When you go for a new career opportunity or even a new job role, it is easy to get confused. The sheer enormity of the challenge of getting a new job, ahead of all of the other applicants, can lead to us making some strange decisions. A common mistake when you are going for a new job, then, is over-sharing about yourself. In a bid to convince someone that you are the perfect candidate, you might be inclined to share a huge amount of personal information.
It makes sense, in a way, but more often than not it can put a potential employer off.
While you might think that giving your full personal history could be beneficial, more often than not you can put someone off. The simple reason is that when someone is reviewing your resume, they want to know one thing: are you someone who can do the job? Do you have the skills and/or experience?
With that in mind, it is essential that you get used to sharing the right amount when going for a new job.
How much should you share when going for a new job?
This is a tough question to give an exact answer to, as every person and every employer is different. As such, you should do what you can to understand what you are signing up for. First off, make sure you do the following:
- Read over the company history so you understand the kind of person this company hires.
- Research the job description, and look at similar job offers at competing companies also.
- Review your resume and make sure that your resume description matches the job description.
The key to sharing enough details in the job hunt means making sure you focus on your candidate suitability. Instead of having a page that details your humanitarian approach or explains things that are not relevant to the job, focus instead on explaining the facts. What have you done in the past that makes you a suitable candidate?
Want to know more about how much you should share? Then listen to episode 4 of the Inside Out Skills podcast. Hosted by Shawn Nikookar, this podcast covers essential life skills that can help you personally and professionally – including how much you should share in a job hunt.
Your resume should speak to the job description
Your job, then, is to ensure that your new resume is based on the job you are trying to land. You might have one larger-than-life resume that touches on your career history but focuses on who you are as a person. Sorry to say, but most business owners do not really care about your personality – not at first. They want to see how suitable you are for the job.
So, you should have a tailored resume that is written for every job in mind. Essentially, take all of your career skills and professional history and amend it to fit the job description. If your new job is all about being personable and showing empathy, for example, look at ways you can show personal skills and empathy from previous career roles.
It can take some creativity, but adjusting every previous role and all of your skillsets so that they speak to the job description is vital. This helps you to share the details that your new employer actually wants. It also gives them a clear idea of what you can do and how skilled you are at doing so.
With that in mind, then, your resume shares enough information about your job suitability without going too in-depth on personal history. If you land the interview or even the job, then your personal side can begin to shine through. Landing the position is first and foremost, though, which is why you should look to focus on making your personality-less prevalent and instead focus on showing off your professional skills.
Building a highly impressive resume is tough. Changing your resume, though, can be even tougher. Listen to episode 4 of the Inside Out Skills podcast, though, and you can pick up vital skills for making your resume stand out as it should. You can also learn other vital skills which could help you to land new professional and personal opportunities both today and in the future.
