Recently, a job-hunting friend of mine asked me to review their CV. I flat out refused. Are you surprised?

You might be, as that’s where most people start their job search – stressing over their resume. I refused my friend’s request, not because I didn’t like them or didn’t want to help, but I didn’t want to waste either of our time.

The Resume is Obsolete

If you are working on your resume, you are thinking responding to a job ad with a cover letter and a resume is going to win you a job. It will not.

Now, there is always an exception – and a broken clock is still right twice a day – but that’s not the efficient way to get a new job.

Any job ad, including those in this email, will solicit 100+ resumes. The HR team is going to have a streamlined approach to save the sanity of their recruiters. Generally, a software system will cull out most of the CVs, humans will cull out more, and there will be 3-4 that get to the interview stage.

Focus on What Matters: Networking

Of those 3-4 people who get interviewed, its always 2-3 or even all 4, that are already known in some way to the hiring team. They’re ex-colleagues, friends, friends of friends, and all the other human connections possible.

Only the rare applicant will be truly there because of their CV. Don’t bet that’s going to be you.

Instead, focus on what matters – networking. Yes, the hard, yet exceptionally practical process of getting to know who is working where and what they are looking for in a colleague. Be that potential colleague – network, network, network.

Good luck!
Wayan