Overview

Job specifications or criteria are the central issue in screening r sum s; i.e., comparing the requirements for the job with the skills of the potential candidate as described in the r sum or curriculum vitae (CV). This matching process becomes more complex when looking at the r sum s of culturally different candidates. This chapter describes how r sum s of recent immigrants may look different from those of mainstream North Americans. It will provide background to the differences and strategies needed to avoid eliminating great potential candidates because of unconventional r sum s.

The recruitment and selection process brings together people who normally do not know one another. Throughout the process, candidates try to demonstrate to recruiters, through their behavior and words, that they have the skills and attributes required to perform well in the position for which they have applied. The recruiters try to evaluate which candidate is best suited for the position based on these behaviors and words. When candidates and recruiters come from different cultural backgrounds, they use different grids of interpretation, which can result in misunderstandings and lead to the rejection of candidates for reasons that are unrelated to their ability to do the job.

For example, the cover letters of Muslim candidates may contain statements like I pray to God that you will consider my application. In Arabic, this statement makes complete sense, since, in Islam, only God controls the future, any statement that relates to something that will take place in the future is subordinated to God s will (which is...