Before you hire someone, you want to make sure that they are someone you can depend on. It’s never a good situation when mistakes are made in the hiring process. Attention to detail is a trait that all viable candidates need to have. You might think that you won’t be able to assess this quality until after hiring, but you can determine it through a resumé, just as long as you look for these three items.
Appropriate White Space
A resumé should not be so jam packed with information that nearly all the toner in the printer is used up. It should also not have immense gaps of white space. A resumé should fit a candidate’s personal information, education, and work history on one page. There should be no unnecessary line breaks. If they can’t get it down to one page, it’s because they’re putting more information than they should. This could signal that they would have trouble focusing on what matters when it comes to work. The best resumés inspire confidence even before you read them. The right amount of white space doesn’t come across as emptiness. It shows that a candidate knows how to make room when they need to. You can trust their decision-making abilities in the workplace through this quality.
Consistency
Maintaining a consistent style, tone, and presentation in a resume is of utmost importance. It needs to flow naturally and can be read easily. There are a couple things to check for in a good resume in regards to consistency. First and foremost, make sure that if any information is repeated or put in several locations that it is in fact the same information and that it has a purpose for being there. You should also check for consistent voice in similar sections. For example, if the applicant lists out their past achievements, maintaining the same voice and point of view shows an eye for attention to detail. Everything needs to flow properly from one section to the next. By the time you finish reading their resumé, you feel like you’ve really gotten to know them, even without meeting them. Consistent formatting shows that the writer understands the value of giving attention to details by creating a far more readable resume.
Proofreading
A resumé is not ready to be handed in until it’s been proofread. This means more than just running a spelling and grammar check. There should also be careful organization of how information is presented. It needs to start with the most recent/current employment and include the most vital skills first.
A resumé is a multipurpose tool. Not only does it tell you about a candidate’s credentials and experiences, but it also gives you a glimpse into what kind of an employee they are. A resumé that’s properly formatted and double-checked signifies an employee who pays attention to what they’re doing and can be counted on.
