Job hunting at 50, at 60? Your resumé should be about you!


‘Success will come when you can effectively sell your skills, not the place where you got them. I want to see a resumé that shows the reader how you have applied those skills and achieved the many accomplishments you’ve gained through your experience.’


I


Barbara Bowes Transitions


recently read a survey report commissioned by Investors Group that found small and me- dium sized businesses did not anticipate


making


room for the employment of older workers today or in the future. While the main reason stated was the desire to recruit work- ers who would be with the company for a longer period of time, some of the rationale for not hir- ing older workers is also reported to be linked to


the many negative myths about older workers. Many support agencies today are working hard to dispel the myths about older workers and I applaud their initiatives. However, one key problem I frequent- ly encounter is that older workers fail to market their skills effectively. Instead, they are using “old” resuméế styles that only serve to sell their former employer. What are you offering?


Two recent examples come to mind. One individual for instance, had retired from a highly successful ca- reer as the chief executive officer of a larger business. A second individual had sold his family business and was now looking for a new experience. However, as with many of the resuméếs I’ve received, the resuméếs for these two individuals focused attention more on their former employment rather than the skills they had ac- quired and were willing to offer. When a resuméế focus is on former employers, a can-


didate invites the reader to engage in a subtle and an unacknowledged form of discrimination. For instance, in the situation of the CEO of the larger business, readers may perceive the candidate couldn’t make the adjustment to life in a smaller business and he is thus rejected as a candidate. For the small business owner, readers might perceive the candidate couldn’t adjust to taking direction from anyone else and so is rejected as a candidate. While we would like to blame the in- terviewers, I believe these candidates have sold them- selves short and inadvertently initiated a subtle bias (or myth) that exists in people’s minds that resulted in dooming their candidacy. People are shocked when I point out how the struc-


ture of a resuméế either assists or acts as a detriment to getting a job interview. But, that’s the way we have been doing it for years! Frankly, my whole career has been spent on turning things upside down, both per- sonally and organizationally. The approach I want to take is to sell my skills or your skills! I don’t care about my former employers! They already have a big market- ing budget and a reputation and by the way, you aren’t there anymore!!! Stop feeling so loyal! The purpose of a resuméế is to sell your skills!! So, in today’s world of 2013, what does a resuméế look like? In my view, the best resuméế for today’s candidate


is a “skills based” resuméế. And believe me, I’ve been singing this same tune for 25 years! So while this style is not new to me, a skills based style still seems to be new to many, many others who have not been in the job market for many years. In my view, suc- cess will come when you can effectively sell your skills, not where you got them. I want to see a resuméế that shows the reader how you have applied those skills and achieved the many accomplishments you’ve gained


Above is an example of what not to do in writing your resumé. Instead of focusing on your previous company, focus on your personal strengths and abilities.


through your experience.


Begin by creating an online chart or do it by paper. Create three titles: a) what did I do b) how did I do that and c) what skills did I use? Next, start at your most recent job and define the key tasks (what did you do), then describe how you did this task and the skills used. Keep brainstorming until you feel a sense of du- plication. Next, group your skills into approximately seven to 10 key themes. These might include team- work, leadership, communication, strategic planning, financial management, etc. etc. Once this assessment is done, people are absolutely flabbergasted at the num- ber of skills they used.


What did you accomplish?


Next, it’s important to effectively describe your skills in specific skills statements and to link these to accom-


plishments. I always advise that for every skill you say you have, to identify three accomplishments. Select the most comprehensive accomplishment for the resuméế and keep the other two in your back pocket for the interview. Use the following tactic to brainstorm your accomplishments: what was the situation? what did you do (3 things)?, how did it work out or what were the results? Create a polished statement to describe these accomplishments. A skills-based resuméế is a powerful took to help you move toward your next occupational goal. Don’t let those old fashioned myths about older workers deter you. Get out there and sell your skills.


Barbara Bowes is president of the human resource con-


sulting firm, Legacy Bowes Group. She can be reached at barb@legacybowes.com.


MAY 2013


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