You are more than JUST a resume !
I’m an anti-motivational morning quote kinda of person but last week’s Monday was a game changer. Since I get early to work, I scroll down different platform to have some reading time. Somehow I was met by one quote shared by one of my previous students at RBK. The post says “ you’re more than your resume” and it got 2, 390 views with a good interaction rate! ( it is a first for my humble non premium LinkedIn account) Everyone; recruiters, jobseekers, professional entities, jumped to the idea of being more than a bunch of experiences stucked together in one paper with a well designed template from Canva. I guess, somehow the taboo was broken down.
When I first read it, I went back to my first time out there in the Tunisian market that wouldn’t want a fresher to approach its surroundings. I was also reminded of my anxiety and my fear of not landing my first job, but the worst thing was not landing the RIGHT job ! It goes like this, the roller coaster of job search.
In my previous job at RebootKamp Tunisia, I used to guide freshers through their integration in the professional life. I used to tell them the Do’s and the don’ts when it comes to preparing resumes, sitting for interviews and anything and everything involves getting a job ASAP. I was usually mesmerized by how dedicated they were to learn and to implement. However, I was feeling terrible to let them know that their first gate to the interview is the resume. These people are brave,amazing, energetic and full of life. Therefore, I always end every workshop by saying “ don’t be afraid to show your true selves once you get over the “resume’s gate.” And I love it when they do it during Career Days !
This reminds me of a time when I was asked in a job interview, for a recruitment specialist position, a very intriguing question. It goes as follows “Imagine you have hundreds of resumes of developers, how would you know that a front end developer is the one through his resume.” I liked the question very much, not because it was thoughtful of them of consider every resume but because this is a company that gives value to individuals, not resumes. It made me also appreicate that they’d read through me and that’s why I was there. It is amazing to belong to not only a prominent company but also to a company of culture.
All in all, “ you are more than a resume” really fueled me to post it and to consider looking at the bunch of unopened emails and an unchecked resumes. I wouldn’t say that since that day my strategy has changed but since that day, but I was more motivated to treat resumes as human beings. I just try to have a conversation with each section, each line and each logo ( even though I don’t appreicate logos in resumes) I keep rolling like this with every opened position.
To make it short, this blog is not about me changing my mind when it comes to morning quotes.NO! It is about how important it is to give freshers the chance to show their true potential. Potential won’t be detected through a quick ennumeration to tasks achieved, it is detected through the first “Hello” in a phone a call, the first “ I’m really excited to learn”, the first “I can’t wait to be part of the team” and the first “ I can see myself doing it and growing through it.”
Though , I was lucky enough to be surrounded by amazing mentors, I don’t mean professional mentors, but “ life mentors,” I want every one to have the chance to have that one person at a workplace that supports him and back him off. Years later, you will look back and just remember the moments of realization.
From the moment I sent my resume in a Word file with no template, to the moment I got my first interview, to the moment of having my first job, then my promotion, then sending my fancy well designed resume, to having my second, my third and my fourth interview, to the new onboarding and the cycle goes on! This reminds me one unforgettable sentence in the picture below…
Whoever reading this, you are worth it!
