Posted under Resumes on December 18th, 2007
A potential client emailed me someone else’s resume today, and essentially said, “I want my resume to look like this.” We all know the old adage, “The customer is always right.” But you know what? I just wasn’t hearing that today.
Executives, you can not and should not submit a resume for any position that looks exactly like someone else’s. Think about what this really says about you: you’re not innovative, creative, or forward-thinking. In short, you’re not unique. Certainly this can’t be the professional brand you want to communicate.
So let’s steer away from the formulaic formats and focus instead on how we can showcase the unique you. The goal is to deliver a document that makes the potential employer literally stand up and say, “Who IS this guy? Get him in here immediately!”
At the six-figure level and above, you are not competing against the masses. You are competing against a select few, and an even shorter list once you reach round 2 of the interview stage. Do you know what makes you stand out?
YOU. What is your strategy? Your approach? Your style? Everyone on the short list has numerous accomplishments and achievements, backed by verifiable dollar figures and percentages. The ONLY differentiating factor is how you do what you do, what you think about your approach, and how you think your style can positively affect Mr. Future Employer.
None of these elements can be effectively communicated if your resume looks like your friend’s. Please let’s all make a promise to each other: don’t ask me to copy somebody else’s resume for you, and I’ll give you a marketing piece that is an individual as a fingerprint. Deal? Deal.
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