Forget the boring resume, show your story

After 17 years of marketing experience my traditional resume has gotten rather long. There are five pages of important milestones, interesting job progressions and award winning successes. It has become a really interesting list. BORING! While the list shows the depth of my experience, analytic capabilities and my attention to detail, it does nothing to start a conversation. And isn't starting a dialog exactly what a resume is supposed to do! So, being in marketing I decided to visualize my background and teamed up with a talented designer friend to turn my list into an InfoGraphic that opens the door to dialog.

Let me tell you this was NOT easy. How do I turn five pages of accomplishments I'm deeply attached to into a two page visualization of my work. But by stepping back and talking it out with colleagues and the designer we came up with what I hope is a conversation starter.

This approach applies as much to a baker or teacher as it does to a marketing professional. If you want to work in a cupcakery - make your most tasty treat, attach the recipe with one important ingredient missing - offer to show the hiring baker the secret ingredient. Or if you're a teacher build an amazing lesson plan and attach it to your credentials. Or maybe you want to be the next personal shopper at a department store - take pictures of the outfits you've put together for your friends. Whatever your passion, show it, don't tell it. There's no job too small for your story to shine through.