| Topic Name: |
The Top 10 Reasons ..... |
| Message Name: |
I hire people |
| Date Posted: |
03/11/2002 |
| In Reply To: |
"10. Poorly prepared resume - grammar and spelling mistakes."
These usually get introduced when I change the resume to sound better for a specific job. One should print out the resume and carefully read it over before sending it out.
Yes, looking for a job is very frustrating, so much time is spent sending out a single resume, and usually it just goes into a black hole.
"9. Failed to include job history with complete info including Mo/Yr - Mo/Yr of employment. Forget "functional " resumes. "
People who have perfect job histories don't have to worry about this. However, if there are gaps, you have the devil's choice of advertising the gap, or preparing a resume that doesn't include months, or that is "functional".
"8. You think "Energy and Enthusiasm" are major job qualifications. "
Implying that people are really STUPID for thinking they can do a job they aren't "qualified" for. And "qualified" to HR means they've done that exact job before. Thus under this Catch-22 situation there would never be a single qualified person because no one would ever be qualified to get any job to get the "qualifications" necessary to get the job.
"7. You think that just because you contact the hiring manager, he/she will overlook the fact that you're not qualified and magically give you a job - nope, not going to happen."
There's no magic. One's chances of getting a job increases if one gets to the hiring manager. Anyone who has ever done cold calling knows that you can't get a sale if you don't get to talk to the decision maker.
It's better to know the hiring manager outside of the job-hunting context. All the time peopel get jobs they aren't "qualified" for in the HR sense.
"5. You are one of 300 candidates for the opening and the company can pick and choose exactly what they want."
Obviously it sucks to be one of 300 applicants, but in all the jobs I've been involved in hiring for, there have never been that many resumes. It's always been not enough resumes.
"4. You have not done your research and you are applying for a position for which there are better qualified candidates."
This is really stupid to suggest that people should spend time to do research to see if they aren't qualified for a job!!! It's obviously a much better use of the same time to prepare a good resume and cover letter to send out.
"3. You live in South Africa and you are applying for an $8 an hour job in San Diego. Or, you live in Cleveland and you are applying for a position that is too low level to go outside a specific geog. area."
This is a warning WELL WORTH HEEDING. Always include a local address on your resume. If you have a friend or relative living in the area, use their address.
If you live in Queens and are seeking a job in Manhattan, even this can hurt you; they'd rather hire someone living in Manhattan.
"2. You have unrealistic career change expectations and are relying on submitting a resume to effect a major career change. "
This is true that the really GOOD jobs where you advance to a much higher level don't come from submitting a resume to HR, since HR is looking for people who have already done the same job.
"1. The hiring manager knows exactly what he/she wants, and you are not it. "
An extremely rare event that the exact kind of person the hiring manager wants happens to submit a resume. There are just too many variables.
But it's true that hiring managers have an infinite number of silly reasons for not liking a particular candidate. One manager might prefer those with college degrees, the other might have exactly the opposite prediliction. |
| Message: |
No, buster, you are wrong. I'm the one who hires people - lots of people. I know what it takes and how to do it. And, I've never been unemployed except when I wanted to be, and I know how to get the job I want when I want it myself. So, I suggest you shelve your anger and your funny notions and listen to me. Here is how it works:
*contact anybody within an organization who can do you some good. It does not have to be the hiring manager or the CEO. Anybody who can get your resume in front of someone who can do something about it. I love getting referrals from employees who can personally vouch for a candidate. They get looked at first and given every consideration, and employees get bonuses for the referral.
I love getting resumes from the hiring managers - their comments, and whom they select or reject, calibrate my radar.
*The hiring managers rarely get the exact resume he/she is looking for. I sent out dozens of rejection letters last week alone at the request of the hiring managers who got direct resumes. They forward the resumes to me and say "Pass - send a nice note on my behalf." If you are not what they are looking for, getting your resume in their face is not going to get you the job.
*HOWEVER, many times, I know about positions in other areas of the company that would be a good fit for the candidate the manager rejected. I route the resume to the recruiter and the manager, and many times we find a fit elsewhere in the organization. Or, I let the candidate know I really like their resume will retain it when future openings become available. When a new opening comes up, I have a stockpile of good resumes I got to before the position is eve posted or advertised. So, does it really make sense to deliberately avoid the recruiter? NO. It's self-defeating and stupid.
*You have no idea how many applicants claim that their lack of the desired qualifications and experience will be made up for by "energy and enthusiasm." I'm not making this up.
*Many companies do not have the time or resources to train someone who has not done the exact job they need a candidate for. There is nobody to train or mentor. No amount of energy and enthusiasm would make up for this, and sending 100 resumes to the manager is not going to do you any good.
*Don't rule out any avenue for getting a job. If you are deliberately avoiding we "pinheads" you are cutting your own throat by ignoring the exact people who know what ALL of the open positions are and what's coming up. The hiring manager is interested in one thing: getting his/her position filled as quickly as possible with the best available candidate, within budget. We pinheads, on the other hand, work together, are aware of and cooperate on all of the open positions.
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