I’ve been hearing a lot said lately about bypassing a resume completely in your job search. Many of the proponents of this idea have some valid points to consider:
1. A resume sets you up for rejection with employers. They see your resume, assess you in 30 seconds or less, and place you on one of two piles (call or don’t call).
2. You’re just one of the herd; you don’t stand out. The resume makes you look like everyone else, no matter how well written it is, because you are essentially doing the same thing everyone else is doing…seeing a posting online and submitting your resume for that posting.
3. A resume cannot capture the essence of who you are. A resume is meant to capture your work history as well as your accomplishments within that history. So unless all you are is your work, it is only going to describe a snippet of your life.
By and large, I agree with these points. As you will see later on, though, I’m still not sold on bypassing the resume because of them. My position is that the resume is not the problem; it is how the job seeker uses the resume that is.
Nevertheless, the main thread behind the “bypassing the resume” argument, and the one that really gives me pause, is that really great people do not need resumes. So if you want to be a really great person, then you don’t need one either.
Huh?
First of all, what does it mean to be “really great” or “really spectacular”? In the eyes of these professionals, it means to be different, to stand out. Now I personally would debate that a bit. I think there are a lot of ordinary people who have done really spectacular things without really trying to be different or to stand out.
And I would also argue that there are a lot of unique people out there who stand out that don’t seem really great to me. So while I would agree that a job seeker needs to differentiate from the crowd, I would not agree that the main aim of the job seeker should be to be as unique as possible.
Maybe it depends on the goal. Most seekers out there have one aim: to find a job. And many of them want that job to be within corporate America. They aren’t looking to be the next online marketer extraordinaire or infomercial star.
Let’s face it…if ever there was a place that wasn’t keen on unique, it’s corporate America.
So writing a really cool blog or putting together an innovative presentation may definitely get you some notice; it may not get you the job. Remember that most of the people doing the hiring have all jumped through the hoops and earned their stripes. They aren’t always receptive to those who don’t.
Therefore, a job seeker needs to be astute and tactful…know when to take that risk and be that breathe of fresh air but also know how to empathize and fit in. Boy, if you can do that well, you are really spectacular!
Once you get past the “really great people” portion of their argument, however, what it all comes back to is, typically, networking and self-motivation. And on those two points, I would most definitely agree.
A resume doesn’t get you a job. That’s not shocking news, I hope. It’s the job seeker. You determine whether you get a job.
The strategy, the effort, the knowledge, the commitment, and the follow-through you place on the search are what help determine the outcome.
Someone who uses his or network of colleagues and friends, who diversifies his or her approach (not just relying on recruiters and online job postings), and who recognizes that they need to make their target audience feel as if he or she can come in and solve the problems the company faces is the one who will get the job. And you know, it is possible that he or she could do it without a resume.
Here’s an example:
Jon calls up his old colleague, Joe. He tells Joe that he is looking for X position in Y industry. Joe says he happens to know someone who might be looking for that. Joe suggests that they all go to lunch next week to discuss the opportunity. They go to lunch. Jon meets Joe’s friend, Suzy. Suzy is impressed with Jon because he comes prepared. Joe tipped him off to some of the issues that Suzy has been dealing with. So Jon brainstorms a few ideas that might help Suzy out. Suzy likes them, and tells him to call her office to set up another meeting to discuss a working relationship.
No resume needed.
But that’s just one scenario. All of Jon’s job search tactics aren’t going to go that way. Someday, sometime, someone is going to ask for a resume. He can’t very well say, “gee, I have this great blog you can read.”
My real beef with the “bypassing the resume” thing is that it is kind of like the whole “miracle job hunting pill” concept that some people want you to swallow. “Just do this, and your problems are solved!” “You know, if you were really something special, you wouldn’t be a schmuck like everyone else.”
Although job seekers need to understand what a resume can and cannot do, they really need to focus more of their energy on developing a strong strategy for their job search than on trying to get away with not using a tool that can come in handy to them.
I’m not sure I understand the logic in turning your nose up at something that is meant to help you. And although I agree that most job seekers don’t have a clue about how to wield that tool effectively, I think they are capable of learning how.
(But, then again, what do I know, I’m just ordinary like everyone else!)
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