Outsourcing HR: Having Resumes Screened In India

With the onslaught of resumes that recruiters are receiving these days it is no suprise that they are looking for ways to make the job easier. An article in the WallStreet Journal online Career section on March 5th, entitled "Did You Get My Resume?" details several methods recruiters are using to streamline the process. These include:

1. Use of artifcial intelligent software to prescreen resumes. This goes beyond "keyword" searches which is how applicants used to be able to get around resume reader screening. Today an employer can put in a profile of experiences and have the software look for matches.


2. Use of online personality tests. If you don't match the profile of successful job incumbents you don't make it through the prescreening process. (I might have some questions about validity on this one.)


3. Finally, many employers are using "offshore" resume screeners. Resume screeners, actual people, living in India or the Phillipines read resumes overnight and have them sorted for the recruiters when they come to work in the morning. Now this is "outsourced" HR!

I am not too sure how I would like to have my resume screened by someone in the Phillipines, but that is just me. I would like to hear from some recruiters about how you handle the resume screening process.

Environmental Scanning: Some Great Reads on HR

As I was catching up on some reading, after having been on a trip to California, I wanted to point out to you some great reads and some new materials for you, especially if you are involved in recruiting.

Kris Dunn of The HR Capitalist has started another blog on recruiting called Fistful of Talent. It is a multi-author blog that will feature many different takes on recruiting. Today's is about the appearance of applicants today. Oh, The HR Capitalist (see link above) is about whether HR can be trusted or not. So check it out.

Jim Stroud, of the Recruiters Lounge has a FREE BOOK entitled Resume Forensics that you can download for FREE. It talks about resources and tips for finding resumes and candidates using search engines. Valuable stuff.

Ann Bares, of Compensation Force has a post today about The Quiet Pink Pay Revolution, women gaining on men in the workforce. Very interesting.

Penelope Trunk, The Brazen Careerist, talks about what knowing what you should be doing by what you did as a kid. A thought provoker.

Tomorrow I will blog about the SECRET union conspiracies under way with some companies, so stay tuned.

Video Resumes: Getting Your Next Star Employee

I read an article today on the SHRM site today about VIDEO RESUMES . It talks about the increasing use of video to present a candidate and his/her qualifications. I think we are going to see more and more of this as Generation Y enters the workforce in greater numbers. It is not hard to see video on MySpace or even in blogs where something from YouTube has been inserted. People send video by phone all the time, with no other message attached. I get to see my granddaughter weekly by looking at my son's MySpace page. So obviously there is value to the use of video, even beyond the ease of creating it.

What is this value? To the candidate it is a good way to get across their ability to speak well as they cover their background. For the employer you get to see this same ability. You can measure presentation skills. However, there is a downside as well. Not every resume will have the same production value. Not every position needs to have good presentation skills. Good "on camera" skills may mask a lack of other skills.

The article points out that HR professionals (and legal professionals) are torn. The naturally conservative types see the opportunity for descrimination on race, disability and "looks." The less conservative see the opportunity to make decisions about candidates in situations where speaking ability, charisma and leadership potential are important.

So my questions for readers are:

• How do feel?
• Have you viewed one?
• If yes, how was it received?
• What do you see as the value?
• What do you see as the pitfalls?

Let me know.