Are You Far Left?
Are you far left?
No, this isn’t a political question. It’s a resume question.
It could be the times, or maybe it’s the technology, but I’m seeing more resumes that are “unique.” That’s good, but only to a point.
For example, I’ve received resumes that are completely centered – top to bottom. Others are in “fancy fonts” that appeared in Greek – literally – on my computer. Just yesterday I received one that had a “split” heading – name and contact information on one side and summary of job objective on the other. Did it stand out? Yes … so much so that it really wasn’t readable. All in all, it’s pretty annoying.
Do you want your resume to stand out? Yes! Do you want to annoy your reader? No.
How is this a career move? Make your resume stand out. How? Be effective in what you do … and write about it! Did you raise $100,000 last year? Say it. Did you engage 50 volunteers? Put it on your resume. Nothing speaks louder, and more noticeably, than success.
Timing is Everything.
Timing is everything. You’ve certainly heard that before. When you try to achieve a goal is almost as important as how you do it.
For example, did you know that the fax machine was invented in the 1940s? It took forty more years for the concept to find its place in business (and another twenty for it to be eclipsed by scanning and e-mail). Clearly, the timing wasn’t right. Having the concept, even a proven concept, doesn’t mean that success is imminent. Other things need to line up. I have no idea what held back the fax, but it could have been the ability of the copper wires to handle the signals, or the ability to print the document at the receiving end, or maybe something as simple as being able to dial a number. But when everything lined up, including people’s interest for being able to “send” paper from one place to another, the concept became viable and millions sold.
How is this a career move? Your next idea could be brilliant, but just not well timed. That’s okay. Write it down, and get back to it. It could be a future fax just waiting to print!
Do You Live on Gilligan’s Island?
Those of us of a certain age, and maybe a lot of television addicted of us since then, know that Gilligan and his friends were stranded on a “desert isle” after a storm swept them off course from a three hour tour from Hawaii. For years they were frustrated in their efforts to leave.
But it struck me once after watching an episode … they never try anything twice! Well, of course. This was television, and nobody would want to see them build a raft again and actually leave!
You’re not Gilligan, the Skipper, or Mary Ann (although maybe one of your donors is Thurston Howell III), but how many times have you tried and not succeeded, only to give up with the words “been there, done that”?
There’s quite a lot that impacts our success in our careers, and “grit,” the ability to stay with something until you get it done, is one of the biggies.
How is this a career move? If you’re pushed off course by a “career storm” that leaves you stranded on a remote “desert isle,” don’t be a Gilligan! Make a solid plan, and stick to it. Yes, you may fail the first time, but if you’re persistent, it can pay off with a return to paradise.
A Good Idea …
Dick Charles, a boss of mine years gone by, used to say, “A good idea doesn’t care who has it.” It’s been one of those little life lessons that’s stuck with me for at least twenty years. No, it’s not a license to steal anyone’s ideas (although if you’re in higher-ed fundraising, you know that CASE stands for “copy and steal everything”), but it does suggest that there are millions of good ideas out there and that you don’t need to “re-invent the wheel” to be successful.
How is this a career move? Read, talk, listen — pick up ideas for your career wherever you can … and use them! Too many times we think it’s important to be “unique” when we haven’t even done the basics that could be the foundations of success — at work for sure, but even in a job hunt. You’d be surprised how “unique” you’ll look when you do what you should.
