Re: What Is An "Unusual Resume?"

[Tom Murrell <trmurrell -at- yahoo -dot- com>]

--- Amy Hendrix <amych -at- mindspring -dot- com> wrote:
> 
> As hard as times have gotten lately, I think a lot of people are suddenly 
> getting a lot less response to their resumes than they used to, regardless 
> of the kind of paper they use. 

I suppose it is the curse of a long life that this is not my first economic
downturn. Ten years ago, about, I was on the streets for nearly a year before I
found my next job. It was the first time I had to face a situation where folks
weren't clamoring for my services <g>.

> And while worrying excessively about the 
> "right" format may be somehow related to reading the entrails of that 
> chicken you just sacrificed, I can certainly sympathize with the anxiety 
> that leads people to that kind of behavior. So go easy. I don't see people 
> here saying that there's One True Resume -- I see them saying that they're 
> frustrated with having their resumes tampered with (a completely legitimate 
> complaint), and that they're concerned enough to be making changes, and 

Your point is well taken. I suppose I've been a little 'testy' lately.
Certainly everyone around here has had any number of reasons to be on edge. My
attitude in my comments probably didn't help anyone.

Resume tampering is a "bad thing." I also feel that obsessing over resumes is
also a bad thing. I've read several posts from people who are wondering if it
is their resumes that are causing them not to get a lot of calls for
interviews. While that is possible, I suspect it isn't likely. What is more
likely is that the positions advertised aren't being offered. Things change
quickly in an economy like the American one is at the moment: lots of
uncertainty, lots of flux. Suddenly, managers look at positions they
advertised, expecting to fill, and wonder if they shouldn't hold off for a few
months and see what happens. Meanwhile, you send in a resume and don't hear
anything back because their attitude about doing anything changed in a few
short weeks.

Most of the mechanics of getting a job is a numbers game. True, when the
economy is boiling it's a seller's market, but most of the time it's not a
seller's market. Most of the time you have to call and call and contact and
contact and research and research. It wouldn't surprise me for people to have
to make ten contacts (letters, resumes, responses to ads, job fairs, etc.) for
every interview they get. That's normal. It's not normal to have recruiters
crawling out of the woodwork offering you the moon if you'll just come work for them.

=====
Tom Murrell
Lead Technical Writer
Alliance Data Systems
Columbus, Ohio
mailto:tmurrell -at- columbus -dot- rr -dot- com
Personal Web Page - http://home.columbus.rr.com/murrell/
Page Last Updated 07/15/01

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