Dear Resume Floozies,
You may have never been called something like this before. Some may call you overachievers, Type-A personalities, or perfectionists, but never a "resume floozy". Please don't be offended, but instead take some advice from a former resume floozy herself.
Generations X, Y and Z tend to over glorify being busy. We are taught that the more qualifications we have the better, even if we never intend on doing anything with them. When asked, "What have you been up to lately?" the goal is to have to take a deep breath before launching into a lengthy and diverse list of spectacular activities.
WRONG! I'll admit, I have trouble saying no to opportunities. What if this is the one door that leads to a fantastic future for myself? More often than not, it only leads to me overcommitting myself. You may know a guy or gal who has to plan their day down to the minute to include all of their resume-building extracurriculars. It's a hectic life, and not one I would recommend. I spent most of my senior year doing just that, functioning.
Don't get me wrong, you need a nice resume to get into a nice college or land a preferable job, but merely functioning is a waste of your time. Why be on a committee if you aren't passionate about what it does? If the only reason to do something is to add another line to the list, it's not worth it.
What does a resume look like? Ideally, it looks like a list of meaningful experiences on which you can elaborate, not a lunch menu of brief interactions. It is the result of you living your life, pursuing passions and gaining proficiencies you know you will use.
I was tired of being pitted against my friends, so I quit being resume obsessed. Instead, I now pursue only what I am passionate about, and passion is a powerful motivator. The quantity of my activities may be reduced, but the quality has improved exponentially. I can hardly wait to be asked, "What have you been up to?," because I am absolutely bubbling over with excitement at the thought of sharing my experiences.
Resume floozies please, please take a walk on the other side. Maybe being the one who does everything is your claim to fame, but you can't live like you are now, forever, without burning out. Instead of doing everything you can, do what you care about. Living a less stressful and a more fulfilling life is a good thing. It makes you happier, and makes the world a better place.
Stop! Stop competing against your peers to fit a random prototype someone else has created. Work on learning to be the best version of yourself that you can be, because no one can beat you at that.
- Current Type-A Perfectionist
