In today’s competitive business world, recruitment is an important component of a company’s success. It’s no secret that employers often use an applicant’s résumé as the first source of information to create a shortlist. However, more and more companies are realizing that grades, work experience and a long résumé alone are not enough to identify the best talent. Instead, it is crucial to look behind the résumé to identify applicants’ true skill and potential.
Here are just two examples of what successful placements can happen when we at persona service help our clients look beyond the résumé.
- A client was looking for an IT buyer for the qualification profile “Application Support/Helpdesk Specialist.” We suggested an employee who had no experience in IT but was highly motivated to learn new things. What happened next? Initially, the customer was skeptical. But thanks to our many years of successful cooperation, the customer gave the 48-year-old employee a chance, and he was hired for a trial period. Our customer’s open-mindedness was well worth it. You can probably already imagine how it ended: The customer was thrilled with the employee we suggested, and after just a few weeks, they took him on permanently.
- In the second example, we were asked to recruit a machine and plant operator. Which employee did we suggest to the customer? An 18-year-old with no work experience. Although the young candidate had successfully completed his training in this technical field, he had not yet been able to gain any subsequent work experience. The customer was very unsure about our choice, but they, too, gave our candidate a chance. What happened? The candidate impressed with his self-confident appearance and leadership skills. He had already been active in the volunteer fire department for years and took on organizational tasks for the entire unit — qualities that are not initially apparent in a résumé.
What do these examples show us? As a recruitment agency, we know how important it is to recognize the diversity of talent beyond a résumé: Grades and work experience are important factors, but they cannot represent an applicant’s whole skillset. People bring different backgrounds and perspectives that can be invaluable to a company’s success. A strict focus on grades and work experience can lead to talented candidates being overlooked.
In addition, a résumé does not tell us whether an applicant works well in a team, communicates effectively or solve problems efficiently. We can’t see if they enjoyed doing what they did. However, the consideration of ability and willingness is the success factor that’s often lacking in filling positions sustainably. It is the best way to prevent fluctuation and increase productivity.
An applicant may not have extensive work experience, but he or she may have the potential to learn quickly and adapt to new tasks. Companies that recognize the potential of applicants can gain long-term benefits from their investment in employee development.
In today’s business world, finding talented candidates is critical. By being able to look beyond the résumé and recognize the true skills and qualities of candidates, recruitment agencies can build teams with the best talent and ensure long-term success for their clients.