Advice from the Hiring Manager: "Why I don't call" Part II

Here's part II of the email exchange with the Hiring Manager. I hope it helps!

Hiring Manager: KISS – Keep It Simple Stupid! 

“I see resumes with all sorts of official-looking acronyms, lists of some that are longer than the persons name. There are also long lists of memberships and associations. Interestingly, some use these as substitutes for licensure. I have no idea how someone can be involved in so many extracurricular activities and not have it affect their full-time commitment to a firm or their family. There might be a place for all this is academia but, not for the type of person we seek. KISS. If you are going to list anything be sure it is related to what you do, who you are, and what you can do for us.” 

My advice: Learn to Re-weight your resume

Be selective – re-weight (customize/keyword optimize) EACH AND EVERY resume you send out for the specific opportunity/job you are applying for. Not everything you have ever done goes on your resume, from job experience to activities to memberships and affiliations. It may be wonderful that you were the captain of your college softball team 12 years ago, but really, what does that have to do with today? I also recommend leaving off anything older than 10 years, unless your profession is based in science or academia, and you are using a CV. Only include things that are germane to the position, industry, and firm. 

Hiring Manager: Inappropriate correspondence from the candidate

 “One guy sent me a email filled with detailed questions he wanted answered before he would send his resume. I thought it usually worked the other way around. If we liked what you wrote, we would invite you in and ask you the questions first. This is not the type of person in which we are interested. Besides, a quick search on Linked In found him to have been sitting behind a desk for the past ten or fifteen years.” 

My advice: Do your research BEFORE your contact the potential employer!

Hiring managers are busy, busy, much interrupted people and you have approximately 15-30 seconds to impress them on paper. Use your correspondence with them to emphasize how your experience relates to filling their needs. If you need info on the company and the position, use social media sites: Linked In, Facebook and Twitter. Hiring managers use SM to find out info about you! Most firms have LI Profiles, FB Fan Pages and official Twitter accounts. Use these free (mostly) and abundant resources to gather info, find connections, or get introduced to someone with that info. Also use Google, Hoovers and Glassdoor for company info. 

Hiring Manager: Highlight challenges 

“There is one thing I want to add. Many candidates have been locked-in or pigeon-holed in one narrow function or building type for years and years. They should downplay this and highlight the many diverse challenges and tasks they accomplished. No one wants to hear you put square peg A into square hole day after day for the last ten years. Challenging as this may be, it is important that person expand on their abilities.” 

My advice: Expand your horizons

Look at all of the types of projects and work you have done, even if it was an independent project, and if it's relevant, include it on your resume and project list. Also, try to gain a variety of experience as you go through your career. Certain careers require specializing, like medicine. Other careers thrive on diversity, such as Architecture. Keep learning, take continuing education classes, and volunteer for projects outside of your expertise. 

It is always beneficial to get advice from the other side of the chair. Thanks to the Hiring Manager for letting me use his insightful emails for this blog post. If you have questions about anything, please send them to coachkristi@kristienigl.com. 

About the Author: Kristi Enigl (www.kristienigl.com) is a career consultant with an extensive background in Human Resources, recruiting, and hiring across a broad spectrum of industries. As a public speaker, she leads career seminars, and has conducted workshops for Southern California Institute of Architecture, USC, and the American Institute of Architects. Ms. Enigl also provides career consulting to individual clients worldwide, helping them reach their goals through personal branding, social media and networking. Kristi is an expert resume writer and interview coach. For a complimentary consultation, email her at coachkristi@kristienigl.com.