markewicken in Myths and RealitiesResumés

Do fancy resumés get attention?

Myth: Use fancy designs and cool fonts on your resumé to get attention.

Reality: Your resumé is a communication tool designed to get you an interview. If design gets in the way of communication, nobody will be interested in reading it. If you are applying for a graphic design or ‘creative’ position there will be an expectation that your resumé be graphically interesting…after all, you will be demonstrating one of the skills you will be hired for. Be careful that your design doesn’t make it difficult for the reader to follow or understand. Remember, it is the interview you want……no one is going to hire you just because you have a creative resumé.

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markewicken: Mark Wicken is a marketing professional with over 30 years of advertising, communications and strategic planning experience within the retail and packaged goods industries. He has been a senior member of agency management teams with both account and brand management responsibilities. His strengths have always been on innovative thinking, solid organization and strong interpersonal skills. Starting in the advertising agency industry, Mark held senior account management positions at several multinational agencies including Leo Burnett, Foster, Caledon, Vickers & Benson and Saffer Advertising, and has been responsible for the management of accounts like IBM, McDonald’s, Esso and General Motors. Mark moved from his agency roles to the Client side and held the position of Divisional Vice President of Marketing for Domino’s Pizza International and Director of Marketing for KFC, Hardee’s and Sbarro restaurants in the Middle East. In 2002 he established The Mark Wicken Group, a business specializing in executive search, training and consulting within the marketing, advertising and communications industries. In addition to executive search, Mark has devoted much of his lifetime to teaching, education and youth development. He is President of MusicFest Canada ‘The Largest Annual Music Festival in North America’ and has been an instructor at the International Academy of Design and The Toronto Film School since 1998. Mark graduated from The University of Toronto, took post-graduate studies at Northwestern University, and is married with two sons.