K.I.S.S. is an acronym for “Keep it Short and Simple” or “Keep it Simple, Stupid”. The KISS principal has been supported through the ages by Albert Einstein, “everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler” and Leonardo Da Vinci, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Yes, KISS is also a great band! As is Simple Plan.
The KISS principal came to mind initially because I read a response in the St. Petersburg Times to their question, “How would you fix the economy?”
“Dear Mr.President,
Patriotic retirement:
There are about 40 million people over 50 in the work force;
pay them $1 million a piece severance with stipulations:
1) They leave their jobs. Forty million job openings – Unemployment fixed.
2) They buy NEW American cars. Forty million cars ordered – Auto Industry
fixed.
3) They either buy a house or pay off their mortgage- Housing Crisis fixed.All this and it’s still cheaper than the “bailout”.”
James R. Andrews
It may not be quite this simple, but politics aside, The KISS principal is one which is extremely important throughout your job search and especially when creating and submitting your resume to a potential employer. If you have an opportunity to send out your resume, keep it simple! Do not email multiple attachments. No one wants to receive six attachments when they are expecting one or waste the time required to open all of them. Hiring professionals are not interested in additional attachments of calendars sporting someone’s family photo! Or being offered a web address to a site that has no relevance to the position or the applicant.
Simply put, a hiring professional, like any of us, is trying to make the most efficient use of their time as possible. Most will allocate approximately 30 seconds per resume. If your submitted resume requires too much time you have already created a negative impression. If information provided is irrelevant, you have created a negative impression. If your resume is 5 pages long, it is too long, takes too much time and you have created a negative impression. There is a reason that a professional realtor insists on showing a home without clutter. It’s a simple matter of creating a good first impression and making a sale. So keep it neat, keep it clean, keep it simple! The same rules apply to your resume and will help you to sell yourself by creating an impressive, professional and positive impression.
Regardless of the complexity or simplicity of our current economy, the reality is millions of people are finding themselves in career transition. What do you need to successfully move through this transition? Do you have a professional resume? Do you need the services of a career coach? Have you optimized your personal brand? What is your job search strategy? For answers to all of these questions, contact Martin Buckland, providing executive career management services since 1992.
Don’t send out your resume before receiving a free resume critique from a Certified Professional Resume Writer. It’s simple!
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