Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Your Old Resume May Be Hazardous to Your Wealth
If the events of the last 10 years have taught us anything it is to be prepared. In years past I've done everything from purchasing silly Y2K videos selling below-ground housing in case of nuclear attack to more sensible investments such as off-site backup for our hard drives. I'm more prepared for weather emergencies and more vigilant than ever at airports. These are the only models from which I've been taught. I know I can't anticipate everything, but if I were ever a job seeker in a recovering job market one thing I certainly would prepare for is opportunity!
Can opportunity be deemed an emergency? It certainly can be if you're about to miss out on competing for your fantasy job! An interesting phenomenon occurs when a job market begins to recover. What recruiters refer to as "passive job seekers" are now joining the already swollen pool of the unemployed and disillusioned. But there's one major difference; they are actively being pursued!
Recently I felt badly for the Controller who got a call from a Big 4 firm he believed held his dream job. Following a recommendation from an internal source, a director offered to fly him down within 48 hours for an interview. Frantically he called and begged us to update his resume and executive portfolio. We couldn't help him. Nor could any of our colleagues. He had waited too long. I don't know what became of him. My instincts tell me that he was forced to resort to the "Bill Gates" Windows resume template. An enviable career on a form resume? Not a good thing! Could this issue kill the deal? In combination with a poor interview the deal probably died.
Some of us spend our lives working hard and longing for the chance to get that great offer, and after such challenging times, it's nothing short of tragic if we experience paralysis, much like a deer in the headlights, due to lack of preparation. Polishing your presentation for opportunity should be ongoing.
Can opportunity be deemed an emergency? It certainly can be if you're about to miss out on competing for your fantasy job! An interesting phenomenon occurs when a job market begins to recover. What recruiters refer to as "passive job seekers" are now joining the already swollen pool of the unemployed and disillusioned. But there's one major difference; they are actively being pursued!
Recently I felt badly for the Controller who got a call from a Big 4 firm he believed held his dream job. Following a recommendation from an internal source, a director offered to fly him down within 48 hours for an interview. Frantically he called and begged us to update his resume and executive portfolio. We couldn't help him. Nor could any of our colleagues. He had waited too long. I don't know what became of him. My instincts tell me that he was forced to resort to the "Bill Gates" Windows resume template. An enviable career on a form resume? Not a good thing! Could this issue kill the deal? In combination with a poor interview the deal probably died.
Some of us spend our lives working hard and longing for the chance to get that great offer, and after such challenging times, it's nothing short of tragic if we experience paralysis, much like a deer in the headlights, due to lack of preparation. Polishing your presentation for opportunity should be ongoing.
