The Costly Mistake Many Hiring Managers Make

It shocks me how often a candidate will be rejected based solely on their paper resume. Even more so for sales positions and when they are presented by a recruiter specializing in that space.

Can you get a good sense for the level of passion and energy a sales rep brings to work every day by reading his paper resume for 10 seconds?

Because I can’t...And I’ve been doing this for 10+ years

Now I am willing to take some of the blame.

Maybe I didn't provide a good enough write-up, maybe I didn't push back on you enough. I am sure there is SOMETHING I could have done differently to have gotten you to speak with the candidate.

For that, I will work to improve and learn to be better.

I'm not suggesting that every candidate is good, nor am I implying every candidate should get some of your time.

What I am saying loudly, hopefully clearly, and confidently is that there are some real "A" Players and Game Changers out there whose resume alone won't identify them.

So for anyone who hires:

I urge you to look deeper into resumes and take more phone calls. Your time is valuable, yes, but nothing stops you from cutting a call short if a candidate is not a good fit. (Yes, it's okay to politely cut a call short if the candidate is not a fit)

Maybe you lose 3-5 minutes. Better than passing on a winning lottery ticket because you felt you could find better numbers.

Every candidate has a story. Skills are learned in unique ways. Not everyone needs to follow a cookie cutter career path to be great at the position they are applying for. In fact, some of the best resumes I read turn out to be average candidates at best.

Think of resume writing as a skill.

While some people excel at it, others could use improvement. However, is resume writing a skill ranked towards the top of your list of requirements for the position your hiring for?

Or does actual relative experience, character, values, drive, and natural personality rank higher?

If you have concerns about a candidate, write them down and address them during the phone call.

• Can the candidate overcome your concerns?
• Is there a good explanation for that 1 job too many?
• Do they impress you in a way that you didn't expect?

Remember that as you continue to spend your time and resources searching for the perfect cookie cutter paper candidate, your competitor just hired that not so perfect resume who will become a game changer for their organization.

Just a thought....

but what do I know?

Sincerely,

A recruiter with a very particular set of skills. Skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a dream come true for the people who listen and trust me.

If you accept my candidates, that'll be the end of it....your search that is.