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Greetings!
IFyou are like most municipal managers, you are likely spending a lot of time reading resumes. One reason for this is a recent and dramatic increase in resume activity due in no small part to the retiring Baby Boomer generation.
In most cases a resume is the first contact you have with a candidate, so have you ever stopped to ask the question "what is it I hope to discover" while reading one?
From the candidate's point of view, writing a resume is about as much fun as being Mike Tyson's cell mate, yet it's one of those things people have to do if they want to apply for a job.
It's also no secret that most managers don't really enjoy reading resumes.
The pain associated with resume preparation is likely a result of the endless tips on the subject coming from books, experts and friends, like: 'put it all on one page' or 'use effective titles.'
If you Google 'resume writing' you get 12,500,000 results ...that's 12 million, 5 hundred-thousand! You'll find all sorts of advice some of which can be contradictory; this only makes a difficult task even harder.
You may be interested to know that, unlike resume writing, resume reading is likely the only job a manager has that does not have at least a dozen how-to books devoted to it. There isn't a whole lot of advice available.
There are many reasons that reading resumes is a less than appealing pastime*. For starters it's hard to separate the fluff from the reality. Not only that, but with all the professional resume writing help available today, you can easily be left wondering who the real creative genius is behind a good resume ... so beware - many of the people who send you their resume may not be as sharp as they appear on paper.
Having said that, resume reading is not rocket science. It is something that will take some time if you are going to do it right. And the results can be tangible ... just be forewarned, you may have to read a lot of them to find a winner.
Here are 15 strategies to keep in mind as you read a resume:
þ You cannot properly screen a resume without a clear understanding of the key deliverables you are looking for. You need to know exactly what it will take to do the job you are trying to fill. So before you begin (at a minimum), read and understand the official job description. Make a check-list and use it while you are reading through the resumes. And remember the length of the resume is less important than the content.
þ Take notes and jot down questions on a separate sheet of paper as you read,.. then staple your notes to the resume. This is particularly important if you are reading a lot of resumes at one time.
þ Here's a different strategy...start at the end of the resume. Most candidates place the least flattering information there, so you may be able to save yourself some time.
þ Review the education. Does the applicant meet the minimum education requirements? Does she have any useful additional education?Do not be misled by lengthy educational credentials. The applicant may have listed meaningless seminars and cited every course he ever attended to add 'meat' to his resume. Ensure that each candidate you bring in to interview has education relevant to the position.
þBeware of puffery! Many resumes contain qualifiers like "knowledge of...", "assisted with...", "had exposure to..." which should not be confused with actual hands-on experience.
þ Watch out for resumes filled with 'bumpf' placed there to lengthen them ... this technique is used by those who are woefully short of genuine experience. Look at what the candidate says about her accomplishments. Instead of "greatly increased the bottom line" look for statements that can be substantiated by facts, such as "increased the bottom line by 20%."
þ There should be a strong correlation between the length of time worked, the experience described, and the positions achieved. Some job titles say manager but did he actually manage anyone or anything?
þ The skills you seek may be underlying the skills described. A candidate may have what you need but she has used them in a different way or described them differently.
þ Today, everything in technology and business is constantly changing. The person who has successfully changed industries, technologies or careers may have abilities that could go unnoticed.
þ Be wary of applicants who are trying to get your attention by parroting the exact skills requested in your job announcement. The use of keywords at the very beginning of a resume is intended to capture the employer's attention.
þ Look at the applicants most recent employer. Do you know anyone who works there? How long has the candidate worked there? What do they do there? A quick (confidential) phone call can make your job easier.
þ Take a look at the general layout, presentation, and accuracy of the resume. What you're looking for will vary based on the position you're working to fill. Someone in Economic Development should have a resume that is graphically pleasing and able to communicate to you. An executive administrator should have zero spelling and punctuation errors. Do not excuse sloppiness. In this era of word processors, poor grammar and misspellings are a tip-off that the candidate may be sloppy in their work habits.
þIf you are unsure of a candidate, pass the resume to a colleague and get a second opinion.
* If you still don't relish reading a lot of resumes, contact us ...we do it for a living
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