This month's newsletter focuses upon reviewing and more fully leveraging the information within resumes of Market Research candidates.

October is the perfect time of year to assess your 2009 staffing needs -- and perhaps to use the remainder of your 2008 personnel budget.

Below are five critical tips to help ensure you find quality candidates that enhance the strength of your team

Tip 1: Review Resume Dates Carefully
Often overlooked but never underestimated -- make sure there are no "holes" in a candidate's dates of employment. Discontinuities always raise questions. If you find any gaps, probe until you are satisfied. If you receive vague answers, it's probably best to move on to other candidates

To review employments, we suggest reviewing resumes focusing ONLY on dates, starting with the oldest job moving forward. Make sure there are no gaps or overlaps. Also, watch for "granularity" tactics (reporting only years) that can hide lapses of up to 11 months of inactivity. Ask for dates in Month/Year format to ensure no employment periods are missed.

Tip 2: Ask Detailed Questions About Quantified Achievements
Many candidates make bold, quantitative statements within their resumes regarding their performance or accomplishments. For each dramatic quantitative statement, you should ask questions that "triangulate" on performance.

For example, if a candidate's resume cites the management of 10 MR professionals, ask the overall size of their personnel budget. It should "triangulate" to a reasonable salary for each of their team members. Typical "quantifications" included by candidates include:

1.  Number of people managed
2. Size (in dollars) of the MR budget controlled
3. MR Sales quota (and percentage met/exceeded)
4. Increases in revenue, decreases in expenses, or increases in customer satisfaction
   

For each of the above, you should probe to gain a more complete understanding of the accomplishment -- particularly if based upon percentages. Recall, even a small change on a very small base produces a very large percentage.

Tip 3: Search Social Networks to Gain Additional Insights
Social networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook, and LinkedIn are increasingly common among professionals -- including MR candidates.

Before making a hiring decision, it might be wise to explore the profiles of potential team members. The results can be particularly revealing and can avoid potentially embarrassing situations (for the hiring manager, company, and candidate) that could have been valuable in the hiring process.

Importantly, be sure any profile or information shared by a candidate is consistent with their resume and your discussions.

Tip 4: Look for Industry Associations, Awards, and Honors
Review candidate resumes with an eye toward participation in industry events -- particularly advisory board positions, conference speaking engagements, and authored/co-authored articles.

Participation within extra-company events often denotes high achievers dedicated to advancing the art and science of Market Research.

Tip 5: Ask for Example Work Indicated in the Resume
Nothing within the Market Research industry is more revealing than reviewing the recent work of a candidate. It demonstrates the ability to communicate key points from mountains of data.

To ensure any presented work was, in fact, created by the candidate, ask several questions and gauge the response. Answers should be provided quickly and with confidence. Also, ensure any received report has been "sanitized" to ensure the importance of client confidentiality is practiced and well understood.

 

Mike Carroll
800-872-5401
mcarroll@marketresearchcareers.com
www.marketresearchcareers.com