Evaluating Resumes
 
With more applicants than ever before having their resumes professionally prepared, the resume is rapidly losing its value as an evaluating tool. The "best" resume may not always come from the "best" candidate; it often comes from the applicant who has had the most jobs (and thus, the most practice writing resumes) or the applicant who has hired a skilled resume writer.

Nevertheless, resumes may provide clues to narrow down a large field of applicants.


How to Use Resumes to Your Best Advantage:

  • Be wary of the functional resume. A functional resume usually has no dates, only descriptions of experience and qualifications. The applicant who writes such a resume could well be right for the job, but functional resumes are often written by applicants who have been excessive job jumpers, or else have been out of work for a considerable length of time.
     
  • Watch out for trivia. A resume that is "puffed-up" with trivia (sports interests, hobbies, etc.) may be a sign that the applicant is weak in experience and skills. It could also mean the applicant won't have enough time for the job.
     
  • Beware of qualifiers. Many resumes are filled with phrases like, "knowledge of...," "assisted with ...," "had exposure to ...” Don’t confuse these qualifying descriptions with hard hands-on experience.
     
  • Don't be misled by a lengthy education section. Applicants who lack appropriate education often beef up their background with lengthy (and often meaningless) descriptions of special courses and seminars.
     
  • Be sensitive to sour grapes. If the resume leads you to believe that the applicant is bitter about past jobs, tread with care. If anger shows through in a resume, it can easily surface on the job.
     
  • Don't excuse sloppiness. An applicant who isn't astute enough or doesn't care enough to make the resume letter-perfect is not generally a good bet to be conscientious on the job.
     
  • Don't read more into a resume than is already there. You can usually assume that what is left off a resume is a skill or quality that the person doesn't have.
     
  • Look for evidence that shows a willingness to work. This quality may not be easy to detect from a resume, but if you find it, consider the applicant very carefully. Hard workers are not easy to find.
     
  • Let a technical specialist do the technical screening. Check with a specialist in the same field as the position being staffed. They can often tell, on the basis of a resume alone, which applicants should be eliminated from consideration.

 

Resume Screening Guides

  • Create your own form. Adapt it to the position.
     
  • Assign points based on importance of the criteria.
     
  • Set a pass/fail mark.
     

What do you do if almost all resumes are acceptable?

What do you do if none of them are acceptable?