A Degree Promises, a Portfolio Demonstrates

I want to share some advice that will help grow your resume to an impressive beast.

I recently came across this image on one of Daniel Doan's LinkedIn posts. The basic idea is that you want things you can show for your abilities.  Its something that I believe is really important.  I'm not saying college isn't important, but you can't depend on college alone to get ahead.

I have a really long resume, as in nine pages long.  I've been told early in my career, that resumes should be no more than one page.  My reasoning: I only add things that are relevant to my career interests.  Earlier in my life, I've worked as a clerk at a gas station, and a sandwich maker at Burger King; you won't find either of those on my resume.

Early on I had to stretch my resume just to get anywhere near a page.  I really wish I had understood this advice back then.  But, if I actually put *everything* that was relevant to my career in my resume, it would be too long; potentially a hundred pages.  I have so many unfinished works, that I have learned from, that I can't even remember them all any more.

But failed projects are the big thing here.  It wasn't until maybe 5 or 6 years ago, that I started dispensing this advice and following it: Complete something small then add to it.  Even if the project is small, as long as it is complete, you can pass it out, show it off, use it as proof.  It's so important to get things complete.  So KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) and build your resume.

One other thing, when you are working at companies or projects that you already know will become part of your resume, look for buzzwords.  Probably about 8 or 9 years ago, I started doing this.  I would work for a company, and when there were opportunities like leading a small team, working on help files, or anything else that wasn't already part of my work (but related to my goals), I would jump at it.  I was getting paid to make myself more impressive to future employers.

Once you start applying these things, it won't be long before your resume always gets you an interview.