When I listen to all these rationales, I call to mind a story I once heard about an old man, a little boy, and a donkey. On their tiring journey, they began with the old man riding the donkey and the little boy walking. Onlookers criticized the old man for making the little boy walk. So the old man dismounted and placed the little boy on the donkey. Again, people criticized the little boy for making the old man walk. The old man then decided that both he and the little boy would ride the donkey. Onlookers complained that they were overloading the animal. So they dismounted and all three continued on their journey. And, as you probably guessed, people then ridiculed them for walking when they had a donkey to ride!
So what is the point of this somewhat tiresome story? We need to choose the résumé strategy that best suits our experience, our goals, and our marketplace rather than trying to satisfy every conflicting opinion. The journey can be completed in any number of ways. What matters is choosing a strategy that gets us effectively to our destination. But feeling good about the journey—and confident in how we present ourselves along the way—is vital.
While there are many different résumé styles and approaches, the strongest presentations share certain fundamentals. They are clearly written, strategically organized, accomplishment-focused, and designed to communicate the value a candidate can bring to an employer. Format and style may vary, but relevant content, credibility, and marketplace impact remain the real measures of success.
If we do this, we will have a successful résumé that can bring us closer to our destination, capture our readers’ attention and respect, and invite the interviews we earnestly seek.
