The word got out, slowly at first. And then – whoosh! – millions of job seekers found out how easy it is to instantly put an online resume in the hands of employers across town as well as across the country.
Post and pray became the job seeker’s mantra as everyone figured out how to manipulate online resumes and upload them into the online world with the click of a mouse.
Resume overload began in the first phase of the World Wide Web, a time frame of about 1994 to 2005. It became exponentially larger and more frustrating as commercial resume-blasting services appeared on the scene. Almost overnight, it seemed, anyone willing to pay the price could splatter resume confetti everywhere an online address could be found.
The consequences of resume spamming for employers were staggering: Despite their use of the era’s best recruiting selection software, employers were overrun with unsolicited, disorganized generic resumes containing everything but the kitchen sink.
And what about the job seekers who sent all those generic, unstructured resumes? They were left to wonder in disappointment why they never heard a peep from the recipient employer.
The answer’s in the numbers: A job advertised online by a major company creates a feeding frenzy of many thousands of resumes. Employment databases are hammered with such mismatches as sales clerks and sports trainers applying for jobs as scientists and senior managers, and vice versa.
A resume that doesn’t show off the great goods you’re selling isn’t worth much. Show off your assets in effective style by making sure you follow the suggestions in this book. I show you how to
✔ Choose the resume format that fits your goals and situation. What goes where in a resume isn’t a one-size-fits-all consideration. Chapter 6 tells you about formatting your resume and provides outlines for popular resume designs.
✔ Get your points across in powerful language. Make your strengths stronger by describing results in vibrant language that stands tall. I give you examples in Chapter 10.
✔ Use design techniques effectively. Big chunks of text cause eye strain (and boredom). Present your information in a way that enables readers instead of inhibiting them. Chapter 11 shows you how.
✔ Overcome hurdles. Getting attention from potential employers is harder in certain situations. Chapter 13 gives you suggestions for easing your transition into a new phase of life by overcoming challenges in your background.
You can use this easy system to create your resume funnel:
1. Objective Header Statement: Begin with the position you are targeting.
2. Summary of Qualifications: Add an overview of the strengths that make you a perfect fit for the job.
3. Keyword Section: List the key skills you have for the position.
4. Professional Experience/Employment: Your employment history section provides proof that supports the objective, summary, and keyword sections.
© John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Figure 1-1: Use the reverse funnel method to write your resume and strategically present yourself and your qualifications.
This simple strategy encourages employers to read the whole thing.
Technologies Facilitate Job Search
After the Internet caught job-search fire in the mid-1990s – instantly whisking resumes to and fro – little new technology changed the picture until the social web groundswell burst upon us in the mid-2000s. Now job seekers have the tools to
✔ Use social networks to dramatically enlarge personal networks
✔ Tap their networks to identify jobs and for recommendations
✔ Go directly to hiring authorities
✔ Market accomplishments in professional profiles
✔ Pinpoint employment targets with position-mapping
Work every day on a well-rounded approach that emphasizes face-to-face networking, social networking, web tools, online identity building, and professional associations while still briefly touching on less viable elements such as job boards and print ads.
Enormously popular social networking sites and social media are poised to gain even more fans in the employment process. Chapter 2 reports on the state of the industry and suggests how you can “go social.”
I expect a never-ending stream of new technical bells and whistles in social media. Location awareness is one example of what’s rapidly gaining in use. When Facebook launched its Places feature in late 2010, social media expert Charlene Li explained: “Until now, Facebook knew who you were, what you are doing, and when you did it. Now they add an even richer dimension – where you are – that completes the picture.” Facebook added Places to its posts, a smartphone app, and a mobile site.
How can a location-aware feature facilitate a job chase? Suppose you’re looking for a retail or restaurant job in a given locale. The activity stream of a location feature indicates which restaurants and retail stores are the most popular – and, thus, good prospects for employment.
✔ Mashable (www.mashable.com) is a top guide to social media and a hub for those looking to make sense of the online realm.
✔ Altimeter Group (www.altimetergroup.com) focuses on all things social, including the new field of social commerce. Be sure to read the Group’s admirable disclosure policy.
Chapter 5 discusses ways to keep your online reputation in good shape for the job search.