Pocket Resumes
Posted By Amanda Collins on August 29, 2011
Recently, I came across a blog on glassdoor.com about “pocket résumés.” The suggestion was that job seekers should always carry a miniature version of their résumé with them, either in the form of a business card or an iPhone app. While the idea of carrying one’s résumé in an app was new to me, the idea of carrying a mini billboard is one I’ve been sharing with my clients for a long while.
When you go to networking events, you may be prepared to take résumés with you, but the truth is that most people don’t want to receive an 8.5 x 11″ document when they’re meeting dozens of people. But what everyone DOES expect to receive at a mixer is a business card. As a job seeker, you can maximize the information you share on this tiny billboard—and create a pocket résumé.
A business card is a minimal investment; on VistaPrint.com, you can even find a free option. The trick is to include just enough but not too much to grab someone’s attention. Obviously, you will want to include your name, email address, and phone number. A LinkedIn URL is also helpful. In addition, both sides can be used to showcase talent areas. This is not where you want to put specifics such as companies worked and colleges attended; you want to get to the point quickly! I typically encourage clients to add in a title and some targeted keywords, one or two great accomplishments, or a strong branding statement.
Once you have a great card, remember that you don’t want to be shoving it in everyone’s hands at the event. Instead, wait until you’re asked for your card. And don’t run after everyone you see; target a handful of people and create some meaningful conversations. While most people do want to help others, they’re more likely to do so after getting to know you a bit.
Whether you carry your pocket résumé on a business card, a phone app, or even verbally with a great 30-second commercial, be ready to share your value quickly. You’ll find that you’ll make a great first impression, and it can turn into your next job!
Often, when I’m out in the community reviewing résumés, job searchers proudly boast, “I have about 50 versions of my résumé; I just brought one with me today.”
It’s coming from everywhere these days: Many employers are only looking for candidates who are currently employed. Others are willing to expand their nets to those who have been unemployed six months or less. But I know, as a résumé writer and reviewer, a huge amount of job seekers don’t fall into that category. If you need to have a job to get a job, what do you do if you’re in the category of folks who have been without for six months or more?
Everything changes. It’s part of life. And, like everything else, your résumé needs to update to keep up with the times and what employers are expecting from applicants. When I started writing résumés 15 years ago, they consisted of a series of bullets saying what you did in those positions of the past. Strategy was not included, and a résumé amounted to little more than an extended job application.
A résumé is a living document and, as such, it needs a little love. As a résumé writer for 15 years, I’ve seen my share of unloved documents, let me tell you! Many people do a bit of a “vomiting on paper” with their résumés in the hopes that the reader will glean some kind of useful nugget from the excess. While that may have been the case in the past, that rarely happens these days in our overcrowded job market.
This weekend, I listened to Liz Ryan’s teleseminar about putting a human voice in your résumé. Ms. Ryan has a background in HR and is currently a writer for various online publications. Her stance throughout the presentation was that résumés need to have more of the candidates’ stories, including addition of pronouns.
A large part of what I do is educate my clients. Often, though, I feel as if my words fall on deaf ears. Whether I’m giving a presentation to a large audience or speaking with clients one-on-one, the components I tend to repeat over and over are:
A number of professionals go through certification to prove to their clients and the world that they know their stuff. Anyone in the medical or legal field definitely has some credentials, as do CPAs and CFAs. There are a slew of other industries that either require or strongly suggest professionals receive some kind of certification. But what about résumé writers?
When it comes to writing résumés, not every person needs the same approach. Obviously, it’s easier when you can just plug your information into a simple, clean chronological format, but sometimes a career background or goal might not fit the cookie-cutter mold. As a résumé writer, I really enjoy when someone comes along to get me out of my box and challenge me to create something I’ve never tried. Usually, those clients are stay-at-home parents, laid-off employees, or career changers who present the biggest opportunity.
January seems to be the time when high-school seniors wake up and realize, “Holy crap, I need to figure out what I’m doing after graduation!” If they were very with it, they will have already sent out college applications for early decision, but not everyone is that together. That’s why February 1st is often the deadline for admissions and financial aid. And, sometimes, along with that college application, a résumé is required. Rather than just throw something together, this is a great time to start thinking about the components to start building that all-important document.