The Employer's Resume Evaluation Process

Today, evaluating potential candidates based on the content of their resume has largely shifted to an initial automated process throughout many mid and large size organization. Although, this process is highly dependent on the skill sets and/or experience level the position demands. More specialized positions are often more difficult to fill, so a potential employer may evaluate each resume individually upon receipt. This differs significantly for more common job openings, where database key word searches are performed on a vast number of applicant's resumes, again defining the need to accurately describe your skills using key words.

Now it should be noted that, if in fact the organization you are applying to, does not utilize a computer resume database, the prescreening process at this point becomes nearly identical in the methods used by the employer.

Resumes either retrieved from a database search or hand sorted by an individual, in nearly all cases, someone within the organization you are applying to will preview your submitted resume, if the resume was submitted in connection to an open job listing. Unfortunately, the individual who may initially review your submitted resume may have little knowledge of the specific requirements or an in-depth understanding of the job functions, other then what was defined in the job posting. This prescreening process generally only reviews specific measurable requirements such as education level, and the number of years of experience a candidate has.

Another major factor that must be given proper consideration is how your resume is formatted. Each reviewer will only spend up to one to two minuets reviewing the contents of the resume, focusing almost exclusively on the top portion of the resume. If you don't catch their attention here, or force them to hunt throughout your resume for key information, your chances of getting an interview diminishes significantly.

This prescreening process usually results in three distinctive categories:

1) Resumes which meet the requirements and are passed on for further review.

2) Resumes which do not meet the requirements but may have other appeal and are passed on for further review.

3) Resumes which do not meet the requirements and are passed over.

Which category you find your resume in depends on more then your skills alone, it also highly depends on how you present your information.