Don’t turn me away, I’m more than just my resumé

As graduation creeps up (cue panic) the pressure to find and secure a job before I walk the stage gets more intense. Unfortunately, I have not had any luck yet, but I am remaining optimistic. I must admit that it is hard to remain optimistic when you have not heard back from anyone. 

One of the things that upsets me the most is the “job experience” part of applying for a job. There have been times where I did not get called back because employers saw that I had nothing under the “job experience” portion of my resumé. While I completely understand that I cannot get hired for that reason, I also want to express the frustration that comes with it.

How does one manage to get work experience when no one is willing to hire them? I understand that it is skeptical, and truthfully, I would not be so keen on hiring someone who has not worked before. However, do employers really need to turn someone down before an applicant gets the chance to show what they can do?

If given the chance, I can be an efficient team member. Among many things, I am adaptable, resilient and a hard worker. I want to work for a company that sees the potential in me because I am more than what my resumé contains.

Rather than only focusing on the resumé, employers should communicate with potential employees. This can let employers know who they are talking to, and it can help them decide if they want to give the applicants an interview. I do not know about you, but I think this is better than turning someone down right away.

I would just like to end this column by asking that employers not turn people down right away. Although it is a crucial factor, looking at a resumé should not be the only confirmation one needs to hire or not hire someone. It is their potential and what you see in them that should also be considered. Please take this into consideration and give people the chance to prove themselves. Who knows? They may surprise you by being the best employee you have ever hired.