The Breakfast Club | Learn How TO Build A Top-Notch Resume | Lets Make Ourselves 'Resume-Ready'!
Summary
TLDRThe video script explores the importance of resumes in the Indian job market, emphasizing the need for a strong digital presence and personal branding. It discusses the role of AI in resume screening and the balance between creativity and traditional resume formats. Expert HR professionals, Maya and Ujala, share insights on tailoring resumes to job postings, quantifying achievements, and leveraging networking strategically. They also stress the importance of upskilling to stay relevant in the evolving job market.
Takeaways
- đ A resume is a critical tool in one's career, often being the first impression on a potential employer.
- đ In India, job acquisition often relies heavily on connections, with resumes sometimes being a secondary or even third step in the hiring process.
- đ The importance of digital footprints and personal branding in the age of digitalization and AI cannot be overstated for making a resume stand out.
- đ AI is increasingly being used by employers to screen resumes, making it crucial for candidates to understand how to make their resumes AI-friendly.
- đ The shift from 'curriculum vitae' to 'resume' reflects changes in how job experiences and skills are presented, with a focus on brevity and relevance.
- đŻ Tailoring a resume to match the job requirements and using specific keywords from the job posting is essential for getting noticed by recruiters.
- đ Quantifying achievements in the resume helps demonstrate impact, even in industries where results may not be as easily measured as in tech.
- đĄ Creativity in resumes can be beneficial but should be approached with caution; it's important to ensure that any creative additions are professionally done and enhance the candidate's presentation.
- đ€ Networking and leveraging LinkedIn connections can significantly increase a candidate's visibility and chances of being noticed by hiring managers.
- đ Including a professional summary or objective at the top of the resume can be a missed opportunity to make a strong first impression.
- đ Strategically integrating one's network and references in the resume can subtly showcase influence and endorsements without explicitly listing references.
Q & A
What is the significance of a resume in the Indian job market?
-In the Indian job market, a resume is often not the first step to getting a job due to the importance of connections. However, it remains a critical tool, especially for advertised positions, as it is the first impression on a potential employer and can be the key to getting your foot in the door.
How is the role of a resume changing with the advent of digitalization and AI in recruitment?
-With digitalization and AI, the importance of a digital footprint has increased. Candidates need to ensure they have an authentic personal brand online, and their resumes should reflect the right skills for the job, making them attractive to AI-driven screening processes.
What is the impact of creative resumes in the job market?
-Creative resumes can go viral and stand out, but they should be well-executed and relevant to the job. While they can be a great way to showcase personality and skills, they carry the risk of rejection if not done properly.
What is the advice for job seekers considering creating a creative resume?
-Job seekers should consider creating a creative resume if they are confident in their ability to do it well and believe it will showcase their skills effectively. However, they should also be prepared for the possibility that not all employers may appreciate or have time for such an approach.
How important is it to tailor your resume to the job you are applying for?
-Tailoring your resume to the specific job is crucial. It involves emphasizing the relevant skills, experiences, and achievements that align with the job requirements, which can significantly increase the chances of getting noticed by recruiters.
What should a good resume look like according to the HR professionals in the script?
-A good resume should be concise, clear, and focused, with a professional summary at the top. It should highlight key skills, years of experience, and areas of expertise. The work experience section should include quantifiable achievements and avoid unnecessary information.
Why is it beneficial to include a professional summary in your resume?
-A professional summary acts as an introduction and quickly highlights your key skills, experience, and what you can bring to the organization. It helps hiring managers quickly identify your strengths and relevance for the position.
How can job seekers leverage LinkedIn to increase their chances of getting noticed?
-Job seekers can leverage LinkedIn by customizing their resume and cover letter to the job, engaging with company content, connecting with employees and hiring managers, and subtly integrating their network and referrals into their application strategy.
What is the role of networking in the job application process, and how can it be integrated into a resume?
-Networking can significantly increase the chances of getting noticed by hiring managers. It can be integrated into a resume by mentioning notable collaborations with industry leaders, including recommendations on LinkedIn, and leveraging referrals in cover letters or introductions.
Why is it important for job seekers to stay updated with market trends and upskill themselves?
-Staying updated with market trends and upskilling is crucial as it ensures job seekers remain relevant in the ever-evolving job market. It also helps them to fill any knowledge gaps and work on skills that are in demand.
Outlines
đ The Role of Resumes in the Indian Job Market
The script discusses the importance of resumes in one's career, especially in the Indian context where connections often play a significant role in job acquisition. It mentions that while resumes are traditionally seen as the first impression on a potential employer, in India, they often come into play later in the job application process. The conversation aims to explore the fit of resumes in the Indian job market and the creativity involved in making them stand out, with examples of unconventional resume submissions. The segment introduces Maya, an executive director at Alixir Consulting, who discusses the impact of digitalization and AI on the resume screening process and the importance of a candidate's digital footprint and personal branding.
đ The Evolution and Impact of Resumes
This paragraph delves into the evolution of resumes from 'curriculum vitae' to the modern 'resume' and the importance of showcasing relevant skills and experiences. It emphasizes the need for brevity and relevance, tailoring the resume to the specific job requirements. The discussion includes the role of AI in screening resumes and the percentage of jobs that go through a transparent interview process. Maya shares her insights on the importance of a resume as a tool to present one's skills to an unknown audience, and the changing formats and expectations of resumes over time.
đš Balancing Creativity and Convention in Resume Design
The script addresses the trend of creative resumes, such as those shared on the internet that go viral for their innovative presentation. It raises the question of how experimental one should be with their resume and whether it's better to stick to traditional formats. Maya advises that while creativity can be beneficial, it's important to ensure that any additional materials, like videos, are professionally done to avoid negative impressions. She suggests that candidates should be confident in their creative additions and consider the potential time constraints of employers when deciding whether to include them.
đ Quantifying Achievements and Tailoring Resumes
This section focuses on the importance of quantifying one's achievements on a resume and tailoring it to match the job description. It stresses the need to avoid lengthy resumes and to highlight skills relevant to the job. The conversation includes advice on how to update a resume to emphasize certain experiences and the importance of aligning the resume's content with the job's requirements. The paragraph also touches on the significance of using specific keywords from the job posting within the resume.
đ€ Leveraging Networking and References in Job Applications
The script discusses the role of networking and references in the job application process, especially on platforms like LinkedIn. It suggests that sending just a resume may not be enough to stand out and advises job seekers to customize their resumes and cover letters to the specific job. The paragraph includes tips on connecting with employees of the company, engaging with their content, and reaching out to hiring managers. It also covers the strategic mention of recommendations and referrals in the resume to increase visibility and chances of being noticed.
đ Showcasing Impact and Upskilling for Future Relevance
The final paragraph emphasizes the importance of showcasing one's impact in any industry, even when it's not as straightforward as in tech, by quantifying achievements. It also touches on the importance of upskilling to stay relevant in the ever-evolving job market. The advice includes being proactive with networking, integrating references strategically, and keeping up with market trends to ensure that one's skills remain in demand.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄResume
đĄCareer Toolkit
đĄNetworking
đĄDigital Footprint
đĄPersonal Brand
đĄAI Screening
đĄCreative Resumes
đĄQuantifiable Achievements
đĄProfessional Summary
đĄTailoring a Resume
đĄReferences
Highlights
Resumes are often considered the first impression on potential employers, but in India, connections may play a larger role in job acquisition.
Resumes should fit into the larger context of job hunting in India, which includes networking and personal branding.
The importance of a digital footprint and personal branding in making a resume attractive in the digital and AI-driven job market.
AI is increasingly being used by employers to screen resumes, emphasizing the need for a strong digital presence.
Resumes should be concise, highlighting relevant skills and experiences for the job being applied for.
Creative resumes can be effective but should be used wisely, ensuring they add value and are well-executed.
The role of networking on platforms like LinkedIn in supplementing the job application process.
Tailoring resumes with specific keywords from the job posting to match the employer's needs.
The significance of quantifying achievements in the resume, even in industries where impact is not easily measurable.
Including a professional summary at the top of the resume to introduce oneself effectively.
The importance of recommendations and referrals in standing out in the job application process.
Strategic mention of notable collaborations in the resume to subtly highlight one's network.
The need for continuous upskilling to stay relevant in the ever-evolving job market.
The potential of creative resumes to go viral and the considerations involved in their creation.
The advice on how to make a resume stand out, including the use of data and impact percentages.
The importance of a clean, well-structured resume that showcases skills and achievements chronologically.
The role of personal branding in the job market and how it can be reflected in a resume.
Transcripts
story today on the show we're diving
into one of the most critical Tools in
our career toolkits our resume whether
you've just started out or you're
looking to make a career change or
you're aiming to climb higher in the
company that you're already within we're
often told that a resume so this humble
document we're often told it's the first
impression that you make on a potential
employer but in India it almost feels
like Industries actually run on
connections you first get your job
because there's a job empty and you can
apply for it and your resume only comes
as the third the fourth step now we want
to talk a little bit more about that we
want to understand where a resume can
fit in in the Indian job market and we
also want to take another interesting
question to the two senior HR
professionals we'll have with us on the
show today we want to ask them that in a
world where you keep hearing of creative
resumés so you would have heard on the
internet you know you'll here again and
again something going viral for example
there was a kid who just in April sent
his resume to an employer via blinket
you had another kid who turned his
entire resume into something that looked
like a Google search result and the
question was what does a good employee
look like his resume came up as the
result when you have things like that
happening how experimental should you be
with your resume should you just stick
to the tried and tested approach so on
Tuesday if you remember we looked at
colleges abroad on Wednesday we looked
at what it takes to be well-rounded in
today's job market today on TBC we'll
tell you how do you get a foot in the
door of your dream job and where should
a resume this humble little document
where should it fit into the whole story
let's go over to the two professionals
we have with us here on the show they're
both senior experts within the industry
first joining us on the broadcast is
Maya ner she's the executive director at
alixir Consulting it's an organization
that helps compan
higher industrywide so they don't
specifically stick to one industry they
actually they actually cater to and work
with Industries across the country and
they've been doing this for years now
decades now in fact let's just go over
to Maya to ask her Maya we started our
audiences off by telling them what is
perhaps the truth here in India that
unless it's an entrylevel job especially
if it's a job where you know it's a
mid-level job a senior position your
resume isn't actually it feels like the
thing that making or breaking it it
feels like you've gotten a job and you
know somewhere in there the HR uh person
who's handling the interview will say
remember to send your resume along so
just tell us how should we look at a
resume today and is it part of a larger
bouquet networking LinkedIn all being
other parts how do you see
it sure so I guess uh you know currently
we are seeing a lot of change in the way
we are operating thanks to
digitalization as well as AI that's
coming in so I think for a resume to get
attractive and to you know be put it out
there uh digital footprint is very
important so the person needs to be
aware of like you mentioned you know
there are a lot of aspects that you're
looking at so um the candidate needs to
ensure that he has the right digital
footprint um whatever he's putting is
his authentic personal brand that he's
putting out there so with contacts with
being already having the right personal
brand that he's created whether it's you
know on his um websites that he's doing
or he's part of some digital tools that
he's been using a skill-based approach
is a right way and the right first step
forward in such kind of
facility okay Maya because the
organization that you're a part of
actually looks at the behind the scenes
so when companies are hiring they
actually come to you tell us how many
employers are using AI to screen our
resumés just break that down for us how
much are computers a part of this whole
process okay so um you did mention that
you know there is also networking that
happens in the industry and a lot of
times you know it's a comfort factor for
a person to if he knows somebody or is
recommended by somebody to be able to
actually take and give the
responsibility to that person but there
is a huge percentage of jobs that go
where the candidates are being called
for the interview which is a complete
clear transparent process you know the
jobs are out there it's put on it's
posted the organization is looking for
the ideal candidates and I think a
resume is a very powerful tool because
in such kind of a scenario that is the
first door you know you put the step the
foot in the door that's the first way
that the person would be able to put his
skills across to a completely unknown
person and hence I give it a lot of
importance while the you know looking at
the resume the format and everything has
changed over the years earlier we used
to call it curriculum V now we call it
resume so you know there's a difference
there as well in terms of in the terms
and um when the person builds the resume
it is showcasing the person's skills the
responsibilities the accountability that
the person has done so if I you know
quickly come to your second part of the
question where you said how should a
good resume look like um I think the
ideal way that the person builds his
resume is to not make it too lengthy and
to ensure that you know the he's putting
his skills which is the right skills for
that particular job and that's very
important because that's the first step
that the recruiter whoever screening the
resume is going to take a look and then
your next step you know in being called
for an
N okay we want to ask you Maya you've
kind of told us a little bit about just
how important resumés are but tell us uh
in today's day and age there's an urge
to get creative right and we were just
telling our audiences about some of the
creative resumes you hear about people
who've gone with cool digital resumés
they sometimes make videos and that kind
of raises the question when you have a
job that you're applying for should you
take the creative route or should you
just stick with the basics maybe
employers don't want to click on some
link you've given them what's your
advice
there I I feel it doesn't hurt to put it
it it if you have one ready and the
person who's the employer is you know
liking that little spunk in the person
and wants to take a look and you if you
have it ready go for it but a lot of
times the employes themselves because
see there is no time right for that the
employee has to go through the resume
again take out time for you know looking
at the video as well it would depend a
lot on the employer's ability to manage
that extra amount but it never hurts you
you know the candidate can always ask
saying that should I give it and if the
recruiters okay s okay go for it then
you know the person can go but you know
the the little bit the loophole in this
is if the video is not if the person is
really great right and the video is not
created nicely then you know it's not
edited it's it's it's a proper uh you
know it's it's the right way to make the
video and if it's not done rightly then
I think there are lesser chances because
you the person is right out there and
there are higher chances if the video is
not done well or the person's not
speaking in the right kind of energy of
getting rejected so I think one should
put it up if they are 100% sure that
it's a great video what they're putting
up it's showing their showcasing their
skills their confidence their ability to
actually tackle that job I think then go
for so your point is take the risky
route if you're sure that it'll have
dividends otherwise stay away from it so
just tell us uh Maya keywords I just
want to ask because you know often they
say that have your resume reflect some
of the energy of the job posting itself
if the job posting is using certain
words have your resume say that what is
your take there and also tell us beyond
the basics that we all know when it
comes to resume building so font choices
the way it's written beyond that what
are the other things we need to
know absolutely so you know why I
mentioned specific keywords is it is
very important while a person is making
his resume to know what one what the
person wants and to know what is the job
that he's applying for what is the need
of you know of the person for that job
so when you apply you have to also um I
would say you know um we do say you need
to tailor your resume not changing what
you have done but adding to a few tasks
because like I mentioned we don't want
lengthy resumes we want short RIS brief
resumes and it's impossible you know
somebody like me have over 20 years if
you want to put in everything we've done
it's a diverse area right we've done
multiple things in multiple jobs but
what is that job required you may have
put it very briefly maybe you need to
elaborate a little more for example I'll
give you say suppose the job wants you
to have experience in VAR geographies
right working in a diverse environment
and in your current you've done large
projects on it but your current resume
you've just mentioned ear maybe you can
add one or two more lines more to
emphasize the work you've done and the
impact that you have in that particular
area we are not saying to put in things
that you haven't done I mean that is a
complete no no but you can add a little
bit maybe you may you may remove one or
two lines if it's getting too lengthy of
maybe something that is not really
relevant that you have done and maybe
you're very good at but it's not
relevant for this particular go so hence
if the keywords are particularly on your
strengths what you have done and what is
the job there should be some match and
that is when you know you will be able
to move forward and the resume will
actually showcase your skills for okay
Maya this is a bit of a weird question
um but I'm going to ask you because
you're someone who's been in this
industry for decades now are there
resumés that have stayed with you so
when I say what's an example of an
excellent resume is there actually
something that comes to
mind okay so I think it is um you know
in in the um current situation there's
more people you know maybe the first
hire that you did or the first difficult
position that you closed so it's more
people rather than I would say resume
format because it has changed over the
years but I could tell you good resumés
that you remember and you want when
people ask for help you know then you're
able to give a sample resume so that way
we have you know good sample resumes of
maybe one of senior one of middle level
and junior level where we know that uh
you know it's clean it's aror free it
has clean white spaces it doesn't have
too much color not too much boxes you
know is is able to Showcase you know
everything is put in a chronological
order neatly with specific emphasis
that's we're just showing our audiences
logos world I like I'm a logo person I
like data so there there should be some
data that is mentioning in the kind of
impact percentage that the person would
have done so I think that would call a
good resume where you have the right
content and put it in in a
good okay so that footage that we just
showed you is uh that we just showed our
audiences is an example that you sent us
Maya of a good resume so just take a
look at that in that footage you can see
because this is an employee of a tech uh
Tech field he's been able to demonstrate
very carefully okay I increased clicks
on a website for example by 20% I was
able to drive viewership up by 30% so
he's able to show that in very very
concrete ways on that resume okay Maya
thank you for joining us for bringing us
that we also have for you our audience
there's a different aspect of this
entire discussion of course if you work
for an industry like Tech it's very easy
to show that this was your impact it's
very easy to show the numbers and the
analytics but what if you don't work for
industry where impact is that easy to
manage what if you work for an industry
for example like media the one that we
work in or a different industry that's
creative publishing for example how do
you show future employers the impact
you've had in that moment to talk a
little bit more about this we have one
more expert with us this morning ojala
saaral is with us she's a senior
director at Health Edge India and she'll
share a little bit more about what goes
into to an ideal resume so ujala we
actually before the show let me just
tell our audiences we sent you a resume
and this was a resume from the media
industry because we wanted to ask you
your thoughts on a not so good maybe
resume but we did our best with it so we
put in the basics everyone says that you
have to list your schooling your
education your then you want to go into
your work and what you've achieved then
you want to list your skills and then
you want to list sometimes your passions
and hobbies we gave you a resume we
asked you to criticize it tell
more so Toya based on uh my quick review
of the resume uh uh there are uh a lot
of areas of improvement that can make it
look more effective in uh capturing the
attention of uh hiring managers and
recruiters um a resume first of all
should be very clear and it should be
very focused so too much of text or
unnecessary information can overwhelm uh
the recruiters and the hiring managers
if recruiters or hiring managers cannot
quickly resonate or identify your uh
strengths in your resume they may just
move on uh so adding any relevant
information that that that highlights
your skills and your experience that
directly is tied to the role that you
are applying for I I feel focusing on
those achievements the key projects and
the results that show your impact is
something which is very critical and
removing irrelevant or outdated roles
and personal information that actually
does not add a lot of value to the
position which you're targeting to apply
for for example um you know your
unrelated Hobbies your older experiences
which are not aligned with your career
goals the idea is basically to keep it
very concise and uh impactful one thing
uh first thing which caught my eye uh on
this resume is that there is no
professional summary uh or objective at
the top of the resume which is a missed
opportunity to introduce uh yourself um
it's always best to add a professional
summary at the top of the resume which
highlights all your key skills and your
years of experience your area of uh
expertise and basically uh you know what
is it that you have done in order to
make an impact for the organization um
because this is the first section which
hiring managers and recruiters um uh
look look at the one most important
thing uh to mention in a resume is to
quantify your
achievements the work experience in this
resume uh looks good but uh it it lacks
measurable results so quantifying your
impact wherever possible is very very
important H so even in industries that
aren't tech try to quantify your impact
okay just tell us sujala uh you've told
us a little bit about
how a resume can look better even when
it is achieving all of the basics but
now tell us if we see a job posting on
LinkedIn what should be the steps that
follow after that apart from sending in
your resume obviously you're going to do
that but are there other steps beyond
that that you should also be doing maybe
contacting other employees of the
company on LinkedIn is that creepy just
tell us a little bit
more um so Toya what I feel is when
you're applying to a job posting
especially on um a platform like that of
LinkedIn you know sending just your
resume I believe is not enough to stand
out um ensure your resume and your cover
letter are are pretty much customized to
the specific job that you're applying
for like I said use the job posting to
identify the skills and qualification
and reflect those in your resume and
cover letter which which I already spoke
about now how do we leverage uh uh our
LinkedIn connections connect with people
um uh at the company in which you
applying for even through your Mutual
connections reach out to the current
employees especially those who are in
the similar roles or in the hiring team
send a personalized connection request
mentioning your interest in the position
and and briefly highlighting your
qualifications if possible it is a it is
a great idea to engage with their
content on LinkedIn by commenting very
thoughtfully on the posts uh from the
company or or or from the employees
because this will help you build
visibility even before you have applied
for that role with that
organization um a lot of times we know
that even the hiring managers um uh
repost the jobs uh if they're hiring for
their own department they repost the
jobs on uh uh Linkin if you are able to
identify the hiring manager or the
recruiter nothing like it send a
LinkedIn message or an email to them and
introduce yourself expressing your
interest in the rool touch on that for a
second though you brought up the
importance of network and I just want
because that in India sometimes is the
is the all defining Factor you know they
say jobs connection which is unfortunate
but tell us a little bit about how
networking referencing should feature
into all of this even on your resume
so Toya I uh would say that directly um
uh listing references on your resume is
not necessary uh but you can integrate
your network very strategically in your
resume what does that look like uh if
you have strong recommendations on
platforms like that of LinkedIn you can
mention them in a very subtle way in
your resume for example um you've been
recognized by uh by your leadership for
some outstanding work that you have done
or you've been appreciated by um your
customers for for delivering high
quality projects uh under tight DED
lines you can in um you can mention all
of that in your in in your resume um it
is always a good idea to include a link
to your LinkedIn profile where these
recommendations are pretty much visible
because that'll be you know it's like
proof of pudding is an eating right so
it's like a very clear um uh testimony
to what you have mentioned in your
resume resonates with what people
actually are speaking about you um you
can also uh leverage referals in your
cover letter or introduction because
like because in any organization
referals are always prioritized so if
someone in your network has uh for
example referred you to the job in the
company it is always a great idea that
when you're first connecting with the
recruiter or with the hiring manager uh
you know just just just make a mention
of that because referrals are a great
way to increase your chances of getting
noticed um another important thing is um
the Strategic mention of um notable
collaborations that you may have with
the industry leaders or or an
influential figure um uh in the industry
uh and that had that that can go in your
summary section if you have done some
sort of a some sort of work with them
that can go is a part of your um uh you
know work section this will help subtly
highlight your Network's influence
without listing references in your
resume right it's all about subtility
though right that's the tricky part when
you're writing I feel resumes you know
being subtle being humble um but also
somehow encapsulating all of your
achievements just uh ujala if we could
come to you quickly for a summary of
everything you've just said and we'll
we'll leave it at that but just give us
a quick summary of everything you've
said
to yeah I I feel if you are an active
job Seeker I would say do whatever you
can and take a very proactive approach
um with your network and integrating
references like we spoke about and your
connections very strategically this will
help you significantly boost your
chances of standing out um see these
days all of us know that any AI platform
can help you make a resume but with this
ever evolving digital transformation era
that we are all in and we have been
speaking about it every now and then the
skills that you're working on um for
example today uh may not be relevant in
the future so it is very important of
for all of you all to know where the
market is trending right now or or or in
the near future and make sure that you
are upskilling yourself and filling
those knowledge gaps to stay relevant in
the market we've talked a lot about
upskilling ojala thank you for joining
us thank you Maya earlier also for
bringing us the advice you did
upskilling is
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