the other side of the table. Here are the five that come to mind today.

Check your resume to ensure that you pass on all five fronts.

You still use an Objective Statement. It's most important to speak to what you can offer, not what you want.

You rely on responsibilities rather than achievements. Most anyone can do; a select few achieve.

You employ the wrong voice. Implied first person is still the expected standard, and past jobs should be referred to in the past tense.

You fail to target it. Generic is out; specific is in. Each position of interest requires a thoughtfully targeted resume.

You don't communicate clearly. No spelling or syntax errors. Period.