As of this writing, I am deeply engrossed in a book by James Michener titled Chesapeake. It was given to me by a friend as a thank-you gift for
taking her sailing with us one weekend. I will tell you that when she first presented me with this tome, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to finish it. After all, it’s 847 pages long, and my attention span is typically in the two- to three-minute range. This is why I tend to favor short stories and hot-dogs. Both are easy to digest, and satisfy a hunger. Besides, hotdogs are extremely easy to make. I quite like that.
And while Mr. Michener’s books always satisfy a hunger, they are not always easy to digest. He requires you to invest something of yourself if you choose to be pulled into the buffet style writing he is famous for. It took me two weeks of picking up and putting down this book, before I finally had the courage to read the first sentence, which led to reading the first page and then quickly soaking up the first “Voyage” as he calls the chapters of this engrossing saga.
It wasn’t that I didn’t think I wouldn’t like the story; it was more that I feared not being able to finish it. But now, almost halfway to the 847th page, I can tell you that fear has subsided. From Pentaquod to the Paxmores, I’ve devoured each word. The Steeds and the Turlocks are now dear friends. I loathe the pompous Rector put into power by the Church of England. And on and on people I’ve never heard of or ever cared about, are as real to me as my next door neighbors.
The author of this book did not set out to write a short story. He did not sit at his typewriter and fear that if he gave too much descriptive information about his characters that the book would be too long for anyone to ever sit through it. The richness of the land and the characters deserved far more than a passing glimpse to fully appreciate the depth of each. This brings me to the point of this diatribe.
I am always surprised when one of our clients voices concern about the length of the resume. They are so concerned that the reader won’t take the time to read it; they will forego, willingly, those things that bring so much depth to their career saga. Admittedly, too long of a story, that is also boring, serves neither the writer nor the reader. But length alone should never determine the viability of any story.
Whether it is a Michener novel or your own personal resume, the story must be compelling in order to keep your audience interested beyond the title. A professional career strategist focuses their energy on exactly that, when properly employed. They will make sure certain facts are laid out in such a way so as to compel the reader to want to search deeper and get to know this person. And when done properly, this depth will be the key to your job search success.
By Rob Poindexter
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