I’m 33. I have lots of solid experience but I think one of my strengths is my personality and general well-roundedness. I can present, I’ve been in client facing positions, I’ve also spent most of my career sitting in front of a computer doing statistical analysis. ALso, I think I am generally a good group memeber. What’s the best way to represent this in a resume? At the bottom of my current resume I list hobbies and volunteer work. Shoudl I include a summary at the top of my resume that includes a sentence about extracirriculars?
You’re good enough smart enough and dog gone it people like you
don’t do a summary. I know what I’ve looking for, and I don’t care what you think what it is you want to be. most summaries are BS, customized to whatever position you applied for.
I start with an auto negative bias when I see one
I don’t think summaries really work in finance - I’d try to get those points to shine through in your description of the roles you’ve held.
They will figure that out during interview.
Just for cuiriosity, what kind of volunteer work do ya do?
I don’ think employers want to see that you’re “well rounded.”
What they want to see is that you’re a diamond encrusted platinum-titatinum alloy that will work for a pittance. So just list your jobs, explain how you hit the ball out of the park at every pitch you recieved and say “I’m happy to work here just for the experience,” and you’ll do great.
If you’re working for a startup company, well-rounded-ness may be more desirable, because there are lots of tasks and they like knowing that they can throw you on anything that comes up.
Cover letter?
Disregarded if not necessary or read if HR is bored.
Hiring managers may love you for your “well-roundedness” but they may have difficulty building a case to hire you unless you have some obvious strengths. You are already 33 so I doubt many corporates will hire and train you to reap rewards from your potentials far, far down the road - they only grant that privilege to college grads or MBA students. May I suggest you enroll in a top MBA program? Recruiters are much more open to hiring well-rounded “future leaders”.
Do hiring managers actually like seeing volunteer work listed on a resume? It just seems to go against the very nature of what volunteering should be, IMO. Like are you really volunteering or doing charity work if you’re just using it to make yourself seem more marketable?
Feels icky.
I’ve never put much stock in volunteer work. Deep down I wonder if the person is wimpy, and are they thick skinned enough to really handle finance
I don’t see it much on resumes these days.
I think people who do not have a soul that is a black blob might be interested in it, especially at the higher levels. Most executives are involved with many charities in more than a check delivery fashion so depending on what level he is at it may be a draw for sure.
I disagree; I think volunteer experience can be helpful. I’ve certainly encountered interviewers who commented positively on my volunteer experience. In the worst case, your interviewer will be indifferent to it.
I agree about leaving out the summary at the top- it’s outdated and looks awful. Instead, let the traits come through in your position descriptions.
I’ve been around people who viewed volunteering as weak and pyseudo hippie liberal douchie handouts. However, my current gig has a strong interest in social responsibility and encourages free PTO days to volunteer. I like that.
Our profits have yet to suffer as well.
the high levels you talk of tend to be the “really” high levels. which is too high for lower associates to be involved with. The mid-level guys also generally arn’t there yet either
I think a lot of finance people figure that if you do volunteer work, you probably won’t be willing to f- over your grandmother in order to add $0.01 to the company’s bottom line.
But I think that’s short sighted. Through volunteer work, you can locate multiples of grandmothers that your company can f- over in it’s search for additional revenue.