I just finished reviewing a bunch of résumés for an open position where I work. Since I’m not leading the search, I wasn’t confronted with the task of narrowing down the 50+ applications to the 10 I had to look at, but 10 is still a significant number of documents to read and evaluate.
I have served on a number of search committees at three different higher education institutions over the last 12 years. Here is some of my advice to job applicants.
- Keep in mind that no one on the search committee really wants to be on the search committee. People fight to stay off of search committees. Search committees are tedious and boring. The people who are reading your stuff are grumpy people who drew the short straw. That’s your audience.
- In that same vein, no one actually wants to read résumés and cover letters. People hate reading résumés and cover letters. It is not anyone’s primary job. In the end, they all end up looking more or less the same and begin to blur together. The longer they are, the more we hate them.
- Think you can get around our hatred of your application by making your cover letter and/or résumé “punchy” or “clever”? Think again. Nine times out of ten, cleverness just sounds moronic. Your snappy personality and quick wit does not translate onto paper, and the people reading your stuff are in no mood for your shenanigans. You will be remembered, but only as that guy who was quickly moved to the bottom of the list. Just keep it short, that’s all we ask. If you’re cool, we’ll find out about it during the interview.
- Speaking of interviews, that’s your goal. You are not writing your résumé/letter to get the job, you are writing them to get an interview. No one ever impressed a search committee so much on paper that they decided, “Aw, screw talking to them, let’s just give them the job.” Knowing this should also inform your goal to keep things short and succinct.
- Oh, and all your experience as Manager of this and Director of that? Everybody else has it, too. We all know what managers and directors and coordinators and team leaders do. If you did something really special, mention it briefly and be prepared to talk a lot about it at the interview.
- We are looking for anything to differentiate you from the lot, no matter how small. Did you misspell my name? Did you leave out a word? Did you use a run-on sentence? Do yourself a favor and proofread like hell. Get a friend to do it. Here are some tips: Read your letter backwards to catch spelling mistakes. Read it out loud and record it and listen to it. Play it for a friend. Does it really sound OK? Listen to it over and over and over again. Go to sleep. Listen to it again the next day.
- Like you, I love copy-and-paste. It’s the greatest invention since man started pressing little wedges into clay tablets and called it “writing.” I would and will do anything avoid typing whenever possible. I also know that copy-and-paste was invented to aid the lazy or those engaged in repetitive tasks. If your copy-and-paste job is obvious, I will assume you are lazy or simply churning out résumés like a printing press (or both). I can also spot a copy-and-paste job (or a template) a mile away. If there’s an extra space before the title of the job you’re applying for; if the job title is in ALL CAPS like it appears on the HR web site; if you address your letter “To Whom It May Concern” … then I know you’re just phoning it in.
- It’s great that you can create meaningful relationships with customers and create impactful sales campaigns, but did you even realize that you’re applying for a job at a University? We call our customers “students,” and we call what we sell “education.” What can you do for me in those areas, hot shot? Apply for the job, not the employment category.
