My Challenge for You...

I recently made a decision to pursue a new opportunity.  I want to share my story to, perhaps, inspire you to challenge yourself to take chances and to never stop taking chances.

As a recruiter, I always tell candidates that I headhunt, "It's just conversation until an offer is in your hands. It's always good to see what's out there."  When the time came when someone headhunted ME, I was not a hypocrite.  I took the call, and I listened.  I answered genuinely.  I am honest when I say that I actually got very nervous because I had the chance to interview with many of the C-level execs with whom I'd be working very closely with - something that has yet to happen to me in my career.

Don't get me wrong.  I was not looking for a new position.  I loved the company I was working for.  I loved my team, and my manager.  In fact, I had never worked for a better company, team, or manager EVER in my career.

Why did I take the call?

Because I don't like the feeling of regret.  How would I know this new company wasn't the perfect chance for me to showcase my skills?  The simple answer is: I wouldn't.  Not unless I took the time to learn about it.

Just as much as they were interviewing me for the role, I was interviewing them for a personal fit.  I'm a firm believer that culture drives a company.  I have been in situations where I "dulled" my personality to fit the culture of the company I was interviewing at, for those interviewers who would never get my humor or my personality.  The outcome of that was dismal.  I did not enjoy my time there, and that was no one's fault but my own.  It wasn't a fit for me.

So, in this interview process, I was myself.  I asked about things that were important to me.  I joked around with them to see how well I'd be able to work with them.  How much were they engaging with me, and me with them?  In the end, I realized it was a good fit all around - job duties, growth, culture, opportunity.

This new venture will be a different one for me.  This new company is a start-up.  I will be one of two recruiters during this company's hypergrowth mode.  I will be staffing this amazing start-up with some of the best talent out there.  Where before I was following policies and procedures already set in place before me, I now will be helping to develop these policies and procedures for those following me.  It's exciting, nerve wrecking, and motivating all at the same time.

My challenge for you is to never close any doors because you never know when opportunity will come knocking (cliche much?).  Any decision you make today will help develop you for tomorrow.

Things to take away:

• Network.  Always.  And never stop.  
• Answer recruiters' emails, every time, even if it is just to tell them you are not interested.
• Be yourself.  I find that so many people try to be someone else come interview time.  I get why you do that.  But don't.  You are who you are, and many companies will hire for culture fit.  And if it isn't the right culture for YOU, in the long run, you probably won't be happy.
• Take chances.  Put yourself out there, and do not fear being rejected.  Each "no" is one step closer to the "yes".
• Be honest.  With yourself and with anyone you talk to.  Talk about your dreams and your desires, your strengths and your weaknesses.  Don't ever be afraid to confront your weaknesses to make them your strengths.

In the words of James Altucher, "Choose yourself."

Your Resume: The Basics

Ok.

So you've finally decided to get off your butt and look for your dream job.  Whether you are a "freshie" (coming right out of school) or just someone who has been off the job market for 5, 6, 7, 15 years, the following rules will always apply.

• Make it readable.  6 point font is not okay!  After reading thousands and thousands of resumes, our eyes just aren't what they used to be.  If it is too difficult to read what you've accomplished, we will not read what you've accomplished!  If you are trying to squeeze your resume onto one page, throw that rule out the window; old habits die hard.  

• Tell me where you live and how to contact you.  Does that sound creepy?  It's not meant to.  A lot of positions will require a certain geographic territory.  Whether the office is based in San Francisco and needs an onsite employee, or the sales territory is in Chicago and needs a sales rep who already resides in the area and has a network.  You aren't fooling anyone if you don't put your location on your resume.  Address is not necessary, but City/State are appreciated.  Also, please make sure your email and phone number (the one we can reach you on most reliably) are on there.  And make sure they are correct.

• Make it chronological.  I've seen resumes where applicants list their experience by "relevance", which really confuses the heck out of me.  How did your resume jump from 1999 to 2013, back to 2002, to 2012, back to 2001?  I don't get it.  Again, if it's too difficult to read, we aren't going to read it.  Harsh, but it is the truth.

• Organize.  If you have more than 5 years of work experience after college, your Education section no longer belongs at the top.  Experience is worth more than your degree.  

• Quantify.  This is especially true for anyone in sales.  Quantify, quantify, quantify.  Tell me how much over-quota you did in 2013 Q1, Q2, Q3.  Tell me how much you make your fellow sales reps look like they're lazy!  If you saved your department $100k in licensing fees, tell me that.  If you oversaw 21 customers, tell me that too. 

• List skills.  Fluent in Spanish?  PowerPoint pro?  Excel guru?  While the position you are applying for may not require them, recruiters/managers are always looking for someone that can enhance their team.  What can you do for us?

This is just a short-list of "must haves" for a resume that will get a glance.  Do this, and you are well on your way to dream-job-success!

PS - Don't forget to spell check!