Resumes Flooding Hiring Managers for Open Slots

January 11, 2007 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - If you're applying for a job these days, you can count on not being alone when you submit your resume to a hiring manager.

In fact, according to a recent survey by employment Web site CareerBuilder.com, just over a quarter (27%) of human resource (HR) managers say they receive more than 50 resumes, on average, for each open position, according to a CareerBuilder.com news release. More than one-in-ten (13%) HR managers receive more than 100 resumes per job opening.

When evaluating candidates’ applications, 77% of HR managers surveyed say they look for relevant experience. They also frequently consider a candidate’s ability to demonstrate specific accomplishments (48%) and whether the resumes are customized to the open position (41%).

HR managers also frequently search for keywords when screening resumes. Top-searched keywords include:

  • Problem-solving/decision making (56%).
  • Leadership (44%).
  • Oral/written communications (40%).
  • Team-building (33%); and
  • Performance and productivity improvement (31%).

“In today’s competitive job market, it’s essential for a candidate’s resume to be flawless,” said Richard Castellini, vice president of consumer marketing for CareerBuilder.com, in the news release. “To ensure your resume is error-free, be sure to proofread, proofread, proofread.”

Not surprisingly, 63% of HR managers report that spelling errors are the most annoying mistakes they see on resumes. Other top errors include:

  • Resumes not customized to the position (30%),
  • Lies (23%),
  • Including too many insignificant details on job responsibilities (21%), and
  • Resumes that are more than two pages long (21%).

The survey was conducted online in the US by Harris Interactive between November 17 and December 11, 2006 among 360 hiring managers ages 18 and over. More information is at http://www.careerbuilder.com .

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