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April 4, 2011 by Dianne Shaddock Leave a Comment

3 Tips to Sift Through Resumes

3 Tips to Sift Through Resumes

You’re very, very busy and have a ton of resumes to look over. Every single one of them needs to be looked at and you’re hoping to goodness the right person is in that pile.

For the newbies or untrained, reviewing a resume seems like a simple enough process. A recruiter picks up a resume, gives it a slight once over, and decides in a matter of seconds whether or not the candidate fits the current job opening. But it’s a lot more time-consuming and meticulous than that. You have to have a good, quick eye and know what you’re looking for.

It’s terrible, but true. Recruiters look for ways to rule candidates out (legally, of course). Because they receive hundreds of resumes a day, it’s just a given that 95 percent of them are not going to be a fit.

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When you do initial resume reviews, there are certain things you should focus on in each section.

Let’s take a look at a few things you should be looking for (and not looking for) when scanning a resume. Of course, what you look for in a resume might be different from what other recruiters look for, depending on your industry. That’s why you have to be sure you know the position you’re looking to fill very well.

Here is some of the basic information you should glance at:

Proper Education and/or Certifications

This one should be the first thing you look at–especially if the position requires special training or certifications. Any candidates who don’t have these need to be discarded right off the bat.

Right Type & Amount of Work Experience

If the candidate doesn’t have the right amount or type of experience, the position may not be the right one for them. A lot of job seekers are applying to as many jobs as they can, and if you’re not accurate with your job description, you will get applicants with less experience than you need.

Software Efficiency

In this modern, technology-driven world, there are so many jobs that require some, if not all, work be done on a computer using X type of programs, software, or social media. It technically shouldn’t be a deal-breaker if they don’t have extensive knowledge in all software, but candidates should be familiar with them and ready to learn.

In addition, recruiters will consider the resume presentation as an indication of the candidate’s writing skills and professionalism. If it looks like a big block of text, don’t read it. Look for bold words and bullet points. The visual appearance of a resume–whether you get it online or on paper–makes a difference and impression.

What things do you look for when you first scan a resume?

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Dianne Shaddock

President and Founder at Easy Small Business HR
Get more tips on interviewing, hiring, managing and engaging your employees. Dianne Shaddock is the President of Easy Small Business HR, Employee Hiring and Managing Tips and the author of the eGuides, "How To Supervise:  What Your Boss Never Told You Before You Took the Job", A Step-By-Step Guide For New and Seasoned Managers and "How To Find and Hire the Best Employees".
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Filed Under: Recruitment/Interviewing/Hiring Tagged With: How to review resumes, resume review

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