How to Build a Resilience Resume

And showcase (or hire) skinned knees skills.

Each year, dictionaries publish their word of the year, and instead of just choosing one for 2020, The Oxford dictionary chose a whopping 47. The majority of words they chose had to do with the pandemic—heavy words like… lockdown, social distancing and self-isolating.

These words reflected what we searched for and how we lived in 2020 but did not sum up what skills we gained. Resilience is the word I hope speaks to our 2021.

Over the last year and a half, we've shown our vulnerability in team meetings, expressed our discomfort out loud and are no longer waiting for change to happen but instead sparking it ourselves. This open honesty, fall, get up and keep going spirit is resilience in real-time.

I think it's time our CV's are also a closer reflection of who we are and take into account our whole selves. It's not uncommon for hiring managers to check out your social media profiles (70% do), but that's just the shiny you. And does not provide a full picture of who you are, what hills you've climbed and what you've learned and earned along the way. And so, I encourage you to make a Resilience Resume and send it along with your CV.

Below I've outlined some suggestions for creating your own, it's important to first identify the key skills needed for the role you're applying for and then spend some time thinking about what you've learned outside of the office. Here is mine...

My Resilience Resume

I've chosen a selection of life experiences that have directly influenced how I approach the work I do and how I approach strategic research and uncovering insights. 

1. I’m a Greek Canadian who has lived and worked in 6 countries = Adaptable
2. I grew up working in a restaurant. It’s where I learned to observe people, build rapport quickly and read body language = Can talk to anyone
3. I went to University on a ship visiting 10 countries over 100 days. I studied cultural anthropology and food and tourism = Observing & asking questions
4. My first job out of University, I self-managed myself travelling the world for Target, looking for new product opportunities and brands and would meet in a secret room with the President and Senior leadership every quarter = Finding Nuggets
5. In one week, my marriage ended, a job ended, and I got a bill for my half of the honeymoon = Empathy/ability to overcome obstacles
6.  My visa was ending in the US, and an immigration lawyer told me as an individual I brought "no value to the US but if I could create a company to employee Americans come back to him" I saw a huge surge in eco-friendly products within the home cleaning space and separately saw Oprah show a vibrator on TV (a massive shift in sexual wellness) the two ideas sparked an eco-friendly adult toy company resulting in me obtaining a US visa for 4 years = Insight = opportunity + can navigate complex layers of bureaucracy.
7. I've been renovating my grandfather's apartment in Greece for the past few years, dealing with the complexities of cultural nuances and communication = Cross-Cultural Project Management.

What this looks like

Now it’s time to think about your own. We’re hosting a retreat in Greece called Re-Greece in September with a longer version, but here is the at-home version.

Think (and Simmer) About the Following:

1. Your dream role, current one or what you want to pivot to next
2. Think about the 5-8 core skills you need to do that job
3. Now here’s the fun part, and it’s going to take longer...go for a shower or a long walk and think about what life has brought you
4. Where did you learn that skill beyond on the job?
5. This may take time let it simmer, let it be uncomfortable; it’s going to be
6. Write them down, own them be proud of what life has taught you
7. Lastly, share with someone and if you’re willing, next time you’re asked to introduce yourself in an interview or talk, say instead of a typical bio, I’m going to share my resilience resume.

And just as important, a Creative Industry Ask

 We tend to classify and consider ABC's when looking at someone’s experience or talking about our own. Let's move beyond just looking and hiring based on this...

A: The awards won, their age or agencies they've worked with

B: Brands listed

C: Connections

A nudge to hiring managers, this is a big reason our industry gets criticized for not reflecting back on the society we’re trying so hard to connect with. One way to do this is to skip the cover letter and leave space for other skills to shine.

"Resilients moved early, ahead of the downturn. They entered ahead, they dipped less, and they came out of it with guns blazing" - McKinsey, 2021

Resilient skills not only make better leaders and companies, but they also make for better co-workers.

So when looking for your next team hire, ask yourselves the following 4 questions.

1. How are we currently recruiting?
2. What skills are we missing that someone could offer?
3. Do we really need a cover letter, or are we open to hearing and considering someone’s whole self in 2021?
4. What skills does my team have that I don’t even know about? (Perhaps asking them to create their own resilience resume will help you find them)

By doing this, you not only get to know more about the skills you have currently, but you leave the door open wider for someone to share the skills they learned:

• Translating documents into English for her immigrant parents as a child
• The mother raising 3 kids on her own
• Someone who took off a year to fight cancer
• Or, and this will be a big one... the nurse who gave her all and is ready for a career change.

Give them room to showcase their life experience; Many feel shame for “lost years” or gaps or lack of “experience” in a CV.

Let's share our skinned knee skills; I promise it makes for not only a way more interesting interview but also a more resilient team.

Amy, Culture Concierge