Everybody is different...clearly. So when professionals talk to students or anyone about their role in networking and job searching I find it funny. Funny in the sense that everyone will have a different opinion. When I first created my resume, I had my professor, career center, parents, and friends look at it to get their opinions. Since then, I have added and changed things around, but I have also read books on resumes, looked at the good vs. bad examples, and all those tools that people recommend. But on the outside, I still don't create my whole resume on one suggestion.
A VP of marketing in one company can like my resume or cover letter, whatever it may be, and then the next company could hate my resume. And thats to be expected. So I guess what I have learned from networking books, seminars, and talking to people is that there are basic guidelines, but don't ever just base your final product from one thing.
After reading an article discussing the networking tools, one of the writers, Benjamin Bach, suggested creating business cards that are slightly different so they help distinguish oneself. He gave an example of using a funny slogan or cartoon, but as soon as I read that it made me think back to one networking seminar/speech that I went to that said don't do anything like that. I think for certain industries having a funny, witty, or graphic card can help, but for others if you give a business card with a goofy clipart picture they may look at it and laugh or not be interested.
With all the differing opinions and visions on what should and shouldn't be done on paper (i.e cover letter, resume, business cards), I think the use of the networking sites such as LinkedIn.Com are great assets. For the most part they are standardized, so pages aren't color coded or formatted differently (from what I have seen through my use) and this will provide the information necessary for recruiters. This can help create a way so individuals will be looked at for what they have as experience, rather than maybe on just getting lucky with doing everything the other person looks for in a candidate subjectively.
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2 comments:
Hey Jill
I don't have clip art on my business cards. If you want to see the graphic on my card, go to this link: http://www.kitchener-waterloo-real-estate-investments.com/more/
It's the cartoon.
Jill,
Interesting way of looking at LinkedIn. I really hadn't thought about it! But it's true, Linkedin takes away this subjective part of the recruiting process. I'm sure it can be a serious advantage when applying for jobs you're "tailored" for!
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