Junk the Resume!

Or so, says Seth Godin, at his blog:

This is controversial, but here goes: I think if you're remarkable, amazing or just plain spectacular, you probably shouldn't have a resume at all.

Not just for my little internship, but in general. Great people shouldn't have a resume.

Here's why: A resume is an excuse to reject you. Once you send me your resume, I can say, "oh, they're missing this or they're missing that," and boom, you're out.

He goes on to say:

If you don't have a resume, what do you have?

How about three extraordinary letters of recommendation from people the employer knows or respects?
Or a sophisticated project they can see or touch?
Or a reputation that precedes you?
Or a blog that is so compelling and insightful that they have no choice but to follow up?

Some say, "well, that's fine, but I don't have those."

Yeah, that's my point. If you don't have those, why do you think you are remarkable, amazing or just plain spectacular? It sounds to me like if you don't have those, you've been brainwashed into acting like you're sort of ordinary.

Great jobs, world class jobs, jobs people kill for... those jobs don't get filled by people emailing in resumes. Ever.

So, now that I am gonna junk the resume, I should work on the recco letters, the blog, the project and the rep.


PS: I dont have the faintest clue how I subscribed to his feed, but I have him on my google reader. Boy, what a find! Thanks for the gems, Seth.

By the by, Seth, if you're reading this, you should blog for both the newbie to your blog(like me) and to the loyal follower - as stated by yourself on that "worst restaurant table" post!