Numbers Don't Add Up
If accomplishments can be quantified, do it -- but use discretion. Brandishing borderline performance numbers signals a lack of experience and bad judgment. "Phrases like 'managed a budget of $500,000' or 'led a team of two' might catch my eye in a bad way," warns Olaf Weckesser, a former recruiter for McKinsey & Co. Better to spin it as "managed company's largest budget."
Adds Alexandra DeMarino, a Citigroup recruiter: "If a small number is impressive, you absolutely have to put it in context." Because you can't provide context for academic numbers, don't include GMAT scores below 650 if you're targeting a top firm. DeMarino suggests bragging about nothing less than a 3.7 GPA.
Formality Takes a Vacation
Don't succumb to the informality of email. "If you send a cover letter by email that starts with 'Hi,' it and your resume will probably end up in the trash," says Cynthia Shore, an assistant dean at the University at Buffalo School of Management and former director of its career-resource center. Treat an email as you would a proper letter: Instead of "Hi," write "Dear Mr. Case." Instead of "Thanks," conclude with "Sincerely."
Keywords Are Overused
It's true that recruiters sometimes use scanners to sort through resumes looking for certain keywords. But resumes appear contrived when candidates consciously try to include them. Describing a business-development position using such terms as "needs assessment" and "contract analysis" in order to squeeze in more keywords is a misguided strategy. Assume that a human being -- not a computer -- will be reading the resume. After all, these days fewer than 25 percent of all recruiters even use scanners.
Things Get Too Personal
"If you mention your age, we have to trash your resume," says Jeremy Eskenazi, vice president of talent acquisition at Idealab!, the California incubator firm. Since it's illegal for a company to solicit a candidate's age, race, or marital status during the hiring process, firms have adopted a "don't tell" policy to avoid potential bias suits. Many won't risk even having it handed to them.
It Looks Too Fancy
"A recruiter who receives resumes in pretty plastic folders will likely toss them," says Dave Opton, CEO and founder of ExecuNet, an online executive recruiting service. "I don't have time to take the damn things apart." Another faux pas: Folding a resume so that it fits into a standard business envelope. Heavy-stock paper that retains its crease can be a nuisance. Says Opton: "They're easier to store and photocopy if they're flat."
Also, don't try to differentiate your resume with boxes or ornate lettering. When recruiters see a resume that's designed differently, they think the person's trying to hide something. Instead, focus on content. Your resume will rise to the top of the pile.
Note: This article was submitted by a reader, Hummairr, in the forums - but I thought it was worth publishing on the front page.
Graphic Design is a very flexible career choice with combination of paths to go down. However, at times amazing claims (by my friends and clients) make me doubt my own profession. Short and sweet, graphic designers are often blamed for enjoying extra charms and advantages of their profession, which are not true in many ways.
However, to clear up some misconceptions and for a bit of fun I’ve listed together the claims and blames about Graphic Design. Considering my personal experience and adding few points from a well known blog “Creative Opera” I managed to compile 10 misconceptions about Graphic Designing below. I hope this will be helpful for designers and clients alike.
Creative masterpieces of abstract art are often tagged as “silly attempt” by most of the viewers. I have a personal experience that whenever graphic designers come up with an abstract design people find it meaningless and whacky. Such compliments are really annoying and discouraging.
As every design is different from the other so it’s a common perception that graphic designers charge high. People think that we don’t have a fixed price list so we can charge any client more for our services. Let me make clear, that every project has its own demands and the designers always charge accordingly. Surveys have proved that most of the designers are under paid especially the freelancers.
Whenever I introduce myself as a designer, the first statement I get to hear is “Oh what fun it must be doing such an easy job.” It is really irritating to find graphic design being tagged as a “light and non-serious” profession. Playing with colors and design software all day long doesn’t mean that we are not into an important career.
It’s a common notion that graphic design brings fame and fortune easily. I am sure, you all would hate me for breaking this news that its all not that easy to achieve. Designing has become such a competitive field that there are number of people willing to work for less, and unfortunately, that keeps the salary rate pretty low.
Many people believe that designers don’t have to tolerate the nitty-gritty stuff coming from the customers. You are mistaken here…even after submitting all the details, customers won’t let the designers live in peace until they get their desired design. In fact, I think graphic designers face a lot of customer interference and keep on coming with revisions to satisfy the client.
It’s true that internet has bulk of tutorials and tools packed up to help you design. Knowing a little Photoshop or basic techniques of web designing can never make you a professional designer. You need to have a proper degree, research, experience and know some creative graphic designing tips.
Graphic Designing is looked up as an easy-going and lively job, so the audience thinks that there are no specific working hours and deadlines to be met. I think no game can be won until being played by its particular rules. So, stop thinking of graphic designing as a non-serious job and realize how hard we work to get our projects done on time.
While in college, students enjoy learning Photoshop and Illustrator and try getting some freelancing projects. This make them assume that as soon as they graduate they will be working in some multi-national company or overloaded with bulk of projects. I would say they are living in a fool’s paradise because its not an easy job to get hired.
Most of the students and freelancers think that soon they can start a multi-million dollar company. I would say its not smart enough to assume that you can have a company of your own with no prior experience and hard work.
When designers mention that they take inspiration from nature, their surroundings or from other designer’s work, they are held responsible for copying other people’s work. As a designer I know that taking inspirations to come up with an innovative creative idea is part of our job but it is mean of people to blame us for copying ideas.
Listing all these myths about graphic designing doesn’t mean that I deny the scope and success about this field.We all know that every profession requires hard work and immense effort and same goes for graphic designing. Our audience and clients cannot omit graphic designing from the list of competitive professions.
Still, I am ready for all types of criticism and will like to know how many of you still find graphic designing to be an easy career comparatively. Well, for my graphic designer friends...I want you all to take this post as a platform and share other not-so-fair claims about graphic designing and let people know how much effort we put in.
