Many receive advice, only the wise profit from it.
~Harper Lee
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1.We know what we are talking about. Occasionally, we hear from applicants that we don’t understand the market, or that this resume has worked in the past (though it’s not working now). Our independent contractors understand what does and doesn’t work typically. We know how to target resumes and get results as our numbers show. So, try it our way. If it doesn’t work, we can always go another avenue, but it benefits you to listen to the proposed changes and TRY to implement them.
2.It’s not about your ego. The resume isn’t about you. Yes, it’s about your work history, your accolades, and your education, but it’s about showing how those aspects satisfy the employer’s needs, not yours. It doesn’t matter what you want the resume to say about you; it matters that the resume truthfully shows how you fulfill the employer’s needs. That’s how you get an interview. (See Amy Rossi’s article on ego driven resumes.)
3.We talk to employers and receive direct feedback from them. Remember how I said, we know what we are talking about? Well, it’s not just that we follow trends and do our homework (which we do); we also have an “in” and talk to other people who know what they are talking about. Hiring managers and recruiters provide us with direct feedback that we use to better serve candidates. Our resume advice doesn’t occur in a vacuum.
4.Yes, grammar and formatting do matter. I’ve heard an applicant say, “But I’m such a stellar candidate, they won’t care if there are errors in my resume.” The reality is it’s still an employer’s market. A sloppily written or poorly formatted resume can land you in the “reject” pile no matter how incredibly awesome you may be. Let me be clear: grammar and formatting are not as important as content, but they are an easy way for a resume to be dismissed when a hiring manager is reviewing 200 resumes...… because you might end up number 26 out of the 25 they call to interview.
So, if you aren’t sure about updating your resume—maybe you don’t have the time, maybe you don’t feel like it—please reconsider.
If the resume you have isn’t getting the results you want, then it’s time to make some changes. Revise your resume based on an outsider’s advice; send it out; and see what happens. We know what happens when we keep doing the same thing over and over again, and based on the number of candidates CASY & MSCCN successfully served last year, we have a good idea what happens when candidates take our advice.