Another HR Rep Weighs In: Resumes

March 2010’s employment hiring outlook is up from last year this time. The numbers are minimal in comparison, it is still a ‘forward movement’. I’d much prefer to see a slow increase than a ‘sugar high’ because you know a crash will be sure to follow.
NHWorks Bill #501, which has passed and been adopted by the Senate and is now in the House Committee will help the unemployed individual receive skills assessment and receive free training (in that field) towards achieving their goals. This applies to ALL employees, direct laborer to high-end management.

At a recent meeting, I was able to speak with a Human Resource Representative from a smaller company. As is with most small companies, the HR Rep. is a jack-of-all-trades and is very busy juggling many duties. I asked her a few questions that were directed to the application process and what makes one applicant better than another – from an HR perspective.


Cheri Martin, Small Thermal Co., NH

-Resumes: Resumes should be no longer than 1-2 pages. If you’ve worked multiple places doing the same type of work, it’s ok to just associate dates with those companies and forgo the job description in subsequent jobs for brevity.
Resumes that do not have dates associated with past positions do not go any further than her desk. Another resume “don’t” is submitting a resume without all of your contact information, home phone, street address, cell phone and city/state. Contacting a potential employee whose resume is lacking direct contact information, makes for a much longer process in the HR department.

-Cover Letters: Cover letters accompanying resumes should be no longer than 3-4 paragraphs and should give the reader a sense of who that person ‘is’ regarding self, ethics, and how you would be a fit for this position.

-Notification of Resume Receipt: It is her policy to acknowledge every resume she receives, either via email or USPS. An email/letter stating that they are in receipt of your resume and are ‘holding on to it’ would indicate that you were not considered for the job. “The hiring manager is reviewing your resume” indicates that you are being considered.

-After the Final Interview: It is customary for the hiring manager to give you a date in which a decision will be made. This information is passed on to the HR Rep. and she usually contacts the employee by that date. However, there are times that this date may come and go due to work/scheduling conflicts. She would welcome a phone call or email from the candidate requesting information – two calls would be the limit.

One HR's Perspective: Resumes

I recently attended a networking event in Lowell. Let me tell you, they know how to hold a networking meeting! Not only were they very structured and held the members accountable to ‘goals’ they had individually set forth, but the meeting was held in a brewery! I’ve only attended events such as this, in New Hampshire, at a coffee shop of some sort – the brewery venue made things a little more comfortable. Brewery vs. coffee shop, New Hampshire vs. Massachusetts, it’s the same: “Anybody get an interview?”, “Who’s hiring this week?”, “Have you heard back from HR yet?”

As promised in my first post on this blog, I intended to meet with an HR Specialist and share some of their ‘tips’ on the hiring process. Name of the HR Specialist and the company are ‘changed’ – as they asked to be anonymous – the questions and answers are legitimate. (Note to reader: I get to pick the names because it’s my blog.) I share with you the following:

HR: Darius McQueen at Utilities United, NH

-Question: How many pages are appropriate for a resume?

-Answer: In today’s economy when an ad is placed for one job, he will receive 275 applications. So Darius say that a cover letter and one page resume is ideal even for those salaried positions. I asked, “Why”? Brevity was the operational word. That first page should capture the HR/hiring manager’s attention and should be tailored to the job you are applying for. A second page of a resume is just given a ‘quick’ glance.

-Question: What is the most important information on a resume?

-Answer: Your contact information! Believe it or not, individuals either forget to put their email, cell or even their phone number on the resume. There are individuals who haven’t re-visited their resume in quite some time and have since moved so all of their contact information is wrong. Any missing contact information on a resume – it is immediately rejected.

While on the subject of phones … all candidates should make sure that their ‘away messages’ for both land-lines and cell phones sound professional. No cute kid’s voices, etc. Candidates should make sure that if you live in a home with others, that they are all apprised of your employment search and answer the phone professionally and take thorough messages.

-Question: Some of the younger candidates do not submit cover letters with their resumes. Are cover letters antiquated?

-Answer: We actually put more weight on a cover letter than a resume. Most resumes are “canned” and do not show the true ‘color’ or ‘voice’ of that applicant. It need not be long winded - brief works, but tell the HR/hiring manager who you are that the resume cannot. Remember the operative word: brief, two paragraphs max.

-Question: If cover letters are so important, is there anything on a resume that isn’t?

-Answer: A ‘long winded’ or ‘bloated’ objective/summary statement! Everyone tries to sound great, but it doesn’t work. What does work is plain and simple. My objective is to work at your company, “XYZ”. The venue for making your razzle-dazzle statement is in your cover letter. It should sound like you’re speaking from the heart and telling the HR/hiring person who you are as a person.

-Question: Is there anything about some resume that is bothersome?

-Answer: Acronyms. For those individuals who have worked on programs that are acronyms – spell out what the program is called.