If résumés could talk, what would they say?

Noted author and thought leader Seth Godin once said, “People do not buy goods and services.  They buy relations, stories, and magic.” In other words, consumers are looking for more than marketing copy and slick packaging – they want to engage and connect with brands in an authentic way. They’re looking for the message behind the marketing; that’s what resonates. Could job candidates be looking for the same kind of interaction with your brand?

The answer is a resounding ‘Yes!’ Engagement is the mantra of the connected world today – brand engagement, social engagement, and candidate engagement. It’s the reason companies have Chief Experience Officers and Happiness Heroes. They recognize that consumers want to be seen and heard as individuals. They want a more personal connection than years past. They want companies to acknowledge who they are and what they need.

Think about how this plays out in the recruiting process. Candidates want the opportunity to engage with companies in the same way that consumers do. They don’t want to tell you about their skills and technical abilities (i.e. goods and services), that’s the price of entry. They want to expound on the experiences that shaped them, the ones that aren’t on their résumé. A black and white résumé can only say so much no matter how well it’s written. After all, résumé is French for ‘summary’!

Hearing the words, “Send me your résumé”, or “Please submit your résumé online”, is the kiss of death for any candidate.  There is a growing shift in how candidates want to interact with an organization, just as there has been a shift in how we choose to connect with each other. Candidates want a chance to tell their story, to demonstrate their personal brand, and to show how their experiences align with the values of an organization.

Hiring managers need to look for more than “goods and services” in talent. So the question becomes; how do we better understand more about potential candidates and their personal relations, stories, and magic? If only résumés could actually speak!

Hoops gets to the heart of candidates by giving them a chance to show who they are and what they can do. Get in touch with us at (877) 262-7358 and we’ll show you how Hoops is helping companies build amazing teams.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Get a free quote