What Story Does Your Resume Tell?

I often get calls, email and texts asking me for my help in networking for jobs or making job referrals. One of the repetitive themes that I have seen is that most people think that my knowledge or relationship can assist them in getting a job. Let me clear, your friends list will never release you from personal accountability.

Upon reading resume after resume, there are many issues that I see facing people who continue to use Corporate America as their single source of income. What are these issues you may ask? The Corporate workplace is more competitive now than ever and believe it or not, your timeframe on jobs, your education endeavors, and your experience do matter.

If you are looking to land a corporate job, do not get upset when you are asked why you did not complete your college degree. This reflects on your ability as a finisher…to complete the task you started…your committment. Do not get upset when the interviewers ask you to explain your gaps in employment and your timeframes with each company. This is a test of your loyalty, your conflict negotiation skills especially when you leave for reasons like income increases or inability to get along with co-workers or bosses, and your committment. If you are as good as you say you are, then your work ethic, results, and negotiations skills in which you used all to show the value you add should be enough to never end up with any of these reasons for leaving a job.

It is your personal responsibilty to ensure that you enjoy the work you complete so that it never feels like work and most importantly you should be adding value to both your internal and external customers and stakeholders. There is always the risk of friends of friends or the populous trumping you or the value you add just look at American politics, but this is just evidence that another opportunity is better suited for you as you should never compromise who you are, what you stand for, your morals, or your ethics to work for anyone. Make sure your resume is the telling the right story because this is most people’s first introduction to you.

Lastly, I leave you with a few words of wisdom. I am a believer that corporate income can be a stepping stone, but it is not the only way to generate income. You have to find a way to take savings from income sources and turn them into residual income, then once you get enough residual income you turn it into passive income. Mulitple streams of income is where the land of promise lies. Money solves problems so learn to become part of the evolved economy or become your own economy.