The Art of the Resume
Ok, today let us discuss resumes. They are the foundational factor in getting a job because it is the first thing employers will see from you. Copywriters, this may seem rudimentary but spell check is a definite must. It is great that you have a masters in copywriting but if you can’t spell conceptual correctly then all they are going to read is “dumbassâ€. You are a copywriter for goodness sakes, your resume should be a plethora of word magic jumping of the page. It should not look like a fourth graders journal assignment. Now, on to the Art Directors, don’t think you are getting off easy. The language on your resume can be succinct no one expects you to be an exceptional word guru. However, what they do expect is for your resume to NOT look like your career biography took a dump on a plain white word document. You are an Art Director, so it would definitely be in your benefit to touch your resume with some of that talent. Or if you are just too in demand to have the time to create a graphic at least do some expert color coding and layout. If you are confused at this point by what I am suggesting then you might want to look into tailoring that resume to another profession.
Finally, I would like to address the weird things people add to their resumes that could do a dance with the delete button. The first thing that can go is that picture of yourself you put on your resume. If you really feel that your face adds to your qualifications then fine, do it; but make sure the picture is classy and understated and doesn’t look like A. You woke up in the same crusted make up you had on the night before when you went to the drag bingo or B. Someone just really pissed you off and in the near future, you may direct your efforts to serial killing. When in doubt, take that sh*t out. Another aspect of a resume that can go is that freaky “about me†portion some of you have in there that highlights your love of cats, cheetos, and fem rock. I’m happy that you and your cat, Miss Kittenfuss, have a great time together but employers do not want to get the impression that you are an angry, loner. If you want to have an about me portion, make sure it is funny, engaging, and has a least some career implications. I understand that all of us have odd hobbies like alcoholism and hobo punching but until you are hired it may be best not to mention it. People, you are who you are and do what you do, but make sure that upon sending your resume anywhere that it highlights only positives so when they find out about your tendency to pass gas when your nervous, you have a leg to stand on.

Technorati Tags: resumes, getting a job
Posted: February 22nd, 2008 under Archived Posts.
Comments
Comment from kanemania
Time March 5, 2008 at 6:10 pm
Your points are fine, but your own writing style is so execrable, it’s hard to take you seriously. Blogging doesn’t automatically require sixth-grade grammar and punctuation.
Comment from Diogenes
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:20 pm
I had decided that the reason why I didn’t “get” blogging was because I’d grown up with IBM Selectrics rather than laptops. At first, I thought this piece was a satire. As I read on, I realized to my horror that it wasn’t. Am I to assume then that this is the standard of public writing to which we should aspire, since it appears on a site devoted to two disciplines that rely on the clever use of words to persuade? Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with taking a humorous approach or being flippant. But, all the more reason for it to be expertly crafted, since we all know comedy is more difficult to pull off. I guess “blog” stands for “stream of consciousness”.
Comment from Travis Dee
Time March 6, 2008 at 2:10 am
My goodness. What an incredibly bad piece of writing! Filled with nearly every kind of writing mistake imaginable. Pretty ironic, considering the subject matter.
Comment from Peeet
Time March 6, 2008 at 5:04 pm
I agree with 2,3 & 4. Even art directors have to make sure the copy make sense in what they put in their layout. Seems like the proofing stage was skipped on this one.
An Art Director
Comment from MizShrew
Time March 9, 2008 at 4:29 pm
When you have taken a refresher course on the use of apostrophes and commas, perhaps I’ll consider taking your advice on resume writing. In the meantime, please stop insulting copywriters everywhere.
Comment from Mike Scearce
Time March 10, 2008 at 11:36 am
Your spellcheck worked!
Now if we can only find a way to context-check, we can pursue pure and true idiocy by the glow off the coals off our burned out careers…


Comment from Ebizma
Time March 5, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Oh my goodness! What a refreshing breath of air. I can’t take it. I’ve got to pass this on.