Resumes have been around for a long time – centuries actually – and were created to provide a quick and efficient method for hiring managers to estimate whether a specific individual might be a good fit for a position. However, judging the value of an individual based on a one-sided document provides limited perspective and is not a good idea to measure up to the future of work.
A Curriculum Vitae (CV) essentially tells a hiring manager where a person worked before coming to your company, how long they spent in each job and a few of their abstract skills.
That’s about it.
Unfortunately, these items aren’t enough to guarantee a good hire. In fact, the biggest reason new hires don’t work is because of poor cultural fit.
The Problem with Relying on Resumes
Research shows that 73% of working professionals leave their jobs because they are uncomfortable with the culture of the company, not because they can’t measure up to the job and its expectations. Experts agree that people don’t leave “bad jobs”, they leave because of bad bosses and unpleasant internal experiences.
Think of it this way: there are many moving parts to a business, all of which have a clear job to play. If these parts can’t blend with one another, the entire operation comes to a halt.
Unfortunately, relying on outdated hiring processes is impersonal and only allows for more hiring mistakes.
Having the right qualification is only half the battle. Because more and more people are leaving jobs because of clashes with bosses, co-workers or the work environment, cultural fit is as important as experience. You can teach most skills, but personalities can be altered.
Here are some best practices for hiring for competency and cultural fit.
The Human Aspect
While you may be mesmerized by an individual and their credentials on paper, you are not hiring a document, therefore, your hiring efforts should align with the result that you want.
Resumes have become more of a hindrance to the average hiring manager and the hiring process, convincing HR experts to search based on previous job roles and experience as opposed to personality and cultural fit.
When you focus entirely on the resume, it completely eliminates the “human” aspect of the hiring process.
Modernize Your Approach
The average cost of a bad hire can be around 30% of the employee’s potential first-year earnings. This can be a huge hit to your business – especially if you are in the startup phase.
Instead of trying to match words on a CV to words on a job description, why not match characteristics in an employee, to the values that make your team thrive?
Hire a Person, Not a Resume
Anyone can create a resume that checks all the right boxes for a role, this can simply be done by copy-pasting the keywords from your job description into their application.
You want a process that goes even deeper than the traditional resume, one that clearly shows potential candidates attributes-such as the ability to work well in a team.
A successful hiring process starts with a well designed job description: one that lays out clear, accurate expectations of the position as well as the necessary qualifications you are hiring for. Of course, this includes the technical skills that are required to properly perform the job.
Once you start to receive applications, the next step-the pre-screen and interview phase- evaluates the human side of the candidate. This is where you will start to piece together who will properly mesh with the manager and the team while complementing the business.
From there you will be equipped with the necessary information to make your final decision.
The new method of hiring may take some practice, and if you are struggling with getting the right candidates in the door -let alone any- reach out to one of our MCDA CCG HR experts for the ongoing support you need to make this important decision. With a proven track record of helping our clients attract the best candidates, you can see first-hand the difference between hiring a person as opposed to hiring a resume.
Companies have begun to recognize that and introduce new methods of evaluating and understanding potential candidates as a result. Now it’s up to you to make the transition too.