So, you begin preparation for writing your resume and look for it to be as strong as possible. You research every aspect of your old job descriptions to ensure you provide detail . Also, you brainstorm highlights and achievements to include on your resume. After all, your reader should know you are someone that leaves an impact, right? After laying it all out, developing a striking summary, include high-level keywords. Finally, you wrap it up in a nice bow by using a very attractive design. There is no way this resume can miss, right? Well, not so fast.
When it comes to resume writing, it is not always about being the best and most qualified. Yes, in the practice of hiring talent, there is such a thing as overqualified. When it comes to the development of resume strategy, you can in fact overshoot the target. If you think about it, this is not an overly hard concept to understand.
Hiring Ain’t Cheap!
Consider the resume from the standpoint of the hiring authority. Onboarding a new employee is a real and significant cost. The cost of advertising vacancies, posting positions on job boards, and the screening and interviewing process can add up. Not to mention the assessment time, and eventual hiring and lengthy training. Employers want to know that their new hire is not only qualified, but likely to stay. The fear of employers is that an overqualified job seeker will eventually experience dissatisfaction and seek to move on. They are trying to avoid spending thousands of dollars in training costs. Who wants to to find themselves back at the beginning 6 months later?
“Square Peg in Round Hole” Much?
While qualifications are definitely key, what employers find just as important is achieving the proper fit. If your resume is significantly overshooting of the role, you may find yourself waiting for a call that never comes. Good resume writing involves not only communicating relevant qualifications, but also knowing how not to overshoot the goal.
Your previous role may have been CFO. But if seeking a position as an accounting manager, don’t mention putting together the entire financial management strategy for a multi-million-dollar company. Wait for the interview to reveal these things. You then have the opportunity to provide context as to why you are seeking a position beneath those you held previously.
Quality resume writing is about communicating to your reader that YOU are the proper fit. You would not wear a $5,000 suit to apply for a position as a dishwasher at a homeless shelter. You are resume is no different than you are, in that it needs to READ THE ROOM.
