Reviewing resumes: What a pro looks for

As an executive recruiter and career search coach, I've had the privilege of working with thousands of job seekers, hiring managers, and human resource professionals. From the job seeker's perspective, a resume is the first step in securing an interview. A well-formatted resume that highlights relevant background and experience is critical. Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) can now filter key words and phrases and provide a percentage match based on the job description. Ninety-five percent of all businesses receive resumes electronically, with 75 percent of those requiring some form of online profile to be completed.

From the hiring manager's and the HR professional's perspectives, an initial resume is the only distinction between "A" level talent and candidates that simply are not qualified. On average, we receive 100-200 resumes per job posting, so the process of deciphering good from bad candidates can be arduous. Here are five critical points to consider when reviewing resumes. These can help you become a better resume reader and facilitate good candidate interview decisions. (Job seekers take note!)

1. Currently unemployed: A perceived lower value?

With 40,000 unemployed job seekers in northern Nevada, you may see a candidate's most recent employment end date listed as 2009, or in some cases 2008, clearly showing the candidate is currently unemployed. The first thought that most resume reviewers have is, "there must be a reason they've been unemployed this long," or "if they are that talented, why hasn't anyone else hired them?" I caution you to read the rest of the resume story, as many job seekers have legitimate reasons why they have been out of the workforce. In some cases, they have been selective about next steps and are taking this opportunity to find the "perfect" match. In other cases, they have received a long-term severance package from their previous employer and have the luxury of taking additional time off. Instead of filing their resume in the round file, open a dialogue with the candidate to get the facts and explore the possibilities.

2. Education

University of Nevada, Reno - Business Studies. Translation: "I dropped out after the first semester when I was 18 years old." This section should be reviewed very carefully as there are crafty ways in which the job seeker can paint the wrong picture, particularly if the position requires a certain level of formal education. Almeda University offers Ph.D.'s and M.B.A.'s for $500, yet can be nothing more than a "life experience degree." A long list of certifications and training classes could be valuable for your open position. Just be sure to inspect what you expect.

3. Relevant/transferrable experience

A former CEO applying for a truck driver position? A former project manager applying for a warehouse supervisor position? Yes, we are seeing this happen frequently. Titles do not always match relevant and transferrable experience. The CEO was a one-man owner/operator of his own trucking company. The project manager has experience managing people, processes, and OSHA compliance, all skills lending themselves to a great fit for warehouse supervisor. Our high unemployment rate provides an opportunity to upgrade your existing talent and perhaps fill open positions that you could not in the past. There is no such thing as a candidate being over-qualified, only under-employed. The choice is up to the employer, and leveraged properly, having human capital with capacity to grow and become mature in their respective role could be greatly beneficial to the company.

4. Longevity

My trained eye views hundreds of resumes every day, and work history is the first glance. Ten jobs in 15 years? There could be a reason so look deeper. I recently turned someone down for an interview, citing too many positions over the last 15 years. Because I glanced over the details, I did not realize they actually had nine promotions with the same company and an excellent work history. Remember that past behavior is the best indicator of future behavior. That's why we have credit scores and review them as part of the hiring process. If the pattern is to change companies every one to two years, they are likely to be with your company one to two years. Look for gaps in employment. Generally, most job seekers will provide the last 10 to15 years of work history. Review the dates for missing years, or in some cases, missing months. This may not preclude them from receiving an interview, although the candidate should have a reasonable explanation for these gaps during their interview. If the resume is missing dates of employment altogether, they could be attempting to hide an erratic history and poor performance.

5. Success-oriented resume vs. job description resume

Is there a long list of bullet points that talk about areas for which they were responsible? While this is important to know, there should also be a list of associated successes. While most of us want to know what the candidate did, it is equally important to know what they accomplished. If accomplishments are not noted in the resume, this can provide a great platform for probing questions during the interview. A balanced resume includes both components and insight into the candidate's thinking process.

I recently asked a key client, who is the director of HR for a major renewable energy company, to explain what she looks for when reviewing resumes. She pays little attention to the personal interests and objective sections, while placing emphasis on format and measurable results of past projects. Everyone has different minimum requirements for their open positions, although we all have one thing in common: The entire hiring process starts with the resume.

Jesse Gregory is division manager of Applied Recruiting Solutions, the executive search and direct hire arm of The Applied Companies of Reno. He can be reached at 853-5433 or jesse.gregory@appliedrecruitingsolutions.com.