Do you have the background/skill set you present...or DO YOU HVE A BS IN B.S.?
The summer is rapidly coming to a close... Fantasy Football is on the minds of many...The Yankees are comfortably in FIRST PLACE...and the dismal job market is beginning to show signs of life!
Historically, the job market lags behind the "general economy" by 6-12 months. So...this means that despite the stock market stabilizing & all the experts/analysts claiming "the recession is over!" - we will likely not see much hiring that will make a dent in unemployment until well into 2010.
In this market...desperation makes people BEND THE TRUTH in order to secure an opportunity more than ever. This is evident in the number of people applying for positions so far outside their educational/professional background - it is scary.
The other side of the equation is those candidates who have superior interpersonal skills/writing talent. These folks understand that employers are VERY STRINGENT in their screening process and will rule out candidates that do not match nearly 100% of the requirements for their open position. It is one thing to tailor your resume to address/highlight those skills/accomplishments that speak to the specific needs of the employer...and a completely different thing to take CREATIVE LIBERTY with your resume by fabricating experience/skills in order to get the interview/job!
I have seen a tremendous increase in the number of people I am interviewing who claim to have expertise they do not have. Most of the time...this involves an innocent STRETCHING OF THE TRUTH - (for example - listing something you have done once as a significant part of your previous job description because the job/jobs they are applying for require more experience than they have). However, this new breed of FICTIONAL RESUME WRITERS has taken the game to a new level. Let me say...I UNDERSTAND THE MOTIVATION. However, expertise is something that is tough to bluff. If it is not smoked out by me as a recruiter - certainly the hiring managers will see through the BS.
If you need to answer a simple question by giving a long winded speech - looking to OVER EMPHASIZE bits of experience or terminology you feel are relevant - this will backfire! I have come to refer to these folks as having a BS in B.S.!!!
It is much more productive to understand what your core set of skills are...and how they may translate to the company, industry, or job you are applying for. Most people don't know how to effectively distinguish them from the competition. This is even true for those people who have made a career of MARKETING. Very often...the toughest product to market is YOU!
Look for logical transitions to make...if you have been a Project Manager...many of the same skills are needed to be successful in TRAFFIC. If you have worked in an AGENCY - then research similar roles on the CLIENT SIDE. Software is very simple...either you know it or you don't. Software skills can be improved/acquired. If you are looking for a position in marketing...chances are you need to be proficient in WORD, EXCEL & POWERPOINT. If you are not as skilled in one...NOW IS THE TIME TO BEEF UP YOUR SKILLS. Take tutorial programs - use the software to do personal work or make it fun by learning to create spreadsheets for all the music you own.
There is a major difference between being CREATIVE & RESOURCEFUL...and just straight up BULLSHITTING. Credibility is of paramount importance. Sometimes...being a FAST LEARNER IS NOT ENOUGH...but being transparent to the people you are interviewing with is much important in the long run.
So...in closing...STICK TO WHAT YOU KNOW...UNDERSTAND WHAT SETS YOU APART FROM OTHERS...BE HONEST...LOOK TO IMPROVE SKILLS YOU ARE LACKING.
We are all hopeful that these SIGNS OF LIFE grow into a JOB MARKET RECOVERY. The reality is that this will be a slow process with the likelihood of any substantial hiring happening before APRIL/MAY of 2010...SLIM.
NETWORK - NETWORK - NETWORK - and constantly put yourself in a position to share your story with someone who may be in a position to make an introduction. Sending your resume to a website career section...along with 1,500 others that same day...AIN'T ENOUGH.
BE CREATIVE - research companies - find peoples names/titles - send a personal note asking for an exploratory or some advice about the best manner to introduce yourself.
HANG TOUGH!
" I'M NOT CONCEITED...JUST CONFIDENT" - High School Yearbook Quote by a cocky young guy I know very well
Historically, the job market lags behind the "general economy" by 6-12 months. So...this means that despite the stock market stabilizing & all the experts/analysts claiming "the recession is over!" - we will likely not see much hiring that will make a dent in unemployment until well into 2010.
In this market...desperation makes people BEND THE TRUTH in order to secure an opportunity more than ever. This is evident in the number of people applying for positions so far outside their educational/professional background - it is scary.
The other side of the equation is those candidates who have superior interpersonal skills/writing talent. These folks understand that employers are VERY STRINGENT in their screening process and will rule out candidates that do not match nearly 100% of the requirements for their open position. It is one thing to tailor your resume to address/highlight those skills/accomplishments that speak to the specific needs of the employer...and a completely different thing to take CREATIVE LIBERTY with your resume by fabricating experience/skills in order to get the interview/job!
I have seen a tremendous increase in the number of people I am interviewing who claim to have expertise they do not have. Most of the time...this involves an innocent STRETCHING OF THE TRUTH - (for example - listing something you have done once as a significant part of your previous job description because the job/jobs they are applying for require more experience than they have). However, this new breed of FICTIONAL RESUME WRITERS has taken the game to a new level. Let me say...I UNDERSTAND THE MOTIVATION. However, expertise is something that is tough to bluff. If it is not smoked out by me as a recruiter - certainly the hiring managers will see through the BS.
If you need to answer a simple question by giving a long winded speech - looking to OVER EMPHASIZE bits of experience or terminology you feel are relevant - this will backfire! I have come to refer to these folks as having a BS in B.S.!!!
It is much more productive to understand what your core set of skills are...and how they may translate to the company, industry, or job you are applying for. Most people don't know how to effectively distinguish them from the competition. This is even true for those people who have made a career of MARKETING. Very often...the toughest product to market is YOU!
Look for logical transitions to make...if you have been a Project Manager...many of the same skills are needed to be successful in TRAFFIC. If you have worked in an AGENCY - then research similar roles on the CLIENT SIDE. Software is very simple...either you know it or you don't. Software skills can be improved/acquired. If you are looking for a position in marketing...chances are you need to be proficient in WORD, EXCEL & POWERPOINT. If you are not as skilled in one...NOW IS THE TIME TO BEEF UP YOUR SKILLS. Take tutorial programs - use the software to do personal work or make it fun by learning to create spreadsheets for all the music you own.
There is a major difference between being CREATIVE & RESOURCEFUL...and just straight up BULLSHITTING. Credibility is of paramount importance. Sometimes...being a FAST LEARNER IS NOT ENOUGH...but being transparent to the people you are interviewing with is much important in the long run.
So...in closing...STICK TO WHAT YOU KNOW...UNDERSTAND WHAT SETS YOU APART FROM OTHERS...BE HONEST...LOOK TO IMPROVE SKILLS YOU ARE LACKING.
We are all hopeful that these SIGNS OF LIFE grow into a JOB MARKET RECOVERY. The reality is that this will be a slow process with the likelihood of any substantial hiring happening before APRIL/MAY of 2010...SLIM.
NETWORK - NETWORK - NETWORK - and constantly put yourself in a position to share your story with someone who may be in a position to make an introduction. Sending your resume to a website career section...along with 1,500 others that same day...AIN'T ENOUGH.
BE CREATIVE - research companies - find peoples names/titles - send a personal note asking for an exploratory or some advice about the best manner to introduce yourself.
HANG TOUGH!
" I'M NOT CONCEITED...JUST CONFIDENT" - High School Yearbook Quote by a cocky young guy I know very well
