Listen to What Job Applicants Are Really Telling You

July 30, 2008 By Mary White

When you’re looking for one or more employees for your small business, you’ll need to go thorough a process of screening resumes, making interview appointments, and conducting interviews. At every stage of the process, it’s essential to listen to what applicants are really telling you about themselves.

Typographical Errors on Resumes Send a Message
If an individual has typographical errors on his or her resume, that can actually tell you something about that person. If you’re hiring someone to perform document processing or other administrative functions for your company, surely you realize that finding typo-s in an applicant’s resume is not a good sign. It’s essential for people to realize that their resumes are important sales documents than can impact how employers view them. If applicants don’t take the time to thoroughly review their resumes and get rid of typo-s, especially simple or obvious ones, it’s hard to believe that they’re really taking the job search process seriously.

Pay Attention to Voice Mail Messages
When you call an applicant to schedule an appointment, paying attention to his or her voice mail message is just as important as focusing on how he or she behaves when answering a call. If people have inappropriate messages on their voice mail systems while they’re applying for jobs, that also sends a message. If you need to hire someone who will communicate with coworkers and clients in a professional manner, you need to be sure that they understand what is meant by professionalism. Whatever message a person has on his or her voice mail when looking for a job probably reflects what he or she actually thinks is professional.

Listen to Tone When Scheduling an Interview
When you contact an applicant to schedule an interview, be sure to pay attention to his or her reaction. Does the individual actually seem interested or excited? If you ask an applicant if he or she can come in to interview at a certain time and you’re met with a less than enthusiastic response, that can be a sign that the individual isn’t really interested in the job at all.

Pay Attention to Reasons for Leaving Prior Jobs
What people say when they tell you why they left past jobs can really send a message. If applicants seem to place the blame on other people for every job they’ve left, that may be a sign that there’s a problem. People who leave jobs habitually because they don’t get along with co-workers and supervisors can really be letting you know that they’re difficult to get along with.

Posted in Human Resources, Uncategorized