Last week, I heard from a woman whose company was purchased by a larger corporation. She said that the new owners require all employees and managers — at every level of the business — to apply for their own jobs. Each employee must submit a resume, sit for an interview and impress the new bosses. If they don’t, the owners will replace them with qualified job candidates from outside the organization.
Since her interview is scheduled for Monday (exactly one week after she received notice of the acquisition), she has no time to wallow in feelings of confusion or betrayal. She needs to prepare for the most important job hunt in her career. Did I mention that this woman is in her mid-50s and has been employed by this company for 14 years? A member of the sales management team, she has navigated two acquisitions, one round of layoffs and several periods of overstaffing, understaffing and everything in between.
First and foremost, I suggested that she concentrate on her resume. Why? Because a strong, compelling resume does more than translate years of experience into a reader-friendly format. It boosts confidence which leads to job-winning interviews. Here is the resume advice I gave her:
Flawless accuracy is essential. Accuracy is always crucial in resume writing. But, when you apply for a job with your current employer, a small factual error may be a deal breaker.
Review the company name, your official job title and dates of employment. When describing your daily responsibilities and achievements, present the information in a powerful yet precise manner. Double-check every detail. Be meticulous. Never exaggerate the facts.
Show them the money. The new owners took a bold stand with the workforce for one primary reason: They want the best possible return on their investment. Sales revenue. Profit gains. Cost savings. Use your resume to prove you have what it takes to grow the business.
Highlight the times that you streamlined processes, increased margins, won new contracts or reduced expenses. Projects you completed ahead of schedule. Free publicity that you generated through personal contacts. Staff members that you mentored and developed into top-performing leaders. If possible, insert dollar amounts, percentages and other data to call attention to these accomplishments.
Give kudos to the company. I generally advise job hunters to market themselves in their resumes, not their employers. I tell them it’s OK to include a few details about the business. Just try to showcase your contributions without giving too much credit to the company.
However, when submitting a resume to your present employer, I recommend adding a tasteful, complimentary statement about the organization to demonstrate that you understand the organization, its culture and vision. Here is an example: “XYZ Inc. is a global manufacturer serving clients in the defense, aerospace and biomedical industries. Through the dedication of its 650 employees in 15 countries, XYZ Inc. earned more than $220M last year.”
Fine-tune the language and formatting. Then, take a moment to bask in your successes. You have given a lot to this company. Your time, energy and hard work. Make sure the new owners can see your contributions very clearly. If they understand your value, they’ll ask you to stay.
Nicholas can be reached at Eve.GetAJob@gmail.com.
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