4 Red Flags to Watch Out for on a Resume

This story originally appeared on Personal Branding Blog
As an employer, you probably receive hundreds of resumes every day, especially if you are the hiring manager of a well-known brand. However, do you know the red flags to watch out for in these resumes? Below are the most common signs to look for.

1. Job hopping

If a candidate changes jobs frequently, this should be a red flag for you. Hiring someone is an expensive process. After hiring, you need to invest in the new hire and train him or her in order to become productive. Usually, it takes around six months for a new hire to become effective in his or her job. As an employer, you can only get efficiency from a new hire after six months. However, if a person changes jobs every seven or eight months, then you should watch out for this person. Also, try to avoid these types of candidates because changing jobs frequently means lack of commitment.

2. Employment gaps

An employer should watch out for gaps on a candidate’s resume. These gaps may raise a red flag but they also may not be a bad sign. Sometimes employees take career breaks in order to care for their children or elders, spend more time with their families, continue studying or even travel the world. These are all reasonable gaps. As an employer, when you ask a candidate about the gap in his or her resume and get a reasonable answer, then you don’t need to worry. However, if the candidate cannot explain the gap, then this raises questions and worries.

3. Spelling and grammar mistakes

Spelling and grammar mistakes on a resume can be a huge warning sign because this shows that the candidate is not very detail-oriented. Also, a resume is one of the places where the candidate presents himself or herself and having mistakes shows that this person doesn’t care much about his or her presentation. Every job requires detail, attention and a good presentation. Therefore, an employer should really watch out for this type of a candidate.

4. Lack of achievement

A good resume should show evidence of a successfully progressing career. Job responsibilities should increase over time and job descriptions should grow. Therefore, if a candidate cannot show any achievements on his or her resume or shows a decrease of job titles and responsibilities, then this should raise a red flag. Sometimes, due to unforeseen circumstances, a candidate may choose to take less responsibilities but a smart candidate knows that this raises questions.