Aronstein’s article tells us a lot about the AIDA model, without even having to say it. Like when Leonardo Da Vinci writes to Ludovico and states, “Most illustrious Lord,” he is using words to grab the reader’s attention, and is addressing him properly. While we may not refer to our potential employer with such grandeur language, it’s still relevant today to use proper name and title, i.e, Doctor, Director, Executive, etc. Using names fosters a connection, and makes the resume feel even more personal. Aronstein also makes the point that some things don’t need to be stated on a resume. As he says, “a resume can entail an aggressive manufacture of meanings beyond those assumed by the literal text.” In other words, your employer will gather much more about you than just your experience and skills listed. To some extent, you have to trust that the people reading your resume can fill in the blanks about your character as gathered from your education, experience, and skills.
Aronstein offers some very unique opinions about resumes and their history. Due to his extensive knowledge and history examining resumes, his thoughts are not taken lightly. One thing I found interesting was his examination of the status of the resume document in general. The document at times can seem outdated, and often doesn’t assist an employer well enough to hire the best applicant. I was inclined to wonder about what could be done to improve the resume or even what could be created to take the place of it altogether. It’s interesting to think how different the landscape of applying for jobs could be without the use of the resume. Aronstein spends the first half of this article discussing the history of resumes, dating back as early as the 15th century with Leonardo da Vinci. It seems that the resume has been around in one form or another for a long time, and it in itself is a living document just as much as each person’s resume is. Constantly revised. A final point that Aronstein ends with is that “Resumes do violence to language.” This line stuck out to me. It seems aggressive, but I understand the message that resumes do not offer any opportunity for creative writing or fancy word usage. Get to the point before you waste anyone’s time.
This article was very short which was useful because I had to read it over several times to comprehend the big ideas. I thought it made a lot of sense that we were reading this after our peer reviews and the whole time while reading I kept thinking about the advice I received during the peer review and how similar it was to the advice that is given in the article. The major points that I took away from the article were 1.) Be efficient, the strongest will fit on a single page 2.)Describe previous work in bullet points, use only strong verbs 3.) Don’t add languages that you haven’t mastered. 4.) The Resume rise and demise. Personally I didn’t like the article and I’m still not sure if I completely understand it. One thing that I found funny is that we have been saying that the existence of resumes is in danger since 1980 when actually resume documents are thriving today as much as they were in the 1930’s in the rise of the resume despite the rise of technology. I believe the reason for this is because resumes give a nice introduction before an interview that we haven’t been able to replicate virtually. Another reason I believe the resume has endured is because it looks more professional when you take the time to print it out and hand it to an employer. I believe that the only reason I got my summer jobs was because I went around and passed out my resume out like a flier to anyone who would take it and I believe having that physical piece of paper sitting on an employers desk with your name on it will significantly help reinforce your name and your interest to the employer and ultimately help to keep you in the loop and get the job.
Aronstein’s article doesn’t sugarcoat the facts of writing a resume. A majority of the article is spent giving the history of resumes. What stuck out to me was the last page. He notes that “resumes do violence to language”. I feel this has been somewhat in line with what we have discussed in class. Keep it concise and only with material that is pertinent to the job for which you are applying. He mentions that recruiters only look at a resume for an average of 6 seconds- after doing this test in class, it is crucial that it is formatted to be engaging and attractive in 700 words, give or take. This can be done using strong verbs to show progression throughout your time in a particular position.
Aronstein’s article spent a majority of its time talking about the history of resumes, which originally made it difficult for me to find the actual main ideas of this piece. After reading it again, I was able to take away that he bluntly tells the reader that the potential employer is only going to spend around 6 seconds looking at their resume, and that in order for it to make a strong impression, it should fit on one page. He also makes it abundantly clear that one should not use language that could be seen as over exaggerated. The point is to get to the root of who this person is professionally, and be able to make a strong enough impression that their resumer will be looked at for one second longer than the other candidates.
One major takeaway was to not oversell yourself to your employer as Leonardo da Vinci once did, however, groveling was kind of a show of respect back then so the jury’s still out. Another takeaway from this piece was da Vinci’s display of skills. He mentions he has something to bring to the table and then breaks down why they and he would be useful to what I can assume to be the king. The final thing to take note of is the idea of using strong language and verbs in order to portray yourself as an appealing candidate. Being able to describe your skills, not kissing up to anyone as well as using strong language will help formulate a strong resume that the employer will have a hard time passing you up.
Within the article “I Have Read Thousands of Resumes, and I Have Some Advice” by A-J Aronstein, one of the biggest takeaways I found was right there at the beginning of the piece – the harsh reality that this document is going to be one in a sea of other applicants, to ensure you get your fair shake, the best way is not to create extra work for the employer but to have a clear and concise document that is one page. Although the history of the resume might have taken time to come to resemble what we would recognize today, I thought Aronstein’s example of Leonardo da Vinci’s resume – setting aside the 15th-century specifics – was interesting in that it appeals to an audience in a targetted and precise manner and provided crucial details when applicable. Lastly, the emphasis lies on the idea that even though so many people who appreciate and use the flexibility of language write resumes, it is the most boring, synonymous document that can feel like your worth as an individual somehow has to be whittled down to one page of vagueness. The resume has been sustained in our culture for a while – it seems like something that just has to be dealt with, and understanding the game of it all is part of our professional lives.
Right away the first thing in the article sticks out to me. Aronstein says that “the strongest resume will fit on a single page. Exceptions are few.” We talked about this in class and it’s something that I often think about because I know that if I were an employer I would not want to be reading pages upon pages of resumes. There are other things that need to get done. Another thing that he brings up that we also talked about in class is using bullet points. He says “use only strong verbs… do this even if you think different words better describe your achievements.” In class we were given a list of strong verbs to be used and I currently have none of those in my paper. Now after reading this and remembering that I have that worksheet, I am going to throw a few strong words in there. Lastly, I like the way that he ends this article. He ends it by saying “everyone will know you don’t speak conversational spanish and no one cares that you once went to France.” Basically don’t add lies or BS, because no one cares. I liked this article and it kind of added to the advice we’ve already been given during class.
Resumes have been around since the 15th century, as shown by Leonardo da Vinci’s letter to the Duke of Milan. Their popularity rose around the turn of the 20th century, especially around the 1920s, when resumes became part of the language of job descriptions and advertisements. Resumes beforehand were mostly thought of language used by theatre and film critics to describe an actor’s list of roles over the years. The rise during the 20s could have resulted from the rise of the middle class after World War I and the impact of the Great Depression in the 30s, where job openings were scarce and unemployment was high. Resumes should cut into the employer’s heart, focusing less on a person’s qualities and more on their accomplishments. Verbs should be active and descriptive, focusing less on innuendo and more on the specific actions one took in previous employment. This makes it so that the applicant makes a bigger impression on the employer using unique, descriptive language rather than something that can easily be cut and pasted. This also lines up with the belief that employers only look at a resume for 6 seconds; thus, being active and concise helps to leave that desired best impression.
There were a lot of take aways when reading this article but the three that stood out to me were very interesting. The first one was right on the first page, it talks about the fine details of the format of the resume. This is helpful because now I know how to format mine and what the hiring manager likes to see. I also learned that the word resume has different meanings in different places. The third take away from this article is don’t add details that are small and won’t bring up conversation. Also saying that if you went to a place once don’t add it if you can’t talk about it for a long conversation.
*BEFORE I BEGIN: I apologize for the tardiness of this post, it looks like I never his submit*
There are a lot of things I took away from this article. The first was the history of resumes. I found it very interesting to see the perspective of resumes as they pertain to an older time period, and comparing that to the standards we have for resumes now. The language used in the professional document (the resume) was much more creative than it is now. Something I was not aware of, was how old resumes are, dating all the way back to Leonardo Da Vinci in the 15th century. Another point that was emphasized was the idea of using verbs that are strong, powerful language to showcase your abilities or aspects about yourself and your experience to better stand out to the employer. Finally, a quote that really stuck out to me from this article was when Aronstein stated that “resumes do violence to language.” I found this to be a quote that inspired a lot of thinking, summing up the conciseness and cut to the chase nature of professional writing. Oftentimes the individuality can be lost when it comes to professional documents, as they are all meant to follow a certain set of standards. However, to me this means it is even more important to know how to write a proper resume. In other words, you can’t stick out to the employer until you first know how to blend in, meaning knowing how to meet expectations.
11 thoughts on “JOURNAL # 14”
Aronstein’s article tells us a lot about the AIDA model, without even having to say it. Like when Leonardo Da Vinci writes to Ludovico and states, “Most illustrious Lord,” he is using words to grab the reader’s attention, and is addressing him properly. While we may not refer to our potential employer with such grandeur language, it’s still relevant today to use proper name and title, i.e, Doctor, Director, Executive, etc. Using names fosters a connection, and makes the resume feel even more personal. Aronstein also makes the point that some things don’t need to be stated on a resume. As he says, “a resume can entail an aggressive manufacture of meanings beyond those assumed by the literal text.” In other words, your employer will gather much more about you than just your experience and skills listed. To some extent, you have to trust that the people reading your resume can fill in the blanks about your character as gathered from your education, experience, and skills.
Aronstein offers some very unique opinions about resumes and their history. Due to his extensive knowledge and history examining resumes, his thoughts are not taken lightly. One thing I found interesting was his examination of the status of the resume document in general. The document at times can seem outdated, and often doesn’t assist an employer well enough to hire the best applicant. I was inclined to wonder about what could be done to improve the resume or even what could be created to take the place of it altogether. It’s interesting to think how different the landscape of applying for jobs could be without the use of the resume. Aronstein spends the first half of this article discussing the history of resumes, dating back as early as the 15th century with Leonardo da Vinci. It seems that the resume has been around in one form or another for a long time, and it in itself is a living document just as much as each person’s resume is. Constantly revised. A final point that Aronstein ends with is that “Resumes do violence to language.” This line stuck out to me. It seems aggressive, but I understand the message that resumes do not offer any opportunity for creative writing or fancy word usage. Get to the point before you waste anyone’s time.
This article was very short which was useful because I had to read it over several times to comprehend the big ideas. I thought it made a lot of sense that we were reading this after our peer reviews and the whole time while reading I kept thinking about the advice I received during the peer review and how similar it was to the advice that is given in the article. The major points that I took away from the article were 1.) Be efficient, the strongest will fit on a single page 2.)Describe previous work in bullet points, use only strong verbs 3.) Don’t add languages that you haven’t mastered. 4.) The Resume rise and demise. Personally I didn’t like the article and I’m still not sure if I completely understand it. One thing that I found funny is that we have been saying that the existence of resumes is in danger since 1980 when actually resume documents are thriving today as much as they were in the 1930’s in the rise of the resume despite the rise of technology. I believe the reason for this is because resumes give a nice introduction before an interview that we haven’t been able to replicate virtually. Another reason I believe the resume has endured is because it looks more professional when you take the time to print it out and hand it to an employer. I believe that the only reason I got my summer jobs was because I went around and passed out my resume out like a flier to anyone who would take it and I believe having that physical piece of paper sitting on an employers desk with your name on it will significantly help reinforce your name and your interest to the employer and ultimately help to keep you in the loop and get the job.
Aronstein’s article doesn’t sugarcoat the facts of writing a resume. A majority of the article is spent giving the history of resumes. What stuck out to me was the last page. He notes that “resumes do violence to language”. I feel this has been somewhat in line with what we have discussed in class. Keep it concise and only with material that is pertinent to the job for which you are applying. He mentions that recruiters only look at a resume for an average of 6 seconds- after doing this test in class, it is crucial that it is formatted to be engaging and attractive in 700 words, give or take. This can be done using strong verbs to show progression throughout your time in a particular position.
Aronstein’s article spent a majority of its time talking about the history of resumes, which originally made it difficult for me to find the actual main ideas of this piece. After reading it again, I was able to take away that he bluntly tells the reader that the potential employer is only going to spend around 6 seconds looking at their resume, and that in order for it to make a strong impression, it should fit on one page. He also makes it abundantly clear that one should not use language that could be seen as over exaggerated. The point is to get to the root of who this person is professionally, and be able to make a strong enough impression that their resumer will be looked at for one second longer than the other candidates.
One major takeaway was to not oversell yourself to your employer as Leonardo da Vinci once did, however, groveling was kind of a show of respect back then so the jury’s still out. Another takeaway from this piece was da Vinci’s display of skills. He mentions he has something to bring to the table and then breaks down why they and he would be useful to what I can assume to be the king. The final thing to take note of is the idea of using strong language and verbs in order to portray yourself as an appealing candidate. Being able to describe your skills, not kissing up to anyone as well as using strong language will help formulate a strong resume that the employer will have a hard time passing you up.
Within the article “I Have Read Thousands of Resumes, and I Have Some Advice” by A-J Aronstein, one of the biggest takeaways I found was right there at the beginning of the piece – the harsh reality that this document is going to be one in a sea of other applicants, to ensure you get your fair shake, the best way is not to create extra work for the employer but to have a clear and concise document that is one page. Although the history of the resume might have taken time to come to resemble what we would recognize today, I thought Aronstein’s example of Leonardo da Vinci’s resume – setting aside the 15th-century specifics – was interesting in that it appeals to an audience in a targetted and precise manner and provided crucial details when applicable. Lastly, the emphasis lies on the idea that even though so many people who appreciate and use the flexibility of language write resumes, it is the most boring, synonymous document that can feel like your worth as an individual somehow has to be whittled down to one page of vagueness. The resume has been sustained in our culture for a while – it seems like something that just has to be dealt with, and understanding the game of it all is part of our professional lives.
Right away the first thing in the article sticks out to me. Aronstein says that “the strongest resume will fit on a single page. Exceptions are few.” We talked about this in class and it’s something that I often think about because I know that if I were an employer I would not want to be reading pages upon pages of resumes. There are other things that need to get done. Another thing that he brings up that we also talked about in class is using bullet points. He says “use only strong verbs… do this even if you think different words better describe your achievements.” In class we were given a list of strong verbs to be used and I currently have none of those in my paper. Now after reading this and remembering that I have that worksheet, I am going to throw a few strong words in there. Lastly, I like the way that he ends this article. He ends it by saying “everyone will know you don’t speak conversational spanish and no one cares that you once went to France.” Basically don’t add lies or BS, because no one cares. I liked this article and it kind of added to the advice we’ve already been given during class.
Resumes have been around since the 15th century, as shown by Leonardo da Vinci’s letter to the Duke of Milan. Their popularity rose around the turn of the 20th century, especially around the 1920s, when resumes became part of the language of job descriptions and advertisements. Resumes beforehand were mostly thought of language used by theatre and film critics to describe an actor’s list of roles over the years. The rise during the 20s could have resulted from the rise of the middle class after World War I and the impact of the Great Depression in the 30s, where job openings were scarce and unemployment was high. Resumes should cut into the employer’s heart, focusing less on a person’s qualities and more on their accomplishments. Verbs should be active and descriptive, focusing less on innuendo and more on the specific actions one took in previous employment. This makes it so that the applicant makes a bigger impression on the employer using unique, descriptive language rather than something that can easily be cut and pasted. This also lines up with the belief that employers only look at a resume for 6 seconds; thus, being active and concise helps to leave that desired best impression.
There were a lot of take aways when reading this article but the three that stood out to me were very interesting. The first one was right on the first page, it talks about the fine details of the format of the resume. This is helpful because now I know how to format mine and what the hiring manager likes to see. I also learned that the word resume has different meanings in different places. The third take away from this article is don’t add details that are small and won’t bring up conversation. Also saying that if you went to a place once don’t add it if you can’t talk about it for a long conversation.
*BEFORE I BEGIN: I apologize for the tardiness of this post, it looks like I never his submit*
There are a lot of things I took away from this article. The first was the history of resumes. I found it very interesting to see the perspective of resumes as they pertain to an older time period, and comparing that to the standards we have for resumes now. The language used in the professional document (the resume) was much more creative than it is now. Something I was not aware of, was how old resumes are, dating all the way back to Leonardo Da Vinci in the 15th century. Another point that was emphasized was the idea of using verbs that are strong, powerful language to showcase your abilities or aspects about yourself and your experience to better stand out to the employer. Finally, a quote that really stuck out to me from this article was when Aronstein stated that “resumes do violence to language.” I found this to be a quote that inspired a lot of thinking, summing up the conciseness and cut to the chase nature of professional writing. Oftentimes the individuality can be lost when it comes to professional documents, as they are all meant to follow a certain set of standards. However, to me this means it is even more important to know how to write a proper resume. In other words, you can’t stick out to the employer until you first know how to blend in, meaning knowing how to meet expectations.