Is the boom over?
Question:
I keep my "value offered" sheet posted on the Web at various sites. I'm looking for my dream job?or just a job that will give me a 20 percent pay raise. I've noticed that over the last two months, I've been getting fewer e-mails, phone calls, etc. Is the boom over?
Reply:
The boom is never over if you're good at what you do. But I think two things are causing your spigot to dry up.
I really believe employers are getting their fill of the resume boards. They just don't work well. Studies show that about 4 to 5 percent of job hunters actually find jobs online. The rest? They find jobs primarily (40 percent of the time) through personal contacts, an approach I try to teach in this column and in my book.
Once the recruiters have picked over your resume a few times, they forget about it. The Net is rife with old resumes that never get read and with recruiters who have no idea what they're doing, except "playing the numbers."
I compliment you for having a Value Offered Statement? (VOS). I've written about this elsewhere. A VOS is a section at the top of your resume that outlines what value you offer to a specific employer. This is different from an "objective," and it's more succinct than a cover letter.
A VOS basically states how your particular skills will pay off for the particular employer you are addressing. It takes a lot of thought to prepare a VOS, and it helps the employer quickly focus on how you can help him or her. And that's what gets you an interview out of a resume.
Remember: Resume scanners can't "read" value, and the best thing to do with a VOS is to give it to someone you've already established a relationship with. I don't believe in "marketing" yourself with paper.
Best,
Nick Corcodilos
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