October 5, 2012

Resumes, cover letters, and profiles – Oh, my!

The other day I listened to a panel of recruiters and HR professionals say that they really don’t care about cover letters.

One panelist actually said, and I quote, “I have not read a cover letter in 10 years.” There was an audible gasp from the audience of job searchers who have apparently been slaving away on cover letters hoping to capture the attention of a hiring manager.

Then there are those who said, “The résumé is dead. All anyone cares about is your LinkedIn profile.”

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What? Can this be true?

And there was more advice, “When it comes to online profiles you better make sure yours rocks.” 

Oh, I would if I only knew how to “rock my profile.”

The upshot of all this is that the world of work is changing. The job-search process is becoming more and more complex. And advice, (good, bad, and otherwise) seems to flow liberally.

Take what you hear with a grain of salt. Really scrutinize information and see how it applies to your situation. Finally, try to validate what you are hearing with at least four or five trusted sources before taking action.
And know this. As soon as you “rock your profile,” something new will come along to make your efforts obsolete. 

The other day I listened to a panel of recruiters and HR professionals say that they really don’t care about cover letters.

One panelist actually said, and I quote, “I have not read a cover letter in 10 years.” There was an audible gasp from the audience of job searchers who have apparently been slaving away on cover letters hoping to capture the attention of a hiring manager.

Then there are those who said, “The résumé is dead. All anyone cares about is your LinkedIn profile.”

What? Can this be true?

And there was more advice, “When it comes to online profiles you…

Christopher Wood
Christopher Wood is editor and publisher of BizWest, a regional business journal covering Boulder, Broomfield, Larimer and Weld counties. Wood co-founded the Northern Colorado Business Report in 1995 and served as publisher of the Boulder County Business Report until the two publications were merged to form BizWest in 2014. From 1990 to 1995, Wood served as reporter and managing editor of the Denver Business Journal. He is a Marine Corps veteran and a graduate of the University of Colorado Boulder. He has won numerous awards from the Colorado Press Association, Society of Professional Journalists and the Alliance of Area Business Publishers.
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