055 The Very Best Time To Introduce Your Resume In A Hiring Process

00:00 – 05:02

Welcome to job seekers radio. I’m andrew and i’m scott. This production action is meant to provide you meaningful support to find great careers faster whether you’re working or not today on job seekers radio were talking about the very best first time to introduce your resume in a hiring process. I always start this conversation because it comes up frequently for us. Can i have your resume. That’s the question we always get and. I think that’s an appropriate time to provide it. If you haven’t if it’s the right setting and that’s really the crux of what we wanted to talk about if it’s requested provided now there are appropriate settings for that if you are are in a situation where someone says you’ve had this conversation with him. It’s been really rich you you feel like you’ve made that great connection and the opportunity -tunities truly opening up in the ask the resume absolutely say yes don’t have it in your briefcase or book bag and ready to give it right then and i know no andrew you’ve said this to people as well because that makes you appear just a little too eager and desperate yeah <hes> so now so if i had asked you for your resume i would question was that the point of our conversation in the first place and now questioning your your motives instead ad i can have a copy on in an e mail a blank email that i sent to myself and i can then forward to this person just by asking for for either his phone number to text him or her or the email and then on using my phone i can send it on its way so they’re still getting it great idea i would actually i’m gonna add that to my toolkit. Thanks for mentioning that getting that cell phone number is so critically important and that’s one low friction way to get oh. Do you wanna copy resume sound great. Why don’t i text it to you. What’s your number right and on right here and then they can be reviewing it while while they’re still thinking about you but the idea is you’re. You’re providing your contact information along with your resume. You’re getting this person’s contact information and a way to follow up huge getting that cell phone number added to your address book. You’ll then know how to get a hold of that person whether they’re at the office at the gym. They’re still with that company to route with. That company doesn’t matter. They’re likely still have the same cell number that they had since they were well well well but then again they may give you their email address and that’s okay too. If you get this l. number number ask for that. I mean texas about an email. Okay fine start with the text. I think the interesting discussion that we were having before we started today was where the resume is is today and what does that mean and with the advent of the internet. There’s so much more of a rich experience online that what really role does the resume play today. We’ve we’ve talked about this in the past. I agree with you that the resume isn’t really that useful anymore. Unfortunately it still required so having a good idea idea of how you present yourself. We talk in other podcasts. We’ve talked about personal branding. I know that that is a popular popular topic with coaches in how to brand yourself in a job market. I think it’s critical that we we use that approach because how you land is as important as the skills and knowledge that you have if you don’t know how you land that self awareness or lack of self awareness is is going to eventually become obvious and that’s not going to work for you. Well however if you can brand yourself. You know what you’re offering. Looks like you know what your differentiator differentiates differentiator cz. Are you know how you can position yourself in the market that makes the conversation flow a lot better so the resume if it’s aligned with that brand can actually help reinforce the conversation you’ve had but i do think the best way to use that resume it to have the conversation i whenever possible and then allow it to reinforce the conversation by conversation what we’re talking about out here some sort of networking interaction. We’ve had a really strategic discussion about what they’re doing or perhaps even what you have to offer and how that overlays sure and you have an opportunity then yes to send it right away. If you want to or you can take a few minutes back at the office us to make sure that you update your resumes act to reflect what they’re telling you in that conversation yeah and and the reason that’s important is because this is your one shot once that resume is out of your hands.

05:03 – 10:01

It’s like you know right. It’s out of your hands. You can’t really back in you know. It’s like they say when you fire fire gun. You can’t put a you can’t put the bullet back in the gun. After you pull say something you regret you. Can’t you can’t eat those words. Again is out already right we again. It’s the topic that we’ll continue to come up in terms of customizing the resume to match the language the key words the needs of the person who’s asking for for it and hopefully when you if you’re applying for a job where the networking conversation isn’t really a possibility then it’s really really important to look at the job description. You don’t want to rewrite the job description as your your resume because that becomes obvious as well but you do want to use use the same language and that should be pretty easy five. Maybe ten minute effort to personalize your resume to the company. I need that that is asking for it if you can have a conversation with someone and it doesn’t have to be the h._r. Person or the hiring manager it could be anybody in the organization who is has been in there long enough to understand the culture they would be able to provide just a conversation enough of the cultural keywords so that your resume actually will resonate and many companies depending on the level of the role you’re looking at offer those employees some sort of stipend phoniness <hes> some sort of check in the mail kind of thing so that they can feel like they’re getting a commission for bringing a candidate right had a a a friend of mine. Just tell me the other day he if he brings in an engineer like someone in software or tech. He gets a three thousand dollar bonus. I’ve worked worked for companies where we got a fifty dollar bonus if they got hired and then we got another larger bonus after their ninety day probationary period was over or i in fact one of them. Actually it was a year if they if they lasted a year and you are still there you would get another bonus so if you’re unsure of whether or not someone’s company. If you’re <unk> you’re trying to get into i’ll make this up. You’re trying to get into intel and you know somebody works there. Ask them whether or not they get the referral fee the <hes> or whatever language they use and then make sure that you used their name both in your application where it says were you referred heard by anyone but also in your cover letter in any communication that you have with them. You sound like you’re already on the inside because that’s going to help the hiring manager injuring when else actually pay attention to the resume that you’re trying to customize and you may want to copy them on any future correspondence actually them in the loop so they don’t feel like hey i referred you for saying they’re probably just as in the dark as you are pro. If you’re not hearing anything keeping them up to date makes a huge the difference but it also helps them to follow up with the internal folks you know recruiting or whoever to say hey did you get so and so’s resume so again that follow following plays a big part and your resume. Today is really being displaced very quickly by platforms lincoln right. This is why we’re so such big big advocates of lincoln it gives you an opportunity not only to display your wares meaning your resume or an electronic version of it also allows you to see people that you can connect with credibility so glassdoor dot com. Does it indeed dot com allows you to put your resume on. I and they’re all good. There are so many others but i do like linked in because you can get a better idea of someone’s network. You know who are the people that they’re connected back to now. Of course there’s the other side of it when those of us who are connected with far more people than we could possibly keep up with that doesn’t mean that i’m not willing to reach out to somebody that i haven’t spoken to a long time. I will still do that but you get an idea of the circle of people that someone’s connected to by looking at the comets limits that they’re making on on lincoln and other social media platforms. You can see how involved they are if you can let’s see the activities that they do so are they attending a job fair <hes> either as a vendor or as an applicant or as a a mentor. Whatever are they doing community service of any kind what gets them out into the community. These are ways that social media can actually help you and as you’re looking at how you want to present yourself on your resume you can tailor that to meet the needs of the industry mystery or the community that you’re trying to network into as long as you are changing who you are exactly or what you wanna do through that roll. That’s a real cousin.

10:01 – 15:09

I what i’ve found is a lot of people consider the resume a catalog of everything they ever did without looking got it as a brochure of their strengths that relates to something they wanna do so that one is a conscious choice. The other is just a brain dump well. I understand understand when when someone puts their resume together and they’re inexperienced. They just keep sending out the same resume over and over again. You don’t wanna miss any of that information but i will say if you want your resume to stand out to really land where needs to land hit its mark then you need to to sort of lead the catalog behind and give them a specific brochure that is going to show them how you’re going to fill their need that predicates that you actually know what their the need is and taking the time and we have a great resource for this. Actually it’s called the anatomy of a networking conversation. It’s a free download on the job seekers radio website a we’ll leave that in the show notes down below. It’s a free free resource for you. We encourage you to use it. It’s a e-book that scott naive put together that will help you get to the people so you can know what their needs are right and then you can develop a strategy from there when they ask obscure resume the more networking you do the better and easier. This gets in terms of how to discuss what you’re really looking for. If as we’ve said said in prior podcast we talk about always working on a project when you’re having this conversation and you refine the way you discuss it. You’re thinking about your personal branding. You’re positioning yourself as you’re looking at the responses that you’re getting you’re listening to what they’re saying. You can actually get a really good idea of the direction. They’re going and at that point. If you offer something that you think might be helpful to them. You can actually ask them. What are you doing in this space well. How do you approach these issues because in my perspective i’ve approach it a certain way. I’m really interested to know if if there are different ways to approach it and they may say well. We’re going at it from a completely opposite way now. I can’t instead of competing with that. How do i compliment data because it’s not necessarily zero sum game. You might also get a response from someone who says well. We’re really not approaching. We don’t know how have you ever considered considered x y and z. What would it be like if x y and z happened right and you’re in this place so that would be wonderful exactly exactly so imagine this and i love that language imagine yourself using this perspective this methodology this approach and what if it got that result for you. Would that be what you’re looking for. How can i help you get there well. I don’t know scott. Maybe i could use your resume. I’d love take that to our senior leadership for sure. Let me let me get that to you. I can text it to you. If you wanna give me your mobile number <hes> or i can email to you and then if there’s time i will customize this to make sure that it shows everything that we talked about perfect. Will this is is a great way to introduce your resume is to understand the audience. They ask for a resume then you send them. The resume customized. That’s appropriate yeah. I guess we can look at the flip side of the coin and there’s times where i think it’s inappropriate to introduce a resume and maybe we could cover some of those situations my first one would be. Hey if i’m scheduling a network meeting with somebody that i send it with that request and if that has come come out that hey send the your resume with a request that’s one thing yeah i would never volunteer it at the beginning in large part because that basically sets the tone for a one way conversation and if i’m not in a position where i regularly take in resumes and it’s obvious this is my function function yeah why well i just want you to review it. Give me some feedback why <hes> because i just wanna make sure it meets the needs of your company. Why so i can get a job okay so here’s the three wise instead of over five hundred now i understand that’s which going for and i now have a way a reason reason to say no which we don’t want right so instead if you were to say. Can i have a conversation and i would like to have a conversation about what lettuce liked to work at your company. What what are your priorities. What are you guys working on right now because there’s so many people in your industry in our area talk to tell me about what differentiates that well you know. It’s one of those things scott where there’s this intellectual property so i can’t go do that networking because because they can’t share the intellectual property with me so how what what does that challenge look like that as you’re trying to grow your own knowledge around that topic.

15:09 – 20:11

It’s difficult buckle. I mean we really have to keep things secret. I understand that especially with as much piracy as happens. What does your security methodology look like. Why could could share that with you but but then i wouldn’t be working here anyway so there’s always a stumbling block sure that process and what we’re encouraging can you to do is do whatever you can get a conversation. Don’t start with the resume because it takes the conversation direction yeah that you may not wanna go. Well bill and it’d be productive outcome. You want exactly it will lead senator to the dead end that brings me to the second place. I would not put my resume and that is on linked then i feel that linked in is a replacement for the resume and it’s actually a lot has a lot more texture to it and often people put their resume resume on. They’re not realizing they have all their personal contact information. Oh or they just leave it. There and it’s like five years old. That’s yeah just not wise. I i really struggle when i see someone who i know has left the position that is currently listed as a current job right someone that tells me that they don’t use lincoln whether or not they do. I’ve seen two things when it comes to putting a resume on lincoln and i just saw something on lincoln from a recruiter cruder and and consultant <hes> where the first bit of advice she gave was never used the word unemployed if you’re looking for work. Don’t don’t use that word in your headline on lincoln us. Maybe a title but certainly the topic of what you’re looking to do. Whether that’s the job you you want or the industry or that the function that you that you’re looking for that is going to help. The recruiters actually pay attention to you. Don’t put the word unemployed because that’s really not helpful with that. Sad people will say you know they’re they’re looking for their next opportunity the and then they they provide their resume below but there’s really no direction and that no branding nothing so if you put what what you want in your headline that indicates your expertise and your knowledge in the value you can bring and then at let all of your experience support report that now you have something that’s going to be a little more compelling but to your point. It’s a different way to present your experiences not a resume by itself and the nuances maybe aby slight pay attention. I generally tell people look at people who you admire that are doing the work you wanna do and look look at how they brand themselves when it’s really cohesive and the direction is clear emulate that don’t copy it but emulated and you probably we’ll get a better result from your profile. The linked in profile actually has a lot more texture in my mind resume. There’s a photograph you can attach documents. You can put in different projects. People can see your recommendations right. You’re -dorsements what groups you’re in. There’s a lot more context on lincoln than you get from a resume. You actually get to see the person what they’re thinking through. The act like you said the activities are participating in on the platform. It really gives you a more clear perspective on who that person is and whether or not you wanna have them in for an interview as i can see a day where the resume is not going to be required. I would hope so need to piece of advice that i was given a few years ago that i will admit it has fallen off the wayside for me but that is is to start a conversation once a week because that will put you back in the news feed and it helps people to trust you when they see you you more often and we think about the reason why walter cronkite was the most trusted news anchor and the nineteen sixties and seventies was because has he was in people’s living room every single week night. It’s the integrity and everything else. We’ll we’ll set aside that was all true but the idea that when you invite invite someone whether it’s a direct invitation or you allow it in in this case by reading their activities on social media media the more they see you the more they will trust you. That frequency makes the difference be involved at that texture to your resume. Make sure that you’re you’re putting your skills in their be be involved with it. Just now that the resume is one tool in a hiring process right and it’s not the only tool cool exact if you’re only leaning on the resume to be successful in a search whether that’s for a promotion or looking outside a company for a larger roll or if you’re unemployed and searching the resume is just one tool and it is even the most effective tool i in fact i tell people to put their link tin of your l.

20:11 – 23:49

on their resume so that if in fact someone does request your resume they can then from there. Look at your lincoln profiling <music>. Get the rest of the story. There’s no substitute for a solid relationship. We encourage you not only to have the resume linked in but to build relationships of trust trust with people in positions of some sort of purchasing power for people to hire people so that you can get where you want to go in your search and again. I come down to having that conversation in some fashion. It might be just a couple of emails if that’s all they’re willing to do. It may be just the way they post for a position if you can’t get in the door really look at that. Try to make your personal branding align with zehr the air branding and you’re more likely to get in. Don’t offer the resume until it’s requested often. It’s a conversation ender introducing a resume somme says oh. I thought we were just having a conversation now. There’s a resume conversation is over. We’ll say shit has changed it or it’s the thanks for being being honest about it. Even even if it’s a brief i think about the job fairs where you have only five minutes to talk to you. The first thing you do is put down resume the way. I like to think about offering a resumes. That is the beginning of the close. This is beginning the end of the conversation. If you want a longer than a two to five minute conversation weight because the timer starts as soon as you have that resume i would say the conversation will probably end and in within five minutes because the message is here’s everything you need to know about me and that’s rarely true and you can’t get it from me it you you can only get it from the paper. All wait yuck hit. Read it. You go have a cup of coffee and peter read my resume yeah. It’s not gonna happen not a great strategy. We realized that there’s probably a whole bunch more in terms of instances where it might be good might be bad something that we’d love to hear from you. The the listener is what has worked for you. And what hasn’t when you go into the website. You’re going to be able to give us feedback. Make sure that you’re letting us know what has worked for you. What hasn’t worked for you as well as any questions questions that you might have show notes and resources are in the link down below or at job seekers radio dot com forward slash zero zero five five andrew mentioned earlier. We have the anatomy of the networking conversation e book. That’s also there. You can find the link to it and let us know what what how that might help you. <hes> we’d love to get feedback. Thank you for joining us for this episode of job. Seekers radio your investment of time nine and attention is greatly appreciated head over to itunes and subscribe to get future episodes and while you’re there we’d love it if you would provide a rate and review we enjoy the feedback it helps us to help you and it helps you spread the message. If you’ve got something out of this one of your friends or someone else might also get value now working groups we well. I’m andrew and i’m scott until next time a quote by wayne dyer. We knew dance dance. Your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the dance floor to enjoy each step along the way as everybody by buying.