Ms the word: Just give me the truth
Honesty is the best policy - on a CV and in the pharma business.
By on Aug 16, 2010Honesty is the best policy - on a CV and in the pharma business.
In a previous role, dates and names changed to protect the innocent, I was recruiting a large number of people during a growth spurt in the company.
So I got to read a whole load of CVs. Luckily, there is no standard way to write a CV, so there was plenty of variety.
Three things stick in my mind. I look at outside interests, I look at how long they have been doing a job, and I look at what they think they have achieved.
One time, I recruited only people who played a musical instrument; one time I recruited fliers. Perhaps one day I can explain that there was logic.
Anyway, this last time, I looked at what people said they have done. And some of the claims were toe-curlingly bad.
I happen to know the team that did the marketing for Tagamet, and the team that did Zantac, and the team that did Advair, and the team that did Avandia.
So we began the discussion with a rather awkward problem: My starting point was below the hopeful, bright-eyed, bushy-tailed optimist standing in front of me.
The number of truly jaw-droppingly wonderful candidates for a position is very small.
I really want to hear and understand the rationale for the Brownian motion of their career moves.
We never deliberately do the wrong thing. Sometimes, our judgment was flawed, but anyone who says their judgment is always right is one of those jaw-droppingly wonderful candidates, or rather sparing with the truth.
What I want to hear is a bit of honesty.
We have all made errors. No one is perfect.
So let your hair down, and lets see what you are really made of.
The discussion is going to be much better with some honesty up front.
And your sins will find you out.
Once you have a job, your initial honesty, and your dignity, will help you do a better job, one we can both be proud of.
Who knows, in our own small way, we might start to transform the business.