It’s called employment and for most of us, is extremely important as it provides the things we need and want. Sadly, not everyone is so fortunate, times are tough. The pandemic has also made a huge impact on the economy, many businesses have closed their doors for good and many have lost their homes and their livelihood. While this is unfortunate, some have prospered off people in these trying times in a tremendous way because there was a demand for something, so they filled it. Some would argue that it’s just good business.
Granted, with having a business, people are working and making money and spending so it’s a good thing. With the way the economy has been and this pandemic, there has been a shortage, and it’s not supplies, at least for the most part, rather, it’s employees. So why is there a shortage and why aren’t we filling these positions fast enough? How do people get passed up for a job, when companies are so desperately looking for “qualified employees,” and what classifies someone as qualified.
Today being qualified or fitting the part for a position can mean something very different and with technology, it’s made such dramatic improvements in many ways for our lives that now, it’s become a must-have for our daily living. Everything is at our fingertips, for viewing, reading, arguing, shopping, the list goes on. So, what about jobs or employment and the hiring process and technology? It should be as easy as 1,2,3, right? Maybe to a certain degree and that’s a maybe, but first, we must fill out an application, let’s start there.
In the past, an application for a job was simple enough to do, but it was the resume that had to be tweaked just right to help you shine through. Now, it’s more than that, we’re looking at the job application online, then we create a profile, upload a resume if any, fill out a questionnaire to proceed to the next step that also allows you to choose “not to answer,” or “prefer not to say,” and honestly, why offer it? So now it’s done, what’s next, do we call, send an email, what do we do and how do we get selected for an interview?
It’s a process of elimination and keywords play a huge role in the software designed to search for the most relevant for the position. Upon selection, with the many others, you now must wait again to see if the company agents like what they see, so now you get a call for an interview. During the interview, you’re asked a series of questions, questions that are meant to demonstrate how one’s ability to handle a situation, conflict, or even problem-solving skills would be most beneficial for the company, and along with body language and tone, it can a make a huge difference.
Many places have some statement saying qualified applicants or something to that effect, but what is the determining factor or factors for being qualified? Some people have stated that during an interview, you get interrogated and judged and there is so much difficulty with getting a job. And the cause of concern for, “what am I doing wrong?”
Nevertheless, if a place is hiring, then the institution should give the individual an opportunity not just for an interview, rather, a chance to showcase who they are in person. We all get nervous and sometimes freeze up, but in the end, it’s a person’s character and what they have accomplished that says a great deal about who they are. A resume isn’t just words on a paper or titles to pass judgment on someone about the position they are applying for, it’s to show what they have accomplished. Granted, many people have some level of difficulty writing a proper resume and often, this becomes a problem for the company reviewing it.
We reached out to a staffing representative and asked for a small interview on resume building and the job market. We asked questions about resumes and what they look for and it was shocking. In order for a person to be relevant for a position, or to be noticed, they must include what they have done that resembles the position they are applying for (ok, that’s common sense right?). Even if it means removing all the current information to what they have done more recently, otherwise, it won’t be considered. We were also told that sometimes it’s better to change your resume so that it’s not so intimidating to others. “You don’t want to scare people away,” as she put it. We asked if it was better to have multiple resumes to target specific jobs by only placing information about any experience you have for that job you are applying to and the answer was, “Yes, it would help, it can increase your chances.”
Evaluating the legitimacy of what people put on their resumes and questioning their background is important it helps to eliminate the increase of people who may be the wrong type of employee for a company. The opposite can be the same for an employee with so much potential, skill, and character placed in the wrong place or job, going unnoticed.
So what can be done? It’s quite simple, focus on a person’s skills, character, and experience in the aspects of diversity along with their accomplishments. And not just keywords or how well they answered trivial questions, but more importantly, their drive for success, character, and personality. After all, these are key components for a qualified applicant. Most often it’s these types that help others and can help a business grow. Until next time.
the economy, the economy is hiring, employment, jobs, diversity, skills, resumes
