Post by The Big PINK One♥ on Jul 25, 2007 8:19:09 GMT -5
The Recruiter Roundtable is a monthly feature that collects career and job-seeking advice from a group of recruiting experts throughout the United States. The question we put before our panel this month is:
What was the most remarkable attempt to impress you or get your attention that actually backfired against the candidate?
Turned off by a Rival
I once had a candidate who, along with his resume, included letters from his wife and children. The 5-year-old made a cute picture, while the candidate (and father) explained what the picture was. There were two problems: 1) the candidate was completely unqualified for the role, and 2) the picture explanation included "Daddy standing in front of new office" -- and the office was our competitor.
-- Bob Hancock, independent staffing consultant
Personal Data Overload
Recently, I got a CV from a candidate: An 11-page PDF file detailing every experience in his life since he was a teenager. He also scanned and inserted every certificate he had received throughout most of his life including his certification of a computer class (MS-DOS) in 1990 and his certificate of completion of a Taekwondo class.
The final three pages were a compilation of the 100 things one should know about him, including: "I have never gone out with a model, I can't stand crybabies, I have never fractured a bone, I always stay up late watching 'Star Trek,' and I am part vampire: I live better at night than during the day and I also work better at night." Some of the more memorable on this list would be unprintable (i.e. detailed descriptions of his physical preferences, etc.).
Moral of the story: Limit your personal story in your resume to your professional experiences. It's OK to let your creativity shine, but keep it relevant and within limits of your profession. Remember your resume opens (or closes) an opportunity to interview.
-- Lindsay Olson, partner, Paradigm Staffing
Reference Letter Forgery
The perfect reference letter was written by the candidate himself! Although he was qualified for the job, this scam made him un-hirable. Employers do not expect you to be perfect; they want to know your real talents. The pluses and the minuses are very important. Actually some perceived minuses are the exact traits some might be looking for; it happened for us. In short, be truthful.
-- Yves Lermusi, CEO of Checkster
Zeal Has Its Limits!
There was an open project manager position for which I was recruiting a couple of years ago. A contractor, who was working in the role while we were searching, decided to interview for the job.
I asked him some very standard questions about his skills and also why he liked project management. He leaned forward in his chair, made a fist, shook it with emphasis and said, "I am a reckoning force!" Once he did that, all I could think of was a wrecking ball and that maybe he was going to throw something on the desk at me. I appreciated his passion for the role, but I was a little stunned by his forcefulness.
The job did go to someone else with more relevant experience, but I still remember this individual better than the one selected!
-- Ross Pasquale, owner, Monday Ventures
What was the most remarkable attempt to impress you or get your attention that actually backfired against the candidate?
Turned off by a Rival
I once had a candidate who, along with his resume, included letters from his wife and children. The 5-year-old made a cute picture, while the candidate (and father) explained what the picture was. There were two problems: 1) the candidate was completely unqualified for the role, and 2) the picture explanation included "Daddy standing in front of new office" -- and the office was our competitor.
-- Bob Hancock, independent staffing consultant
Personal Data Overload
Recently, I got a CV from a candidate: An 11-page PDF file detailing every experience in his life since he was a teenager. He also scanned and inserted every certificate he had received throughout most of his life including his certification of a computer class (MS-DOS) in 1990 and his certificate of completion of a Taekwondo class.
The final three pages were a compilation of the 100 things one should know about him, including: "I have never gone out with a model, I can't stand crybabies, I have never fractured a bone, I always stay up late watching 'Star Trek,' and I am part vampire: I live better at night than during the day and I also work better at night." Some of the more memorable on this list would be unprintable (i.e. detailed descriptions of his physical preferences, etc.).
Moral of the story: Limit your personal story in your resume to your professional experiences. It's OK to let your creativity shine, but keep it relevant and within limits of your profession. Remember your resume opens (or closes) an opportunity to interview.
-- Lindsay Olson, partner, Paradigm Staffing
Reference Letter Forgery
The perfect reference letter was written by the candidate himself! Although he was qualified for the job, this scam made him un-hirable. Employers do not expect you to be perfect; they want to know your real talents. The pluses and the minuses are very important. Actually some perceived minuses are the exact traits some might be looking for; it happened for us. In short, be truthful.
-- Yves Lermusi, CEO of Checkster
Zeal Has Its Limits!
There was an open project manager position for which I was recruiting a couple of years ago. A contractor, who was working in the role while we were searching, decided to interview for the job.
I asked him some very standard questions about his skills and also why he liked project management. He leaned forward in his chair, made a fist, shook it with emphasis and said, "I am a reckoning force!" Once he did that, all I could think of was a wrecking ball and that maybe he was going to throw something on the desk at me. I appreciated his passion for the role, but I was a little stunned by his forcefulness.
The job did go to someone else with more relevant experience, but I still remember this individual better than the one selected!
-- Ross Pasquale, owner, Monday Ventures
