RESUME WRITING \ EASY OR EFFORTLESS?



 Many tasks and projects are relatively easy to perform and complete with the ultimate result being perfection if you have the proper training and experience. On the flip side the exact same tasks and projects are likely to encounter costly errors, and the final result is prone to be flawed if you do not posses the requisite knowledge and skills. How many of you have tried to clear a critical virus from your computer on your own... need I say more?
One example of something that can be easy is resume writing. For me, and equally skilled peers, crafting a resume that enhances our client’s job search is relatively easy regardless of the client’s occupation, profession or level. In other words writing a resume for a marketing assistant, programmer, nurse or nutritionist is just as easy for us as writing a resume for a Director of Finance, VP Marketing or CTO.

Nonetheless when I say “writing a resume is easy for someone who knows what they are doing,” I do not want you to confuse the terms ‘easy’ and ‘effortless’ because they are not one and the same. Most things that are easy for a skilled professional are far from effortless.

Writing a resume is easy if you know what the finished product will look like before you begin; if you are cognizant of the various steps and nuances involved in the process at every juncture; you know how to anticipate and solve problems and false perceptions as they occur; and you have a review system in place to ensure the best possible results.
 To make this point clearer here are 2 analogies you may relate to.
 For a highly skilled CPA filing a complex individual tax return may be easy. Still it requires an inordinate amount of effort to keep up with the changes in the tax laws, in compiling the proper data, determining which supporting forms the client is required to file, and not withstanding the inordinate number of people-hours that go into meeting with a client, answering their questions, and the time spent actually preparing and reviewing the tax return.

Having done it many times before, being familiar with similar cases and knowing what must be done makes the CPA’s job easy. However the complexity of the project and the need for perfection requires a tremendous amount of effort on behalf of the preparer to make certain the finished return comes out perfect in every way. This is why most people who have a lot to lose or gain when filing a tax return don’t risk preparing it themselves. Instead they entrust the task to an accounting professional with a proven track record.
Next let’s look at an auto mechanic. How many of you feel comfortable changing your car’s oil? How many of you are equally comfortable doing a brake job or tuning up your car? Now how many of you amateur mechanics would feel qualified to rebuild your motor or transmission if that is what is needed to get your car back on the road?

To a truly skilled mechanic all these are easy. However the more complex ones require a concerted effort to get it done right. Dare say maybe 40% of us would change our oil and less than 20% would attempt a brake job or tune up on our cars; and I think very few of us would even consider working on the engine or transmission. Universally, I find when it comes to automobiles people leave the work to a professional because they have the know-how to do the job right and we don’t.
 Now I’m not brazen enough to say a resume is the most important component in a successful job search, but it is a necessary document in a job hunter’s arsenal. The more professional the resume looks and reads the better your chance is of getting the job you want and speeding up the time to find it.
 So if you’re trying to decide if you need a professional résumé or whether you can write it yourself consider these three things:

1: Is there a lot at stake if you submit a mediocre or sub-par resume?

2: Can a professional resume writer do a substantially better job than you can?

3: Is making an investment to get your stalled career back on track as important or even more important to your future than making an investment to maintain or repair your car?

 If in your mind you think there is little to lose having an OK resume or you don’t care how long you remain jobless, and you feel confident you can write a passable resume I suggest you go for it.

For those of you who hire an accountant or auto mechanic because they offer better results than you would get as a do-it-yourself kind of guy or gal, I recommend using a professional resume writer as well.

Perry Newman, CPC CSMS is a nationally recognized resume writer, career transition coach, former AIPC certified recruiter and executive search firm owner, and a certified social media strategist known for his ability to get results. You can view his sample resumes and numerous client endorsements at http://www.perrynewman/.com, and you can receive a free resume critique by emailing your resume with contact information to perry@perrynewman.com.