Michael Bloomberg, NYC Mayor, once said, “You are not paid for what you have done in the past. You are paid for what you’re about to do in the future.”
Isn’t it interesting that you (boss or HR professional) decide who you want to interview is based purely on what your candidate may have done in the past – not what they are about to do in the future.
Why is the résumé dead?
- There is no indication from a résumé of what heights could have possibly been reached – only what someone has been given the opportunity to do.
- There is no indication from a résumé of what a candidate is capable of learning – only what they have learned in the past, what school they graduated from and what pieces of paper (degrees) they may hold (relevant or not).
- There is no indication from a résumé that a particular candidate could be the next great leader for your organization – especially if never given the opportunity to lead.
- There is no indication from a résumé of how brilliant a mind may be when hidden behind average grades and average positions in an organization – especially if the candidate was kept down by a tyrant boss.
- There is no indication from a résumé of values and ethics being paramount – especially if only ever given a lowly entry-level position and no opportunity to provide input.
- There is no indication from a résumé that a candidate is a decent human being – credentials on a wall don’t make you decent.
The great leaders of tomorrow and those who will change the world, including your organization, will be the people with ideas and those who will challenge the standard workforce strategy. They won’t be hired because of their résumés. And as long as you continue to believe that the résumé is the best way to find a suitable candidate to fill a position, you will be eating the dust of the organizations who have found a way to attract people with brains, ideas, values, ethics and a shared-effort philosophy. These people are found in chat rooms, blogging, e-networking, texting and hanging out with those of like-mind.
Who do you think would bring your organization a higher degree of greatness: a person looking for a job (armed with a résumé) or one who is already sharing ideas with others (armed with a Blog, followers and a huge network)? Which of the two choices do you think would give you better results in the future?
The résumé is dead.
3 comments:
Short but very incisive piece of advice. You are a great and liberating mind. I have learned miles from your piece. Keep it up.
While I don't disagree that a resume is nothing more than a history of past learning experiences, I disagree with a couple of your points.
Firstly, how are you going to pay for the number of staff necessary to pour over blogs, forums, etc. looking for and trying to entice people to leave their current jobs and come work for you?
If they are as fantastic as you make them out to be, do you think they will be out of work? How many "recruiters" can your company hire, and what incentives are you willing to give to potential employees?
Secondly, you talk about leaders, original thinkers, etc. That is a shift in the mindset of owners/managers and supervisors that must be made first. Sure, some industry leaders recognize that great ideas come from all levels, but it is far more the norm for "people in charge" to believe that great ideas come only from the top. Bringing in "competition" for company prestige is not something they are usually willing to do.
I urge you to consider the Cover Letter as the tool of the future. While the resume talks about what you have done and experienced, the Cover Letter is where you can match passions with your employer, showcase your achievements, and talk about what you are bringing in terms of both qualifications and energy to the new company.
Again, thank you for letting employers know that a resume is not the be all and end all, but if you truly believe that only those, (and from your inference), all of those who blog and engage in online communities are worth hiring, you are sorely mistaken. Many of us deal with real people in real life, and have others do our research and publicatioin for us.
Sincerely,
Michael Thompson
Job Search Counsellor
I agree that the resume is outdated. Employers don't have time to review every resume they receive. That is why I started TheEmployables.com. Our site is designed to connect employers and job seekers through previews of 'Executive Summaries' or short pointed profiles of a job seeker's skills, education, etc. Check it out.
Post a Comment