The life of human resource professionals can be pretty stressful. There are the obvious challenges of recruiting, interviewing, hiring, and benefits administration, as well as the occasional challenges of workplace harassment, etc. Add in a difficult economy for workers, and you have an edgy HR department. The work load can be so overwhelming that HR professionals often feel they try to stuff 10 pounds of work into a five-pound bag. As the saying goes: “overworked and underpaid.” But there also is a lot of fun within the industry. There has to be—humans are involved.
One Web site that promotes this aspect is www.resumania.com. “Resumania” is a term to describe errors and gaffes made by job seekers on resumes, applications, and cover letters. Although the bloopers are a lot of fun, Resumania claims the purpose of the Web site is to emphasize the importance of professionalism in resume preparation. As they correctly point out, just one typo may knock a candidate out of the running for a job. Below are a few examples from the Web site. Enjoy.
Cover letter resumanias:
- “Thank you for your consideration. Hope to hear from you shorty.”
- “Must be home in time to watch ‘Melrose Place.’”
- “Please don’t regard my 14 positions as job-hopping. I never once quit a job.”
- “Enclosed please find two resumes. One is not updated yet, and the other includes more recent information. Please pick the one you like best.”
Miscellaneous resumanias:
- “Never been fired, although it could happen anytime now.”
- Reason for leaving: “They stopped paying me.”
- Objective: “To work very hardly.”
- Reason for leaving: “They insisted that everyone be at work no later than 8:30 a.m. Couldn’t work under those conditions.”
Personal resumanias:
- “Married, eight children. Prefer frequent travel.”
- “It takes me a while to learn some things but eventually I catch on.”
- “I believe in what studies have shown—that nap times each day increase employee productivity. I wish to work for a company that provides for this.”
Qualifications resumanias:
- “Here are my qualifications for you to overlook.”
- “I also acted as a supervisor when he was not around.”
- “I used to be a drill instructor and enjoyed telling people what to do.”
References resumanias:
- “Have excellent work references from ALL employers though dismissed from last two jobs because of independence and liberalism.”
- “None. I’ve left a path of destruction behind me.”
- “Bill, Tom, Eric.”
Skills resumanias:
- “Received a plague for Salesman of the Year.”
- “Excellent memory; strong math aptitude; excellent memory.” IBI
