A Living Resume: 3 Essentials
A little while ago, I was approached, out of the blue, for an interview with a company I’ve long admired. Flattered and interested, I accepted. Then, was promptly instructed to send over my resume. Uh oh. When had I last looked at that thing? Did I have time to update it before sending? Was it even relevant anymore? Yikes. I learned some important lessons during the process that will definitely keep me from panicking next time this happens.
First, and most importantly, a resume is a living document. It is not static, stalled, or stopped in time from when you were last actively applying for jobs. In fact, resumes should be updated regularly, whether or not you’re actively searching for a new position. Your career is not stagnant. It’s a moving river, a mighty wind that constantly changes and adapts. Your resume should be the same. And so, combining my own knowledge from the interview circuit and chatting to my copywriter, I’ve boiled down the essentials for us today.
Three Essential Elements to a Living Resume
1. Multiple Copies.
The first mistake I needed to fix was that my resume was WAY TOO LONG. It was like a love letter to my entire career, not the facts a recruiter needs in order to evaluate my current skills. However, I’m not just ready to drop all my career accomplishments to the wayside...yet. And so, a compromise: Different copies.
Your CV
Everyone should have a master copy of their resume, also known as a CV or curriculum vitae (or life’s work for the nerds in the back). This includes EVERYTHING you’ve ever done professionally, including awards and scholarships from college and all your charitable and volunteer work. It’s a complete record of your professional accomplishments. This should be stored digitally somewhere in the cloud where it’s safe.
Also, your Linked In profile serves as your public CV. It’s the perfect place to include everything you’re proud of since college. (You can let go of high school after your mid-twenties. Move on dude. You’re an adult now.)
Interview-Specific Resumes
From your master copy, you’ll create one page resumes for individual interviews. Each resume should be tailored for the position you’re being considered for and should be MAXIMUM ONE PAGE. No one has time to read (or more honestly, skim) more than that. Don’t get your resume tossed aside because it’s too long or includes irrelevant information. If a recruiter wants more information, it’s available! They can search you and find you on Linked In, dive deep into your past and learn everything there is to know. But give them the shortened, “Cliff’s Notes” version of your resume first. Then they can decide if they want to read the unabridged text.
And this isn’t just an opinion, science backs it up quite nicely. Our brains are only able to take in a certain amount of information at a time. And it’s less information than we might assume we’re capable of. “The Reticular Activating System (RAS) is a bundle of nerves at our brainstem that filters out unnecessary information so the important stuff gets through” (Tobias van Schneider, 2017). And if your resume is full of unnecessary information (or too long to begin with), whoever is reading on the other end will be overwhelmed immediately, which isn’t a good place to start an interview process.
Biologically, we’re looking for ways to protect ourselves and be successful. The RAS helps us do so by filtering out unnecessary information. And recruiters or hiring managers are no different. When they’re reading your resume, they're looking, biologically, for people that can help them be successful. While you may think you’re writing your resume about yourself, it’s really a coded proposal to the receiver. Include intentional words and phrases (more on this below in Key Words) to show your reader how you’ll be an asset to them, not just how awesome you are.
2. Regular Updates.
Many of us only dust off our resumes when we’re looking for our next career move. This is a rookie mistake. And one I’ve made more times than I care to admit. Your resume should be updated every 4-6 months, even if you’re not looking for a change. Every 4 for the super ambitious. Every 6 for the rest of us. Any less than that and you're probably short changing yourself. Think of your resume as an open letter for people to find who they need. You won’t be approached by recruiters with the opportunities you’re looking for if your online presence and resume are stuck in the past.
3. Key Words.
The reason I got a call out of the blue from one of my dream companies isn't because I'm so amazing, even though I’d like to think so. It's because I'm accessible, searchable and relevant. I’m easy to find and the key words on my Linked In profile are specifically crafted for my audience.
In this case: high level IT management recruiters. I’ve spent time researching and optimizing my online footprint so I’m easy to find and quickly stand out. A few key words I made sure to include for myself were: cloud, software, and development, among others. I know what recruiters are looking for because I’ve done my research and even talked to a few of them to understand their processes. And key words, no pun intended, are key.
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We’ve talked about the resume, a living document that needs regular updating and a discerning eye. It’s a big enough challenge to get the most out of that one paltry page you’re allowed to send in to be considered for a position. And yet, your stellar resume is merely a first step, a cry for attention to get yourself noticed out of the pile of applicants, a link of the chain of events that will secure you a job.