Janice Worthington MA, CPRW, JCTC, CEIP Send Janice a Question

Is Your Résumé Sabotaging Your Getting Hired? I love to hear from my readers. I write for two publications because my practice can only handle so many clients and I can reach many more job seekers who are struggling. What I find intriguing, though not surprising, is that most of my readers have the same, single problem in their job searches. They are unquestionably qualified for a great opening but they can’t get in the door. I used to believe that perhaps my readers were aiming too high but that has rarely been the case. In this age of specialization candidates know what they qualify for and in a tough economy they always seem to desire what they indeed deserve. However the “right job” always seems just beyond their reach. To make sure that the target of their blood, sweat and tears in on the mark I am willing to look at the résumés of my readers. Time after time, my beliefs are confirmed. In the grand scheme of preparing to win one of the toughest competitions in existence, getting a job, candidates are dropping like flies in first round eliminations due to weak résumés. It’s as though folks don’t realize the true role of a résumé and gloss over the preparation process as though the résumé were nothing more than a list of job history. This theory is confirmed each day when I get calls inquiring if I can “write up a quick résumé by tomorrow.” There is nothing quick about preparing a successful résumé. Of course many don’t understand the competitive nature of the job search. They qualify, thus they believe they are entitled to that job. Not today! However take a look at their other presentation tools. Malls are filled with shoppers spending big bucks on Coach planners, Armani suits and Rolex watches. They drive BMWs and even make sure they image is enhanced using an over-priced imported pen. But for some reason these same image-makers lose focus and purpose when it comes to preparing the most critical tool of all, the résumé. Ford Motor Company, McDonald’s Corporation, Intel and Toys R Us all hire advertising agencies to identify both the best of their products and determine what will capture the commitment of their target audiences. Everyone knows that you can’t advertise hamburgers like you advertise Thunderbirds so why do so many of us fill in the blanks of a Windows résumé template? Why does the accountant’s résumé look exactly like the one written by the electrical engineer? We don’t wear each other’s contact lenses or dentures. Is standardizing résumé presentations any less absurd? If you truly want to outcompete anything less than customized is unthinkable. You can’t get the job if you can’t get the interview. And you can’t get the interview if you can’t outperform “on-paper.” Make no mistake, if hundreds of thousands of job offers totaling millions of dollars have been lost because of free-falling on interviews, the number of missed opportunities due to weak, pointless résumés is unfathomable and heartbreaking. Most important, in this day and age the self-defeating behavior of a weak, aimless résumé is totally unnecessary. Stop by next month for some proven resume solutions.

Janice Worthington is President of Worthington Career Services, Ohio’s oldest resume preparation firm and one of the oldest in the U.S. With 14 years of corporate recruiting experience, Worthington Career Services opened its doors focused on applicant empowerment in 1973. She is known for advising some of America’s highest-ranking industry leaders. Please send Janice your questions at janice@worthingtonresumes.com .  For more information on Janice, please visit her website at http://www.worthingtonresumes.com/!