Resume Extravaganza

This is fairly simple activity that nevertheless productively puts students in the role of a cynical and rushed human resources employee. I suggest introducing this activity with this reading. The exercise is intended to drive home the importance of design as the access point (and first impression) for resume readers.

Students should bring enough copies of their resume for everyone in class. Once students have each other's resumes (I'll leave the logistics of this exchange to you), give them enough time to spend 20 seconds on each resume (roughly five minutes). Be a stickler about the time limit - it is a vital component of the exercise!

Ask them to rank the top five and to send you their rankings in an email. While they are spending time reviewing each others resumes in a traditional peer review session, total up the scores for each student's resume (5 points for a 1st place vote, 4 points for a 2 place vote, etc). Near the end of the class reveal the rankings and discuss their implications for the importance of design. Discuss, as well, the need to establish ethos through design in a relatively short time span (I have been told by some HR people that they spend less than 10 seconds scanning a resume; one even told me she took about 4 seconds!).

If you have any questions email me at nrivers@purdue.edu.