The Most Important Part of Your Resume by Ben Davidson, author of Get Hired Guarantee
Most job search advice is worthless because it fails to overcome the #1 obstacle to getting hired–our country’s outdated hiring process. Companies recruit using a system that hasn’t changed much in centuries. They hang a digital “help wanted” sign and screen out talent based solely on weak predictors of job success like “work experience” and a college degree. The facts show that these are not very predictive of success in a career (see below). But a customized internship solves this fundamental problem.
Source: Schmidt, F. L. & Hunter, J. E. (1998). The validity and utility of selection methods in personnel psychology: Practical and theoretical implications of 85 years of research findings. Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 124, pp. 262-274. http://mavweb.mnsu.edu/howard/Schmidt%20and%20Hunter%201998%20Validity%20and%20Utility%20Psychological%20Bulletin. pdf, 7/7/16.
Most recruiters and hiring managers will not spend any effort investigating work experience that is not obviously related to the position they are hiring. They require the applicant to present themselves with the “right” job title and “right” work experience–so they don’t have to be creative or take any risk. Understanding this makes the entire modern job search process work.
The words “creative,” “open minded,” and “risk tolerant” will never be used to describe how companies hire talent. Consequently, applicants must help remove the “blinders” worn by most hiring managers. The problem isn’t your work experience—it’s helping companies see your talents through the narrow, outdated model they use to hire.
How a Customized Internship a.k.a. “Externship” Fixes the Problem
Curtis K is a typical senior in college. He has no special work experience or fancy job title, but is hard working and intelligent. I met Curtis when he began following my podcast, which I started as a hobby to meet business leaders and students. Curtis wanted to get involved in podcasting, grow his business skills, and meet successful leaders. I made Curtis the CEO of my podcast as an unpaid externship. He is required to do an internship for school so we also call it an internship. It really doesn’t matter if
we say internship or externship. What does matter is that now he has a great job title and work experience for his resume.
In whatever spare time he has, Curtis interviews podcast guests and runs my eCommerce website with responsibility for its financials. He also works at a cell phone store to make ends meet.
As shown in the image below, Curtis is a multi-dimensional person with many skills. He is not just a student and he is not just a CEO. But recruiters do not see him that way. Recruiters see him as nothing more than a job title. As “Stereotype A” or “Stereotype B.”
When Curtis graduates, he will likely apply to work as a Financial Analyst with a mid size company. A recruiter will compare Curtis (the “Student”) to other applicants, like “Bob” shown below. Because Bob has already worked for 2 years as a Financial Analyst, the recruiter will perceive Curtis “the student” as less qualified than Bob. The recruiter is not creative enough to view Curtis’ skills as equally relevant to Bob’s. Even though Bob simply mails checks to vendors, keys information into spreadsheets, and runs canned reports; he looks more “experienced” to a recruiter.
The truth is, Bob has been contentedly mediocre for 2 years. He possesses the basic skills of a glorified intern. Curtis has worked hard developing superior skills during that same 2 years, but without the title of Financial Analyst.
Curtis is the real “financial analyst” of the two. He actually makes financial decisions based upon his analysis of the podcast’s performance. Curtis has 1.5 yrs experience running the podcast. He forecasts profit and loss, files taxes, creates financial statements, fundraises, develops strategy, and talks to potential investors.
Because Curtis created a customized externship, he can help recruiters see his real talent. As shown below, Curtis becomes the easy choice when recruiters see him without the blinders created by our country’s broken hiring process.
Simply put, company recruiters cannot see talent effectively. For this reason, the first step in the modern job search is to create a volunteer organization or unpaid externship that gives you the “right” job title and the right “experience” to get past gatekeepers and screening tools. In other words, to create your own externship. Then recruiters can begin to see your experience without blinders. Here’s how to do this.
If, for example, you want to work as a marketing director for an advertising agency. Create an externship with EntrAPov (Entrepreneurs Against Poverty) as the Marketing Director. Be sure to create a quality LinkedIn profile using this job title (www.linkedin.com). Add your position title to your resume and job applications, then do some volunteer work to display relevant work samples. The idea is for hiring managers and recruiters to validate your worthiness for an interview using your job title on these LinkedIn or Facebook groups. Simply email us at EntrAPov@gmail.com to get started. The steps are simple:
1. Send your name and dream job’s title (i.e. Ben Davidson, Marketing Director) to EntrAPov@gmail.com.
2. You will receive an email with my company logo, authorizing you to post your new externship job title on LinkedIn.
3. Use the logo and company name as you help EntrAPov start businesses that can feed families in poverty stricken areas. We offer micro-financial support and free expertise, but we need your help. There’s a lot more to the new, modern job search that can be found in the full book, Get Hired Guarantee. But setting up your virtual internship is an important first step.