Dubin & Lee Blog

Top 6 Resume Myths

  

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Looking for a resume facelift?  Don’t shell out a bunch of money for a resume writer yet! The problem is that most professional resume writers do just that.  They have learned some resume rules years ago and have been dishing out the same out-dated resume advice without any knowledge of what a resume needs to look like to be competitive in the current job market.

I have been talking to hiring managers and company recruiters for close to 2 decades about candidates, their resumes and why they may or may not wish to interview them so my resume suggestions come from the front line of the job search battle field.  While some resume advice has remained relatively consistent like TRIPLE checking for spelling and grammatical errors, some resume advice is no longer relevant and new resume adjustments are necessary.

So what is the outdated resume advice?

Here are the top 6 resume myths:

1.  A resume should be 1 page.  Back “in the day,” when a resume was mailed or faxed, there was a concern to keep a resume on one page.  Now, it is only a scroll on an email.  Now, the top concern is what your resume says above the fold; the part visible in the screen without scrolling. Don’t waste this valuable Real Estate!

2.  Intangibles belong on a resume. In Real Estate, they refer to it as “puffery.”  “Cozy” is code for “smaller than my closet” in the same way “motivated” is code for “I have not really done anything yet.”

3.  Fancy graphics will set me apart. Also, “way back when,” a resume would come in an envelope (yes, I was recruiting then) and a fancy paper stock or design might demand special attention. Now, complicated graphics or formats can translate poorly or just distract from the content. Worse yet, it can give the impression your experience is not enough to warrant attention.

4.  Leaving months off the dates of employment will help me disguise an employment gap.  Here is how resume tricks work: they work once or twice and then they become red flags.  Now, when most hiring managers and recruiters see years with no months, they automatically assume the candidate is trying to hide something.  When the months are included in the dates, the reader is less likely to even look for an employment gap.

5.  No big deal if the formatting is not perfect. Formatting errors such as inconsistent fonts, bullets or alignment is just a sign that the candidate either lacks attention to detail or does not really care.  This is not such a great way to start the process.

6.  It’s all about the “Summary.” There might be nothing wrong with a short summary that highlights your most marketable accomplishments.  The issue is that hiring managers and Recruiters often tell me that they skip Summaries. Why? They are not just interested in what the candidate did, but when and in what environment they did it to give the experience context. If the experience is not also listed in the body of the resume, then it might be missed all together.

Still need some resume help?

Dubin & Lee has put together a “Quick and Easy Resume Updater Guide.”

This easy step by step guide includes:

• Quick method to develop current job content.
• Easy “2012 Resume Facelift” check list.

The “Quick and Easy Resume Updater Guide” is designed to get you through the resume updating process in under 30 minutes...most do it in less than 20 minutes.

Biggest Mistake Made When Updating a Resume

  

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You have made the decision to update your resume and you need to add your most current job to your resume. 

It’s late in the evening; you’re tired and not completely feeling up to the task so you throw together some bullets about what you are doing at your current job and insert them into your resume.

Here is the problem…

It’s lackluster and skimpy!

The reader is thinking either or both of the following:

• Your current work is not relevant.  Your current or most recent job should be the focus of your resume.  Anyone that downplays their most recent role is waving a red flag that they have not done anything relevant recently which is one of the top reasons a resume does not get a response.  Sell it and sell it well!
• You are lazy.  The last thing you want to do is give the impression that you are either looking for the easy way out or that selling yourself properly is not important to you; therefore, this opportunity is not that important to you.  Even if you are passively looking for a new job, making a bad impression at this point will prevent you from ever knowing for sure if this could have been your dream job.

Over the last 15 years, close to 35% of the candidates that I have placed into their dream job, were not very excited about the opportunity in the beginning of the process.  Fortunately, they sold themselves phenomenally, in spite of their initial impression and were very thankful they did so.

The point is that you just never know when the right opportunity will pop up, so it is crucial to your career success to always be ready to put your best foot forward.

Good news!  Here is all the resume help you need...

1. Check out The Top 6 Resume Myths
2. Download the “Quick and Easy Resume Updater Guide.”

This easy step by step guide includes:

• Quick method to develop current job content.
• Easy “2012 Resume Facelift” check list.

The Dubin & Lee “Quick and Easy Resume Updater Guide” is designed to get you through the resume updating process in under 30 minutes...most do it in less than 20 minutes.

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5 Things You Should Know Before Starting a Job Search

  

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The answer may be yes to all 3 of these questions but none of these 3 reasons, intrinsically, are reasons to go look for a new job.

Here are 5 things to know before starting a job search:

1. Trust No one. Well, trust none of your current co-workers.  You may be tempted to share your job search endeavors or unhappiness with your current situation but you must resist the urge to commiserate or confide.  It can backfire on you in ways you can’t even fathom.

2. Discover what truly floats your boat.  Think about the things that are paramount to your career happiness and why you want them. Ask yourself, “why?” at least 3 times, like a 4 year old.  Many people jump from job to job without finding true career satisfaction because they are not even sure what they really want.

3. Explore this side of the fence first.  Really dig deep to make sure that what you want cannot be found with your employer.  If you are looking for a career change, your best chance to make that sort of move is internally.  The best companies promote a culture of internal movement for maximum employee job satisfaction and productivity.  Also, if you start a job search and accept an offer, there is no turning back.  Accepting a counteroffer is career suicide.

4. Start before you need to.  The worst thing someone can do is wait until they need to leave their job before they start a job search.  When embarking on a job search, it is to your benefit to maintain the image of high hanging fruit.  To do this, DO NOT post your resume on job boards or submit your resume to every posting you see.  If it makes sense to use a Headhunter, start there.  The right Headhunter can market you as passive, elusive talent.  If it does not make sense to use a Headhunter, be very selective about where you submit your resume and keep an accurate record of anyone that receives your resume.

5. Linkedin! Make sure your profile is filled out, keyword optimized and sells you well.  Also, under “contact preferences” list your personal email address.  Even better, adjust your settings to “Open Networker.”  As a passive job seeker, it is important to make it easy for a company find you with a keyword search and to contact you confidentially.  Please let me know if you are interested in attending or hosting one of my LinkedIn Workshops.

These are just a few of the things to keep in mind before starting a job search but even more important, is not taking a job for the wrong reason.

Download the 3 Guidelines to Avoid Taking a Job for the Wrong Reason.

Don’t Make the Mistake in a Job Interview made in the Debate

  

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Watching the GOP debates, I was appalled at the HUGE mistake made by the candidates.  It brought to mind that this is one of the biggest mistakes candidates make in a job interview. 

What is that HUGE mistake?

Avoiding the question!

In an attempt to sell themselves, a candidate may feel the temptation to avoid answering a question directly when they feel the answer may not do so.  In this event, the interviewer (in the case of a debate, the audience as well) is not fooled but rather annoyed, and even worse, a red flag is raised.

What is he or she trying to hide?

In a job interview, 2 things you want to avoid at all costs are annoying the interviewer and raising red flags!  DO NOT ever be tempted to think that the interviewer will not notice if you do not answer the question directly. We all notice!

Answering a question directly and selling yourself simultaneously takes preparation and practice, especially, if the interviewer is targeting your Achilles heel. You must work through the wording of addressing the issue upfront and then deducting a positive (what’s in it for them) outcome from the experience.

Last week, at the end of the CNN GOP debate, John King asked a fantastic question.

He asked each candidate, “What is the biggest misconception the public has of you?”

Scroll to 1:40 to watch

Wow, what a fantastic opportunity to set the record straight about the most negative things in the media! Also, if there is truth to any of the negativity (like a resume with lots of job hopping), here would be the perfect opportunity to turn it into a positive or explain your side.  But no… Romney and Santorum decided to avoid the question altogether and just tout the same rhetoric we have already heard. 

Needless to say, this left me annoyed and concerned that there is truth to all the negativity.

Never under estimate your audience, interviewer or even the reader of your resume for that matter.  Stay away from tricks, be direct and honest and you will prevail…

provided you are not in politics.

This can get pretty tricky when asked about money in an interview.

Get the 3 minute video on how to answer the “Money Question” in an interview.