The document discusses secrets about resumes that may surprise readers. It begins by defining a resume not as a summary of one's skills and experience, but as a vehicle that shows how the applicant matches what the reader is looking for in filling a particular role. Several "secrets" are then outlined, including that no one will fully read a resume; a resume will be used to reject rather than hire a candidate; and that the smallest error could undermine the resume. The document stresses focusing the resume on clearly showing how the applicant meets the anticipated needs of the reader in the first few pages.

1. Resume SecretsResume Secrets
That Might Surprise YouThat Might Surprise You
Jack MolisaniJack Molisani
ProSpring Technical StaffingProSpring Technical Staffing
The LavaCon ConferenceThe LavaCon Conference
@JackMolisani@JackMolisani

2. About the SpeakerAbout the Speaker
• President, ProSpring Technical StaffingPresident, ProSpring Technical Staffing
• Executive Director, The LavaCon Conference onExecutive Director, The LavaCon Conference on
Content Strategy and User ExperienceContent Strategy and User Experience
• Author,Author, Be The Captain of Your Career:Be The Captain of Your Career:
A New Approach to Career Planning andA New Approach to Career Planning and
AdvancementAdvancement

3. Ground Rules and WarningsGround Rules and Warnings
• These are just my opinions, observationsThese are just my opinions, observations
I’ve made over years of recruiting.I’ve made over years of recruiting.
• What’s true for one person may not be trueWhat’s true for one person may not be true
for another (or what works in one situationfor another (or what works in one situation
may not work in another).may not work in another).
• So use what worksSo use what works,, ignore what doesn’t.ignore what doesn’t.
• ArtistsArtists

4. OverviewOverview
• In this session we will coverIn this session we will cover
– Some cold, brutal secrets about resumes,Some cold, brutal secrets about resumes,
interviews and job hunting (and how to useinterviews and job hunting (and how to use
them to your advantage)them to your advantage)
– Something old, something new, somethingSomething old, something new, something
borrowed and something blueborrowed and something blue
– Five steps to financial stress reductionFive steps to financial stress reduction

5. What is a Resume?What is a Resume?
• A resume is a written statement of yourA resume is a written statement of your
educational and work experience, used esp.educational and work experience, used esp.
when you are trying to get a new jobwhen you are trying to get a new job (Cambridge)(Cambridge)
• A resume is an account of one’s employmentA resume is an account of one’s employment
history and qualifications (often forhistory and qualifications (often for
presentation to a potential future employerpresentation to a potential future employer
when applying for a job)when applying for a job) (Wiktionary.com)(Wiktionary.com)
• Both definitions are wrongBoth definitions are wrong

6. • A resume isA resume is notnot a summary of your skills anda summary of your skills and
professional experienceprofessional experience
• A resume is also not:A resume is also not:
– A capabilities overviewA capabilities overview
– Your life’s story condensed into a few pagesYour life’s story condensed into a few pages
What is a Resume?What is a Resume?

7. What is a Resume?What is a Resume?
• So if your resume is not a summary of whatSo if your resume is not a summary of what
youyou havehave done, and not a summary of whatdone, and not a summary of what
youyou cancan do, then what is a resume?do, then what is a resume?
A resume is a vehicle that showsA resume is a vehicle that shows
whether or not you match what thewhether or not you match what the
reader is looking for.reader is looking for.
• And that’sAnd that’s allall it is.it is.

8. What is a Resume?What is a Resume?
• That may be a controversial definition,That may be a controversial definition,
but is it abut is it a goodgood definition?definition?
• How can you tell if a definition is good?How can you tell if a definition is good?
– If you getIf you get moremore interviews as a result of using it,interviews as a result of using it,
it is a good definition—keep it.it is a good definition—keep it.
– If you getIf you get fewerfewer interviews as a result of using it,interviews as a result of using it,
it’s not a good definition—discard or change it.it’s not a good definition—discard or change it.

9. What is a Resume?What is a Resume?
• Consider this: There are only two situationsConsider this: There are only two situations
where someone would be reading yourwhere someone would be reading your
resume:resume:
– You sent it to them (solicited or unsolicited)You sent it to them (solicited or unsolicited)
– They found it somewhere (in their resumeThey found it somewhere (in their resume
database, on a job board, etc.)database, on a job board, etc.)

10. What is a Resume?What is a Resume?
• You may have sent your resume to someone inYou may have sent your resume to someone in
response to a particular job posting.response to a particular job posting.
• You may have sent your resume to a companyYou may have sent your resume to a company
at which you’d like to work, with no particularat which you’d like to work, with no particular
job in mind at the time.job in mind at the time.
• You may have even posted your resume inYou may have even posted your resume in
hundreds of places in the hopes that someonehundreds of places in the hopes that someone
would find you.would find you.

11. What is a Resume?What is a Resume?
• However, why youHowever, why you sentsent your resume doesn’tyour resume doesn’t
matter.matter.
• What matters is why someone isWhat matters is why someone is readingreading it.it.
• Why would someone be reading your resume?Why would someone be reading your resume?
• To see whether or not you match what he/sheTo see whether or not you match what he/she
is looking for!is looking for!

12. Resume Secret #1Resume Secret #1
• Why youWhy you sentsent your resume doesn’t matter.your resume doesn’t matter.
• What matters is why someone isWhat matters is why someone is readingreading itit
• To see whether or not you match what he/sheTo see whether or not you match what he/she
is looking foris looking for

13. • What the reader is looking for may be:What the reader is looking for may be:
– Industry experienceIndustry experience
– Tools and technologyTools and technology
– Education or domain knowledgeEducation or domain knowledge
– Something else entirelySomething else entirely
• You may not know what exactly they areYou may not know what exactly they are
looking for, but youlooking for, but you dodo know that whoeverknow that whoever
is reading your resume is doing so to see ifis reading your resume is doing so to see if
you have what they need.you have what they need.
What is a Resume?What is a Resume?

14. Q: What’s wrong with the following?Q: What’s wrong with the following?
A resume isA resume is a short account of one's careera short account of one's career
and qualifications prepared typically by anand qualifications prepared typically by an
applicant for a position (Webster)applicant for a position (Webster)
A: Webster’s definition doesn’t take into accountA: Webster’s definition doesn’t take into account
that the reader isthat the reader is looking for somethinglooking for something andand
is judging whether or not the applicantis judging whether or not the applicant hashas it.it.
What is a Resume?What is a Resume?

15. • But combine Webster’s definition with myBut combine Webster’s definition with my
definition and you get:definition and you get:
A resume isA resume is a short account of one's careera short account of one's career
and qualifications prepared typically by an applicantand qualifications prepared typically by an applicant
for a position, that shows how the applicantfor a position, that shows how the applicant
matches what the reader is looking for.matches what the reader is looking for.
• ThatThat is a workable definition (something new!)is a workable definition (something new!)
What is a Resume?What is a Resume?

16. • If youIf you knowknow a resume is a vehicle thata resume is a vehicle that
shows how you match what the reader isshows how you match what the reader is
looking forlooking for,, then you can take proactivethen you can take proactive
steps to help the readersteps to help the reader findfind what he/she iswhat he/she is
looking for…looking for…
• ……and thus increase the number ofand thus increase the number of
interviews you receive.interviews you receive.
What is a Resume?What is a Resume?

17. Resume Secret #2Resume Secret #2
• The most commonly held beliefs aboutThe most commonly held beliefs about
resumes are incomplete and do not focus onresumes are incomplete and do not focus on
what you canwhat you can dodo to increase your chances atto increase your chances at
receiving an interview.receiving an interview.
• Let’s look at some more secrets that mayLet’s look at some more secrets that may
surprise you.surprise you.

18. Resume Secret #3Resume Secret #3
• No one will ever read your resume.No one will ever read your resume.
• People may scan it, readPeople may scan it, read partsparts of it, search forof it, search for
keywords in it. But nobody is going to readkeywords in it. But nobody is going to read
your resume from beginning to end and weepyour resume from beginning to end and weep
at the sheer beauty and insight of yourat the sheer beauty and insight of your
writing, your creative spelling and yourwriting, your creative spelling and your
mastery of the English language.mastery of the English language.
• We just don’t have the time.We just don’t have the time.

19. Resume Secret #4Resume Secret #4
• You will never be hired based on yourYou will never be hired based on your
resume.resume.
• You will beYou will be rejectedrejected based on your resume,based on your resume,
weeded out based on your resume, evenweeded out based on your resume, even
mocked and scorned based on your resume.mocked and scorned based on your resume.
(something blue, oi!)(something blue, oi!)
• And if youAnd if you dodo get an interview, it won’t beget an interview, it won’t be
because someone liked your resume—because someone liked your resume—
it’ll be because you weren’t rejected yet.it’ll be because you weren’t rejected yet.

20. Resume Secret 4.1Resume Secret 4.1
• The longer your resume, the greater theThe longer your resume, the greater the
chance that you’ll be rejected.chance that you’ll be rejected.
• If you are going to err, err on the side ofIf you are going to err, err on the side of
brevity. (Save the details for the interview.)brevity. (Save the details for the interview.)
• Per Resume Secret 4, people will use yourPer Resume Secret 4, people will use your
resume to reject you, so give them as littleresume to reject you, so give them as little
ammunition as possible!ammunition as possible!

21. Resume Secret #5Resume Secret #5
• You are writing for Short Attention SpanYou are writing for Short Attention Span
Theater (SAST)Theater (SAST) (borrowed from Bonni Graham)(borrowed from Bonni Graham)
• This takes Resume Secret #3 to a wholeThis takes Resume Secret #3 to a whole
new level: Not only will people not readnew level: Not only will people not read
your entire resume, they probably won’tyour entire resume, they probably won’t
even read entireeven read entire paragraphsparagraphs. Or lists with. Or lists with
more than three items. Or….more than three items. Or….

22. Resume Secret #6Resume Secret #6
• You can haveYou can have everythingeverything a company isa company is
looking for and still not get an interview.looking for and still not get an interview.
• Why? Resume Secrets 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5.Why? Resume Secrets 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5.
• Example: A company called us once whoExample: A company called us once who
needed a technical writer in Houston withneeded a technical writer in Houston with
patent application writing experience.patent application writing experience.
• We found someone and submitted him…We found someone and submitted him…

23. Resume Secret #6 (continued)Resume Secret #6 (continued)
• and the hiring manager promptly rejected theand the hiring manager promptly rejected the
candidate saying, “He doesn’t have patentcandidate saying, “He doesn’t have patent
writing experience.” (???)writing experience.” (???)
• The candidateThe candidate diddid have patent writinghave patent writing
experience, but it didn’t appear in his resumeexperience, but it didn’t appear in his resume
until the middle of a bulleted list half wayuntil the middle of a bulleted list half way
down the second page.down the second page.
• The manager just didn’t read that far.The manager just didn’t read that far.

24. Resume Secret #6 (continued)Resume Secret #6 (continued)
• What should that patent writer have done to getWhat should that patent writer have done to get
around resume secrets 1–5 and avoid resumearound resume secrets 1–5 and avoid resume
secret 6?secret 6?
– Put what the reader was looking for (patent writingPut what the reader was looking for (patent writing
experience) near the top of his resumeexperience) near the top of his resume
– He had in his resume: “Summary: ExperienceHe had in his resume: “Summary: Experience
writing user manuals, policies and procedures,…”writing user manuals, policies and procedures,…”
– HeHe shouldshould have had, “Summary: Experience writinghave had, “Summary: Experience writing
patent applications, user manuals,…”patent applications, user manuals,…”

25. Resume Secret #7Resume Secret #7
• Recruiters automatically assume you areRecruiters automatically assume you are notnot
qualified for the job for which you are applying.qualified for the job for which you are applying.
• We receiveWe receive soooosoooo many more applicants whomany more applicants who
are not qualified vs. those who are, that we justare not qualified vs. those who are, that we just
assume you are one of the not-qualed onesassume you are one of the not-qualed ones
until you prove otherwise.until you prove otherwise.

26. Resume Secret #7 (continued)Resume Secret #7 (continued)
• This is yet another reason why the very firstThis is yet another reason why the very first
page of your resumepage of your resume mustmust show you haveshow you have
what the reader is looking for.what the reader is looking for.
• If we don’t see what we’re looking for on theIf we don’t see what we’re looking for on the
first page, it “confirms” our assumption thatfirst page, it “confirms” our assumption that
you are not qualified and we stop reading.you are not qualified and we stop reading.

27. Resume Secret #8Resume Secret #8
• The smallest typo or formatting error can scuttleThe smallest typo or formatting error can scuttle
your chances of getting an interview.your chances of getting an interview. (something old)(something old)
• I used to say, “Engineers can get away with typos inI used to say, “Engineers can get away with typos in
their resumes, but technical writers cannot,” but I don’ttheir resumes, but technical writers cannot,” but I don’t
believe that’s true anymore.believe that’s true anymore.
• An engineering manager once said about aAn engineering manager once said about a
programmer with typos in her resume, “If she can’tprogrammer with typos in her resume, “If she can’t
write two pages of error-free resume, how can I expectwrite two pages of error-free resume, how can I expect
her to write 10,000 lines of error-free code?”her to write 10,000 lines of error-free code?”

28. On the Positive SideOn the Positive Side
• Now that we’ve examined whatNow that we’ve examined what notnot to do,to do,
let’s summarize whatlet’s summarize what toto do:do:
– Find out what the hiring manager is looking for (whenFind out what the hiring manager is looking for (when
possible) and include that information in your resume.possible) and include that information in your resume.
– Make sure that information in your resume isMake sure that information in your resume is easy to findeasy to find..
– Be brief, but clear. Write for short attention span theater.Be brief, but clear. Write for short attention span theater.
– Don’t give people ammunition with which to reject you.Don’t give people ammunition with which to reject you.
– Make sure what you did appears early in your resume.Make sure what you did appears early in your resume.
– Have ZERO DEFECTS in your resume.Have ZERO DEFECTS in your resume.

29. Recommended ReadingRecommended Reading