There are many assumptions you can make when receiving a job description. While one recruiter might look at a list of requirements and see a mandatory list of qualifications that must be checked off, another might look at the same list and see some or even all of them as flexible. Instead of assuming anything, ask the hiring manager which qualifications are must-haves and which are nice-to-haves.
Career development expert Christy Robb said, “It is always best to engage in a conversation” with example resumes in hand, to clarify what exactly is required. As Simply Hired vice president of marketing Kristy Stromberg said, “In an ideal world, the recruiter would be a strategic thought partner to the hiring manager.” The task of finding candidate resumes to send to the hiring manager will be much easier if desired qualifications are clearly defined.
Related Degrees Are Mandatory
History abounds with stories of college dropout millionaires. Oprah, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs all changed the world without graduating from college. The reasons for not finishing college are as varied as the individual. Some leave for health reasons or family matters and never make it back. Don’t be afraid to ask a candidate why he or she didn’t finish college—if you feel that this is relevant. If the candidate has many years of work experience behind them, is it even necessary to ask?
“Using ‘completed degree’ as a blind filter kicks out very talented and experienced candidates” Robb said. In some fields, such as education and the sciences, undergraduate and graduate degrees truly matter. Make sure you clarify this with the hiring manager.
Many jobs in fields such as education, healthcare and science do require related degrees. In business the degree requirements are more flexible. Many people working in fields such asmarketing, human resources, sales and consulting had liberal arts majors. As a liberal arts major, I have a positive view of liberal arts degrees, and some of the best thinkers of our time support it. As always, ask the hiring manager for clarity and keep an open mind, particularly when reviewing resumes for entry-level positions from new grads.
The most dangerous assumption in the career field is that people should have a clear idea of what they want to do with the rest of their lives at the age of 18. You might just provide the opportunity of a lifetime to someone who did not have enough exposure to the work world by that age to know what they would like to do for a living.
Extra Qualifications are Over-Qualifications
With the population aging and many Baby Boomers choosing to stay employed well into their 60s, you probably receive many resumes from candidates whose experience goes far beyond what a position requires. It’s dangerous to assume that someone who went to the trouble of applying and happens to have management experience couldn’t be a great individual contributor. Read Full Article
Assumptions That Keep You From Finding the Right Candidate