Employers only spend about six seconds reading a resume. Even Usain Bolt cannot run the 100 meters that fast. But that is all the time you have to convince a complete stranger to decide to call you for an interview. Even with a “spectacular” resume, the chance of that happening is akin to winning the lottery.
The brutal truth is that resumes are essentially useless as a way for applicants to introduce and market themselves to prospective employers. And yet millions of job seekers continue to believe to the contrary, as evidenced by how many still spend most of their time applying for jobs online. They are not deterred by their lack of success, or the common sense conclusion that there is only a vanishingly small chance of winning any contest when hundreds or even thousands of others are competing for the same prize.
"Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
There is no “magic” way to write a resume that will guarantee an interview. A good resume is “tailored” for each position, includes a summary statement that highlights selected accomplishments and awards, and quantifies as many achievements as possible. But no matter how well written, employers are still unlikely to read it for more than six seconds.
NetWORKing
“Success is 10% inspiration, and 90% perspiration.”
Thomas Edison
The overwhelming likelihood is that even a “spectacular” resume will not produce an interview unless the applicant has a preexisting personal connection with the employer. And that connection can usually only be established through networking. An employer is much more likely to thoroughly read the resume of someone they have already met, even briefly. That is why applying for jobs online is almost invariably a waste of time. Even if your resume is not eliminated by an applicant tracking system, the employer has never met or even spoken to you.
The best way to increase your allotted six seconds is therefore to send a resume after making a personal connection with an employer through networking. The resume is even more memorable if it is accompanied by a cover letter that summarizes the conversation, and also includes details about the employer’s business and industry.
The tiny number of online job applicants who do receive an interview must also still explain what they have been doing since their last job ended. Those who discuss their job search just guarantee that they will not be hired. Every answer in an interview must emphasize how your skills can help the employer. And no employer has ever been helped by how an applicant is conducting their job search.
The realization that networking requires an enormous amount of work is why so many people instead spend most of their time applying for jobs online. Despite its colossal futility, it is quite easy to complete a form or attach a resume, and then press the “send” button. It is harder to attend a networking event, or create and maintain the robust online presence that is more likely to produce an interview.
These networking strategies will help you make the personal connection with employers that should increase your allotted six seconds:
Have a complete profile on LinkedIn. Your profile should include samples of your work, and recommendations from former employers and clients. Write articles, and comment on those written by other members. Sign up for the new LinkedIn service ProFinder.
Join a networking group or chamber of commerce. Offer to make free presentations about your industry to their members.
Use the resources of your state workforce agency. Agencies provide free resume reviews, mock interviews, and often have personal connections with local employers and recruiters.
Register with temporary agencies. Design, marketing, and public relations professionals should consider The Creative Group, a division of Robert Half.
Create a website using Weebly, Wix, or Squarespace. The websites offered by these companies can be created without any coding knowledge.
Volunteer. I have done volunteer work for two food banks, a kidney foundation, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, and a chamber of commerce. I currently volunteer by serving on the board of my HOA. VolunteerMatch has a great selection of opportunities.
Take courses. I have completed courses in employee benefits, ERISA, government contracts, grant writing, HIPAA, HTML, human resources, real estate, and tax. State workforce agencies often offer courses for free, or at a substantially reduced cost.
These strategies work because they all involve direct contact with people and employers, which is why networking is so successful. Direct contact with people and employers increases the chance that you will obtain an interview, often for a position that is known by only a few other applicants. But networking is work. And if you are unwilling to work hard to find a job, how can an employer trust you to work hard once you have the job?
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