Resume Update 2019: AI, Templates, and Honesty in Job Applications

Core Resume Guidance Remains Unchanged

• 🎯 Our core guidance for résumés remains the same: one page, focusing on responsibilities and accomplishments.
• 💡 This approach applies to 90% of professionals and managers, aiming to showcase what you've done and how well you've done it.
• ⏳ While résumés are a relatively new invention (not existing 100 years ago), their fundamental function hasn't changed.

The Function of a Resume

• 📄 The sole purpose of a résumé is to secure an interview by presenting you as an awesome candidate.
• 🔑 It's a demand-driven document, meaning it must provide what the hiring manager wants to know, not just what you want to say.
• 🏠 Similar to buying a house, a hiring manager has specific information they need (e.g., bedrooms, price), and your résumé must deliver that.

Addressing 2019 Trends: AI, Templates, and Honesty

• 🤖 AI in recruiting is a significant trend, but its current state is compared to driverless cars – promising but not yet fully functional or reliable.
• ⚠️ AI systems can be buggy and biased, as seen with Amazon's recruiting AI being shut down for discriminating against women.
• 📄 While templates are prevalent, they often lead to generic content that doesn't highlight individual accomplishments.
• 🤥 The discussion around lying on résumés is unfortunate, but the core advice remains to be truthful while presenting your best self.

The Value of Quantified Accomplishments and Networking

• 📈 The most effective way to get a job is through a resume with quantified accomplishments (e.g., sales figures, time saved).
• 🤝 Referrals and networking are crucial, with a significant percentage of jobs obtained through recommendations.
• 📝 Maintaining a career management document is highly recommended to track accomplishments every 90-120 days, making résumé updates easier and more effective.
• ⚠️ Don't assume job security; companies can be bought out, contracts lost, or regulations changed, necessitating preparedness with an updated résumé.

Navigating Recruitment Trends

• 📰 Many trends reported in the news are PR from companies selling technology, not necessarily reflecting what's most effective for job seekers.
• 🔍 Focus on what hiring managers truly want: what you've done and how well you've done it, rather than chasing every new trend.
• 🏢 Small and medium-sized companies (under 100 employees) often rely on recommendations and résumés, not trendy AI or video screening techniques.