How To Stick Out in the Stack.

New Experiences

As some of you may know, I began a new job a few weeks back.  I work for a human resources company that offers staffing and HR resources for companies throughout the western United States as well as select locations on the east coast. 

This experience has opened my eyes to many things that I thought I knew.  Several of these revolve around the recruiting and hiring process.



Photo courtesy of bionicteaching, Some Rights Reserved

Resumes

I wanted to share with you one thing that I thought I was fairly competent in two weeks ago, but have since learned volumes about...resumes.

I have taken classes that taught how to write resumes, I have scoured websites, read blog posts and books and thought I had a fair handle on resume writing--after all, my high school business teacher used my resume as an example for like 6 years after I graduated!!

Yeah, not so much!

So here's when I realized exactly what is important in a resume: When I was on the other side of the table, reading 70+ resumes and trying to narrow them down to 4-5 that we would interview for an advertised position. 

In my few weeks at this job, we average 10-20 new applicants a day--that isn't counting emailed or mailed resumes, simply those people who physically walk into our branch office and fill out an application.  This may be more than most small businesses get, but here's the point:  The economy is tough and there is a lot of competion when you apply for a job. 


Here are four suggestions to help your resume stick out in the stack of resumes on the HR manager's desk:

1.     Don't Stretch.  Recruiters will often advertise for positions and not list the company for which you are actually applying.  If this is the case, do not, I repeat, do not use phrases like "I have wanted to work for your company for some time." or "I have great respect for your company and what you stand for".  Such phrases, when obviously not true or disingenuous, immediately turn off those reviewing your resume. 

If you do know the company, and honestly respect them, by all means, say so, but make sure it comes across as genuine...if they know it's just a tactic, it will fail every single time.   

2.     Job History.  As proud as you are of your job history, focus more on your skills than the jobs themselves.  If I am looking for a Customer Service Rep and you list your jobs prominently at the beginning of your resume as "Cashier", "Head Waiter" and "Construction Foreman" you will have painted a picture of who you are in my mind.  This picture may or may not be accurate, but it is still there.  You may actually be a great fit for the Customer Service Rep, but with dozens of resumes to review, you'll be passed up for someone else with job titles like "Bank Teller", "Administrative Assistant" and "Regional Sales Manager". 

How do you avoid this?  Focus on your skills.  List the skills you have acquired from being a cashier or construction foreman that will apply to a Customer Service position.  Skills like resolving customer concerns, assisting clients in making informed decisions, and setting and achieving goals and budgets.  This allows the recruiter or HR personnel to paint a picture in their mind of you fitting what they are looking for, rather than a picture of the person they think holds the job titles you listed.

3.     Don't put Objectives.  I'm going to be straight up, and this might make my high school business teacher mad at me, but...whoever came up with the idea of putting an objective at the beginning of a resume was completely stupid and never had to read through a stack of resumes!!!

When I read:

"Objective: To gain employment with a reputable company with good values where I can utilize my skills, grow as a person and have opportunities for growth."
 

Do you know what I think? NEXT!! 

Do you know why? Because I when I read that I hear:

"Its all about me, I want a company that will be fair to me, that will cater to my skills, spend their time and money to develop me into a better person and give me raises and promotions (or I will take the training they provided and go somewhere else that suits me)".
 

Even if you mean every word of your objective there are at least two reasons it's a bad idea. 1. The person reviewing your resume is busy, they aren't your mother and therefore don't have time to find out about your life's ambitions.  2. It makes you appear self centered (even if you aren't) and they are looking to fill a need they have, not a need you have.   So just delete the objective.

4.     Prove it.  My mentor showed me his resume the other day.  At the very top of his resume he listed "Achievements".  He has been interviewing people for employment for probably 15-20 years.  He said that the Achievements say all he needs to know about a person.  What have you done with your life?  "The proof's in the puddin'." , so to speak. 

And he didnt just list career achievements like "Took office revenue from $4 million to $10 million" He put things like "Married 20 years with 5 children", "Eagle Scout and Boy Scout Troup Leader", "President of local youth football league.", "Active member of Rotary International".  

Listing achievements from your business and personal life, volunteering and hobbies will say more about who you are to a hiring executive than any statements about how trustworthy, hard-working and considerate you may be.  Your achievements--business and otherwise--speak volumes.  Don't tell them who you are, show them through your accomplishments.

These are just a few impressions I have had from sitting on the other end of a resume.  I'm sure I'll come up with more, and when I do, I hope you'll indulge me when I share them. 

Take what you can use from this, "round file" the rest. 

But know this: If your resume doesn't stand out, you won't get an interview.  And if you don't get an interview, it's real hard to get hired, even if you're the most qualified person in your area code!

Question:  What will you do to improve your resume in the next few weeks?



If you find value in these posts, please share them with your friends, family and collegues. 

Twitter: @Skropp2

Do You Respect Your Mentor?

Full Disclosure:

I have only been meeting with a mentor for about 3 months, on a monthly basis.  I am not an expert mentor, nor an expert mentee. 

My purpose in the following post is simply to share with you some suggestions and ideas that I am trying to implement into my relationship with my mentor that I believe will make it more beneficial--and I hope you can take some of the suggestions and utilize them as you will!

Stuck!

To begin, let me share with you why I decided to have a mentor.  This past year I have felt stuck.  I dont mean just stuck, I mean STUCK!!!!! And to be sure that you and I are on the same page with that, I'm talking good ol' country boy, mud boggin', burried to the axles, wheels spinnin', mud flyin' everywhere, STUCK!! Got the picture now?  If not, here's one for ya:

 

Photo courtesy of margaretkilljoy, Some Rights Reserved

 

 

Stuck.  Now you get it, right? Anyways, I felt stuck and kept thinking that I needed to find a mentor.  Someone smarter than me, more successful than me, better looking than me (well, I could at least shoot for the first two!). 

 

The final push was a blog post by Mr. Chris LoCurto posted about the same time titled, "Why You Need A Mentor". 

 

Now, maybe it's just me, but sometimes I feel like God is just hiding around the corner with a two-by-four, waiting for me to walk by; and when I do... 

 

WHACK!!!!!

Upside the head. 

 

That's kinda how I felt when I read his blog post.  That post seemed to be God saying "You need to get a mentor Ding Dong!" (I'm dense enough I don't think its too far of a stretch to think God may just call me a "ding dong" at times...) 

 

So I sent a text to a friend of mine that I'd been wanting to ask to be my mentor and asked if he'd be willing to sit down with me regularly and share with me some of his vast knowledge.  He readily agreed.  And THAT is how I began my mentoring relationship. 

 

Making the most of Mentoring

One thing that I believe is very important is to respect your mentor's time.  They are doing you a HUGE favor by being willing to meet with and counsel you. 

 

For this reason, here are a few things that I have tried to do, and am trying to implement, to make the most out of the time with my mentor. 

 

1.    Time limit

Dont let your mentoring sessions drag on like a freakin' Major League baseball game (I'm not a baseball fan, I'd rather endure Chinese water torture while laying on a bed of cacti in my skivvies than watch a baseball game!). In my (amateur) opinion 60 minutes is long enough for a mentoring session, maybe 90.  Have a time in mind and ask your mentor if that is acceptable.  Then when you are there STICK TO IT!!! Your mentor is busy with their own life, don't take all their time or they will dread meeting with you.     

 

2.    Come prepared with Questions 

Don't try to "wing" your mentoring session.  If his knowledge, expertise and insight are valuable enough for you to want to learn from him, his time is too valuable to be wasted in a conversation that has no focus or direction.  Come with 3-4 questions that you want answered, it'll assure that the time is not wasted.

 

3.    Share your goals

A week before our first mentoring session, I emailed a list of goals I'd set for myself to my mentor to review.  We discussed them at that first session.  Sharing your goals gives your mentor insight into where you desire to go.  This will allow your mentor to help you work towards and achieve those goals.  It also shows the level of trust and respect you have for him as your mentor that you are willing to share your personal goals. 

 

 

4.   Ask for an assignment

Ask your mentor what she would recommend you do between now and your next meeting to incorporate the things you talked about into your life.  This shows that you have a desire to change and grow, and that you take seriously the counsel that she is giving you.

 

5.   Return and report

When you come to your next meeting report how you have done on the things you discussed the time before.  Discuss how you did on the assignments you accepted, what went well, what you could improve.  Ask follow up questions to clarify principles you discussed.  Being ready and willing to report on your successes and failures is evidence of your desire to learn and grow.

 

6.   Show gratitude

If you meet at a restaurant and have lunch or breakfast, pick up the tab.  Shoot your mentor a text or email afterwards thanking them for their time and insight.  I wrote a letter to Jason's wife and kids.  In the letter I told them that I wanted them to know what a great guy their husband and father was.  I told them that I knew they must make alot of sacrifices with as busy as he is, and that I, for one, was grateful to them for their sacrifice so he could spend a little time with me every month.  I got a text the next week saying thanks for the letter and that it had brought him to tears.  Gratitude goes a long ways.

 

 

What it comes down to...

Making the most out of the time you have with your mentor really comes down to one thing.  Respect and appreciate your mentor and their time.  If you will do these six things, you will get more out of your mentoring sessions, your mentor will be more engaged in mentoring you, and both of you will grow and develop in ways that would not be possible without your relationship. 

 

I hope implementing these suggestions will help you.  I am looking forward to implementing them in my own life with my mentor. 

 

If you don't have a mentor that you are meeting with regularly, I would strongly recommend finding one!  Read "Why You Need A Mentor" if you still aren't convinced of the importance of such a relationship. 

 

 

 

Question: What do you do to make the most of the time you spend with your mentor(s)?

 

 

Thanks for taking the time to peruse this blog! If you've found this information timely and beneficial, please share it with others!

 

 

 

Twitter: @Skropp2