The Invisible Truths Behind Resumes

Published on 10/18/2012 by David Webb

Categories: Recruiting Software Blog

Tags: ATScandidatecandidatescareeremployeeemployee referralsemploymenthappinesshappyhiringjobrecruiterrecruitingresumeresumesstaffing


In a recent TED Talks video, "An animated tour of the invisible," Speaker, Producer, and Comedy Writer John Lloyd said: "Everything that matters is invisible." What Lloyd meant, is the intangible things that make up human beings, like our thoughts and our feelings, can't be seen, only imagined. "So much of what really matters in the world is impossible to see," Lloyd says.

This idea naturally got me thinking about recruiting, resumes, and how much recruiters have to assume about potential prospects. As a recruiter, you depend so much on a simple piece of paper to tell you if a candidate is well qualified and the right fit for the job. But do you ever wonder about what this document isn't telling you? What are the invisible truths behind the standard resume?

A resume informs you how much work experience a candidate has, but it won't tell you how much ENTHUSIASM he or she will bring to the position. You want to know that the candidate is well prepared for the job, but is also happy doing it and enjoys their day-to-day responsibilities. An employee may have the business degree and proper skills to get the job done well, but a truly MOTIVATED employee is fully engaged and fulfilled in his or her industry and profession. Liking, and maybe even loving, what you do is essential to the employer and employee.

While statistics, such as how many sales a candidate has pulled in annually, and awards, like "top performer of the month," can literally show a candidate's accomplishments, a resume cannot tell you if the candidate has a sense of LOYALTY to his or her profession and company. DEDICATION comes from an innate desire to perform the job tasks at hand and also a sense of pride in doing it well.

Finally, and most importantly, a resume can't convey a candidate's personality. Is he friendly? Is she quiet? Is he polite? Is she aggressive? Depending on the job position, character traits are essential to job success. Without knowing your candidate's demeanor, you won't know how well they will connect with their company, their immediate team, and manager.

To uncover these invisible truths (enthusiasm, loyalty, and personality), it's important to research the candidate online, have multiple live interviews with the candidate, and contact their references, which will all give a more well rounded picture of the person you are about to hire.

Source: http://www.ted.com/talks/john_lloyd_an_animated_tour_of_the_invisible.html


About the Author, David Webb

David is the CEO of BrightMove and is a seasoned technology executive & entrepreneur noted for creating successful businesses. Over his 25+ year career, David has developed multi-platform expertise in the domains of computer science, data analytics & business transformation. Starting in 1995, David worked with his best friend, Jimmy Hurff, to develop one of the world's first Internet job board and resume bank applications. David is the primary architect of BrightMove and has an active role in the product's evolution to this day. From then to now, David has been consistently helping his customers to build great teams, using best practices and world-class technology.

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