if stellar people shouldn't have a resume......

seth godin writes brilliantly today asking 'why bother having a resume?' unfortunately, resumes are, for most people, still a necessary evil. but as seth gets us thinking about better ways to be found when we're looking for a job, how about flipping that question around? to all the HR people out there, if the stellar people are getting known in other ways and are too busy doing great work to search for your ad online and forward a standard, boring (and probably bad) resume to you......how are you ever going to find them when you're just running ads and collecting resumes in a fake HR email account?

i'm just sayin'.
all the best!
deb

p.s. yes. i understand that i'm probably preaching to the choir here.

Comments

[Rachel - The Employment File]

I don't care who you are or how I know you, I want to see a resume. It's one thing to say "I've worked in the field for 18 years." It's another to write it down so I can see what your opinion of "in the field" is compared to mine.

I thought it was funny that he said, "Here's why: A resume is an excuse to reject you. Once you send me your resume, I can say, "oh, they're missing this or they're missing that," and boom, you're out." Well, if you don't submit your resume my first thought is going to be, "Oh they're missing a resume" boom, they're out!

[Barbara Saunders]

I agree with Rachel that it often takes a resume to be considered at all. However, I think Seth's points can be applied to the resume itself. Resumes, as they are traditionally written, do not communicate extraordinariness; they communicate conformity. For some positions, that's exactly what's called for. I think Seth's audience is people who a) can barely conform if their lives depend on it and b) are most useful to others precisely when they don't conform -- when they perceive and voice what other people don't.

[michael perigard]

I think it's funny when people suggest paradigm shifts and the comments all mention how applying the shift to the current environment wont work, as if the shift doesn't suggest *changing the environment*. He wasn't suggesting no one ever use resumes, but maybe not using them as the first filter.

'It's one thing to say "I've worked in the field for 18 years." It's another to write it down so I can see what your opinion of "in the field" is compared to mine.'

Anyone trying to land a job, without a resume, who tries to sum up 18 years of experience with the line "I've worked in the field for 18 years" without elaborating is obviously not the candidate you'd choose anyway, right?

This happens with big business and government all the time. People suggest radical changes, and those who are so attached and built into to the current way of thinking shout, 'oh my goodness, that would never work *with how everyone sees the world today*!'

'Well, if you don't submit your resume my first thought is going to be, "Oh they're missing a resume" boom, they're out!'

Maybe try a bit harder to see how the world would be different, and how your thinking would be different if no one used a resume, or at least, if there were so many who didn't and offered other means of showing their qualifications, that those with just resumes would be considered below par. Creative thinking! Think outside the box! Just because you're HR doesn't mean you can't be innovative with lofty ideas!

[Robert Wummer]

I work in the field of career transition and it is a bygone conclusion that a resume will only get you more of the same. If you are happy or fulfilled with what you are doing than push them resumes out there. However if you really want to shift who you are being or looking for fulfillment in your career and life than a resume is much like doing the same thing and expecting different results. Often I here people tell me they cannot find their sense of purpose in life. The question is not whether you can find it or not it has always been there. The more important question and one that Seth Godin asks is what makes me unique in this world. Once you live into your uniqueness your sense of purpose begins to appear. So all that remains is the marketing of that uniqueness and at least in my work a resume just don't cut it. Great Article!

[Albert Municino]

This comment is to no one in particular, I read the original post on '8hrs&.' I guess I was curious and also just needed to vent a bit.

Since I had no idea what the original blog author was talking about (with her last comment about 'ads containing fake email addresses to collect resumes'...I need to know, does that actually go on?!).
No one addressed that one I notice.
Or am I missing the joke?

As a recent grad and applicant, experienced in a couple of fields with career changes, former business owner, and yes an awesome job prospect, (IMHO)...yet I digress.

Here's the thing people: It's nice to know that day-to-day HR people can all agree on what is needed and how conventional applicant resumes need to be and the like. My resume is not conventional. Corporate culture now says that creativity is valued. What color is my own parachute? Well, you will have to dig, unless you want a boring candidate. But HR people really want conventional everything form a candidate?

Yet things change constantly.

Like what style of resume is best, what approach should you take to communicating with your prospective employer, is email ok or is a call better? No contact. Applicants are used to all the changes, and revisions, and blackouts. Ok. Well, not ok with us, really.

Information blackout is a dumb way to go about making your company attractive. If I initially rave about your industry or company, would love to work for you, and then find myself treated like processed beef over at HR, I will tell the story to friends. And then maybe you find yourself with the "and he told two friends (and so on and so on....)" dilemma.
Maybe not.

Two things one could expect in the recent 'boomer' past from HR but are rarely done anymore:

1) Confirmation of a receipt of materials. 2) A joyous or sad thank you letter, or postcard, or response, or sign of life of any kind at least thanking me for my time and effort.

This is hardly even done via email, and that is free and costs the company nothing!

Confirmation was thought of as proper and appropriate. Not only that but in these security conscious days, I want to feel confident about who handles my information.
Not communicating with me is a sure way to give me the chance to take a big pause. Why am I, a valued applicant, told I am not important enough to communicate with? (Except when hiring).

What is the issue for HR, time, money?
So you sacrifice the unlucky applicants (which far outnumber the winners).
Get where I am heading?

We put so much value on information but look how we treat it, and each other.

Sorry, but my information is not disposable like that. Too much went into my work, school and career to garner any response but kindness from an organization that may want me later. Or not. I remember the places that treat me well. And so will my colleagues.

I am a professional with a masters degree plus job experience and I put a lot of time and effort to get that information to you, in a readable, professional format. That takes work, my dears. My information is important to me. If is an application by mail with sensitive information in it, my sensitive information. Private information. Then, yes, I want to know it has been received.

A recent HR experience.

The mail was slow and one organization did not receive paperwork mailed a week or two previous. I called them after agonizing about it (because I know this is NOT done. HR does not want your call. Period.) Oh well, too bad for them.
Peace of mind is my prerogative not yours, and if you don't care about me I simply give the gifts of my expertise elsewhere. Right? But, why? Am I a throwaway to you? An applicant pool file? Trash?

First of all it was like shock that I even called. It seems HR is not used to the telephone. No matter.

The HR contact answered the phone.
"This is Jane speaking." was not the answer I was prepared to hear. 'This is Jane?'
And your point is...?

You have a name and a title. To not even be cordial on the phone to a prospect put me in a state of anguish. I sent some important details of my life to someone who cannot even answer the phone properly?

Probably my fault. It's ok, she sounded younger. Oh well, I thought, maybe they are like that over there, you know, treat people like a freak for even calling on the phone?
(Next time ExpressMail and they have to sign for it. Add $20 for every organization into my job search budget.) Why?

Maybe some people might have light bulbs going off right now.

Maybe they are thinking:

Is that why we can't get any qualified candidates?
Do applicants really feel that way?

Well, you can see that it's a real job just searching for work and to have $10 added to your job search budget because you have just done this too often to have to endure the 'information blackout' you get back from organizations you used to care about!

We used to hear in college that is best to send out 100-500 resumes before you get hired for the position.

By that method, my job search budget just went up...let's see express mail ~$10 x 500 (let's calculate max.cost)...it went up...by $5,000.

I wish you HR people would just send out the postcard. Much easier.

Make sure you mention this the next time you have an HR meeting and they are looking to boost the numbers of resumes (you actually receive).

And know we like to call if there is no information available from your department about anything whatsoever.
(New hires, come this way, non-conscripts into the bin!)

Especially when it is our info you have there.

It's feels much better than being shaken down for a resume and application info.

Or even feeling like you are being evaluated like a cold case on television.

Applicants are people just like you who want to pull in a paycheck. We expect a little more care and service.

Anything less just wouldn't be civilized.

Thanks for listening.

Albert

[deb]

albert,
um. wow.

what i meant by the 'fake email address' is something i'm sure you've actually seen during your job search. rather than give out an actual person's email address, HR often sets up something like "hr@companyname.com" or "salesengineer@companyname.com" as a place for candidates to submit their resume.

the reason for this is to help manage massive amounts of emails each day.

i may write more about why HR people don't want you ("you" in the general sense, not "you" personally) to have their email address......

all the best!
deb