RESUME OR CV

RESUME OR CV?

How to easily impress a Recruiter / Head Hunter?

Basically I am a salesman therefore I also sell people so I am a "recruiter" and here are a few tips to help you in impressing that head hunter for your desired position that you may want!  If this blog makes sense to you then you will use it as a tool to re-write your own credentials and stand out from the crowd of people out there who apply for that same position that you need!

In the global workforce today, we all (96% of us) work or seek employment simply because we have to or are forced to!  If we don’t work then we do not have the ability to put food on the table!  The rest of the 4% that love to work and enjoy going to work every morning are called entrepreneurs like me, BUT we have our own set of problems! 

In any business vertical today every employee spends at least 3 minutes if not thinking then scouring the web and news groups to look for a better job and more pay!  There is nothing wrong with that at all but with the amount of CV’s being forwarded the real question you need to ask your self is very simple!  “Is my CV or Resume being read?”

As a recruiter or head hunter I get really bugged when people cannot differentiate between a resume and a CV (curriculum vitae).  Before I ramble on here’s the difference between a resume and a curriculum vitae (CV).  (Mainly it is the length, what is included and what each is used for.)

A resume basically is a ONE page summary or brief of your skills, experience and education. It should not be more than ONE page long! 

A curriculum vitae (CV) is a longer (at least two pages) and a more detailed synopsis of your achievements.  This document should include a summary of your educational and academic backgrounds as well as teaching and research experience, publications, presentations, awards, honors, affiliations and other details.  In the west, a curriculum vitae is used primarily when applying for academic, education, scientific or research positions. It is also applicable when applying for fellowships or grants. 

SEND US A RESUME

However here in Pakistan, us head hunters or recruiters receive not only a curriculum vitae but an entire booklet with so much information from so many people that it becomes impossible to go through it all immediately and lengthy documents often get put aside for later reading when one might have time. 

If the document is a resume, which is short and to the point and highlights attributes for that key position that I am looking for then I will run through it first! 

SELL YOURSELF

My suggestion is to write out your own resume and NOT have anyone else do it for you!  Nobody can sell your self better than you so you should take the time out and write one for your self!  If you cannot sell yourself on paper then how will you stand a chance in an interview!

WHAT GOES IN A RESUME?

When you write a resume make sure that you are to the point and brief!  No long explanations only what you have done! So here are the key elements of what you should put into your resume.

Beyond this you do not need to add anything!  

Further to this one should know that headhunters and recruiters take more interest when a person has the ability to display a focus on one career path rather than be a jack of all trades!  The only people who have some freedom in displaying diversity in business vertical experience are sales people and that too at the lower retail end! 

EMAILING YOUR RESUME

Make sure you have an email address that you keep as a separate one for your job-hunts!  Web based ones are ok but please make sure you have decent email address and avoid using ones like given in the examples (sarasalesdestroyer@ / imrancutee69@ / kool_luckeewife@ / awesomemullah786@) get my point?

When you email your resume please ensure that you write the position you are applying for in the subject line as recruiters get so many applications that it is a nightmare to figure out what position one is actually applying for!

In the body of the email write down 2 – 3 lines of why you are perfect for the job.  No need to go into long discussions just something short and to the point!

Make sure your full name as on the resume along with email and cellphone are in the signature!

Lastly make yourself a LinkedIn profile like mine here http://pk.linkedin.com/in/amynaghulamali/ and make sure you mention it in the resume so that people can also search for you on the web.  Your LinkedIn profile should actually be your curriculum vitae which is detailed and more informative about you!

FOLLOWING UP

Following up on a resume is perfectly normal and it is recommended that one should check after 5 working days via email!   When you do follow up please continue with the original email you have sent and re-attach the resume AGAIN!

It is normal and acceptable to follow up at least 3 times on email (each time 5 days apart)

If you do not get any response then after that you should give a call to the recruiter / head hunter during office hours only!  As this is professional avoid using their cellphones and stay professional!

GETTING A RESPONSE

If you are lucky enough to get a response then don’t ask or display desperation by saying the following 

1. kitna paisa milay ga? (what is the pay?)
2. kitnee jaldi aa jaaon interview kay liyay? (when can i come for the interview?)
3. do NOT give personal sob stories just stay professional and give to the point answers

You can however ask a recruiter

1. Where is the job based?
2. What are the Terms of Reference? (as in is the job contractual or permanent or third party hiring) 
3. May I have a detailed Job Description?
4. If you would like to know more may I send you a detailed curriculum vitae or (CV)?
5. What will be the next step and by when will you let me know about being called for an interview? 
6. If you get a timeframe then ask for an OFFICE number and a good time and DATE to follow up with the recruiter / head hunter!

That’s it! Good luck and I hope your resume stands out from everyone else’s! 

Incase you are wondering why I wrote this then you should know that I am a salesman and over the course of 23 years that I have been working I have held 328 (three hundred and twenty eight) jobs with different companies so can you imagine what it took to write 328 different resumes!  I think I know how to sell people because I know how to sell me!

If you need to contact me or wish to befriend me then please... 

To work with me connect with me on Linked In - http://pk.linkedin.com/in/amynaghulamali/

If you would like to contact me for a free consultation, please directly email me at - amyn@ghulamalis.com 

Disclaimer! - The opinions I post are my own and I do not intend to hurt or offend you!  If you cannot allow me my freedom of thought then you have the right to voice an opinion and navigate away on the web.  If you follow my blog I thank you as it’s quite ridiculously entertaining...that is if you like what & how I write!