The Resume Success Zone

I certainly hope this won’t apply to the vast majority of folks reading my blog. But a lot of people may find this post while they’re fishing around for advice about improving the performance of their resume.

The inspiration for this blog posting comes from an unlikely source—a humorous New York City parking sign. It was during the Giuliani administration that these signs first appeared. The problem was that, in some areas unwanted parked cars could be disastrous to traffic flow. In spite of heavy fines, some people couldn’t care less. The signs were meant to really scare people away from the area. They were backed up by another new policy—very aggressive towing. If a sign declared an area a tow-away zone, you could be certain that your car would be towed in a matter of minutes. Even after many years, these signs still bring a smile to my face.

The news FINALLY hit that the economic slowdown we’ve all been slogging through for months has officially been declared a recession. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the recession has been in effect since December 2007. It’s not news to those of us who are paying attention like readers of this blog. I’ve been telling people to prepare for the worst for months now. The real question is going to be: What is the worst going to be?

As companies unravel and more employees lose their jobs, this has an effect on the rest of us even if our jobs are not in any danger. Raises—whether we’re entitled to them or not—will not be forthcoming. Bonuses will be cursory to non-existent. And those who’ve had to switch jobs will find their new salary offers are 10-30% below their expectations.

But wait, it gets worse. Along with the economy, the entire hiring process will slow down. I can almost see the look on your face . . . and you’re thinking, “What are you talking about Robert?” Look at it this way. The best companies to work for generally hire very well. They endeavor to find the right person for the job using a comprehensive approach. They’re not only looking for a particular skill set. They consider the skills required, the qualifications of potential candidates, personalities and dispositions of existing employees and the overall direction of departments, products or services and the company as a whole. Now, under the influence of a recession, they’ll become hyper-careful. And furthermore they’ll only fill positions that they absolutely must. Traditionally, smaller, less organized companies have fewer considerations and make their hiring decisions faster. But now, in a climate of economic uncertainty, even smaller companies will be more cautious with their new hires.

So, what does that mean to me, you ask? Well, for one thing, when you’re under consideration for a position, your resume is going to get a very thorough review. How thorough? Think: proctology exam.

When you apply for a position—even as a consultant—you’re asked to fill out, sign and date an application. That becomes a legal document. You have provided testimony to your prospective employer about your work history. The importance of the accuracy of what you furnish them must not be taken lightly. Anything questionable on that document will disqualify you from further consideration. And if your lie is found after you’ve been hired, it is usually grounds for instant dismissal.

The reason I’m bringing up this topic now is that under economic stress, people begin to consider things that, at the very least, would be a mistake. At worst, these mistakes can ruin their reputations and careers. So think of me as your own little voice of conscience imploring you to do the right thing. Stay honest, you’ll sleep easier and feel better. Work harder to get the job you want. Don’t take a shortcut. One thing for certain is that competent employees always know who the incompetent ones are–even when they’re further up the ladder. Liars become the object of scorn, resentment and ridicule whether they know it or not.

The other reason I’m bringing this up is that there are an enormous amount of people who believe that it’s OK to lie on their resumes. For years I was sort of naive about this. Then I rose up to the level of responsibility that included having to review resumes and consider candidates for both full time and consulting positions. I was amazed at some of the stuff that would appear on the resumes of otherwise intelligent, supposedly well-educated people. Those statistics that claim that two-thirds of resumes have mistakes and spelling errors are for real. Folks don’t proofread their resumes very well.

In these economic times lying on your resume can only lead to disaster. We’re not in grade school anymore. When you’re caught in a lie on your resume or job application, you won’t be confronted or scolded. You’ll simply not get called. And what’s worse is that you may wind up on a list of permanently unacceptable candidates. Now is not the time to be burning bridges to prospective employers. You must craft your resume to appear in the best possible light with only the use of genuine qualifications.

In the Write Smart, Write Sharp Resume Writing Course, I talk about the pacing that your resume needs to have in order to be captivating. That is one of the key ingredients in a winning resume. This does not mean that you need to lie or stretch the truth to fit a made up intention. You simply need to create a vivid picture of how what you’ve done can fit an employer’s immediate needs and continue to help them in the future.

Recession news links:
CNN: It’s official: Recession since Dec. ‘07
Reuters: Recession started in December 2007