Revive your resume - interview with Jennifer Macias
Jennifer Macias just started a resume writing business after working as a recruiter for 20+ years. We have conducted a short interview with her about the importance of a well-written resume.
Having been a successful recruiter for 20+ years, what do you look for in a quality resume to help potential candidates get through the door?
Writing a quality resume is both an art and a science. It’s imperative that you have a good understanding of the type of career opportunity you are seeking and how that opportunity meshes with your competencies, experience and goals. The best written resumes are a snapshot of the most relevant skills for the position(s) you are applying to. They highlight your accomplishments (rather than just your “job description”) and artistically convey the unique qualities that you would bring to the table.
What sense does it make to have a well-written resume in today's context (ie Digital era)?
This is a great question. I started recruiting prior to the rise of the internet with literally a pad of paper, a phonebook and a corded phone. Now that those days are long gone, I truly believe the rise of the digital era creates an even bigger dilemma for job seekers. 20 years ago, you’d drop off a resume in person and talk with a recruiter immediately. Now, you have approximately 6 seconds to make a great first impression via an electronic resume or CV. This is why having the most relevant information in your “snapshot” is so critical to opening the door for an interview.
What kind of services do you provide that makes you different from your competitors?
There are a lot of resume writing companies out there. The prices vary, the process varies but nothing takes the place of “real world” experience. If you do your research, you will find that many of the companies on the market today are using cookie cutter templates and throwing in some key words here and there. This “high volume, quick turnaround” process does not take into consideration the unique skills that you have to offer or produce a fully-customized unique resume that gets results.
Each of my resume packages includes a personal one on one phone consultation (vs. a written ‘standard’ questionnaire) where I can get to know you – your skills, experience and career goals – so that I can best relay those attributes into a profile that will get the attention of key decision makers.
After reviewing 10’s of 1000’s of resumes over the course of my 20+ year recruiting career, I know what it takes to get you noticed.
If you could only choose one, what do you believe is the single most important element that in a resume and why?
One of the biggest mistakes I’ve seen in resumes during my career is something I like to call the “regurgitation” effect. I’m looking for a new job…let me pull up my current job description and copy and paste (aka ‘regurgitate’) that information into my resume. Sadly, 100’s of other people have that same job description and nothing about you stands out. So you wait, and wait and never hear anything.
A good quality resume focuses on your accomplishments, competencies and skillset - Not your everyday job description.
What are your views about one-minute Video Resume in addition to a written resume?
While I certainly think this is a cool concept, with the exception of very cutting-edge or technology based companies, the majority of the employment world isn’t quite ready for this just yet.
Ask me in another year.:)
My Contact Information:
Jen Macias
Owner – Revive Your Resume
jen@reviveyourresume.com
Twitter: @jenmacias
