Let me qualify this entry with a disclaimer- I am not a professional resume writer although I have seen thousands of resumes in my time as a headhunter. If you want to engage those professional resume writing services I know several highly qualified people I can refer you to who will charge a nominal fee and will create a very pretty piece of paper.
I am also not the end-all, be-all authority on resume writing. If you ask a thousand recruiters you will get a thousand opinions on how a resume "should" look. It is mainly an issue if aesthetics and personal taste. Ergo, no right or wrong answers. What I do believe that I offer which is very valuable is a sales perspective to writing a resume. I look at resumes as if I were a sales manager and evaluate on that basis. My advice to you as you read this blog is to take what makes sense to you and make it your own and discard the rest because at the end of the day the only thing that is important is to have a document that you feel strongly represents you and what you bring to the table and paints a picture of the impact you will have on your future employer.
Let's go back to the seed we planted in the previous post which is the idea that finding a job is a sales process. Creating a resume that will sell you is the next logical step.
Picture yourself walking through a car lot- checking out the bells and whistles of all the new models. You go up to the sticker on the window and what does it tell you? It does not go into great amounts of detail about how the car was put together and the history of the factory where it was produced. What it does tell you are the SIZZLE POINTS. The hot, sexy facts that will make you want to get into that bad boy and take on the road to open it up and see what it can do for you. THAT is the effect you want your resume to have! It should sizzle in someone's fingers to the point where they know they must snatch you up and get you a seat on their bus before anyone else even knows you are looking. Is it possible to do that with just a resume? I think so and this is how to do it....
1. Sell to the Decision Maker- You really need to keep hammering the idea until it feels second nature that this is a sales process. Someone out there needs a solution to their pain, that pain being they are not generating enough sales- the solution they are seeking is YOU but you have to educate and close them on that fact. There is a company right now that has pain and that pain is they are not driving enough revenue. You need to create a document that will sell to the decision maker for that company (CEO, VP of Sales, Director, etc) that your product/solution is the SOLUTION for their pain. You need to write to what you know are their pain points and begin the process of closing them on how you are exactly who they are looking for. Think of this resume as your One Sheet or sales collateral for your product. Not a bio, a sales document that is designed to get your foot in the door and close for a face to face appointment. Make sense?
2. Check your Ego- You have to take your ego out of the mix. People tend to get oddly humble (humble? a sales person?? yeah...weird I know) when writing a resume and either feel like people should just be able to extrapolate information based on what they write or they downplay their accomplishments. Don't be vague! As far as format (which is the least important thing to me) I strongly prefer and recommend bullet points, specifically 3-5 per position. Remember, these are sales manager who are looking at this and you have (maybe) a good 5 seconds to catch someones attention on a resume. My eyes stop when I see $ signs and % signs followed by big numbers. Saying you were 120% to goal is better than saying you exceeded plan by 20%- get the difference?
Now as far as being vague- I have a little life lesson that can be used in all areas of your life. Ready? If you don't specifically tell me, you can't assume that I know what you mean. You need to be very clear. If you want me to know that you have strong Channel or Public Sector relationships tell me, then tell me how much revenue you were able to close because of the relationship. If you just talk about how you know Excel and Salesforce or your are a good cold caller then how will I know that your average deal size was 50k and you carried and exceeded a 1M quota? Be specific AND ring your own bell. This is selling yourself! Remember we talked about sizzle points? You need to march out the biggest, baddest accomplishments that you have in your background. Be proud and list those things that you are excited about.
3. Length doesn't matter: OK, it matters a little. Your resume does not need to read like War & Peace however I see way too many resumes that are crammed onto a single page. For the most part I expect to see a 2 page resume because I deal with people who are at the mid-to-high levels of their career. What my rule of thumb is, if you do spill onto a second page then fill up that page! I think it is a waste to leave white space on a resume when you can fill it up with valuable information. And here is the kicker, you don't always know what your reader will consider valuable. Here are some examples of what I consider to be valuable "fluff", meaning that it is good and interesting information but could be cut out and still be a solid document and would still paint that great picture of who you are.
Additional Skills- this is a broad topic and can include things like sales training and seminars you went to and certifications you have earned (especially important in technology sales!). You paid the $xxx's to take all those classes, here is where they can pay you back. The reason it is important is employers want to know that you are continually investing in growing yourself and your skills. This tells them that you will be a sponge and soak up what they will teach you and probably learn it quickly and be able to adapt and apply it right away. This can also help be a "cover" for those who do not have a college degree and in that case you would rename the section "Education and Additional Skills". Lack of formal education is a red flag, not a "no" and work experience combined with some professional training might be enough to overcome that objection (see? still a sales process).
Community Involvement- everyone loves someone who gives back. So many company mission statements now include giving back to the community that they look for people who already are invested in giving back. There could also be some instant synergy if you work with a charity that they partner with as well (Note- also a great way to network, more on this later). It can also reveal a lot about who you are on a personal level and what are your passions and personal interests. If you are on the Boards for any community organizations you want to highlight that as well. It indicates that your are a leader in all areas of your life.
Accomplishments- I usually suggest that there be a Accomplishment section at the top of the resume. You should pick the 3 or 4 things that if someone knew nothing else about your professional career these are the things that your hang your hat on. These can be the biggest deals, the overall revenue you generated...whatever those things are that just make your chest puff up with pride when you think about it. Here is why I suggest this...a hiring manager sees this great achievement, they call you up and ask you about "x". You are going to instantly be able to tap into something that you feel confident and passionate about and that will set the tone and put you in the "zone" for the rest of the conversation!
Technology- this is obviously more for technically based positions but here are some things everyone can list: CRM systems you know and have worked on (Salesforce, Goldmine, ACT), any advanced MS programs (we all assume you can get into your email and open a Word document) or any special software your position required. For technical sales, list all the software and hardware you sold and vendors you have worked with- employers want to know at a glance you have experience with the products they sell so tell them!
Military background/Special interests- military background is always highly respected and can be a replacement for education in many cases. It can be especially helpful for any public sector selling positions for obvious reasons. Also, if you were a professional athlete or actor or anything a bit out of the ordinary that might catch someones eye and make you stand out put it out there! It may not be relevant for the job but this is all about standing apart from the crowd!
4. The Meat- Now that we have an idea of the format and purpose of this "sales sheet" is, we can dig into the meat of what should be listed for each position to help paint that picture of success. Keep in mind that the best indication of future success is past performance so you want to create a solid synopsis of your past success so your future employer can easily see how you will be able to replicate and exceed that performance at their company.
Again, I suggest a chronological resume with your most recent position listed first and going back 10 years. If you have a history that goes back further than that I would suggest that you list a summary of previous positions only if your past positions are relevant to the position you are looking for right now.
Here are the most critical points to cover:
What did you sell? Remember we discussed that if you don't tell us, we don't know? I may not have any familiarity with the companies you worked at before so you need to be specific about the products or service you sold. Be specific!
Who did you sell it to? What was your vertical? Public Sector? F1000? SMB? Did you cover a specific geography? Were your presenting to Cxo's or closing office managers?
Performance: What was your quota and how did you do against it? President's Club? Quota Buster? And if you didn't blow out your quota what kind of numbers were you driving? The good news here is you can highlight the numbers that put you in the best light. (Note- always, always be VERY truthful about your metrics, being dishonest about information on your resume in many companies can be grounds for termination). If there are any other KPI's (key performance indicators) that are relevant to your field here is where you want to list them.
Awards/Accolades: And here is where you want to bang your drum. This is where you shout from the rooftops your best and most outstanding accomplishments and achievements during your tenure at this company. Biggest deal in company history, fastest ramp up of any rookie, largest number of new accounts closed in a single year...etc.
Once you have all this information you want to create bullet points that are concise and quantifiable. I mentioned before that my eyes stop on dollar signs and percentage signs. Once you have written the body for each position, addressing all the points above, walk away....put on your Sales Manager hat, walk back to your desk and sit down. As you review your resume with those fresh Manager eyes ask yourself those age old questions: "what's in it for me" and "so what?" Remember you are selling to close for a face to face meeting with a decision maker and if you can't show him how your product (your skills) are the solution for his pain (revenue) you will never get a meeting. The "so what" question is the best one to ask yourself again and again as you write your resume and until you get to a clear, concise answer...keep fine tuning! Selling isn't telling it is educating your prospect on their need for your product or solution!!
5. Red Flags- Just a note about red flags. This is a term we use in the employment world to indicate places where we have questions. Red Flags are not necessarily "no's" but they do give pause and if you hit several red flags then your resume will get chucked into the "NO" pile and you'll never get a chance to overcome that objection (again, see the sales correlation?). There are some common Red Flags and here are some tips to address them- you can't always make them go away (it is what it is) but if can provide an answer sometimes that is enough.
Employment dates- My heart breaks for all the mortgage folks who, through no fault of their own, bounced through multiples firms in a single year due to offices closing. My suggestion is to add an italics bullet right in the body of your resume indicating your reason for leaving (ex: reason for leaving: office closed July 2008). This won't make the reality of the situation go away but an explanation, and a letter of reference from your previous manager, might be enough to keep you out of the NO pile.
Lack of Education/College Degree- we hit upon this earlier in the "Additional Skills" section above.
Typo's- It is amazing what can slip by so have a couple of people review your resume before you send it out.
Inappropriate E-mail address- There is no excuse to not have a professional email address for the purpose of job seeking. There are dozens of free accounts so if your personal email is bigdaddy4u@whatever.com do NOT use it on a resume. Seriously, don't even think about it.
Your resume is a living, breathing document and should grow with you as you grow your career. You should be updating your resume continually, no less than every 6 months. This does not mean that you are in a job hunt every 6 months (although for some people, that is sadly the case) and I would honestly advise that you always be in some level of job searching. Updating your resume is being what I call "Being a Good Steward of Your Own Career". You need be constantly vigilant of how you can improve your skills and what accomplishments you can add to your resume. Doing a great job with this now may help you identify some places where you might want to fill in some gaps in your professional life(get a certification, finish your degree, get involved in the community) and help you become a more well-rounded, balanced and placeable candidate in ANY job market!
Friday, November 14, 2008
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Why You? A series on how to market yourself and CREATE your next opportunity- Pt 1
In my role as an executive sales recruiter I have the privilege of speaking with dozens of highly qualified sales professionals everyday. While I am able to connect with many I wanted to share some of my thoughts/ideas and knowledge and archive this information in a more usable format. Feel free to post your questions/comments!
This series of blogs will share with you some of the tips and tricks of how to market yourself that I give to these great sales professionals that I have the honor to serve and work with each day. In other words, I am going to teach you do to do for yourself what I would do for you as a professional recruiter if I were able devote my full-time efforts to your search!
Note: **This series is written and designed specifically for Sales Professionals. The information does work for anyone but it was developed for and about my favorite people in the world- the salesman!
So, you are looking for a new opportunity. Feels weird right? Depending on where you are in your search you may be feeling hopeful and optimistic (even excited!) or you may be thinking of taking a leap into the Pit of Despair. Why? Because you probably feel powerless. Like your whole future is now out of your hands and you are at the whim of being "picked" by some company, any company- not unlike standing on the side of the gym waiting for someone to ask you to dance at the Junior High Sock Hop (just me? hmm, ok).
If you read much you'll probably even run across at some point that changing jobs is one of the top 5 most stressful things that you'll ever do in your life! Wow, no wonder this is so tough. BUT WAIT....I have good news! You are a salesperson and because of that you have an edge that no one else has, want to know what it is? Great! Here we go... finding a job is a sales cycle and it is just like every sales process you have even gone through. I have been doing this a long time and I promise you that there is no part of this whole "finding a job" thing that you cannot related directly to closing any other sale. This is your comfort zone, it's what you do every day. I will even really challenge you and tell you that if you are worth your salt as a salesperson and can't close a deal when you are selling yourself, perhaps sales is no longer for you (if it ever was). Sorry to be blunt but I am here to help, not hand hold.
As you take these first steps in this new sales process (keep in your comfort zone, this is not finding a job its closing your next million dollar deal- which as we all know it could very well be) is to pull the trigger on low hanging fruit. These would be applying to jobs on the job boards and partnering with recruiters.
Job boards: Job boards are great tools and can be very helpful. They let you know who is hiring (obviously) but you can also get a feel for trends and what niches are hot in the Valley (or where you live). For instance, if you look right now you will see there are a ton of tech jobs open in the Valley but not so much Consumer Goods. Ok, I am biased because I work with software and hardware companies but the research holds. The price is right to use job boards because the only cost is your time and many companies do require you apply online before you can be considered as a candidate. Might as well cast your net and see what you can pull in. I recommend hitting the majors: Monster, Career Builder, Jobing but also looking at niche specific like Dice, The Ladders, SixfigureJobs. Why not right? BUT- here is the catch with job boards....they are chum in the water. Meaning, the blood is already in the water and the other sharks are swarming. Is it possible to get a decent chunk and land a job that way? Sure, but I consider these the "GlennGary" leads of our world. They are tattered, picked over and you aren't likely to close a deal using them.
Think of it another way....have you ever done a direct mail campaign or a email blast for leads? The usual return on a blast is single digits- a 5% response rate is considered very good. Why then would you expect any different results from blasting your resume out everywhere? Use it as one of many tools that you have but don't pin all your hopes and dreams on each click of the send button.
Recruiters: Here is what you should be aware of when you work with a recruiter. First, there are different types of recruiters. Corporate recruiters work directly for the company and are an extension of the Human Resource department. Most corporate recruiters are very overwhelmed with a heavy load of reqs that they are looking to fill. They tend to be very reactive and may be hard to reach and get answers and replies to your inquiries. They are also the gatekeepers to the "black hole" where your resume goes when you never hear back after submitting your application through their online portal. Lovely people but probably also not your best bet to land the deal. Also, a side note on HR/Corp recruiters. Consider them as the gatekeepers of the company much like an executive assistant for the CEO. It is their job to filter and screen you out so I do not recommend you sell to them. HR can never say yes, they need a hiring manager/decision maker to pull the trigger BUT they can always say no.
Next are Headhunters which is the bucket I fall into. Headhunters are also called 3rd Party Recruiters or Executive Recruiters. My view of headhunting (which my peers may or may not share) is we are consultants to our clients and like any consultant, we are able to charge a premium for our service because we fill a need that the client is unable or unwilling to do for themselves. In recruiting, I am paid a fee by my clients to go out and find the people that they are unable to find on their own. That is important for you, as a candidate, to know and understand. At the end of the day my time and activity is driven by my clients needs so while you have a great and solid background, if you do not fit an open job order that I am working on right now I will be limited in how much I am able to help you. When looking for a headhunter you need to understand what they focus on and partner with the ones who work in your industry/niche. Getting to know a good recruiter is a relationship that can pay off for you both long term. A good match here can be great for referrals and future resources for you both. In my own experience I have had clients turn candidate turn client through the years. Headhunters are sales professionals as well so they (I) always have to stay focused on closing our deals so if you don't hear back from a headhunter, the reason is usually becuase your background is not fit for their desk speciality or their specific clients right now. Trust me- good news never waits so if you even come close to fitting an active clients background you will get a call. Period. No call usually means "can't help".
Headhunters will also market candidates who have highly sought after and desireable (as determined by the industry) skill sets. When a headhunter is marketing you they will usually want an exclusive relationship and let then be the contact for all positions you go after. This means you need to let your recruiter be your "Jery McGuire" and represent you in all offers. If you apply directly to a company you may duplicate efforts which makes you both look bad. Honesty and full disclosure is very important when working with a recruiter- the more informed we are the more we can help. Our job is to faciliate and navigate a smooth hiring process for you and our clients and this is tapping into the "Hidden Job Market" where 80% of all jobs live. These are jobs that are critical but there is no "req" open, HR may not even know there is a need or a job might be created just for you because your recruiter called and "sold" them on how much they MUST have you onboard- that you are the solution to their pain (sound like a sales cycle??). This is what I will be showing you to do in future postings.
Another note on headhunters- you must do your diligence in checking them out and I would exercise great caution when interviewing potential recruiters. There are some people who might want to charge both you and the client for placing you. There are thousands of well qualified and great Career or Life Coaches who do charge a fee for their services, this is a very valuable service and very different then what a recruiter would do. I would take a sharp look at anyone who calls themselves a headhunter and asks to be paid a fee by you.
Stay tuned for the next step which is Creating your One Sheet aka build a resume that will SELL...
This series of blogs will share with you some of the tips and tricks of how to market yourself that I give to these great sales professionals that I have the honor to serve and work with each day. In other words, I am going to teach you do to do for yourself what I would do for you as a professional recruiter if I were able devote my full-time efforts to your search!
Note: **This series is written and designed specifically for Sales Professionals. The information does work for anyone but it was developed for and about my favorite people in the world- the salesman!
So, you are looking for a new opportunity. Feels weird right? Depending on where you are in your search you may be feeling hopeful and optimistic (even excited!) or you may be thinking of taking a leap into the Pit of Despair. Why? Because you probably feel powerless. Like your whole future is now out of your hands and you are at the whim of being "picked" by some company, any company- not unlike standing on the side of the gym waiting for someone to ask you to dance at the Junior High Sock Hop (just me? hmm, ok).
If you read much you'll probably even run across at some point that changing jobs is one of the top 5 most stressful things that you'll ever do in your life! Wow, no wonder this is so tough. BUT WAIT....I have good news! You are a salesperson and because of that you have an edge that no one else has, want to know what it is? Great! Here we go... finding a job is a sales cycle and it is just like every sales process you have even gone through. I have been doing this a long time and I promise you that there is no part of this whole "finding a job" thing that you cannot related directly to closing any other sale. This is your comfort zone, it's what you do every day. I will even really challenge you and tell you that if you are worth your salt as a salesperson and can't close a deal when you are selling yourself, perhaps sales is no longer for you (if it ever was). Sorry to be blunt but I am here to help, not hand hold.
As you take these first steps in this new sales process (keep in your comfort zone, this is not finding a job its closing your next million dollar deal- which as we all know it could very well be) is to pull the trigger on low hanging fruit. These would be applying to jobs on the job boards and partnering with recruiters.
Job boards: Job boards are great tools and can be very helpful. They let you know who is hiring (obviously) but you can also get a feel for trends and what niches are hot in the Valley (or where you live). For instance, if you look right now you will see there are a ton of tech jobs open in the Valley but not so much Consumer Goods. Ok, I am biased because I work with software and hardware companies but the research holds. The price is right to use job boards because the only cost is your time and many companies do require you apply online before you can be considered as a candidate. Might as well cast your net and see what you can pull in. I recommend hitting the majors: Monster, Career Builder, Jobing but also looking at niche specific like Dice, The Ladders, SixfigureJobs. Why not right? BUT- here is the catch with job boards....they are chum in the water. Meaning, the blood is already in the water and the other sharks are swarming. Is it possible to get a decent chunk and land a job that way? Sure, but I consider these the "GlennGary" leads of our world. They are tattered, picked over and you aren't likely to close a deal using them.
Think of it another way....have you ever done a direct mail campaign or a email blast for leads? The usual return on a blast is single digits- a 5% response rate is considered very good. Why then would you expect any different results from blasting your resume out everywhere? Use it as one of many tools that you have but don't pin all your hopes and dreams on each click of the send button.
Recruiters: Here is what you should be aware of when you work with a recruiter. First, there are different types of recruiters. Corporate recruiters work directly for the company and are an extension of the Human Resource department. Most corporate recruiters are very overwhelmed with a heavy load of reqs that they are looking to fill. They tend to be very reactive and may be hard to reach and get answers and replies to your inquiries. They are also the gatekeepers to the "black hole" where your resume goes when you never hear back after submitting your application through their online portal. Lovely people but probably also not your best bet to land the deal. Also, a side note on HR/Corp recruiters. Consider them as the gatekeepers of the company much like an executive assistant for the CEO. It is their job to filter and screen you out so I do not recommend you sell to them. HR can never say yes, they need a hiring manager/decision maker to pull the trigger BUT they can always say no.
Next are Headhunters which is the bucket I fall into. Headhunters are also called 3rd Party Recruiters or Executive Recruiters. My view of headhunting (which my peers may or may not share) is we are consultants to our clients and like any consultant, we are able to charge a premium for our service because we fill a need that the client is unable or unwilling to do for themselves. In recruiting, I am paid a fee by my clients to go out and find the people that they are unable to find on their own. That is important for you, as a candidate, to know and understand. At the end of the day my time and activity is driven by my clients needs so while you have a great and solid background, if you do not fit an open job order that I am working on right now I will be limited in how much I am able to help you. When looking for a headhunter you need to understand what they focus on and partner with the ones who work in your industry/niche. Getting to know a good recruiter is a relationship that can pay off for you both long term. A good match here can be great for referrals and future resources for you both. In my own experience I have had clients turn candidate turn client through the years. Headhunters are sales professionals as well so they (I) always have to stay focused on closing our deals so if you don't hear back from a headhunter, the reason is usually becuase your background is not fit for their desk speciality or their specific clients right now. Trust me- good news never waits so if you even come close to fitting an active clients background you will get a call. Period. No call usually means "can't help".
Headhunters will also market candidates who have highly sought after and desireable (as determined by the industry) skill sets. When a headhunter is marketing you they will usually want an exclusive relationship and let then be the contact for all positions you go after. This means you need to let your recruiter be your "Jery McGuire" and represent you in all offers. If you apply directly to a company you may duplicate efforts which makes you both look bad. Honesty and full disclosure is very important when working with a recruiter- the more informed we are the more we can help. Our job is to faciliate and navigate a smooth hiring process for you and our clients and this is tapping into the "Hidden Job Market" where 80% of all jobs live. These are jobs that are critical but there is no "req" open, HR may not even know there is a need or a job might be created just for you because your recruiter called and "sold" them on how much they MUST have you onboard- that you are the solution to their pain (sound like a sales cycle??). This is what I will be showing you to do in future postings.
Another note on headhunters- you must do your diligence in checking them out and I would exercise great caution when interviewing potential recruiters. There are some people who might want to charge both you and the client for placing you. There are thousands of well qualified and great Career or Life Coaches who do charge a fee for their services, this is a very valuable service and very different then what a recruiter would do. I would take a sharp look at anyone who calls themselves a headhunter and asks to be paid a fee by you.
Stay tuned for the next step which is Creating your One Sheet aka build a resume that will SELL...
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