How to Effectively Read a Resume

Your inbox is overflowing with hundreds of unread emails from candidates interested in working for  your organization. Cover letters, resumes, portfolios…  Is there an easier way to figure out who will potentially be the right fit for the position and organization?

Yes! Here are our best suggestions for how to read between the lines and effectively understand a person’s resume:

Don’t Jump to Conclusions

Gaps between positions or seemingly unconventional career paths often have reasonable explanations. It’s essential not to jump to conclusions or assume negative reasons for these gaps. Consider that someone may have engaged in contract work (even if it’s not explicitly stated on their resume), pursued further education, or dealt with personal matters such as illness. People do get sick, and they also recover and return to the workforce.

Giving candidates the benefit of the doubt and maintaining an open, understanding approach is essential to ensure fair and informed hiring decisions. Avoid making assumptions that may unfairly label a candidate, and instead, engage in open conversations during interviews to gain a more complete picture of their experiences and qualifications.

Know Your Companies

By knowing a candidate’s previous employers, you can better gauge their selectiveness and discern their preferences when it comes to company cultures and values. Look for patterns in their career choices, as these can offer insights into the types of environments where they thrive. It’s important to recognize that there may be one-off experiences, but patterns can provide a more comprehensive understanding of their professional background and expectations.

This knowledge allows you to align your evaluation with a candidate’s career journey and helps you assess whether they would be a good fit for your organization’s culture and values. It’s an essential part of making informed hiring decisions.

Determine the Importance of Progression

Career progression should be high on your “should-haves” list. You want to see clear advancement; someone who is climbing upwards either within the same organization or between separate organizations. But, bear in mind, that progress is not always linear and clear on paper. Not all organizations title their roles the same way – especially with companies trying to outdo their competition and retain employees with a creative competitive edge. (Think: People Operations Manager (Indiegogo) Chief Happiness Officer (Pivotal Labs) Crayon Evangelist (InteQ Corp) Ambassador of Buzz (Grasshopper)).

Titles can be influenced by the size of the company and may be country-specific. ‘Coordinator’ in Australia may mean ‘Manager’ in North America. Look at the role and responsibilities holistically before passing up a ‘not-so-good-on-paper’ candidate.

Additionally, titles are also influenced by factors such as the size of the company and regional variations. What’s considered a “Coordinator” in one country might be equivalent to a “Manager” in another.

To make informed hiring decisions, it’s essential to look beyond job titles and examine the role’s responsibilities and contributions within the context of each candidate’s career journey. Don’t pass up a candidate solely based on their job title; instead, evaluate their qualifications holistically to determine their potential fit for your organization.

Focus on Transferable Skills

Candidates who are seeking to make a transition from one industry to another often invest significant effort in researching and understanding the new industry. They may be highly motivated to learn and adapt, making them quick learners and adaptable team members. Their fresh perspective, untainted by industry-specific biases, can lead to innovative solutions and approaches that you might not find from candidates with more traditional industry backgrounds.

Consider that this candidate’s unique blend of skills and their commitment to mastering your industry could be a significant asset to your organization. Be open to the potential value they can bring and explore how their diverse experiences can enrich your firm and position it for success in new and unexpected ways.

Ultimately, a resume is a high-level overview or introduction to a candidate who’s interested in working for your organization. It doesn’t (and shouldn’t) provide a full picture.

You will never find the perfect hire by simply reading through resumes. Use these guidelines to sort through the initial deluge of applications and find candidates who may hit the 70 – 80% mark. Interviews and conversations will add colour and details to the initial story presented by the resume, giving you a clearer idea of the right fit for your team.

Need Help Hiring?

Smart, Savvy + Associates is a recruitment agency that specializes in connecting companies with marketing, communications and creative professionals at all levels, from coordinators to C-suite. Based in Vancouver, B.C., our team of marketers-turned-recruiters have an in-depth understanding of the industry and work diligently to find best-in-class talent for each search. Get started today.