What Information Has Value And What Does Not?
If you are like most other employers trying to find a suitable person for a position opening, you have a stack of resumes in front of you that need to be screened. The more streamlined your preliminary recruitment efforts, the smaller the pile but there is a pile nonetheless. Take it from me, the longer you stare at the pile, or bemoan the pile to others, or even try to ignore the pile; it will still be there until you tackle the pile. As daunting as it seems, you can get through the task but there are some rules you need to follow in order to make the process that much more efficient and, dare I suggest, enjoyable.
In order to read a resume efficiently, you must be completely cognizant of what a resume actually is. A resume is a marketing tool, period. The information presented on a resume is designed to sell the applicant; the better the marketing the more likely the candidate is of landing an interview. But, as we know from experience with consumer products and services, the best sales pitch or the most polished presentation does not necessarily equal the best product. Add to that the fact that many resumes are written by paid experts it is no wonder we get blindsided from time to time. While it is difficult to distinguish the best candidates from the most impressive resumes it is a necessary step toward making a truly great hiring decision.
Rules for assessing a resume
1.Perfect presentation ≠ perfect execution
The best laid-out, grammatically correct, or most visually appealing resume does not indicate the best candidate. I admit, I am a stickler for spelling, grammar, and punctuation but not all jobs require perfection in those areas. While it is important to be able to string coherent thoughts together on paper, the actual aesthetics of a resume should not take precedence over the actual skills and competencies required for your specific job opening; unless, of course, those grammar, style and presentation skills are actual job requirements.
2. Education ≠ Competency
Almost all resumes include an “Education” section and most have this section in a prominent place. It is tempting to conclude that someone who has the required education is well qualified for the job, or that the person with more education is more qualified for the job. This is simply not true. Education is only one aspect of a person’s suitability for the job and while it is a legitimate requirement for some jobs it is not wise to discount or endorse candidates based on education alone.
3. Experience ≠ Performance
This is a huge misconception in the resume screening process. Just because someone did something for x number of years, does not mean he or she did it well or even adequately. Candidate Carol may well have 15 years experience as a cashier but if she is curt and impatient what good is that experience to your organization? While it is common to want a new employee to have some directly relevant experience, you need to ask yourself if it is truly necessary. Discarding someone based on little direct experience is not enough. Improve your orientation and training programs and reap the benefits of gaining employees who are capable of doing a superb job rather than settling for ones who have perhaps done an average job in the past.
4. Responsibility or Action ≠ Accomplishment
Candidates are encouraged to give detailed accounts of what they did on past jobs that is directly relevant to the job for which they are applying. The problem is that most of these statements hold little to no value because they simply state what was done and say nothing about the outcome. A rule of thumb for evaluating these statements is to add the phrase, “and it cost my company thousands of dollars” to the end of the sentence. Example resume statement: “Implemented an activity based costing system for our department.” When you add, “and it cost my company thousands of dollars” you quickly realize that the statement tells you nothing about the person’s accomplishments. Look for candidates who include results of what they have done, even if what they have done does not mirror your job description exactly.
Resumes are designed to present candidates in the best possible light so you need to read the content very critically. Don’t let a candidate’s resume writing savvy, or their decision to employ a professional resume writer, sway your decisions. Analyze what is really being said and evaluate the value of the content. Hiring is not easy, nor is the most suitable candidate the most obvious. Candidates with real value have significant substance that can be seen if you are willing to dig deep and get beyond the information lying on the surface; so…get out your shovel and dig into that pile.
|
How to Interpret a Resume (Humor)
|
|
Term
|
What it really means
|
| Bright |
Wears lots of pink and yellow (usually together) |
| Intelligent |
Beats his buddies at Trivial Pursuit |
| Honest |
Insults coworkers to their face, not behind their back |
| Great communicator |
Fired from her last job for telling the boss exactly what she thought of him |
| Detail-oriented |
Will spend eight hours perfecting a 2-minute job |
| Prompt |
First one out the door at quitting time |
| Conscientious |
Knows EXACTLY how much sick and holiday time he has left |
| Friendly |
Has two sexual harassment suits pending |
| Hard working |
When the boss is in sight or earshot |
| 
