#ResumeSkepticism #CollegeStudents #ManagerTips
Hey there, managers! Let’s talk about what makes you immediately suspicious of a college student’s resume. As a college student myself, I know the struggle of trying to stand out in a sea of other applicants. But I also understand that sometimes, certain things on a resume can raise red flags for hiring managers. So, let’s delve into some factors that may make you skeptical of a college student’s resume.
First off, let’s address the elephant in the room – embellishments and fabrications. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for college students to stretch the truth a bit on their resumes. This can include inflating their GPA, exaggerating their role in a group project, or even completely making up experiences. As a manager, it’s important to be vigilant when reviewing resumes and to look out for any signs of dishonesty.
But what specific things should you watch out for? Here are a few pointers to consider:
1. Vague or Generic Language: When a student’s resume is filled with generic buzzwords and lacks specific details about their experiences, it can raise suspicions. For example, phrases like “strong leadership skills” or “excellent communication abilities” don’t provide much tangible evidence of the student’s capabilities.
2. Lack of Specifics: Similarly, a lack of specific details about internships, volunteer work, or extracurricular activities can be a red flag. If a student simply lists an organization or position without describing their responsibilities or accomplishments, it may indicate that they’re trying to conceal a lack of meaningful experience.
3. Unverifiable Achievements: Something I recently thought about was how managers could verify certain things like extracurricular awards, specific accomplishments in internships, volunteering hours, etc. Are there things that typically make you suspicious that a college student is telling the truth on their resume?
Now, let’s consider some examples of these points in action. Imagine you’re reviewing a resume and come across a section where a student claims to have won a prestigious award for their involvement in a campus organization. However, there’s no mention of the award on the organization’s website or in any official publications. This lack of verifiable evidence could raise doubts about the student’s claim.
Similarly, let’s say a student lists an internship at a well-known company on their resume, but provides little detail about their role and contributions. Upon further investigation, you realize that the company has no record of the student ever being employed there. This discrepancy would certainly call the student’s credibility into question.
So, what can you do as a manager to address these red flags and verify the authenticity of a college student’s resume? Here are a few strategies to consider:
1. Conduct Thorough Background Checks: When you come across a resume that seems too good to be true, don’t hesitate to conduct thorough background checks. This could involve reaching out to the student’s references, contacting previous employers or supervisors, or even conducting online research to verify the student’s claims.
2. Ask Detailed Questions During Interviews: During the interview process, make a point to ask the student specific questions about their experiences and accomplishments. Request examples of their work, inquire about their specific contributions to projects, and dig deeper into the details of their resume. This can help you gauge the authenticity of their claims.
3. Look for Consistency: Another way to determine the truthfulness of a student’s resume is to look for consistency across their application materials. Are the details of their experiences and accomplishments consistent across their resume, cover letter, and any additional materials they provide? Inconsistencies may be a sign of embellishments or fabrications.
Lastly, it’s important to remember that while skepticism is warranted, not all college students are deceptive on their resumes. Many students genuinely work hard to build their experiences and accomplishments, and it’s important to give them the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise. However, it’s also crucial for managers to remain diligent in their vetting process to ensure that they’re bringing honest and qualified individuals onto their teams.
In conclusion, managers should approach college student resumes with a healthy dose of skepticism, while also being fair and diligent in their vetting process. By paying attention to key indicators of potential dishonesty, conducting thorough background checks, and asking detailed questions during the interview process, managers can ensure that they’re making informed hiring decisions. After all, the goal is to build a team of talented and trustworthy individuals who will contribute positively to the organization. So, keep those skeptical eyes open, but also remain open-minded and supportive of the hardworking college students out there. Good luck, managers! 🎓🔍 #HiringIntegrity
I can’t think of any obvious red flags when reading a students résumé other than it just looking generally correct for a student’s level of experience. But during the interview I ask a lot of specifics and if it starts to break down quickly, that’s a really big red flag and dealbreaker for me.
For example, that’s a great honor to receive that award and an interesting organization. How did you find out about that organization? What was the criteria for that award? Tell me about some of the volunteer work you did.
Typos, overselling him/herself, exceeds 2 pages, buzzwords
Can’t really verify extracurriculars or awards, but if they oversell themselves it’s usually pretty apparent, and almost always immediately apparent in an interview.
Also if they are in a specialised field, the manager knows well what interns in that field actually do and probably knows the company where the they interned, so if they make ridiculous claims it’s pretty obvious.
In general in an interview it’s immediately apparent when someone tries to bullshit, because they can’t answer any technical questions.
They use George Santos as a character reference.
Typos, poor punctuation but also says: “Detail oriented”
No can’t say “detail oriented” and have spelling mistakes.
I actually don’t mind a spelling mistake/typo, if their overall CV seems good, and they aren’t super hype-y.
I like to see stuff like: worked at McDonalds, or, did X unrelated job for Y years. I think that stuff is super important because I want to see growth in the person, not just that they have dick-all professional experience.
Fitting in to a job and culture is important, flexibility is important, being authentic and havinga desire to improve, learn and having a passion is REALLY good.
I’ve found that the best new hires are those that have a vision about something – like, they want to make the world a better place, and they have an idea of how they want to do that – it could be totally misplaced, but the fact that they are willing to say it makes a difference for me. Intent > Experience in many cases of young people.
solve for or find x.
High level of proficiency claimed in a skill they probably covered in their studies but are unlikely to have spent enough time to master.
CAD, FEA, CFD, python, matlab, SQL, machine learning e.t.c – lots of people will cover them as part of their degree and it’s great to mention on your CV if relevant to the job, but if you claim *skilled*, there’s a good chance I’m going to test you on it!
Having an extreme amount of ‘certificates’ or self promotion. Like an absurd amount.
I once had a lady with like half a dozen different certificates, her resume had her own website about her accomplishments, I think there was even a video in there somewhere. For me, she’s 2 steps down from the guy who tried to take me through a PowerPoint presentation on how he increases revenue.
Buddy #2 struck me as the insecure and overinflated ego like *I’m a business man, a sales guy, I get money* and just like the First Lady reeked of incompetence.
Be concise and professional. It’s important to showcase your strengths, but ffs chill 😅
Seeing nothing challenging academically + low gpa then having the most amazing extra curricular activities with multiple “president” or whatever titles.
So you’re president of the investment club and finance club, but you have Cs in your finance related classes…?
Honestly the things I can’t verify I dont care about. Also, if it’s on your LinkedIn. But internships you can verify. Your enrollment and gpa too.