Please note: On a somewhat infrequent basis, Quintessential Careers asks noted
career experts five questions related to their expertise and publishes the interview
in the current issue of QuintZine,
our biweekly newsletter. Here is one such interview.
Georgia Adamson founded A Successful Career/Adept Business Services.
Q:
The Qualification Summary or Profile section is a popular and
relatively recent addition to contemporary resumes. Some employers
seem to think these sections help sharpen a resume's focus while
other seem to feel they are filled with unsubstantiated
fluff. What's your take on Summary/Profile sections? What is their
purpose, and how can the job-seeker maximize the use of such a
section on his or her resume?
A:
If the summary or profile section is weighted in favor of
nice-sounding soft skills that don't deliver a sense of impact (in
terms of value to the employer), reviewers will probably skip right
over it. They've seen "team player with strong problem-solving and
communication skills" too many times! I view this section as an
opportunity to highlight strengths and expertise the individual has
that have a direct bearing on his or her ability to perform well and
contribute value in the targeted environment.
Ideally, therefore, any soft-skill items that are included should be
selected on the basis of what the employers say they're particularly
looking for and phrased in a way that carries a message of value. For
instance, a globally oriented company might be interested to know
that the applicant has demonstrated the ability to deliver "on-time
completion of complex projects requiring coordination of diverse
groups worldwide."
Finally, it's important to identify the key hard skills (profession-,
industry- or position-specific) that employers are likely to look for
and to make sure those skills are well represented in the summary, as
well as throughout the resume wherever appropriate. This is true
whether the resume will be searched electronically or viewed by a
human being. If reviewers don't see key elements they're looking for,
they will switch to the next resume very quickly.
Q:
There's an age-old debate about how long resumes should be, with
many job-seekers afraid to exceed one page. Do you follow any
particular rules about resume length? What factors should dictate how
long a resume should be?
A:
One of my professional colleagues said years ago that a resume
should be long enough to do the job -- no longer and no shorter! I
agree with him. Of course, that means observing some common-sense
guidelines. For example, if you're straight out of college and with
limited work experience, there's almost no way you can justify having
a two-page resume. On the other hand, if you're a CEO or even a
senior technical professional, with an extensive background that
needs to be included, one page is ridiculously inadequate.
The point to consider is: What is your value-added message to
prospective employers, and what/how much do you need to tell them in
the resume to communicate that value to them strongly enough so they
will be motivated to pick up the phone and call you? The resume
doesn't need to -- and shouldn't -- contain your entire work history
without regard to potential value, but it does need to convince
employers that you could be an active contributor to their ongoing
success. It must sell your value to them, early and often. It should
also avoid unnecessary repetition of same or similar items, which
increase the length without enhancing the message you're trying to
send.
Q:
What do you feel is the most disturbing trend in job-hunting today?
A:
Without a doubt, the most disturbing trend I find is the growing
off-shoring of jobs -- not just the typical manufacturing/blue-collar
area that we've seen for many years but highly skilled, white-collar
jobs touching diverse professional disciplines and industries. This
situation has begun creating a climate of uncertainty and even fear
among many people, both employed and unemployed, about their future. It's
an issue we need to find ways to deal with, but we're not there yet.
I believe job-seekers and employees who may inadvertently become
job-seekers will need to take a very alert and informed approach to
what is going on in this area to give themselves the best chance of
coping with the trend effectively.
Q:
What's the biggest mistake job-seekers make that your advice could
correct or prevent?
A:
Probably the biggest mistake [job-seekers make] is focusing too
much on what they want and not enough on the employers they're hoping
to work for. Along with that goes the failure to put enough
intelligently focused energy into planning and conducting their
search. I emphasize intelligently focused because you can put a lot
of energy into spinning your wheels or running-in-place, which gets
you nowhere! It has always been important and has now become crucial
to research prospective employers -- their current situation, future
goals, and competitive challenges -- and try to identify how you can
use your skills and experience to the employer's advantage.
There's nothing wrong with seeking employment that meets your needs,
giving you satisfaction as well as good pay. In fact, it should be
part of your process -- just not the No. 1 basis for your actions.
Employers won't hire you because you're a nice person or because you
need a job. They want people who can do what they really need and do
it well.
Q:
We frequently hear from mature job-seekers -- in their 50s and
beyond, but often even in their 40s -- who are having a particularly
difficult time finding a job. Is age discrimination a reality, and if
so, what can the mature job-seeker do to overcome this discrimination?
A:
Few people believe that age discrimination disappeared when the
employment laws were changed. It may have decreased somewhat, but it
has also become more sophisticated and difficult to detect or prove.
Unfortunately, the fact is that with more qualified people unemployed
or underemployed and seeking work, the competition for positions has
increased significantly and companies can be more choosy without
getting caught discriminating based on age.
If a company is bent on discriminating and doing it too cleverly to
be caught, the mature job-seeker may not be able to do much about
that and might, in fact, not be happy working there if he or she
somehow actually managed to land a job there. However, in less
extreme situations, it's possible and desirable to start by making
sure your resume emphasizes your strengths and value while minimizing
or omitting age-indicators (old dates, outdated technology, etc.).
You also need to communicate your enthusiasm for what you do and what
you can offer, clearly and compellingly -- appealing to the company's
self-interest.
Throughout the process, including the interview, you must focus
strongly and consistently on how you can help the company's success,
competitiveness, profitability, and so on. Make it a point from the
beginning to anticipate and develop persuasive counter-arguments for
potential objections based on age, such as declining energy or
inability to learn complicated new technologies. Realize that those
objections will often not be voiced and that you may need to find an
appropriate way to communicate your rebuttals indirectly.
Since founding A
Successful Career/Adept Business Services in Campbell, CA, in 1991, Georgia
Adamson has assisted thousands of resume and career-management
clients, from Silicon Valley to worldwide locations such as Hong
Kong, Chile, and Saudi Arabia.
She holds the following professional certifications: Certified Career
Management Coach (CCMC), Credentialed Career Master (CCM), Certified
Employment Interview Professional (CEIP), Job and Career Transition
Coach (JCTC) and Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW). She has
also created and presented career-related workshops to professional
groups, college students, and other audiences.
Her work has appeared in nine books, including Gallery of Best
Resumes (3rd ed.), Expert Resumes for Computer and Web Jobs,
Cover Letter Magic, Professional Resumes for Accounting and
Tax Occupations, and Professional Resumes for Executives,
Managers, and Other Administrators.
Currently, Georgia is in the process of developing a second Website
focused heavily on career coaching
and related topics. She also writes occasional articles for the
Going
Global Website and serves as one of the
site's U.S. country advisors. In addition, she is debuting a
career-related column, "Career Smarts," for a weekly community
newspaper.
Since founding 