“The talent selection and acquisition process is designed to help match the right candidate to the correct position, states Andrew Bercich, Sourcing Specialist at Charles Schwab.
Searching for a job is one of the most stressful things you can do. There are so many people applying for a single job. On top of that, some people are applying for jobs which they are not qualified for just to fulfill their unemployment requirement. So these fake applications are piled on top of the real ones.
In response, companies are using talent acquisition software to filter thousands of applications. It is designed to “knock-out” or “knock-in” applicants.
While the filtering has streamlined the process, it still results in eighty-eight candidates applying for one position which lands on Bercich’s desk. He takes 30 to 90 seconds to read each one.
How can the great candidates bubble to the top? This is the burning question facing members of the Denver Tech Professionals Networking Group.
Andrew answered questions to help members navigate this process. Bercich has “over 8 years of progressive corporate and 3rd party recruiting and sales experience”, according to his LinkedIn summary. He recently was hired at Charles Schwab ,( June 2010). In the past he was Recruiting Manager at StarTek., an outsourcing company focused primarily on the telecommunications industry.
He was the guest speaker at LeaderQuest, headquarters at the Centennial, Colorado location.
Tips from Andrew Bercich, Sourcing Specialist:
Here are some resume tips:
- Resumes: Create a custom resume for each job requirement.
- The computer is the first gatekeeper to pass. Write a concise resume that contains the “keywords” that match the job requirements list. The computer will search for results. The greater the number of matching keywords, the higher the score.
- Avoid the appearance of being wordy. If your resume is written in a WORD doc, you can “white-out” your keyword list. Place it at the bottom of the document, so it will appear as a blank page to the human eye. P.S. The white-out trick only works with a MS Word doc and not a TEXT file.
- Hopefully, you have passed the computer screening test and a recruiter calls you for a phone interview.
- After you pass the phone interview, you will be passed to the hiring manager.
- Be prepared. Create a second resume that is more detailed and readable to the human eye. Present it during in the interview. At this point you have more control and can direct the reader to look at specific parts of the document as the discussion continues. You can answer any questions on the spot. Your exchange of information is dynamic and immediate.
- TESTING: If part of the process requires taking an evaluation test, where you are given a series of questions, then don’t try to “out smart” the test and provide answers you think the company wants to hear. The test was designed by experts who will ask the same question 15 different ways and determine if your answers are consistent. The question maybe as basic as, “Are you willing to relocate?” If you cheat the test and answer incorrectly, then you are cheating yourself, because you may not be willing to relocate.
- Age versus Cultural fit? Is age an hiring factor? It depends. For example, Google may hire a lot of single people in their 20’s who work hard, eat their breakfast, lunch and dinner at the in-house cafeteria. They may spend most of their free time at Google, working until 2 am in the morning. However, other applicants may have a family. They want to balance family and work. They tend to be older. They want to go home at night an spend their free time with their family and friends. Each person needs to find their own cultural fit.
- At Charles Schwab, employees who match the cultural fit, tend to stay with the company for many years. It is also true that their customer base is older. You do not see a many 20 year olds with $50K to invest. So, the issue of age vs culture fit is debatable. “Hopefully, I skirted around that issue,” laughed, Bercich.
- Soft skills are important. These are the skills that cannot be placed on a resume. Your personality and interest are important. At Charles Schwab, they want applicants to “ join a talented team ( who are) dedicated to helping everyone be financially fit”.
- Do you prefer watching MSNBC or “Cramer’s Mad Money” rather than the Life Time Channel? The answer will show if you’re interested in keeping “financially fit.”
- Will months of unemployment during this recession affect hiring decisions? No. Good companies understand. However, if someone has been unemployed over four years, even during times of low employment, you need a good story to show others what you have been doing. Your past is a prediction of the future.
