Generic Versus Expert: Which Resume has the Power to Land You an Interview?
By Stephanie Clark, BA, CRS, CIS, CCS
Faced with a choice, would an employer hire a generalist or an expert? Who would you hire?
A generalist might begin her resume stating that she wants a job that “uses my skills and provides room for growth.” The idea is that being flexible is attractive to an employer. But every position, whether custodial, sales, or accounting, has a set of skills, training, and even personal attributes that are necessary to do the job well. The person who demonstrates that he or she has what it takes is much more likely to do a good job from the get-go than one who has no demonstrated background in this area.
Need a bit more convincing? You’ve applied with a general resume. Two hundred others have also applied. Out of these, 95 percent are general resumes sent to hundreds of companies. The few that “stand out” are focused on the position and, from beginning to end, describe the ideal candidate. The authors of these resumes have positioned themselves as experts. ... Read more
Faced with a choice, would an employer hire a generalist or an expert? Who would you hire?
A generalist might begin her resume stating that she wants a job that “uses my skills and provides room for growth.” The idea is that being flexible is attractive to an employer. But every position, whether custodial, sales, or accounting, has a set of skills, training, and even personal attributes that are necessary to do the job well. The person who demonstrates that he or she has what it takes is much more likely to do a good job from the get-go than one who has no demonstrated background in this area.
Need a bit more convincing? You’ve applied with a general resume. Two hundred others have also applied. Out of these, 95 percent are general resumes sent to hundreds of companies. The few that “stand out” are focused on the position and, from beginning to end, describe the ideal candidate. The authors of these resumes have positioned themselves as experts. ... Read more
