Non-Guerrillas do the following when they are looking for a job:
-write a resume that details their responsibilities,
-ask their friends and neighbors if they know of any job openings,
-respond to newspaper ads, and
-a few of the tech savvy ones will reply to job board postings.
That’s it. That’s not enough anymore because that’s the bare minimum everyone else does too. Non-Guerrillas can count on the competition for the few advertised or known jobs to be fierce. Good luck to them.
Your resume is a marketing tool. Does it include a statement about your background that’s so powerful that it transforms the reader’s initial scan into a lengthy read and then into a call to you? It has to.
Whether you’re replying to a specific opportunity or trying to uncover a hidden need, your resume needs to be read if you want to be considered.
Many people are under the false perception that just because they’ve gone through all the trouble and agony of producing a resume, someone is actually going to read it and care.
The fact of the matter is that you have somewhere between 6 - 10 seconds to impress a reader enough to get them to read the entire document. If they to they will likely take no more than 30 seconds.
The All-Purpose Resume Is Dead
Since resume writing is not perceived as an enjoyable task, people will often try to produce one version they can use for every possible situation.
They keep it nice and generic and stuff it with gobs and gobs of “responsible for[s]”. Unfortunately, these resumes are usually the ones that end up in employers’ wastebaskets. Writing an all-purpose resume is like writing an all-purpose marriage proposal: you’re going to have to kiss a lot of frogs …
A Positive First Impression
Your resume is your personal emissary. It should provide a positive first impression and an honest summary of your skills and attributes.
It should always be typed or computer printed and meticulously prepared with no spelling or grammatical errors. It must convince the reader that you are reliable, responsible, and ready to successfully handle the responsibilities of the job.
When your resume moves to the top of the pile, the reader will give it a brief look—perhaps for 10 to 15 seconds - for anything that piques their interest.
Background Statement
Does your resume include a statement about your background that’s so powerful that it transforms their initial scan into a lengthy read? This is your one chance to make an impression. ARE YOU MAXIMIZING IT?
Distinct Purpose
Resumes, like every document, have a distinct purpose. Your success, as both a job seeker and resume writer depends on how effectively you tailor your message to each situation.
Length
If the job is worth going after, pursue it with a resume that has been carefully produced with a specific job in mind. Length is not an issue. Content is. People will read any length of resume IF the content is of interest to them, and that’s the secret.
Uses of Resumes
A resume can serve you in a variety of ways, but it’s primarily used in making the following types of contacts with prospective employers:
-respond to a job opening;
-create unsolicited demand for your skills;
-to cut and paste from to fill out an on–line application form;
-supplement [not replace] a company’s standard job application;
-before interviews to rehearse;
-during interviews to draw the interviewer’s attention to a particular accomplishment;
-after an interview to tailor a thank you letter;
-as an aid for your references so they’ll remember what you did, especially if you were one of many on a large team;
-during telephone interviews as a reminder because, after all, the interviewer has a copy; and
-to prompt a recipient for the purposes of networking.
Sell Benefits
A Guerrilla’s resume screams, “here’s what’s in it for you”. A Guerrilla builds resumes that are relevant to a specific reader.
They target them to a specific group if not an exact individual. Their resumes are always focused. They are never general. They are results-based never wishy-washy. They are accomplishment focused not responsibility laden.
GUERRILLA RESUMES ARE MULTI-DIMENSIONAL, MULTI-PURPOSE DOCUMENTS.
THEY’RE
-your introduction to a prospective employer;
-the first impression recruiters will have of you;
-the key to positioning your seniority; and
-a bargaining chip for your salary negotiations.
Create Six Resumes
In other words, it is a significant document in the advancement of your career. You should create SIX eye-popping, attention-grabbing resumes. Each of which has its own use.
