Contrary To Public Opinion

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I recently wrote a resume for a candidate who worked for an investment company founded and run by one of the worlds most renowned and successful contrarian investors. We discussed his boss’s investment philosophy, especially in a distressed economy, and then I explained how I approach resume writing in a distressed job market. Not to my surprise, my client noticed how similar his boss’s investment philosophy and my resume writing philosophy and modus operandi are and, I am proud to say, the similarity in our results.

For those who do not know, in finance a contrarian investor is one who attempts to profit by investing in a manner that differs from the conventional wisdom, when the consensus opinion appears to be wrong. A contrarian believes that certain crowd behavior among investors can lead to exploitable mispricing in securities markets. For example, widespread pessimism about a stock can drive a price so low that it overstates the company's risks, and understates its prospects for returning to profitability. Identifying and purchasing such distressed stocks, and selling them after the company recovers, can lead to above-average gains.

Conversely, widespread optimism can result in unjustifiably high valuations that will eventually lead to drops, when those high expectations don't pan out. Avoiding (short-selling) investments in over-hyped investments reduces the risk of such drops.

These general investment principles can apply whether the investment in question is an individual stock, an industry sector, or an entire market, or any other asset class; and over the past few years contrarian investors are being viewed in a new light by the mainstream based on their success in managing portfolios that out produce the conventional wisdom in today’s bear markets.

I believe this approach applies to resume writing as well when it comes to finding a job in an oversaturated market.

In critiquing my work many resume writers refer to me as a contrarian, and I agree 100% with their assessment. Moreover, I am proud to say that by using a contrarian approach in my practice more of my clients experience success in securing interviews and job offers at a rate well beyond the norm, and in less time than their peers who submit a conventional resume.

So what is my contrarian philosophy and approach?

I believe that in today’s job market 80% of the conventional wisdom in how to write a resume and conduct a job search is outdated, and slowly but surely astute job seekers are coming to accept this truth and adapt. This is especially true in how they prepare their resume and in their use of social media, and in how they now seek out professionals who are cognizant of the new reality in order to get the competitive edge.

As a contrarian my core belief is this; if your resume looks similar to your competitor’s resume the odds are you’re going to have a long job search with lots of heartbreak, and the odds increase exponentially depending not so much on the quality of your competition, but on the quantity of people vying for the same positions.

So, as a contrarian before I write a resume I first look at 6-12 resumes of candidates who share key similarities with my client to see how they present themselves. I also research how resume mills and other resume writers present people who resemble my client’s job title, skills and experience, i.e. a CXO, a VP Business Development, a Project Manager, a Senior Relationship Manager, an HR Generalist, or a recent MBA.

Then I collaborate with my client to produce a resume whose look, feel, format, style, presentation and content will least resemble their competition’s resumes. The less it resembles the accepted norm, the better my client’s chance at success.

My thought process here, which has been validated by numerous decision makers I have polled on this matter, is that if a resume stands out visually in the crowd it will not get passed over and will often be given a valuable extra 10-60 seconds of read time than the rest of the resumes in the pile.

A contrarian resume also alerts the screeners and decision makers that this candidate considers himself or herself someone special who is beyond standard classification, and the reader will focus on identifying these difference and how pronounced they are.

So when you set about to write your own resume or choose a resume writer to help you in the process, I suggest you consider whether you want to follow the crowd, be another beautiful face in the crowd, or if you want to stand out head and shoulder above the crowd. If it’s the latter I wholeheartedly suggest you follow my modus operandi and write a contrarian resume for yourself.

Perry Newman, CPC CSMS is a nationally recognized executive resume writer, career coach, former AIPC certified recruiter, and an SMMU certified social media strategist known for his ability to help his clients get results. You can view his sample resumes at http://www.perrynewman.com, and email him your resume at perry@perrynewman.com for a FREE resume critique.

Job Search Advice + Bonus FREE Resume Critique AT THE MOVIES: PART 2

I'm back, and once again I want you to know if your résumé and job search are off to a rocky start you can send your resumé to perry@perrynewman.com for some expert, free advice.

Now to help you further understand what a job search entails we will continue our tour of the silver screen and see what we can learn “At The Movies.”

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND - MEETS – THE COLOR OF MONEY
Ok, the HR department loved you and the hiring manager did too. He even asked you how much you will accept, and then told you he wants to make you a fair offer. All you need to do is “come in and see my boss, the VP, for a 10 minute meet and greet and it’s a done deal.” You go home and tell your spouse and best friend that the long wait is finally over, a new job is in the bag. Two days later you go into this meeting over-confident that the job is yours and you let down your guard. You dress and act a little more casually; you speak to the manager as if she is your life-long friend; you say things that contradict what you said before; and when she asks you how much you want you ask for 10% above what you told her manager. A few days go by and you have not heard back from the company and they did not reply to your follow-up emails. Then when you call and are lucky enough to get the manager on the phone, not wanting to hurt your feelings he says “’I’m glad you called. I just got out of a meeting with the VP and was told the position you interviewed for was just rescinded” or, “I’m sorry but a great candidate internal candidate just surfaced and the VP offered her the job.”

The scenario I just described in some form or another plays out every day at every level in the fickle word of job search. So whatever you do keep the words of Yogi Berra in mind, “It aint over till it’s over.” Remember to keep your guard up at all times; treat every interview as if it’s your first interview and you have to sell the heck out of yourself to this person; and be very careful how and with whom you negotiate salary. In my experience a new job is never in the bag until the day you start work, so beware of what you say and do every step along the way.

A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET
Most people I question tell me that interviewing is the most frightening aspect of their job search. Quite a number of them tell me that they are happy to get a chance to sell themselves, but once they walk in the door they are as comfortable as they would be alone, in a dark alley at midnight with Freddy Kruger. For most of us this is only natural; no one enjoys being on the hot seat, and many people on job interviews today are more accustomed to being on the other side of the desk asking the questions, as opposed to having questions directed at them by someone they feel is their inferior. To improve your interviewing skills, I recommend you put together a “Board of Directors” consisting of professional people who know you well (try to include a few from your field) and who you trust and will not feel embarrassed in front of.

When you meet for the first Board Meeting discuss general and specific questions you might expect on a phone or live first interview and brainstorm what you think are the proper responses. At the next meeting conduct mock interviews around a desk or table. Appoint a ‘Director’ to handle the video camera and the rest of the board members can take turns interviewing you. Practice 15-30 minute interviews having members ask you the same and different questions in different interview roles. One scenario is a friendly HR first interview and another is a hard-nosed interrogation style first interview. In future sessions your can conduct technical and/or line manager interviews, the let’s get down to brass tacks interview, the final decision maker interview, and finally the salary negotiation interview.

At the end of each session, or the beginning of the next, review the tape and judge several factors: How did you answer the questions; how was your body language; how was your eye contact; how was your voice modulation; did you come across as convincing, nervous, unprepared, cocky, too light weight, too overqualified, too arrogant, or too humble. Another thing is when you go on a real job interview, as soon as you can jot down the questions, your responses and any notes that stick out in you mind. After a number of mock and real interviews you will hopefully find your comfort zone and confidence, and get job offers instead of rejection notices.

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
Didn’t you love how the clothes changed Ann Hathaway from being an outcast who was taken lightly into a career woman who people took seriously? A job seeker may have the brains, the skills and the experience an employer wants. But I have found that in most job interviews just like in your looking the part will be an equal if not a deciding factor in the decision-making process, especially in certain fields where you are in the public eye such as retail, fashion, sales, and even public accounting. My suggestion is to choose in your current wardrobe at least one outfit and accessories (shit/blouse, tie/scarf, earring, shined shoes) for use almost exclusively for interviewing. If you don’t already have proper interview cloths go out and buy some. If you are short on cash arrange with a friend or family member to borrow a suitable interview outfit, or check the web to see if there are organizations in your area that loan people clothes for job interviews.

Author:
Perry Newman, CPC CSMS is a nationally recognized executive resume writer, career coach, AIPC certified recruiter and SMMU certified social media strategist known for his ability to help his clients get results. You can view his sample resumes at http://www.perrynewman.com/ and email your resume to perry@perrynewman.com
for free resume critique.

Job Search Advice + Bonus FREE Resume Critique AT THE MOVIES: PART 1

Job hunters must take their résumé writing, job search strategy, and time management skills as seriously as I do. So if your résumé and job search are off to a rocky start you can send your resumé to me at perry@perrynewman.com for some expert, free advice.

To help you understand what a job search entails here are a few more tips offered in a way I know you can relate like Andrew C who said, “Being in the careers space myself, I read a lot of content that is helpful for job-seekers… yours is pure genius though.” Sometimes to understand a set of circumstances better, you need to compare it with other situations that you’re familiar with. So today I will share my movie buff side with you and take you on a tour of the silver screen and see what we can learn “At The Movies.”

LOST IN TRANSLATION
You know how great you are! Your former boss – the one who regretted laying you off – is going to miss taking credit for your ideas and accomplishments! The team members you led for the past X years know how valuable your leadership skills are and how sorely you will be missed! The vendors you dealt with will miss your problem solving and relationship management skills! The receptionist will miss your warm smile and kind words of encouragement! The accounting, IT, sales and marketing departments will miss the little things you do that make their work product better than it will be without you! As a matter of fact everyone you have come into contact with in business knows that you are no Average Joe, and they can all attest to the fact that you are one of the best in the business at what you do. The only people who will think of you as just another one of the myriad number of average out of work employees, managers and executives are the people who judged you by your resumé.

So here are two suggestions I think all job seekers, and especially mid level to senior level managers and VP and CXO level executives should take to heart. One is to make sure you look as good on paper as you do in person. Be very selective when choosing someone to help you write your resumé. Make sure you are an equal partner and can collaborate freely with the resumé writer; be careful what information you agree to put on or leave off your resumé; and most important make sure your resumé looks and reads crisp, clean and clear so you come across as a candidate every prospective employer must meet.

My second tip is to accumulate as many written recommendations as you can from people who will confirm your achievements and the truthful claims to greatness you have made on your resumé. Post them on your linked-in page or personal website. Then direct people in your network and prospective employers to them by hyperlinking them to your resumé or by word of mouth. If you are really bold you might even put two or three select references or quotes from them on your resumé as validation of who you are. What ever you do make sure the’ story you tell about a great prospective hire does not get lost in the translation. (Take advantage of my free resume critique offer above)

NETWORK
You have heard and read this a hundred times before, however not every job hunter heeds this advice. A job search is in and of itself a full-time job that requires serious game planning, meticulous execution, and a minimum commitment of 30 hours every week.

So how much time and effort do you put into your job search? Be honest now. Are you unemployed, slacking off, and putting golf, the gym, watching TV and personal tasks ahead of your job search way too often? If you are, I suggest you go to the nearest mirror, look yourself straight in the eyes and shout at the top of your lungs “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it.” Then promise yourself that “from now on I will elevate my job search to the top, and not keep it in the middle or at the bottom of my list of “Important Things to do Today.”

FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL
Gotcha…. you thought the previous tip was about networking for a job; well you were wrong, this one is. Being a Certified Social Media Strategist I am one of the biggest proponents of using Linked-in, Twitter, Facebook, blogs like this, and any quality social media outlet to network and show your bonifides. Still equally important is the need for face-time. This is why you need to get out more and attend weddings, funerals, chamber of commerce meeting, alumni gatherings, CPE courses, network nights, workshops, and even religious events so you can see and be seen by the right people. As you can see I did not mention job fairs as I find them to be cattle calls, but there is a place for them as well.

You might have an outstanding virtual image but there is nothing like being out there and having people see you as a human being. Social media, websites, emailing and texting are all nice networking tools to use, but meeting with people face to face as often as possible should have a place near the top of your job search list of ‘Things to Do.’

Author:
Perry Newman, CPC CSMS is a nationally recognized executive resume writer, job transition coach, AIPC certified recruiter and SMMU certified social media strategist known for his ability to help people get results. You can view sample resumes at http://www.perrynewman.com/ and email your resume for a free resume critique to perry@perrynewman.com