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Re-Engineering the Resume

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I've interviewed a lot of people lately...seen a lot of resumes, cover letters and recruiter intro's. Here's what I've noticed...1. the resume is no longer an effective way to get someone's attention, and 2. most resumes sell the past and convey very little about what's important to the candidate in the future.

Resumes have been around in their current form for a really long time...same formats and content, same list of past jobs, accomplishments, education and a personal tidbit or two. They're boring and don't do much to demonstrate creativity, passion or enthusiasm. Consider ditching the resume and replacing it with a very straightforward cover letter with links to your blog, a recent interview video, your Flickr feed, a PDF of an article you wrote, a podcast you released on your favorite hobby, or a project you worked on. If you're going to list past employers, include links, photos and contact information for references (no "references available upon request"...that's lazy). If you don't have some or all of what I just mentioned...you need to work on your microbrand (Hugh gives a good explanation...or write me, I'll try to help). Trust me, your competitors are. Ideally, a prospective employer should be able to type your name into Google and find the real you. Why not make it easy for them, and give them some shortcuts.

In the same letter, let the reader know what's important...to you:

  • What you're looking to do next, and why
  • What type of people (team) you want to be with and why
  • What you would like to learn
  • Where you want to live and why

Don't write these points with the target job in mind...do it beforehand and put it verbatim into every letter.

Stop trying to sell yourself and your past, and spend more time trying to get a truthful and meaningful exchange to ensure you have mutual beneficial goals and compatible core values.  You'll save time, energy and money for both sides. And, everyone will be happier, no matter which way it turns out.

Update: read this really great Seth Godin post on the same subject

Marketing Department

Your marketing department isn't a group of offices or the people in them, it's the front door, the back door and everything in between.

Rhoda's Tamales is a hole in the wall roadside joint in Lake Village, Arkansas that has some of the best tamales in the business...no joke, yes in Arkansas. They don't have a marketing director, a PR firm, or even a website. Heck, I'm not sure they have a telephone. But, they're famous. Why? You don't expect to find a great tamale in the middle of the Mississippi delta, in a roadside shack that looks like this...
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Stories sell, what's going on in your lobby sells...not so much marketing departments. The Google results.

Some video of my recent visit to Rhoda's

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You Know You're Remarkable When...

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  • you no longer need to place recruitment ads in the newspaper or HCareers.
  • recruiters call you regularly with top prospects
  • interns ans externs are lined-up out the door
  • chef wanna be's come from all over just to tour the kitchen and knowing they have only a prayer of ever working there
  • the "open position" list is replaced by "top candidates"
  • turnover is minimal (less than 20%), and when it occurs, it's not your fault...retirement, transfer, entrepreneurial opportunities, etc.
  • getting housekeeping room attendants is rarely a problem

If this isn't the case at your place, perhaps the word's not out. Or, maybe the experience isn't fully developed, or the right leaders aren't in place, or your company isn't committed to excellence. It's rarely a "poor labor market" problem. More often, it's something internal...so carefully inspect that area first.


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Staying Ahead

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is easier now than ever before. Technology has made it not only possible, but relatively easy to know a great deal about your guests. I've pointed out before that Google alerts and simple internet searches give you an excellent advantage to surprise people. But, imagine my state of shock when I experienced just that while buying a car at Shortline Automotive last week.  I flew to Denver and walked in to the dealership for the first time to pick-up the vehicle after making the deal over the phone and internet. I had never met Rob (I think he's the GM). But he seemed to know a great deal about me. And, instead of the usual "how's the weather" conversation, he asked me things about my profession, why I chose a hospitality career, etc. We talked about service and how it set businesses apart from one another. He really seemed interested...and he really seemed to care. He did all this without making me feel like he'd hired a PI to make sure my credit was okay.

I don't remember much about the transaction or the long drive to Pagosa Springs. But, I do remember how engaging Rob and Kent were, and thinking...at a car dealership?

Imagine

Ritztaxix

The power of service is getting stronger every day. We've outdone ourselves with 400 thread counts, HD TV's, marble and brass. There's not much left to offer to exceed anyone's expectations. Enter service...the wild card that sets everyone apart. Not surprisingly, the service story prevails in five star hotels...like the Chicago Ritz. But, imagine how much more impact it can have in a property with far fewer physical bells and whistles. Imagine how unexpected a five-star service experience might be for your guests. Imagine how they might rave about their stay and how much they would want to return...at any price. Imagine how happy your boss might be...

Photo courtesy of USA Today

Problem Centers

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United Airlines calls it a Customer Service Center...most companies have one...a place, as the name implies, where you can expect really good care. And, the reason most people stop here is because they have a problem...like me on this day, an issue in getting from one place to another. That means we're not usually in the best of spirits. Advantage...United...in a perfect position...they know just about everyone that comes by is looking for attention, wants to feel special and has a problem. You know they're not knocking on the door to give you an award. Knowing this...you do the following:

  • You put your very best, service fanatics at this station.
  • You teach them how to apologize and show people they care.
  • You give them an open checkbook.
  • You empower them to not only make people happy, but mandate that at all costs they build a lifelong relationship with every person they speak with.
  • Knowing your advantage to really surprise someone and blow them away when they're upset, you tell your staff they must find a way to say "yes"...and to only call their boss if they can't come up with a reasonable way to do that.
  • And, no matter how much money you spend, and the hoops you need to jump through to "make things happen", you know it's much more effective and less expensive to turn things around with an existing customer than going out to find new ones.
  • You know it's okay to act a little crazy because your boss and your company stand behind you.

You know all this...BUT...you don't do it. And, today United didn't do it. They acted like robots, didn't apologize, didn't solve the problem, didn't make me happy and didn't seize the opportunity to create a raving fan.. And, during my two hour wait, I didn't get the impression they did it for anyone else either. And, they wonder why they're in trouble.

Of course, it's far easier to just get by and hope that a competitor doesn't come along who does this better than you. But, the service business isn't easy and it's getting tougher all the time. At some point, the choice will be clear...become remarkable or die.

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What's Your 50 Year Plan?

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Most of us have a handle on one year out, maybe even two or three. But, have you thought about what's being done right now to preserve or develop a legacy which will last beyond the life of the building, current management, or  the people eating in the restaurant? Will the property be as special twenty or fifty years from now?

Staying power in just about anything is built on stories, tradition and character and the experiences that made them. In cases like The Alamo and World Trade Center, they're event centered with single memories so powerful, they last forever. Most hotels though are challenged to keep things going, to rekindle the flame from time to time and sometimes reinvent themselves altogether to ensure long-term success.

If the focus in your company is to get from year to year, or worse, from quarter to quarter, eventually, things are going to fizzle. The style will become passe, the food boring, the banner revenue year will be forgotten and the location won't be so good anymore. So, what are you going to hang your hat on?

At the next annual strategy/budget meeting ask this of yourselves...what are we doing now that has a chance of being remembered in fifty years? What stories are we creating which will resonate for generations to come? Are any of our actions significant enough to be memorable beyond our lifetime?

Remarkable things have a chance because they have meaning. Everything else is just filler.

Thanks for the post inspiration...Chuck.

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Microbrand Fanatics

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Successful companies have a very strong connection with their customers...their brand resonates clearly, and there is little ambiguity about the values they represent and the benefits of doing business with them. And, in large part, what makes up an organization's brand are bunches of microbrands...one for each person associated with the company. Microbrands define each of us through our actions, our stories, what we wear, how we handle pressure, whether we smile or frown. Some people understand the importance of building their own brand...how even the slightest change in behavior, presentation or approach can alter life in a big way. Others don't...they either don't understand how important they are to the system, or they simply don't care what people think about them. If they're lost, show them the way. If they don't care, get them off the bus.

One way to move your organization forward is to get people excited about their microbrands...get them consumed with the idea that they can make a difference....both for themselves, as well as your team. The best way to to do this is to get some examples, some microbrand fanatics, on the bus...so, they can evangelize for you. You need to find people who act like this...

They ask people (bosses, subordinates, customers, etc.) how they're doing?
They smile a lot
They communicate well
They experiment
They dress nicely
They're on-time
They help others
They're kind
They teach
They are committed to learning
They read
They don't whine
They solve problems
They take initiative
They take risks
They say "we" a lot
They say "I" very little
They're humble
They look to take blame
They offer others the credit
They're focused

Of course, there's more...but, you get the picture. Find people you're proud to be with...under all circumstances