6-7 seconds! That is how long the average hiring manager reviews a resume. That’s all it takes to make a preliminary decision to talk to or eliminate candidates based on 6-7 seconds of seeing their resume.
Let’s think about this for a second or maybe 6 or 7. What if you decided to eliminate someone that could be an absolute rockstar for your organization because you weren’t impressed with their resume. From my 11 + years of recruiting experience I’ve seen it many, many times. Seriously, I’ve seen great people get passed over because of preconceptions based on what a resume says. I’ve also seen great resumes and when I met the person, I was shocked and sometimes disappointed.
Where did resumes come from? They have been around since 1482. Yes, I looked that up and the first resume was Leonardo Da Vinci sending a letter to the regent of Milan seeking a job. So, we’ve been using paper resumes to filter candidates in or out for over 500 years!
How many times have you met someone and thought they were not what you expected based on resume…good and bad? I bet numerous times. How many times have you been skeptical about meeting someone that doesn’t necessarily look good on paper…but when we meet them you are extremely excited? Why do we continue to do that? If you say you get it right 100% of the time based on a resume, I don’t believe you.
I’m a huge Ted Lasso fan. I love the show not only because it is funny but also because I love Ted’s outlook on life and his leadership style. One of my favorite quotes from Ted is the dart scene when he states a Walt Whitman Quote- “Be Curious, not Judgmental” I’ve tried hard to use this quote when I recruit. I firmly believe in the 80/20 rule when evaluating people for a job. Base your hiring on 80%-character, attitude, and personality (soft skills) and 20% on hard skills.
You cannot tell someone’s character, attitude, and personality based on a resume. At least not very well.
So back to resumes for 6-7 seconds. Are they necessary….yes, they are necessary and needed (for now anyway as I think that will change in the future check out this fast company article to learn about that https://www.fastcompany.com/90261298/the-600-year-old-history-of-the-resume-and-its-uncertain-future) The point is when reviewing resumes start being more curious with people. Look for the good in them. One of the advantages of working with a staffing and search company is we have done the vetting for you. We have already looked beyond the resume and typically have met with this individual.
What we look 👀 for on resumes:
- Spelling and grammar errors
- Are they a perfect fit?
- What someone doesn’t have
- Skills/experience
- Education
What we should be looking 👀 for:
- Character and personality
- Values
- Work ethic
- Transferable skills
- Determination and Grit
Watch the Ted Lasso, Be Curious, Not Judgemental clip below: