When you fill out an application for a job, chances are good that one of three people will read your resume to discern if you're a good fit for the position. How you deal with each of these people is a little bit different, so it's important to know how the hiring process works for each employer as you search for a new job.
The size of the company may determine the people who read your resume. Larger firms that have a lot of revenue may outsource their initial screenings to save HR staffers time, energy and effort. Mid-sized firms might put one individual in charge of hiring a new staffer for a specific position, and that supervisor works with HR to onboard someone. Nonprofits and smaller companies could have a small HR department that oversees all hiring decisions. To figure out who is responsible for hiring you, do a little research, and learn the right approach for submitting your resume.
1. Hiring Manager
A hiring manager is the person who requested the new position. This person represents your future boss if you receive an offer. Hiring managers read your resume as if to visualize working with you on a daily basis. Research this person's name and job title before submitting your application and resume. This means look on LinkedIn, peruse the employer's website and search Google for this person's details. You might talk to people in your network to see if they have insider information as to this person's name, title and vital stats.
Once you have the hiring manager's details, tailor your application, resume and cover letter accordingly. You want to show you're a team player, work well with others and can get results. Keep any direct contact as brief as possible because this person is very busy.
2. Recruiter
Large firms use recruiters to vet future employees. Recruiters read your resume to make sure your qualifications match the needs of the employer. These specialized companies may not disclose the name of the firm that hired them to find employees until later in the hiring process. Your resume should match the posted qualifications as much as possible, and your document needs to be succinct and full of tangible, clear examples of how you are the best fit for the employer. Talking to a recruiter entails knowing precisely what you bring to the table so you can convince the person to send your name to the right people.
3. HR Professional
Human resources professionals are extensively involved in the hiring process from start to finish. These people read your resume to see if your skills, experience and qualifications merit a second look. Human resources might use applicant tracking systems rather than recruiters to weed out less-qualified candidates. Therefore, your resume should include keywords found in the job description. HR professionals conduct phone or video interviews to screen candidates further. An HR staffer may only know the generalities of the position rather than your daily job duties. Save specific questions for the job interview with your hiring manager.
These three people who read your resume hold the keys to hiring you. Knowing these types of people gives you an edge over other candidates as you try to gain every possible advantage in a competitive job market.
Photo courtesy of Dean Meyers at Flickr.com
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