The hidden danger of following your resume

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The rabbit hole

Times have certainly changed since I first starting working almost two decades ago. While computers were ubiquitous, the Internet was still in its infancy. The job market revolved around sending out your resume on slightly beige bond paper to a bunch of employers, whose desks were covered with similar resumes in 50 different shades of earth tones.

These days the internet has taken total command of the resume process so much that you almost need to have a Ph.D. to apply to an entry level job. Let me explain what I mean…

Designing your résumé to fit the system

Upon receipt of your resume, many companies often use a recruiting software system that instantly scans your resume into a database. They don’t even see it. Once all your words are parsed and put into a logical order, the software then matches all possible fits within the organization (or the ones you applied for), and then cross matches them with your qualifications.

I was recently told by one insider that the scans are so sensitive that scanners stop scanning a resume if there is more 2 pages, have segmented lines throughout the resume, use unidentifiable characters or fonts, or even just have the wrong key words, no matter if you are qualified or not.

Here’s the best part of the software. It ranks the qualifying resumes from 1 to 100, where it is then determined to only look at the highest 10% (or 20%). Keep it mind, no human has seen your resume. This is very efficient for them, considering they receive possibly hundreds of resumes for a position.

Designing your life to fit the system

So in essence, if you don’t even come close to the description and qualification needed for the job, don’t waste your time. If you don’t have an MBA, don’t bother. Fifteen years of grant administration, forget it. Pretty soon, they will start ranking better MBA programs from just “acceptable” MBA programs, or ranking based on Fortune 1000 experience or prior firm “prestige.”

I can just see it now; “Since my son didn’t get into the right preschool, he won’t make it to Harvard, and then he’ll get ranked lower on any job search software program.” Ridiculous… we will become a society of rank and standards.

Have we become so “credentialized” that we forget what it’s all about? Have we become so distracted by the process that we forget good old fashion performance? While I am sure that graduate schools and credentialing organizations are financially thankful for this mentally mandated process, how do feel about it, or more specifically which side of the coin are you on?

Either can’t find a suitable job you like because of ever increasing credentials
Or, you are only qualified for one particular job because of having deep rooted credentials

Is this what you wanted to become?

Job flexibility has gone out the window in favor of specialization. I believe this is a big reason why many people have become unsatisfied with what they do. They have chosen a pathway that was easy for them to follow at first, but now have damaged long term prospects to do other things. They become trapped.

So when I look at how employees have become competitively forced to “SEO” their background and thereby their resumes to fit the next employer, it’s easy for us to get put into a box and into a pathway that doesn’t lead to where we want to go.

Before you go any further, take a step back and ask yourself, “What do you want to do with the limited time you have left on Earth?” Maybe it’s time to find a path that suits you rather than your resume.

If you don’t know where to begin, here are some great resources…

You may also want to revisit your college, not necessarily to get more education, but to use available alumni resources for free. My wife, Diana, did so by taking some of those tests years ago, and found a new path that she loves. If approaching a school is not possible, you can also start with the library, which has a ton of free information for you to use. Local economic development offices and state employment offices will sometimes have professional development tools and free workshops, as well. Whatever you choose, find a path you want and make it happen!

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