Would you review my resume?

[Pompal 09.]

Hey folks,

If you've been or are in the position of hiring massage therapists, I'd love to have you review my resume!

I'm curious to know if I'm making any common mistakes, if I've included anything that would be a "red flag" for you, left anything positive out, etc.

What do you look for, anyway? What do you want to see, what do you NOT want to see?

Please be brutally honest, I prefer you post here for discussion & the benefit of all, but you can PM if you like.

The resume is at http://www.egomagick.com/temp/Josh_Alexander_resume.pdf

Please nobody stalk me!

 

[Concorde]

If only CV's sent to me for jobs were that good. I honestly can't find anything to criticise with that, its beautifully presented, formatting is consistent, no excessive text / waffle and all the information is relative.

Good luck
Mat xxx

 

[smilez]

I think it looks great Only thing I am not 100% sure about is having it all on one page, even though it is beautifully presented. Maybe I'm just being old fashioned, but it sort of looks like a flyer/news letter, more than a resume.

It presents so much info one one page, I found it a bit overwhelming, even though it had a clear flow - though that was online, rather than as printed (I had to scroll down to get to the bottom of the page, then scroll back up to follow the flow) If you're thinking of handing it out online rather than printed, definitely change that.

I think the layout is showing your graphic design strengths extremely well which distracts a bit from the massage skill set. You do want to stand out from other resumes, but with a cover page added to it, you loose that impact anyway, so maybe don't worry about that impact, just go for a more traditional layout. Maybe it is just me being old fashioned, and everyone else thinks it's not an isse, but I am in the global backwaters of Australia, so we could be out of touch.

Is it common to put your own photo in a resume? Add that in and it goes over the slick one page format anyway. If photos aren't usually, it's not an issue.

 

[Mr Grinch]

I think it is fabulous!

It will definitely stand out from other resumes, is very clear, and will attract the kind of employer I think you are looking for. I have been in charge of hiring for a non-massage company and screened applicants for the spa that I worked at.

I like the format too. I did a resume once in a brochure format that was successful for me.

 

[Jerry Toad]

Thanks folks, so far... but, keep 'em coming.

The thing is, I haven't had much success with it... perhaps that's simply lack of experience, and I haven't sent this most updated version out with the Zubio experience on there.

So you folks like all of the info presented in the right column? It's useful to people in hiring positions to know the types of things my classes covered?

I hope so, since right now, the strength of my education is the best thing I've got goin' for me

Any comments on the wording & responsibilities presented under the first three employment entrees (the massage related ones!)??

 

[Mia]

Take this with a grain of salt, as I am still in school and have never been in the position of hiring someone:

You may want to include your professional affiliations, AOBTA, AMTA, etc.

Our business class included that as an option/nice touch for a bodywork resume.

 

[TK-421]

I have to say, the design is awesome.

It is the first thing I noticed.

What did you do to make it look like that? I'd like to know for my own personal information. I really like it.

As far as maybe not getting jobs off of it ... well, it could be it is "too pretty". Shouldn't be, but you never know.

Maybe take the same info and put it in more of a "resume type" style?

Depending on the type of places you are intereviewing at, you may want to re-think your e-mail address to have a more plain one. Just a thought. I know you mentioned that egomagic has nothing to do with magic, but maybe you are getting some people who won't hire you because of this. Maybe they consider you to be "too eccentric", without even asking?

 

[Me =]]

Thanks Gessika... I could have had AOBTA on there, before my membership expired!

Thanks for the compliment, Texas-gal! I did the resume in InDesign... I was a graphic designer in my past life ;-)

I've wondered if it doesn't need to be more traditional. Interesting thought about the email address, I hadn't thought of that.

 

[Cord]

Would you review my resume?

Hello,
I think you have a wonderful talent for laying out descriptive thoughts and that fits in perfectly when you wish to market your business.

I learned from a friend in the marketing business world what to include and not include in my resume and please take all this as info. to use or discard. You send out what's right for you. My friend told me she tossed any resumes in the garbage that were on colored paper or too difficult to read.{ too many words} You can be as presise as possible with few words.
I think you should take out all your school courses such as Anatomy,etc. If you went to massage school, they know you had it. I see you listed things you did to make a previous job run smoother but if you can re word it to show % saved to company that would be something to draw a prospectice employer's eye. Example: Increased Massage hours to an unhappy client due to scheduling error. Client purchased
$1200.00 in massage packages. It shows how you problem solved and increased business which every employer wants to see. My friend took out all the flowery phrases I had in my resume such as copassionate, caring descisions,etc. and made it very concise, nailed the main points, and did it on one page. My script was easy to read regular lettering. Well, I hope some suggestions were of help to you or anyone out there. I received two complements on both interviews regarding my resume and remember that resumes get you an interview and usually a person who is interviewing you will decide within 3 to 5 minutes of talking to you, if you are right for the position. And that's another topic!!

 

[The Baron]

I think it's important to include relevant coursework in a bodywork resume. I even think it's ok to include how many hours that course was. With so many schools out there of varying quality, I think it's important to let potential employers know what kind and how much training you have had. (Especially if you went to a great school).

In my school's business class, we were taught that a bodywork resume is different than a resume for other fields and should be approached differently on some levels.

 

[Brenda Yim]

Shouldn't be, but you never know.

= I can't imagine that it is.... but you never know.

Please don't remove the resume you already have from that link. I just really like the look and I think it is something that other people should consider having as a "different" type of resume, when they are going for a job somewhere artsy.

I am looking forward to seeing your more "traditional" style one too.

 

[A.Herd]

i say don't change it ~ especially to something more traditional. way too boring. i really like the way it is now! i think the email address is fine too. i wouldn't think twice about it as an employer. maybe if it was something like axmurdr@yahoo i'd have issues but yours is fine. i think the only thing that threw me just a bit was the "skilled holding of space" and the "non-judgemental holding of space" statements. i don't think i've ever heard a statement like that.

great job!

 

[Alice]

I think it would be helpful to start a resume thread, where we can ask questions/post for feedback. Has that been done before?

 

[vikki94]

I also noted the "skilled holding of space" and the "non-judgemental holding of space" statements - I thought not that many people would understand it, but then I thought that you would prefer to work in an environment where it was understood. (I do understand those phrases) To a certain extent, I also think that an environment where those phrases are understood would not have an issue with the email address.

So it really depends if you want this resume for a job in an environment where "skilled holding of space" and the "non-judgemental holding of space" is not a recognised (and maybe unappreciated) part of the job. If you just want any massage job, get a bit more clinical, if you want a job that is more alligned with your values (going on your posts AND resume) I'd say leave them in.

And don't forget, that even if somewhere does seem a perfect fit, all alligned with your values, wonderful people, hours, environment, things can go wrong down the track, get everything in writing.

 

[Zia]

To a certain extent, I also think that an environment where those phrases are understood would not have an issue with the email address.

So it really depends if you want this resume for a job in an environment where "skilled holding of space" and the "non-judgemental holding of space" is not a recognised (and maybe unappreciated) part of the job. If you just want any massage job, get a bit more clinical, if you want a job that is more alligned with your values (going on your posts AND resume) I'd say leave them in.

Great points!

 

[Nicole J]

I don't know that I've identified any kind of place here, in SF of all cities, that is looking for those skills... I'm not even sure what that would look like anywhere. So I think I'll take that part out, unless anyone has any suggestions on where that's wanted.

I feel like the particular school I went to left me with all of these amazing skills and qualities that I bring into the treatment room... that very few people care about, if they know about them and all.

I've not experimented with "traditional", and I think it might be time. Thanks for the advice to get more "clinical" (*yawn*). I think clinical is important, it just gets boring when stripped of heart.

 

[Muffins]

All the points you just made above, you could possibly mention during an interview (that you got with your "traditional" resume). LOL

 

[Yuri Gregarin]

..."clinical" (*yawn*). I think clinical is important, it just gets boring when stripped of heart.

You have plenty of ability to add in your "heart" when you are clinical.... but think of it this way.... right now you are interviewing for a job in the profession you love. Once you get the "job", then you can make the money to eventually open up the way "you" want to do it.

Good luck.... it may take time, but if you don't find what you want right away, find something you can work with and then just keep looking.

It may take a few years to find that "exceptional" place that has all those things your hoping to have.

 

[Angelis]

random thoughts:

i wouldn't add the coursework hours in (like A&P) unless you were applying outside your area. prospective employers are generally aware of
the schools in your area.

i think this would go over very well in high-end establishments, or trendy day spas, or very holistic environments. if you were inclined, you might 'tweak' a different 'version' for different prospective employers...
emphasizing one aspect over another.

 

[daphne o]

i wouldn't add the coursework hours in (like A&P) unless you were applying outside your area.

Not sure which parts you're referring to... I didn't list hours for A&P...