Open Letter to Job Applicants from HR

Dear Applicant,


I’m going to be honest with you. Brutally honest. I hope you understand that I am simply trying to help you be more successful in your job search in a difficult economy. Unfortunately, unemployment is high, and there are many job seekers hungry for work. Competition is stiff.

I think it would be helpful for you to consider the job search from my perspective for a moment. I hope this letter will help you better understand what you are facing.

My employer is counting on me to find the best applicant I can for the available job. Hiring new employees is expensive and time-consuming, so I’m looking for a candidate who is willing to work for the long-term. In addition to the basic requirements for the job, I’m looking for a candidate who will be a pleasure to work with, is responsible, and driven to do good work.

I will receive hundreds of resumes for each job. I will look at each and every resume, but I don’t have the time or resources to spend 30 minutes reviewing each in detail. As a result, I have to cull candidates based on certain criteria. I would venture to say that most Human Resources professionals will have criteria similar to mine:

1. Your resume should either be tailored to the individual job you are applying for (recommended), or you should have a general resume that is responsive to all jobs. If your resume indicates that you are interested in a position in the “medical field,” and the job is not in the medical field, I will stop reading your resume, and you will not be considered.

2. The basic requirements for the job, including education and experience, are listed in the job posting for a reason, not for fun. These are non-negotiable. I look for these qualifications on your resume first. If you do not have the basic qualifications, I will stop reading your resume. You have wasted my time and yours.

3. If you have worked for ten different employers in the last ten years, I will perceive you as a job-hopper. As mentioned above, I am looking for a long-term employee, and as a job-hopper, you do not look like a good candidate based on your job history. If there is a reasonable explanation for the job changes, let me know in a cover letter or in the resume. For example, if you have had the bad fortune to work for ten different employers whose businesses shut down because of the economy, this is beyond your control (I hope) and does not reflect poorly on you, so you should disclose this information.

4. If your resume includes negative information, you will likely be culled. This is harsh, but reality. There will be many other candidates whose resumes do not include negative information, and they look like better candidates than you. For example, if your resume indicates that you were terminated from prior employers, I will not likely invite you to interview. This information is best disclosed and explained in an interview. Give yourself an opportunity to interview by showing yourself in the best light in your resume and include only positive information.

5. If you have minimal work experience, you need to include other factors in your resume that show you are motivated and responsible, or else you may not be considered. Do you have accomplishments from volunteer work? Have you continued your education? Are you a key participant in clubs or other activities? Did you achieve Eagle Scout status in the Boy Scouts? Remember that I am looking at hundreds of resumes, and most candidates will have significant work experience. You need to show me that you have the skills to compete with these candidates if you do not have the experience.

6. If you currently live out of state and provide no explanation for why you are applying for a position in this state, I will be left scratching my head. As a result, I may not consider you. If you are moving to this state, or your family lives here, let me know in a cover letter so I won’t be left wondering about your interest in the location of this position.

7. If you haven’t worked in the past ten years and submit a resume with a large employment gap, without an explanation, I may not consider you. If there is a reasonable, and positive, explanation for the gap and why you are re-entering the job market, let me know in a cover letter. If the reason for the gap was because you were in jail, explaining this in your resume won’t help you.

8. Proofread. Proofread. Proofread. Spell check is your friend, but don’t rely on it exclusively. Spell check won’t pick up the incorrect use of the word “fist” when you meant “first,” and that could get embarrassing. When I see words spelled incorrectly, I see a candidate who is not detail-oriented. If the job requires attention to detail, you are not a good candidate if there are errors in your resume. Although I sometimes appreciate the humor of errors when I am going through huge stacks of resumes (the candidate who described himself as a “work-alcoholic,” and the one who said he was a “night stalker” instead of stocker), a laugh will not get you an interview.

9. Don’t get cute. Colored paper, pictures, and silly headings (my favorite of all time was the resume with the heading “Nicole’s Sizzlin’ Resume”) don’t help you. It looks like you are trying too hard to compensate for a lack of substance. (For the record, Nicole didn’t get an interview.)

10. Please don’t be desperate or include irrelevant personal information. I understand how difficult it is to find work, and I understand that you need a job to pay your bills. I don’t need to read about your plight in your resume. I want to see your skills and qualifications, not your life story or personal status.

11. If you are going to use an email address on your resume, make sure it is a neutral email address and not a descriptive one like lazyguy323@___.com, hotmamma@____.com, or ihaveabigone@____.com that provides more information than I want to know. This reflects on your judgment. Consider obtaining a free email address that includes your initials or name, rather than something distracting.

In summary, remember that I don’t know you. You may be a fabulous candidate for this position, but all I see about you is the resume you submit. My job requires me to make judgments about your qualifications and skills based on the information you provide to me. Help me hire you by using your resume as an effective tool to show me how great you are and how lucky we would be to employ you. Don’t give me an excuse to turn you down.

Sincerely,

Human Resources

Health Reform Misinformation

Have you received an email warning that your health insurance premiums will be taxed starting in 2011 as result of the recently passed health care reform legislation?  A concerned employee recently asked me about this.  Fortunately, this is another bit of misinformation being distributed to attack reform.  The Affordable Health Care Act does require employers to list the cost of employer-provided health insurance on each employee's W-2 Form; however, the cost is not taxed.

Perhaps as a result of this spreading misinformation, the IRS posted the following explanation on its website:

"Employer-Provided Health Coverage — Not Taxable


Starting in tax year 2011, the Affordable Care Act requires employers to report the value of the health insurance coverage they provide employees on each employee's annual Form W-2. This reporting is for informational purposes only, to show employees the value of their health care benefits so they can be more informed consumers. The amount reported does not affect tax liability, as the value of the employer contribution to health coverage continues to be excludible from an employee's income and it is not taxable."

The moral is:  don't believe everything you read, folks!