I’ve been fiddling with my resume for a few weeks now. Good thing, too, considering my situation.
But I’ve been trying to decide whether I prefer to submit an application or a resume. Both are kind of a pain in the butt. But this is how I see it:
Application:
- Can submit it online – Pro
- Just have to fill in fields – Pro
- Already asks the questions company wants answered – Pro
- Impersonal – Con
- Many applications come with “personality assessments” – Con
Resume
- Can submit online or in person – Pro
- Have to create from scratch – Con
- No personality assessment – Pro
- Personalized – Pro
- Professional – Pro
- Might not answer all of company’s questions
They are pretty equal for the most part. But that personality assessment is a huge loss for traditional applications. They’re the most absurd thing. And the questions they ask are kind of insane. For instance:
Many years ago, I was applying for a cashier position and had to take one of those tests. One of the questions actually asked if I used methamphetamine. Yes, because crystal meth addicts frequently tell strangers about their drug use. One question even said “If you were alone in an office and there was a nice pen on the desk, would you steal it?” How stupid would you have to be to say “Yes, I would”?
And when my boyfriend was applying for a promotion recently they asked “Do you ever think about being a super hero?” What could that have to do with a management position? Apparently day dreams about fighting crime = middle management material.
But, in the defense of applications, writing your own resume can be rather daunting. You basically have to sell yourself, and frankly I’m not very good at that. It’s a very delicate balance between humility and explaining how fantastic you are. Plus, you really have no idea if you’ve sold yourself appropriately. I’ve been working on mine for years and while I think it’s fine, I haven’t exactly had people calling non-stop to give me a fabulous job.
In the end I have to go with the resume. It just looks more professional at the end of the day. I’ll just have to keep trying. If you need help with your resume I had some luck with these.
http://www.livecareer.com/resume-builder
http://www.resumebuilderonline.org
Happy hunting.
