Your \u201cHelp Wanted\u201d post ran on Monday, and by Thursday afternoon, you were buried keyboard-deep in resumes and CVs. Rather than wading through them all \u2014 at the cost of many man-hours, all your sanity, and the potential of missing out on a golden candidate , because you\u2019re at the point where you just. can\u2019t. even. \u2014 use our three-point resume test to assess a job seeker\u2019s most important characteristics. Then head over to our Interactive Resume Experience for more tips on reviewing creative resumes.<\/p>\n
Why it matters:<\/strong> Demonstrates the candidate\u2019s overall level of professionalism It\u2019s true that there are many ways to format a resume and creative professionals will likely use a little more visual flourish. However, a disastrously designed resume that forgets its first objective \u2014 to capture and hold a reviewer\u2019s attention \u2014 may be a red flag.<\/p>\n Why it matters:<\/strong> Good indicator of fit You may also need to look in places other than the candidate\u2019s resume to confirm that the branding is intentional. The candidate\u2019s website, portfolio and business card are other opportunities to showcase their personal brand and can indicate whether they\u2019re a match for your culture and work environment.<\/p>\n Why it matters:<\/strong> Reveals if they can do the job For example: Sure, Candidate A could probably do the job, but Candidate B gives you a concrete example of results-driven work. You\u2019d be safe to move Candidate B to the top of the \u201cYES!\u201d pile.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Your \u201cHelp Wanted\u201d post ran on Monday, and by Thursday afternoon, you were buried keyboard-deep in resumes and CVs. Rather than wading through them all \u2014 at the cost of many man-hours, all your sanity, and the potential of missing out on a golden candidate , because you\u2019re at the point where you just. can\u2019t. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":48224,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[75],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-48288","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-employer-insights"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\nHow:<\/strong> Let your eyes rest on the resume for a few seconds. Does it invite you to keep reading by providing a clear informational hierarchy, ample white space, bullet points that break up blocks of text, consistency and an understanding of presentation? Or is it a mishmash of colors, fonts, graphic elements, and tiny type that seems to pack more words than punch?<\/p>\n2. Look for a sense of the job seeker\u2019s personal brand.<\/h2>\n
\nHow:<\/strong> Once you\u2019ve made it past the first hurdle, look deeper at the design, graphic elements, and writing style to get a sense of the candidate\u2019s personal brand. For example, if someone uses a meticulously designed, infographic-style resume with minimalist fonts and active language, this candidate is presenting the brand of an experienced, creative problem-solver who enjoys using both sides of their brain. They\u2019d probably be thrilled to work at a startup, helping to shape all aspects of the brand, and probably wouldn\u2019t flourish as much in a traditional corporate position.<\/p>\n3. Look for a combination of keywords and descriptive language<\/h2>\n
\nHow:<\/strong> Scanning for keywords is important, but it\u2019s increasingly common for candidates to stuff their resumes with specific words to pass a filtering program sniff test. Beyond keywords, look for descriptive, natural language that paints a meaningful picture of how the candidate can use their skills to solve problems for a company like yours.<\/p>\n
\nCandidate A: Skills include UX, UI, After Effects, Google Keywords, written communication
\nCandidate B: Created all UI elements of a multimedia campaign that resulted in 380,000 impressions and a 4% increase in sales<\/p>\n