Is a Resume Enough to Determine If an Employee Is a Good Match?

As a hiring manager, reviewing candidate resumes is a typical activity whenever you need to fill a vacancy. However, determining if a job seeker is a great match based on that one document alone isn’t easy. Usually, a resume can only tell you so much about a candidate. By understanding where resumes shine and how they can fall short, it’s easier to figure out if you can determine if an employee is a good match based on their resume alone.

Here’s what you need to know.

What a Candidate’s Resume Can Tell You

Generally speaking, a candidate’s resume gives you solid insights into a job seeker’s core credentials. Often, professionals list their education and certifications on their application, allowing you to see if a candidate meets a minimum requirement in those areas at a glance. Additionally, skills lists are standard, as well as achievements showcasing how they put their capabilities to work to gain results.

Together, all of that information gives you a strong initial picture of what a candidate brings to the table. You’ll be able to review the document to see if they have any must-have or preferred capabilities, allowing you to estimate a job seeker’s potential within minutes.

Plus, you can glean more from the resume. For example, you can figure out if the candidate has strong communication skills based on how information is presented. Similarly, you can assess attention to detail based on the presence or lack of mistakes and how well the content is targeted.

At a minimum, this allows you to gauge a candidate’s suitability in a general sense. If a job seeker doesn’t possess the right skills or credentials, that usually shows on the resume. Similarly, if a candidate has the proper foundation for the role, that’s typically clear, allowing you to decide which applicants should move forward in the process and which shouldn’t.

What’s Typically Missing from the Equation

While a resume can tell you a lot about a candidate’s technical capabilities and credentials, it won’t give you the whole picture. You may not be able to gauge how skilled they are in a particular area based on what they share alone.

Additionally, gauging their character, workplace behavior, mindset, and culture fit from a written document like a resume may be difficult. In most cases, resumes are highly formal, displaying only limited amounts of personality. Since that’s the case, hiring managers commonly can’t assess how well a candidate will mesh with the team or company culture without an in-person meeting or, potentially, a video interview.

At times, assessing soft skills isn’t easy with a resume alone. This is particularly true when it comes to verbal communication, collaboration, and other interpersonal skills. While some accomplishments may hint at a job seeker’s abilities in those areas, there’s no guarantee they’ll be highlighted unless the job ad specifically listed them as a requirement.

Ultimately, resumes can serve as a strong starting point. However, they typically aren’t going to provide enough to ensure a candidate is an exceptional fit based on the document alone. Instead, other hiring steps are crucial, particularly interviews, reference checks, and similar activities that make gauging their overall fit easier.