Unfortunately, I need to hire a new medical assistant. Since the local paper has folded, I have found the most efficient way is to list the position on Craigslist. Since I was very specific about requirements, I have been able to minimize the submissions from those who are either under- or overqualified. I also posted the listing on a Tuesday evening, so I expected a smaller number of resumes than if it had been up over a weekend. Now 24 hours later I have approximately 40 resumes and for anybody who wonders how I narrow them down, I will list the things that get your resume trashcanned (and yes, I did read them all first).
#1) Having a “cutesy” name on your e-mail. I know you may not want your full name there but I look more favorably on the ones with a name or an initial and last name. I am not hiring the person who sends the resume from “Harry and my Baby”.
#2) Having a nonprofessional subject line. Sorry to the one who put “Pick me!” in the subject line-you will NOT be picked!
#3) Having an unacceptable email message. Here I am flexible. I will even accept having only the link to the ad or “Re: Craig’s list job posting” or " Medical Assistant" or “Hello, here’s my resume” or even nothing. What I will not accept is “current salary $22.95” (with no other message-although thanks for not wasting my time), “Mr. Stone’s resume is attached” (If you’re typing that much you can use the 1st person), any note where the word I is in lower-case or “I will be blessed to work with you. Have a blessed day” (First-no you won’t be blessed to work with me and second, more than one blessed gets your resume dumped).
#4) A resume with more than one obviously misspelled word or obvious grammatical errors. No, you are not “profesional” (or detail oriented).
Want to go to the top of the list? In the email state your name (especially if it is not obvious from the return email address), and that you are responding to my ad, and that your resume is attached. You need not detail your qualifications or objectives if they are outlined in your resume. While you’re at it, run it through spellcheck and grammar check and maybe proofread.
Now that I have narrowed down the candidates, time to google before I call them. Hopefully, the professional people I intend to interview have also been professional about their online profiles and pictures. Wish me luck.
I have my own LED flexible camera/scope thingy that I’m sure would come in “handy” for various procedures. It was mismarked at Costco was originally $150 and I got it for $49.99. I would love to work for an psycho lady doctor. Did I mention my mommie issues?
My online presence is under an alias. What do you do if you Google someone and can’t find them? I just searched myself right now and the first page of hits was mostly a dentist in Michigan.
Actually, the google part was the only part I exaggerated a little. The only time I actually rejected somebody after googling them was a candidate who had multiple antivaccination posts. I can’t have somebody who believes vaccines cause disease calling my patients to remind them to get their flu shots. If you don’t pop up on google then I’m fine with that. Trashing past employers publically or posting drunk pictures or bragging about your drug use would not help the image of my practice.
As far as neurotic goes, I will accept that I am neurotic. However, here’s my problem. I have one job. I received 40 resumes in one 24-hour period mid-week. 30 of them have essentially identical qualifications (got their MA certificate within the past 3 years, did their 3 month internship and unable to find a MA job since and working in retail or did find a job that is too far from home or pays badly or treats them badly). I need some way to narrow these 40 resumes down to 3-4. My MA is the person who greets my patients, who calls them with results and who often types my letters. So, who am I supposed to eliminate? Personally, I’ll keep the one who submits the most professional application and takes the time to treat the application seriously by checking their spelling and sending a professional resume and cover note. It takes minimal time to set up an e-mail for work with your name. I have multiple emails; the one I use for work is not P. Sychobunny, but rather APsychobunny MD.
There’s no way I can interview 40 people and as long as their qualifications are equal and I have to narrow them down some other way, I’ll go with professionalism.
I would never, ever consider getting an email account with a “less silly” name that drewtwo99, and if an employer rejected my resume because of that, I wouldn’t want to have worked for them anyway.
I agree with your other points of being professional, not having typos, not sending emails with ridiculous subjects like “Pick me!” but googling someone is beyond the pale and I wouldn’t want to work for someone who did that either.
IMO, there’s a difference between an email of drewtwo99 and sweetcheeks69. As far as googling goes-AFAIK it’s pretty standard. Most of the applicants I interview have googled my name and checked out my online patient ratings and freely admit it.
I agree with you. Make the hiring process as rigorous as possible. Personally, I toss all resumes written in comic sans, unread… I also do a background check, multiple interviews, and psychological testing.
There is nothing wrong with being picky, they represent you, and you pay them. A bad hire is expensive and a major pain in the ass.
As to googling, of course you should, just like any prospective employee should Google you. A convenient preliminary way to see if it will be a good fit.
Of course. With LinkedIn you can even see that you looked each other up, it’s standard. I can’t imagine going into a job interview with someone who hasn’t googled me, or I them.
The other stuff seems pretty obvious too. Who wants to hire a nitwit? Pretty much the same criteria I used to use.
Virtually every point in the OP are ones I caution my students about. Use a professional email account, how to write a professional email, make sure your resume looks good (don’t tell me you’re well organized and have good communication skills- show me in your resume), monitor your online presence etc.
I want to hold the OP up on the first day of class this fall and say “see, told you!”!
It’s amazing how many people don’t get any of that. And it’s not even that people don’t get any of that, it’s that they think that you’re judging them personally if you reject their application on the basis of professionalism. A friend of mine who runs a stockbroker office once had a job open that was similar to the OP’s. He advertised it, got about 50 applications, and once he’d hired someone, e-mailed each applicant to explain exactly why they weren’t chosen for an interview. He’s got a very gentle temperament and wasn’t nasty when he sent them; he thought he was doing these people a service. Out of about 40 such e-mails that he sent, he got back about 25 that said, “How dare you judge me! You can’t tell how well I can do the job from my resume!” Uh, of course he can. That’s why you send a resume, genius! That was the last time he ever did anything like that.
