Résumé Redux

As regular readers know, employment entrepreneur, John Meyers, multiple-blogger, Deb Hildreth, and I have been discussing the Holy Grail of résumés , what we’re calling a “transparent résumé” that doesn’t obscure the candidate’s true skills and aptitudes behind a bunch of irrelevant industries, job titles and companies that can actually mislead more than illuminate the reader.

In an effort to make my own résumé more transparent, I tried a little experiment and even though I haven’t used this “new” format enough yet to draw any conclusions, I wanted to share this with my readers just in case I’m on to something and others would like to try their own experiment.

After sending out dozens of conventionally formatted résumés that garnered no responses from employers, I wrote a résumé formatted like a press release and got an immediate interview. I tweeted this information and several people tweeted or emailed to ask me what a résumé formatted like a press release looks like so, for those of you who aren’t in PR or media, let’s review what a standard press release or media release looks like. Here’s one common media release format I’ve used to announce events or “inform” the press for years. The basic elements of the release are: 1. a line that says when the release should be aired or published. 2. who sent the release. 3. “headline” of the release. 4. body of the release. 5. Contact info for the sender or person with whom media should follow up if they want more info. Put it all together and a standard press release might look like this:

For Immediate Release

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From: Joseph Higginbotham

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Living Liberally Chapter of Kanawha Valley Re-Organizing and Re-Launching

Living Liberally groups provide attendees with a venue at which to meet, socialize, strategize and synergize with other liberal groups and individuals.

For more information about Living Liberally groups, go to www.LivingLiberally.org

If you’d like to attend an organizational meeting at which meeting place and time will be chosen, call Joseph Higginbotham at (304) 550-6710.

“Decisions are made by those who show up.” – Aaron Sorkin, creator of TV’s The West Wing

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Contact:

Joseph Higginbotham

P.O. Box 75186

Charleston, WV 25375-0186

(304) 550-6710

So what would a résumé look like in media release format? Just substitute your own “executive headline” or “qualifications summary” for the press release headline and your own professional story for the body of the press release like this:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

From: Your Name Here

Your Executive Headline or Qualifications Summary Here

Tell your professional story here. Write it like a newspaper article or simply list your qualifications. Has a former boss or client said nice things about you? Put that quote here, too.

Contact:

Put all your normal contact info here.