5 Reasons Why Your Resumes is NOT Like Pee-Wee Baseball

Did you ever play a youth-league sport? For me, it was pee-wee baseball (I’ll refer to this at PWB. After all, all official organizations have acronyms, right?). I played every year between learning to walk and middle school. I was even a ref at a few games. If there were letterman jackets, I’d be sporting one proudly. However, I’m a grown man now, and my focus has turned from those childish time-fillers to finding a meaningful career. That, of course, requires those nightmarish documents: Resumes.

1.       Your Resume is NOT totally about you

How many parents have you seen go to a PWB game, and begin scouting out the talent of the other neighborhood kids? None. No one cares about the return status of the Fredrickson’s son after being ineligible to play due to his time-out, or whether or not the Thompson’s daughter will make a speedy recovery this season after having the sniffles. The only thing a parent cares about is that their child is standing obliviously in middle of the outfield in their little jersey, and, daggumit, they are looking adorable while doing so. For the length of the game, that child is the star!

But what if I said that you weren’t the star of your own resume? Think about it: at the end of the day, what message are you trying to give through your resume? Are you just trying to help yourself, or are you striving to benefit the company? Recruiters don’t want to read about how cool you are, but how capable you are at contributing to their organization. When a recruiter reads your resume, all they are thinking about is them self. They are hiring because they have a gap; you’re applying because you can fill it.

2.       Your Resume does NOT drag on

Granted, the first three minutes or so of any PWB game are pretty entertaining. After that, though, it’s a hour long battle of never ending crying, potty breaks, lone-parents clapping, and grass-picking outfielders. Sometimes the final inning just can’t get here soon enough.

Helpful hint: No one should ever be looking forward to reaching the end of your resume. Lots of applicants like to think that the more the better, and so they go around boasting a 2 or 3 page resume, and don’t understand when results don’t come. Resumes should remain concise and on point. Students, keep it to one page, please.  Say what needs to be said, and nothing more!

3.       Your Resume will NOT ensure that you win

Leave it to PWB to hand out trophies to the worst team in the league (speaking from experience, here). Just showing up with your jersey on is merit for a victory celebration at Pizza Hut. Shoot, you don’t even have to do that.

Oh how I wish this were true when job searching! Unfortunately, turning in a resume to an employer does not solidify that cozy corner office or that salary increase. Considering how much time one might put into their resume (we’ll touch on that next), it’d be a darn shame to leave the rest of the interviewing process up to chance. Resumes are effective, don’t get me wrong, but they will only carry you so far. If 5 candidates are equally qualified based on their resumes, what are you doing to show how you are different? Following-up with employers, Networking, preparing for interviews, and taking time to research the position are all ways to impress those recruiters!

4.       Your Resume requires some effort

No try-outs. No practices. No obligations. Shoot, if my parents didn’t remember to drive me to the games, I would probably have forgotten I was on a team. Those were some good days.

Try to cut corners on your resume, and it will come back to bite you. A person’s first impression is usually their resume. So what does it say about you when your resume isn’t up to par? I can find myself plugging away at the minute details of my resume for hours, trying to iron out every wrinkle. If the resume works, then thing fall into place that much easier! Do your research, work on your formatting, and chose your wording very carefully. Need help with? Read on!

5.       You have resume coaches who are excited to help!

Let’s be real, did we even have coaches in PWB? I honestly don’t even remember. I was too focused on that weekly post-game pizza party.

Unfortunately, most students don’t think they have resume coaches, neither! At Career Services, we are more than excited to be that coach for you! Whether it is a one-time critique with our Peer Career Advisors, or a weekly meeting with one of our consultants, you can get all of the help you need for preparing for that dream job! Don’t know where to start? Come by our resume walk-in hours at Career Services in Dunford Hall: 1PM-4PM, Monday- Thursday.