When my boss, my department’s executive director, told me that he wanted me to take the lead on going through resumes and determining who we would interview for a director position we have open, I wasn’t thrilled. I know nothing about the work the director oversees, I’ve never hired anyone, and this is for a position at a higher level that I am. (I’m a manager.) I didn’t think I was really qualified to do this. But he’s really busy and doesn’t have the time, so my job it was.

We’re now in the phone interview stage of a nationwide recruiting effort, and I am thrilled to be a part of this. I have learned so much- some of which is useful in my actual job supportingHRand recruitment in our department, but also a lot that will be useful to me the next time I’m job hunting.

That’s right, forget being better at my job, this experience will help me get a better job in a year or two when I decide to make the switch, even though this job isn’t anything I would ever apply for. I just don’t have the skill set.

So how has reviewing resumes and pre-screening documents for a position that is nothing like I will ever be doing helped me? It’s reinforced the basics.

I have a good friend who I go to for career advice. Even though she works in an entirely different industry (I’m in health care, she’s in video games), her advice is solid because some things just apply across the board. And that’s what’s happening here.

For example, I intend to join APICS, the Association for Operations Management and to get one or both of their professional certifications. The position we’re hiring for requires to professional certifications. We have had people who don’t have either, only have one, or are still waiting for the test results from one to apply. In some cases, we have moved forward with people who don’t have both the required certifications because of other factors, but for the most part, if they didn’t have both certs, they got moved to the bottom of the pile.

What that means for me? I need to join APICS and take the tests a year or so before I start looking for positions. That way, when I go to apply, I will be able to put those certification letters after my name to keep me at the top of the list.

By reading the pre-screening interviews from ourHRdepartment, I’m learning what I look for in someone at a director level (which is the level I’ll be aiming for on my next job hunt). I know what type of experiences I want to focus on, and am learning the best way to present myself. I tend to stay in positions 3-5 years, which can seem like a lot of job changes. I’ll know to highlight the fact that I’ve been with the same organization for much longer and that I’ve received promotions and worked specifically toward a higher level position (by getting my MBA). I know not to give “excuses” as to why something didn’t work, and to focus on the effect I made on the job, not the effect the job had on me.

It took me two years after getting my MBA to get the position I have now. Part of that was the job market (I graduated in May 2008), and part of that was choice. I didn’t need to leave the position I was in and was able to hold out for the right new opportunity. During those 2 years, I learned a lot about being a job candidate. Per someone I interviewed with once early in the process and then again over a year later, my interview skills improved greatly during that time. I gained confidence in the way I presented myself and became more comfortable promoting myself. Those are great skills to have, but everything I learned, I learned from the perspective of a candidate.

Now I’m learning the process all over again from the perspective of a hiring manager. Knowing the ins and outs of both sides of the process can’t help but give me an advantage the next time I’m back on the other side of the table. And honestly, I’m kind of looking forward to it.