How Do Positions Really Get Filled

How Do Positions Really Get Filled I was talking with a Hiring Managers from one of the top Gaming companies in the country. Im not a gamer myself, but even I know of the games they have produced. He was sharing his frustration over the terrible resumes that hes received. He said most of them look like theyve just been blasted around. The writers didnt take any time to customize the resumes for the actual job they had posted. There was no connection, at least that he could see, so, on to the next. I asked him about the recent hires they had made and where they had come from. No surprise, connections. Several of the last candidates were recruited out of a college they had recruited from before with fantastic results. Several more were referrals and only 2 were sourced through online job postings. Then he told me this story. He was talking with someone at a college that has a gaming curriculum. He mentioned that he wanted to find another Alex. Alex was a star employee they had hired and he described the successes, attitude and skills that made Alex so valuable.(By the way, Alex had started as an intern.)A few days later, the person he was speaking with said, We have an Alex, want to meet her? In deed, Alex was hiredduring a hiring freeze. I love this story because it highlights how hiring is happening. Word of mouth among industry Hiring Managers, or friends, or past colleagues or Cultural fit is also important. Many of the resumes and candidates my Hiring Manager friend saw were not the right fit. He even said, if any of these candidates had researched my company, they would have realized we dont need them. Take aways: Customize your resume and remove language that is confusing or irrelevant. Connect (meaningfully) with industry players through any means possible Be known for the right things