Top 6 Things to Look For When Reviewing Resumes

A resume, or curriculum vitae (CV), is the most common type of document that job seekers will send to an employer when applying for a job vacancy. A review of the resume is typically the first step a hiring manager takes in the interviewing and hiring process. When reviewing a resume, focus on identifying information that will attempt to answer these questions and commonly made observations: 

• What geographic location does the person appear to be in?

Tip: Sometimes job seekers will list an address that appears to be far away from the location of the job. Be careful not to automatically rule out the applicant, because the applicant may have recently relocated to an area nearby, or the applicant may have used an alternate address for an unspecified reason.

• What type of position is the person seeking?

Tip: By reviewing the applicant's current job and prior jobs, you can get a general idea of the type of job the applicant is looking for. Often times the resume will contain a summary or objective statement at the top describing the type of job the applicant is pursuing. Be careful not to completely rule the applicant out of consideration based solely upon this information.

• Which industries has the person worked in?

Tip: While some positions require specific industry experience in order to be effective, experience in specific industries may not always be necessary. Reason being, the core skills required of the job are often transferable across industries. For example, customer service, communication, problem solving, and analytical thinking are common skills that can be applied regardless of industry.

• What scope of duties and responsibilities is the person currently performing and has performed in prior jobs?

Tip: Beware of job titles, as they are not always reliable indicators of what the person's actual job duties and scope of responsibilities are. Instead, referring to the job duties listed on the resume may serve as a more reliable indicator of the job scope and responsibilities.

• What is the candidate’s educational background?

Tip: Keep in mind that a degree in a completely different field does not always mean the person is not qualified; however, in specialized and very technical roles, the candidate’s degree is generally very important.

• How long does the candidate stay at each employer?

Tip: Job stability is important, because as managers we want the person we hire to remain with the company for a relatively long period of time. Sometimes a track record showing too many jobs during too short of a time period may be a red flag. However, finding out the reason for the applicant's job departures may reveal information that may be reasonable and justifiable. 

Kandor Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 2020