Master-marketer Seth Godin says that resumes are for ordinary folk:
"Having a resume begs for you to go into that big machine that looks for relevant keywords, and begs for you to get a job as a cog in a giant machine. Just more fodder for the corporate behemoth. That might be fine for average folks looking for an average job, but is that what you deserve?"
Of course not, because you're special.
"Me? Special?" You're probably thinking, it's a virtue to act a bit modest. But deep inside, you think you are special. How could you not? You were raised on
Mr. Rogers' singing:
"You are special.There's only one person in the whole world exactly like you -- and people can like you just because you’re you."
Now don't get me wrong, I'm sure you really are special and I'm not suggesting it's an idea you should drop. But knowing that you're special and believing that you deserve special treatment can metamorphize in some rather unattractive ways.
So forget about yourself for a moment and put yourself in the corporate recruiter's seat. Blue-chip companies get 300,000-500,000 job applications each year. Imagine the number of phone calls and requests for informational interviews they get each week. Imagine how many resumes they'd have to read through one-by-one if they didn't do keyword searches. Understand that internal corporate recruiters aren't evil gatekeepers; they get paid for filling jobs, not helping you realize your professional goals.
Assuming that you've read a company's job description and you want to do what the job description states. Well, hey, that's great; the real question is, are you qualified?
Go to the requirements. Are you a 90% or better match on the "must have's". If not, move on to the next job listing. "But wait, shouldn't I apply? I match 60% of the specs," you might be thinking. The answer is a big NO!
Why? Most corporate employment sites are run by a portals that not only catalogue your resume, but counts each time you apply for a job. Before a recruiter even double clicks to see your profile, he sees that you have applied to be a Business Analyst, a Systems Analyst, a Project Manager, and a Product Manager (the latter just because you thought it might be interesting.)
So what does a recruiter do when he sees that many "applies"? He decides that you're either desperate for a job (and no one wants to hire you) or that you're willing to do anything, and therefore have no serious career direction. So, assuming you'd be a "hit" on one of those keyword searches Mr. Godin refers to, you're likely to get discounted because of the aforementioned.
BUT, if you do fit 90% of the requirements, then you may indeed be SPECIAL to the employer. What are the chances of the corporate recruiter discovering your resume in the corporate-job-portal? Not as high as you need them to be.
What to do? Go to your network. What headhunters do you know who might have an "in" at this firm. If you don't know of any, check out the job boards, what recruiters are advertising the same job? Call them.
Why go to a recruiter when you can go straight to the employer? (Remember those 300-500,000 Internet job applications the average blue-chip employer gets each year?) Your chances of being discovered (even though you are very special when you meet 90% of the specs) are poor. A recruiter, on the other hand, is a trusted partner who earns his/her living by discovering qualified candidates or "sure hits". He/she takes a burden off the corporate recruiter's back when delivering the most qualified candidate.
Think about it for yourself- would you more interested in talking to someone who comes at you claiming to be special OR to someone who was referred to you by a trusted ally as being perfect for his hard to fill job?
Getting back to the resume, do you really need one? With apologies to Mr. Godin, I'd have to say yes. Recruiters are happy to have conversations with strangers, but context is necessary. We need to why we're talking to you before the conversation begins.
Finally, you should note that most third-party recruiters (the kind that don't work for the company you want to work for) will give your resume a once-over, especially if you skip the portal and e-mail them directly. Follow that e-mail up with a call. Even if you get their VM, they'll look at your resume and be back to you in 72-hours or less.
