Resumes Are Like Real Estate

Dear Potential Employer,


I am awesome. 


Stop wasting time and just hire me already, because while you may not know it yet, I'm the best in all the land. 


When do I start?


~Michelle In Turn

Alright, so maybe that isn't the best or most realistic approach to landing your dream job, but it's what so many of us really wish we could say to employers out there with an exciting job to offer.


Now that I've had some time working in the publishing industry, I've come to the humble conclusion that while I may have had an incredible teaching career before this one, NO ONE ELSE CARES. 


Sure, hiring a former English teacher means that an employer instantly knows s/he is getting someone who is well organized, detail oriented, great at both time and project management, works well with others, is creative and works well under pressure, has great leadership and problem solving skills, is well read and has a firm grasp on the English language and it's conventions. But what they don't know is whether or not you have the chops to cut-it in a rapidly evolving industry.


Earlier in my blog, I talked about how much I hated writing resumes, but I decided to take an entirely different approach to that often mind-numbing task— one that allowed me to have some fun. I have been reaching out to fellow industry newbies and vets alike, and asking their opinions on everything from what to include to what the layout should be. It was a great experience, and I was amazed at how many people were so open and willing to share their thoughts and even their own resumes and cover letters with me. 


While everyone was very nice and so eager to be helpful, the only consistency I found was inconsistency. Each person had their own individual idea of what was important and what would work. So, I gathered up the jewels of wisdom they all shared with me and came up with my own interpretation. 


Writing a resume is much like marketing a piece of real estate. In order to sell a piece of real property in today's tough economy, your ad has to be available in high-traffic areas and it needs to have visual elements that stand out from the competition. The ad needs to highlight the best features of the place, be priced right and must be geared towards attracting the right buyer. 

So I approached this new version of my resume in the same manner. Let's face it, people are hungry for work, and competition is stiff. I had to create a resume that would enable me to stand out while putting my best face forward.


First, I made sure that the information on my resume was also readily available on a wide-variety of social media and networking sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter— all high-traffic areas for potential employers. Next, I highlighted the best parts of my most relevant job experiences only, and left all the other side bars and side jobs off the page. Then I added visual elements that I felt would help my resume stand out from the competition, including a newsprint-like design with a shaded text box featuring key elements like my contact information and educational background. 


Price? I recognized that an HR manager has countless resumes to read and review, and therefore time is of the most value to him/her. In response I reduced my much longer version down to a succinct single page and composed it in a font style and size that wouldn't make his/her eyes strain. And lastly, I aimed to attract the right buyer, a publishing house or literary agency, by focusing the majority of my "ad" on actual publishing experience. 


Since I, like all the others I tapped for information, am only sharing my own thoughts and opinions, I can't say concretely whether or not these tactics will work. But in theory it sounds pretty good, right? Well, I'm excited to go and test it out! In fact, I just sent my first shiny-new resume out via email just before I wrote this.


From the best house on the market,


~Michelle In Turn