Does Your Resume Express Your Intensity?

By Robert P. Poindexter

When Pope Julius II decided the Sistine Chapel needed something a bit more inspirational for the ceiling than the gold stars that adorned the mostly blue ‘canvas,’ he sought out the person he felt would most passionately immerse himself in the challenge. Anyone over the age of six knows whom he chose.

It was Michelangelo’s passion for creating art that guided his eyes and his hands. Five hundred years later (give or take an hour), his passion still inspires those who view his work.

I love the word, ‘passion,’ The imagery the use of this word conjures up in one’s imagination has few equals.

It’s hard to imagine someone involved in a passionate act without seeing a superhuman quality that seems to embody every fiber of their being.

Webster’s dictionary defines ‘Passion’ as a ‘great liking’ or ‘intense emotion.’

Anyone who has witnessed passion for themselves would likely agree that this definition fails to adequately express the depth and the strength of true passion.

I submit that without passion very few, if any, of the accomplishments that we hold in esteem and reverence would have ever been seen to fruition.

Passion has been responsible for building great societies, bringing into being the tools and luxuries we use every day that enhance our lives, and it is directly responsible for the existence of each and every creature on this planet today.

It is both hard to describe and easy to understand. It can be reckless and focused. It can be felt in the still of a sunrise and on the battlefield (actual or metaphorical).

Passion creates a thirst that demands to be quenched, and is hard to completely satiate.

Does your resume properly express your passion? Does it evoke passion in the reader?

If your answer to these questions is a resounding, ‘No,’ I urge you to reach out to a career professional who will give indisputable evidence of your career ‘passion.’

And as far as the Sistine Chapel is concerned, I like to think the Pope knew something about evoking passion by having Michelangelo paint the ceiling instead of the floor.