Friend of the Nod: Q&A with Krystin Morgan, Recruiting/Talent Acquisition Veteran
A Q&A with Krystin Morgan, recruiting expert, about resumes, cover letters, and the current hiring climate.
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Krystin Morgan is a resume writer, recruiting expert, and content writer with over 15 years of experience in talent acquisition. She helps professionals navigate the job search process with compelling resumes and LinkedIn profiles, interview support, & coaching, and companies with talent acquisition and content creation.
What are some of the most common mistakes you see in the resumes you're asked to update?
The biggest resume mistake I see is being too vague or treating your resume like a job posting. There's a world of difference between "Sold software to companies" and "Exceeded quota by 110%, selling over $1M in software to enterprise corporations." You want your resume to show off what you've accomplished and how you've made an impact, not just reiterate the day to day work you do.
I tell people their resume is a marketing document, so think about how you want to market your skills. Commercials don't try to sell a cleaning product by saying "This will clean your house," right? It's much more compelling to show how clean the product makes your kitchen, how it compares to the competition, and how beloved it is by adoring fans. Think about what really sets you apart from other candidates and make sure your resume calls out the unique value you bring.
A lot of folks feel like their job doesn't lend itself well to having quantifiable metrics, but I can almost guarantee they exist for any job. Even if you didn't sell, save money, or produce a certain number of things, there is something you've done better, quicker, more creatively, or more efficiently than others.
There's some debate about the importance of cover letters. What's your take?
Whether a cover letter will make an impact all depends on the quality of the letter itself, as well as your specific circumstances. A well-written cover letter that really shows your excitement for the specific company and/or role, as well as provides evidence as to your fit, can go a long way. A generic cover letter that regurgitates what's already on your resume is much less helpful.
I strongly advise clients to include a cover letter if they're applying to a company that is especially mission-driven; it's a great way to show your interest in the company's goals and values. It's also a way to explain any extenuating circumstances, like many years out of the workforce, a relocation, or a change in seniority (for example, if someone is intentionally hoping to go from management to being an individual contributor).
Similarly, a cover letter is important if you are making a career change. One cover letter story I still think about is from over ten years ago. I was recruiting real estate agents and ideally looking for folks with related experience, and a guy applied who really hadn't done anything that was related. However, he had an incredible cover letter. He had been substitute teaching and writing, but his cover letter went into detail about how real estate was his passion, why he loved it, and why he was specifically interested in our company. Based on his resume alone, he never would have gotten a call, but his cover letter made it clear that he'd not only done his research, but also really wanted to do this type of work. I could be wrong, but I think he is actually still with that company all these years later.
Layoffs, layoffs, and more layoffs has been the story of the first half of the year. What would you say to a job seeker that's feeling a bit doom and gloom about their prospects?
It's all cyclical. No economic situation lasts forever, whether good or bad. The Great Recession was the first economic downturn I experienced as a working professional and sometimes it felt completely dire. Of course, then we all saw it turn around... and then turn around again. There's only so much any of us can control, so what's important is to focus on those things. Build your network, get your resume and LinkedIn profile in tip-top shape, and spend some time thinking about backup plans. For example, can you start a side hustle to save up additional income? Can you start cultivating your network so that they'll think of you if jobs open up? Remember, too, that there's no shame in taking a temporary or "bridge" job if you need to.
Do you have any specific advice for people early in their careers in this environment?
Do what you can and do it well. Not everyone's first few jobs are going to be dream jobs, and that's fine - in fact, that's often where we can learn the most. Even if you feel stuck in a job you don't love, look for ways to make it work for you. Can you take on additional projects in an area that interests you? Can you seek out mentorship from someone whose job you find enticing? Do you have time to start volunteering to add more experience to your toolbelt? It may feel like you're stuck right now, but remember the tide will change. Focus on building up your resume and network so you're ready.
Do employees have any leverage in the debate about returning to the office?
I could probably talk about the WFH vs. RTO debate for hours. In fact, rather than see Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg cage fight, let's get RTO and WFH advocates in there instead. 🤣
In seriousness, the leverage an employee has really depends. Are they a top performer? Have they proven their value to the company? What is the makeup of their team? Someone who is a top performer and whose team is distributed across multiple offices may have more of a chance for remote work to be approved than someone who hasn't proven themselves or who would be the odd one out while the rest of their team sits together.
It's similar when it comes to candidates. For example, with 15 years in talent acquisition, much of my network is also in that space - and many are out of work. With hundreds of recruiters applying to each role, it's unlikely that any one candidate has much leverage to demand a remote position. There are plenty of other folks who will gladly commute into the office. On the other hand, if someone has a specialized skill set, they have more leverage. If it's hard to find someone who does the job and does it well, a company is more likely to take the risk of bringing someone on fully remote.
Let's go with something more optimistic. What would you say are some of the more interesting opportunities that this economic environment creates for job seekers or those looking to make a transition?
I think we're going to continue to see a lot of folks taking power back into their own hands. I've never seen so many people starting their own businesses or side hustles than I have lately. I think economic downturns like this are often opportunities in disguise - "necessity is the mother of invention" and all that.
I also think it will contribute to continued shifts in the employee/employer relationship. We got through the Great Resignation and now employers have taken back the power. Eventually, that's going to change again, and my guess is that when they have their pick of jobs, a lot of employees will be loath to go work for companies who had poorly-executed layoffs or RTO plans. I wouldn't be surprised if the tide eventually turns back toward remote work and high salaries for highly-sought-after positions.