Just recently we had a big story on the news, “Throw out your resume. There’s a new way to job search.” So, I waited through all the commercials and other stories until finally, the big career story! I mean hey, writing resumes is part of what I do, so I need to know why they’re throwing them away.
On with the news. What’s the news? Video resumes! Sheesh. This is OLD news. Plus, the one they showed during the broadcast was poorly done and had the oddest lighting. But the new twist was posting it on Jobster and YouTube. That part was very new.
After the “non-news” of video resumes, I wondered, “Hmmm, what do employers and recruiteres think about them. What about the EEOC?” And then, I received this in my ERE (recruiter themed) ezine today.
Here’s what one recruiting industry guru said about video resumes:
Don’t let the big, bad EEOC scare you
Wednesday, March 21, 2007 | by Dave Lefkow
Video resumes and video interviews are here. Yet some employers, afraid of the legal ramifications of reviewing videos of people in the hiring process, are curling up into the fetal position and taking steps to avoid them altogether. Here’s why you should do the exact opposite and fully embrace them.
I recently had a conversation with a director of recruiting at a large organization who said that he had just put a policy in place to reject all video resumes. “And why would you do that?” I asked.
“Because I don’t want the EEOC or OFCCP breathing down our necks and want to be protected if we are ever sued for discrimination,” was his response.
As I’m about to illustrate, legally protecting yourself from video resumes or interviews would require locking all of your recruiters and hiring managers in a broom closet with a copy of the Journal of Corporate Recruiting Leadership.
I also fully expect pigs to fly well before the EEOC or OFCCP can develop sensible regulations that address the unique challenges presented by these new tools. This is exactly why you should embrace them for all of the benefits they can provide to hiring managers, recruiters, and candidates.
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