In true psychology form, my disdain for the evolving Job Hunting process (see previous gripes here) has made for a strong contrasting backdrop to the fulfillment of actually getting a couple interviews and even an offer. But the adventurous tale is hardly one of fate, but more of adaptability and willingness to take cues and advice at a greater frequency than most life situations require.
Sparing the details, and with no energy to help change the process, I will share some personal lessons and (possibly?) best practices...
1. The resume is not set in stone. Recruiters will tell you this out the bung-hole, but it's true. Every job is a little bit different. I don't necessarily tailor the resume for every job, not like crafting a unique cover letter, but I try to keep a few variations depending on the general type of work. And don't be afraid to cut parts out wholesale in some versions. Words can work for you but too many of the insignificant words could drown out the messages you really want read.
2. Keep organized and don't label your files "Resume_[company name]". I create folders for each company and store the resume for that company as "Resume_[my last name]". I usually don't even put the year or anything else that would signify draft. That way it's not as obvious that I could be adjusting my credentials just to please them. Plus on their end, I expect they would want to track all of the incoming files by applicant. Perhaps this is a minor detail, but if they have multiple files in one location and only a few are well-labeled for their purposes, having your name stick out can't hurt.
3. When it comes to previous salary talk, just stick with "I'm flexible depending on the requirements..." or something like that. I actually picked that up from a recruiter and he said applicants are always falling into the trap of saying "Well, I can accept less", perhaps out of the desperation that they are in. Play it cool until a number rolls in, then start negotiating (if you got a good poker face, that is).
4. Oct-Dec is the worst time of year to look for a job. Again, a fact shared to me by another recruiter. Although it was oddly unsupported by her circumstances having just started her job in those months. Still, if there are prime seasons for catching crabs or starting up MLB training then it makes sense that there could be a good season for job hunting. And in that case, definitely not Oct-Dec (exceptions acknowledged). Jan-Feb might actually be the best for professionals since that's when lots of salaried folks jump ship, right after collecting their new year's vacation.
5. Money talks and bullshit walks. Seriously. It wasn't until the last couple months that I realized that I failed to capture the significance of my projects by overall dollar amounts. Instead I was using the word "significant". If you worked on stuff that can be summarized as "hundred thousand" or "quarter million dollar" or more, even if you just played a small role on the project, through it in. Even managing a "million-dollar store" or working for a "million dollar company". Dollar adjectives are gold. As are just using -illions. Look at McDonalds. How many people have they served?
That's about it for lessons/practices, except for a personal habit that I'm not sure professional folks would advise. I usually through in a casual ice breaker hobby or accomplishment at the very end of the resume, just to lighten it up a bit. Honest ones, though. Like "Employee of the Month" or "Best Dressed".
Perhaps it's rooted, again, back in the old psychological contrast principle, possibly helping to distinguish the serious accomplishments against a mundane one. Or it might just be a way of keeping it real. Either way, it hasn't completely worked against me, so you be the judge.
