QUESTION: A resume needs to be attractive to get a good job.
FACT: As one gains experience, the network helps in finding a better job.
A resume should be a true reflection of a person. A well-
written resume reflects his willingness to present information in a way that can be grasped easily; it creates a fair chance for the candidate to clear the screening process where the hiring manager is impressed. Those new to the industry tend to mention skills that they might have only read about, but not applied. In such cases, the resume might help the candidate clear the screening process, but then it might become difficult for the interview panel to isolate the real experiences from the theoretical ones. And on finding out that the candidate does not have the skills required for the job, he will be rejected. Time could have been saved for both the candidate and the interviewer if the right information had been provided initially.
As a person matures in the industry, his resume usually becomes crisp, dear. it can generate interest but, by this time, networking starts playing a major role. As positions get fewer, people prefer to hire through referrals so that they are assured of quality; this also gets rid of the ‘unknown factor’.
Contacts will open the first door, and, the resume and other factors play a role only in the final selection. Of course, people do get selected without referrals, and in those cases, reference checks are done to alleviate any concerns, in the case of a tie, companies are known to prefer a known person to a stranger. Sometimes, some job openings are not published and people hear about them only through their network. It is therefore important to be active on social networking sites; to attend networking events; to stay in touch with your alma mater; and to join courses or associations that can help in expanding the network. Whilst having a good network is important, do be careful in choosing with whom you link up, because it should not happen that those who do not know you well might form an opinion about you and pass it on to a prospective employer, which might not truly represent your case.
WHAT CAN you Do AS THE EMPLOYEE? You should be careful about what you write in your resume. The content should be a true reflection of what you are, not what .you want to be. Do not fall into the trap of adding a few keywords to increase the chances of passing the screening—you’ll have no chance if those keywords are incorrect. But it is important that you should choose the right resume format, one which is easy to read and which can help the hirer to quickly form a correct Impression about you. As you gain in experience, referrals improve the possibility of hiring. For this again, you need to have a strong network. Do not procrastinate in building a good network even if you have to spend extra time in managing it, or money in joining associations or courses. If you want to get the right benefit of a network, you should join and be active early, rather than when you really need a job change.
WHAT CAN YOU DO AS THE MANAGER? You should rely on your HR and the interview panel to filter out the real experience of the candidate from the resume. In some cases, you might find that the real experience is not up to the job requirements, but that the person might have the capability to learn fast. In the case of referrals, you should be able to distinguish between the different types. If a referee does not know the person directly but still provides a referral .as he had received the resume through his network, the resume should be dealt with in the same way as for anyone applying directly. Those referrals where the referee has worked with the person and is able to provide additional data for the interview panel will be Of great help. You should also rely on the person who does the referral to convince the candidate about the company’s prospect as well as during the induction process.
