Lighten Up It's Just Administration (lew-e-ja)

I love looking through resumes and job applications when hiring for an open position at the office. I get a big kick out of what some people send as a resume and cover letter trying their hardest to get the job. Recently I was hiring for a receptionist and in the ad itself is this phrase, “You must have at least one year of verifiable receptionist experience”. In other words give me references and contact numbers for previous receptionist jobs.

The purpose of a cover letter and resume is to get an interview from the employer hiring. Be brief, to the point, and interesting enough to make the employer want to call and meet you. Resumes should only be one maybe two pages and the cover letter a paragraph.

What I always get is the opposite. Sometimes I just want to hold a training class for people looking for a job to show them what to submit and how to write a cover letter and resume. It’s comical what I get every time!

Then there is the actual interview and the comical situations I see from the candidates. At least dress nice and be on time and have your story straight.

Here are just  a few things I have seen and heard along the way in hiring that I think make it funny and interesting  to hire. I love it!

• Cover letter 4 pages long of what they have done in the past 10 years.
• Hand written letters to me saying why they should be chosen
• Resumes that don’t even contain the word “receptionist” when that is the only experience required
• Resumes that list so many jobs that I get lost and tired of reading
• Resumes that go on and on about their skills and accomplishments and never list experience
• Interviews where the candidate does all the talking
• Interviews where the candidate barely talks and you have to PULL the words out of them
• Candidates that show up in low cut blouses and shorts
• Candidates that forgot to iron their outfit and brush their hair that day
• Candidates that tell you there is only one misdemeanor listed on their background report and when you get it back there are 9 including 4 felonies
• Candidates that stop by your office and tell you they woke up this morning knowing they were meant to be your new hire

Employers do have some responsibility in making the interview go well. Here are a few tips I have learned along the way in my 15 years of hiring. Feel free to comment and add any you have found to work well too!

#1 Write down your expectations, experience, and qualifications you have to have in a person.  Put that in the ad that you run in posting the opening. Then use that as your criteria when sorting through applications and resumes. If they must have a high school diploma, put that in the ad. When you are looking through applications immediately set aside the ones that don’t have a diploma.

#2 Create an interview questionnaire to use during each interview as a check list. That way you are consistent in asking the same questions and can record the answers to compare with other candidates later.

#3 Divide the questionnaire into two parts. Part one is all about the position. Part two is all about the candidate. First give them all the details about the job and then end part one by asking if they are interesting in this position based on those details. Many times the job is not what they thought. Starting with part one will save you the time of getting to know them if they are not interested in the job. Part two is getting to know them and learning facts that will help you make a decision later.

#4 End the interview by telling the candidate briefly your time line in the hiring process. I usually tell them I am interviewing for a few days and give them a date I should be making a decision.

#5 Let the candidate know if you are interested in them and that you are keeping them in the mix of prospective candidates. State a reason why you are interested in them whether experience, personality, or qualifications. If the interview did not go well and you feel they are not a prospect then simply end with telling them if you choose them you will call.

#6 During the interview go over each job experience listed on the resume asking for details of what they actually did there looking for a match in your qualifications. Ask why they left that job!

#7 Feel free to share things about you in your conversation. That will put the candidate more at ease and more willing to share with you about themselves.

In conclusion, thank each person for coming in and that you enjoyed meeting them. Spend a few minutes after they leave to write down your impressions and thoughts. I always write down a description of the person like what they were wearing so I can keep a mental note of each candidate. If you end up interviewing dozens of people those descriptions will help when going back through the ones that you interviewed. Otherwise you can get them mixed up and call back the wrong candidate.

Comments! Suggestions!