How to Effectively Review a Resume
You are looking for that perfect person to work in the practice. You place an ad and start receiving resumes. Many times resumes look great, but what you see is not always what you get. Have a complete job description prepared. It will be helpful to review it before you start receiving the resumes so that you know what qualifications the candidates are required to have.
Look at the following on the resumes:
- Cover Letter:This will usually tell you a lot about the applicant. This is her/his best work because she is trying to impress you. Pay attention to their objective if communicated.
- Dates of Employment: Exact dates of employment, not just years listed. You need to know how long she worked at each job. Avoid applicants that jump from job to job. Look for large gaps in employment.
- Experience: Know if past work experience aligns with the position you are trying to fill. Look at the types of jobs they have held and avoid applicants that jump careers or change fields.
- Overall Neatness: This will tell you the quality of work the applicant will produce on a daily basis.
- Grammar and Spelling: You want employees that can effectively write to communicate their point(s) and spell to accurately. This is very important on many levels when relaying information and doing their day-to-day duties in the office.
It doesn’t take long to look over a resume once you have experience in hiring. The resume is a tool that is used to determine who you would like to call in for an interview. Once the applicant arrives you will need to have her/him fill out an Employment Application; which is filled out and handwritten by the applicant. Take note of the applicants writing skills and attention to detail on the application. Keep all resumes on file for one year.
