The Death of the Resume
Today while sitting in Mill Mountain cafe, I was talking with a local entrepreneur who mentioned the growing irrelevance of the resume. He says the resume is pretty much a waste of time for most jobs available.
It’s true that all jobs have a core set of skills that everyone needs: 1) the ability to learn, 2) the ability to get things done, 3) the ability to get along with your colleagues, and 4) a committment to the cause of the organization. That is something a resume will not tell you, and this information is only gained by references and actual work.
He did make an interesting point because many jobs are for entry level positions. If you are just starting your career, will you have anything exciting to put on the resume? But, companies still require it. Deviating a bit…I have even noticed job descriptions citing at least two years experience for entry level jobs, which make entirely ZERO sense.( Well, it does……categorizing the job to pay you lower.)
Most jobs available truly do not need a resume, proven by the fact that for hours you sit in front of your computer screen, filling out 20 screen-long applications that asks for prior work history, duties and achievements among other things. This is an inefficient use of your time because you are constantly filling out the same information that is already included in the resume. Madness.
When and if your resume is analyzed, recruiters and non-entrepreneurial hiring managers reduce a successful job prospect to their resume. Faced with the need to make selections, they end up playing Russian Roulette with the high quality ones. The job seeker spends so much of his/her time trying to update and tweak it for each prospective company. It’s madness! All the resume does is tell the recruiter what you have done. It’s doesn’t tell how successful the applicant will be at the future job duties. I argue that the cover letter and references are the most important documents. Most recruiters look at the cover letter first and never look at the resume. If you are ever called for an interview, the same unnecessary questions are asked. “Tell me about yourself…” Hell, what do you want to know all the relevant crap is on the resume AND the application–I am not getting personal.
I understand that recruiters are just trying to ‘do their job’, but most learning is done on the job as they can probably attest. There is a learning curve anywhere you go, so it is pretty much irrelevant what you did 5 years ago. Each company has it own set of procedures as to how work gets done. Why not put more emphasis on the cover letter, and instead of relying squarely on the references that the job seeker provides, simply use them to obtain an additional on the spot references.
I say to recruiters and job seekers, STOP the MADNESS! Recruiters add to your profession by continually seeking better ways to vet candidates. The tired old ways are not providing any value to your company. Job seekers, you have already applied to the companies that you really wanted to work at. Now that you are still searching, you are compromising the quality by just applying anywhere….just to get a job! Instead spruce up your efforts at perfecting the cover letter and networking; keep your name out there.
