The Oscars 2011 – Lessons From The Best

Last year I had fun using the Oscars as the jumping off point for this blog. So by popular demand here is the 2011 update.

TRUE GRIT
True Grit is exactly what it takes to find a job in today’s job market whether you are a six figure executive, a minimum wage worker, or you fall somewhere in between. The rules in résumé writing and job hunting have changed dramatically since the days of John Wayne, as they have in film making as well. Like the Coen brothers you need to understand what appeals to the audience in 2011 and how to package it so people will buy it. But just like this remake, the work ethic of our parents and grandparents which I have come to think of as a True Grit mentality always remains in vogue.

So here are 3 lessons from this then and now blockbuster. To write a successful résumé and conduct a winning job search requires self awareness and dedication to purpose just like Mattie Ross; confidence in yourself and your abilities like Texas Ranger LaBoeuf; and just the right dose of moxie, cockiness, and a larger than life presence like Sherriff Rooster” Cogburn. These 3 attributes will make you a winning ticket at the job search Box Office.

THE SOCIAL NETWORK
I can stop writing right here because the name “The Social Network” says it all. But I would be remiss and misleading some of you if I stopped because as much as Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook changed the way people communicate all around the world, Facebook is lower down on my list of social networking platforms for job hunting. My suggestion is this, if you do use Facebook be extremely careful to keep it restricted to business content and not your social life. After all you don’t want a prospective employer to know that your Aunt Tilley’s pet cat had a litter of 14, or even better that your girlfriend is going out with your soon to be former best friend and the comment came R rated from someone you don’t even know. Both are true stories I read on people’s Facebook pages.

However as the title and movie imply social networking is the wave of the future. Plus as we see daily social networking is such a powerful tool it can topple governments in a matter of a few weeks, or get people killed for their efforts.

So if social networking is powerful enough to change the course of history, it is certainly powerful enough to help you find a new job or grow the business you are ready to launch instead of going back to work for someone else. Now a word of caution, if used unwisely social networking and social media can start a lot of fires and burn bridges behind you that may never be repaired.

So as with any new super power tool, learn how to use it properly or you’re liable to cause yourself some serious harm. What I suggest is you learn how to harness the awesome power of Linked-In, Ecademy, You Tube, Facebook and other Social Networks for your job search before rather than after you start using them. Networking has always existed in business but today it has become much more sophisticated and wide spread.

As I have always said in this blog I am a big fan of Linked-In. It is a relationship management tool and is in my mind the #1 business social networking site. I spend a lot of time coaching people on how to use it and it has paid off handsomely for them

127 HOURS
In my professional opinion this is the minimum number of hours a month you should devote to a job search when you are unemployed, and half that if you’re employed but serious about making a career move.

From a time management perspective you need to divide your time each week into researching companies, recruiters and people in your field to network with and spending quality time networking by talking to people and asking for endorsements.

You also need to spend time sending out strategic emails, searching for and applying for jobs on job boards and tweaking your resume and perfecting a cover letter for the jobs you’re apply to. In addition you need to allocate time to physically and mentally prepare for a job interview so you’re confident and at the top of your game when someone expresses an interest in meeting with you.

I have said this more than once and will say it over and over because it is that important. Being out of a job, even if you’re collecting unemployment, is not the same as being on vacation. You may think you are out of a job but your not. Your job is to get back to earning an income ASAP; and at the very least job hunting requires 127 a week each and every week until you land that new job.

THE KING'S SPEECH
This title is also self descriptive. Being able to communicate verbally is an immeasurable asset for every job seeker. I have seen verbal and non verbal communication change a hiring authorities mind on more than one occasion. The point of this movie and for job seekers is in knowing how important your image is to achieving your ultimate goal, being willing to admit that you need help, and not being afraid to try unorthodox methods to get what you want.

As far as verbal communication is concerned you need be prepared and confident enough to strike up a conversation with someone in line for instance at the supermarket or at the movie theater. You never know who can supply you with the lead that lands you your next job, and don’t laugh because I have found great candidates I’ve placed in high paying jobs during my career in both venues. I’ve also done well starting up a casual conversation with people on the subway, in Central Park, and while shopping at Brooks Brothers, Borders and at the gift shop at the MOMA (Museum of Modern Art).

The reasoning for this is common sense simple. Find places where people who can advance your career are likely to be. For instance here in New York as I am sure in many places around the country people in specific professions like banking, marketing and PR, education, healthcare etc. frequent certain places, events and establishments.

Being seen appropriately dressed and just happening to have a copy of your resume or a business card on you is the first step. Asking around and getting to know who the players are is the next step, and the final step is striking up a conversation with the right people and having them introduce you to their circle of friends. If you do this enough you immediately expand your network, you gain much needed confidence, and you will eventually hit pay dirt.

As I said, from personal experience I have found countless contacts this way. Equally important I kept up with, and in some instances ahead of breaking business news and trends and found out little know pieces of information that made me look like a SME and a person in the know who people want to stay in touch with. This was an important part of my success as a recruiter and business owner, and in my current practice as a résumé writer and coach. Being comfortable speaking with people, especially in public or in pressure filled situations is a skill every job seeker must perfect to the best of their ability.

Now that you have heard what I have to say leave a comment and vote for which piece of advice was most helpful for you


Author


Perry Newman, CPC CSMS, a nationally recognized executive resume writer, career transition coach, former AIPC certified recruiter and owner of Harrison Dane Associates, and an SMMU certified social media strategist, is known for his ability to 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.

It just dawned on me how many times a week I hear “that makes a lot of sense” and “I never thought about it like that” from people referred to me by satisfied customers and the countless professionals who take advantage of my offer for a free resume critique. I always spend the first 15-20 minutes on the phone getting to know them, reviewing the material they sent me, and going over the process of what I do and comparing it to what they have done or should be doing, and WHY; and inevitably these words are said to me several times during each new conversation.

 

By no means does this make me a genius. Rather, it indicates too many people in job search mode are grossly misinformed today or are engaging in the process without the requisite knowledge and life experience to write an effective resume and conduct a successful job search.

So here are some six of the many pieces of information I share with people every day that elicit these responses.

1: This is a no brainer. Your resume is a marketing document pure and simple. It is not an autobiography or a historical novel, and the focus in writing a resume should be with an eye towards the future rather than dwelling on the past. With this in mind I also caution you not to concern yourself about the controversy surrounding the proper length of a resume.

There is no universally accepted answer. For me the proper length of a resume is however long it takes to get all of the vital information that makes the case why someone should want to get to know you better down on paper. The actual length of the document depends on who you are, how extensive and complex your background is, and how much information you need to include that is relevant to the job you are applying for. A 1-2 page resume is optimal; however a more senior person or solid professional with a lot to offer can easily fill up 2 to 3 pages. If it runs over 3 pages put the information on a social media site like Linked-In and use a hyperlink to send people there.

2: You know all about who you are and the value you have to offer; but do you know what the companies you’re applying to look for in a new hire, and what they value most. Before you start to write go online and find 5 jobs that fit what you are looking for and see what it is that these employers want to know about. This is what your resume should focus on. And if your research shows different companies on this list are looking for somewhat different things, or some place a greater or lesser value on a tangible or intangible you have to offer, or you are looking at different jobs that require somewhat different skills sets and experience, this exercise will show you how to customize your resume for each one.

3: Don’t count on cover letters to make your case. Customize your resume. I will guarantee you that 99 our of 100 people who receive your resume with or without a cover letter will read or at least skim it; while my research tells me that at the most 60% of the people who will read your resume will also read the cover letter and only half of this 60% will forward it up line along with the resume to the next level of decision makers.

4: When you write a resume your goal is not to produce a dry and boring technical manual that is chock full of facts that are intended to educate the reader. A resume should be written with the mindset of a top selling author. It should capture the reader’s imagination by painting pictures with words of a hero leading man or lady who is going to burst onto the scene out of nowhere and save the day, and it must tell its story in such a way that the reader feels compelled to actually read it rather than just skim through it to get raw data.

5: Taking the point #4 one step further, you need to remember that in every case your resume will be in a pile of 30-100 others so instant comparisons are inevitable, especially since most of the resumes in that pile will contain much of the same basic information. So what can you do? Let me share with you an analogy from someone I met recently who subscribes to a local newsletter I contribute to along with 10-15 other writers where each week we submit an article on the same topic. He said “Perry, I really enjoy this newsletter. Every week I skim through the articles and I learn something new. But I have to tell you that when it comes to your article I read every word rather than skim through it.” I am far from the brightest and most knowledge writer out of the group so naturally I asked him why. What he told me is the lesson you need to learn if you want to be a good resume write. He said “Perry the other writers offer great information and that is why I skim their articles. But I truly enjoy the way you write.” Remember it is not raw information that counts when writing a resume; or a cover, follow-up or thank you letter. What matters are how it resonates with the reader and makes them want to read rather than skim through it.

6: When you buy a product and you are not 100% sure how to put it together and how to get the best use out of it, how do you think you would feel if it came without an instruction manual and had no follow up customer support? This is what you get with a lot of resume services. If you are going to make the investment make sure that you get some coaching on how to use and customize your resume when the need arises (because it does on an ongoing basis) and try and work with a writer where the relationship begins rather than ends once the check has been cashed.

YOUR RESUME – is it an investment in your future or an unwarranted expense?

“Is there really a difference between a $400 and a $10 resume? What are your thoughts?”
Once again this topic emerged on one of my Linked-In groups; this time around Faisel posted it on Indeed.com, and I thought I would share and expound on my reply to him today on Career Rocketeer.

Faisel:

In answer to your ambiguous question, I have a few questions of my own for you!

1: Is there a difference between a Casio, Timex and Rolex watch? After all, they all display the same
time.

2: Is there a difference between a Kia Rio, Ford Taurus, Corvette, Escalade, Porsche and a Bentley?
After all, these cars all get you from Point A to Point B.

3: Is there a difference between Johnnie Walker Red, Green, Gold or Blue Label, Lagavulin 16 Year
Single Malt, Bruichladdich 30 Year Islay malt, or an $18 bottle of Lauder’s? After all, they are all
Scotch whiskey.

4: Is there a difference between a Target, Wal-Mart, Sears, Dockers, Brooks Brothers, Marc Jacobs,
Armani or a custom made men’s or women’s business suit? After all they’re all just articles of clothing.

I firmly believe the answer to all these questions is a resounding Y-E-S; there is a difference, and the same holds true in every aspect of commerce including resume writing,

What interested me was the vehemence and smugness of some responses like Kevin C., President of a consulting company, who wrote “I would never consider paying $400 to have a resume done unless there was a guarantee this would land me business / jobs,” although I did not see that same guarantee offered on his website. Or other responders who thought they did not need to pay for a resume because “after all people only spend 20-30 seconds looking at it” so why spend a lot of money for something that will get me so little face-time.

Then again some hit the nail on the head when they responded that the value of a resume should not be judged solely on its cost, rather the criteria to base cost on is the qualification of the resume writer and the product they produce. In spite of everything, all resumes are not equal and certainly the writer’s individual skills and qualifications are less so.

In retrospect, what I noticed from online discussions on this topic and speaking one-on-one with hundreds of people about their resume needs in 2010 alone is this: People’s point of view about the intrinsic value of a resume is based in direct proportion as to whether they believe a resume is an investment or an expense in their life.

I dare say if you are reading this blog post you may be wrestling with this same question in your mind, and if so you need to answer this question for yourself, ‘Is my resume an investment or an expense.’

So you may ask, “What is the difference.” Well if a resume is an unnecessary or burdensome expense in your mind your main concern will be price over quality, or even “do I really need to spend the money at all.”

Then again, if you view a resume as a necessary expense you know you need some help but will be more prone to make your decision based on competitive pricing, you will be more prone to consider a resume a generic document, and you will have a lesser regard to the qualifications of the writer and the value-added service he or she may provide.

Finally, if you are of the belief that a resume is a marketing document and an integral part of your job search portfolio, you understand what a professional resume can offer in terms of generating job interviews with you as a preferred candidate, and you appreciate how a resume can aid you in salary negotiations, then price is important but takes a back seat to the over all quality of the product and ancillary services you receive.

One last common sense thought I have for you to ponder on concerning the About.com question is this: $400 is an exorbitant price for a recent High School graduate without experience to pay for a resume to apply for a Cashier position in the local Piggly Wiggly or Vons supermarket, however $10 is a ridiculous price to pay for a resume if you are applying for a position as a VP or CXO at a Fortune 500 company.


In the past I have written about why I view a resume as one of the best investments that many of you reading this post will make in your lifetime, and maybe I will revisit this topic in 2011. However I will leave you with this one final thought on how you may want to determine the value of a resume for YOUR job search.

The average length of a job search today is a minimum of 15 weeks and twice that long for many senior level professionals, especially those in the 40+ Club. Now statistics say 87% of the people who use a professional resume will return to work two or more weeks sooner than those who do not. So using this as a benchmark a fair estimation of the maximum value you should place on a resume is the equivalent of one week’s salary. If you do this you are almost assured breaking even with your investment, and more likely to come away with a return on your investment of 100% -500% or more.

On the flip side, for many of you being shortsighted and viewing your resume as meaningless, or as a burdensome expense, at the end of the year you folks are prone to be in the red to the tune of $1000 to $20,000 that you will never see again.