Are we ready to get to the “R” in my 5 step CHART framework?
It doesn’t stand for “Resume.”
I’m sorry to disappoint you. I’m just not all that interested in resumes. Or cover letters for that matter.
Don’t get me wrong. I look at a lot of resumes, and when the situation calls for it I can jazz up a bullet point with metrics and action verbs like nobody’s business. If pushed, I’ll share my point of view on formatting and font and what belongs in the Interests section.
I think it’s useful to think about having a ‘good enough’ resume — a well-written, up-to-date document that won’t need a major overhaul if a wonderful opportunity shows up unexpectedly. Having that on hand is helpful.
But sometimes you won’t need a resume at all. Other times it will be a formality; a leave-behind that gets sent to HR after the important decisions get made.
A resume is just one method of the “R” step. In my way of thinking, “R” stands for “Reach” — and it’s about reaching the Right person with the Right message.
In other words, “R” is how you get the message to the decision-maker, so they conclude that you’re the right person to help them solve the problem they have.
What does a decision-maker need to believe about you? In my experience, opportunities go to people who’ve persuaded the person who makes the decision of 3 things.
1). They need to believe that you are motivated by the work, and that you’ll stay for a while. That you WANT the job.
2). They need to believe that you’ll be able to make real contributions — that you can DO the job.
And
3). They need to believe that you’ll be great to work with. You’ll be cheerful, flexible, proactive — but not a loose cannon. You’ll get along with the others in the organization. Integrating you will go quickly. Having you around will lighten the load for everyone. (We’ve all met capable people who are nonetheless unpleasant to have on the team — and nobody wants that.)
Your messaging, whether it’s on LinkedIn or in a formal interview or in application materials, will be aimed at communicating these three distinct points.
The more you know about who will be evaluating you, and what they care about, the better prepared you can be to think about both the content of your message and the choices and modalities you have to deliver it.
And oh, gee whiz. You just did all that research in the “A” step.
You’ve gotten to know people in the industry. People who do jobs you’re interested in. People who evaluate those who do that kind of work. You’ve asked them thoughtful questions, and you’ve learned a lot. Some of them are now part of your support team; they enjoyed talking to you and they’re interested in what you’ll do next. You have a treasure-trove of information — and even some of the words and phrases that decision-makers are likely to respond to.
It’s silly to spend hours and hours on a resume before you know who the decision-maker is, and what they care most about.
And when you’ve done the work of listening, thinking, and translating what people in a field or organization or industry need, and how it connects to what you love to do, the project of articulating that message gets easier. When it’s time to tailor your ‘good enough’ resume for a particular opportunity, you’ll know just what to emphasize.
(This is when AI can be a great thought partner and first-draft writer. But you need sharp thinking about your key points and your target audience before you bring the robots in to help you tell your story.)
