Would You Hire This Person?

Imagine you were tasked with hiring a new entry-level employee for your company. While flipping through resumes you come across one from an applicant with an unusual education history:

• One semester at a third tier college, transfer to:
  
• Two semesters at a community college, transfer to:
  
• Two semesters at a third tier public university, transfer to:
  
• One semester at a community college, transfer to:
  
• Three semesters at a third tier public university, graduate with degree in journalism
  

Five colleges all told, but the semesters are not consecutive. In fact, the nine semesters are spread out over six years. During those six years there is no relevant work experience to explain the delays. In fact, the only accomplishment of any substance during that period is third place in a beauty contest. The applicant's post-graduate work experience includes a stint at as a sports anchor at a small television station and as a sports reporter at a small community newspaper that's published three times per week.

Would you contact the applicant for a phone interview?

Would you bring in the applicant for a formal interview?

Would you offer the applicant a job?

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Now let's say you're an entry-level employee at the same company. One day you discover that your boss has gone insane and is no longer fit to run the company. In his last moment of lucidity he tells his staff that you have been tasked with choosing his successor. He hands you a set of resumes, which includes the resume of our above applicant. Suddenly she is being considered for the top position at the company.

You contact the applicant for a phone interview.

But she refuses to take your call.

You offer to bring her in for a formal interview.

But she refuses to sit down for an interview.

Would you still offer her the job?

Monday, September 29, 2008