Writing a Resume - Think Like a Turkey?

I once asked an old hunter what his secret was for bagging the elusive wild turkey. He told me, first you have to think like a turkey. You have to understand that turkeys like the company of other turkeys, they seek security in brush, and they'll gamble with that security for a shot at food or a mate. Think like a turkey, prepare your hunt accordingly, and bag the prize. Ahhh.

Years later, someone asked me how to win a job with a prime employer. I told him, first you have to think like the hiring official. You have to understand that the hiring official is likely doing an onerous task - sifting through piles of like-sounding resumes looking for a gem. The hiring official understands profits and losses. He understands the direction the company is moving in. Ideally, he wants to find a candidate who understands all those things, too. Why? Because that candidate will make him look good to his superiors; business grows, he keeps his job, maybe gets a raise. Think like a hiring official, prepare your hunt accordingly, and bag the prize.

It's funny how everything in life is a lesson - if we're in the mood to learn.

First Impressions - Bad

Because your resume objective is the first thing the hiring official will read, he'll be using that opportunity to quickly size you up. Let's pretend for a moment that your resume objective reads like this... Seeking a challenging position offering competitive compensation, limited travel, and advancement opportunities to senior management. Well, you've just written your own personal fairy tale. Not only have you failed to think like a hiring official, but that hiring official will actually be using his wingtip shoe to compress your resume to the bottom of his trash can while uttering expletives that will clear the reception area of every last salesman.

First Impressions - Good

Let's try another example. This time, let's pretend you've done some research on the company in question. And that you've honestly appraised your own skills and identified those that would be most valued by this company. And that you've determined that personal fairy tales don't keep a company in business - profits do. Now, your resume objective reads like this... Entry-level position in Finance which could fully utilize a technical expertise in database design and strong drive to maximize corporate profitability in a competitive global marketplace.

Wow. In a single sentence you've drawn a straight line between a key ingredient of the job position and your skill set, acknowledged the company's bid to go global, and signaled your understanding that profits are key to everybody keeping their job--including (and most importantly) the person reading your resume.

Home Free?

If jobs were handed out on nothing more than resume objectives, you'd be dry cleaning your suit for the Monday morning office tour. But of course, there's more to the hiring process than just writing a killer resume objective. The important thing is that you've put yourself in the game. There are other critical elements of the resume, to be sure, and the door can still slam shut for a number of reasons. But you've made it over the first hurdle in the screening process.

You're cocked and loaded. And there's a big bird in sight.

Need a bit more help with that resume? Former recruiter David Alan Carter evaluates and ranks the web's most popular online resume builders, as well as affordable professional resume writers, at the website http://www.bestresumeservices.org/

Related Articles:

Calls To Turkey
Most people these days prefer to visit Turkey in order to be in touch with awesome cuisine and exquisite scenery. Now if you have your loved ones in Turkey and want to keep in touch with them, you can go for some prepaid phone cards to enjoy cheaper calls to Turkey anytime you want.

Is Cost Of Living High In Turkey?
Turkey has attracted people across the globe as one of the hottest tourist destinations and a well kept secret. It has stunning beaches and mountain retreats which make it very attractive to visitors and holidaymakers. Agricultural and industrial trade sectors of Turkey are well developed to provide the residents with a good standard of living. There are popular historical landmarks like Topkapi Palace, Pamukkale, Aphrodisias, and the beautiful city of Troy all working hard to attract the tourist. Flourishing trade and a greater amount of economic awareness among the people have made the real estate market of Turkey one of the best places to invest in.

The Truth About Turkey
All along, turkey has been associated to once a year family feasts. You know, the Thanksgiving turkey.

Olu Deniz Turkey - Best Beach in Turkey
Olu Deniz is a small resort village, about 9 miles to the south of Fethiye, on the Aegean Coast in the South West of Turkey. Scenery here is out of this world. Beaches and sea are very clean. The natural lagoon of Olu Deniz, the 'Blue lagoon', and the beaches are described by some as the Blue Paradise - God's gift to the world. The lagoon with its calm, clear waters, in shades of turquoise and aquamarine, is one of the most picturesque sights in Turkey. The beaches at Olu Deniz are one of the most photographed ones in Europe. Due to its outstanding natural beauty, this beach is declared a part of national conservation project and it is protected from any building and developments activity. It is rated among the top five beaches in the worl ...

Gear For All Types Of Hunting
A turkey hunter will be considered a seasoned professional if they were able to enlist the interest of a turkey through a variety of turkey calls. Some turkey hunters might attempt to use a wet stick to make the call and others might try to compose a musical verse through the adjustable tone features of a turkey hunting box call device. Hunters will devise a way to use all sorts of gear while hunting turkeys deep in a forest, and while they wait, they might have time to think about other gear to bring with them the next time they decide to hunt turkey.

5 the most delicious turkey recipes
It always seemed to me somehow that turkeys shouldn't love the beginning of winter. At first we celebrate Thanksgiving Day at the end of November, then comes Christmas - and millions of turkeys in the whole world live they last days.