This is probably such a striking statement that it deserves the controversy that made me post about it in the first place.

Résumés or Curricula Vitae (plural of Curriculum Vitae, of course) may indeed serve as indications of potential to help job seekers to introduce themselves to prospective employers. Or for distinguished professionals, CVs may serve as records of accomplishment. However, Chris Pearson points out that there is only one thing that will matter to a smart person, and it’s not on your résumé!

Intelligent people really don’t care what’s on your resume. In fact, intelligent people don’t really give a damn about formal interviews, resumes, or anything of that sort. Sure, your portfolio matters, but even that’s secondary to the number one, be all, end all factor. It’s the one thing that matters above all else to any truly smart person with whom you’ll ever do business. What is it?

It’s you.

I agree (surprise!). In this day and age, you cannot really put your accomplishments (or potential) on paper, and expect the written word to adequately relay what it’s supposed to represent. Accomplishments are seen and felt, and usually when one gets to know another individual on a personal basis (or sometimes even in the virtual world).

But still, in many cases, it’s not the accomplishments that matter, but the potential. Usually, you’d have to meet a person face-to-face, or talk a meaningful conversation with them, and you will just know whether that person has what it takes to succeed, and whether his/her potential matches the field of expertise you expect that person to succeed in. And in most instances, you cannot just rely on your rational facilities to know, but rather your gut intuition.

In a way, this is how I work these days. I’ve done away with formalities and have instead actively sought out people whom I know have what it takes to make the grade. And I do not base it from their undergrad GPA or whether they have MBAs or PhDs in quantum physics or molecular biotechnology. I base it on who they are. (And yes, in a way this is also why I shun the intricacies of the corporate world.)

Résumés can still be a good starting point, though—perhaps just to give a cursory introduction of oneself—but not the end-all, be-all of things.

At times it’s still trial and error, but this is how I’ll learn, isn’t it?

Tags: Business, Careers, Communications, personal, Productivity | Viewed 3344 times