As an HR professional, I’ve reviewed thousands of résumés. Some have been truly terrible. A rare few? Brilliant. But the overwhelming majority? Utterly forgettable.

Most read like a carbon copy of the last one: “Motivated, results-driven team player with attention to detail.” Then comes a list of job duties or projects the candidate claims to have completed- none of which HR typically verifies. Let’s be honest: who has the time to confirm every bullet point on every résumé?

We’ve known for nearly two decades that this system doesn’t work. A 2005 study by Leadership IQ revealed that 46% of new hires fail within 18 months, and only 11% fail due to lack of technical skill.¹ And yet, here we are in 2025, still clinging to the same broken recruitment model. We ask candidates for a checklist of education, duties, and achievements-but we’re only seeing one half of the picture. Résumés don’t tell us anything about a person’s coachability, adaptability, emotional intelligence, or cultural fit. Worse still, A 2023 ResumeLab study found 70% of people admitted to lying on their résumé at least once.²

And it gets worse with AI in the mix. We’ve built hiring systems that filter candidates based on keywords-so job seekers build résumés packed with those same keywords just to survive the ATS. We’re stuck in an arms race of algorithmic manipulation, rather than asking the most important question: Is this system helping us hire the right people?

Spoiler: it’s not.

So… What’s the Alternative?

Let’s start with the basics. Identify the non-negotiables: legal requirements, certifications, background checks- whatever is essential.

After that, ditch the checklist of prior duties and irrelevant education. Instead, build a hiring process that focuses on the qualities and mindset your team actually needs.

Ask yourself:
 – Do I need someone with “2-4 years of experience” or someone who can creatively solve the actual problems we face-even if they’ve only been working a year?
 – Do I need someone with a “thorough understanding of various recruitment models” or someone curious and innovative enough to build one that works better?

Ask Questions

Skip the resume. Instead, ask thoughtfully crafted questions that reflect your organization’s values and the true demands of the role. These questions shouldn’t have ‘right’ answers—just revealing ones. Responses should offer insight into who the candidate is and how they might contribute to your team.

Here’s one:
 “What are two personal values you hold, and how would they influence your work here?”

This question gives insight into how candidates see themselves and what principles drive them. A sales team might seek boldness and ambition; a healthcare team might value empathy and integrity. One answer isn’t better than the other—it’s about finding the right fit for your team.

Another example- present a real past challenge your company faced. Ask the candidate to walk you through how they’d approach it, and how their previous experience would guide their decisions (successes or failures). Their response reveals problem-solving skills, priorities, and alignment with your team’s working style.

Some employers worry that candidates will turn to ChatGPT for help answering these questions. But even that’s telling. Are their responses bland and generic, or thoughtful and tailored? Did they reflect, personalize, and demonstrate real engagement—or just copy-paste?

Retire the Résumé

Résumés have honorably served their time. But their usefulness is at an end.

It’s time to evolve.

A 2024 study from Intelligent.com found that 75% of employers who hired recent graduates were dissatisfied with some or all of them.³ In an era where ChatGPT can generate a résumé filled with all the right buzzwords in seconds, it’s no longer enough to rely on what “looks good on paper.” We need to dig to find “what looks right for our team.”

Hiring teams must raise the bar—shifting from a system that rewards polish and padding to one that uncovers people—their values, thinking, and potential to thrive on your team.

Let résumés retire with dignity. The future of hiring belongs to those willing to rethink, reimagine, and rebuild.

¹Murphy, M. A. (2017). Hiring for attitude: a revolutionary approach to recruiting and selecting people with both tremendous skills and superb attitude. [2nd edition] New York, McGraw-Hill Education.   

²Robinson, B. (2023, November 5). 70% Of Workers Lie On Resumes, New Study Shows.  Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2023/11/05/70-of-workers-lie-on-resumes-new-study-shows/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

³Intelligent.com. (2014, September 13). 1 in 6 Companies Are Hesitant To Hire Recent College Graduates. Intelligent.com. https://www.intelligent.com/1-in-6-companies-are-hesitant-to-hire-recent-college-graduates/

Heather Corbett, CPHR, SHRM-SCP is an HR Coordinator, working for a private college in Vancouver. Her passions within the field of HR are employee training & development, recruitment, and employee management. If you would like to connect, please message her on LinkedIn.

Photo courtesy of Vecteezy.