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Topic: HR people often don't know value of experience
| Author | Message |
| Suet | Posted – 4/19/2008 9:51:10 AM | show profile Argh! I am finding in a LOT of cases that HR people, who do most of the resume screening, have NO clue tht experience just MIGHT be transferable. That writing on a subject for a Web site just MIGHT mean that you can write on the same subject for a magazine, for example. That having 10-15 years in editorial just MIGHT make up for the fact that you don't have a degree in English. That hiring a highly intelligent person who always makes their deadlines and follows protocol and contributes ideas collaboratively, and having that person take a day or two to learn InDesign just MIGHT be a better idea than hiring a not particularly bright person who does the bare minimum but has been using InDesign to input corrections for a year. (For that matter, that hiring someone who writes and edits well and has a proven track record just MIGHT be a better candidate than someone who doesn't do that so well but is relentlessly "positive" - "uh huh, ... great... great...") I find it frustrating, and highly inefficient, that people who don't know a lot about editorial are the ones tasked with making these judgements. (And that's not a knock on HR people - it is tough for them to know a whole lot about diverse jobs/departments offered by large organization. And often they are not told rudimentary information about what the job actually involves, especially in terms of how it fits within a department and how the person in that department interfaces with other departments.) I wish that editors would be more involved early on, and/or that employers would be more flexible in their requirements. |
| DHernandez | Posted – 4/19/2008 11:27:28 AM | show profile "tasked?" Yow! Seriously, much initial screening of applications is done these days by keyword. It's a different world from five or 10 years ago. Hit your keywords (derived from the ad, if you're answering ads) in your resume to make the computer happy, then elaborate on your skills. Include a killer cover letter elaborating on what the resume doesn't show. Also, there's nothing to preclude you from sending your killer cover and fabulous resume to an editor. Apply the best you possible can to stand out from hundreds of applicants, and the HR people suddenly will get smarter. |
| InsomniacNOT | Posted – 4/19/2008 12:29:09 PM | show profile This is why you must do detective work to find out who the hiring editor actually is get your CV in that person's hands. Also, use any contacts you might have who know the editor. |
| RockinRonD | Posted – 4/21/2008 10:47:35 AM | show profile I'm convinced that HR people, by and large, are completely and totally useless, with the majority being completely inept and unqualified for their jobs. Ever apply online to a Conde Nast job? All apps go into some black hole somewhere. Online applications to big publishing companies are the biggest frauds on the internet. Always, always send your lettter and resume to the department editor or overseer. Rely on HR people and you'll never get a job in this lifetime. |
| WordyBird | Posted – 4/21/2008 11:22:49 AM | show profile Yes, it can be aggravating. As others have noted, that's why you should find out who the hiring manager is and try to get your resume onto his or her desk directly. I've done that, and got a call the next day. The person said he was impressed with my resourcefulness and set up an interview with me. Also, keep in mind that it may be just as frustrating for the hiring managers themselves. If I had a dime for every time I heard, "WHY can't *I* choose who *I* want to interview for a position that reports to ME? Do they not trust me to know what I'm looking for?" Granted, I think in publishing, hiring editors might want to be careful what they wish for, because if they had to wade through ALL of the resumes that are sent in for a position, they'd drown. Ten years ago, when folks were still doing it by snail mail, my boss had to sort through two sacks of mail. Of those, three people sent him what he asked for. (I was one of them and I got the job.) But, just saying, often it's some Vice President of Something or Other who has convinced Someone With Power that HR should be the initial screen across the board for all positions, often for reasons that have nothing to do with the hiring managers--from ruling out candidates who are looking for visas when the position was advertised as U.S. citizens only to--dare I say it?--keeping their buddies busy. (Yes, I've seen it happen.) I'm anticipating Pam's response here. ;-) |
| astrahook | Posted – 4/21/2008 11:56:29 AM | show profile As someone who screens resume, my guess is that the number of people who respond to positions they are completely unqualified for far outweighs the number of hr people who don't know what they are doing. I know everyone here is a master at their craft etc...but try looking at it from the other side. |
| inblue | Posted – 4/21/2008 12:08:35 PM | show profile I agree but I do have to say that I have applied for jobs via Conde Nast Careers website and have gotten called in to interview through HR that way. |
| Suet | Posted – 4/21/2008 12:40:17 PM | show profile Thanks all for your helpful suggestions. I'm sure that careless job seekers make things a lot tougher - by applying for things they're clearly not qualified for. It seems that some requirements are just there to help HR whittle down the resume pile. For instance, geography or education. I imagine I've been disqualified based on not living in a certain city, despite having reliable transportation and living 10 minutes from its border. |
| PluckyPane | Posted – 4/21/2008 12:47:17 PM | show profile suet, i had a manager like that. he would screen on distance to the company, even though some of the best employees he had lived about 50 miles away. it was silly really because we got some of the worst resumes from some of the worst local candidates simply because they had the right zip code. (they may have been local, but sometimes too local is bad) if you keep attracting from the same gene pool, you're gonna end up with abnormalities. fear people who refuse to consider new blood. |
