It seems that I have been asked a million times over the last few years – by friends and family, even people that are a friend of a friend – if I can help them with their resume. I’m sure if you are a fellow TA or HR professional you know what I am talking about. It’s that dreaded email or phone call you get when someone is desperate or had a really cruddy day and has decided that today is the day they are going to find a new job [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][optinlocker] … and you are going to be the person that is going to find it for them tomorrow!
Now don’t get me wrong I have no problem helping you with your resume (help being operative word) or referring you to a position that will be a good fit for you. I’ll even give you advice on how to search for your dream job. However, just because recruiting is my career doesn’t mean I am going to do all the work for you.
When I help someone with a resume, it is really important that it is relevant to them and they way they are going to present themselves in a face to face interview. A resume is “you on paper” and it’s your job to close the deal in person. If the “you on paper” does not match the “you in person” then you have a problem; and, no matter how amazing you are at what you do, it’s going to be a challenge to land that dream job quickly.
I would like to think that I can tell when someone has had their resume written by a professional or a friend. A tell tale sign for me is when the person has a hard time following the resume, or can’t go into detail explaining something that is of key importance on the resume. Your resume should also flow the same way you tend to speak; your resume is a story of your career, and your connection to it is extremely important. When you are on a face to face interview you want to make sure you are getting your message across by showing the passion and interest you have developed in your career history and that is something that you can’t pay someone else to do for you.
Writing a resume can be hard, and asking for help is never a bad thing, but think twice before you check out and assume the person that has agreed to help you can take it from here. It’s your life and career path. Stay involved in the resume writing process, and stay connected to the “you on paper”, because in the long run you will land that dream job faster and with a lot less stress.
By Lindsey Roundtree | People Science CSM
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