15 Strong Indicators Of A Potentially Great Job Candidate
A total of 46% of companies report that their biggest obstacle to hiring is finding a suitable candidate, according to a report by LinkedIn. This puts a big burden on human resources managers who are tasked with being able to quickly distinguish which applicants would be a potentially good fit for the position. While resumes can only tell you part of the story about an applicant, they can provide some keen clues if you know where to look.
Fifteen members of Forbes Human Resources Council share the first strongest indicator about an applicant that they look for when reviewing applications.
1. Job Titles
I look at a candidate's current, and then previous, job titles. This tells me within seconds if you are relevant and worth reading about in more detail. If your job title is ambiguous or not market standard, tweak it so that it's truthful, but easy to understand. Resumes generally get seconds to make an impact, so you need to make it easy for me and grab my attention.
- Karla Reffold, BeecherMadden
2. Quantifiable Results
When reviewing resumes I look for quantifiable information. For example, a candidate who writes on their resume that they "reduced overtime" in a position they held would not be as strong a candidate as someone who "reduced overtime by 43% by staggering shifts and increasing productivity by 10% through proper lifting techniques."
- Sarah O'Neill - SHRM-SCP, humano LLC
3. Past Success
We live in an age of hyperbolic job titles. They never tell the whole story. Past success is a predictor of future success. Even if a candidate is switching industries coming to you, their past successes should be highly considered.
- Brett Comeaux, LG Fairmont
4. A Good Story
Rarely can an applicant be reduced to one point, one word, or one line on their resume. Resumes are incomplete portraits as they are. When looking at a candidate's resume, I look at the cohesiveness of their professional story. Do position titles match the job duties? Does their language demonstrate ownership in their tasks? Are there quantifiable measurements that support their achievements?
- Angela Nguyen, Ad Exchange Group
5. Length Of Service
Times have changed and so has the commitment to staying at one job for a lifetime — that isn’t a reality anymore. But if I see that a candidate has a habit of switching companies every six months, I’ll want to learn more about why.
- Candice McGlen, Gifted Works, LLC
Fifteen members of Forbes Human Resources Council share the first strongest indicator about an applicant that they look for when reviewing applications.
1. Job Titles
I look at a candidate's current, and then previous, job titles. This tells me within seconds if you are relevant and worth reading about in more detail. If your job title is ambiguous or not market standard, tweak it so that it's truthful, but easy to understand. Resumes generally get seconds to make an impact, so you need to make it easy for me and grab my attention.
- Karla Reffold, BeecherMadden
2. Quantifiable Results
When reviewing resumes I look for quantifiable information. For example, a candidate who writes on their resume that they "reduced overtime" in a position they held would not be as strong a candidate as someone who "reduced overtime by 43% by staggering shifts and increasing productivity by 10% through proper lifting techniques."
- Sarah O'Neill - SHRM-SCP, humano LLC
3. Past Success
We live in an age of hyperbolic job titles. They never tell the whole story. Past success is a predictor of future success. Even if a candidate is switching industries coming to you, their past successes should be highly considered.
- Brett Comeaux, LG Fairmont
4. A Good Story
Rarely can an applicant be reduced to one point, one word, or one line on their resume. Resumes are incomplete portraits as they are. When looking at a candidate's resume, I look at the cohesiveness of their professional story. Do position titles match the job duties? Does their language demonstrate ownership in their tasks? Are there quantifiable measurements that support their achievements?
- Angela Nguyen, Ad Exchange Group
5. Length Of Service
Times have changed and so has the commitment to staying at one job for a lifetime — that isn’t a reality anymore. But if I see that a candidate has a habit of switching companies every six months, I’ll want to learn more about why.
- Candice McGlen, Gifted Works, LLC
Learn more | forbes.com