Resume Red Flags to Watch Out For

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When you post a job opening, you will most likely be overwhelmed with resumes from prospective candidates. Your first order of business is to narrow down the pile, and you can make this easy on yourself by weeding out everything with obvious red flags. So what should you look out for while you’re doing this? Here are some of the most obvious ones:

Inability to follow directions.

Did you specifically ask for local candidates? You can put people with out of state addresses in the recycling bin. Did you ask for a salary requirement or a cover letter? If candidates didn’t comply, feel free to give their resumes a pass. If they can’t follow through on simple request, chances are they may struggle with more complex tasks.

More then one page.

This may not apply to more seasoned candidates with long job histories, but in general, most resumes you review should be one page. If people are using more than one page, chances are they’re not focusing on their most relevant skills and experience, and you want a candidate who has the common sense to edit themselves.

Obvious skills.

If a candidate lists speaking English as a skill, or mentions that they know how to use a fax machine, chances are that they’re trying to pad their resume with filler and they may lack skills that are actually worthwhile.

Anything wacky.

Candidates are always looking for ways to stand out. The best way to do this is a well-written cover letter, but sometimes candidates get overly creative. Beware of things like crazy fonts, colorful or scented resume paper, or objects or baked goods handed in with a resume. (It’s been known to happen!)

Still hunting for the perfect candidate? Contact one of our recruiting specialists at Burnett’s Staffing for all of your Dallas Fort Worth hiring needs. We look forward to hearing from you!

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