What separates a resume that gets a second look from one that lands in the no pile? If you’ve ever struggled with reviewing resumes and identifying the right candidates, you’re not alone.
A thoughtful review process is key to avoiding costly hiring missteps and ensuring you don’t miss out on top talent. By honing your resume review skills, you’ll be prepared to spot subtle details that reveal a candidate’s true potential — or signal red flags that might lead to costly hiring headaches.
By the time your job vacancy is posted, you should have an excellent grasp of how to evaluate a resume so thoroughly — and quickly — that you can compare candidates fairly, spot red flags and recognize potential diamonds in the rough. Here are our top tips to help get you there.
Here’s what to prioritize when evaluating a resume to quickly identify strong candidates who bring the right mix of skills, experience and potential to your team.
Even if you’ve written an effective job description and a detailed candidate profile, you’ll likely have to review resumes from unqualified applicants. Create a checklist of the absolute minimum skills, experience and education required to do the job, whether it's remote, hybrid or in-house. Use this as a framework to efficiently sort the resumes into piles of yes, no and maybe. Then you can dig down to the more nuanced filters.
As you consider how to review the resumes you’ve received, remember the possibility that the perfect candidate may not be out there, especially with today’s hyper-competitive hiring market and talent shortages. That’s why managers should hire as much for potential as they do for skills or job history. Sometimes it’s best to provide professional training to take care of any gaps.
Some resumes contain warning signs of potential problems that may outweigh a candidate’s abilities and experience. These are the biggest red flags to look for as you evaluate resumes:
Excessive job-hopping — Job-hopping can be a sign of ambition. But too many employers in too short a time span could indicate an uncommitted worker. People do leave jobs quickly for good reasons, but since you’ll be spending significant resources on onboarding and training new hires, you need to know it’ll be worth the effort.
Not being qualified for the position — It’s one thing if an applicant meets 80% of the criteria listed in the job posting and indicates an aptitude for learning and a willingness to do so, but if someone sends a resume that fails to list skills, experience, degrees or certifications at least tangentially relevant to the position, that’s a pretty good sign you should move on to the next resume.
Unexplained employment gaps — As you’re reviewing an applicant’s work history, look out for long breaks between jobs. While there could be a perfectly reasonable explanation, such as military service, any serious candidate should be prepared and willing to explain these gaps in an interview.
Careless mistakes — If you notice that information on the resume contradicts information found on a LinkedIn profile or other online profiles, it could mean the person lacks attention to detail, which is a liability in most fields.
Static career — A vague resume with just a series of jobs listed and no increase in responsibility or emphasis on accomplishments could suggest a lack of career direction or drive.
Sometimes, resumes can be so awful that you’ll remember them as examples of what not to do. Check out these bad resume examples to watch out for.
Be prepared for salary inquiries from candidates by consulting the Robert Half Salary Guide to ensure your starting pay ranges are on par with, or better than, what your competitors are offering.
At first glance, a resume might seem solid, but once you dive in, things don’t always add up. If the resume and cover letter appear generic, it’s likely the applicant is sending the same document to multiple employers. Serious contenders customize their resumes, emphasizing those skills and qualifications that are most relevant to the job description you posted. When you review resumes, look for ones that have been crafted with that specific job posting in mind.
Some candidates use ambiguous language to camouflage a lack of experience or knowledge. Phrases such as “familiar with” and “participated in” can leave you with more questions than answers. Someone who was “part of” a team devoted to identifying cost-saving opportunities may have played a key role in the effort — or simply took up space during meetings. Also, watch for jargon and buzzwords — “team player,” “results-oriented,” “innovative” — without tangible evidence of impact, such as measurable achievements or detailed job responsibilities.
Great candidates don’t just tell. They show. Rather than simply describing their duties, savvy job seekers include examples of how they added value to their company: by saving money, streamlining a process or negotiating discounts with vendors. This might be represented as data, percentages, dollars or other expressions of quantitative impact.
Your mission when hiring new employees is to improve your firm’s bottom line, so don’t settle for resumes that are heavy on the right keywords but short on specifics.
Does all this look daunting? Teaming up with a talent solutions firm gives you access to hiring experts who can help.
While a checklist helps narrow down applications in an objective way, try to keep an open mind. Not everyone has followed a traditional career path, and their experience could be all the richer for it. Be sure to differentiate between essential qualifications needed to do the job and knowledge that can easily be gained in-house.
It can help to zoom out from the fine details and critique resumes in their broader context. For example, even in a tight job market, an employment gap isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker. It could disguise a candidate who has off-ramped to care for a child or aging parent, or who went back to school to pursue another career path. An applicant with that level of responsibility or inner drive, even if they aren’t yet proficient with the latest cloud software, could be a better choice than someone who has a long resume but casually moves from post to post.
The bottom line: Candidates who pique your interest might be worth pursuing, even if their professional background is nontraditional. Understanding how to review a resume effectively can make the difference between hiring a great team member and starting the process over after a few months.
How can I assess soft skills through a resume?
Soft skills can be tricky to assess directly from a resume, but there are some clues you can look for. Action-oriented language, such as “collaborated with,” “led,” or “mentored,” often indicates teamwork, leadership or communication abilities. Accomplishments that highlight problem-solving or innovation can also suggest adaptability and critical thinking. While resumes can offer hints, interviews and references are better tools for confirming a candidate’s soft skills. Read our practical tips for how to assess soft skills during an interview.
What are common mistakes to avoid during resume review?
One of the most common mistakes in reviewing resumes is focusing too heavily on keywords. While keywords are important, an over-reliance on them can cause you to miss strong candidates with less optimized resumes. It’s also crucial to evaluate accomplishments within the context of the candidate’s role and industry. Bias is another pitfall to avoid, especially regarding factors like employment gaps or unconventional career paths, as there are often valid explanations for these.
How do I effectively use applicant tracking systems to review resumes?
To make the most of an applicant tracking system (ATS), start with a clear and specific job description to ensure the system matches candidates accurately. Customize the search filters to focus on essential qualifications, but be careful not to over-filter. While ATS tools streamline the process, it’s important to balance automation with manual review to identify subtleties the system might miss, such as unique accomplishments or indications of soft skills.
Contact Robert Half to find skilled candidates for open positions in your company.
