What are things you've been asked for in an application package but you're sure are not used in a hiring decision?
For hiring manager and those with hiring experience: What do you rarely or never use? What do you always ask for and use?
I've never seen much value nor accuracy come from more than two to three interviews. One key interview with a hiring manager or selection panel who know how to evaluate candidates and how to turn meaningful questions into a revealing conversation is often sufficient.
I'm mid-ish into my career and I've hired or done interviews or been on selection panels for a LOT of hires.
Here are the things that are often asked for yet I've never seen anyone look at nor ask to see, let alone use for a hiring decision. (I'm not saying they are never used, just that I've never used them nor seen them used. Likely HR screeners and recruiters use some of them for preliminaries.):
• School Transcripts &/or Grades
• Performance reviews or evaluations (not even when hiring or promoting within an organization)
• Driving or criminal history or record
• Certifications or credentials (may be required and verified during credentialing or prescreening)
• License(s) (may be required and verified during credentialing or prescreening)
• Diplomas (some do get used during credentialing or pre-screening)
• Your cover letter
• Your Permanent Record 😉
Many good hiring managers and interviewers also do look over resumes and application forms, but often don't use them heavily to evaluate you. Others rely heavily in these documents. Infer what you will about an organization and a hiring manager from the way they uses these, especially if they insist on and rely heavily on the organizations standard or required application form(s).
Some also rely heavily on references and what others who've worked with you, for whom you've worked or who have worked for you have to say about you. Some hardly care about references at all and may leave that to HR or credentialing as part of past employment verification.
While it depends somewhat on the position, many hiring managers don't care a fiddler's fart about education or certifications and some hardly care about experience. What all of them do care about and want to know:
• Can you do the job they way they need you to do it?
• Can you learn?
• Do they like you enough to work with you?
• Can you work with them and their team?
Once you secure the interview, focus on those last four and they go far toward getting you the job. I read somewhere that once basic abilities and qualifications are verified most haring managers just need to know (and so do you!), “Do we like each other and can we work together.”