Whether someone is the “right person” has more to do with character traits and innate capabilities than with specific knowledge, background, or skills.- Jim Collins
One of the biggest mistakes managers make is hiring based on a resume. Yet this has been a common and required practice in every organization for many years. An over-reliance on a resume filled with facts and figures about their experience and skills heads the manager down the wrong road – what can this person do based on what they have done. Missing is any mention of who they are – what values, character and beliefs they hold. Hiring for the who is always a priority over hiring the what, yet corporate America does the opposite ad nauseum. Let’s get real clarity on this point.
Exclusive use of a resume to make a hiring decision is flawed for many reasons including:
o You are not getting the truth – most resumes are filled with lies and distortion
o You learn what they have done, but not what they are made of
o Resumes cannot be validated much of the time
o Resumes look to the past, not to the future
o Resumes cannot measure potential
Once you have determined that your candidate has the character, values and determination you need for your team, then and only then use the resume to fill in your investigation into skill levels and built-in abilities.
