Inspiring Resume Designs That Will Get You An Interview

May 9, 2015

Note: This post is the first in a series that I am publishing to help those who are seeking their dream job. There are several tips that I feel incrementally increase your chance of being hired. These tips require hard work to implement, but the "sweat equity" will pay dividends when you land the job you have been coveting.

Inspiring Resume Designs That Will Get You An Interview

Recruiters spend an average of just six seconds reviewing an individual resume before deciding if the candidate is worth calling for an interview. With such a limited time, you have to make your first impression count. Traditional resumes are typically a laundry list of past jobs, but they rarely tell the story about what the candidate COULD do for the potential employer. In the highly competitive job market, a visual representation of competency and experience told in a creatively stimulating format can make all the difference in getting noticed. Also the format lends itself well to telling a clear story about the potential benefits of the candidate. Several friends looking for new employment have taken my advice to create a visual (infographic) version of their resume with great success. In just the last few months, two of my friends have landed their dream jobs, and I have to think their infographic resume contributed. Here is a great example from a friend of mine:

(By the way, Jonathan landed a fantastic job as Vice President, Marketing Integration at Boys & Girls Clubs of America. This resume could not have hurt his chances!) Ditch the tired resume cliches and qualitative descriptions that have unsupported claims of greatness. A better route to take is giving specific (preferably quantifiable) accounts of what you’ve done that makes you a [insert generic hyperbole here].


The best way to describe your accomplishments is by creating a visually-appealing layout that makes it easy for hiring managers and recruiters to easily scan for the information that matters most. Your "resugraphic" will certainly set you apart from other candidates. Here are some tools that can help:

Creative Resume Examples:

30 Creative Resume Designs for Inspiration

30 Great Examples of Creative CV/Resume Design

50 Awesome Resumes: Why Good Design Will Get You Hired


Creative Resume Builders:

Piktochart

Easel.ly

Canva


It also may be worth the few hundred bucks it will cost to hire a graphic designer to help you.

As a bonus tip, here are some words you should avoid and use on your resume.
 
Please share your story about how a visual or infographic resume helped you land your dream job.

Best,
Joe

Posted by Joe. Posted In : #JobSeeker Series 

 

Atlanta Interactive Marketing Association - Personal Branding event

May 8, 2015


Wednesday morning I had the pleasure of serving on a panel discussion moderated by the infinitely talented UGA Digital Marketing professor and fellow AIMA board member - Jennifer Osbon. Joining us were long time friends Teresa Caro, Brian Rudolph, and Adam Naide. It was a lively discussion about the power of personal brand as it applies to both the physical and digital worlds.

Here is a picture of the entire panel:


Here is the Storify that I put together to capture many of the Tweets that happened live at the event:


For those of you who attended, I hope you really enjoyed the lively discussion!

Best,
Joe

Posted by Joe. Posted In : #JobSeeker Series 

 

Featured on the Leaders in the Trenches blog

April 21, 2015
My friend Gene Hammett runs the fantastic site: LeadersInTheTrenches.com.



When he asked me to talk to him about how to hire a great sales person, I was excited to talk about the years of marketing and sales experience that lead me to founding AgencySparks. I have insight into what works and what does not, with regards to sales talent.

Please check out the podcast to learn more about what I shared with Gene:

http://leadersinthetrenches.com/148-hiring-and-managing-sales-rep-series-2-of-3-with-joe-koufman/

Best,
Joe

Posted by Joe. Posted In : Publicity 

 

Judging the American Marketing Association - Atlanta - AMY Awards

March 16, 2015
(Fantastic logo designed by AgencySparks partner agency - Brand Fever)

I was so honored to be asked to serve as a judge for this year's AMY Awards, which was the 58th annual gala hosted by the American Marketing Association's Atlanta Chapter. The other judges that joined me included:
Here was the "behind the scenes" video of the judging day:


The actual event was a fabulous affair hosted by AMA Atlanta president Liz Ward, event organizer Dawn Hill, and master-of-ceremonies - Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau CEO - William Pate. The guest of honor was Lifetime Achievement Award recipient and retiring CMO of Chick-fil-A - Steve Robinson, who gave a passionate speech thanking all of those who helped facilitate his 34 successful years leading marketing there.

Thanks to all who helped me celebrate the best and brightest marketing talent in the southeast!

Best,
Joe

This blog post originally appeared on JoeKoufman.com

Posted by Joe. Posted In : Events 

 

AgencySparks' First Anniversary TODAY!

February 2, 2015
Today is the official first anniversary of the incorporation of AgencySparks!

To celebrate, we have launched a shiny new website:



Please check it out at AgencySparks.com and we would love to get your feedback!

Here is the blog post I wrote last week celebrating some of the highs and lows from the first year.

Special thanks go Lindsay and Ben at Bright Fox Agency for helping us with our new brand, logo, business cards, infographics, collateral materials, and website!

Thank you again for your support in making AgencySparks a special company.

Best,
Joe

Posted by Joe. Posted In : Setup 

 

One Year with AgencySparks!

January 27, 2015
It is so hard to believe that it has been a year since I founded AgencySparks! Here is the blog post that I wrote in February 2, 2014 announcing the company launch.



I have learned so much in the last year!

Here are a few insights:

1. Being an entrepreneur is hard work. Someone asked me early on what is was like not having a boss anymore. My response was quick: now I have many bosses (the agencies with which we work) vs. just one. Also being counted on by others for their paychecks is a great responsibility.

2. Building a team and culture is highly rewarding. I am lucky to have assembled a fantastic team in Stephanie, Katia, and Anastasia.

3. In November of 2014 I highlighted some of the exciting things that happened for AgencySparks in the first year, but we also had to deal with collections problems, lackluster results, challenging personalities, and other issues. Running a business is full of highs and lows.

Here are some of the statistics from the past year:
This year I am putting together an advisory board and pursuing membership in the Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) Accelerator program to help propel AgencySparks to the next level.

I so appreciate all of your kind words and support. This has been an amazing journey so far, and I am looking forward to an exciting year two for AgencySparks!

Best,
Joe

Posted by Joe. Posted In : Setup 

 

Top 10 most exciting happenings at AgencySparks so far in 2014!

November 18, 2014

There are so many exciting things happening for AgencySparks! I will not bore you with all of the details, but here is a quick list:

1. Several of our agencies have closed deals from the introductions we made to potential clients. This is the most important of any of the points on this list.

2. We got a new logo/brand and are working on a new website and marketing materials:

    

3. AgencySparks was mentioned in the Atlanta Business Chronicle along with a quote from me:



4. Our fourth employee joined. Please welcome Anastasia Kusmartseva. Her name is a mouthful, but she is smart and talented and a nice addition to our amazing team. 

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5. We signed our seventh agency, a fantastic PR and events firm called Creaxion. 

6. We fired an agency partner. This does not sound like a great thing, but it is significant, as we know we can sustain the business even if a relationship does not work out.
 
7. I was honored to be asked to present the First Lifetime Achievement Award at the AIMA Awards to our agency partner and my friend, Simms Jenkins (CEO of BrightWave):



8. We hosted our first AgencySparks' Marketers Networking Lunch, and it was a stunning success. Marketers and agencies were able to mingle and connect in a relaxed environment.

9. We conducted our first AgencySparks MarketerInsights interview with Jessica Stafford of Cox Automotive. During the fun and informative we discussed the agency selection process and building strong agency/client relationships.

10. Two of our agency partners worked together to win business from a client.

Starting and growing AgencySparks has been the most exciting, challenging, and rewarding experience of my life. My team and I are so appreciative of all of the support we have gotten along the way!

Best,
Joe
  

Posted by Joe. Posted In : Setup 

 

Why I Am Bringing The AgencySparks Team To TEDxPeachtree

October 14, 2014


I wrote a brief piece that appears on the TEDxPeachtree blog last month:

I am a firm believer in lifelong learning as a way to constantly evolve ourselves by feeding our minds with new ideas and experiences. TED Talks and more specifically TEDxPeachtree, offers me the opportunity to put away my mobile phone and laptop for a day to learn, mingle, and share with like-minded individuals from other professions.

As the founder and CEO of AgencySparks, I have built my company culture on the ideal of excellence fueled by intellectual curiosity. I want to work with smart people who are independent thinkers and value brain stimulation. Not only are these types of people fun to work with, but they also are better equipped to serve clients.
 
Having emerged refreshed from my attendance at previous TEDxPeachtree conferences, I want my entire team to benefit from the enriching experiences that had been provided to me. The speakers and the engaging conversations during breaks provide fuel for my employees’ minds and make them more well-rounded individuals.  A “field trip” to TEDxPeachtree also serves as a reward for their hard work.

I am excited to share the TEDxPeachtree event with my team this week. Hope to see you there!

Best,
Joe

Posted by Joe. Posted In : Professional Development 

 

Venn Diagram and AgencySparks Venn series launch

August 6, 2014
I am a big fan of clever Venn Diagrams.  Yesterday Google celebrated the 180th birthday of John Venn in one of their famous homepage doodles.  

A few weeks ago I came across an excellent Venn diagram posted by LinkedIn CEO - Jeff Weiner:



I reposted the diagram on my LinkedIn profile, and as of today I have received over 150 Likes and a bunch of comments and re-shares.  

The concept of a Venn diagram is so simple, but can be an effective way to explain how different ideas can be connected.  Katia and I created a quick diagram to explain the connection between AgencySparks' services for specialist marketing agencies:



We are going to create a series of Venn diagrams (some fun and some serious) for AgencySparks.  

My challenge to you is help us get creative!  If you have an idea for a fun or interesting Venn diagram either about AgencySparks or peripherally related to our business, please post it in the comments below.  The winner will receive a very special gift from AgencySparks.

Thanks and I look forward to sharing ideas with you.

Best,
Joe

Posted by Joe. Posted In : Marketing 

 

Giving Thanks to the "Sparks"

July 22, 2014
AgencySparks has been rapidly growing and for that I am thankful.  We have been having conversations with many, many brand marketers and connecting them with the, now seven marketing agencies that make up the AgencySparks Network.  We have comfortable office space and two excellent employees have joined our team.  Startups have plenty of challenges, but this has been the most rewarding experience of my life, so far.

Of course I could not have built this company alone.  Along with the great team here, there were many mentors and friends who provided guidance along the way.  I wanted to come up with a special gift to thank these individuals who inspired me to launch AgencySparks, so I called on local artisan/glass blower - Matt Janke to create a special, unique piece that these individuals could proudly display to signify their small role in the company's formation.

Behold the hand-blown and custom etched paperweights I have been giving to the "sparks" that helped make AgencySparks a reality:



Thank you:
  • Stephanie Peterman
  • Katia Herrera
  • Michelle Koufman
  • Jeff Hilimire
  • Lisa Katz
  • Glen Caruso
  • Kelly Deen
  • Genevieve Bos
  • Dave Williams
  • Jennifer Dorian
  • Kelly Gay
Best,
Joe

Posted by Joe. Posted In : Setup 

 
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