With this post, I’m going to go out on a limb by using some strictly non-scientific data that I’ve been quietly collecting from all my conversations with hiring managers, recruiters, headhunters, and HR professionals.
Are you ready?
Ok, here it is:
80% of all summaries suck.
Yeah, I mean really suck. As in spelling/grammar/usage/punctuation errors, ugly or non-existent formatting, missing keywords, cutting and pasting work tasks instead of listing valuable contributions, inclusion of photos and other irrelevant personal information, and the always- outdated factual statement that is the constant thorn in the side of anyone reading the paper, just to name a few.
All of these horrible items are still out there and still circulating as application materials in all their horrible, buggy, and utterly ineffective glory.
Now, before you roll your eyes, cluck your tongue, and think indignantly, “She’s certainly not talking about my resume!” she considers this:
Most of these recruiting professionals I’ve spoken to have indicated that the 20% of the ‘good’ resumes they see are only ADEQUATE (meaning the documents give them the basics of what they need to consider to consider the applicant).
Of that 20%, less than 5% absolutely jumps and creaks in the way we all think and expect our document to when it lands on the tester’s desk.
In fact, I wholeheartedly agree with that 5% number… Many potential clients send me their documents, brimming with confidence that your resume is superior and just needs a few ‘minor’ tweaks or tweaks.
Oh really? “Okay, let’s take a look,” I say, and open the file.
What appears on my screen is not pretty… most of the time.
There’s a reason so many resume writers, hiring managers, and career professionals are constantly tweeting and writing articles on this topic. We are literally screaming at the top of our lungs…job seekers simply HAVE to level up in today’s highly sophisticated job market.
But the problem is that there are a lot of people who just don’t “get it”, either they’re just plain ignorant or too selfish to admit that their resume isn’t up to date, to their own detriment.
To defend John and Jane Public, they don’t make a career of following summary trends. Most of us typically go through this refresher process perhaps every few years until we find a job, then let the dust settle before picking up the resume again years later.
As a writer, I see that technology continually reshapes the job market, and it will come down to how you position and then format your credentials, which will determine whether you attract the attention of an applicant tracking system (ATS) first and then a human being. resources lives the human being.
However you do it, you need to take your resume to the next level, whether you buy a do-it-yourself instruction book or hire a professional. It’s an ever-evolving landscape, and if you want to stand out as a top candidate, your background and achievements alone will no longer be enough as an ‘independent’.
We’re talking about pushing yourself harder than ever before. Everyone should view their resume as a living career roadmap and invest in themselves. Your livelihood depends on it.
