Resumes are like snowflakes; no two are identical. When you advertise for a job, resumes will build up on your desk by the hundreds. You will have some resumes on colorful paper with fancy borders or others that have the applicant’s photograph and the smell of cheap perfume. Some resumes are only one page, while others will read like a book. Either way, you have your work cut out for the next few days, and EmeraldCoastJobs.com will try to make the resume review process as simple as possible.

Pay special attention to the following as you review resumes:

Achievement and accomplishment. A resume should have a common theme running throughout - “I am successful, and you need to hire me.” Pay attention to the achievements and accomplishments that the applicant has made in his/her most recent job as well as former jobs. Check to see how long the applicant has worked in the particular field and whether the applicant has made any lateral moves.

Stability and career direction. Although job-hopping is definitely questionable, it should not become the deciding factor as to whether or not you decide to hire a candidate. Find out the reasons for the unstable job history before you toss out the resume. Focus more of your attention on whether the applicant has remained in the same career field. An applicant with several unrelated career fields on his/her resume may still be unsure where he/she wants to end up career-wise.

Work and education history. Pay particular attention to whether the candidate meets the objectives of the job description. Look for vagueness in the applicant’s description of former jobs. If the duties of the jobs are unclear, chances are the applicant has something to hide. If there is no graduation date listed next to a school’s name, the applicant probably did not graduate.

Work ethic. Judging a resume for work ethic is not easy, but using some of the tips above you should be able to get a good idea about certain aspects of the applicant on the job. For example, you can determine whether the applicant remains loyal to his/her company or career field by looking at how long he/she remained in a position, awards also indicate that the applicant excels in some areas over others.

Resume red flags:

Unstable job history - several short term or unrelated jobs

Several career changes

Typographical errors or misspellings

Previous employers cannot be contacted

No dates next to schools attended

Termination from former job

Too much or too little information

No explanations for breaks in work history

Phrases such as "exposure to," "knowledge of," and "familiar with"

Regressive or lateral work history without good reason - shows lack of growth or increase in responsibilities

Vague answers

Job titles that do not make sense or seem inflated

Education from questionable institutions

Information that can’t be verified - professional certification or employment at a bankrupt company

Lack of personal or professional references

Information on resume does not match that on application

Resume written as a list of qualifications - may hide lack of true job experience

Run a background check on preferred applicants. If you find resumes that make the cut, make sure to run a background check.