1. Manage Your Expectations: This is the best piece of advice that I could ever give to my clients – plus it is good advice for life in general. Many clients, consciously or unconsciously, fall into the trap of setting arbitrary expectations about the job search – how many resumes to send? how long it should take? Ultimately these questions, while good intentioned, are futile because the answers ultimately lie outside their control – there are too many “moving pieces.” So to focus on things beyond a person’s control can only spell frustration, disappointment and loss of motivation. Better to focus on what a person can control – what kind of resume they send out and how hard they push the process. There is no way to predict how long the job search will last so it is essential that the client have the perspective, stamina and confidence to be in it for as long as it takes.

2. No Resume is ever One Size Fits All: Clients should never expect to send the exact same resume and letter to each job opportunity. Employers look for different things, so clients should try and “mirror” their resumes to the actual opportunity by customizing the documents as much as possible. This will require more effort in the job search, but will pay off by giving the client a real sense of traction and buy-in for the process.

3. The Best Resume is the One that Works: This brutal truth helps put things into perspective. Also it is the only way I can figure how people with bad resumes still get jobs. No resume or resume writing service can or should guarantee a definitive outcome. Rather, getting the resume redone by a professional service with the proper credentials can only increase the probability of getting noticed and tapped for at least an interview. The best job searchers are always proactive, not reactive or passive.

4. Resumes, by their very nature, are Polarizing: Clients should not expect to get an interview with every resume they send out. Employers look for different things, so some will find the resume attractive, others not. It is not personal, but based solely on business requirements of the employer. Bottom line, the job search is a numbers game. The best odds are with those with the greatest exposure for their resume. It is essential that clients do not put all their “emotional eggs” in one basket, i.e. count on only one or two opportunities. Again, managing expectations is important.

5. Work the Process: Clients must avoid the temptation to simply being reactive in the entire job search. My experience is that those who are fully proactive, and use their resume and letter as a key part of the whole process, will get emotional and practical traction. This will promote focus and stamina. In the old days, many would just wait for the Sunday want ads to come out; nowadays, the Internet has replaced the newspaper as the place to simply click and paste resumes, and then just wait by the phone for the call. As this approach does not work in dating, it certainly does not work in the job search. All venues are valid: personal networking (the best), recruiters, posting online, researching online, community job clubs, even ads in national or local newspapers. Again, no one can predict absolutely where that golden contact will come from, so the client must be prepared for anything.

6. No Lack of Client Ability: In all my years of writing resumes, 99.9% of my clients have exactly what they need, in terms of their abilities, to make the transition they want. What hinders them is the lack of packaging, not the lack of ability. So clients should not focus on their weaknesses or gaps, but on their strengths and skills. This confidence will make a person shine all through the process, plus it will help get them through those hard points when it seems no one is responding. Remember, the job search “cards” are shuffled anew each day, week or month! Always focus on working the job search process and success is inevitable.