Is there something Wrong with your calling card?

Nibu Thomas

GT Nexus – an Infor Company

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What’s Ahead

• What can a résumé tell us?

• What IS it telling us instead?

• Is there something to fix?

• And then what?

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DISCLAIMER

No technical writers were hurt in the making of this presentation.

I hope!

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What is a résumé to a writer?

• A writer’s first written test

• Leveller and only opportunity that everyone* gets to make an impression

• It’s not about including everything… as much as including the right things.

• Just enough to get you a call

• And that’s why it’s your Calling card

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What went wrong?

What could have happened?

It was a perfect match for your skills.Not even an acknowledgement!

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What can a résumé tell us about the candidate

• Organization

• Presentation

• Detail oriented

• Process oriented

• Logical reasoning

• Research skills

• Thought process

• Prioritization

• Thoughtfulness

• Creativity

_________________________ READING_________________________

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What’s In a Name?

• How have you named your file?• It’s the first impression, even before the file is

opened• What format? PDF• Check file properties• Must have

• Name• Position applied

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Objective

• Does your objective end as soon as you get hired?… or does it start?

• Assume you have the job. Now what’s your objective?

• Everyone seems to have the same one otherwise

• Don’t state the obvious

• Not generic – make it different. Meaningful

• Relevant to specific role

• Not a 90’s concept.

• Objective vs Summary

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Should not be variations of…

• To obtain a position where I can contribute my skills resulting in mutually beneficial relationship between my employer, team and myself.

• Think beyond documentation. How can you improve the product or service. That should be your objective. Documentation is incidental.

So what should it be …

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Don’t use adjectives/cringe phrases

• It’s meaningless and unqualified

• It’s merely an opinion – your own opinion

• Creates noise

• Avoid phrases/words like• Single handedly – what about the other hand?

• Seasoned/veteran/ - with pepper or salt?

• Highly qualified -

• Hard worker – raises alarms!

• Can work as a team player or Individual contributor - - as opposed to what?

• Honest - ?

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Structure

• Digital (Machine readable)

• Reverse chronological

• Education – unless exceptional – don’t include score!

• Confessions/Declarations at the end

• Should it be professionally done?

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Personal Information

• Photographs

• What you look like doesn’t matter.

• It could backfire

• Gender, age, date of birth, father’s name, marital status, nationality, passport number, food preferences, allergies – none of this should matter.

• Look at the JD. Don’t include any unasked information

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How many pages?

• What’s the intent?

• Enough hooks to latch on to

• Create curiosity … don’t impress

• The shorter it is, lesser your chances to err

• Not more than 2 pages

• Learn to prioritize, stack rank information and eliminate what’s not important enough

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Where’s the devil?

• Details!

• Typos

• Dots and Crosses

• Fonts and bullets

• Parallel Construction

• Active voice

• Experience in months? 5.1 years is not 5 years one month!

• Vocabulary – simple everyday words

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Tools vs Skills

• What you do with a tool is a skill• Know where to tap

• Be aware of what you list as a skill• Plagiarism is not a skill!

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What are hiring managers looking for?

• Crossing the line vs Exceptional trait(s)

• Strong conceptual foundation

• Impeccable language

• Articulation

• Presentation

• The only way to get to the best candidate is to ask -

Why should I not hire?

• Someone better than me

• A match and then some – passionate and able

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Keep your résumé updated

• Once every six months

• Shows you how you’ve progressed

• Clean up stuff that becomes less significant

• Get someone else to review it

• Update Linkedin!

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QUESTIONS?

triedeverything@gmail.comwww.linkedin.com/in/nibu-thomas

All images are sourced from pixabay and google images and all rights belong to respective owners.