SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA JOB MARKET : PITFALLS OF THE RESUME
Most people rarely write a resume or cover letter. When they do, they’re often rusty, or they act in haste.
That’s a big mistake. Resumes and cover letters are probably the most important tool job hunters have in getting past an initial screening. Whether you get an interview--or a rejection letter--often hinges on your papers.
Remember, you’re encapsulating yourself. Be concise, write in plain English and use common sense. A resume shouldn’t read like your obituary, listing everything you ever did in life.
No form is more correct than any other, but certain things are de rigueur; others are verboten. I. M. Looking’s fictional resume and cover letter, given here, reflect some common pitfalls. Maybe he can help you avoid them.
Timothy Parker
Executive Vice President, Marketing
Undervalued Assets Inc.
5673 Idlers Ave.
Kearnyville, Calif. 98739
Dear Tim:
(Don’t try to be informal in a cover letter with someone you don’t know)
Are you looking for a great employee? (Who isn’t? Questions that are obvious and shallow will backfire.)
I am applying for the opening as marketing coordinator. I have extensive experience in this area, and I’m certain my experience would benefit your company. I ran a similar operation at W.M. Howell Corp., and sales climbed 78% in the first year of my tenure. (Nice. Specificity is important, and this background is relevant.)
A number of things appeal to me about Undevalued. Your company is a leader in the field, and I want to work for a leader. (You misspelled the company’s name. Even if it’s a typo, you’ve already lost the job.) (Flattery may get you somewhere, but be subtle, and stress how your talents fit what the company does.)
I also have become friends over the years with Fred Circasca, one of your assistant marketing executives, through trade organizations. (Name-dropping can be risky. The person hiring you may not know who this guy. He may not even like him.)
In addition, I was in your area several years ago competing in a national horseback riding competition, which I won easily. I really enjoyed your part of the country. Like a lot of people, I’m tired of the traffic congestion and outrageous housing prices in Los Angeles and would welcome the opportunity to relocate to your area. (Don’t show off or get too personal. And who cares if you liked the area?) (You just gave away why you really want the job, and it’s the wrong reason. Save all this for the interview.)
I will call you next Monday to make an appointment to see you. (Presumptuous. Give the person time, maybe a week or 10 days, to get to your letter and resume.)
(Short letters, like this one, are always best, preferably about three to paragraphs on a single page.)
Sincerely,
I. M. Looking
* (DO NOT include your picture in your resume)
I. M. Looking
5693 First Street
Tumbleweed Valley, Calif. 94039
Work: 919-394-9487 Home: 919-329-3987
OBJECTIVE
Senior marketing position with a Fortune 500 manufacturer
(Concise and specific, just as it should be.)
WORK EXPERIENCE
BUD’S RESTAURANT
1978 to 1980
Busboy
(Forget the ancient history, especially if it’s irrelevant to what you’re doing now.)
WIDGET INTERNATIONAL
1981 to 1984
Assistant Manager of Sales
During the first years of the decade of greed, I worked 12 hours a day to help an aging industrial dinosaur fend off Japanese competitors in the global marketplace.
(Don’t exaggerate, and don’t narrate. Resumes are scanned, not read,” says Stephen D. Ash of the CareerPro resume chain.)
W. M. HOWELL CORP.
1984 to 1988
Sales Manager
Turned department into the finest one in the company with the top morale of any section. Boosted sales by 78% in first year.
(The last of these claims is the only one to include . Others are vague hype. Claims must be accurate and verifiable.)
ADVANCED GENERIC DATA
Head of Sales
1988 to 1989
Helped post solid gains in sales. Left because I got a new boss, with whom I had philosophical differences.
(Don’t mention why you left, especially if it might reflect badly on you. Details can be explained during the job interview).
CENTRAL LTD.
1989 to present
Marketing Manager
Am working to reorganize the department and am attempting to secure new contracts.
(Avoid words that end in -ing ; they tell a prospective employer you can’t get things done.)
EDUCATION
California State University, Ojai. B.A. Political Science, 1978
Dean’s list. President of fraternity. Second-string power forward on basketball team.
(List college, degree and year. Some say the other details are irrelevant, but opinions differ on this.)
PERSONAL
Age: 35
Marital Status: Married for the third time
Height: 5’ 11”
Weight: 175 pounds
(Drop this section; it gives people an excuse to reject you. Generally, omit details that don’t directly relate to the.)
HOBBIES:
Skiing, Reading, Bungee Jumping.
(Skip your hobbies. Save this for interview small talk.)
REFERENCES
Available Upon Request
(“It’s like saying the sun comes up every morning,” says Robert Rollo of Korn/Ferry Intn’l . On the other hand, including this shows you know how the game is played. But don’t list specific references; employers will ask for them.)
