Recruiter's Couch

How do you stand out from the crowd?  What makes you memorable?

In this world, you need something that distinguishes you from everyone else in your role/space/section.

Everyone has a resume.  Is yours special?  Maybe you use a unique font or your layout is ingenious.

When people look at your linkedin profile, what do they see first? What is their first impression?

When someone asks how you are, what is your response?

• “Oh, I am really busy, just swamped.”
• “It’s pretty slow.  I am just watching the clock these days.”
• “Things are crazy.  My clients are such pains.”
• “Really good.  I am working on some pretty interesting assignments right now.  Thanks for asking.”

Which of these responses is not like the others?  Which one will leave a lasting impression?

Yep, the last one.  It might even drum up a new opportunity if you were on the ball enough to have an answer like this ready.

Sure, you might feel extra confident if you arrive for your next meeting in a cool car with an expensive handbag. (I tried this and it does work.) But keep in mind that real accessories do not have cool brand names or a six speed transmission. They have warmth, humour and just enough information to be intriguing.

I read resumes for a living and sometimes I feel compelled to let you know about some nasty things that I see.  Nasty may be a little strong but in the scheme of things, this is your career and your resume should represent you clearly and professionally.

Today’s bugaboo is abbreviations.   One of the resumes I read today was full of abbreviations and it damn near drove me crazy.  If you don’t have time to write out the word, you don’t have time for my job.

If you are senior, say senior.  Not Sr.

If you are a Mechanical Engineer, do not succumb to using Mech. Eng to refer to yourself.

Sr Mech Eng looking for long term growth opp.

This kind of language is fine is you are tweeting or looking for a date but has not place on a resume.

Seriously.  What happens if your resume is received by someone who does not know what the abbreviations stand for?

If you specialize in piping design systems, say so.  PDS could Panzer Dragoon Saga (a role playing game) or the Planetary Data System.

If there is a lengthy term that is going to appear throughout your resume, then you can introduce an abbreviation early on (in parentheses after the term) so the reader knows exactly what you are talking about.

So spell it out.  You have worked hard to get where you are.  Let it shine.

Imagine you are at the final stages of interviewing for a great job.  The salary, location and job description are all great fits.  You are beyond excited.

You get asked for references.  You just about pass out.  You forgot about this part and have not connected with your references for ages.

Using the guy in the next cubicle three years ago is not going to cut it.  Neither will using your neighbour or a family friend.

Employers want to be able to verify that you do what you say you do in a way that is consistent with how you have presented yourself.

They want to talk to three or four people who have worked closely with you recently enough to remember it.  At least one of those people should have been your manager.

Cultivating references is almost as important as keeping your eyes open for new opportunities.  Think about the people you interact with on a daily basis.  Who would be willing and able to vouch for your skills, attitudes and work ethic?

Don’t let this fall by the wayside.  Keep your resume and references at the ready because you never know where and when the next opportunity will show up.

I was at the Canadian Nuclear Association conference in Ottawa last week and some really interesting people came to our booth to talk to us.

The one that stuck out was a soon-to-be graduate of a nuclear engineering program.  Most of his classmates were heading down the typical path – applying to power generation and research companies.  His dreams, however, were different.  He wanted to do work on the policy side, not the application side.

All of his co-op terms and summer jobs had been political, not practical.  He was looking to us for some guidance.

His skill combination was very unusual and was going to make finding a job trickier.  He had already come to the realization that his resume was not going to rise to the top of pile in either world.

I was reminded of a story that Martin Buckland, founder of Elite Resumes, once told me.  He was working with a senior executive who wanted to make a life change.  He wanted to leave the city altogether and be able to live and work at his cottage.

He had discovered that the hospital near his cottage was looking for a CEO.  He came to Martin and asked if together, they could create a resume that would get him in the door for an interview.

They researched what the hospital was going through and identified the challenges and opportunities that the new CEO would have to face and then presented a resume that reflected his experience with those things.

He got an interview and subsequently, got the job.

Did I mention that he had no experience in healthcare?

Here is someone who also had a less-than-typical profile and yet, managed to get into the role he wanted.

The key is to decide where you want to spend your time working.  It does not have to be a specific organization. It can be a certain type or size or location or brand personality.

Once you know where you are going, lay out a map to get there. Do research.  What’s happening in the space?  Who do you know there?  How can your experience help them?  What problems can you solve for them based on your knowledge?

It takes patience and perseverance but it will be worth it in the end.

It’s winter here in Canada and if you are doing the interview circuit, you need to be prepared.

There is nothing worse than sniffling during a conversation.  You try to be subtle by wiggling your nose or casually wiping your sleeve near your nose but face it: there is no substitute for a tissue.  So start each day by putting one in your pocket, sleeve or bra strap.

If you have a bit of a cough or a tickle (and who doesn’t these days?), then put some lozenges or tic tacs in your pocket, purse or briefcase. You can pop one while you are waiting for your meeting to start.  It will give you something to do with your hands.

Make sure you give yourself extra time before the interview but don’t hang around the reception area – that’s not cool.  Plan to take a few minutes in the lobby for your body temperature to sort itself out.  Your face and hands will be cold but your armpits will be working overtime so rather than greet the person you are meeting with cold hands and the tell-tale half moons of nervousness, spend a few minutes in the lobby.  Take off your coat, blow your nose and wait until everything comes to room temperature.  Then head upstairs to announce your presence.

Finally, no matter how much of a Tim Horton’s or Starbucks fan you are, don’t take your coffee into the meeting unless you are prepared to offer some to the other person.

So to sum up:  arrive early, finish your latte in the lobby, pop a tic tac and set yourself up for a great conversation.