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Reading Between the Lines
From design to content, résumés reveal a lot about an applicant
Most business consultants say that a company is ultimately defined by its people. In small business, where each person's contribution is magnified, it can be financial suicide to bring a bad seed into the fold.
"Most organizations agree that the investment in doing a thorough search and evaluation of [job] candidates far exceeds the organization's ability to manage through a bad hire," says Rhonda Allen, an executive-recruiting consultant in Austin, Texas, who specializes in venture-backed startups and emerging companies.
So what can small business owners do to ensure they hire good apples? Aside from writing a top-notch job description, it's important to know how to read between the lines once the résumés begin pouring in.
Janet Attard, founder of Businessknowhow.com, recommends asking these three questions with each submission:
- How well do their qualifications match the job description?
- Did they send everything that was requested?
- Is the information well-organized and error-free?
She then suggests sorting the résumés into three piles: the most-qualifieds, the in-betweens, and the definitely-nots.
"If you're looking for someone who has a skill set that's outside your realm of expertise, get someone who is familiar with that trade to help you with the sorting," Attard says. "They'll know better what to look for, as far as desirable certifications and what's really impressive in terms of accomplishments."
Start the interview process with the most qualified applicants. If that cycle doesn't produce a new hire, then revisit the in-between pile and interview the closest matches.
"If someone seems like a good match for your company but maybe their work history isn't exactly what you were wanted, try to assess during the interview how well and how fast that candidate could be trained," Attard says. "Candidates who lack a particular skill but who otherwise fit in well with your company could be worth the investment, as they could become very loyal, long-term employees."
From design to content, a résumé can reveal a lot about an applicant; small business owners simply need to know how to read between the lines. Allen offers these tips:
- Presentation. A résumé with spelling or grammatical errors is certainly a red flag. However, Allen warns that an error-free document doesn't necessarily mean the candidate's writing abilities are rock solid. Many individuals hire professional résumé services to craft their materials.
- Drive. Details such as GPA, academic honors, extracurricular activities and how the applicant's higher education was financed can offer insight into an applicant's work ethic.
- Fortitude. Small businesses with limited infrastructure often offer equal parts challenge and opportunity. A candidate's work history may foretell how he or she might fare in such an environment. "Individuals with progressively responsible roles are typically given those opportunities because of their ability to successfully complete projects and navigate through business challenges," Allen says. "Individuals who frequently leave jobs for 'better opportunities' lack the maturity and skills to deal with conflict or challenges and will always be looking for their next job."
- Focus versus flexibility. Individuals with work histories that lack a common thread might not have found a role they enjoy or do well yet. Though it could indicate a flight risk, a varied history might not be an entirely negative attribute. Small businesses often require employees to be flexible and handle multiple duties, and individual who have been overly focused may not be able to juggle constantly changing priorities.
- Motivation. Allen says job candidates sometimes will consider positions below their last role if they need the income, but they'll typically want to return to their previous compensation and scope of responsibility quickly. Due to their size, small businesses often can offer those career growth opportunities. "Look for hints in the cover letter that indicate their motivation, as individuals returning to the workforce after time off for personal reasons are highly motivated and can be incredible resources if their skills are not out of date," Allen says.
- Types of companies. The types of companies that applicants have worked for can affect their ability to be successful in your small business. Experience at a large corporation may seem impressive, but it's not always ideal. Says Allen: "Larger companies have infrastructure, process, and resources in place that often minimize the necessity for individuals to think creatively about finding solutions or to drive projects individually."
And, finally, you'll want to contact the references listed on the résumé. Attard says it's critical to interview former employers when the candidate has given you permission to do so.
"Mostly, you want to check the business references just to find out if what the applicant said on his résumé is true," she says. "However, talking to former employers can give you great insight into a candidate's work ethic, attitude, and loyalty."