As a professional resume writer, I have to acknowledge up front that I have a bit of bias on the subject of resumes–especially when I read (as I usually do) a column by Ask The Headhunter’s Nick Corcodillos, who basically considers resumes most suitable as garbage-can liners!
In a recent post, titled “The Magic Resume Calculator: Save 95% of your job hunting time!,” Corcodillos does, however, make good points that I can agree with and still feel good about creating resumes for my clients.
What You Should Know about Recruiters & Your Resume
According to Corcodillos, who is a headhunter (recruiter), there are two things that he cares about when he receives a resume:
- Is the sender someone I know? If it isn’t, he deletes it.
- Is the information useful? In other words, does it make clear (and quickly) why he should bother to read it?
He amplifies these points with a few telling statements:
- “Don’t send a resume to someone you don’t know who doesn’t know you.”
- “We don’t have time to figure out what to do with you.”
- “In a contest between a trusted referral and your blind resume, you will always lose. I won’t open your resume, and what’s in it doesn’t matter.”
- “What matters most to an employer or headhunter reading a resume is that it came via a personal introduction from someone we trust. Your competitors will almost always come in second.”
What Does This Mean to Your Job Search?
For starters, it means you can and should be putting some real effort and thought into your job search, That definitely includes making the effort to get personal introductions to key people related to the position you’re pursuing.
If you haven’t been reading Corcodillos’ blog yet, I encourage you to start. While I don’t necessarily endorse all his opinions (which he undoubtedly wouldn’t care about if he knew), I know he’s as savvy as they come in his area of expertise.
Yes, this approach is more work (maybe a lot more) than many of you might be used to putting into your job search. However, when you do it–and do it right–I’ll bet you’ll see some impressive results, not the least of which is getting a leg up on your competition.
So maybe now, with the relative slowness of the holiday season, would be a good time to strategize and plan how you’re going to jump-start your job search by connecting with key people in your target companies. Think about it, but don’t just think: DO!