Today’s Tip: It’s All In The Name

Naming things is a big part of our society. We name our pets. We name our stuffed animals. We name inanimate objects like our boats and cars. We even have nicknames for our loved ones (and no, I wasn't thinking of "old lady"). And even though we think of very creative names for the above mentioned, we drop the ball when it comes to naming our resume.

It is a lost opportunity to "brand" yourself when you have a generic name for your resume. After all, this is your marketing and sales document. It is one of the most important documents in getting you an interview. Yet, most job seekers, will call their resume things like, "Resume", "Kevin Crews Resume", "Resume - Version 6" (ouch, that is just the wrong thing to do), "KCResume", etc...

You have up to 255 characters to use in the naming of this file, and although I do not recommend using all 255 characters, I do think a descriptive naming convention is appropriate. Some ideas that I would recommend are to put your main skill-set, job title, industry terminology, certifications, education, and even your branding statement. This will start the reader off in the right mindset and if they are impressed with something in the title and do not initially see it in their 30-second review of your resume, then maybe they will go looking for it and give you more "eyeball" time than one of your competitors.

So go ahead and get creative with the naming of your resume. Write a reply to this blog entry and let others see what you came up with...

Note: My resume is titled: "Resume for Kevin Crews (MBA) - Senior Recruiting Expert and Sourcing Specialist - 6 AIRS Certifications"