Recently, I received a call coming from a friend that is a financial planner. He likes to be described as a real mover and shaker in the local world of business, so I can be expecting a lunch invitation a few times every twelve months. (I'm low on the totem pole for the local business scene.) More often than not, the lunch will feature a couple people from related market sectors that my friend is hoping to cross network. I always go. In my business, I don't commonly do a lot locally, nevertheless it's free food.
This time around, I arrive at a pleasant, sunlit sea food restaurant along the beach to find my friend sitting with some guy in a suit who he then introduces as a resume writer. The guy in the suit quickly attempts to rebrand himself as a career coach, although after a number of questions, it turns out that a lot of his business is just selling people on the concept that they require a professionally constructed resume.
Clearly, the thought is that there may well be some working synergy between a recruiter and a resume writer. I can't find fault with my buddy for the logic, it appears to be reasonable. Naturally, both work with people during position change. However, reality is that it couldn't be further from the truth.
The resume writer endorses the misconception that a resume gets an interview. Further more, they offer the thought that an extravagant (higher priced) resume does a much better job. As a headhunter, we detest that style of reasoning.
If we begin working with a candidate, we take on a method of focus. The most valuable achievements from their work history in regards to the position being sought and isolated. These tend to be specific illustrations with numbers. Everything else is then minimized, and those testimonials are pushed to the front and advertised.
Amongst other things, this means that at our direction, the resumes will often be rewritten. Ornate language and terminology is cut. Padding and embellishment is taken off. The resume is turned into a straight forward chronological map which leads from one success to another. It is not difficult to follow confident that it will lead an interviewer into bringing up the best things the job seeker has to offer.
The moral of the story would be that recruiters don't trust convoluted resumes. The resume should be easy and straightforward highlighting achievements that happen to be very specific. Resumes are tools to be utilized during an interview, not to get an interview. Don't subscribe to the myth of a $500 resume. It provides no real value.
This time around, I arrive at a pleasant, sunlit sea food restaurant along the beach to find my friend sitting with some guy in a suit who he then introduces as a resume writer. The guy in the suit quickly attempts to rebrand himself as a career coach, although after a number of questions, it turns out that a lot of his business is just selling people on the concept that they require a professionally constructed resume.
Clearly, the thought is that there may well be some working synergy between a recruiter and a resume writer. I can't find fault with my buddy for the logic, it appears to be reasonable. Naturally, both work with people during position change. However, reality is that it couldn't be further from the truth.
The resume writer endorses the misconception that a resume gets an interview. Further more, they offer the thought that an extravagant (higher priced) resume does a much better job. As a headhunter, we detest that style of reasoning.
If we begin working with a candidate, we take on a method of focus. The most valuable achievements from their work history in regards to the position being sought and isolated. These tend to be specific illustrations with numbers. Everything else is then minimized, and those testimonials are pushed to the front and advertised.
Amongst other things, this means that at our direction, the resumes will often be rewritten. Ornate language and terminology is cut. Padding and embellishment is taken off. The resume is turned into a straight forward chronological map which leads from one success to another. It is not difficult to follow confident that it will lead an interviewer into bringing up the best things the job seeker has to offer.
The moral of the story would be that recruiters don't trust convoluted resumes. The resume should be easy and straightforward highlighting achievements that happen to be very specific. Resumes are tools to be utilized during an interview, not to get an interview. Don't subscribe to the myth of a $500 resume. It provides no real value.
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