The Most Important Things to Look for When Scanning a Resume

How many resumes have you looked at today? For most hiring managers, that number is likely pretty high, and over time even essential things can get overlooked. When scanning a resume, you should be able to understand what a candidate could offer quickly, but this one little document can provide plenty of other insights beyond education and experience.

Hidden Signs to Look for When Scanning a Resume

Resumes provide an insight into how a person thinks and can reveal aspects of their work ethic. If the resume looks professional and detailed, it is safe to assume that their work ethic will reflect that as well. Things like spelling errors and typos are apparent flags. Still, things pertaining to continuity, like consistent margins, fonts, formatting, and even gaps in work history, can also indicate how a candidate may perform in a job.

How a resume reads is also critical, so you should pay attention to how a candidate describes their work. Are they highlighting their achievements or merely inflating their job responsibilities? Another detail that can reflect well on potential candidates is how their career has grown, so check for a logical progression in job responsibilities and how previous positions are feeding into their most recent positions. This can indicate an ability to learn and incorporate their past experiences in their current or future responsibilities.

Answering Big Questions in Looking for Candidates

When scanning a resume, ensuring a candidate fits your job description is also critical. Especially with job recruitment sites, depending on where you’ve posted your job opening, you may notice a high volume of applicants. Still, only a handful have actually tailored their resume and cover letter for your position. If you stop and take note of applicants going the extra mile to speak directly to the job’s requirements and skills, you can be more confident you’re pulling a serious and appropriate candidate in for an interview.

Learn More HR Secrets from Kimberly Prescott Speaks

As the owner of Prescott HR and a recognized business and management consulting expert, Kimberly Prescott is passionate about unintimidated HR. If you are interested in inspiring your team and transforming your HR department into a thriving, integral part of your workplace, then reach out to Kimberly Prescott for your next webinar or conference at (443) 351-8818.