The phrase “Good on Paper” is not a GOOD thing. It means that there is nothing beyond the paper.
It’s not enough to just have the paper look absolutely perfect.
It’s not enough to have your resume fit the perfect formula that your college teacher taught you in 2005.
Forgive me for sounding like an idiot, but everything is about energy and vibes. And your resume can give vibes. Good, bad, boring, or intriguing.
In this workshop, I’ll talk through the secret to what makes a resume stand out – from the design to the words. To the way that you submit it (the back door, past the velvet rope of recruiters)
Everything about resumes and job applications feels stressful.
It’s all rules.
All bullet points.
All black and white, literally.
First of all, let’s throw it all out. Let’s release all those rules. It’s time to have some resume relief.
How many people never apply for things because of the resume anxiety. At a larger level, it IS so huge. How do you encompass who you are and your value in a piece of paper?! It’s crazy.
I’m going to give you the real deal. Behind the scenes.
Because one of my talents is applying and getting jobs. There’s something about it I’m absolutely magical at. I remember it from my first interview at a Fortune 500 company. I just slipped into this persona of wow – I’m just on stage, I’m performing.
A resume is not about following rules. It’s about pattern interruption. It’s about wow factor. It’s about getting your foot in the door with the gatekeepers.
To really nail the job search thing. To really sell yourself whether as a full-timer or freelancer, you need to understand the gatekeepers.
The gatekeepers
HR People: They’re People Too (and really busy)
HR professional? Recruiters, hiring managers, and talent managers. What is their job? To find really good candidates. What’s their struggle? Like everyone – they have too much to do.
They’re overworked. FYI the talent market today is literally hotter than ever. Unemployment is super low and people have more choices than ever in terms of roles. That means these hiring professionals have to work SO hard to find the right people.
So that means they’re moving fast. They’re flipping through resumes quick.
You need to interrupt them. How do you do that? Be different.
Pattern Interruption – Your Best Job Hunting Technique
Colors!
Add a pop of color to your resume. It may seem obvious, but your HR people are drowing in a sea of black and white and Times New Roman. Give them some color-coded relief.
Design!
I mean is there anything more boring than a “CV” and a resume template? A heading, a sub heading, and 5 bullet points. It’s not inspirational at all. Add some design elements. Go bold with some new font choices.
Access!
This is my secret weapon. Instead of just submitting your resume through the “acceptable” channel (Career page usually), go rogue.
- Submit the required way.
- Find the recruiter on LinkedIn and add them as a connection.
- Important – add a personalized note!
- “Hello! I’m a digital marketer. I found the job posting for Digital Marketing Strategist online. I’ve submitted to the opportunity but wanted to reach out to you personally. I am very excited about your company and think my experience in [list cool experience] could be very valuable to you.”
- Attach your resume if possible.
Be Tastefully Bold
The truth is, you need to tread carefully here. Be tasteful, but also get in there. Getting hired is ALL about the connections. It’s why having a friend of a friend that works at a company works so well. It’s why companies offer $500 dollar bonuses to people for referrals. Personal connections rule. This is a way to simulate that!