Ten Checkpoints for Reviewing an Application or Resume.
Ten Checkpoints for Reviewing an Application or Resume
1. Overall appearance. Scan the overall appearance of the application or resume and check to see that it is neat and easy to read. The handwriting on paper applications should be legible, resumes should be typed and printed, and electronically generated applications and resumes should reflect cyberspace writing guidelines in terms of organizing the information and highlighting key accomplishments. The contents of applications and resumes should be grammatically correct and the language easy to understand.
2. Blanks or omissions. Looking for blanks or omissions on an application form is relatively easy. With a resume, check to see that basic information pertaining to work and education has been included. Make a note of any missing information so that you can ask the applicant about it during the interview.
3. Gaps between jobs. Check for gaps in time between jobs by looking at the applicant’s employment history and educational pursuits.
Note whether there are any breaks in-between that are unaccounted for and plan to ask the applicant about them during the interview.
4. Overlaps in time. Overlaps in time may occur if the candidate attended school and worked at the same time, or worked at more than one job at one time. Make a note of any overlaps and verify the accuracy of all dates during the interview.
5. Inconsistencies. At times, some factual information may appear to conflict with other aspects of the resume. To illustrate, say there is an applicant with an extensive educational background who has been employed in a series of nonexempt jobs. This may be because she has degrees in a highly specialized field and cannot find suitable work, or it may be that her educational credentials are misrepresented. It is up to you to find out during the interview.
6. Frequency of job changes. Guard against setting arbitrary standards concerning frequency of job changes and drawing inaccurate conclusions, e.g., changing jobs more often than once every two years translates into unreliability. On the other hand, make a note that you want to discuss the pattern of job changes during the interview.
7. Evaluate salary requirements. Objectively think in terms of the applicant’s experience and abilities in relation to the salary range set for the job.
8. Reasons for leaving previous jobs. As with frequency of job changes, look for patterns. For example, if the reason given for leaving several jobs in a row is “no room for growth,” it may be that this person’s job expectations are unrealistic. This is a key area to explore in the interview.
9. Duties and responsibilities. If a person’s current or previous duties and responsibilities are not clearly described on the application or resume, make a note to ask for elaboration. Job titles may also require explanation. Some titles are not functional or descriptive and, therefore, do not reveal the general realm of responsibility. Examples of such titles include “administrative assistant” and “vice president.” Sometimes, too, titles sound grand, but, after probing, you discover that they entail few substantive responsibilities.
10. “Red-flag” areas. “Red flags” refer to information that does not seem to make sense or that leaves you with an uneasy feeling.
Employment Opportunities for Job Seekers.
During recent global economic slowdown, retrenchment is unavoidable. Many people lose their jobs and still actively seeking new job and career opportunities. With that situation, the job markets belong to the employers. Employers have the upper hand and greater bargaining power in choosing the best talent for their organization. Company become more selective in attracting sources of qualified talent that meet organizational needs, and recruiting the right numbers and types of people for the right jobs at the right time and in the right places. There must be right match between the individual, the job, the work group, and organization. Employers will carefully review the job application, including frequency of job changes, reasons for leaving previous jobs, gaps between jobs, overlaps in time, or any other inconsistencies. Changing jobs more often than once every two years translates into unreliability.
Selecting the most productive recruitment source becomes more challenging during economic downturn. Many companies use a wide variety of recruitment sources, including Advertising, Campus Recruiting, Job Fairs, Electronic Recruitment on their own Web sites, Employee Referrals, Employment Agencies, etc. Often companies need to fork out hundreds of dollars to post a job opening on many employment agencies. However there is one place where employers can advertise their employment opportunities for FREE: EmploymentCrossing.

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