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Reviewing a resume is definitely more art than science. Every hiring manager or Human Resources director has certain things they look for. In fact, some things that one may see as a strength another sees as a red flag.

After more than a dozen years reviewing resumes, these are specific things that I look for:

1. Overall readability of the resume. Is it clear, concise and free of spelling and grammar errors? Of course, the person may have hired a professional to create the resume for them, but such cases are rare. A resume is a prospective employee's opportunity to make a good first impression. If it is sloppy, disorganized, and filled with errors, you have a fairly good indication of what type of employee they would be.

2. Length of time at previous jobs. There is some debate about how to interpret this. In the past, a long period of service with a company was prized as a sign of stability. Now it is sometimes seen as a lack of ambition, especially for managerial candidates. I think there is a middle ground; no one stays 20 years at a company any more, but changing jobs every year is never a good sign, especially if the changes did not involve advancement.

3. Types of positions held at previous jobs. While it is always a plus to hire someone who has done a job similar to the one you are hiring for, there are also benefits to bringing in someone with different skills that can learn your specific processes. This gives your company a deeper pool of talent.

4. Education. For the most part, unless a four-year degree is required for the position, this is the last section I consider. Education is important of course, but I will often give as much weight to continuing education credits earned in recent years as to a degree earned 20 years ago. A community college continuing education class on the use of Microsoft Power Point is more valuable to me than a sociology class taken in 1988.

Even using this process, I have typically found myself with many resumes left. At that point, I start interviewing, because no matter how long you've been doing it, you can only learn so much about a person from two sheets of paper.

Learn more about this author, Bruno Somerset.
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