Resume Screening 101: 10 Resume Red Flags

Kirill Kedrinski/123RF.com

You’ve posted an outstanding opening in your facility; your job description is current and accurate, and the resumes are starting to pour in. For many recruiters, the onslaught is overwhelming. Getting too many resumes without the qualifications you need is a problem, and too many with what you do need can also be troublesome. Here are some ways to manage that resume pile and thin it down to the top candidates for your opening. Watch out for these red flags:

1. Sloppy, Messy or Vague

Candidates have unlimited time to put together a neat and cohesive resume. If it’s not their wheelhouse, there are services available. If they can’t get their resume right, without typos and in an orderly manner, the odds are their work will be sloppy, too.

A resume should detail responsibilities, tasks, and capabilities. If candidates don’t outline specific duties they performed, there’s a chance they didn’t perform them. Ambiguous language could be used to gloss over lack of knowledge or experience.

2. Gaps in Employment

Some candidates take time off to pursue schooling, others to raise children; both are legitimate reasons for employment gaps. But unexplained gaps could be a red flag. If you see large gaps in an otherwise suitable candidates, it’s a good idea to investigate why they took the time away from their career.

3. Career Regression

While not every candidate’s goal is to move up the ladder to administration, career regression is a major red flag. Were there issues with certifications or renewals for nursing staff? Were there problems on the job that caused the downgrade? Any indication that a career has moved backward could indicate problems with past employers.

4. Job Hopping

We know the millennial generation likes to move around a lot in their career, but too much job hopping may be a harbinger of what you can expect: a candidate that doesn’t stay anywhere more than a year or two. Even with legitimate reasons for leaving, job hoppers will probably create an opening in your facility in the same amount of time.

5. TMI

Too much personal information on a resume is an indicator the candidate’s personal life is more important than his or her profession. You want to see a balance highly in favor of work when screening resumes. Yes, volunteer work is important to note; it can give insight into priorities. But if the information is completely irrelevant to the work or industry (like Uber Grand Wizard in World of Warcraft), it might be a reason to move on to the next candidate.

6. Changes in Residency

For physicians, residency changes can be a big red flag. Were they terminated from a program due to errors or disciplinary issues?  If they made the change of their own volition, are they satisfied with the specialty they’ve chosen? You’ll want significant information here before moving forward.

7. Locum Tenens

You’ll want to know why the physician has taken time from permanent employment to pursue locum tenens work. Was it a need to move around and have variety, or to cover gaps in employment? If the salary, variety, flexibility, and thrill of a new challenge were the motivating factors, this physician will likely bore quickly in a permanent spot.

8. Suspicious History

First job, CNA, next job Nursing Supervisor. Doesn’t seem likely, does it? If a candidate’s work history looks fishy, it probably is. Trust your gut and move on to the next applicant.

9. Overqualified

When candidates apply for a job beneath their skill set it’s an indication of problems. Whether they were terminated from their last post, lost their certification, or were denied renewal, it’s best to overlook the overqualified.

   10.Too Lengthy

A candidate with a long, detailed work history will obviously need a lengthy resume to outline his or her skills and accomplishments. For anyone else, a 5-page resume could be an indicator of a person who thinks quite a lot of himself or can’t marshal her thoughts. Length should correspond to relevant data: more than necessary is a red flag.

Eliminating red flag resumes gives you time to carefully evaluate remaining candidates. The result could be a perfect match.