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Effective screening of candidates’ CVs is an important step in the personnel selection process. Your task is to choose those potential employees whose skills and experience seem relevant, and then invite them for an interview. But what should you look for in a resume for a job application?
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How to choose the best resume?
The main things you should pay attention to in a resume are previous experience, skills, and knowledge. But there are also several subtleties to keep in mind when reviewing candidates’ resumes for a job.
• Has the candidate been out of work for a long time? If so, do not assume that this necessarily means the person is not qualified. But keep in mind that you may need to provide additional training, or that the person may need more time to adapt to the work process.
• How often has the candidate changed jobs? Be careful with resumes that list several job positions in different companies over a short period of time. Frequent job changes may mean that the individual is not loyal to their employer. On the other hand, a candidate who has stayed in the same position for many years may suggest a lack of motivation and initiative.
• Do not look only at experience. Never automatically reject job candidates just because they lack work experience. They may have more suitable education, or may have volunteered in an organization where they gained the necessary skills.
• Out-of-work activities. Consider the individual’s hobbies and activities outside of work. Pay attention to whether these are team or individual activities. If the candidate has mentioned hobbies in their resume, this means they are looking for a balance between personal and professional life.
• Pay attention to the small details. Has the candidate included information about skills relevant to the position? Are there spelling and grammar mistakes? The resume for a job application should be tailored to the specific position – this shows that the person is truly interested in your offer and has taken the time to personalize their CV.
• Never discriminate against job candidates. Never determine whether someone is suitable for the position based on their age, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, cultural background, or religion. Your personal preferences and opinions are not related to people’s qualifications.
• Never rush. Take the time to review each resume carefully. If you rush, you may miss important information about the candidate’s experience and skills.
• Pay special attention to work experience. Carefully read the details about the candidate’s responsibilities and achievements in previous jobs. General descriptions of work experience can turn out to be false.
• What is the candidate looking for in their next job? Has the candidate written what they are looking for and what they expect from their new employer? Is this description personalized for your company or does it describe any job in the world.
• Has the candidate briefly described their qualifications and experience? If they have taken the time to briefly describe these things, this will help you see whether they have the characteristics you are looking for.
• Do not rush. If you are not sure whether a candidate is suitable, do not make hasty decisions and return to their application later.
What should you watch out for when screening resumes for job applications?
• Long periods of unemployment.
• Evidence of low responsibility.
• Frequent changes of employers.
• Frequent changes of job positions.
If you follow our resume screening tips, this will make the personnel selection process faster and better quality. You will choose only those candidates who have the necessary experience, knowledge, and skills. Do not forget to note which parts of the resume are not clear enough and require additional clarification. Ask the necessary questions during the interview.
Course “Interviewing skills”
Sources: https://www.go2hr.ca/articles/resume-screening-finding-right-person-right-job
https://www.thebalance.com/gone-in-thirty-seconds-how-to-review-a-resume-1919139
If you want to ease the personnel selection process – from receiving resumes to hiring/rejecting job candidates, you can rely on our distance learning systems. You can read more about their use in human resources departments HERE.
