RULE # 2
Your Résumé: It’s About the Value You Create

TURBULENT TIMES like today, when there are new rules for finding white-collar work, create opportunities to apply new principles that can set you apart from the jobseeking pack. You do that throughout the job-application process, and the first step is to develop a value-infused résumé.

To start, you need to grasp two important concepts. The first is that value is in the eye of the beholder. And that “eye” is the eyes of those making the hiring decisions. They have defined what is of value to them and will base their choice on their estimation of who best provides the value they seek. As the stakes have risen, decision makers can no longer afford to simply hire friends and relatives, without giving consideration for the comparative value of other candidates. Nor can they remain in the cocoon of the status quo, doing things the way they were done before. In a globally competitive economy, value-added potential is often more important for job seekers than formal credentials.

Second, this value is not about you. We have fallen into the habit of putting our credentials forward as if they have intrinsic value for anyone to see. A college degree is a case in point. The value of a college degree depends on what the hiring organization assigns it. It is in this sense that the job marketplace is about what others need from us. The most effective job seeker recognizes a company’s need and tries to deliver it in a competitive environment.

Value creation is not a simpleminded pandering to the wishes of others. It is a way to get in touch with a marketplace increasingly dominated by technology and globalization—one in which the customer is king and personal brand is a critical component of how to reach that customer. And customers evaluate companies on their ability to deliver value. So it follows that companies evaluate potential employees on their perceptions of those employees’ ability to help with the value they seek to create.

Without a concentrated focus on value creation, you are less likely to land the job you want. You need to understand the specifics of how value creation really works and use them to develop your résumé—the first door to your new job.

How to Fill Your Résumé with Value

In our workshops on résumé writing, we clarify how value creation really works. We ask workshop participants to think about how they should put their résumés together and then share their thoughts with the class. Before reading ahead, ask yourself the same question. Think of facing blank sheets of paper—ones that will eventually be turned into your résumé. How will you go about it?

The most common approach (even after people hear their résumés are not about them) is to start with your previous work history or education. As instructors, we know that people understand the concepts but do not have the tools to apply them. As a result, they tend to start where they always have—with themselves and with what they have accomplished. To get them to start elsewhere—namely, with the hiring organization—we came up with a new exercise. We call it the “Personalization of Value” and use it in all our workshops.

Each group is asked to take a few minutes to write a couple of sentences on what value means to them and share it with the rest of the group. The answers vary a great deal. All, however, have one thing in common—they are things individuals define for themselves. Value to them is “their” value. Then, we explain that we could have easily made an educated guess about what value means to them without asking them and would have produced a close approximation of what they eventually told us. But it would not have been as accurate as asking for their participation. It is a short conceptual leap to show that hiring managers and the companies they represent behave much the same way as individuals. That is, they define value for themselves—just as most individuals do.

However, when you’re sending out your résumé, value is not about you. We don’t mean that the values and skills candidates bring to the hiring situation are unimportant. You just have to put yourself in the company’s shoes. Organizations are looking to exchange their resources for your contribution—where they have a sense of what they need, in what quantity they need it, and how much they are willing to pay. Your success in landing the job depends on your ability to find out what it is that they value, and deliver it to them in your initial application for the position.

At this point, workshop participants begin to get it, but they do not have enough tools to apply the concept to their résumés. They also do not have the requisite mindset. Any time you prepare a résumé and apply for a position without fully understanding what is of value to the hiring organization, the application will likely reflect what is important to you and be little more than an educated guess about what is important to it. My friends in the employment business tell me that far too many of the résumés they see fall into this category. The contrast between these and other résumés focused on the problems an organization is trying to solve is too great to ignore. Focused documents stand out and get most of the attention.

Applicants sometimes wonder why they submit résumés for jobs for which they see themselves as a perfect fit but they never get as much as an e-mail acknowledgment that they applied. More often than not, their submission reflects what is of importance to them. Simply put, an educated guess about what is of importance to the hiring organization is not enough.

Instead, you find out what the hiring organization values by carefully reading the position description for the job in which you are interested. You also review the company’s website and industry publications. These three sources will help you identify the key words the company uses to communicate what they want.

Five Steps to Your Value-Infused Résumé

Putting a résumé together is not easy. That’s one of the reasons templates are so popular. Rather than forcing you to think about what needs to be said, templates direct you to the correct format and some of its content. You do end up with a professional-looking document, but little more. This one-size-fits-all approach has several disadvantages, including that your résumé looks like thousands of other unfocused documents and none of them will likely appeal to the hiring manager who interviews. This has become such a big problem that companies with open positions often hire personnel just to wade through the pile of résumés that invariably accompany a posting for a white-collar position. It also explains why seasoned HR pros spend little more than fifteen seconds reviewing each initial submission. The overwhelming majority are generic documents that provide little relevant information.

Creating a focused, value-filled résumé will help you break through the clutter. You can still use a template. In fact, for purposes of format, we recommend that you use Microsoft Word templates. Our materials, though, focus on content rather than format. While we do provide format guidelines, other formats can be used just as effectively as long as you emphasize the value you bring to a particular situation.

So, how do you find out what companies value? As mentioned, you read the position description for the job in which you are interested, visit the company’s website, and review the industry publications. Companies go to great lengths to tell you what they value. You just have to know where to look. To understand more precisely what they are saying, you can use our “Key Word” exercise tool. We have included an actual job description for a middle-management position in the financial services industry for you to follow as we go through the steps required to build a value-infused résumé. The same rules apply when you develop a résumé for other positions, regardless of industry and whether the hiring institution is in a public, private, or not-for-profit organization.

STEP 1: IDENTIFY THE EMPLOYER’S KEY WORDS

The first step in the process is to locate a position description and highlight all of the key words. Key words clarify the skills an employer is looking for in a new hire. They also identify issues a company is currently facing and provide insight into the role the position plays in the organization. Highlight all the action verbs, adjectives, and skills that refer to the attributes the employer is looking for in an ideal candidate. These, then, are the skills of most importance to the employer and they represent the value it seeks in the person who will fill the position. This is critically important because you will use these words throughout the application process. In particular, employers will likely spot these words when they give your résumé an initial look. Therefore, including them in the body of your résumé will help distinguish you from other candidates. See Figure 2.1 for an example of a highlighted position from ACME Bank.

FIGURE 2.1 Highlighted position description.

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Director, Financial Planning and Analysis

ACME BANK

ACME Bank is an integrated financial service organization providing personal, business, corporate, and institutional clients with banking, lending, investing, and financial management solutions. We are deeply committed to a high-performance culture, one that values diversity, continuous learning, employee commitment, and community involvement.

We reward our talented professionals with a base salary and competitive compensation package, life, health, dental, pension plan, 401(k), and an exceptional working environment.

SPECIFIC ACCOUNTABILITIES

Strategy

Understand the corporate initiatives of the Bank, participate in or develop future-oriented strategies to maximize shareholder value as required

Partner with clients to develop future-oriented strategies to maximize shareholder value.

Advisory

Provide consulting and support to customers by continually offering value-added ideas, advice, and solutions.

Work in partnership with the client to assist in optimal structuring of new initiatives and strategies. Ensure that structures comply with regulatory rules and guidelines.

Work as a valued business partner to develop, implement, and track value-maximizing strategies—business planning, forecasting, and reporting on results.

Provide financial advice to clients on impacts of various business transactions (investments/divestitures, securitizations, etc).

Governance and Analysis/Results

Provide weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual reports as required.

Prepare both formal and informal reports and analysis for the client as required to support strategic objectives, decision making, and solution resolution.

Be responsible for ensuring that risks are identified and mitigated.

Coordinate the annual planning processes.

Review and provide financial concurrence related to the approval of a capital expenditure.

Attest as required to LOB’s compliance with applicable policies, including corporate policies and accounting policies. Provide input and concurrence to new policies impacting LOB.

Support

Lead or participate in project teams as required for new initiatives, process improvements, or technology implementation and development.

Provide leadership by recruiting, developing, and maintaining high-quality staff, and ensuring that processes are in place to do this.

Responsible for staff training and development.

Responsible for providing ongoing feedback on performance and ensuring timely completion of annual review process.

Ensure that skill levels remain commensurate with the requirements of the position.

Responsible for identifying skills gaps and taking appropriate actions to close those gaps.

Key Contacts: LOB and Group executives, Controllers Bank of Montreal Group of Companies, Finance departments.

Internal/external auditors, Regulatory agencies VBM

Support VBM initiatives by understanding VBM metrics, providing financial information, and performing VBM-based analysis as required.

Knowledge & Skills

CPA or degree in Accounting/Finance

6–8 years of work experience in a financial services environment

Knowledge of banking structures

Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills

Experience in preparing and delivering presentations

Experience in planning, forecasting, and analysis

Project, process, and change management skills

Good working knowledge of LAN-based software programs including Word, Excel, PowerPoint

To explore this opportunity to join ACME Bank, visit our website and apply for position Job ID 55555 at www.acmebank.com.

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Notice the words in the example that we chose not to highlight. Some examples include “high-performance culture,” “formal and informal reports,” and “technology implementation.” In our judgment, these were less important than the words we highlighted. Use your best judgment when reviewing other position descriptions. The more you practice, the better you will get at it.

Then visit the company’s website and note the verbs, adjectives, and skills that refer to key values at the company. This provides insight into its culture and reflects what it thinks are important attributes for employees in general. Do the same thing as you read through industry publications and use the key words there, especially if you cannot find an appropriate position description. As you conduct your job search, note common terms from one company to the next that represent value industry-wide. You will have to tweak your résumé less as you apply for similar jobs in different companies. See Figure 2.2 for an excerpt from ACME Bank’s website.

FIGURE 2.2 Excerpt from ACME Bank website.

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ACME BANK VALUES

ACME Bank draws upon a set of well-articulated values to create long-term, sustainable results. These values ensure strong relationships with clients—and outstanding opportunities for our experienced professionals to meet their personal and career goals. At Acme Bank, we live the following values each and every day:

Client Focus

We put our clients first.

Honesty and Integrity

We expect it of ourselves, of each other, and in our dealings with our clients.

Creating Value

We are committed to creating value and wealth for our clients, which, in turn, creates value for our employees and our shareholders.

Respect

Our respect for one another and our clients is evident in all our interactions.

Diversity

We strive to create a workplace that is inclusive of all.

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Now, compile a list of those key words that you highlighted and organize them by category. Place an asterisk next to key words mentioned more than once or that you think are particularly important. As you put the final version of your résumé together, you will want to give these words a second look, and make sure you use them in an appropriate context.

The key words from the sample job description and website have been placed into categories (see Figure 2.3) for easy reference. Notice that this particular job description categorized the job requirements, so we brought these categories into our list of key words. Also, notice where we placed asterisks and make sure you understand why they are there. We have found the categories used here to apply to any résumé, but it is okay to come up with your own.

FIGURE 2.3 Key words by category.

STEP 2: LIST YOUR EXPERIENCES

You are ready to begin setting the focus on your background. These experiences are important, but the output from this step is not your résumé. This is where many people start and end as they prepare their résumé. As you will see, many stop short of infusing their experiences with value. And too often, that approach results in an unfocused résumé that is not tied to the value an employer is asking to have created. No wonder these résumés miss their mark. Most are written without taking the interests of the employer into account.

Take a look at Figure 2.4 as an example of what your list of experiences should look like. As you draw it up, make sure:

It is in reverse chronological order—that is, the most recent experiences are listed first.

You state the job title and task performed in each job.

You recall as many relevant details as possible, such as your responsibilities and accomplishments.

FIGURE 2.4 List of experiences.

You probably won’t use every experience on the list. That’s okay. Past experiences that are not relevant for this job may be useful when applying for others.

STEP 3: INFUSE YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH VALUE

When you quantify and qualify each of your experiences, you infuse them with value, especially when you insert words and phrases identified in the “Key Word” exercise. This is an important part of the process—one that grows easier as you get the hang of it. Stay with it and be diligent. Make note in the example (see Figure 2.5) of the source we identify for each insertion.

Here is what you do. Revisit each accomplishment statement and ask, “How did I create value for this accomplishment?” Value, in this sense, has three aspects—results that can be either quantified or qualified and/or that include language an employer uses to express value.

Quantitative Results. The most obvious quantitative results include numerical indicators such as dollar figures. They are universally understood and equated with value regardless of industry or type of organization.

FIGURE 2.5 Examples of accomplishment statements.

Qualitative Results. It isn’t always possible to express accomplishments in exact amounts. Qualitative results are often just as useful and include phrases like, “first place,” “top rank,” or “1 out of xx.”

Value Language. The key words and language you got from an employer’s position description, website, or industry publications represent expressions of value and are language the employer will recognize.

In Figure 2.5, you see rewritten accomplishment statements with quantitative and qualitative value infused in them. Though key words are used throughout the list, pay particular attention to those that are italicized and in bold type. They are perhaps the most obvious examples from the exercise. Obvious examples of quantification and qualification show up when the words are italicized only. To get the full effect of this step, compare the accomplishment statements here with those from the previous example in Step 2. Your accomplishment statements should show a similar contrast.

STEP 4: SELECT THE BEST STATEMENTS

The purpose of this step is to choose the best statements for your résumé. Again, focus on what is important to the employer/industry where you want to work. Once you have created the list of the value-infused accomplishment statements, select and rank in order the best five or six statements according to the following criteria:

Does this statement illustrate specific value I have created?

Is the value I have created useful to my prospective employer? How?

If you can answer affirmatively both questions, then include the accomplishment statement on your résumé. If you cannot answer yes to both questions, then do not include it on your résumé. If you are unsure if the statement creates value, chances are the hiring manager will not be able to recognize it either, so leave it off. Be aware that there will likely be other accomplishment statements that do not bear directly on what this employer is looking for. Set these aside for now and make sure only those with direct bearing for this job are included in your résumé. Add the others only as space permits. Remember, while these may be important to you, they may not be important to the employer. You may use different accomplishment statements for different versions of your résumé. See Figure 2.6 for our example’s list of value-infused accomplishment statements.

STEP 5: FORMAT AND REFINE YOUR RÉSUMÉ

You are close to assembling the final product. Let’s spend a few moments to format and refine what you have already accomplished. Remember: feel free to use other formats. By and large, one is just as good as another. We know from experience that companies are more interested in content than they are in format. What is important is that the value you bring to a particular situation is clear and emphasized.

There are two basic types of résumés: reverse chronological and functional. Our focus is on the reverse chronological type because it is the most commonly used. It groups your work experiences in reverse chronological order—that is, from the most recent experience to your very first relevant job.

In general, functional résumés create suspicion because readers often think applicants are trying to hide something, especially long periods of unemployment. In a functional résumé, work experience is grouped according to the type of work performed. There are three types of people who should consider using a functional résumé: a person changing careers, a person returning to work after a substantial break (returning mothers), and independent consultants. A functional résumé can highlight each type of work that relates to the job description. An example of a functional résumé has been included for reference (Appendix D).

For the next few pages, we will detail the different sections of a chronological résumé and walk through the process for constructing each one. There are four basic sections of a résumé:

1. Header

2. Summary

3. Professional Experience (this is where the refinement takes place)

4. Background

FIGURE 2.6 Selected value-infused accomplishment statements.

Header

The first-page header includes:

Name

Home address

Phone number(s)

E-mail address

General guidelines for constructing a header include commonsense suggestions: do not use more than two phone numbers (home and cell) and use a professional e-mail name. Do not use something you consider funny or cute. If you need to create a temporary, separate e-mail account during your job search, do so, but be diligent in checking it.

Below is an example of a first page header and is applicable for middle- and senior-level positions. Center the header at the top of the page:

The second-page header need only be your name on the extreme left and page number on the right. Below is an example of a second-page header.

MICHELLE STREET

Page 2

Summary

The summary section includes three or four statements that describe your current and future goals. It is not a career history. It typically includes four statements broken down as follows:

STATEMENT 1—BRAND STATEMENT

Your Brand Statement describes what you are known for or what you want to be known for in your targeted industry.

Following is an example of a Brand Statement:

You should be able to tell that this résumé was submitted by someone in middle management. Now is a good time to reread the definitions and make sure you understand why.

STATEMENT 2—BACKGROUND OR EXPERIENCE STATEMENT

Your background or experience statement indicates your key areas of required experience for the target type of position.

This statement should match the key areas of business for the company or industry.

The sentence begins with, “Background includes …” or, “Key areas of experience include …”

For example:

STATEMENTS 3 AND 4—KEY ATTRIBUTE STATEMENTS

State your strengths and motivated abilities linked to typical outcomes.

Map these statements to the company’s mission statement, website, or job description.

Express a sense of your personality.

For example:

Please note we recommend the “summary” over an “objective statement” because the objective statement only tells an employer what you want to do, not what you are known for.

The following is an example of all four statements together to create the Summary section:

Professional Experience

The work you have done to this point provides an excellent foundation for the refinement that comes next. At this point, you have established your format and now you are ready to insert and further refine your accomplishment statements.

In this section, again list your professional experience in reverse chronological order with the most recent jobs or experiences first. Typically, you list all of your past experience since graduating college. However, if you have an extensive work history, you may use synopsis statements to summarize early work history along with the dates.

To begin, list all of the places you have worked. You will use the accomplishment statements from Figure 2.6. Guidelines for each component of the Professional Experience section of the résumé are listed in Figure 2.7. Once you have reviewed them, we will discuss additional tweaking that may be necessary.

RESULTS–ACTION FORMAT

We have not mentioned it before, but now is a good time to be more precise about the structure of the accomplishment statements. Each one should include a result and an action. You start the statement with the result because it is easier to write and it catches the reader’s attention. The result should be phrased in terms of typical performance criteria of the job where you realized the accomplishment.

For example, not every job impacts the business measures, but every job has performance measures. Often the performance criteria consist of meeting or exceeding a standard of performance. Meeting or exceeding that standard over an extended period of time, like years, is a major accomplishment.

The action shows the skill set you used to get things done. There are two key parts to your skill set: the ability you used and the knowledge involved. Make sure that you use plenty of verbs and that those verbs are related to your abilities. You may be able to qualify and/or quantify actions as well. As you think about the action taken, also include special conditions that may have made your accomplishments even more noticeable. For example, consider the following:

FIGURE 2.7 Guidelines for professional experiences section of your résumé.

Circumstances. Was there anything about the situation that made it difficult to get things done (limited time, short-handed, occurred during a reorganization, etc.)? This is usually expressed as a phrase. It can relate to either the results or the actions.

Complexity/Sensitivity. Were there things you worked on or actions you took that were complicated or sensitive? This will usually be expressed as a modifier word, adjective, or adverb. Examples for actions: carefully, clearly, simultaneously, frequently.

Amount of Work. Did it take a lot of work to complete the accomplishment? Pay particular attention to the skills and abilities you used to make yourself successful. This will usually be expressed as verbs in the action portion of the statement. The verbs will give your writing energy and action orientation. The more verbs you use, the more work it looks like you did—obviously within reason.

USE GOOD, BETTER, BEST

The following illustrates how to take an accomplishment statement from “good” to “better” to “best” by quantifying the results and detailing the difficulty level. Here is an example of a good accomplishment statement:

You can turn it into a better accomplishment statement by quantifying the results. Ask yourself:

What were the results?—reduced errors and faster processing

Can the errors be quantified?—errors decreased from one in twenty orders to two in a hundred orders, and the time reduced from eight to two minutes per order

Here is an example of a better accomplishment statement:

You can make it the best accomplishment statement by detailing the level of difficulty it took to produce the results. In this case, the new order-entry system had to meet certain criteria, such as:

Integrate into the enterprise software.

Process in real-time.

Offer user-friendly features.

Offer paperless results.

Complete installation within six months on a limited budget.

Additionally, this was the first time the company used a computerized, real-time program, and the project was for a high-volume department.

Here is an example of the best accomplishment statement for this example:

It will take more than a single try to develop this kind of high-quality accomplishment statement, but stay with it. In the beginning the methodology is just as important as the outcome.

Background

The final section of your résumé may contain various subsections based on your personal background. The Education subsection is required, but other subsections are included only if applicable. See Figure 2.8.

Figure 2.9 on pages 50–51 is an example of a real person’s value-infused résumé. By now you should recognize all of the statements, know where they came from, and realize why they have been used. You can do the same—and develop a résumé that will get you more interviews and job offers.

How to Prepare Senior-Level Résumés

The example used thus far has been for a middle-management position in the financial services industry. The process is the same for more senior-level positions in other industries. As a demonstration, let’s walk through selected steps for developing a value-infused résumé for the vice president of supply chain in a company in the food services industry.

FIGURE 2.8 Personal background guidelines.

FIGURE 2.9 Sample résumé.

RÉSUMÉS FOR MORE SENIOR-LEVEL POSITIONS

Review the position description and company website and put the key words into categories. Since we have the position description here in Figure 2.10, we will skip the review of industry publications, save for the mention that mergers and acquisitions (M&A) have been dominant factors in the food service industry for more than twenty years. You will also notice that the key words from the company’s website in Figure 2.11 call for growth “through internal expansion and strategic acquisition.” The ability to perform under the pressures of mergers and acquisitions is an important factor for success and value creation in this industry. Applicants must demonstrate this value throughout the application process.

Look for M&A experience in the sample résumé as we walk through the steps of our second example. Again, you’ll see that Figure 2.10 is the company’s position description and that Figure 2.11 shows key words from the company’s website.

FIGURE 2.10. Position description, vice president, supply chain.

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Vice President, Supply Chain

ABC FOOD SERVICE CORP.

This position is responsible for the development of logistic strategies that support the ABC Snacks, Sauces & Spreads division. Forging a partnership with Sales to establish and meet customer objectives while creating value for all parties is critical. Successful execution should result in the logistic function becoming a strategic advantage to our customers.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Coordinate and facilitate communications at the management level with issues performance and recommendations regarding logistics-related activities.

Develop a consolidation strategy for the division crossing all categories and products.

Develop strategies to improve and optimize freight spend and service. Implement improvement programs and track results.

Provide leadership for the daily execution of transportation activities, including inbound and outbound shipments, audit freight bills, deployment of inventory and inventory reconciliations. Support efforts to deliver key Customer Service Metrics.

Oversee the negotiations of truck/carrier and rail and outside warehousing contracts.

Represent the Division on all ABC-wide transportation initiatives.

Provide support to Sales, Marketing in rate productions, distribution recommendations, and issue resolution.

Coordinate with Procurement to manage transportation efforts for inbound materials and supplies as needed to ensure timely delivery and effective cost-management.

Provide cost and service reporting and analysis as needed and prepare annual transportation, warehousing, and administrative budgets.

Develop and implement strategies for warehouse optimization.

Develop Logistics Department Personnel.

Maintain an up-to-date understanding of current regulations and trends affecting logistics-related activities. Identify and implement changes to operations, documents, agreements, etc., to facilitate continuous improvement and adherence to legal requirements.

Other Duties and Responsibilities

Responsible for freight spend in excess of $70 million.

Responsible for warehouse spend in excess of $35 million.

Responsible for logistics network that supports over 1,100 ship-to customers, 3,000 ship-to destination points, and 120 carriers.

Support 15 manufacturing facilities.

Job Qualifications

BA or BS minimum degree: Logistics or business-related field with MBA preferred.

10-plus years’ experience in the top logistics leadership role for a business or business unit similar to the size of ABC Food Service Snacks, Sauces & Spreads.

20-plus years’ experience, including contract negotiation, carrier management, and planning.

Working knowledge of DOT regulations.

Strong management and interpersonal skills: 7 years’ direct supervisory experience.

General business background with strong analytic, financial, and facilitation skills.

Strong leadership qualities—ability to build teams and influence at all levels of the organization.

Strong project-management skills.

Superior problem-solving and decision-making skills.

Support of complex SKU structure and multiplan experience preferred.

PC proficient in Windows environment, experience with Transport Management Systems a plus.

Ability to travel (approximately 20%–30%).

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Unlike the example from the financial services industry, this position description is not divided into convenient categories. Therefore, we had to create our own: Planning & Strategy, Operations, Support, and Knowledge and Skills (K&S). There is no right or wrong set of categories, as they are created for your convenience. Feel free to come up with your own.

FIGURE 2.11 Key words from company’s website posting.

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KEY WORDS

SUPPLY CHAIN VICE PRESIDENT

ABC Food Services Corporation has proven to be not only a stable but a growing company with a management philosophy of creating shareholder value now and every day.

Growth

Through internal expansion and strategic acquisition

Leadership

Industry leader

Consistency and credibility

Market

Leading store brands (private label) and national brand strategies

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We will skip the step in which the applicant is asked to list experience in reverse chronological order, as well as the entire list of statements infused with value. Here, we will share the results of those exercises by listing the actual statements (see Figure 2.12) chosen to include in the sample résumé. Note that only a few of the value-infused key words (from the list created in Step 1) are highlighted, and only a few of the quantitative/qualitative infused words are italicized. Examine the rest of the statements and see if you can determine their source and why they are included. (This will be a good test of your overall understanding of the process of value infusion.)

The statements shown in Figure 2.12 are now inserted into the sample résumé for the Vice President position, using the same format rules as discussed previously. The results are included in the sample résumé in Figure 2.13 on pages 56–57.

People with lots of experience often feel that limiting their résumés to two pages forces them to omit accomplishments they consider important. That’s why the ranking and selection exercise is a critical component of developing your résumé. Far too many résumés are three and four pages in length—too many for busy staffing people to read in full. Lengthy résumés create the impression that you are one of those applicants who likes to ramble on, wasting other people’s valuable time.

FIGURE 2.12 Value-infused statements—senior-level position.

Therefore, you are encouraged to keep your résumé to two pages. One way to leave the door open to discuss additional accomplishments is to add the words “Selected accomplishments include …” immediately before listing your value-infused statements. We have done that here, and it gives the applicant a good opportunity to discuss these accomplishments at other times during the job-application process. But remember, value is in the eye of the beholder, and you still must focus on what is of value to your audience during later discussions.

FIGURE 2.13 Sample résumé.

Two additional documents—the handbill and the cover letter—are important as you begin the search for your next job and are discussed next. These are variations on the work you have already completed and are fairly straightforward. Again, the rules for putting these documents together are the same across most industries and levels.

The Handbill

The handbill is an alternative to the standard résumé. A handbill, also known as a networking profile, is used instead of a résumé when a job seeker is meeting with a referral one-on-one or is attending a structured networking event. It is particularly useful for networking as a great leave-behind when making important connections. It allows you to meet people without being treated like a job seeker. It is designed to guide the discussion in order to gather information about companies, industries, and careers. It also functions as a tool to obtain referrals to other contacts because it helps the networking contact quickly understand the goals of the job seeker.

A handbill includes the following information:

The same header and summary as on your résumé

Three to five accomplishment statements under a heading of “Selected Accomplishments”

A heading for “Target Industries or Targeted Organizations,” which lists generally the industries/organizations you desire

A heading for “Potential Jobs and Roles,” which describes the general roles for which you are seeking

A heading for “Preferred Environment and Culture,” which describes the type of environment you prefer (fast-paced, small business, etc.)

A heading for “Useful Contacts,” which provides categories of significant references for recommendation

Figure 2.14 is an example of a handbill for our sample middle-management position. Use the same guidelines for a senior-management position.

FIGURE 2.14 Sample handbill.

The Cover Letter

You must have a cover letter to accompany your value-created résumé when you send it out. To create this cover letter, you essentially repeat the exercises you have already completed. That is, you infuse the letter with the same value as your résumé by starting with what the hiring organization is looking for and making sure you speak to that goal in your letter.

Cover letters are composed of four paragraphs but are never more than a single page in length.

PARAGRAPH 1

The first paragraph is a series of brief sentences in which you let the reader know:

The position you are applying for

Why you are interested in the job

For example,

PARAGRAPH 2

Then, you provide another series of brief statements, in which you:

Reference your résumé and your general experience

Expand on a couple of items on your résumé that speak directly to the value the hiring organization is looking for

Remember, your résumé has been prepared in direct response to this or similar positions. You now have an opportunity to bring forward additional details about your experiences that you did not have space for in the résumé. For example,

PARAGRAPH 3

Here is an opportunity to identify any related experiences that may also qualify you for further consideration—such as public speaking, writing, research, or analytical work. For example,

PARAGRAPH 4

This paragraph is your closing statement and the action step—that is, what you want others to say, do, or think as a result of your submission. The action step is most often a request to consider you for the position and to contact you. Hence, be sure to include where and how you can be reached. For example,

Our sample cover letter is featured in Figure 2.15.

Résumés for Entry-Level Jobs

We’ve presented the basics for résumé preparation that apply to those with some job experience. But what about those of you who need an entry-level position? This section is for college students and/or recent college graduates and their parents. If you’re in this position, learning the rudiments of value creation at an early stage in your career will prove to be valuable for the rest of your working life.

FIGURE 2.15 Sample cover letter.

The rules you apply to develop an entry-level résumé are pretty much the same as for mid- and senior-level jobs. Be aware, however, that competition for entry-level positions can be greater than for more advanced jobs. That is because more people are likely to meet the less stringent qualifications and apply. Nevertheless, the value-infused résumé turns less stringent qualifications into an advantage for you. Employers understand that entry-level applicants have usually done less and they adjust their expectations accordingly. They do not expect you to have solved the world’s problems or to have saved a company millions of dollars so early in your career. They are mostly interested in your potential—things you will likely accomplish with additional experience and training.

Companies look to see if you have created value in other areas that translate well to the value they eventually look for you to create. Just as with more senior-level positions, you can determine what a company values by reading the position description, checking its website, and reading industry publications.

The most significant differences between entry-level résumés and others are mostly in length (shorter) and format. You follow Steps 1 through 3 and pick up the remaining instructions here. Briefly we provide examples of what your Steps 1 through 3 would look like, modified for entry-level work.

The comments governing selection of the best statements (Step 4) have been eliminated because it is unlikely that you will have many accomplishment statements. Just remember that not all your accomplishment statements will find their way into your résumé. In the event that selection is necessary, use the same guidelines as those for middle- and senior-level positions, given earlier.

RULE 1: IDENTIFY THE EMPLOYER’S KEY WORDS

Just as in Step 1 earlier, you locate the position description for the job in which you are interested and follow the instructions given earlier in the chapter. For the example shown in Figure 2.16, we have chosen a consulting company because it has a track record of hiring entry-level employees with a wide variety of college degrees, including social science majors.

FIGURE 2.16 Highlighted position description (entry level).

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Consultant Trainee

JOHN T. HAMILTON CONSULTING

Are you ready for what’s next in your career? At John T. Hamilton our ability to help clients solve their toughest problems and achieve their missions hinges on our people. Which is why we hire staff with great minds and a passion for making a difference, and provide them with ongoing learning opportunities, a vibrant team-based culture, a comprehensive rewards package, and the chance to make an impact for our clients, our communities, and our nation.

As a John T. Hamilton consultant you’ll work within teams that deliver results to our clients in areas such as Cyber Security, Analysis/Policy, Defense/Security Policy Analysis, Economic Business Analysis, Financial Reform, Intelligence and Operations Analysis, and Organization and Strategy.

Opportunities for talented individuals with knowledge and skills in the following disciplines—and many others—are available in several locations around the country:

Business Administration

Economics

International Relations

Political Science

And all other related majors

Basic Qualifications:

Demonstrated leadership skills

Excellent academic achievement

Experience acquired through internships or study abroad programs

Possession of excellent oral and written communication skills

We are proud of our diverse environment, EOE/M/F/D/V

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Students with minimal career direction could qualify for the entry-level job described in Figure 2.16. As a result, it will likely attract a large number of applicants. The good news is you probably have the credentials to be a good candidate. On the flip side, it will be more difficult for you to stand out. The most competition for the job will come from students who, over the course of their time in college, demonstrated excellent academic, analytical, and leadership skills. Do not allow the lack of career direction to deter you from high performance in areas employers will likely think are important once you graduate. That is one sure way to keep the doors of opportunity open. The key words that pertain to this job opening are listed in Figure 2.17. Examining these key words carefully and using them in your résumé automatically gives you a leg up in the application process.

This step allows you to focus on things that have value to employers—and that is not something your competitors are used to doing. Likewise, it helps you convert those words into a powerful application. With no career direction at all, you still can concentrate on creating value in areas that many employers say they have interest. It is a mistake to wait on career-driven inspiration to achieve excellence.

FIGURE 2.17 Key words from company’s website.

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John T. Hamilton

STATEMENT OF ORGANIZATIONAL PURPOSE AND VALUES

John T. Hamilton Consulting is a leading strategy and technology consulting firm that works with clients to deliver results that endure. Public and private organizations rely on us for our expertise, objectivity, and dedication to finding solutions and seizing opportunities.

Organization Purpose

We provide exceptional service to our clients.

Core Values

Professionalism, fairness, integrity, teamwork, corporate social responsibility

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Before listing your experiences and infusing them with value, however, you need to categorize those words, as shown in Figure 2.18. As you review what you have done over the past few years, think in terms of categories. What were your results, knowledge, and skills used and what are the values expressed? In what way, for example, did you solve tough problems, have leadership experiences, or work as a team?

One of our favorite stories from our career-management workshops deals with a recent college graduate who had omitted her experiences as a waitress for the summer at a resort in upstate New York. As she began to think about the links between the key words and her experiences, she saw her summer job as an example of a client-facing situation, not just another job as a waitress. Her accomplishment statement turned out to be that she was the highest-grossing summer waitress in the history of the resort—a nice accomplishment that demonstrated the kind of results orientation and client-service skills that a wide variety of employers look for. She got the job, worked for a couple of years, and then enrolled in a clinical psychology master’s program at the University of Chicago.

FIGURE 2.18 Key words by category, entry level.

We remind students that, at this stage of the game, it is not so much what job or degree you have as it is what you do with it. It is better to reorganize the inventory system of the local hot dog cart vendor than it is to serve coffee all summer in a prestigious law firm. Create value in whatever job you have.

RULE 2: USE THE ENTRY-LEVEL FORMAT AND INFUSE EXPERIENCES WITH VALUE

Here is where the entry-level résumé begins to diverge from ones for those with job experience. For convenience and ease of construction, list your experiences using a format appropriate for entry-level jobs, using a reverse chronology.

There can be as many as five sections to an entry-level one-page résumé:

1. Header

2. Education

3. Work Experience

4. Activities

5. Awards

As you will see, value infusion begins as you format your résumé.

Joe College
Home: 150 C Street, Churchill Downs, PA 11111
Campus: UNC 4912 Box 8793, Chapel Hill, NC 22222
(123) 456-7890 Cell (789) 045-6123 Home
[email protected]

For entry-level positions, there is no expectation that your work experience will be without gaps. Most college students will have worked summers, breaks between semesters, or intermittently during the school years, including high school. This is also a time when extracurricular activities are especially important, so be sure to list social clubs, volunteer work, and the like.

Very often, college seniors scramble to list their experiences in résumé form a few months before graduation. Most are not adept at connecting past experience with what employers are looking for; they simply haven’t had enough practice, and good instruction is hard to find. So, there are some simple but important things you can do (or advise your children to do) beginning in the freshman year, even if you have no idea at that time what your career will eventually be. Indeed, from a career perspective, this is just as important (perhaps more so) as your choice of major. It is unwise to put off career preparation simply because you are uncertain about your career direction. Yet that is the number-one mistake college students and their parents make about career management. This no doubt contributes to the large percentage of students who move back home once they finish college.

The same rules apply when listing your experiences as for middle- and senior-level positions, but the emphasis is slightly different. Advanced positions require the application of skills and activities that are closely related to what is required for the job. Instead, entry-level positions involve demonstration of generic skills. Companies do not expect you to have worked for a consulting firm, but they do look for ways you have demonstrated leadership, problem-solving, or communications skills. When you infuse your generic experiences with value, you demonstrate an understanding of what the company values.

In the entry-level résumé, educational attainment is moved up on the page because the college degree is still the ticket for most white-collar jobs and it will be your most significant attainment to date. Companies want early confirmation that applicants have the minimum qualifications. Figure 2.19 is such a résumé. Notice that we have separated the GPA in the major from the cumulative GPA. This is especially important when the major GPA is higher. Similarly, the “relevant course” listed in the résumé ties into the requirements for the position. If you look carefully, you will see other aspects of the résumé that relate to key words identified in the position description and from the website.

FIGURE 2.19 Sample résumé (entry level).

Let’s Go Find a Different Job

Congratulations. You understand the steps to take in creating a great value-infused résumé for any level of job appropriate to your interest and background. In the process, you learned a great deal about value creation—a way of thinking that applies across the entire spectrum of career management and job search. However, some of you may be hesitant because along with looking for that next job you are also interested in changing careers. You wonder whether what you have accomplished has relevancy to a new type of position or a position in a new field or industry.

If you are considering a career change, you will probably need to develop a functional, rather than chronological, résumé. Appendix D is a sample of such a résumé format. The same principles apply, however. That is, you need to infuse your résumé with value. That can be a particular problem for a career changer because you must convince those responsible for hiring that you are more worthy than competitors whose credentials fit the position more closely.

The idea that you bring more to the table than other applicants may require a leap of faith few companies are willing to make. Your chances are improved, however, by demonstrating that the value you created in other positions effectively translates to the value someone wants you to create now. This has been done with great effectiveness by many others, but it requires planning and a careful presentation of your credentials. You cannot expect that companies will help you change careers simply because you want to. You need to convince them you are the right person for the job.

MAKING A RADICAL CHANGE

What if what you have done does not translate well to what you now want to do? If you cannot make the case to be hired over all others based on previous work, don’t expect the company to make it for you. The gap between the value you have created in the past and what you want to create now has to be filled in other ways—perhaps through pro-bono work and/or additional education. For example, if a position requires project-management experience, look to working in a volunteer capacity through your social/religious affiliations, other social volunteer groups, or temp work. Once you have that experience, the link can be more obvious.

There are a number of situations in which outsiders—those without the requisite experience—are brought in to shake things up. It happened fairly often in the financial services and medical professions in the 1990s and is still happening today. For example, at one time bank employees never thought of what they did as sales. Loans were thought to be granted on the basis of personal character and asset strength; bankers were more order takers than business developers. When deregulation arrived, banks wanted people who knew how to sell their financial products.

Should I Consider a Résumé-Writing Service?

We put this question at the end because you now know about value creation and its application to writing a résumé. Finding help writing a résumé is easy—just do an Internet search on “résumé-writing services” and you’ll get a long list of people and organizations. You will discover at least three professional associations, all of whom have quality assurance certifications: the Professional Association of Résumé Writers and Career Counselors (PARWCC), the National Résumé Writers Association (NRWA), and Career Directors International (CDI). Hundreds of other individuals in the business have no affiliation.

Here is the bottom line: Too many job seekers cannot distinguish between a résumé that looks good and one that has strong customized content. The exercises included here provide you with the skills to produce both.

Furthermore, the basics of preparing a good résumé are just the first step in remaining relevant in a volatile job market. The base you build here will help you network, interview, negotiate, and make career choices with purpose and direction. You read earlier that value creation is more than a résumé-writing exercise. Mastering the basics puts you in control of your own career-management process.

When you use a résumé-writing service, the real guarantee is that you will get a “good-looking” document. But you will not have learned how to make the necessary adjustments to apply for other jobs in your areas of expertise. You need to know the difference between a good-looking document (i.e., one that looks nice on paper) and one that is finely tuned to address the value employers need you to create. Further, the skills you develop when you do it yourself are tremendously useful throughout the balance of the job-search and career-management process. The service, if any, you might consider is one that helps you format and wordsmith your résumé rather than one that writes it for you.

The next step in any job search is to begin the application process. That process also has been mightily affected by the new rules. The next chapter will help you understand today’s job market by drawing attention to some persistent myths; identifying the tools you need to move forward; and giving you a hands-on introduction to social networking—one of the most powerful job-search methods of our time.