Job Qualification Rant - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Corneo · 08-21-2010, 10:40 AM

So recently I've been looking at linkedin profiles of people I work with or use to work with. Some people will post essentially their entire resume onto their profile. It amazes me how many people up sell or boast about their job qualifications. I work in engineering and frequently I work in a team environment; so I know I have a decent idea on what projects are considered menial or innovative. I've seen examples of which people will describe certain projects as something highly complicated and difficult but this person was able to complete it because they have the experience and training. The training may simply consist of reading a manual.

There was a manager that got fired a few years ago where I worked. I stumbled on his profile and the title he gave himself was "Visonary Entreprenuer and new products/operations expert with dynamic leadership in people management "

WTF does that mean? It seems people will label themselves "expert" in an area, if they have just some form of experience in it prior.

Is this just because there is a recession going on? Are people artificially portraying themselves to be professionals that they are not?

filtherton · 08-21-2010, 11:01 AM

People have always overstated their qualifications. If done right, it can make the difference between getting called for an interview and having your resume end up in the bottom of the recycling bin.

I think that it's a natural response to capricious HR job applicant weeding techniques. If you want your resume to look good, you have to sell all the bullshit menial tasks in your work history. If you don't, your resume is just going to get tossed for lacking "that certain sparkle." These types of embellishments are encouraged by resume coaches because, apparently, that's the type of shit hiring managers go for.

amonkie · 08-21-2010, 11:16 AM

To a degree it's a combination of self marketing and confidence. Your resume doesn't necessarily get you the job, it gets you in the door to be considered.

The interview is the chance to ask for specifics which will help HR or the hiring manager weedout the BS from the actual job skills.

soma · 08-22-2010, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amonkie

The interview is the chance to ask for specifics which will help HR or the hiring manager weedout the BS from the actual job skills.

I agree, the bullshit eventually get's filtered out.
I'm interning at a big company and whenever my managers go over resumes and interview people, the only thing they talk about afterward are the funny ways they get bullshitted.

Some people put really ridiculous stuff on their resume, but any smart manager will see right through it or find out during an interview.

From my perspective, which is built upon how my managers react to resumes and interviews, it seems like it's more important to put as many high level things (that you are competent in) on your resume as possible, and only briefly mention lower level work (if you're able to do higher level work, it is implied that you can do lower level work too).

But yeah, bottom line, I really thing bullshit doesn't get unqualified people too far.

Plan9 · 08-22-2010, 07:20 AM

Nobody sells themselves by stating that they're "rough-as-fuck asswipe." They say that they're "the best toilet paper you'll ever crunch and scoop."

Consider it resume inflation. You're B. If you put B it's only worth A but if you put C it's worth B so you go with C because you're B. Asinine, isn't it?

Baraka_Guru · 08-22-2010, 10:00 AM

Okay, so he's an engineer with sales skills. That will help him get a job, which is good, because I hear engineers aren't difficult to come by.

There is a difference between your one- or two-word title and what overall value you can bring. Fuse the two and it will help you stand out.

It's not necessarily inflation. But you've got to fulfill the promises you make.

08-21-2010, 10:40 AM	#1 (permalink)
Corneo Insane	Job Qualification Rant So recently I've been looking at linkedin profiles of people I work with or use to work with. Some people will post essentially their entire resume onto their profile. It amazes me how many people up sell or boast about their job qualifications. I work in engineering and frequently I work in a team environment; so I know I have a decent idea on what projects are considered menial or innovative. I've seen examples of which people will describe certain projects as something highly complicated and difficult but this person was able to complete it because they have the experience and training. The training may simply consist of reading a manual. There was a manager that got fired a few years ago where I worked. I stumbled on his profile and the title he gave himself was "Visonary Entreprenuer and new products/operations expert with dynamic leadership in people management " WTF does that mean? It seems people will label themselves "expert" in an area, if they have just some form of experience in it prior. Is this just because there is a recession going on? Are people artificially portraying themselves to be professionals that they are not?

08-21-2010, 11:16 AM	#3 (permalink)
amonkie Drifting Administrator Location: Windy City	To a degree it's a combination of self marketing and confidence. Your resume doesn't necessarily get you the job, it gets you in the door to be considered. The interview is the chance to ask for specifics which will help HR or the hiring manager weedout the BS from the actual job skills. __________________ Calling from deep in the heart, from where the eyes can't see and the ears can't hear, from where the mountain trails end and only love can go... ~~~ Three Rivers Hare Krishna

08-22-2010, 07:20 AM	#5 (permalink)
Plan9 I Confess a Shiver	Nobody sells themselves by stating that they're "rough-as-fuck asswipe." They say that they're "the best toilet paper you'll ever crunch and scoop." Consider it resume inflation. You're B. If you put B it's only worth A but if you put C it's worth B so you go with C because you're B. Asinine, isn't it? __________________ *Whatever you can carry.* "You should not drink... and bake." Last edited by Plan9; 08-22-2010 at 07:23 AM..

08-22-2010, 10:00 AM	#6 (permalink)
Baraka_Guru warrior bodhisattva Super Moderator Location: East-central Canada	Okay, so he's an engineer with sales skills. That will help him get a job, which is good, because I hear engineers aren't difficult to come by. There is a difference between your one- or two-word title and what overall value you can bring. Fuse the two and it will help you stand out. It's not necessarily inflation. But you've got to fulfill the promises you make. __________________ Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing? —Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön Humankind cannot bear very much reality. —From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

08-21-2010, 11:01 AM	#2 (permalink)
filtherton Junkie Location: In the land of ice and snow.	People have always overstated their qualifications. If done right, it can make the difference between getting called for an interview and having your resume end up in the bottom of the recycling bin. I think that it's a natural response to capricious HR job applicant weeding techniques. If you want your resume to look good, you have to sell all the bullshit menial tasks in your work history. If you don't, your resume is just going to get tossed for lacking "that certain sparkle." These types of embellishments are encouraged by resume coaches because, apparently, that's the type of shit hiring managers go for.