Resume Screening: What to Look For (and What to Ignore)

You post a job and get 200 applications. Now what? You need to find the 10 that are actually worth talking to. That’s resume screening - and most people do it wrong.

The problem: Most recruiters either:

• Spend too much time on each resume (inefficient)
• Skip important details (miss great candidates)
• Focus on the wrong things (hire the wrong people)

The solution: Learn what actually matters and what you can ignore. Screen efficiently without missing great candidates.

“Resume screening is 80% of recruiting, but most recruiters spend 20% of their time on it. Learn to do it well, and you’ll find better candidates faster.” - Lou Adler, author of “Hire With Your Head”

Why Resume Screening Matters

The numbers:

• Average job posting gets 250+ applications
• Only 2-5% are actually qualified
• You spend 6-10 seconds on each resume initially
• Bad screening = wasted time on unqualified candidates OR missing great ones

The reality: You can’t interview everyone. Resume screening is how you decide who’s worth your time. Do it well, and you find great candidates. Do it poorly, and you waste weeks on the wrong people.

Real example: You’re hiring a marketing manager. You get 200 applications. If you screen well, you find 10 great candidates and interview them. If you screen poorly, you either:

• Interview 50 unqualified people (waste of time)
• Miss the best candidates because you focused on the wrong things (bigger problem)

What to Look For: The Must-Haves

These are the things that actually matter. If someone doesn’t have these, they’re probably not a good fit.

1. Relevant Experience

What it means: Do they have experience doing what you need them to do?

What to look for:

• Job titles that match (or are similar to) what you’re hiring for
• Responsibilities that align with your role
• Industry experience (if relevant)
• Company size/type experience (startup vs. enterprise)

Real example: You’re hiring a marketing manager who needs to run Facebook ads. Look for:

• “Marketing Manager” or similar title
• “Facebook ads” or “paid social” in their experience
• Experience at similar companies (startups, if you’re a startup)

Red flags:

• No relevant experience at all
• Experience in completely different industries (unless it’s transferable)
• Only intern or entry-level experience when you need senior

2. Skills That Match

What it means: Do they have the skills you actually need?

What to look for:

• Specific skills mentioned in your job description
• Tools or technologies you use
• Certifications or training (if relevant)

Real example: You’re hiring a software engineer who needs to know Python. Look for:

• “Python” in their skills or experience
• Projects that used Python
• Python-related certifications or courses

Red flags:

• No mention of required skills
• Only mentions skills you don’t need
• Skills that don’t match the role

3. Career Progression

What it means: Are they growing in their career, or stuck?

What to look for:

• Increasing responsibility over time
• Promotions or title changes
• Learning new skills
• Taking on bigger projects

Real example: Good progression:

• Marketing Coordinator (2 years) → Marketing Manager (3 years) → Senior Marketing Manager (current)

Red flags:

• Same title for 10+ years (might be fine, but worth asking about)
• Moving backwards (Senior → Junior)
• No clear growth pattern

4. Job Stability (Within Reason)

What it means: Do they stick around, or job hop constantly?

What to look for:

• 2-4 years at each company (generally good)
• Longer tenures (5+ years) can be good or bad - depends on why
• Shorter tenures (1-2 years) can be fine if there’s a reason

Real example: Good stability:

• Company A: 3 years
• Company B: 4 years
• Company C: 2 years (current)

Red flags:

• 6+ jobs in 3 years (job hopping)
• Never stayed anywhere more than 1 year
• Unexplained gaps between jobs

What to Ignore: The Nice-to-Haves

These things don’t matter as much as people think. Don’t let them distract you.

1. Fancy Formatting

What people think: A well-designed resume means they’re professional.

Reality: Fancy formatting doesn’t predict job performance. Some of the best candidates have simple resumes.

What to do: Don’t judge based on design. Focus on content.

2. Perfect Grammar (Within Reason)

What people think: Typos mean they’re careless.

Reality: Everyone makes mistakes. One or two typos? Probably fine. Typos everywhere? That’s a problem.

What to do: Don’t reject someone for one typo. But if the resume is full of errors, that’s a red flag.

3. Specific Universities

What people think: Ivy League = better candidate.

Reality: Where someone went to school doesn’t predict how well they’ll do the job. Some of the best candidates went to state schools or didn’t go to college at all.

What to do: Don’t filter by school. Focus on what they’ve actually done.

4. Cover Letters

What people think: A good cover letter shows they’re serious.

Reality: Many great candidates don’t write cover letters. Many bad candidates write great cover letters.

What to do: Read cover letters if they’re there, but don’t require them. Focus on the resume.

5. Gaps in Employment

What people think: Gaps mean they’re unreliable.

Reality: People take time off for lots of reasons: travel, family, health, education, starting a business. Gaps aren’t automatically bad.

What to do: Don’t reject for gaps. Ask about them in the interview. There might be a good reason.

Red Flags to Watch For

These are things that should make you pause (but not necessarily reject):

1. Job Hopping

What it is: Multiple jobs in a short time (6+ jobs in 3 years).

Why it matters: Might indicate they can’t keep a job, get bored easily, or have issues.

What to do: Don’t automatically reject. Ask about it. Sometimes there are good reasons (layoffs, company closures, etc.).

2. Unexplained Gaps

What it is: Long periods (6+ months) with no employment listed.

Why it matters: Could indicate they were unemployed, in jail, or hiding something.

What to do: Ask about it. There might be a good reason (travel, family, health, starting a business).

3. Overqualified

What it is: Someone with way more experience than the role requires.

Why it matters: They might get bored, ask for too much money, or leave quickly.

What to do: Don’t automatically reject. Ask why they’re interested. Maybe they want a change, or the role offers something they value (remote work, equity, etc.).

4. Underqualified

What it is: Someone with way less experience than the role requires.

Why it matters: They might not be able to do the job.

What to do: Don’t automatically reject if they’re close. Maybe they’re ready for the next step. But if they’re way underqualified, probably pass.

5. Inconsistent Information

What it is: Dates don’t add up, conflicting information, etc.

Why it matters: Could indicate they’re lying or careless.

What to do: This is a bigger red flag. Ask about it. If they can’t explain it, that’s concerning.

How to Screen Efficiently

You can’t spend 10 minutes on each resume. Here’s how to screen quickly without missing great candidates.

The 6-Second Scan

What it is: A quick first pass to eliminate obviously unqualified candidates.

What to look for:

• Relevant job title or experience? (Yes = keep, No = maybe pass)
• Required skills mentioned? (Yes = keep, No = maybe pass)
• Any major red flags? (Yes = pass, No = keep)

Real example: You’re hiring a Python developer. 6-second scan:

• Resume says “Python developer” → Keep
• Resume says “Marketing manager” → Pass
• Resume says “Software engineer” with Python skills → Keep

The 30-Second Review

What it is: A deeper look at candidates who passed the 6-second scan.

What to look for:

• Do they have the experience you need?
• Do they have the skills you need?
• Any red flags?
• Career progression makes sense?

Real example: Python developer candidate:

• Has 3 years Python experience → Good
• Has worked at startups (you’re a startup) → Good
• Job hopped 4 times in 2 years → Red flag, but ask about it
• Has relevant projects → Good

Decision: Worth a phone screen, but ask about job hopping.

The Deep Dive (For Finalists)

What it is: A thorough review of candidates you’re seriously considering.

What to look for:

• Everything from the 30-second review, plus:
• Specific achievements and results
• Cultural fit indicators
• Growth potential
• Any concerns or questions

Common Screening Mistakes

Mistake 1: Focusing on Keywords Only

What happens: You search for “Python” and only look at resumes with that word. You miss great candidates who used different terms.

Fix: Look for meaning, not just keywords. “Software engineer with 5 years building web applications” might be a Python developer even if they don’t say “Python.”

Mistake 2: Rejecting for One Red Flag

What happens: Someone has a gap in employment, so you reject them. But maybe they took time off to travel or care for family.

Fix: Don’t reject for one red flag. Ask about it. There might be a good reason.

Mistake 3: Not Looking Past the Resume

What happens: Someone’s resume isn’t perfect, so you reject them. But maybe they’re great and just bad at writing resumes.

Fix: If someone is close, give them a chance. A 15-minute phone call will tell you more than a resume.

Mistake 4: Screening Too Strictly

What happens: You’re so picky that you reject everyone. Now you have no candidates.

Fix: Be realistic. No candidate is perfect. Focus on must-haves, not nice-to-haves.

Mistake 5: Not Screening at All

What happens: You interview everyone who applies. You waste weeks on unqualified candidates.

Fix: Screen resumes. It saves time and helps you focus on the right people.

The Bottom Line

Resume screening is about finding the right balance: efficient enough to handle volume, thorough enough to find great candidates.

Focus on what matters:

• Relevant experience
• Required skills
• Career progression
• Job stability (within reason)

Ignore what doesn’t:

• Fancy formatting
• Perfect grammar (within reason)
• Specific universities
• Cover letters

Watch for red flags, but don’t reject automatically:

• Job hopping
• Employment gaps
• Over/under qualification
• Inconsistent information

Screen efficiently:

• 6-second scan for obvious passes
• 30-second review for deeper look
• Deep dive for finalists

“The best resume screeners don’t just look for keywords - they look for potential. They find great candidates that others miss because they’re not stuck on perfect resumes.” - Anonymous Senior Recruiter

Next Steps

1. Create a screening checklist: List your must-haves and nice-to-haves.

2. Practice the 6-second scan: Get faster at initial screening.

3. Don’t be too picky: Focus on must-haves, not perfection.

4. Ask about red flags: Don’t reject automatically - ask first.

5. Track your results: See which screening criteria actually predict good hires.

Resources

• ATS Systems: Tools that help automate resume screening
• Resume Screening Best Practices: Guides from industry experts
• Interview Guides: How to follow up on resume screening
• Candidate Evaluation: Tools for assessing candidates beyond resumes

Related Articles

• Phone Screening: The First Critical Interview
• The Recruiting Process: Step-by-Step Guide
• Candidate Evaluation Techniques