Questions to Ask Yourself If You’re Not Getting Called
Job Search September 12th, 2007Billie Sucher wrote some great questions to ask yourself if you are one who has given out your resume to several hiring managers and you haven’t been called in for an interview. Billie writes, “For starters, pretend that you are the Hiring Manager…so put on your Hiring Manager’s hat and start asking:
- Does your resume reveal a phone number or personal e-mail where you can easily be contacted?
- Does your resume clearly state your professional focus? In other words, what do you want to do?
- Does your resume contain a Qualifications Summary or a Profile (30-second sales pitch) that 1. aligns with your target goal and that 2. captures the best of your experience, education, and employee traits that are relevant, essential, and supportive to doing the job? In other words, why can you do what you say you’re interested in doing? And does your Profile prove it?
- Have you branded yourself as a professional who is competent, proficient, or expert at delivering something of value to the organization? In other words, have you convinced the reader to sample your brand?
- Does your resume sound like you? In other words, does the reader get a clear sense of who you are? And when they interview you, will the “real” you align with the “paper” you? Or, is there a cavern between the two?
- Does your resume state where you reside and where you’ve worked, or is that data missing from the document?
- Does your resume communicate a feel for how much you are worth?
- When the Hiring Manager reads your resume, do you honestly think it will evoke a WOW or a WASTEBASKET response?”
I’d also add, “How does your resume look? At first glance, is your resume full of print or does it have enough white space to make it look inviting to read?” Billie asked phenomenal questions that would be worth your time thinking through if you would like to be called in for interviews. I’d be glad to coach you so that your resume stands out making you look like a ‘winner’!
