How can you screen resumes for candidates with experience in diverse marketing and branding strategies?

1 Define your criteria

Before you start reviewing resumes, it's important to have a clear idea of what qualifications, skills, and competencies you are looking for in a candidate. These should be relevant to the role and your organization. For example, experience in developing and executing marketing and branding strategies for different products, services, or causes, knowledge of various marketing channels, tools, and techniques such as social media, email, SEO, content, video etc., the ability to adapt to changing market trends and customer preferences, creativity and innovation in designing and delivering engaging and impactful marketing messages and visuals, communication and collaboration skills to work with internal and external stakeholders, as well as cultural awareness and sensitivity to understand and reach diverse and inclusive audiences.

2 Use keywords and filters

Once you have defined your criteria, you can use keywords and filters to narrow down your pool of candidates. Keywords are specific words or phrases that indicate a candidate's experience, skills, or knowledge in a certain area. Filters are criteria that help you eliminate candidates who do not meet your minimum requirements, such as education, location, or availability. For example, you can use keywords such as "diverse marketing", "branding strategy", "social media marketing", or "content creation" to find candidates who have relevant experience. You can also use filters such as "bachelor's degree in marketing", "5+ years of experience", or "fluent in Spanish" to exclude candidates who do not qualify.

3 Review the summary and achievements

After you have applied keywords and filters, you can review the summary and achievements sections of the resumes. The summary section is a brief introduction of the candidate's profile, providing an overview of their main skills, strengths, and value proposition. Additionally, the achievements section is a list of accomplishments, results, or awards that demonstrate their impact and performance. These sections can help you evaluate the candidate's fit for the role and your organization. For instance, you can analyze how well the candidate summarizes their experience, skills, and goals in a concise and compelling way; how they showcase their diverse marketing and branding experience with specific examples, metrics, or testimonials; how they align their achievements with your organization's mission, vision, and values; and how they demonstrate their creativity, innovation, and adaptability in their marketing and branding projects.

4 Scan the work history and education

In order to scan the work history and education sections of resumes, you should look for aspects that verify the candidate's experience, skills, and knowledge in diverse marketing and branding. This includes assessing the relevance, diversity, and quality of their work experience, as well as the scope, complexity, and outcomes of their projects. Additionally, you should consider the consistency, progression, and gaps in their career trajectory, as well as the level, relevance, and currency of their education. By doing so, you can determine the types, sizes, sectors of organizations they have worked for; the channels, tools, and techniques they have used; and the fields, institutions, and dates of their studies.

5 Compare and rank candidates

The final step is to compare and rank candidates based on your criteria, keywords, filters, and resume sections. To do this objectively and consistently, you can use a scoring system, a rating scale, or a checklist. Additionally, you can use a spreadsheet, software, or tool to organize and track your candidates. This step can help you find the most experienced and skilled candidates in diverse marketing and branding areas. For example, you can assign points or scores to each criterion, keyword, filter, or resume section; use a rating scale from 1 to 5 or poor to excellent; or use a checklist to mark whether each criterion is met or not met by each candidate. Ultimately, this will help you identify the top candidates.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?