I Don't Need A Resume - I Can Tell Them What I Do When I Get
There
Pretend for a moment that you are a hiring manager. The
receptionist knocks on your office door and announces that Mr.
Smith has arrived to interview for the currently advertised
pharmaceutical sales representative position. Baffled, the
hiring manager states that there must be a misunderstanding
because she never scheduled Mr. Smith for an interview. She
instructs the receptionist to tell Mr. Smith to forward his
resume and cover letter to express his interest in the company
and the position.
Some people might think the hiring manager should have
interviewed Mr. Smith since he showed an effort to apply for the
position. Others would have done exactly what the hiring manager
did. Why? Because she didn't know anything about this candidate.
She would have been unprepared to address his qualifications
without having had the opportunity to review his resume
beforehand. What's more, she really didn't understand what his
situation was or if he even qualified for the job. For example,
does he have a required bachelor's degree? Does he have sales
experience? Is his background in bio chemistry, pharmaceuticals
or in medical equipment sales? Is he a job-hopper? Was he out of
work for many years? Is he changing careers? Did he recently
relocate? These are all very important factors to consider when
trying to paint a picture of a candidate to get a feel for who
they are and how they would be a good fit for the company.
This is why it is so important that a resume is sent first so
that the hiring manager can PRE-QUALIFY a job seeker. This saves
a lot of time and hurt feelings. After all, why would the hiring
manager want to spend a half hour interviewing a candidate that
does not qualify for the position? If every unqualified
candidate showed up unannounced and was interviewed, there
wouldn't be time to interview the qualified candidates! Believe
it or not, there are still occasions when a resume is not
needed. But, that is only when a company invites applicants to
fill out a job application form or if there is a mutual
acquaintance who puts in a good word for the candidate, and the
hiring manager schedules and interview without needing to see a
resume. Keep in mind, the hiring manager has been introduced
already by the mutual acquaintance who has done the job that the
combination of a resume and cover letter -- the dynamic duo --is
intended to do: to introduce them to the reader and to provide a
professional background and expressed interest in a company and
a particular position.