I’ve always been a big proponent of “letting my work do the talking.” It’s not the easiest thing for me to brag about the who/what/how/where of the last big chunk of my professional life. That’s when I feel it’s best to send people to my portfolio site and let them see what I’ve done rather than tell them. With this thought in mind, I’ve spent the past week or so revamping my site (whether that motivation came from boredom or a real need is TBD….but I’m pleased with how it looks) and rethinking my résumé.
Of course, Seth Godin in Linchpin states that “if you’re remarkable, amazing, or just plain spectacular, you probably shouldn’t have a résumé at all.”
Well, who doesn’t think they’re any of those things? I know I feel that way about myself at times. On one level, I agree with Seth’s POV. My portfolio SAYS more about who I am and what I’ve done with the talents I’ve been blessed with and/or cultivated than a 1-page Word document. Isn’t it better to see examples of the long-form copy I’ve worked on for global clients than to say I’m an expert with brochure copy?
Unfortunately, the admission ticket to any new opportunity these days seems to rely on a résumé. Now more than ever, it’s not really about the story, no matter how meticulously displayed on the page, but whether or not you have the appropriate keywords living amongst all the others. And that doesn’t even include the challenge of getting your résumé in front of the right person who can then (hopefully) locate those special keywords.
It reminds me of the National Geographic special, Sizing Up Sperm. Seeing a “life-size representation of the struggles that sperm endure just for the hopes of fertilizing an egg” was so relevant to today’s job search that it was downright scary.
It’s even more of a challenge these days since moving to a new market with fewer “eggs” to target. But rather than blanketing the whole town, I’m in the embryonic stage of cultivating a few key relationships with people I’ve been lucky to come across (and who have been nice enough to make the time to meet with me).
I know that my quest for a successful career with an agency here in ABQ is going to rely more on these key contacts than a few choice keywords on a résumé. This town seems to be more about personal connections than a well-crafted Objective statement.
But, back to Seth’s thinking on the résumé, he makes a valid point that a “résumé gives the employer everything she needs to reject you.” So part of my challenge for the past few days is rethinking how I want to express my creative abilities on something that is less than creative. How do I remain in the game without playing the game by the standard rules of compliance?
I know that the great gigs out there aren’t posted on the job boards. And rarely are they found by blindly emailing an electronic document to some unknown recipient. That’s why I’ll continue focusing more of my attention on making personal connections rather than making the ideal word choice or format on a résumé.
You never know when someone who knows someone who heard that so-and-so was looking for someone just like me might be the next someone that I’m introduced to.
The Creative Moo 