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

The Parable of the Waiter

A few weeks back I had the great opportunity to guest post for Lily Kreitinger.  In that post, titled Got The T-Shirt, I put forth an analogy that seemed to resonate with many of the readers and commenters on Lily's blog.  Because of that, I wanted to share this analogy with you. 

 

Photo courtesy of zoetnet, some rights reserved.

 

 

Imagine This...



Ok, so imagine this.  You walk into a restaurant and sit down.  Now, when I say restaurant, I mean a good restaurant--No paper napkins, and no yellow or red in the logo--just so we're clear. 

 

When you walk in, you are met by a smiling host or hostess that welcomes you to the restaurant, asks how many in your party, and asks you to please follow her to your table.  You sit down, the hostess gives you your menu and tells you that your waiter will be with you shortly.

 

When the waiter walks to your table, what do you notice?  Is he well dressed? Does she smile and seem friendly? Is she knowledgeable in what is being offered on the menu?

 

You notice all of these things and each of them, to some extent, affects your dining experience. 

 

But what affects your dining experience more than anything?  I would venture to guess it is the food! (and we all know Chris LoCurto is gonna LOVE a post about food!)

 

I say this because you go to a restaurant to eat good food.  Yes, you want to have great service, and if the service stinks, you probably won't go back, but you really are most interested in the food. 

 

The Analogy

Now let me tie this all together. 

 

Let's look at this experience in regards to speaking in front of a group, or teaching a group.  If we are to use the above experience as an analogy, who would be the waiter? The diners? The food? The service and appearance of the waiter?

 

Here's my suggestion:

 

As the speaker or teacher, you are the waiter.  Your audience, the diners.  The food that they came hoping to enjoy is the information that you are putting forth in your speech, training, or lesson. 

 

Now, where does the service and appearance come in? 

 

The appearance and service is your appearance as the presenter as well as your speaking/teaching skills. 

 

Are these important? 

 

Absolutely!

 

No one wants to listen to, or be taught by, a slob.  And if you speak like Ben Stein's character in Ferris Beuller's Day Off, no one will stay awake! 

 

You have GOT to learn and hone the skills of public speaking (Check out Lily's series on public speaking for great ideas).  But in doing so, I fear sometimes we forget that, in reality, the information you are presenting is the. most. important. part.

 

So, my challenge to you: As you speak and teach remember the parable of the waiter!  Remember that as important as it is that you relate to your audience, smile, tell compelling stories, and speak clearly, you are simply the vehicle to convey your information.

 

Speaking and teaching IS NOT about you!  Speaking and teaching is about conveying information that will benefit your audience.

 

 

Question: How does this parable affect how you look at speaking and teaching others?

 

 

 

Thanks so much for taking the time to read my musings.  If you find value in these posts, please subscribe to this blog and share this post with those around you!

 

 

 

Twitter: @Skropp2

The Customer is Always Right!

"The Customer is Always Right"

How many times have we heard that?

How many managers have said it?

How many company websites, stationary, business cards, sales material and coffee mugs have sported this saying?

How many of us believe it?



Photo Courtesy of LonelyBob, Some Rights Reserved

Ok, you can put your hands down.

Before we get into the post, let's find a few things we all can agree on.

1. Customers are important.

2. Customer service is important.

3. Many customers THINK they are always right.

4. Odds are, customers are NOT right as often as they'd like to believe.

Can we agree on those? If you disagree, well, get your own dang blog! This one's mine ;)

But let's be honest, the customer is NOT always right. And quite frankly, the ones that are insistent that they are, and are determined to rub it in your face--like you're a dog in need of house training--probably aren't your best customers anyways.

But does this mean that you just write off their complaints as the ramblings of a madman and laugh mockingly at the stupid notion that "the customer is always right?"

Short answer: No.

And here's why:

Perception is reality.

I LOVE that phrase, and no where is it more applicable than in customer service.

Here's what I mean:

In reality, your customer is wrong, the terms of delivery were 5-7 BUSINESS days, not 5-7 days, regardless of Christmas, New Years and the Sunday in between!

In perception, your customer feels you are incompetent, and incapable of keeping your word...and he tells EVERYONE at Starbucks exactly that.

In reality, the warranty clearly states that throwing your product onto a rock from your tree stand 35 feet up voids the warranty.

In perception, your client tells all his hunting buddies that not only is your product a piece of crap, but your service belongs in the toilet as well.

You get the idea.

Now I'm not saying you should fall all over your customers if they are blatantly wrong. You only need a fraction of the earth's billions of inhabitants as clients. Some clients are best served by making sure the door doesn't hit them on the way out.

My point is,

When striving to provide excellent customer service, be mindful, and take into account that, though they may be wrong, your client's perception IS THEIR reality, and he will relay it to everyone he associates with as such.

Perception is reality.

Perhaps THAT phrase should be found in our businesses (and maybe on a coffee mug) a little more often. It may improve our ability to understand and serve our customers.



Question: How have you seen perception affect your job or business?

Thanks for reading! If you find these posts valuable, please share them in your social circles!!

Twitter: @Skropp2