Almost daily, I get calls from potential clients asking me to write a general resume. And do you know what I say every time? Without fail? That the general resume is DEAD. It’s buried alongside Y2K, feathered hair, and cassette tapes. So, for those of you keeping track, the general resume hasn’t been a thing for at least 15 years. Minimum.
If you’re wondering why, the answer is simple. The rise of automation in the job application process has transformed the way that job seekers apply for jobs. On the backend, HR folks now use software to scan each resume for keywords and weed out applicants that don’t meet minimum qualifications for the job posting. Roughly translated, HR no longer has to personally touch each resume – which at the height of the recession might mean 500-700 applicants per role!
For the job seeker, this has spelled out the end of the general resume. In other words, for a resume to really work, I (as a professional resume writer) need a clearly defined target to make sure that it will work.
Say for instance you could either pursue sales as an individual contributor or lead a sales team as a manager. This is actually two different resumes. One will have words focusing on client services and prospecting, and the other will have words related to leadership and sales management. Two different sets of keywords dictate the need for two different resumes.
Simply put, writing a general resume without regard to keywords is a complete waste of my time – and your money. Based on my experience, I know with a 100% certainty that this type of resume does not work and honestly, I refuse to dedicate any resources to a doomed proposition.
If you feel like reading a bit more about what NOT to do when you write your resume, this article on words to avoid may help.
If we choose to work together, I’m going to do absolutely everything in my power to make sure you are successful! Call me when you’re ready.
