The Resumes We Don't Submit
Why do we hold back?
Early elimination
Companies go to great lengths to "really know" candidates, but only after a candidate's resume passes through a recruit-bot (also knows as Automated Tracking System or ATS).
If the keywords are not there- instant Checkmate.
Two moves ahead
Beating the recruit-bot is only difficult if a potential candidate values transparency. Experienced professionals will finely tune resumes by summarizing a lengthy career in an aesthetically pleasing one-page summary; filled with white space, a few achievements, and saturated with keywords matching the potential employer's Job Description. The means in which those accomplishments were achieved are usually excluded.
Fact: "Avoiding disaster" and "damage control" are not on LinkedIn's 2019 List of Top Job Skills. Cloud computing is apparently in much higher demand.
You may as well write "I'm basic" as the headline.
Did I really just write that out loud?
Play the opening like a book, the middlegame like a magician, and the endgame like a machine.
— Rudolph Spielmann
Phone Screening
Once a candidate's resume has successfully defeated the ATS, a phone screening with an actual person will verify that the potential candidate:
- Is a human
- Has a strong elevator pitch
- Balances likability with professionalism
Interviews
Upon verifying the candidate is indeed human, the recruiter will schedule a series of in-person interviews with current employees in similar positions and perhaps a hiring manager. Interviewers will be provided a list of open-ended questions designed to bust faulty resume keywords and determine if applicant's background will add value to the company.
Exercise extreme caution with adding too much value. Posing as a threat will likely result in, "I bid thee a fond farewell Felicia."
Check & Mate.... almost.
If a candidate has made it this far, the potential employer will assign Personality and IQ assessments designed to quantify:
- Strengths
- Weaknesses
- Aptitude
- Sociopath tendencies
- Overall "fit"
CAUTION: Do not take personality assessments after drinking, going to Wal-Mart, or driving in traffic.
Assessment results will be analyzed by a super-bot and Corporate Psychologist. If results indicate a narrow margin of perfection, a summary will be provided to the decision-maker, including applicant's market value, salary demands, social media recognizance, and one-page summary highlighting attributes that the candidate intentionally excluded from his or her resume.
Stalemate.
The Real Resume
Professional Summary
Mid-tenure go-to girl with 10+ years in crisis management. Energized by impending doom with excellent reputation for coming through clutch.
Areas of expertise include:
- Avoiding disaster
- Delivering disturbing news
- Damage control
- Figuring out a solution before most realize there is a problem
Professional Experience
Goliath Financial- Entry-level 20-Something, 02/2007 - 05/2012
- I came here for a 2-week temp job
- They asked me to stay
Goliath Financial- Big Girl Promotion, 05/2012 - 06/2017
- Took on project way beyond pay grade after highly respected executive hired incapable college buddy to handle unprecedented crisis
- Developed critical skills watching Youtube
- Learned how to stay awake longer than 3 days
- Got yelled at a lot
- 5 car accidents in 1 year
- Steamy affair with senior colleague
- Mild PTSD
Goliath Financial- Go-To Girl & Assistant VP, 06/2017 - Current
- New female supervisor
- Downward envy is a thing
- Workplace bullying is real
- Retaliation is dangerous
- Major depression, Panic Disorder, Severe PTSD
- Leave of Absence
71% of U.S. employers react to reports of abusive conduct in ways that harm targets
61% of bullies are bosses; in 63% of incidents the perpetrator operates alone
— 2017 Workplace Bullying Institute U.S. Workplace Bullying SurveyAdditional Skills
- Coming through clutch
- Resilient AF
- Loyal
- Most people like me
- PRANK WAR CHAMPION
I'd hire me.
If you made it this far, thanks for reading my first blog.
-Running with Scissors
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
© 2019 Running With Scissors
Related
Comments
AUTHORI agree. I recently interviewed with a company that invests in really getting to know the applicant prior to the testing. They are based in Australia, where workplace bullying laws are in place. The culture seems to transcend over here to the United States. Corporate America could learn something from our friends across the pond.
"Companies go to great lengths to "really know" candidates, but only after a candidate's resume passes through a recruit-bot (also knows as Automated Tracking System or ATS)." - Sadly, many companies do not go great lengths to hire a candidate. They do not look at the true person
By the way, excellent article
- AUTHOR
Flourish- Thank you! Yes, ma’am I have. Many of your articles provided insight and comfort as I was dealing with harsh side effects of workplace bullying. Thank you for reading a commenting!
This was really funny. You’ve obviously been there done that with the corporate thing and lived to tell about it.
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