What should Employers Look for in a Resume?

When hiring employees, it can be difficult to sort through resumes and find the best candidate for your open position.  When reviewing resumes, what are the most important things to look for?

Formatting

Resumes should be professional and clean-looking, with no spelling or grammar errors. Look for resumes that are organized, with sections clearly labeled and easy to read.  Information should be presented concisely and clearly.

Content

After formatting, going through the content of the resume will help match candidates to the job opening.

Key areas to look for are

1. Skills

The candidate should have their skills listed, especially those that are relevant to the job opening description.  Look for skills that are in line with their work history and prior responsibilities.  The skills listed are a good indicator of how competent a candidate is, and you want them to match up to what their responsibility will be if hired.

2. Prior Work Experience and Responsibilities

Work experience should be linear, and any gaps should be explained. Candidates should list their job role, the company, their dates worked, and a summary of their job responsibilities and accomplishments.  Job responsibilities should match their stated role, and ideally, look for a candidate who has a clear progression of responsibilities through their work history.  If the prior work was in a different industry from the job they are applying for, make sure that their job responsibilities are relevant to the job they are applying for. Some candidates will list volunteer experience, which is a good measure of how younger candidates, with no prior experience, can still highlight their skills and responsibilities.

3. Education

Education should be relevant to work experience, and any designations, certificates, or degrees should be listed. For candidates without work experience, their educational achievements are important to consider, especially if they are a good fit for the job.

Job Seekers

If you are a job seeker, you can use the above to help create a polished resume that will stand out from others and get you noticed.  If you need extra resources, you can look for resume templates to help you get started. These are a great starting point to crafting a professional resume to highlight your skills and strengths. They have industry-specific templates as well as examples to help you get started.