S.A.M in search of....

Amongst the other things that the dreaded question brings up, is the acknowledgement that I must do something I hate. I have to update my resume.

I hate resumes on principle. I hate the fact that, on one sheet, I have to sell myself. On an 8.5”x11” sheet, single sided of course, I have to somehow create a lasting impression of my numerous, dazzling talents (edited, of course, because how could I possibly fit it all in…). On one sheet I have to mesmerize whomever is reading it, and in turn, bestow me with that most wonderful of gifts: an interview.

Let’s face it, a resume is nothing more than an intricate personal ad, codified into a professional document to be scattered across thousands of desks, read by random, anonymous faces. Yeah, it’s a bit longer, and you get to add more detail. But the goal is the same; you desperately want the reader to look it over and get interested, maybe feel something a bit warm and fuzzy. A tingling sensation would be very good. Get them excited, and baby, you’re gold.

The Architecture world demands another dimension to the process. See, you can’t just send off your resume using a nice, generic MSword template. No, you’re a designer, and a designer doesn’t use anything generic, anything that doesn’t have some intent. After all, as you will be repeatedly told in your professional practice class, you resume is more than just a sheet of qualifications. Your resume reflects, in its layout, in its choice of font, sizing and organization, you as a designer. And you don’t want to give off the wrong first impression.

The minutia of the resume boggles. There are books dedicated to its design. I know, I have several. I also, can you imagine, spent two years advising others on their own resumes. I’ve spent hours editing sentences to make them “action-oriented”, critiquing layouts for being too complex, too confusing to read at a glance, reminding countless others what exactly “relevant work-experience” is. All in the name of hitting that elusive jackpot – getting hired.

But, secretly, while I made my notes, gave my advice, I wondered if it was worth it, if a resume truly influences a potential employer. Was the fuss worth it? Did it need to be so carefully scrutinized, its balance of text to whitespace honed to utter perfection? Was it necessary for them to know the activities I participated in, or the awards I may have received. As long as pretty samples of work were involved, and I had the requisite knowledge of AutoCad, and nowadays, Maya or 3D Studio Max, did anything else matter?

Sure, work experience is important, and that becomes much more of your resume as you get older, work more. But the catch-22 of recently graduating is that, well, experience is generally the lightest part of your resume. At least experience in a firm. Or, it might just be me.

So with work experience lacking, I look at my resume and wonder, what must a potential employer be thinking, as they scan my resume. (If they scan my resume.) Would they appreciate my hours spent as a teaching assistant, the choice I made to spend a year at my alma mater, lending a sympathetic ear to younger archies as they traversed the potential pitfalls of their future life? Would they understand the reasons for my “year of drifting”, or care that I’ve volunteered my time to teach children about architecture? Or would they pay more attention to the fact that I only have a basic understanding of complex digital modeling, and little experience in a firm?

Maybe it would just be easier to place a singles ad:

S.A.M. (Single Architecture Male) 4 Cool Job.

S.A.M in search of internship at exciting, dynamic office. Would prefer financial compensation commensurate to cost of living, but would accept peanuts if firm work has been widely published or you are constantly referenced within the circles of architecture literati. Am able to decipher complex jargon and interpret conceptual B.S. Versatile, can perform many positions, and have experience using multiple forms of media. Depending on status within constellation of “starchitects”, would consider responding to “bitch” or “monkey” for the honor of having your name listed on my resume.