Seeking a Management Position

As part of the resume development process, we pay particular attention to the clients' goals and job search target because we write very strategic resumes designed to hit their mark. If we don't know what the mark is, it's difficult to construct a resume that works for the client. Most of the time, the client has a good idea what type of position he or she is seeking. It seems that the more senior the client, the clearer the target or, at least, the better the client is able to communicate his goal to us. Occasionally, we will have a client like Jim (not his real name) that has particular trouble enunciating his job search goal. Here is the conversation we recently had with Jim. GI: So Jim, tell me what you type of job you are targeting. Jim: I was thinking a management position. GI: Okay, can you be more specific? Jim: I want to manage an operation. GI: What kind of operation? Jim: Something that is customer-centric and progressive. GI: Your experience has been in corporate training. Are you targeting something along those lines? Jim: I've worked with a lot of organizations in developing their internal training programs. Several of them are interesting. I'd like to target some of them. GI: And those would be¦.? Jim: Oh, some Fortune 1000 organizations. I'm particularly interested in companies in the Southwest. GI: Okay, maybe I'm not making myself understood. Jim, what industry are you targeting? ALL industries have management positions. Can you be specific? Jim: I'd like something in sales. GI: Let me clarify what you've told me. You want a management position in some kind of sales with a progressive, customer-centric Fortune 1000 organization located in the Southwest. Jim: That's right. GI: Jim, have you had any sales experience? I don't see anything in your information or on your old resume that shows you've been in marketing and sales. Jim: No, but I have worked with many sales forces in my career. I know how to manage people. I have an MBA. That should be a good start. You get the gist of the conversation. It didn't improve much from there. Management isn't an industry! It is a function! Sales is a function! Sales is not an industry! When you are considering your job search, don't just think in terms of job titles and job function. Think industry! Think knowledge base! Think skills!