User:Annwagn21968541fxd

I hate resumes. In fact, other than resume writers, I don't know anyone who actually likes them. How can I reduce my experience, my talent, my passion, my genius (yes, you have genius too!) to a couple of sheets of 8.5" x 11" paper and use that to justify why you should give me a job? I can't. That's why I hate them. That's probably why you hate them, too. Even recruiters hate them, because they get SO MANY, and most are a waste of their time.

I'm an Executive Coach, I do a lot of work with extremely talented people, just like you, who want to find a new job. When a new client hands me a resume first thing and asks me what I think, before I know anything about him or her, something in my gut seizes up. I know it's gonna be a hard slog because "The System" has already crushed their soul.

So, why do resumes exist? Because they served a purpose, once, I guess. To be honest I don't know. They don't serve a purpose now, but all sorts of systems (for example, the key-word scanner) have grown up around them, and everyone has bought into the belief that this is how you get a job. At best, a resume serves as talking points, after you have already secured a meeting with someone. At worst, it is the tool The System uses to exclude you.

I hear your objections already! "But Dave, every employer demands one!" OK, fine, how is that working for you? If you sent a resume to CareerBuilder or the HR department and got an interview, then a job, stop reading this, you know some magic that I don't and I can't help you. In fact, you can teach us how to do it! For the rest of us, who have sent hundreds of them out into The Void, hoping for a job, and heard nothing back, I am going to show you another way...sort of.

I'll start with the bad news. By definition, I can't give you a checklist for what to do. If I could, everyone would follow it and then it would stop working. So, you need to fill in the details yourself, and then go DO IT. That requires initiative, creativity and courage, which I know you have, so you'll be fine.

Still with me? The good news is, I will give you the high-level idea, and some examples. I will also offer you 20 minutes of my time if you contact me (info at the bottom of the page) to flesh out the specifics that might work for you. So how do you get a job without a resume? You demonstrate that you are extraordinary, that you have initiative, creativity and courage and use them in service to others. Let me give you some examples. If you are in corporate training, instead of sending a resume to the training department of every firm in town and then waiting patiently for a response, you could...

? Choose a topic you are passionate about, then offer free workshops (in-person, or webinars or teleconferences, whatever you like) ? Create an online course and put it on a website (put the website on your business card and e-mail signature, of course) ? Write a short (10 - 30 page) eBook that addresses some problem or opportunity faced by the people you want to work with, and circulate it to everyone you know ? Offer to teach or mentor friends, colleagues, neighbors on a topic where you have expertise and passion ? Be a speaker or panel member at a conference or other industry event, or give a talk at your church or Kiwanis Club ? Get on the school board and bring your expertise to bear on the challenges the schools are facing

OK, that's fine for a trainer, what about an IT guy?

? Create a fun piece of software such as an iPhone app, game, productivity tool, etc, and give it away (be sure it has your contact information in it somewhere) ? Participate actively in an industry association, perhaps even join the board ? Create a great website for a non-profit or small business ? Post lots of helpful notes on the user boards ? Be IT support for your friends and colleagues (if you help someone rescue a corrupted hard drive with crucial data on it, or get the servers back up, you are THE HERO, but you already know that)

How about for an accountant?

Offer a talk to the local Chamber of Commerce on tax planning or avoiding audits or better cash management Do your church's bookkeeping Write a 2 - 3 page white paper on some area of your expertise and circulate it to everyone you know Set up QuickBooks for a non-profit Become the Campaign Treasurer for a candidate for political office

You get the idea, I hope. What are the common themes here?

? Anybody can do it, but most people don't ? You are creating something that doesn't already exist (shows creativity, initiative, responsibility, courage) ? You are willing to be memorable and to take risks (confidence, courage) ? You are giving away for free something that you really enjoy doing (commitment, passion, engagement)

The last point is huge. Most job-seekers want to GET, but not you, you are GIVING! That immediately separates you from 95% of your competition. Plus, you can only GIVE something you already HAVE, which means that if you offer a lot, you must have a lot to offer, and that is VERY attractive. Plus, and this is the big one, the very act of giving makes you stronger. Think about that for a second. Every gift makes you stronger, so the more you do it, the stronger you get. You are gaining experience and practice actually doing something you love, as opposed to getting experience writing resumes (yuck!) In contrast, most job-seekers get discouraged and weary, and their skills degrade. They actually get weaker as time passes, unlike you.

Lastly, a resume merely describes what you can do, and therefore it is not very persuasive. Little things like typos or a gap in your work history can sink your candidacy before They ever get to see what a great person and employee you are. Not to mention, people "fudge" on resumes. The above activities showcase you actually doing something, producing a deliverable, demonstrating talent, so that others can experience your skill and passion for themselves, and that is far more compelling. Smart salespeople often give away a free sample of their product, and that makes you want more, right? Sometimes talking about it isn't enough, you need to show them the REAL DEAL, which is impossible on a resume!

So, when you want a new jjob, rather than dusting off your resume and inserting lots of "action" verbs while noodling with the margins and trying to make your job sound important, get creative and get out there and be so memorable and so generous with your time and talent that employers are in a bidding war for you!

Special Thanks to Seth Godin, his new book, Linchpin, helped to crystallize these ideas for me, and to my coach, Ariadne Moisiades, who dared me to come up with a fun title for a white paper.

Thank you for your time and attention, it is our hope that this information proves helpful to you.