Resumes

I think some day I should teach a class on what to NOT put on a resume.  Sure, there are lots of things you SHOULD put on a resume, but there are definitely things you should not.  Over the past 12 years at the office, we have seen a lot of resumes.  Hundreds.   Mostly horrible.  Mostly people I would not ever call back.  Tonight I posted a job on craigslist for our front desk at the office.  Within 10 minutes I had 5 resumes.  All bad.

First, I watch for spelling.  In this day and age of spell check, how can anybody send things with spelling errors?  Sure, there is always a tricky one that spell check doesn't get because it may be spelled right, just a homophone used in the wrong context or something.  But really...that's not what I'm talking about.

Second, I check for attention to detail--overall look, spaces, extra commas, consistency in verb tenses, etc.

Third, I look at their job history.  Really, some people will send a resume where they have had 8 jobs in the past 2 years.  Why would I look twice at that person?  Those go straight to the trash.

Fourth, I look for statements that let me know that they are not interested in a long-term position.  Like someone who is going to school pursuing a criminal justice degree and graduating next year.  That's all fine, but not someone I want to hire and train in a medical office if they will be leaving next summer after they graduate.

Fifth, I look at where they live.  If they live within 20 minutes I figure that is somebody who could be a long-term employee.

Anyway, here are a few good spelling errors from the first resume I saw today: Qualifacations, avalible, responcabilitys (spelled twice this way...not a good sign), and she earned her GED from a local community "Colege."  Great.  Another girl looked quite promising from her cover letter, but her resume referred to "ruber dams" and that she is "CPR certifided."

The second resume didn't have spelling errors, but she definitely lacked attention to detail.  Her cover letter stated, "I am responding to the employment opportunity listed on your Web site. Please accept this letter and my attached resume as evidence of my interest, in applying for the legal receptionist position at your law firm with the starting wage of 11 dollars an hour."  She sent me the cover letter she had written for another job listing--we are not a legal office, did not post the job on our web site, and I did not mention any starting wage in my ad.  Perhaps this would have just been funny, but it was actually quite ironic because her next sentence says, "I am very detail oriented."  Sure, honey.

The third resume wasn't much, but everything was spelled correctly.  It is someone who admits she has no experience in the medical field, but is willing to learn and she has worked as an appointment setter at her current job for 7 years.  I just might give her a call.