1. Before you start to review resumes, make sure you know the most important qualifications for the job at hand (education, experience, skill) so you can review resumes for those key items.
Review the job description to make sure you understand the key qualifications. If there is no job description, then develop one–or at least a list of key qualifications, knowledge, skills, abilities and appropriate experience.
- Review the minimum education qualifications for the job: high school diploma; Associate, Bachelor’s or Master’s degree or equivalents; other special training.
- Will candidates need a specific certification or license to conduct their work, such as RN training, a commercial driver’s license, a law degree or an electrician’s license?
- Also review how many years of experience the candidate should have to meet the minimum qualifications: 6 months, 1 year, 2-3 years, 3-5 years, 5-7 years, 10 or more years?
- What skills or abilities should the candidate have that are related to the position? For example: computer skills with word processing or spreadsheets, accounts payable or payroll experience, detailed analysis work, problem solving skills, management skills, etc.
Make a list of these qualifications, then check them off for each candidate. This checklist will help you efficiently advance candidates to the top of the pile or eliminate them from consideration.