GeniusMesh Blog

It seems to be a universal recommendation that resumes should be restricted to one page.  This recommendation might be a good, general guideline, but certainly should not be a hard and fast rule.  The applicable content –whether it is one paragraph or four pages – should drive the length of the resume. A recent high school graduate, for example, might have a very difficult time filling up a one-page resume, even with fourteen-point font and wide margins.  On the other hand, it would be sufficient for Peyton Manning or Tom Brady to submit a two-line resume that included their name and the address for the offer letter if they were applying for a quarterback coaching position!

A Google search on “interview questions” will result in hundreds of hits, and most are actually quite helpful. But a common mistake that most candidates make is to quickly review the questions and mentally develop a picture of how you would answer them. Our minds work at blazing speeds compared to our mouths!  Instead of just reading and “knowing” how you will answer the questions, say your answers out loud – preferably while standing in front of a full-length mirror. After you have stumbled with your first few answers, you will quickly realize you need to prepare and practice. 

Other than size, as measured by revenue, the number of employees, or perhaps, physical presence or
reach, the biggest difference between large and small companies is the level of internal support that they provide. Support can cover a wide range of activities varying from well-defined internal “silos” in which certain tasks are relegated to specific departments, to companies that expect individuals to “Do whatever it takes” to get their job done. Based on one’s experience, an individual can become accustomed to operating anywhere within the operational support continuum.

The old statement, “You can run, but you can't hide” is truer today than ever before. Two words explain it: social media. Couple those words with the now recognized lack of privacy that has engulfed us all and we have a situation that results in others, especially prospective employers, knowing more about you than you know about them.  The statement that everything that ever was or will be is “Googleable” is not far from the truth. Almost all of our deepest, darkest secrets can be discovered. It is a reality, and we all must learn to live with it. Today, we see public officials confronted with statements and pictures from their distant past come back to haunt them. In many instances, those ancient incidents are taken out of context.  Explanations are interpreted as excuses. It can easily happen to you!

Many people approach an interview as if it were a test in which the candidate patiently waits to respond to the questions asked by the interviewer.  Although some of the question / answer dialogue is required, essentially the candidate is playing on the interviewer’s home court and playing by their rules.  It is easy to change the game. There is an old saying, “The more they talk, the smarter that they will think you are.” With the standard q/a format, the interviewer may ask a one sentence question, and the candidate may respond with a one paragraph or one-page response.  This normal interaction is the exact opposite of the old saying.

Historically, both a candidate and the hiring company spend a considerable amount of time during the candidate selection process assessing the fit between the candidate and the requirements of the job. Today, an emphasis is also placed on the cultural fit of both parties which is probably more important in gauging the long-term success of a candidate than their actual performance.

When one starts the job search process, it is easy for this activity to become the center stage in all their thinking.  Sleepless nights and playing the 'what-if' games are almost a certainty. This situation is especially true if the candidate is unemployed and relying on their severance or savings to pay the monthly bills which did not stop when the paychecks did.

Most resume preparation books and experts recommend that the resume begin with a summary of the candidate’s qualifications.  Unfortunately, that approach focuses on what the candidate wants to say instead of what they want the recipient to hear!  All of us have a natural tendency to think of ourselves first.  With this “standard” approach, the candidate is asking the interviewer to interpret the person’s qualifications to ensure that there is a match to the position that they are trying to fill. Sometimes the resume reviewer will make the proper interpretation, sometimes not. In any event, the candidate is asking the interviewer to do the work in translating a person’s summary to their company’s needs.

There is an old corporate water cooler saying: “Your boss isn’t your boss; your boss’s boss is your boss.”