Companies Are Changing What is Important in Hiring

Nancy Anderson
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The trend toward data-driven hiring decisions that rely on applicant-tracking software may have reached its peak. Some companies are starting to see the flaws in one-size-fits-all hiring and are eager to put the "human" back in human resources. Human-centered recruiting, which focuses on passion and creativity, is the current trend in hiring. Here are a few tips to help you maneuver in the human-centered environment.

Prepare to Answer "Why" Questions

Human-centered recruiting focuses on who you are and how you can help. "Why" questions are a great way for interviewers learn more about you. Be ready to explain why you went to a particular college or even to college in general instead of simply giving the name or your school and a list of your awards. Share the reasons behind your career decisions instead of bragging about how often your were promoted.

Let Employers Know About Problems You Solved

Innovation is important to all industries, and the ability to solve problems creatively is a trait desired in new hires. Hiring managers want to know how you take charge and find solutions. Companies using human-centered recruiting make hiring decisions based on weather or not an employee can help enhance the work environment. Share how you innovated and solved problems at work, at school or while volunteering.

Don't Worry About Employment Gaps or Unrelated Jobs

Taking time away from work for other activities as well as holding jobs in different fields all help make you a multidimensional worker. Companies using human-centered recruiting strategies encourage applicants to share information about situations that prepared them for the position, even if they are a bit nontraditional.

Update Your Resume

Your GPA, previous salaries and lists of tasks and duties have no place on a modern resume. Take off any redundant information, and remove lists of basic skills that nearly everyone has. Instead, focus on information that exposes your intelligence and resourcefulness. Give concrete examples of how you improved your work environment in previous positions.

Get Personal

Submitting applications and resumes online is not the way to stand out from all the other applicants. Instead, find out who is responsible for hiring employees, and write him a personal letter. Keep the letter brief, sharing just enough information to let the manager know you are familiar with his company and have the skills required for the job. Attach your resume so he can explore further. This approach works great, even with companies that don't use human-centered recruiting strategies.

Human-centered recruiting favors personal interactions over impersonal hiring tools, such as applicant-tracking software and personality tests. Research human-centered hiring practices that welcome applicants with nontraditional credentials and diverse backgrounds. Be prepared to share your job-related success stories and personal passions to increase your chance of finding a position in which you can shine.


Photo courtesy of franky242 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Sharon thanks for your comment and I hear your frustration. Unfortunately it does not appear that companies are going to be scrapping the ATS in favor of the way it used to be where a human read through all of the resumes. Once the resume passes through the ATS it is read by a real person. The ATS looks for keywords within your resume, regardless of titles. If your resume has the keywords, it will be seen by HR or the hiring manager.

  • SHARRON SMITH
    SHARRON SMITH •

    I have been in O&G for 20 years and have a proven track record and have been unemployed for 13 months...this software is relentless in it's ability to accurately match a person to a job due to the fact that there are so many different titles to a positions these days...My position as a Sr. Buyer/Sourcing Specialist is called: Procurement, Supply Chain, Commodity Manager, Commodity Lead, Sourcing Lead, Sourcing Manager, Lead Procurement and etc...If the title for a position does not match perfectly, your resume goes to the very bottom of the pile. Now, do you understand why qualified personnel are not getting called for jobs that are perfectly matched for in reality? Maybe just maybe someone out there will actually ready your resumes and hire you for the qualified people that we all are. I, for one, will be glad when they stop this process of sorting through resumes. Use it along with a "real person" and it'll work. Good luck, and happy job hunting..

  • Nicole C.
    Nicole C. •

    I feel you Terry...I have a Bachelors degree in Business Management and I'm still looking for a job while working part time as a cashier.....

  • terry J.
    terry J. •

    Terry j I got maintenance mechanic and advance maintenance mechanic certificate. And still get. No were with job hunting

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Jerry thanks for your comment. It is unfortunate that companies require a degree in order to hire but they feel that they will get a more rounded person by requiring a degree. You need to highlight your experience in both your resume and your cover letter - letting the hiring manager know that you have garnered more experience on the job training than you would if you had sat through classes and got that piece of paper.

  • jerry h.
    jerry h. •

    they put too much emphasis on your resume. i have been working with mechanical and electrical since i was 8 years old. i have worked on a huge variety of systems i have been building computers for 20 years, etc... but they depend on a stupid piece of paper to make decisions and missing out on some really good people. i can fix just about anything and still learning new things even at 53 years old. companies are the losers here as they pass on people like me.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Gabriela thanks for your comment. So sorry that you are going on interviews but not hearing back from the companies. That is probably one of the hardest parts about the whole job seeking process. When you are in the interview, do you feel that they are still interested? At the end of the interview, how are you leaving things? Are you asking questions such as what are the next steps?: when will you be making a decision?; may I call you on that day? Make sure that you have a business card from everyone you interviewed with so that you can send thank you cards. Yes, good old fashioned thank you cards. If you call and you didn't get the job, ask why not and ask if he/she can give you any pointers on what was wrong and how you can improve. They may answer and that would be a big help. We wish you all the best. The right job will come along!

  • Gabriela Sicard
    Gabriela Sicard •

    Here is my problem i dont have to much of work experience i know that i want to improve that but every time i go to the interview is on step foward but they dont call back

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