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Resumes: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Although resumes are every candidate's gateway to an
exciting new career, employers must be aware they could be letting in a
Trojan horse.
Sadly, evaluating a resume not only includes determining which candidate
is the most suitable for the job, but also weeding out those
applications that are fraudulent.
The surge in online recruitment has opened up another window for those
willing to lie their way into job.
The numerous ways in which resumes can be evaluated fall into two basic
categories - appearance and content.
Regarding appearance, neatness and a good layout is generally regarded
as important, not just because neatness is itself a desirable attribute
in any employee but also because it shows an innate professionalism and
attention to detail.
Some employers even take into account whether the heading styles and
sizes are consistent and the bullet points line up.
Other obvious appearance faults are spelling mistakes - again because
they show a lack of professionalism.
Regarding resume content, it is important to eliminate the
"one-size-fits-all" resumes, fired off en masse in the hope that one may
hit home. Not only may the candidate who sends these not be a good
match, they may also just be after a stop-gap position to pay the rent
until something better comes along.
Probably one of the most important aspects of the actual content of the
resume is the match between the career objectives of the applicant and
what the organization can provide. For example, someone seeking a highly
structured career path with many benefits such as private health
insurance would probably not be well-suited to a small start-up company.
It is also important that the candidate's past responsibilities match
the vacancy, or at least show an aptitude for quickly assuming the
required skills and responsibilities.
When assessing accomplishments, an employer should be looking for solid
achievements (especially those relating to generating profit for
previous employers).
The employer should be wary of phrases that are meant to imply much more
than they actually say.
These include statements that the candidate is "familiar with" a certain
computer program as against stating a specific level of proficiency, or
was "involved with" a certain corporate success rather than having
initiated or was responsible for its profitability.
Other warning signs are gaps in the employment history; inability to
specify that the candidate has permission to work in the country (in the
US this can involve spotting fraudulent SS numbers); gaps in the work
history and inflated salary histories.
Every employer has their own personal list of resume dislikes which,
although they may not be an accurate reflection of the candidate's
ability to do the job, do indicate a lack of professionalism and a
distinct lack of a sense of what is appropriate.
They include photocopies of photocopied resumes, poor quality paper,
fancy graphics, mentions of old jobs that don't mean anything and
hand-written corrections.
Much more serious than personal dislikes is resume fraud. A survey
carried out by Accountemps in 1998 found that 30 percent of candidates
lied or left out important information on their resumes.
The surge in online resumes is beneficial because it shows that the
candidate is computer literate and has access to technology. In the US,
it is becoming increasingly unlikely for some companies to hire
candidates who submit their resumes by fax or mail.
However, they make resume fraud much easier. Some applicants enter the
key words they know will get them through a computerized screening
process, which means that recruiters and hiring managers sometimes end
up hiring a person with no knowledge of what they claim.
Even more worrying is the increasing prevalence of paid referrals,
whereby companies will offer to substantiate false work experience for a
fee, even though a person has never worked for them
The cost of hiring an employee with a fraudulent resume can be enormous,
and not just because the whole hiring process has start again after they
have been discovered.
Even if it is decided to retain the employee, the cost can include that
of covert on-the-job-training, where it is cheaper to train the
candidate than go through the hiring cycle again.
The whole process of hiring staff can therefore be a tricky one. But
with a clear expectation of what the position requires from its
successful candidate, and an awareness of what to look for, an informed
evaluation of the resume can make it an easier.
Most resume sites on the Internet are aimed at job seekers rather than
employers. However, the following contain some useful advice for
employers.
www.detma.org/resumeguide/
Resume guide created by the Massachusetts Division of Employment and
Training in the US
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