Open Loops

Is the Resume Dead?

As someone who interviews, checks references and makes hiring recommendations, I seriously have begun to ask myself why people bother to send resumes.  Years ago, before the Internet, advanced HR departments and a surplus of workers (You have seen the recent unemployment figures, right?), resumes may have been the best way to determine if an applicant is right for the job, but no more.  Further, any  manager, recruiter, or supervisor who uses a resume for anything more than a pre-screener should have his or her credentials questioned as well, for doing so increases the chance that the wrong applicant will be hired and opens the organization up to lawsuits.

Everyone Lies

The first reason I refuse to depend on resumes is the simple assertion that, to paraphrase Dr. Gregory House on Fox's television series, "House":  everyone lies.

"The percentage of people who lie to potential employers is substantial, says Sunny Bates, CEO of New York-based executive recruitment firm Sunny Bates Associates. She estimates that 40% of all résumés aren't altogether aboveboard.

And this game of employment Russian roulette is getting riskier and riskier. Almost 40% of human resources professionals surveyed last year by the Society for Human Resource Management reported they've increased the amount of time they spend checking references over the past three years"

--Forbes.com: Most Common Resume Lies

Call me cynical, but I'd say the other 60% just didn't get caught.  With the economy going the way that it is, spurring a rise in unemployment, the temptation to lie on a resume increases.

Taking Control of Your Career in this Economy

I'm extremely lucky in this economy.  The field of education is a very recession-resistant profession.  I didn't say recession-proof profession, just resistant.  We get the same impact as everyone else, it's just a little delayed.  My contract was renewed just before everything began deteriorating and I have at least 4 years of employment ahead of me.  The possible cuts due to the economy (when they come) will happen to those with less tenure than I have or whose contracts will expire before mine.  Even those individuals will be gainfully employed until mid-summer before economy related cuts will be felt, so those who suspect a major change in their employment status have time to take action to mitigate the negative effects or transition to a new location or profession.

Despite my relative employment security, I find it prudent to take steps to prepare for the worst-case scenario while I still have time.  Heeding sage advice, I'm going to dig my well before I'm thirsty, and prepare for a job search in case the recession lasts longer than my contract.  Over the next few weeks, I'll be preparing some resources that will assist me in promoting myself to future employers and make myself stand out from the crowd when a hiring decision is reached.

It occurred to me that there are those out there who might not have the time that I have, but need to do something now to increase the odds of securing employment.  They are in the thick of the action when it comes to career changes and need some direction.  Some of the things that I'll be doing may be of benefit to them as well.  So, I decided to be semi-transparent with this and go through my process of career development through this blog.  I'll take you step-by-step through my process of resume crafting, leveraging online resources to support my resume and provide additional information to future employers (e.g., Exploiting FaceBook, Twitter, Google Docs, blogging, etc.), networking, interview prep, and overall job search planning and tracking.  Follow along and you can design a good strategy that will benefit you as well.