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Bruce Hurwitz 6:56 am on May 9, 2024  

The Resume as a First Impression

This is the third in a series of eight articles geared towards recruiters but which provide important insights for job seekers.

It is not true that you only get one chance to make a good first impression.  At least that is the case when you are meeting someone in person or online.  An error or an embarrassment can be undone.  Self-deprecating humor can sometimes be a solution.  As long as the candidate does not make a big deal out of the faux pas, they probably will survive to humiliate themself some other time!

But it is true that applicants only get one chance to make a good first impression when it comes to their resume.  They are not there to explain whatever problem the recipient of the resume is having.  The recipient will draw their own conclusions and if they are negative, the applicant will never hear from the employer. This is how recruiters should “read” resumes.

It’s simple:  If the resume is sloppy, the conclusion is that the applicant is sloppy.  If the resume is a mess, the applicant must be a mess.  If the resume is confusing, the applicant must be confused.  No one hires people who are sloppy, messy and/or confused.  Applicants have to get the resume right the first time.

Let’s begin at the beginning.  As the song says, “it’s a very good place to start.”

The resume should begin with the applicant’s real name, not a nickname.  If they have a “non-American” first name, and use an Americanized name, it should be included in brackets after their real name.  It’s a considerate thing to do, as is placing, in brackets, after the first name, its phonetic pronunciation. Any academic or professional certifications (MBA, PhD, CPA, etc.) should appear after the name.  If it’s relevant for the job, it should be front and center.

The contact information must be correct.  If the phone number or email is wrong, the applicant should not expect to get an interview.

The applicant’s city and state of residence should be included.  (No one needs to know the applicant’s street address.)  This way the employer can decide if the applicant is in commuting distance of the job.  Many a time, applicants honestly believe that they can cope with a difficult commute.  The employer knows better because in the past they mistakenly hired one of the applicant’s neighbors who quit after a short period of time because of the commute. 

Lastly, in this section, should appear the applicant’s LinkedIn URL.  It should be “clean,” meaning very few hyphens or numbers.  If it is the default URL, it is a sign that the applicant does not know how to use LinkedIn.  Also, the hyperlink should be eliminated as some Applicant Tracking Systems can’t read them.

It is very important that the software formatting tools be used.  For example, if the applicant manually centered their name and contact information on the page, and then claim to know Word, their credibility will evaporate.

Now comes the fun part.  The applicant should not waste the employer’s time.  They don’t care what the applicant’s objective is.  If it is anything other than applying for the job for which they are applying, they shouldn’t apply!  Employers also don’t care about what the applicant thinks of themself, so the personal/professional statement, along with the “Objective,” should not be included.

The only things employers are interested in is what the applicant can do for them, if they can keep a job, and if there is something special, even unique, in their background.

To let them know what they can do for them, applicants should begin their resume with the accomplishments they have had at their previous and current jobs.  A simple bullet list is all that is needed. 

By including the dates (years or months and years) when they worked for the various employers, prospective employers will know if they can keep a job.  Everyone can have one or two short-term employments, but if there is a pattern there is a problem. 

As for what makes an applicant special or unique, first and foremost having served in the military will appeal to most employers.  Then there are media citations, publications and speaking engagements.  Anything that shows that other people think their opinions and work are valuable should be included.  Many employers want employees who are community minded.  Listing volunteer activities can secure a job interview, but listing any political or controversial groups should be avoided.  It can be an excuse for not interviewing an applicant.

In conclusion, a resume should be clean, neat, simple to understand, and answer key employer questions before they are even asked.

While we work with everyone, our mission is to promote the hiring of veterans and first responders.  Please consider us for all your staffing, career counseling and professional writing needs.

I am delighted to be associated with SourceOwls. Have a challenging job to fill? Looking for a team of recruiters? Look no further. Click here!

ARE YOU AN EXPERT IN YOUR FIELD? THEN I INVITE YOU TO BE A GUEST ON MY INTERNATIONAL PODCAST, BRUCE HURWITZ PRESENTS: MEET THE EXPERTS. FOR COMPLETE DETAILS, TO APPLY AND TO SCHEDULE AN INTERVIEW VISIT: https://hsstaffing.com/video-podcast

Future Articles:

  • Strategic Approaches to Job Selection and Avoidance
  • The Crucial Role of Interview Preparation in Candidate Placement
  • Thoughtful Debriefing with Candidates
  • Cultivating Advisor Relationships with Premier Candidates
  • Efficient Candidate Vetting
  • References
  • You Accept One Job and Another is Offered
  • LinkedIn’s SSI
Bruce Hurwitz 7:07 am on May 2, 2024  

Optimizing Candidate Submissions

This is the second in a series of eight articles geared towards recruiters but which provide important insights for job seekers.

Far too many hiring managers don’t seem to appreciate the information that is hidden in a resume.  When one lands on their desk, they follow the normal process: Check to see if the candidate can keep a job; if they have the required education and certifications; and if they meet other requirements.  That is all fine and good.  A resume, after all, is a summary of the applicant’s professional career.  But it is more than that.  All resumes provide insights into the applicant’s character.

Is the resume “functional,” meaning it lacks the applicant’s tenure in each of their jobs? That almost always means they are hiding something.  They can’t hold a job. No employer wants to hire someone in that category.

Is the resume focused on the candidate or the employer?  Does the hiring manager have to work hard to find reasons to consider the applicant, or has the applicant made it easy for them by highlighting their accomplishments?  In other words, does the applicant understand what the employer wants to know and provide the answers, or are they just singing their own praises, telling the hiring manager what they, the applicant, want to tell them and not what they, the hiring manager, wants to hear?

What does the resume tell the hiring manager about how the applicant organizes their thoughts?  Can they prioritize or do they list every bullet point that appeared in every one of their job descriptions?

Is the resume easy to read or is crammed full of words, infographics, and logos?  Is it a sea of black lettering with no white space?  Never forget that a resume is an applicant’s marketing material.  If they market themselves poorly, a hiring manager can’t expect them to do any better if they are hired and are marketing the company.

Have you seen the resume before? I don’t mean has the applicant previously applied for the position.  That can be a sign that they are sloppy when it comes to record keeping.  What I am referring to is the layout of the resume.  Does it appear that they used a template to prepare the resume or paid someone to write it for them?  If it is someone else’s work, it’s someone else’s work.  The hiring manager wants to see the applicant’s work and no one else’s.  There is nothing wrong with using a template or a resume writer, as long as the resume reflects the character of the applicant.  The applicant should tweak the resume so that it is truly theirs.

Some things are silly but important.  Everyone has stories of resumes submitted without the name of the applicant, their contact information, or place of residence.  Those resumes are welcome because they break the monotony of resume reviewing.  But the file name of the resume is important.  It shows if the applicant is thinking about themselves by naming the resume “Resume,” or if they are thinking of the recipient by naming it “Jane Doe’s Resume.”  If the resume has the person’s name but something related to the position for which they are applying, “Jane Doe’s PR Resume,” the inference can be made that the applicant has various resumes and that may not be a good thing.

The bottom line is, if a resume makes the hiring manager want to pick up the phone and call the applicant before they find work with a competitor, the resume has done its job and the hiring manager can be sure of one thing, that the applicant knows how to market themselves which should mean they can market the manager’s company.  And, just like sales, everyone does marketing.

While we work with everyone, our mission is to promote the hiring of veterans and first responders.  Please consider us for all your staffing, career counseling and professional writing needs.

I am delighted to be associated with SourceOwls. Have a challenging job to fill? Looking for a team of recruiters? Look no further. Click here!

ARE YOU AN EXPERT IN YOUR FIELD? THEN I INVITE YOU TO BE A GUEST ON MY INTERNATIONAL PODCAST, BRUCE HURWITZ PRESENTS: MEET THE EXPERTS. FOR COMPLETE DETAILS, TO APPLY AND TO SCHEDULE AN INTERVIEW VISIT: https://hsstaffing.com/video-podcast

Future Articles:

  • The Resume as a First Impression
  • Strategic Approaches to Job Selection and Avoidance
  • The Crucial Role of Interview Preparation in Candidate Placement
  • Thoughtful Debriefing with Candidates
  • Cultivating Advisor Relationships with Premier Candidates
  • Efficient Candidate Vetting
  • References
  • You Accept One Job and Another is Offered
  • LinkedIn’s SSI
Bruce Hurwitz 6:09 am on April 26, 2024  

Prioritizing Quality Over Quantity in Candidate Submissions

This is the first in a series of eight articles geared towards recruiters, but which will provide important insights to job seekers.

Every candidate knows, or should know, that a job search is a numbers game.  The more applications submitted, the greater the chance of securing an interview.  The more interviews, the greater the chance of securing a job offer.  It’s not exactly quantity over quality; both are important.  Sometimes applying for a job on a lark, can result in a new career.

The same is true for recruiters.  If they submit a large quantity of candidates to an employer, regardless of quality, it can also result in a new career.  They won’t be a recruiter much longer!

No employer hires a recruiter to receive anything other than quality resumes.  Advertise a position and everyone knows that 90% will be, pardon my phraseology, garbage.  This does not mean 90% of the candidates are bad people or terrible employees.  All it means is that they are not right for the specific job the employer is looking to fill.

So, what’s a recruiter to do?  Their job!  They must screen all applicants.

The first phase in the process is simple.  A professional recruiter only needs about five seconds reading an applicant’s resume to eliminate non-qualified candidates.  They look at the requirements the employer has established for the position and then the simply check them off by comparing them to the resume.  Stayed a minimum of four years at most of their jobs (i.e., they have a stable work record)?  Check.  Master’s degree?  Check.  CPA?  Check.  Minimum 10 years’ experience?  Check.  Those that don’t check, get scanned because they may “check” for a future search.

Now comes the fun part.  The applicant has to be contacted for a phone telephone review.  They have probably applied for scores, even hundreds of jobs.  It is perfectly reasonable for them to ask for the job description to be emailed to them.  It will make their life easier, and the recruiter’s.  It simplifies the process when both parties are reviewing the same document.

The recruiter then confirms that they were correct in classifying the applicant as qualified.  Then the recruiter has to change their focus from qualifications to responsibilities, confirming that the applicant has done most, if not all, of the work previously.  Few applicants are perfect.  They may not have done one or two of the responsibilities of the job.  That should not disqualify them because they may have had other duties which will appeal to the employer.

Assuming the conversation, which should not take more than 10 minutes, goes well, the next step in the process is to have a video interview.  Conducting a video interview protects the recruiter from charges of unprofessional behavior, allows the recruiter to focus on the applicant and not on taking notes, and gives the employer a very good idea of not just the applicant’s qualifications, but their presentation skills and personality.

If all goes well, and in the opinion of the recruiter the applicant is qualified, they become an actual candidate.  This does not mean that the only candidates submitted are those who are close to, if not in fact, perfect.  The employer is hiring the recruiter not simply to avoid having to wade through a torrent of worthless resumes searching for the gems, but also for their opinion.  Sometimes a recruiter finds someone who is not a perfect match but is someone they feel the employer should meet.  If the recruiter has not wasted the employer’s time by prioritizing the quantity over the quality of candidates, they should have the credibility to get the employer to consider a non-traditional candidate. 

And that is the balance: low quantity and high quality.

While we work with everyone, our mission is to promote the hiring of veterans and first responders.  Please consider us for all your staffing, career counseling and professional writing needs.

I am delighted to be associated with SourceOwls. Have a challenging job to fill? Looking for a team of recruiters? Look no further. Click here!

ARE YOU AN EXPERT IN YOUR FIELD? THEN I INVITE YOU TO BE A GUEST ON MY INTERNATIONAL PODCAST, BRUCE HURWITZ PRESENTS: MEET THE EXPERTS. FOR COMPLETE DETAILS, TO APPLY AND TO SCHEDULE AN INTERVIEW VISIT: https://hsstaffing.com/video-podcast

Future Articles:

  • Optimizing Candidate Submissions
  • The Resume as a First Impression
  • Strategic Approaches to Job Selection and Avoidance
  • The Crucial Role of Interview Preparation in Candidate Placement
  • Thoughtful Debriefing with Candidates
  • Cultivating Advisor Relationships with Premier Candidates
  • Efficient Candidate Vetting
  • References
  • You Accept One Job and Another is Offered
  • LinkedIn’s SSI
Bruce Hurwitz 8:56 am on April 18, 2024  

Think Like a Recruiter

This week’s article is an introduction to a series of eight articles primarily geared towards recruiters. (My thanks to Dean Garamella for suggesting the topics.) Job seekers are encouraged to read these articles to gain insights into the work of recruiters and their mindset.

It is a common occurence for job seekers to complain to me about the number of recruiters with whom they have engaged, and the fact that they have received few if any concrete leads. Their mistake is thinking that it is a recruiter’s job to find them employment. It is not. It is the recruiter’s job to find qualified candidates for their clients, employers looking to hire.

Of course, that is not a reason to be rude. I am very proud of the fact that I can honestly say that in the 20 years I have been a recruiter there is not a single candidate who did not hear from me about their status, as soon as I knew it. You do the math. If I have submitted an average of four candidates for every position, that means three candidates were rejected. I notified them all. Only in one case was someone rude to me.

Sadly, my following-up with all candidates is unique. Instead of complaining, they thank me and say that none of my competitors have ever reached out to them.

Let me explain the mentality: Once an employer, their client, rejects one of their candidates, the recruiter no longer needs that candidate so they consider it a waste of their time speaking with them when they could be searching for candidates who are more acceptable to their client. It’s logical, rude, but logical.

In any event, it has served me well. Rejected candidates, so to speak, when they finally got a new job, and their new employers were looking for a recruiter, would recommend me. Being polite is good business.

In any event, job seekers should think like recruiters. Read the job description carefully before submitting your candidacy. While you want the job, and think that you would be an ideal candidate, based on the qualifications for the position, can you honestly say that the employer would want you?

That said, if you see a job posted by a recruiter, by all means send in your resume. In your cover note, just say that you want them to keep your resume on file and contact you when they are working on a search for which they believe you will be qualified. They should appreciate it. And they won’t be upset with you for wasting their time applying for a job for which you are not qualified.

Allow me to wish one and all, despite the times, a Joyous Passover.

While we work with everyone, our mission is to promote the hiring of veterans and first responders.  Please consider us for all your staffing, career counseling and professional writing needs.

I am delighted to be associated with SourceOwls. Have a challenging job to fill? Looking for a team of recruiters? Look no further. Click here!

ARE YOU AN EXPERT IN YOUR FIELD? THEN I INVITE YOU TO BE A GUEST ON MY INTERNATIONAL PODCAST, BRUCE HURWITZ PRESENTS: MEET THE EXPERTS. FOR COMPLETE DETAILS, TO APPLY AND TO SCHEDULE AN INTERVIEW VISIT: https://hsstaffing.com/video-podcast

Future Articles:

  • Prioritizing Quality Over Quantity in Candidate Submissions
  • Optimizing Candidate Submissions
  • The Resume as a First Impression
  • Strategic Approaches to Job Selection and Avoidance
  • The Crucial Role of Interview Preparation in Candidate Placement
  • Thoughtful Debriefing with Candidates
  • Cultivating Advisor Relationships with Premier Candidates
  • Efficient Candidate Vetting
  • References
  • You Accept One Job and Another is Offered
  • LinkedIn’s SSI
Bruce Hurwitz 5:57 am on April 12, 2024  

Sometimes it’s the Employer’s Fault

There are two instances when the employer, not the candidate, is under the microscope: The Hiring Process and The Employment Process. Let’s consider each:

The Hiring Process

The way an employer conducts a hiring tells candidates everything they need to know about the employer. Do they follow up as promised? For that matter, are they honest? Do they ask good questions? Do they give candidates a chance to ask questions and respond to them satisfactorily? Do they have copies of the candidate’s resume or do they have to ask the candidate for a copy? In other words, are they well organized and professional, or do they just bumble around through the process and hope everything works out for the best?

I remember, many years ago when I was looking for a job, I was in Jersey and the employer was in Chicago, where the job would have been. (I dodged a bullet both figuratively and literally!) We were to meet in a hotel in New York. I always arrive early, so I would always bring something to read. The book was good and the next thing I knew I had been reading for over an hour.

I went to the Reception Desk and asked if the executive director with whom I had the appointment had been looking for me. The receptionist assured me he had not. So I started to write a note when he showed up. He apologized and explained that he had run into an old friend and had lost track of time.

We then went to the bar where we were met by his colleague who had a huge chip on his shoulder. Long story short, I was not impressed and wanted nothing to do with either one of them. When I got home, I sent a short, but diplomatic, note saying I was withdrawing.

The executive director then emailed me wanting to know if it was because he had kept me waiting and that his colleague was rude. I simply replied that I did not think it would be a good match and wished him well. A few days later, he called, apologizing again and saying that he guaranteed I would never have to interact with his colleague (who, by the way, was fired a week later). I told him I was already offered another job, wished him well, and that was it.

It was also the truth. It was also a smart decision on my part. I occasionally checked up on the organization and it was not exactly prospering.

In this case, the candidate (granted I’m prejudiced) did nothing wrong. It was totally the employer’s fault.

The Employment Process

So, you got the job. Congratulations! And you have been hard at work. And you have had a number of successes of which you are proud. Great! And then the boss calls you into their office and sort of, kind of, explains that due to this, that and the other thing, with regret, that have to let you go. But you did a good job, and they will be happy to provide you with a reference.

All you heard was that you no longer have a job. From the emotional standpoint, laid off or fired, who cares?

Well, there is a big difference. If you were fired, it is doubtful that you would be able to collect Unemployment. Since you were laid off, you should be able to collect Unemployment. That helps a little, but you still have bills to pay, are worried about your health insurance, etc., etc., etc.

Not that it will make you feel any better at first, but it should when you start interviewing, because when someone is laid off it is rare that the employer tells them why. So, in answer to the question, “Why did you leave your last job?” many people say, “I was laid off and really don’t know why.” There is no reason for the interviewer not to believe them, as long as they can list a number of successes they had with that employer.

The important point, which every employer knows, is that a lay-off is the fault of the employer, not the employee. So, you, the candidate, have nothing of which to be ashamed and have no need to be defensive. You did nothing wrong; the employer did!

While we work with everyone, our mission is to promote the hiring of veterans and first responders.  Please consider us for all your staffing, career counseling and professional writing needs.

I am delighted to be associated with SourceOwls. Have a challenging job to fill? Looking for a team of recruiters? Look no further. Click here!

ARE YOU AN EXPERT IN YOUR FIELD? THEN I INVITE YOU TO BE A GUEST ON MY INTERNATIONAL PODCAST, BRUCE HURWITZ PRESENTS: MEET THE EXPERTS. FOR COMPLETE DETAILS, TO APPLY AND TO SCHEDULE AN INTERVIEW VISIT: https://hsstaffing.com/video-podcast

Future Articles:

  • Think Like a Recruiter
  • Prioritizing Quality Over Quantity in Candidate Submissions
  • Optimizing Candidate Submissions
  • The Resume as a First Impression
  • Strategic Approaches to Job Selection and Avoidance
  • The Crucial Role of Interview Preparation in Candidate Placement
  • Thoughtful Debriefing with Candidates
  • Cultivating Advisor Relationships with Premier Candidates
  • Efficient Candidate Vetting
  • References
  • You Accept One Job and Another is Offered
  • LinkedIn’s SSI
Bruce Hurwitz 7:35 am on April 4, 2024  

The Thank-You Email and the Most Important Question to Ask in a Job Interview

It is funny the things we remember seeing on television when we were children. For example, I remember a Nobel Prize laureate being asked, “To whom do you credit your success?” He replied, “My mother. When my friends returned home from school, their moms would ask them if they had given the teacher good answers to her questions, my mom would ask if I asked any good questions.”

It is my firm and sincere belief that the questions you ask in a job interview are actually more important than the answers you give. When you ask a question, it is an opportunity to show how well you prepare for meetings and, specifically, how well you have researched the employer and the interviewers.

The most important question you can ask is focused on the after-interview phases of the hiring process: the thank-you email. A good thank-you can rescue a fair interview; a bad thank-you can ruin a good interview.

Here’s the question: If I were to get the job, what would I be able to do to make your life easier? Ask every interviewer and write down their answer. This also means that at the start of an interview you need to get the email address of all the interviewers. (If someone says, “Just write to so-and-so,” then that’s what you do. But let’s assume that everyone provides their email.)

The thank-you email tells a great deal about the candidate. It shows if they were listening during the interview, and whether or not they understood what they were told. It also shows if they are able to send unique thank-yous to everyone and not some generic letter that could relate to interviewing for literally any job. Lastly, it is proof that they can actually write a professional letter.

The thank-you, which must be sent within a couple of hours of the interview, should be relatively short and go something like this:

Thank you for interviewing me this morning for the XYZ position. [Now you are going to remind them of why you are the premier candidate for the position.] Having done X, Y and Z, after hearing your insights, I am even more confident now that I will be able to not only fulfill your expectations for the position, but exceed them.

That paragraph will be relatively the same for everyone. Here’s where the uniqueness comes in:

I heard you when you said that you need me to do X. I understand that that will help you with Y. Just to remind you, as I said during the interview, I have no problem in that regard because…

Then a generic ending on the lines of, Thank you again for having taken the time to interview me. I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely… will suffice.

The “I heard you” paragraph shows that you were listening, understood, and are onboard to be the interviewers’ partner to help them achieve their goals. Who would not want a new hire like that?

,

While we work with everyone, our mission is to promote the hiring of veterans and first responders.  Please consider us for all your staffing, career counseling and professional writing needs.

I am delighted to be associated with SourceOwls. Have a challenging job to fill? Looking for a team of recruiters? Look no further. Click here!

ARE YOU AN EXPERT IN YOUR FIELD? THEN I INVITE YOU TO BE A GUEST ON MY INTERNATIONAL PODCAST, BRUCE HURWITZ PRESENTS: MEET THE EXPERTS. FOR COMPLETE DETAILS, TO APPLY AND TO SCHEDULE AN INTERVIEW VISIT: https://hsstaffing.com/video-podcast

Future Articles:

  • Sometimes it’s the Employer’s Fault
  • Think Like a Recruiter
  • Prioritizing Quality Over Quantity in Candidate Submissions
  • Optimizing Candidate Submissions
  • The Resume as a First Impression
  • Strategic Approaches to Job Selection and Avoidance
  • The Crucial Role of Interview Preparation in Candidate Placement
  • Thoughtful Debriefing with Candidates
  • Cultivating Advisor Relationships with Premier Candidates
  • Efficient Candidate Vetting
  • Recommendations