The Hide-the-Resume Game

By Marty Nemko

A resume is a sales tool. If your resume won't help sell you compared with other candidates, play the hide-the-resume game: defer showing it to prospective employers as long as possible. Even if a job ad requires a resume, don't send it unless it's likely to be top-of-the-heap. Instead, include a cover letter and a bio highlighting your strengths. Of course, many employers will dump your application if you omit your resume, but when day is done, your chances of landing a good job are better if you only show employers things that makes you look better than the competition. Yes, somewhere in the interview process, you'll probably have to show your resume, but by then, you may have made a good enough impression that your weak resume won't eliminate you from consideration. So, if you have a weak resume, play the hide-the-resume game.