Like junk mail, generic résumés arrive in
mass quantities. The practice of applying for anything has become so pervasive,
large employers use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) software to flush them out.
Everyone else uses the five-second, flash-scan method for weeding them out. Both
options work.
Like junk mail, generic résumés are not
difficult to spot. The classic symptoms include (a) lack of career focus, followed by (b) lack of employment relevancy and vagueness. Once spotted, it auto triggers the what-a-loser response.
Typically, the reviewer stops reading once
he or she encounters a glaring deficiency. Barring hidden agendas, the visual scanning
process usually includes:
(a) The type of position the individual is
seeking,
(b) The last two or three positions for relevancy,
(c) The length of ‘relevant’ employment,
(d) The education and specific skillsets.
The more a reviewer performs this, the more
proficient the screener becomes. (View
this as one of those practice-makes-perfect chores.)
To add insult to inconvenience, and with
damn little exception, the unfocused jobseeker feels a compelling urge to
explain his ‘unique’ situation—as if
employers haven’t heard them already. Some jobseekers resort to making
their problems the interviewer’s problem.
Explanations and problem sharing—either
appearing in covers or the résumé—get interpreted as loser or failure. Success,
on the other hand, tends to speak for itself, and therefore, requires no
explanation.
As harsh as this may be, it’s job-hunting reality.
When viewing this on a massive scale it becomes obvious. Jobseekers who resort to
explaining without identifying a specific opening, they might as well shout,
“I’m open to whatever is available.”
From years of experience, I can attest that
generic résumés only perform for those seeking the lowest levels of warm-body,
high-turnover employment. Such jobseekers do not need a professional
presentation, as anything will usually suffice.
Seriously, the more focused and concise the
résumé, the more employers will take a second look. Once again, barring a
hidden agenda, the well-focused résumé carries a five-fold advantage. In other
words, the unfocused jobseekers have to work five-times harder just to stay in
the game.
Jobseekers oblivious to this repetitive
phenomenon need to reassess their career goals, tangible experience and
intangible assets. The process can begin sampling by creating an itemized list.
At the minimum, the jobseeker should be able to avoid using the dreaded generic
résumé and the harsh consequences that follow.
Copyrighted
© 2016 by Robert James