Resumes are a terrible way to select candidates!

This was the topic of a recent online posting I read authored by the owner of a prestigious recruitment firm.

Being a professional resume writer who gets resumes sent to me from job seekers who want to hire me and talks directly with 5-10 people a day responding to my offer to critique resumes at no charge, in all honesty I can see where the writer is coming from.

I agree that for an employer to judge whether to interview or reject a candidate on the basis of a resume is not the optimal way to select the best candidates for a job. However I also know with the sheer volume of job seekers on the market this is the way the winnowing process works ever since I have been in the career services arena.

Taking this to heart, job seekers, recruiters and especially resume writers must learn how to work within the system to the best of their abilities because no matter how much we disagree with its merits the system will not be replaced in the foreseeable future.

In his post Bob Corlett makes two points worthy of mention. First he contends that every day his firm sends highly qualified, pre-screened resumes to hiring managers but, he laments, hiring managers often glance at the document for a few seconds and declare “I have no interest in seeing that candidate.” His contention is that at that moment all the hiring managers can envision is some unqualified person wasting an hour of their precious time”, and for them the act of rejecting the candidate based on the resume seems like a time saver … except, Bob says, “its not!”

In Bob’s world this is a valid point because firms like his with top notch leadership and supporting personnel spend considerable time vetting hundreds of candidates for a job before they forward a resume to an employer. Therefore, in theory the resumes they submit should not be judged strictly on face value; employers should look at them with a much more open mind. The problem as I see it is that people in the recruitment business who are not as thorough and scrupulous as Bob’s staff make it harder for employers to know who’s valued opinion to trust. Consequently the bad apples in this group, even if they are the minority, end up ruining the credibility of others and employers rely on their own instincts to make decisions based on the face value of the resume at hand.

Now let’s look at the other side of the equation; when a resume is submitted blindly to an employer by a job seeker. Most resumes I see are so poorly written that the person who is screening them is well within their right to envision an unqualified person attempting to waste their precious time, even if the person is really a top flight candidate, and most decision makers I know go with their gut feeling derived from the resume’s first impression. This is true for most employers and for recruiters like Bob and his peers and competitors as well.

Bob’s second point is he feels “that actually the problem is not with the resume.”

He writes that “the problem is that most hiring managers ask themselves the wrong question when they look at resumes” He opines that “managers ask resumes to answer the question “Has this person already proven they are qualified?” In his opinion “a resume can’t prove anything, it can only hint at it.” He thinks that hiring managers and HR professionals are narrowing their focus and are ruling out too many qualified candidates by relying on a resume to select or weed out candidates and rather than saving time he feels they are prolonging the job vacancy.

This point I do not agree with.

First off I think the people screening resumes are within their right to ask if the person has proven if they can do the job and similarly pointed questions; and the good ones do when they review a resume. Conversely the top resume writers today are skilled at anticipating the questions employers should be asking and we are extremely talented in answering these questions for them in writing.

So whether the resume is submitted by a recruiter or a candidate, employers are going to continue to read, screen and judge the candidate’s viability the same as before. This is why job seekers must anticipate what questions the decision maker wants answered and make sure they are answered to the reader’s satisfaction.

About Perry Newman:

Perry Newman CPC/CSMS is a nationally recognized career services professional – an executive resume writer and career transition coach, certified social media strategist, AIPC certified recruiter, and an original member of the Career Rocketeer team.

Perry is passionate about all things related to career management and is dedicated to helping people get hired and back to work ASAP in today’s marketplace where the average job search lasts 285 days.

As a resume writer he understands how a resume is perceived and therefore how it should be written. He is best known for choosing the perfect style and format to make a candidate standout in a crowd and identifying their key selling points and artfully integrating them into their resume, bio and dossier.

As a coach and social media strategist he helps individuals including CXO’s, professionals and career changers in all fields to understand and master the job search process form A to Z. He coaches and mentors them on relevant topics such as understanding the role of social media in a job search, developing and using a network to get known and generate interviews, how and where to submit a resume and cover letter, as well as how to interview for a job, and evaluate and negotiate a job offer.

As a recruiter he has long standing contacts with employers and other recruiters in numerous fields can introduce you to decision makers seeking top talent in the continental USA.

For a no cost/no obligation critique of your resume and Linked-In page you are invited to email your resume to perry@perrynewman.com

Resumes - Mini Non-Verbal Interviews

When speaking with job seekers individually and during Q&A sessions in seminars and webinars the #1 question I am asked is “what can I do to improve my resume?” Since each resume is a unique marketing document the best universal advice I can offer job seekers or any aspiring resume writers for that matter is this – “When preparing a resume do so as if you are preparing for a job interview, because that is what a resume really is.”

Think about it, this is just common sense since a resume is the initial introduction of a job seeker to a perspective employer. So it stands to reason that a resume is in actuality a mini-interview without any questions being verbally asked by the employer or verbally answered by the job seeker.

You’ll notice I said the questions and answers are not verbally communicated. But indeed employers have them in mind as they screen a resume. This is why it is so important to succinctly answer them in writing throughout the resume.

This is why for me the first exercise in preparing a resume is to anticipate exactly what an employer wants to know based on my research and understanding of the responsibilities and desired qualifications of the position.

However in verbalizing the answers in a resume I find unskilled resume writers tend to dwell on the minutia of how the job seeker’s background aligns with the position. This is not what employers will dwell on during an interview, for this same reason this minutia does not prompt them to place this resume in the “contact for an interview’ pile.

Improving Any Resume - 4 Points To Consider Before You Make Your First Keystroke

1: I have said this many times over, the bottom line is people hire people not skills or qualifications. This is why it is imperative to establish a personal brand right off the bat, one that defines an individual as opposed to the employer viewing the resume as belonging to just another pretty face in the crowd.

2: Tell the employers you fully understand what they’re looking for in this hire and that your can you do the job they are hiring for.

3: Show employers several concrete examples why you are the person they should interview and hire?

4: Portray to the employers that you are well suited to succeed and thrive in their culture.

Now that you know the #1 mindset in writing a resume here is the #2 mindset

Before you start writing you must know that a resume is not a static ‘One-Size-Fits-All document. So in order to hit all 4 points in every resume you send out you must be required to make minor and sometimes major customization changes in order to be the perfect position for specific positions.

Consequently it is also imperative to use a modern 21st century style and format for your resume that can be easily edited for a specific job, and in some cases it pays to begin your job search by having two resumes, or one resume and a bio or professional dossier for different uses.

About Perry Newman:

Perry Newman CPC/CSMS is a nationally recognized career services professional – an executive resume writer and career transition coach, certified social media strategist, AIPC certified recruiter, and an original member of the Career Rocketeer team.

Perry is passionate about all things related to career management and is dedicated to helping people get hired and back to work ASAP in today’s marketplace where the average job search lasts 285 days.

As a resume writer he understands how a resume is perceived and therefore how it should be written. He is best known for choosing the perfect style and format to make a candidate standout in a crowd and identifying their key selling points and artfully integrating them into their resume, bio and dossier.

As a coach and social media strategist he helps individuals including CXO’s, professionals and career changers in all fields to understand and master the job search process form A to Z. He coaches and mentors them on relevant topics such as understanding the role of social media in a job search, developing and using a network to get known and generate interviews, how and where to submit a resume and cover letter, as well as how to interview for a job, and evaluate and negotiate a job offer.

As a recruiter he has long standing contacts with employers and other recruiters in numerous fields can introduce you to decision makers seeking top talent in the continental USA.

For a no cost/no obligation critique of your resume and Linked-In page you are invited to email your resume to perry@perrynewman.com

On Resumes & Cover Letters Minor Errors = Major Trouble

Want to know an almost sure fire way to shoot yourself in the foot during your job search? For the past two weeks I’ve been following a discussion “Is there anyone else here who simply discards any applicant with grammar or typing errors in their resume or cover letter? Is there really any excuse for this?”

I found out quickly that decision makers have strong feelings about this topic, and many vociferously agree if they received a resume with errors they would immediately disregard the candidate, even if the resume indicated this person perfectly fit the profile they were looking for.

So if you're not already following this discussion here are some of the 100+ (and growing) comments for your consideration.

Michael B., the President of a sales/marketing consulting company was brief and to the point. “At best, spelling and grammar errors are signs of carelessness. At worst, they indicate inattention during education and/or a “who cares?” attitude. Any of those can and perhaps should disqualify.”

A VP at a software sales company, Scott T had this to say. “For native English speakers, I would overlook one typo - it happens to anyone - but multiple typos and/or major grammatical errors would most likely cause me to pass. I'm fanatical about the quality of the communications that touch our clients and have to have confidence the candidate is capable of giving a consistently professional impression with their written communications. Frankly, this goes beyond just spelling and grammar. I want people who understand that, even in e-mail, business communications begin with "Dear Dr. Smith," or "Hi Jim," and end with "Best Regards," or some other such closing, followed by a professional-looking signature block.”

Theresa N, a Marketing VP for a technology company posted “A resume isn't a long document. From an interviewer's perspective, poor grammar and spelling on a resume shows lack of attention to detail or genuine interest in the position. Additionally, in a sales position where emailing is a critical form of communication but lacks the room for conveying emotions and intent, little yet important things like grammar and spelling matter.”

Jean, a recruitment partner in the UK had this to say from across the pond. “Totally agree attention to detail should first start with you – your written word is part of your personal brand. With spelling mistakes people start to remember you for the wrong reasons! Just screening CV's for a creative agency director… 5 out of 12 candidates with spelling mistakes.”

Patrick N, a Director in a supply chain and logistics firm in Australia feels “If someone can't be bothered checking the smaller details (e.g. spelling), then what gives an employer any comfort knowing a potential employee could be entrusted with major projects where serious dollars are involved.”

Ian W a VP of Global Sales offered these thoughts. “I also find errors in written communication annoying and my judgment of the person and their abilities will be tainted by this. I wonder if this is a 'generational' issue. Grammar and spelling were viewed as important when I was at school… My observation is that younger generations have not been taught in this way and tend not to place as much importance on the correctness of spelling and grammar. Technology can be helpful, but if you haven't learned the difference between, e.g. "there", "their" and "they're" a spellchecker may not be the panacea.”

In my opinion, Shonagh W, the owner of a marketing solutions company offered the best comment. “Definitely agree that spelling and grammar are key when submitting a CV and a cover letter. As has already been stated above, it shows a lack of attention to detail if there are mistakes - and then that reflects (rightly or wrongly) on their ability to then do the job they are applying for. Of course, some people are simply not very good at spelling - and there's nothing wrong with that - but if you know that you are not a good speller or not hot on grammar, then get someone to proof read your CV/Letter in advance.

To be honest many others who joined in on this discussion were more open minded to these errors as long as they did not appear as tell-tale signs of sub par communication skills. However my advice to you is when sending a resume or CV and a cover letter, assume it is being sent to a stickler for perfection who’ll summarily disqualify you if these errors appear in writing.

The bottom line is if your spelling, grammar and/or keyboarding skills are weak have someone proof read your work before you submit it; and even if they are strong you should have a fresh pair of eyes check it for inadvertent errors. I do it all the time!

About Perry Newman:

Perry Newman CPC/CSMS is a nationally recognized career services professional – an executive resume writer and career transition coach, certified social media strategist, AIPC certified recruiter, and an original member of the Career Rocketeer team.

Perry is passionate about all things related to career management and is dedicated to helping people get hired and back to work ASAP in today’s marketplace where the average job search lasts 285 days.

As a resume writer he understands how a resume is perceived and therefore how it should be written. He is best known for choosing the perfect style and format to make a candidate standout in a crowd and identifying their key selling points and artfully integrating them into their resume, bio and dossier.

As a coach and social media strategist he helps individuals including CXO’s, professionals and career changers in all fields to understand and master the job search process form A to Z. He coaches and mentors them on relevant topics such as understanding the role of social media in a job search, developing and using a network to get known and generate interviews, how and where to submit a resume and cover letter, as well as how to interview for a job, and evaluate and negotiate a job offer.

As a recruiter he has long standing contacts with employers and other recruiters in numerous fields can introduce you to decision makers seeking top talent in the continental USA.

For a no cost/no obligation critique of your resume and Linked-In page you are invited to email your resume to mailto:perry@perrynewman.com

Rookie Mistakes - A Guest Post by Kate Croston

I do a lot of interviews. It is just a part of my job. I’m not saying that is all I do, but I do conduct enough interviews that I feel like I have some insight into the whole process. What gets me is that I see the same mistakes made over and over again. Simple things, easily fixed. Half the time I want to take the person aside and ask them what in the world they were thinking. Please, please, don’t be one of those people. Here are a few rookie mistakes I‘ve seen, and what you need to do differently:

1. No/ Too Much Eye Contact – You have to be balanced here. Don’t stare at the person interviewing you, but do look at them when they are speaking! It shows confidence when you meet their eyes. Even if that is a problem for you, you can meet their eyes every once in a while at the very least.

2. Don’t Zone Out – Hello, is anyone there? Don’t tune out when the interviewer is speaking. Yes, you may not understand or care about what they are talking about, but listen anyway. Interviews don’t go on for that long; you can make it.

3. Don’t Think You Know Everything – Just because you did some research into the company you are interviewing with (nice move), don’t think you know all about it. Nothing irritates me more than people telling me what my job is like and why they are a perfect fit for the company. You’ll have your chance to talk, so listen and pay attention to what the interviewer is telling you, not what the website said.

4. Elaborate – If the interviewer asks you a question, especially on open ended one, talk! Don’t just say yes, no, or give some terse answer. We want to find out more about you, not have yes men! This is your chance to shine and make a good impression. Even if you don’t know what to say, you can redirect the question elsewhere.

5. Keep Contact But Don’t Push – There has to be a balance here. Yes, you should send a thank you email after the interview. That’s great for keeping you on their minds. But don’t keep it up! Don’t send in samples of your work and keep asking when you will hear back. It is kind of like dating; if you have to work too hard, it is probably not going to work out. The exception to this is very large companies, but even then you don’t want to annoy.

6. If You Are Interested, Show It –All jobs are not for all people. I know you walk into an interview expecting to hear about one kind of job and come out of it knowing that is not what they are looking for. If you still want the job, then show it. Be interested and upbeat. Think of creative ways you will add to the position. Interest does help, believe it or not.

I’m sure I could add fifty more things to this list, but these six cover the basics. They are not hard. They are not brain-numbing. And they will get you a job. Take it from me… Though you will need to be able to do the job once you are hired, so don’t go crazy here. Good luck!

Author Bio:
Kate Croston is a freelance writer, holds a bachelors degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. She writes guest posts for different sites and loves contributing business internet service related topics. Questions or comments can be sent to: katecroston.croston09 @ gmail.com.