You are who you say you are
Words mean things, Part Deux
I’m a rule follower, through and through.
If you’re part of my generation, chances are you are, too.
So it never even occurred to me that I might list on my resume anything but the job titles that my employers had given me.
That was a mistake.
One of the best things that Brenda Bernstein, author of “How to Write a Killer LinkedIn Profile,” taught me is that I didn’t have to use those titles if they didn’t represent the work I wanted to pitch to a prospective employer.
An example: when I worked for a state agency, my job title was “Outreach Specialist.” That’s meaningless, especially for anyone scanning my resume or LinkedIn profile looking for a writer and editor.
So I changed the title to “Web Editor and Designer.”
That both more accurately described what I did, and includes a keyword like “editor” that will help me show up in searches.
It’s a win-win.
This is especially useful for generic titles that don’t scan well and don’t help you with keywords.
Marketing Lead becomes Marketing Manager
Program Coordinator becomes Intranet Project Manager
This works for resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and anywhere you are listing your experience, online or off. No police agency exists that mandates you use your HR-bestowed job titles anywhere. No fines will result if you change them.
This isn’t about swindling anyone, of course. You’re not creating a title that tricks people into a false impression of your qualifications. (Don’t do that.) If anything, you’re being *more* honest by accurately describing your duties in the job.
And this concept works for all aspects of resumes and profiles, not just the job titles. “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have,” as the saying goes. Everything you detail about your experience should have some relevance to what the employer is looking for. If it doesn’t, it’s wasting their time and lowering your chances of success.
This fits into the larger picture of customizing your materials as much as possible for every job you apply for. (You are doing that, right?) Don’t be afraid to customize your job titles, too.
Some rules are made to be broken.
Thanks for being here. I’ve enjoyed the first few weeks of Mighty Forces, but sometimes I feel like I’m shouting into the void. I very much want this newsletter to help people and get them thinking differently about the job search process.
Would you do me a favor? Would you take a minute and leave a comment on this post, or just reply directly to this email? I would love to know what you think of the content so far, and how you think I could improve. What topics would you like to see me cover? What challenges have you faced that you would like to discuss?
If it’s just me here, none of this does much good.
Thanks!