The Risk of Over Selling: Are you being too detailed?
Don't Oversell Your Awesomeness
We wear many hats working in education. A few years ago I started tracking every major and minor project I worked on. At the end of the year, I would review the log. When I put the entire year into frame, I was actually pretty amazed at how many different projects I was involved with, and saw the scope of the work.
What would happen if I submitted all the projects I completed in one year on a resume/CV?
I would probably get rejected. In fact, using that same strategy before I did get rejected fairly frequently. The world was crazy, I was awesome. Right? Or was I presenting myself as someone who couldn’t prioritize what was important; someone who couldn’t read application requirements; and someone who did not respect the limited amount of time people have to review applications?
Finally, I decided to be a little vague, and that has been beneficial and made those initial connections easier.
Here is an example, that I think most people can relate to and adjust to fit their specific area of education.
A job advertises they need someone who is proficient with PowerSchool. They specifically state, “We need someone with 3-5 years of experience managing PowerSchool.”
In this case, my resume and application letter should reinforce that I, in fact, use PowerSchool and have 3-5 years of expertise.
Should I list all the jobs I do with PowerSchool? No. Not unless the job advertisement requested this more specific information.
Why? Maybe because what I use PowerSchool for everyday is different than what the job is looking for. Obviously, I can do either job, but if I over emphasize a task like scheduling, and they are not interested in scheduling, I have over sold myself. Sure, I am an expert, but I am the wrong kind of expert.
Now, what if the job listing read, “We need someone with 3-5 years of experience managing School Information Systems (SIS).”
Should my resume still include the product name PowerSchool?
No. I should simply state I have experience managing school information systems. If I say I use PowerSchool, and the school I am connecting with uses iSams+ManageBac, now I have knocked myself out of the running. Maybe I am a second tier candidate, but I am not going to be in that first round of interviews.
Consider when applying to be a bit more generic. Don’t offer what is not asked or requested. Design your materials to get beyond the initial screening where people are checking off boxes to create a shortlist of candidates.
Wearing all those hats can make us all want to explode and say, “But I can do that!”. However, from job to job the hats change. Fewer details allow for that initial feeling of job+candidate alignment to develop.
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Why is this SubStack called, Pancake on a Stick?
Pancake on a Stick is the single funniest story I have ever heard in my life. In about a year from now, the event will be reenacted and recorded. I named the SubStack after the story, because every time I think of the name, I smile and laugh. This helps with my writing and tone, and makes me always remember the most important things in life.
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Most social media is dead to me, but you can find me on LinkedIn and Youtube.
LinkedIn (A bastion of boredom but mostly on mission)
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tdeprato/
Email
info@tonydeprato.com
My video series on Expat Recruitment is BORING but useful Listen or Watch and you can master this process.