Just when I thought the placement of my career happened along, Bazinga!  Ever wonder how one’s luck changes so quickly? Or if not the one event happening, another would have not followed?   How will my luck change for the better, given today’s “set-back?”  …waiting…

Bazinga!

A Great Build Up – The experiences that lead to its release make it.  The previous positions act as feature length trailers to the current and anticipated opportunity.

A Solid Cast – Nothing like a rock solid education and selection of corporations to make a resume stand out.  Featuring universities like MIT, Berkeley, and industry leaders like KKR or Leading Rain Makers.

Multi-Generational Appeal – You need to show quality experiences across your entire work history, appealing to multiple hiring scenarios and management scenarios.

The Resume Generated Buzz – All throughout the organization you generated excitement over your experience, you started by generating a buzz around the  perimeter of the organization until it grew and reached the core.

The Resume Didn’t Stink –  You wanted the excitement, you got the interview, but then you stank.  If you get the interview, prepare, stay focused, stay focused, stay focused, and make sure to leave with a sense that you did your best.

No Competition – Present your resume when others don’t , meaning, in advance of an opportunity.  Network, and you will be thought of before “authorization” is approved.  Always say “yes” to a coffee.

While probably an accurate title, and probably a technical position, no one wins if titles are unclear to the reader.   Executives are sometimes bound by infrastructures built decades ago.  Titles are sometimes more important to human resources for equity parity, than to the population for understanding.  And while being accurate is paramount, tempering titles or at least explaining responsibilities quickly puts the search firm on the right path to finding the right opportunities.

As mentioned in an article today, analytics are finally hitting the HR departments.  As measurements are built and slowly refined, one company reported the benefit of measuring one indicator, time to hire (external candidates.)   Companies are making more efficient decisions, and hopefully software is at the core of its process improvement.

Problem: The management team believed that the company’s recruiters acted slowly.

Analytics: While the company found that  the data showed it took an average 96 days to fill a position with an external candidate, the statistical analysis found hiring managers dragged their feet about making decisions about who to hire.

Solution:  It now takes the company 46 days to hire external candidates.

MyExperience:  Client had the right candidate in hand within 18 days, and an offer was released 50 days later.  The process totaled 68 days.   While finding the right candidate drives good analytics, managing the Client’s expectations and being able to discuss offer date vs. identification date can make the difference in helping Client’s understand your value.

The next step is to identify the major areas of drag, and work to resolve those inefficiencies.

What are Executive Recruiters looking for?  While finding challenging and good opportunities is a candidate’s most important agenda item, our goal is to find a good fit.  Our reputation depends on it.  How can both happen?

Here is a checklist of ideas to consider:

1. Compensation.   Is the candidate asking for more than a 10-20% increase in their next opportunity?  If they bring alpha, no problem, because compensation depends on their P&L.  Otherwise, candidates are probably expecting too much of a jump.

2. 3-4 Level Increase.  Is the candidate looking to make this move without a realistic assessment of their skills?  Most employers I know give responsibilities slowly, and with proven experience.

3.  Embellishment.  Is the candidate unable to back-up their stories with facts and figures?  If not, we have an obligation to our clients to continue the search for better fits to the description.

4.  Does the Recruiter Matter.  Yes, being prepared with a short and well-stated overview in 30 seconds or less is priceless.

5.  What you Can Do for Clients.  Even better, a candidate who knows how their background will best serve a future employer.  Well done.

There is no ONE way to write a good resume.  Generally speaking, I give people access to articles, to conduct their own due diligence, apply it accordingly to their industry and position, and to create what they think is effective.  Sometimes a good resume is one that doesn’t need writing.  Experience finds you your next position.  But in most cases, resumes are there to bridge the gap between your future potential employer and yourself.

TIP#1:  If you work for a company not well recognized – make sure to take 2 sentences (no more) to explain the company size in employees, size in sales, geography of business, and industry.  You might sight the owner if they are somewhat well known.

TIP #2:  I like resumes that match your experience to the company vs. a resume which lists all your accomplishments and experiences in one big long line-up.  Breaking them out gives me information on the depth and length of each experience.  3 months vs. 2 years.   You may as well do it, because if I pick up the phone, I’m going to bullet you with those questions anyway, and be slightly annoyed.

TIP #3:  I like detail, unless you are a 20-year executive running businesses, in which case I like case studies of your experiences.  Detail means, number of employees in your group, number of trades per day, number of strings in your algorithms, number of reports to your investors, number of stocks you are covering, number of your P&L, you need to quantify your experience.  Experience without measurements just like anything, is very difficult to gauge, and I will most likely move along without you.

TIP #4:  Don’t exaggerate.  Resumes are meant to gauge how to make you successful in your next opportunity.    That’s what I look for, where are you now, and how could I make your next move for you a successful advancement?  My favorite is when someone takes credit for the desk, but is really a quantitative research analyst with no P&L, and no real trading authority.  That hurts candidates.

TIP #5:  Objective, skip it.  Key Words, list it.  Recruiting, like many professions is going through a technology shift, many resumes being called to the top of the list based on key word searches.  It saves precious time for recruiters. If you want to be found, decide on the top 20 key words in your current position.  Products, software, models.  General key words like “analyze” is NOT something we search on.  We search on objective skills.

TIP #6:  Email, list it (make it professional).  Cell Phone, list it.  I want to get hold of you during the day, not at 8pm at night.  I’ve got deadlines, I’m overworked, my day is stretched thin.

TIP #7:  Respond immediately.  Be available.  With technology what it is today, it’s a strike against anyone who doesn’t know how to use it to get work done, quickly.

TIP #8:  Resumes generally include just a few sections of information:  (1) Name/Contact/Address,  (2) Education/Certifications/Published, (3) Software/Operations Software/Reporting Software/Programming Language, (4) Chronological Listing of Employers/Responsibilities/Accomplishments.   Keep it simple.

TIP #9:  Proof it.  Proof it.  Proof it.  Then when you’re done with that, proof it again.

TIP #10:  Casual Communication – DON’T.  Social Media has made our culture very casual in communicating with potential employers.  Assuming casual intimacy too early in the relationship is off-putting.  It lacks judgement.  When writing emails, walk the fine line of writing something with sincerity, but NOT something casual.

More Great Resume Writing Articles:

Bullet Point to the Head:  click here

The Devalued Currency of Hiring: The Resume:  click here

Job Search Guide: Strategies for Professionals:  click here

Example Resumes:  click here

Ten Tips for Writing a Professional Resume:  click here

Resume Writing Tips:  click here

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Recently I read a blog for the Y-Generation  …. Forbes Woman .  “Where do you see yourself professionally in five years?”

While I can appreciate that the answer will be difficult to position, and thus the response,  I can also appreciate why it’s asked.  Employers want the cost per hire to make sense to their business.  While candidates are pursuing a career, employers are pursuing a business.  And while sometimes that doesn’t seem like what candidates want to hear, especially in a market with this much unemployment, it seems like the most simple concept.  An employer is looking to eliminate flight risk, and find employees who will regard this opportunity as an alignment of both short term and long term goals.  If your long-term goal is academia, then chances are the question did the job, it outed your true desire, and eliminated what was going to be a flight risk.   Expenses for hiring are only going up, and companies are weighing the costs of refilling the position every one to two years.

However, in an effort to extend an olive branch, here are some thoughts surrounding that question.  What that question is asking  is how much will you appreciate the long-term opportunity to work at this firm.  In some cases, the employer doesn’t mind “over-hiring” for the position if you bring extreme skills, and the position can be easily refilled.  But in most cases, employers want to know you have their best interests in mind as well.

From what I understood in the blog, the responses were very external intrinsic motivations,  focusing on all the things the company will do for the candidate, a raise, a new title, a new job, an advancement.   The question actually needs to be answered with internal intrinsic motivators.  The person interviewing needs to seriously consider what new skills one will  develop, how working for this particular employer will broaden their person, how working for this particular person will help them grow, and that once you have achieved these things, you are open to the opportunities which present themselves.

In my experience, experience also plays a bigger role than most people think.  Ask Mark Zuckerberg.  You’ll see him say the same thing in interviews.  HE even says in his interviews he seems to have made all the mistakes.  So, Y-Generation looking for new opportunities, please keep in mind companies are businesses trying to make good long term decisions.  And while you might have a willingness to learn and energy, if you want to walk into someone else’s already existing business because it offers stability and better pay than something you could start on your own, then (and always in a career) one needs to be tempered with an ability to appreciate the opportunity extended and fully internalize the growth it will provide.  Rome can’t be built in one day!  Give yourself time to develop.

And so when answering those tough long-term questions, keep in mind the company’s long-term value and keep in mind your intrinsic motivators.  They will help you vet the right answer AND the right jobs!

Good luck!