RECRUITING. Is there resume snobbery in hiring circles?

Last week Anaggh Desai, Founder, AD Consults, a firm that helps build organisations, tweeted: “A candidate for a senior position (VP) claimed studied at IIMB & IIML. HR thought what a coup. Candidate turned up for the interview. Had done weekend course at both.”

At once a host of people responded saying they had done weekend courses at IIMs and these were quite rigorous. However, Desai’s tweet raises a question: Is there resume snobbery among hirers? Are weekend courses, however pedigreed the college, given less weightage by recruiters?

Talking to HR professionals it does seem to be the case. K Sudarshan, Regional Managing Partner – Asia, EMA Partners says, “In general, there is less weightage given to degrees obtained through distance education or through various executive MBA programmes. The general perception is that these courses are ‘easy to get in’ and hence not valued.”

D Prasanth Nair, Managing Partner of InHelm Leadership Solutions, says, “While part-time courses at IIMs do bring learning with a lot of focus on content and also help with perspective building, the ‘resume value’ is still not at par as compared to a full-time course at the IIMs.”

This is partly because “the input filter that a CAT and interview brings in is not there. Also because the “environmental learning” that one picks up in a full-time course is naturally absent,” he says.

Shirin Salis, Vice-President (Human Resources), Ingersoll Rand India, however begs to differ. “The inherent snobbery associated with a ‘full-time MBA’ is a relic of the past generation where a degree mattered more than the experience. In today’s experiential economy, experiences and capabilities are much sought after by mature/evolved brands.”

Full-time scores more

Ask the man who started the debate about resume snobbery, and Desai affirms it exists. “HR shortlists candidates based on that only,” he says. “A full-time MBA is always taken seriously globally due to the commitment, involvement, and effort put in, whilst a weekend (15 months) course comes second.”

What, however, gets Desai’s goat is “the new fad of attending a learning course of three days at the IIMs and such and then touting that as the best thing since sliced bread”. Attending a two-week programme at Harvard/Stanford is not equal to an MBA, he says. “That is for upskill, networking, and the money is usually paid by the company,” he points out.

Salis, though, argues that “skill development is an ongoing process for all individuals and weekend/short-term courses go a long way in providing the required focused knowledge pool essential in today’s fast-paced job market.”

EMA Partners’ Sudarshan is not ready to write off these courses. “An executive MBA or any continuing education programme is critical if it helps upward mobility in one’s current organisation and if these are sponsored by it,” he says.

Degrees of discomfort

He acknowledges that candidates often tend to display these weekend courses prominently in their profiles. “It is misleading and may put off people,” he says.

Desai says it is rampant among candidates to hide the full facts of their management programmes. This is fairly easy to catch during interviews. “But there have been instances where it has gone unnoticed for years,” he says, though many companies now use resume-and-reference check agencies regularly.

As a recruiter, Nair of InHelm says, at the senior level he would be less concerned whether the course is part- or full-time. “But I would have serious concerns if I were to find out the candidate has not revealed all facts relating to it, and unfortunately, I have come across such cases both at middle and senior levels.”

Do degrees matter at all? Isn’t it experience that counts? Anaggh Desai is categorical that a full-time MBA matters. “Some level of learning definitely does matter. In the current scenario, just the experience does not cut it always. Entrepreneurs/ owners are street-smart but want learned employees. And there is nothing wrong with it. In India we also have what I term as ‘default’ promotion. So after 15 years the trainee becomes a GM. Capability does not play a role.”

Sudarshan of EMA Partners says, “More often, the hiring decision is based on your ability to add value to your new organisation, and not on your degree. However, a good pedigree can open more doors.”

Ingersoll Rand’s Salis counters this with, “Any experienced hiring manager will be quick in neutralising resume snobbery to appropriately evaluate talent on ‘live experience basis’ rather than on a ‘past degree’ basis.” Perhaps the fault to some degree lies with the candidates who mistakenly play up the courses too much. As Sudarshan sums up: “Organisations value your attitude, perspective and hunger to succeed. Most candidates fail on these counts and put undue importance on their degrees or diplomas.”