#resumefail

I've been in my job for about 8 months now. And I've met some really amazing people. I've had many conversations about the hiring process and why certain candidates get picked over others. And one thing that keeps striking me is that it really boils down to one thing: passion.

Your resume might be filled with statistics proving your worth and lists of skills that would definitely over qualify you for the job, but if you lack passion, then you're already on your way out the door. 

I was chatting in London with a marketing guy and he was telling me about the interviews he's sat through to find his team. It almost sounds made up - but I swear it's not. He would get these resumes and cover letters that screamed "TALENTED! TALENTED! I AM VERY TALENTED!" But when he got these individuals in his office and talked to them face to face, they just weren't enthusiastic about the job. He admitted that the person who got the job was not as skilled, qualified, or "padded" on paper, but in person they were so enthusiastic about the opportunity that he knew he had found the right person for this job.

BUT that's not to say that resumes aren't important. Because they are.

In our hiring process we had a resume submitted that I actually didn't know what to say to. There was not a single skill listed on the two page (tsk tsk) resume! This fine young lady, who was well into her college career, was applying for a graphic design position. Yet the main things listed (and I do mean LISTED) were her high school AP math and science courses. Did she explain why this was important for me to know? Did she go on to say that she took all these courses at the same time so she can juggle a heavy work load? Did she tell me that she was proud of her ability to complete such hard courses? No. She told me nothing. 

The next thing listed were her sports. This and that and the other thing. OH and she played La Crosse in high school. Did you? Did you REALLY? Because last time I checked, La Crosse was a city, and lacrosse is the sport. But even though she played a city, she did not explain why team sports are important to her credentials. Do they make her be a team player? Do they help her learn trust? Time management? Dedication? Loyalty?... I wouldn't know. She didn't tell me. 

I could make a lot of inferences from the paper, but a resume is supposed to clearly spell out why I should want you on my team and why you are a good fit for this company. 

Long story short: be passionate about what you do. But do it smart.

This isn't the worst we've seen, but...

Answered calls to office using telephone phones.