Size editing your resume

The first and most important rule in resume length is that your resume should be as long as it needs to be to best showcase and market your skills for your target positions, but no longer.

Of course, different countries and industries have different standards. For the Canadian and US market, 1, 2, or 3 pages is standard, although there are some industry exceptions.

I am sure that some readers may still be confused. Okay, 1-3 pages, I get that. But, which?

Go back to my openi…

Broadening your hiring process

Where do out-of-the-box candidates fit in your hiring policies and strategy? In this age of talent vs. skills and tight labor markets, the out-of-box candidate will increasingly be a fact of life. It takes some experience and courage to seriously look at out-of-the-box candidates. And, it takes a willingness to be flexible.

Here are five categories of out-of-the-box candidates

Heavy on skills, light on domain / industry expertise

If you can’t find someone from within y…

It depends. In some cases, you can write a general cover letter and use it more than once. However, effective customization leads to more job search success.

What is the purpose of a cover letter?

It informs the employer of the kind of work you want to do, and how you are qualified for a specific position. It also provides that all-important context that a resume cannot achieve. Your resume should never travel alone.

If you look at this definition, you can see that describing how you are qualified …

Steven at The Asia Pacific Headhunter writes a worthwhile post on breaking through to the $100k+ level. The Asia Pacific Headhunter: How to Land a 100K Job: Part One

Here is a good question: Why shouldn’t they hire you? You are rightfully focused on developing a strong personal value proposition when you are in job search mode and have identified opportunities. If you want to strengthen your preparation, ask yourself why the company SHOULDN’T hire you.

• What are the gaps in experience, skills or knowledge?

• Is there a fit problem?

• Has your presentation been weak in some way?

• Is the competition likely strong?

Apply yourself to honestly answering these questions and…

When it comes to job search and recruitment, there’s a secret in the hiring market. While you don’t have an expiry date, from the perspective of recruiters, there is such a thing as candidate “freshness.” By fresh I mean the degree to which the person reviewing your resume, talking to you on Zoom, or interviewing you considers you a hot commodity. That is, a candidate who is a great catch. There is an implicit bias for candidates new to the market vs. those who’ve been job searching longer.

This …