Things to Consider When Reviewing the Resume of the Applicants
Table of contents
Introduction
You've written the job description posted it online and started getting applicants. Now you need to review each one in detail. How do you know which applicants to hire? The last thing you want is to hire someone who doesn't fit your organization's culture or values, but also isn't qualified for the job. Keeping in mind these key information points will help ensure that your next hire is both right for the position and fits into your company culture.
How relevant is the resume to the job description?
When reviewing a resume, you should be using the job description to guide your evaluation of the candidate. The resume should be tailored to the position you are trying to fill, and all relevant experience should be included. This includes education that is relevant to the position, like a degree in computer science if you are hiring for a software developer position with an emphasis on creating new features for your product. It also includes any industry experience or competencies that might not have been listed in their work history but would still add value to your company. For example, someone who worked at an insurance company may have gained valuable skills in risk management or corporate compliance that could benefit another line of business within your organization if he or she were hired as well—but these things will only become apparent if they make it onto his/her resume.
Does it clearly articulate the applicant's value?
The first thing you'll want to check is whether the resume clearly articulates the applicant's value. While this may seem obvious, it's important to consider the different ways in which a candidate can demonstrate their value. The resume should be well organized, with a clear progression of positions and achievements. It should also be easy to read and understand, concise, consistent with the cover letter (more on this later), and free of mistakes or typos.
A good resume will clearly articulate how an applicant has added value to each company they've worked for through their contributions over time. It will show that they've consistently contributed towards developing key business initiatives while at each company they've worked for along with providing other valuable services such as networking or mentorship opportunities that benefit both parties involved in these relationships.
Does the resume back up what was said in the cover letter?
The second thing to consider is if the resume backs up what was said in the cover letter. If it doesn't, then the applicant has not done their homework. Your company's policies and procedures are posted online for a reason; if they are not familiar with them, or if they think they can get away with flouting them, this is not someone who should be working at your company.
On the other hand, if it does back up what was said in the cover letter (and there's no reason why it shouldn't), then you have a good indication that this person will do well at your job and also has an eye for detail—which will also help with their work as part of your team!
The third thing to consider is if the applicant has any other skills or qualifications that are relevant to your business. If they do, then this is a good indication that they will be able to work on more than one project at once and not get bored with doing the same thing over and over again.
How many mistakes are there, and how severe are they?
When reviewing the resume of the applicant, look for misspellings and grammatical errors. How many mistakes are there, and how severe are they? Does this applicant seem to be more concerned with getting their point across than taking the time to make sure each word is spelled correctly? If so, it could be a sign that they lack attention to detail or have low confidence in their own writing ability. In addition, if there are too few mistakes (particularly in areas where you would expect them), this may also indicate less than adequate attention being paid by the applicant during the process of preparing his/her resume.
How clear is their career path?
A clear resume is one that allows you to easily track your applicant’s career path and see how it relates to the position they are applying for. Here are some things to look for:
- How does this person handle change? Is he or she on an upward trajectory, or does he/she jump around between different jobs? You want employees who are willing to adapt as circumstances and challenges arise.
- Does the candidate only have experience in one field? Or does he/she have exposure across many industries and roles? This demonstrates a broad range of knowledge that can be extremely useful when adapting to new projects or situations.
- How does the candidate handle stress? You want to see how candidates react when things go wrong or deadlines are missed. Is he or she able to stay calm and problem-solve, or does he/she become easily frustrated?
Is there an objective or summary statement?
If you're reviewing resumes, it's important to know whether or not a candidate has included an objective or summary statement. You can easily find out by looking for one of these phrases in the top portion of the resume:
- "Objective"
- "Summary Statement"
If there is one listed, read it carefully. Objectives and summary statements should be short (no more than four sentences), professional-sounding, and focused on how your skills match up with what a job requires. Good objectives and summaries show that you know what kind of job you want and why it's right for you. Examples might include:
“Seeking an entry-level position in software development in order to gain experience in a fast-paced environment.” “Looking for a challenging position where my excellent communication skills can be put to good use.”.
Are they overqualified or underqualified?
If a candidate is overqualified for the position, they may find the job boring. They may be looking for more responsibility and higher pay, which can be an issue if you're looking to hire someone who is interested in staying at your company long-term. On the other hand, if you have underqualified candidates applying for your open positions, then it's likely that these candidates will leave quickly once they realize the job requires skills that are more advanced than what they possess.
You should always be looking for candidates with experience that is relevant to the position you're trying to fill
You should always be looking for candidates with experience that is relevant to the position you're trying to fill. The experience should be relevant to the position you're trying to fill, and it's important that it fits well with your job description. If you have a candidate who has done all of the things listed in your job description but hasn't done them in exactly the same way as they're written down on paper, this can actually be a good thing. The way they've done those activities might actually help them become a better fit for that position at your company—but only if their experience is also relevant in some ways!
If possible, try not just finding someone who has had roles similar enough before but also someone who has specific skills or knowledge relevant for this particular job type or location where they'll work most often (e.g., sales representative vs account manager). If someone doesn't have any direct experience yet but shows promise through networking connections or educational background information provided on their resume then consider interviewing them anyway; sometimes people grow into different roles over time so don't discount potential candidates simply because they may lack some initial knowledge required by certain employers today (especially given the increasing demand for technical experts).
Conclusion
That is why it is important to evaluate the applicants’ resumes carefully before hiring them. The resume will tell you about their work experience, skills, and education level. A good resume should be concise but informative enough so that it can capture your attention as well as make an impact on others. It should also highlight any specific skills or achievements that are relevant in the job description while including everything else related to qualification requirements such as the educational background.