Day: March 30, 2015

As you can imagine, I have a lot of resumes in my data-base.  You could say that I have a vast resume file.  After sixteen years in the Executive Search business one would expect as much.  After all, I receive a number of resumes every day, solicited and unsolicited.  It is a part of the job.  So naturally, my data-base continues to grow and grow.

Over the years, I have provided insurance, of a sort, for my candidates.  I cannot tell you the number of times I have been asked by candidates to recover their resumes.  Usually this is due to a computer disaster, but sometimes it was because they were traveling and could not access their resume except through me.   More recently that has not been much of an issue as we can back up our files to The Cloud.  But you could say that I was The Cloud, before there was a Cloud.  Kinda, sorta.  Even so, I was pleasantly surprised to hear from one of my clients last week with a bit of a twist on this need.

From time to time, as a part of my work I have been asked to help senior executives with their resumes.  Usually it is tweaking the verbiage, but sometimes it was a total overhaul.  These folks are usually pressed for time and have become comfortable with my work so it is just easier to call me.  Last week I got an email from one such client.  This is a restaurant industry icon who had just been nominated for a Board Seat.  The Chairman needed to see his resume and time was of the essence.  It had been about five years since I had worked on his resume, so clearly, it was in need of an update.  Not only was there content to add, but the formatting needed a tweak as well.   Did I mention that it was a rush job?  I was more than happy to help him out.  He provided the necessary biographical information and I got to work.  We traded drafts into the night, arriving at a finished product before the final network newscast of the day.   The Chairman had my client’s resume shortly thereafter.  My client was pleased with my work, especially the rapid turnaround.  I hope he gets that Board Seat.  He most definitely should.

It did not register with me at first, but the timing of his request tied in perfectly with last week’s blog posting, which was most interesting.  As you will recall, last week I spoke to the need to make an emotional connection with your clients and prospective employers.  My final point was to ensure that you follow through on your commitments.  Talk the talk, and walk the walk.  What is interesting about the timing of his need was that it gave me the opportunity to validate my own advice.  I did not even give it a second thought.  He needed my help and I was happy to comply.

So there you have it.  If you are reliable and do good work you will always be in demand.  I am certain that you can speak to similar situations in your career that should be a part of your story.  When an interviewer asks, “why should I hire you?” or “what makes you stand apart from the other people interested in this job?” you should be prepared with an equally compelling story.  Have a number of examples ‘top of mind’ to provide a killer answer.  Ensure that your references have their own examples that support your narrative.   Be able to tell the prospective employer just how well you “walk the walk!”