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Whether you are an HR recruiter, a contingency recruiting manager, or a retained recruiting professional, the plethora of applicants and the prevalence of online job searches have made finding the right job candidate a daunting task. For each posting, you may receive hundreds, if not thousands, of resumes. This is why technology has become a critical tool in narrowing the list of applicants.
Savvy job recruiters will have configured their information systems to identify those resumes that contain keywords reflective of the job description created for the open position. If you are charged with hiring, or if you influence hiring decisions, give serious consideration to those resumes that contain the all-important keywords.
Once those resumes have been compiled, again, refer back to the job description; it will enable you to determine which candidates possess the most essential criteria for the position (i.e., education, number of years of experience in the field).
Next, look for accomplishments. Many applicants present their responsibilities as accomplishments, when they are not. Accomplishments are successes gained above and beyond the formal description of one’s job. Accomplishments speak of a candidate’s initiative, follow-through, and ability to circumvent difficulties in order to achieve positive outcomes.
Not every accomplishment can be conveyed in dollars, cents, or even percentages (i.e., “Improved market share by 8.9% in a depressed economy.”) Achievements are often realized in the form of negotiations leading to change management, development of systems that improved efficiency, or pivotal participation in projects impacting the direction and/or growth of the corporation.
When you have narrowed the field to those applicants meriting face-to-face interviews, look for those who comport themselves with professionalism, and who can support the accomplishments listed on their resumes with genuine dialogue and/or documentation. Consider applicants who understand your company’s mission (or your client’s company, if you are a recruiter) as well as your product/service line, your objectives, your competition, and your future plans. Seek those who are enthusiastic as well as skilled and knowledgeable.
Don’t discount age in favor of a shiny new degree. A young applicant fresh out of a Master’s program may have more energy or “book smarts” than a more mature candidate, but he will not have the depth of experience. And, he may not have the same hunger as an older candidate, who may have a family to support and a mortgage to satisfy.
Finally, use your instinct. You will not find this most vital interviewing “rule” in any other article or handbook, but it is extremely valuable. Think about it. You use instinct in every other area of your life, to make decisions that have long-lasting impact. Use your instinct when speaking to the person across the other side of the desk. If that person “feels right” for the job, he or she usually is.
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