Wire Wrapping and Resume Writing

Last night I went to a class at a local library to learn how to make a wire-wrapped ring. As I listened to the instructions and looked at the tools that we were about to use, I didn’t think that I could ever craft anything resembling a piece of jewelry. Two hours later, after wrapping and hammering and filing, I walked away with not one but three rings, all different and all progressively better than the first one. Of course this morning as I looked at my finished products, I thought about how I could relate the jewelry class to writing a resume.

1. Follow the Instructions: Before diving into the project the instructor explained the wire-wrap process. She introduced us to our tools and explained the purpose of each one. Many (most) people dive into writing a resume without any idea of how to start. Before even thinking about writing your resume, take a free class or go on-line and learn about the different types of resumes and the purposes of each. Get comfortable with this project.

2. Organize Your Tools: As I took a seat at the table, displayed in front of me were the tools that I needed for the projects. On a felted placement were the wire, clippers, beads, hammers and ring sizer (called a mandrel). When preparing to write your resume, your invisible placemat should contain all of your “tools”; your skill set, measurable accomplishments, milestones, strengths, certifications, etc. You should also be aware of the newer jargon or wording in your field (the mandrel). Once all this is in front of you, you will be better focused and ready to start.

3. Practice: My first ring was a mess. I felt as if I had ten thumbs as I tried to thread and weave the wire. There were gaps and bumps and my finished product didn’t fit any of my fingers. The instructor encouraged me however and reminded me that I had never done this before. Good advice. If you haven’t written a resume in ten or more years, you’ll notice that the rules have changed. Rather than giving up, go back to steps one and two or get some feedback on how you can improve. It may just be a matter of rushing through it.

4. Take Your Time: The faster I went, the more mistakes I made. The instructor started the class by telling us that if we rushed, we’d make mistakes and the number one rule of wire wrapping is to take it slow. I can honestly say that ring number three looks almost professional. As I was wrapping and practicing the instructor reminded me to slow down and watch what I was doing. The same can be said about the resume. Slow down, have someone take a look at it and then finish it off.

There were twelve of us in the class and we were all at various skill levels. There were the newbie’s like me to the seasoned pros. As we shared our finished products, I was amazed at the results. Even though we all had the same tools and we all heard the same instructions, the rings were as unique as the people crafting them. The same thing can be said about the resume.