The whole job application process needs a redesign
I am a User Experience Designer so I can’t help myself but to question antiquated systems. From the job seeker to the people on the hiring side, this process is a UX disaster.
let’s start from the job seeker’s perspective
Right now job seekers have not been blessed with a booming economy we’ve seen in prior years. The competition is higher and the remote landscape allowed companies to expand their talent pool.
After seeing one job posting had over 1,700 applicants, I thought to myself, “how will I be able to stand out in that giant crowd?”
I have one shot at a first impression and that’s solely through my resume and cover letter. My portfolio won’t even get a quick glance over if those two things don’t grab attention first.
Let’s think about it. Google “cover letters” and you’ll get the same basic formula over and over again. If I had to guess, probably 99% of applicants will follow this structure because it’s what we are told to do. But where is the personality?!
I tried to put my personality into the design of my resume but guess what? All of the platforms that you upload your resume to cannot read anything except plain text. So I either need to make a plain resume (goodbye personality again) or re-enter all of my information. Talk about tedious.
So how effective are resumes and cover letters especially when you’re in the design field? The stripped down resumes and basic cover letters cannot convey your actual design skills!
now from the hiring manager’s perspective
Alright, here’s a challenge for you. Put yourself in the shoes of someone who just received hundred of applications for a design position. You have to quickly review resumes and cover letters and past along the “top candidates” to be reviewed to the Director of Design. Take a look at the cover letter below. Can you quickly scan it to see if this is the right candidate for the job?
If you said yes, well then kudos to you. But what I see is a block of text following a basic format and nothing immediately stands out. To understand if this candidate would be a fit in your company, you will actually have to take the time to read this. Now imagine spending days doing this to get through all the applicants.
And even once you do read through it, if everyone is following the same format of their background, what they love about your company and how they’ll be a great team member, are you actually learning anything about the candidate? Point being:
Cover letters are impersonal and not scannable.
I’ve also taken time to talk to professionals who are a part of the hiring process. And when asked what skills they look for in a candidate, it was overwhelmingly more about soft skills than any hard skills.
So while resumes and cover letters focus on experience and hard skills yet most people choose candidates based on soft skills, how much sense does this whole process make?
I’ve recently took on a new approach to job applications. It’s a risk that I’m waiting to see the results from before I share my process. But in the meantime, do you have any ideas on how to make this process better for both parties? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
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