WE PLACE PEOPLE MONTHLY INSIGHTS

Topic: How to Streamline the Resume Review Process in Identifying GREAT Talent

In today’s competitive workforce, it’s imperative that you hire GREAT talent and don’t just settle for a body. As the saying goes, sometimes no body is better than just a body.” When sorting through resumes here a few quick tips we have found at We Place People to be able to help weed out the wrong candidates and help you focus on those that are a closer match to what you are looking for and are a “fit” for your organization, a “fit” for the position, and a “fit” for the hiring decision maker.

Key components to evaluating a resume:

Sometimes you have to screen dozens of resumes to find those who seem most promising. Recent studies show the following:

  • 80% of all resumes are misleading, not necessarily lying
  • 29% state fraudulent degrees or lead you to believe they have graduated when they have not
  • 30% show altered employment dates
  • 40% have inflated salary claims
  • 30% have inaccurate job descriptions
  • 27% give falsified references

With these alarming statistics, what should you look for when evaluating a resume? I always say, if you look closely, the resume will tell you a story.

1)Look for relevancy. Is their career objective or intro statement relevant to the job you are looking to fill? If you are looking for a Marketing Manager and their objective is to do Bookkeeping they probably are not a fit and no need to read further. Are their previous jobs and/or titles in line with this position? If they are looking for a Director level position and you are hiring for a Manager chances are they will be restless and quit as soon as a higher-level position can be found.

2)Positive strengths in the resume to look for include highlights from their cover letter that are in line with what the job requires and what you are looking for in your next great hire. Is the resume well organized and have a professional appearance? Look for spelling and grammatical errors as these are signs of how much detail they will put into your position once hired. Does their resume show relevant skills to what you are requiring in your job description? Look for measurable accomplishments by searching for quantifiable data i.e. increased customer base by 14% over 3 months, rather than helped the business grow. Do you see a person that will take imitative? Look for someone whose resume shouts “I am not an average worker but someone who looks for ways to do my best in making the company better.” Does the resume indicate a path of professional development including additional courses, training or volunteer work? Does the resume show evidence of upward progression within their career? Always remember you want to hire GREAT talent that can enhance your business not just fill an opening. People are a company’s greatest asset and become a reflection of the company.

3)Look for potential red flags when reviewing the resume such as typos, grammatical errors, a disorganized presentation or lack of attention to detail. Again, does the resume have a relevant statement, summary or job objective on top. Weed out those whose objective is to do something unrelated to your position. Do key words or listed skills or competencies listed in the resume match the position they are applying for? Look for employment gaps and avoid frequent job hoppers or you may find yourself reviewing resumes again quicker than you anticipated. Also look for consistency between the resume they provided along with a completed job application or information presented on LinkedIn. Look for evidence of decreasing responsibility. Is there a reason they went from being a Vice President to a Manager?

4)Last but not least, once you decide to interview someone, make sure you validate the information listed on their resume. ADP reports 49% of their reference/background checks show a “data inconsistency” in education or employment credentials.

Hopefully these tips will help you streamline your resume reviewing process while enabling you to find your next GREAT hire.

Jenn Wilson

Sr Client Account Manager, We Place People

BGLCC Platinum member