Guerrilla Marking for Job Hunters 2.0 Part 19

GUERRILLA TIP.

You will notice that the Experience section of a Guerrilla Resume is limited to listing your job t.i.tles, company names, places of employment, and dates. Nothing more. And this is done for a reason-your Guerrilla Resume is designed to make the phone ring, not tell your whole life story. You can do this in the job interview.

In the advertising industry they call this a "teaser"-it gets you the initial invitation to interview. You can expand on your work history once you are face-to-face with the interviewer.

(Another way to think of this is that your Guerrilla Resume works like a cla.s.sified ad. The job of a cla.s.sified ad is not to tell every detail about the car or refrigerator you're trying to sell-you just want to grab the attention of an interested party and get them to call you on the phone.)

In fact, you may be asked to bring a longer resume and provide more information about what you did on each job. This is a good thing. In Chapter 8, we will show you what to add to your resume and how to do it, if you are asked by a hiring manager or someone in the HR Department.

Education/Training

Every employer is looking for this section, so you must include one.

GUERRILLA TIP.

If your degree is more relevant to the job you seek than your recent experience, put this section ahead of your experience. Otherwise, it should come later in the resume.

Follow this format when describing your education:

EDUCATION.

Master of Arts: Communications, University of Florida (2004) Communications, University of Florida (2004) Bachelor of Arts: Art History, Bachelor of Arts: Art History, San Diego State University (2002) San Diego State University (2002)

Now, what if you don't have a degree or an extensive formal education?

Well, here's an insider secret. You can call this section Education /Training and list all the relevant courses, certificates, and training you've received after high school. This is a great great way to give more substance to an otherwise skimpy Education section. It shows initiative and employers like that-A LOT! way to give more substance to an otherwise skimpy Education section. It shows initiative and employers like that-A LOT!

Your combination section could look like this:

EDUCATION/TRAINING.

Professional training includes courses in sales, problem solving, leadership, management, quality, market research, and presentation skills (2005-present). includes courses in sales, problem solving, leadership, management, quality, market research, and presentation skills (2005-present).

a.s.sociate of Arts Degree, City College, Chicago, IL (2004). City College, Chicago, IL (2004).

If you went to college but didn't graduate, you can describe your course of study, adding to it anything else you did that was notable, such as working full time or a GPA above 3.0, like this:

EDUCATION.

BS: Finance course work, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (2 years). GPA: 3.2. course work, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (2 years). GPA: 3.2.

Worked full-time throughout to self-finance 100 percent of education.

Finally, if you're currently in school for something, include your expected year of graduation, like this:

EDUCATION.

MBA program: Finance, Michigan State University (in progress; due in 2008). Finance, Michigan State University (in progress; due in 2008).

Additional Information

If s.p.a.ce allows, you can include an Additional Information section to combine good things about you that don't fit in other parts of your Guerrilla Resume. If it's a hobby or volunteer position and you think it's relevant to the job you seek-and room allows-put it in.

Example: you can mention golf and marathon running if you want a sales job, since these interests portray you as active and energetic (plus more sales deals get done on the golf course than anywhere else on earth). But including such interests may not be relevant if you're applying for a position as a copy editor.

I recommend you put this catchall, Additional Information section last, to finish the Guerrilla Resume with a bang. Follow this format, and list items from most relevant to least:

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

Languages: Arabic, French, and English (fluent). Arabic, French, and English (fluent).

Computer skills include Windows, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Oracle, HTML, and search engine optimization (SEO). skills include Windows, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Oracle, HTML, and search engine optimization (SEO).

Interests include marathon running, golf, softball, and international travel. include marathon running, golf, softball, and international travel.

Volunteer experience includes Habitat for Humanity (2001-present), adult literacy tutoring (2002-present), and fund-raising for diabetes (1999-present). includes Habitat for Humanity (2001-present), adult literacy tutoring (2002-present), and fund-raising for diabetes (1999-present).

Note: I once got an e-mail from a reader, who wrote: "Why do your resumes have hobbies listed? I have interviewed many candidates for jobs in the past and at no time was I concerned if a person was a black belt in karate unless I was." I once got an e-mail from a reader, who wrote: "Why do your resumes have hobbies listed? I have interviewed many candidates for jobs in the past and at no time was I concerned if a person was a black belt in karate unless I was."

Everyone's ent.i.tled to his or her opinion. In this case, that opinion is wrong. If one hiring manager isn't interested in hobbies, that doesn't mean all hiring managers aren't. After all, if it's cloudy in Chicago, that doesn't mean it's also cloudy in New York.

Many hiring managers will start talking about your hobbies or interests as a way to break the ice and ease into the interview. They do this to put you at ease and, in some cases, to see if you have a life outside work, or if you're a workaholic who might be p.r.o.ne to burn out.

Because you're dealing with humans here and humans are unpredictable, you never know what part of your resume will make a hiring manager want to call you. So if you think your hobbies, interests, volunteer work, and so on are relevant and may give you an edge, include them.

Please refer to Appendix 1 for examples of Standard Guerrilla Resumes that won jobs.

In a hurry? Need to send a resume to an employer today? Refer to the resume examples in the downloadable Word file available through www.gm4jh.com. Pick one that appeals to you, customize it with your own information, and voila, you have an "instant" Guerrilla Resume.

The Extreme Guerrilla Resume

Now that you've a.s.sembled a Standard Guerrilla Resume, you're ready to take it to a much higher level by creating an Extreme Guerrilla Resume.

Remember! This format is very aggressive. You should send it only to senior executives who can either hire you for an existing job or who can create a new position just for you. This format is very aggressive. You should send it only to senior executives who can either hire you for an existing job or who can create a new position just for you.