I love it when my clients get back to me with news about their job search. It keeps me in the know, and also keeps me informed of what works and what doesn’t.
Case in point. One of my long time colleagues, and also a client revealed that whenever he inquires about a job, he cuts and pastes the ASCII version of his resume right in the body of the email along with the MS Word attachment. He told me that several prospective employers complimented him for doing that, because of fear of viruses. Of course, note that I said “ASCII Version” because if you cut and paste a Microsoft Word version you’ll end up with all sorts of formatting issues.
Another client of mine is now a hiring manager at a major west coast company. He reviews resumes all the time from MBA graduates and told me that he’s perplexed as to why many still use a one-page resume. The candidates revealed that the school they attended mandated the “one page rule” which in today’s job search no longer applies. In fact, my client said, “it just doesn’t have enough meat to convince me to call them for an interview.”
Unfortunately, many college career centers are still teaching outdated job search skills. And several books that have recently been published about resume writing still contain old information. For example, if you pick up a book with a resume sample that starts off with “Objective” — dump it. It’s out of date.
Want to get the latest info on the job search? Find a seasoned resume writer through one of the professional associations, such as “Career Directors International” or the National Resume Writers Association. These two are tops in my book.
Don’t forget, May 5th – 9th is Update Your References Week. It’s a great excuse to touch base with former colleagues, because you never know when you might need them to provide insight on what you’re like to work with.
All the best in your job search!
–Susan Geary / 1st Rate Resumes