Five things to look for in a resume

Date:
Tue, 16 Nov 2021 11:30:38 +0000

Description:
If youre on the hunt for new staff then youve got to examine resumes closely here are the key aspects that deserve your attention.

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If youre a recruiter or if you work in an HR department, then youll be familiar with just how busy the job can get and just how many resumes youll receive for open positions.

While its undoubtedly great to have a big pool of talent to choose from, sifting through all of those resumes and applications can be daunting, especially if youre busy or you have to tackle the task on your own.

Happily, there are plenty of areas where you can quickly examine a resume and see if the person should be on your shortlist or if you should discard the document. And, if youre happy to spend a little more time with each resume, you can spot loads more information that will show whether a candidate will
be a good fit for your company.

Its a lot to take in, especially if youve got to deal with loads of resumes
or if you dont have loads of recruitment experience. Thats why weve rounded
up the five key areas where you need to pay particular attention.

Weve got plenty of other articles that are worth your attention if you need new staff, too: here are 2021s best recruitment platforms , and head here to discover our top 10 tips for finding the best employees . And, finally,
theres our verdict on 2021s best US job sites . Work experience

Understandably, this is the big one youve got to pay plenty of attention to the employment experience of anyone who applies for your open positions. And with long careers and loads of information to digest, this is one area where youve got to really concentrate.

Take a close look at a candidates career, and you can learn plenty about
their prospects. A persons previous work experience can indicate if theyre going to have the skills and abilities to tackle your position or if there
are areas where they wont be able to match up.

You can gain insights by looking beyond their earlier duties and responsibilities, too. If you can see obvious signs of increasing responsibility and career progression then thats a good sign that someone is hard-working and effective, but if you see diminishing responsibility or an obvious career plateau then thats a potential red flag.

You can find out loads if you read between the lines. Depending on the industry, if a person frequently changes jobs, then that could be an
indicator of personality issues or it might just mean that theyve taken on contract work. It could be more pertinent to see if there are suspiciously large gaps between peoples jobs.

If someone stays at their previous jobs for a long period then its an indicator that they were happy and progressed at their previous job, which bodes well for your business. Also, be on the look out for concrete data
about someones earlier employment measurable successes are more indicative than buzzwords.

There are some final things to bear in mind when you examine someones experience. Remember that people working in a different industry is not necessarily a problem they can still have loads of transferrable skills. Similarly, its worth considering people who have only held junior roles in
the past, because the right person can always grow and develop in your business. (Image credit: Mudassar Iqbal / Pixabay) Education

Education is vital in all occupations, and its one of the most important aspects of a resume. If someone has the right education for your role, then you can be confident that theyll have the abilities required for your
vacancy. Its even more important if someone has just left education and
doesnt have any work experience.

The education section on a resume can show off an applicants skills, interests, and abilities, and it can also show if theyve got an education at the level you need for your role. Bear in mind that their education doesnt necessarily need to match the industry youre hiring in, either a good education can supply the skills and knowledge needed even if its in a different subject.

If youre open to hiring people who have just left university, it can be
useful to see if theyve included any relevant coursework on their resume
this can function like work experience if thats absent.

Also bear in mind that loads of candidates will have professional certifications that they have obtained over their working life. These will be crucial for many jobs, so pay attention if you require these for your
vacancy. Skills and knowledge

Any new hire must have at least some of the skills and abilities needed to perform the job, so youve got to examine an entire resume to find out if an applicant has what it takes.

Many candidates will include a dedicated section on their resume that
outlines their professional, relevant skills, so youll be able to see
straight away how many boxes that each applicant ticks. Thats incredibly helpful if you need to quickly decide who should progress to the next stage
of your recruitment process you can see what each candidate has and what theyre missing.

Its not just about those measurable skills, though. If you read through a persons previous work experience, then youll often easily see what knowledge and abilities theyve developed and demonstrated in previous roles. Casting your eye over a persons hobbies and interests can illustrate more skills especially interpersonal ones that could help someone integrate into your business. Personality and attitudes

This is one area that can be hard to read from a resume, but any good recruiter can still draw some conclusions here. And its important, because
any candidate who can fit into your business and get on well with your staff is going to do a better job and thats a victory for everyone involved.

There are some areas where you can make determinations about someones personality and values. Many candidates will include a short personal statement on their resume, and plenty more will have lists of peoples hobbies and interests.

Ultimately, you wont be able to tell everything about a candidates
personality from their resume, but you can usually get enough information to help you decide if theyre worth an interview. (Image credit: Shutterstock / SFIO CRACHO) Accuracy, spelling and grammar

If you find a resume thats riddled with spelling errors, grammatical inconsistencies, and an ugly layout then you can dismiss it straight away
you want someone with good attention to detail, and candidates with error-strewn resumes clearly dont fit that brief.

Beyond spelling and grammar, there are plenty of aspects where a resumes design and layout can reveal plenty about the candidate.

If theyve used concise, organized, and straightforward language on their resume then thats a good sign it shows better communication skills than a resume thats filled with jargon and empty buzzwords. Also look out for good contextual information and relevant words and phrases for your industry, because it shows that the candidate has paid attention to the job description youve advertised. If theyve tailored their resume to the job, it means theyre serious and have good attention to detail.

The resumes layout should be clear and consistent, it should ideally use a modern font, and it should be easy to read. It shouldnt be too long, either, and they should have followed the directions you provided when you listed the job.

Elsewhere, be aware if people have not listed who you should contact for a reference: its a potential red flag if they dont want you to speak to some of their previous employers.

A good resume should have clear contact details and, if its electronic, its handy if theyve included links to their relevant professional and social profiles. This doesnt just show good attention to detail it means you can make sure that their resume matches up with thats listed online.

Looking to improve your own resume? Check out our roundup of the best resume builders



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