Bypassing HR with resumes

I was reading an article today on CNN.com. It is an "ask the expert" sort of angle w/a reader asking why she isn't getting any response from the HR people she is sending her "carefully crafted" resumes to.

The article begins well, explaining that HR is facing a glut of resumes and most HR departments have been scaled back in the past couple of years (so there are less people to deal with more resumes). Then, it gets kind of dicey. The article quotes an expert who tells applicants to bypass HR and send their resumes to "an executive at the company one or two levels above the hiring manager for the position you want" because:

[INDENT]"Resumes travel down the food chain more easily than up . . . If the boss forwards your resume, a hiring manager is likely to give it a more thorough read than the 10 seconds HR may spend on it. . . HR people are usually just trying to match up keywords between your resume and the job description . . and if you only have 12 out of the 15 keywords, you won't make it past that hurdle. Hiring managers, on the other hand, can look at a resume and read between the lines."
[/INDENT]

What do you guys think of this? I think it would be annoying to the HR person, the bypassed hiring manger, and the executive who gets the resume. Sounds like a terrible way to make a first impression.


Here is a link to the article [URL]http://bit.ly/9zljNc[/URL]

Comments

  • 23 Comments sorted by Votes Date Added
  • In our organization, resumes normally go to the hiring managers and generally don't come through HR. I do occasionally receive unsolicited resumes, which I then review and will pass along if any of our hiring managers may have a position open. Since we rarely have a huge number of resumes come in, even when we are hiring, if I get them I do review resumes more thoroughly than just a quick scan for keywords, but so few of them come directly to me that it isn't burdensome in any way.

    From my experience, however, sending resumes to an "executive one or two levels above the hiring manager" would annoy those executives to no end. It happens every once in a while around here. Just recently we have had one person call our CEO directly to give a reference for someone whose resume we've never received and when we didn't have any positions open, and another person tried to get a copy of someone's resume to the CEO through a member of the CEO's family! Our CEO is very good-natured about stuff like that and just passes it directly to me, but I'm sure it is somewhat annoying to him, it's annoying to me that people would try to get their foot in the door that way, and annoying to any managers that happen to be hiring at the time because the person bypassed them completely.
  • It's probably the easiest way to NOT get an interview with me.
  • I don't think it would work here. We accept only our own application form and only for posted positions. We do not accept unsolicited resumes.
  • I'm glad this subject came up because I would like a little feedback on a similar issue.

    We posted a job online, got a number of resumes electronically, and are currently interviewing the top people. I sent an email response to those we did not select and let them know they were not the best match and that we would be keeping their resume on file. For the first time, I have had people come back and claim that they couldn't see how they could not be the best match. The first one demanded to know how she could be lacking when she had an MBA. The job posting listed 2 years of experience in a specific area, which she didn't have. I sent her the posting, with that part bolded, and then carefully reiterated that she wasn't the best match.

    This morning I have a similar email. She is not demanding an explanation as the first one did, but she basically argued that she didn't see how she wouldn't be the best match. If she had point blank asked for an explanation, I would have sent it to her. In this case, I am wondering if it is better to leave it as is, or go ahead and explain why she wasn't the best match. What do you think?
  • I would send her a written explanation of how she fell short and I would keep a record of it... just in case she decides to file a discrimination lawsuit.
  • Nae, at least you don't work for a religious non-profit like I do. I have had people tell me that God spoke to them and told them that they would be PERFECT for the job they are applying.

    We've discussed the issue of do you try to explain to applicants why they weren't the best fit for the position. I think its fair to say that normally that is a no-win situation for the HR manager.

    However, I will offer feedback when there is something very specific I can say. Recently we interviewed a young lady applying for a job and in her phone conversations with myself and our supervisor the applicant constantly interrupted us.

    When she asked why she was not hired I told her that the position she was applying for is a guest service position and her habit of interrupting others was a significant red flag. I felt it was appropriate to say that because that trait will hinder her from future employment.
  • I was able to explain why she was not considered for the position as the ad clearly stated what we were looking for in our candidates. I only hesitated because it really sounded more like a gripe response than a question to me. I took Cathy's advice though, and let her know why she was not considered.

    I had to call one applicant about another matter and leave a voicemail. I took the opportunity to tell her something about her resume that she needed to know (she later sent me a thank you email.) That is really the first time something has been so glaring that I felt I needed to say something, and I am glad I did. You just never know how they will respond.

    I have to say we are VERY lucky that so far no one has told us that they were 'called' to work for us. It does make one wonder though. Are they just weird, or so far from the mark that they somehow think you will fall for it?

    Paul: you mentioned a thread in an IM...which one?
  • "I have had people tell me that God spoke to them and told them that they would be PERFECT for the job they are applying."

    Being the mister nice guy that I am my response would be "The devil made me deny offering you the job" :angel:
  • Update. I heard from this applicant AGAIN telling me she has all this experience in the field we were looking for. If so, WHY didn't she put it in her resume? Almost all of it had to do with other things. She went on to tell me she never sends blanket resumes, always makes sure it is a good fit for her, doesn't know how we can turn someone down without actually talking to them, etc. Then she thanked me for considering her.

    My feeling after all that is simplye 'whew!' I feel we dodged a bullet by not hiring her. I don't have the energy or time for employees who believe they know more about what I want or need in a job then I do. On the other hand, I must admit she is really a go-getter and sometimes that is just what you need.

    Does anyone have any chocolate?
  • No chocolate here, but I'm heading out on a break so I plan on picking some up. If I could e-mail it to you, some would be headed your way!

    The most overly-persistent applicant I've had to deal with was somebody who had worked for us almost ten years before, been fired, and was not eligible for re-hire. They got in the habit of applying for every open position at one of our locations. The supervisor finally told the applicant that they were not eligible for re-hire with the company. So, they contacted me and started asking me [I]why[/I] they were not eligible for re-hire. I wasn't the one who said they weren't, although I understood why the supervisor had originally said it. The supervisor and any other employees who'd worked in that location at the same time as the former employee were all long-gone by the time they contacted me, so all I had to go by was a document that had been filled out at the time the person was fired. I heard from this person a couple of times in probably a two-year period, and somehow I feel like it isn't the last time I'll hear back from them...
  • In terms of overly persistent, my best story was a young lady I had to pick up at the airport who flew here for a summer job.

    Before she was hired.
  • We did hire her. Mostly out of compassion. She was young, from a bad home situation, and out of options. She worked for us for a few months and quit to go back to school. As a worker, she was a challenge. She just seemed to struggle at whatever she was doing.
  • Still, I would kill for an applicant who showed even half that much gumption!

    Two weeks ago, I had an applicant postpone (at the last second) an evening second interview. She couldn't come in the next night, because of a 'family committment'. Well, after she came in, we learned the postponement was so she could get her hair colored before the interview. The family committment, she explained, was that she had to go to the scrapbooking store after work so she could get started on the scrapbook she's making for her mother.

    Sad to say, she is absolutely shocked we did not find her to be the best candidate.
  • Where does gumption become presumption?
  • Sing it with me...

    "Gumption Junction, what's your function?"

    Sorry. Years of Schoolhouse Rock, bubbling to the surface.
  • Sigh. Some people never grow up. :p

    Paul: You make a good point. It is easy for us to admire what we see as determination and courage from afar. I am sure it is less so close up if the employee got on the plane from lack of common sense rather than courage and determination.

    I guess in the end it depends on the employee and the job. No 'One Size Fits All' answer for this one.
  • I will not sing with you. I will not sing this song.

    Sorry, years of Dr. Seuss.
  • See Frank.

    See Frank and Paul.

    See Frank and Paul joke.

    See no one laugh.


    Sorry, years of public education.
  • [quote=NaeNae55;719552]
    Sorry, years of public education.[/quote]

    Understood. But why the extra comma?
  • Just because no one posted "HA HA HA" doesnt mean they aren't laughing. I think people laugh at Frank and me all the time.
  • [QUOTE=ACU Frank;719553]Understood. But why the extra comma?[/QUOTE]

    You are making fun of [I]my[/I] punctuation? Really?

    HA! :ball and chain:
  • [quote=Paul in Cannon Beach;719554]Just because no one posted "HA HA HA" doesnt mean they aren't laughing. I think people laugh at Frank and me all the time.[/quote]


    Paul, I know how much you need positive affirmation, so, yes, people laugh at you and Frank all the time.:angel:
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