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While it’s safe to say most hiring managers pay more attention to the signs in an interview process, many don’t realize that you can easily save yourself time and finances by identifying “resume red flags” before you even get to the interview. While computer IT programs can pick up certain distinct features of wording or key phrases in a resume, there should still be a human-being looking over it for other resume red flags. WorkSource offers three resume red flags you really need to be on the lookout for.

Resume Red Flag #1 – Unorganized

With so many tools available these days to help candidates write and perfect their resume, there is no excuse for sloppiness. If a resume is hard to read, poorly organized or filled with grammatical or typographical errors, then chances are this is a resume to put aside. Candidates who are willing to submit a resume like this show a lack of care for the job they are applying to, lack of attention to detail or a sense that they aren’t serious about applying.

Resume Red Flag #2 – Short Job Timelines

You are sitting at your desk reviewing the hundreds of resumes in a pile about to overflow. How do you decide who to call and who to cut? If you come across a resume where most or all of the jobs listed haven’t even lasted a full year, then this is a red flag. Wording that helps determine what is acceptable and what isn’t are phrases that coincide with an internship or work program for new graduates or post-graduate studies or recently laid off employees. Those resumes may slide through provided they can truly validate the work studies or reasoning. But if you have a candidate whose resume indicates they’ve been in the field for quite some time, yet haven’t held a job for more than six months, then these are the warning signs to watch for. A series of jobs held for short amounts of time can indicate an unstable employee or a chronic job hopper. If you are going to invest time and money into recruiting and training new employees, you want them to have long-term ambitions.

Resume Red Flag #3 – Lengthy Resumes

If a job candidate can’t fit their work experience on one page it should signal two things. First, they may lack the ability to be concise with tasks and resources. They may also be listing more personal information than relevant work information. Secondly, they may be listing work they did ten years ago. Only their most recent jobs should be listed; chances are what they did ten years ago isn’t going to be relevant to what they are applying for now with your company. You need to know what they’ve done the last five years that will impact your company.

Knowing the red flags to look for in a resume will not only save you time and money, but it will allow you to reserve your energy and put it into interviewing the candidates that are the best fit for your company.

WorkSource, a WRC-certified staffing agency in Des Moines, is committed to quality and service. Contact our team of experienced recruiters and find out how we can help your business with its work needs.

For more information about our services, click the following link:   WorkSource Services

Or…..If you have questions, or we can be of service, click this link and we’ll be in touch:  Contact WorkSource

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