A recent question on Quora asked …
I am constantly contacted by recruiters and I frequently get called for interviews, but I never land the job. What possible causes should I consider?
Does that happen to you?
I responded that who you appear to be on paper may not accurately reflect who you are in person. And that disconnect can be disastrous.
Now there can be other reasons, obviously, but at the CFO level I think it is more often inauthenticity than say, lack of preparation of the interview. So how does that disconnect happen between paper and person?
The resume is not written in your own voice
Perhaps that is the reason so many recruiters feel only YOU, the candidate, can write your own resume. And in some instances, I would agree. If you can be objective and if you are a great writer who understands how to self-market, you can and should write your own marketing documents. Often though, that isn’t the case. And forcing yourself to do something that you don’t do well – especially when it involves your career – can be devastating.
You’re probably wondering how a writer who doesn’t know you can possibly write from your own voice. And it’s a fair question. I can’t speak for others, but I can speak to my process. It is intensive, thorough, detailed, and takes effort (on both our parts). The end result is that I know you, your contributions, how you made them happen, and the challenges along the way. The depth of my process ensures that I am writing from your voice, not creating an image of a CFO who doesn’t exist.
And perhaps even more importantly, I’ve forced YOU to know those contributions, understand them, embrace them, and be able to clearly articulate them. When that happens, there is no disconnect between who you are on paper and who you are in person.
And if you aren’t getting interviews, or interviews for the level of position you deem appropriate, perhaps it is because …
The resume reeks of responsibility, not value.