A Hiring Reality Check

Recently, I set out to fill a very straightforward role—part-time, flexible, and well within reach for many qualified professionals. What I didn’t expect was a concrete display of “why actual résumé writers are so valuable!” I reached out through a limited number of channels about the opening, a mentor group of business people in my area, the PARWCC member group, and some friends. 

And then it started. Gorgeous résumés from PARWCC members and garbage from everyone else.  Paaaaages of grey type, never ending paragraphs, “responsible for” to start every long bullet point and other useless information that made me say “no.” Immediately.  

What was also not surprising but interesting to see in “real-time” was how easily even I could spot the use of AI. I’m not a recruiter or hiring manager, so I’m sure if *I* could see it, anyone who has looked at as many career documents as they have must be able to spot them a mile away. 

But AI isn’t the problem. In fact, it can be a powerful tool in the hands of a skilled professional. I’ve talked with many PARWCC members and listened to conversations about how to use it well. But the average job seeker isn’t a skilled professional when it comes to AI for creating their hiring documents. 

I listened in on the Résumé Insights with John Suarez and as always the “human touch” on career documents came up. One attendee (Hi Laura!) had a client who brought in an AI-generated résumé. The provider took just ONE bullet point from the AI résumé and rewrote it as a way to demonstrate the difference. And it was a powerful way to really show what it means to be skilled in the writing of these documents.  

Coaches – you aren’t out of the game here because the way each potential candidate came to me was another interesting exploration in what hiring managers and recruiters must go through.  Most people were very polite, a few respectful words to introduce themselves and their résumé and done. Then the “not so polite” folks. One person told me that if I wanted to talk to her to reach out because she has all the qualifications I was looking for. Another person shared that she thinks résumés are nothing more than a way to discriminate against job applicants (you guys – – I don’t even know) but she’d be happy to accept my call. Someone else filled my in-box with questions. Yet more very easy ways to whittle down the pool of candidates getting a second look.  

In the end, I hired someone I know from within the Association. In a way it was a networking connection just as the coaches in the group recommend. Someone I “know” and someone I have worked with before as a volunteer. 

Is my experience typical? If my personal friends in the industry are anything to go by – yes.  Because my friends know what I do, I regularly enjoy their, “Margaret, you aren’t going to believe this!” stories when trying to fill roles. And I’m sure it’s even worse for people with large roles to fill!  

This is such a pivotal time for our industry. In a way, we’re faced with many of the same issues that we’ve always faced – a fight for legitimacy and awareness. But it’s nuanced with AI now in a way that feels almost threatening.  

That said, I’ve never felt more positive about where our industry can go. Job seekers need help and from the tiny snapshot I’ve seen, a lot of it. It’s not just the job seekers who need you – you are going to be pivotal for the recruiters and hiring managers to find the RIGHT candidates.  And the job market just isn’t going to improve soon, not with the chaos we’re seeing with layoffs and AI clogging applications and “bad operators” (as CDCS Director Robin Reshwan would say) out in the marketplace.  

I have to be candid, this was exhausting. It was interesting and enlightening, but I really don’t want to have to do it very often. I’ll stick to my day job.