Is there something wrong with your calling card?
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Transcript of Is there something wrong with your calling card?
Is there something Wrong with your calling card?
Nibu Thomas
GT Nexus – an Infor Company
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What’s Ahead
• What can a résumé tell us?
• What IS it telling us instead?
• Is there something to fix?
• And then what?
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DISCLAIMER
No technical writers were hurt in the making of this presentation.
I hope!
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What is a résumé to a writer?
• A writer’s first written test
• Leveller and only opportunity that everyone* gets to make an impression
• It’s not about including everything… as much as including the right things.
• Just enough to get you a call
• And that’s why it’s your Calling card
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What went wrong?
What could have happened?
It was a perfect match for your skills.Not even an acknowledgement!
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What can a résumé tell us about the candidate
• Organization
• Presentation
• Detail oriented
• Process oriented
• Logical reasoning
• Research skills
• Thought process
• Prioritization
• Thoughtfulness
• Creativity
_________________________ READING_________________________
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What’s In a Name?
• How have you named your file?• It’s the first impression, even before the file is
opened• What format? PDF• Check file properties• Must have
• Name• Position applied
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Objective
• Does your objective end as soon as you get hired?… or does it start?
• Assume you have the job. Now what’s your objective?
• Everyone seems to have the same one otherwise
• Don’t state the obvious
• Not generic – make it different. Meaningful
• Relevant to specific role
• Not a 90’s concept.
• Objective vs Summary
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Should not be variations of…
• To obtain a position where I can contribute my skills resulting in mutually beneficial relationship between my employer, team and myself.
• Think beyond documentation. How can you improve the product or service. That should be your objective. Documentation is incidental.
So what should it be …
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Don’t use adjectives/cringe phrases
• It’s meaningless and unqualified
• It’s merely an opinion – your own opinion
• Creates noise
• Avoid phrases/words like• Single handedly – what about the other hand?
• Seasoned/veteran/ - with pepper or salt?
• Highly qualified -
• Hard worker – raises alarms!
• Can work as a team player or Individual contributor - - as opposed to what?
• Honest - ?
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Structure
• Digital (Machine readable)
• Reverse chronological
• Education – unless exceptional – don’t include score!
• Confessions/Declarations at the end
• Should it be professionally done?
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Personal Information
• Photographs
• What you look like doesn’t matter.
• It could backfire
• Gender, age, date of birth, father’s name, marital status, nationality, passport number, food preferences, allergies – none of this should matter.
• Look at the JD. Don’t include any unasked information
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How many pages?
• What’s the intent?
• Enough hooks to latch on to
• Create curiosity … don’t impress
• The shorter it is, lesser your chances to err
• Not more than 2 pages
• Learn to prioritize, stack rank information and eliminate what’s not important enough
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Where’s the devil?
• Details!
• Typos
• Dots and Crosses
• Fonts and bullets
• Parallel Construction
• Active voice
• Experience in months? 5.1 years is not 5 years one month!
• Vocabulary – simple everyday words
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Tools vs Skills
• What you do with a tool is a skill• Know where to tap
• Be aware of what you list as a skill• Plagiarism is not a skill!
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What are hiring managers looking for?
• Crossing the line vs Exceptional trait(s)
• Strong conceptual foundation
• Impeccable language
• Articulation
• Presentation
• The only way to get to the best candidate is to ask -
Why should I not hire?
• Someone better than me
• A match and then some – passionate and able
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Keep your résumé updated
• Once every six months
• Shows you how you’ve progressed
• Clean up stuff that becomes less significant
• Get someone else to review it
• Update Linkedin!
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QUESTIONS?
[email protected]/in/nibu-thomas
All images are sourced from pixabay and google images and all rights belong to respective owners.