Where the old standard fits in today’s job market.
The fact of the matter is, the résumé may very well be on the path of video rental houses and healthcare you can afford out of pocket. After all, what’s the point of a résumé when savvy job seekers already provide in-depth personal information on social and professional media?
If there’s at least one thread the résumé is clinging to, it’s the fact that Baby Boomers still have an influence in the job market. However, this isn’t a single-threaded issue.
On a very basic level, a résumé is still what gets you through the door. Hiring managers rely on CVs – the Application Tracking Systems most companies use require them. Aside from that…
What’s so great about résumés?
- Readability. The format of a résumé is an efficient evaluation tool for employers. Subheading convention – “work history”, “education”, “skills”, etc. – makes scanning and comparing candidates quick and easy.
- Shareability. Deciding whether to advance an applicant to an interview is typically a group decision. Résumés grant the ability to bring everyone involved in the hiring process onto the same page.
- Insight. Are there spelling or formatting errors? What kind of font did they use? Did they take any risks? While not every candidate composes their own, résumés can reveal more than what they may intend to a skilled recruiter.
- Customization. Some professionals wear more than one hat in their industry. For example, a video editor might also be a cinematographer – for shoot-oriented jobs, a cinematography-focused résumé would be more relevant for employers.
4 tips on reading résumés
Aside from the obvious things – spelling and grammar errors, unorganized formatting, awkward wording – knowing what to look for on a résumé can be a real time-saver.
- At a glance. Before diving into the details, take a quick scan to make sure they meet your basic criteria. If they’re not a match, there’s no need to read any further.
- Did they target your job? If the résumé includes a statement of qualifications, does it match the details in your job description? If it’s too general of a statement – “I’m interested in a position that will exploit the depth of my skills with a company I believe in” – chances are, they’re not properly qualified for the job.
- Brevity. Albert Einstein famously said, “if you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” With that in mind, job descriptions should be short, to the point, and easy to read – not heavy on complex industry related jargon.
- References. Unfortunately, people aren’t always honest on their résumés. Calling on a couple references is an easy way to filter out time-wasters, and potential disasters.
An eye for talent
Résumés can be a helpful tool in the recruiting process, allowing recruiters and hiring managers to quickly reduce a mountain of applicants to a small hill. However, for all their benefits, the drawback is you’re still looking at a person in terms of their paper presentation. Just like a restaurant’s menu is only a description of what’s available, not an endorsement of quality, the résumé won’t tell you if a candidate brings the soft skills and personality to fit your organization. For that you need to dive deeper.
Mankuta | Gallagher pioneered an alternative approach to traditional contingency and retained recruiting when we started in 1994, and that process has evolved to match today’s massive resource base. We go beyond the résumé and make real connections with candidates to ensure we bring our clients the best matches. Contact us today to see how we can help you find the perfect fit.