I’ve been a manager of application development teams for a number of years. I’ve managed small teams and large teams. I’ve managed in start-ups as well as multi-nationals. And over the years, I’ve noticed a disturbing trend. When it comes to recruiting, hiring managers seem to be more concerned about what one has done in the past rather than what one can do in the future. I realize that the global economy has changed, and that past performance is a good indication of what one might/could do in the future… but when an exact match to a list of key words is the primary criteria used for considering candidates, many worthy candidates can be discarded. Although it may take a little more time, I still believe that there is value in skimming every resume. When I review a resume I look to see what hard skills they have (i.e. what technologies)… but I also look for demonstration of a broad skill set, broad interests, enthusiasm and creativity. I’m looking for someone that can bring an special dimension/character to the team… Someone that is not going to be more than just a ‘programmer’.