Northwest Staffing Blog

As a Seattle staffing agency, we’ve seen our fair share of credential fraud. And unfortunately, due to the tight economy, it’s on the rise. So how can you avoid hiring someone who has included false or inaccurate information on their resume? One way is to conduct a background check. However, these checks are typically conducted late in the game – once a lot of time has been invested into screening and interviewing a candidate.

There is an easier way, though. By watching out for the following 8 warning signs on a resume, you can eliminate unqualified candidates much earlier in the selection process:

#1. Gaps in employment.

Many job candidates may have employment gaps because of situations beyond their control, such as the economy or bad luck. But you still need to watch out for gaps in employment because they could be a clue to a bigger problem. Also, watch out for resumes that include dates of employments listed as years, rather than including the month and the year, or resumes that don’t include dates at all.

#2. Short term employment at multiple employers.

It wasn’t too long ago that people stayed with the same company for 10, 20, or even 30 years. Today, that’s certainly not the norm. However, having numerous employers within a short period of time is still a red flag – particularly if there’s no viable explanation for the job jumping.

Whether you requested a salary history, a list of references, or resumes from only local candidates, failure to follow these simple directions can be a sign of what’s to come if you hire this person. Another red flag is failing to send along a cover letter. This is a sign that either a) the candidate is lazy or b) they are unqualified and don’t want to invest the time to write a cover letter.

#4. Typos.

Why should you care if a candidate spells a word wrong or uses incorrect punctuation? Because these mistakes can indicate a lack of attention to detail. They can also indicate the quality of work you can expect from the candidate.

#5. A career that’s going backwards or plateauing.

Be careful when a resume shows evidence of a plateau or decrease in responsibility. However, that said, don’t automatically dismiss such an applicant. For instance, that person could have had small children at home at the time and wanted a position with less responsibility. If that’s the case, the smart candidate will include an explanation of the situation in their cover letter.

Here a few other signs to watch out for when reviewing resumes:

#6. Sending a resume and cover letter from a current employer’s email address.

#7. A resume that isn’t customized for your job posting.

#8. Overqualified applicants that may only stay in your position for the short term, until a better opportunity comes along.

Recently promoted to a management position? Wondering how to make the transition as smoothly as possible? Here are some tips that can help you to effectively manage, gain the respect – and be a great boss.

#1: Know – and accept – that you’re not their friend anymore.

If you’ve recently been promoted to management, you’ll most likely be in the awkward position of supervising your friends. But it’s important to realize that you’re now their boss, not their friend, and you must treat the whole team equally.

#2: Create a healthy workplace environment.

Good bosses achieve three goals in the workplace:

1)    They create a sense of fairness so that individuals feel like they are being appropriately recognized and rewarded for their contributions.
2)    They create an atmosphere of achievement, so that everyone is proud of the place they work.
3)    They create a sense of camaraderie among employees and make everyone feel like they’re part of a team.

#3: Consult with your employees.

One important way to gain respect is to ask your employees for input on what’s working well – and what isn’t. Giving employees the opportunity to offer input makes them feel more in control and helps to reduce any apprehension about the change.

#4: Don’t micromanage.

Once you’ve trained your employees, let them do their job. No one likes to be micro-managed (including you!). So let your staff handle their work without interfering.

#5: Understand that it’s not about you anymore.

When you’re an employee, you can focus on your own individual efforts. When you’re a manager, you have to focus on the entire team’s efforts. So, as a boss, it’s time to relinquish the spotlight and put your employees there instead.

#6: Show appreciation to your employees.

Never hesitate to pat your employees on the back or compliment them for a job well done.

#7: Share your goals with your employees.

Make sure your employees are clear about the goals you are trying to achieve. And be specific, for instance “I’d like to increase our sales by 10% next year.”

#8: Hire top performers.

People are your most important asset. And hiring top performers is critical to your success as a boss.

If you need help hiring qualified people for industrial, office, and technical positions, please contact Northwest Staffing. As one of Seattle’s leading staffing agencies, we know where to look to find great candidates for a variety of different positions. Contact us today. We can help.