For my role here at HorseJobs.ca, I follow a lot of blogs and career newsletters. Seth Godin writes a wickedly good blog in regards to marketing and one of his posts really made me stop in my tracks.
Are resumés old fashioned and out of date?
Seth reflects on his time looking for interns and the barrage of cookie cutter resumés that he received. BORING! As a marketing guy in the marketing business he is attracted to out of the box thinking, ad sense and creativity.
His lament? That ” each of the applications is just a resume. No real cover letter, no attempt at self marketing. Sort of, “here are the facts about me, please put me in the pile.”
Seth’s controversial point: “ I think if you’re remarkable, amazing or just plain spectacular, you probably shouldn’t have a resume at all.”
Wow! Are resumes outdated and only for the mediocre? More harm that good? Is there are better way to market yourself to potential employers? Is Seth right to say that “A resume is an excuse to reject you”? Seth claims that “Once you send me your resume, I can say, “oh, they’re missing this or they’re missing that,” and boom, you’re out.”
You know what? I think he’s on to something.
Personally, It seems that the real argument here is not the use of a resumé but it is the resumé’s content (or lack thereof) that really rubs Seth (and most employers) the wrong way. While I agree with much of Seth’s provocative blog post, I disagree that the resumé is a defunct document.
I, along with hundreds of other interviewers and hiring managers, am guilty of scanning resumes and rejecting them based on “missing” key words or visible experience (not to mention spelling mistakes and poor grammar). These are cases whereby the resumé is ill written or irrelevant. Why would I hire a barn manager based on a banker’s resumé? The resumé must be appropriate for the job posting – NO EXCEPTIONS.
The importance lies in, and I have stressed this before, that a resume should be tailor made for each job that you are applying for. Use the language that the employer is looking for, edit for relevance and proof read! If you need help. Get it. Ask HorseJobs.ca for help.
Now here’s where I agree with Seth:
As a job seeker – Get creative. Market yourself. If the position requires sales then make sure that you include sales experience. Such as “increased number of lessons by 25% in the first year of employment”
Don’t be afraid to include complimentary “quotes” next to each job listing. Here’s what I mean;
March 2004 – December 2006 — HighBrow Farm. (Hunter/Jumper and eventer breeding/training facility) — Assistant Barn Manager “Thanks to Sarah we reached our goal of 50 top three placements in a season and progressed 3 horses to CCI levels” – Joy Clarke, Owner.
Are you a blogger? Tweeter?Are you the admin for a successful Facebook group? If it is related to the industry include a link on your resumé.
Creative? Create a Blogumé – an online resume with photos of your work. I know a professional groom who writes a blog about her work – she includes photos, show results, and retweets/reposts valuable horse care information and links. She clearly takes her role seriously and allows potential employers a chance to see her work before they have even met her.
When is a resume not enough?
I agree with Seth that receiving an unaccompanied resume shows little thought or care for me as an employer. If you want to impress me – then make me feel like I am the only job that you want and that you are perfect for me.
Secondly, remember that the equine world is a small one. Your reputation will trump any resume no matter how well it is written. If you jump from barn to barn like a flea then you may be hopping right out of the quality job market. I am an advocate for professionalism and respect in the workplace. You should be too.
Remember: Aim to be the best that you can be at any level. Aim to reveal the ”remarkable, amazing or just plain spectacular” person within YOU.
2 Comments
Great points! Today’s job hunt is about advertising yourself so that you “stand out from the crowd.” I agree that there is still a place for traditional resumes because there are so many employers not yet at Seth Godin’s level of proactive thinking! Making sure to tailor each resume to the position is worth it. In my opinion, a job seeker’s best friend social media is a job seeker’s best weapon. Effectively using blogging, facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter can get you noticed, and a blogume’ is a great idea. As a matter of fact, I used one recently through LinkedIn, and it helped me land a contract job! I really like your concept of adding testimonials too. This adds instant credibility.
excellent food for thought!
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horse racing quotes…
I don’t normally comment on blogs but your post was a real call to action. Thank you for a great read….