Taking a New Look at the Less-Than-Stellar Resume
Posted December 19th, 2011
Companies today are complaining a lot about the trouble they are having finding the talent they need. But, according to business writer George Anders, the problem may not always be with the candidates but with the blinkered perspectives of the people doing the hiring.
The problem may be that the businesses are looking for the perfect resume – too perfect, in fact. They think the best person for the job is the applicant with the 3.9 grade point average from some elite school. But, Anders says, they are finding out that these people don’t show as much initiative as the companies would like to see. Too often they are waiting to be told what to do.
In looking for the perfect resume, businesses are unintentionally weeding out the more freewheeling types, the people who may not have had the best grades, but aren’t afraid to take chances, Anders says.
Anders says companies need to change their mindset, to take a harder look at people who have “jagged resumes,” ones that show successes and failures, because the failures might be evidence of risk taking, of people trying to transcend themselves. Steve Jobs was one such person – he never finished college.
On the face of it, it may look unnecessarily risky to consider such candidates, but if done properly, businesses can find good people, Anders says. To be effective, companies first have to determine what kind of character traits they are looking for, the ones that are indicators of future success. For example, Anders says Teach for America looks for perseverance. Linear Technology looks for the kind of people who like to tinker, and have been doing it since they were children. Resilience, efficiency, curiosity, and self-reliance might be other traits that are important. But whatever the traits, Anders says, the motto should be, “Compromise on experience, not on character.”
Also, Anders says, companies should determine what shortcomings are acceptable. For example, work histories that show that the person jumped around a lot may not really matter all that much. A little eccentricity or mediocre grades also may not be a problem, whereas ethical flaws, or a lack of motivation, may be deal breakers.
Because of the turbulent economy, more people than ever have these jagged resumes, For some hiring managers, that might mean instant disqualification of the applicant, but for others who are willing to look harder and more perceptively, there may be real gems found in the less-than-stellar resume.
If you’d like to forgo culling the hundreds of resumes coming by your desk,talk to Bayside Solutions about helping you find the great people your San Francisco-area company needs. Contact us today!
