Job Candidates Archives - Atlantic Group

Your resume is often the first impression a hiring manager has of you. While a strong, well-crafted resume can pique interest in bringing you in for an interview, even seemingly minor mistakes can lead your application to getting dismissed.

To help candidates put their best foot forward, we’ve pinpointed five of the top resume red flags that can hinder your chances of progressing to the next step. Heed this advice to avoid easily correctible pitfalls as you aim to land job interviews in the competitive hiring environment.

1. Spelling or Grammar Errors

In the digital age, there’s no excuse for basic typos and grammar mistakes on your resume. Before submitting any applications, thoroughly proofread to eliminate problems or have a trusted second pair of eyes review. Employers may interpret errors as carelessness or lack of effort. You want your capabilities shining through.

2. Failure to Quantify Accomplishments

While concise descriptions of responsibilities are important, hiring managers prioritize resumes spotlighting measurable achievements, impact, and specific examples driving business results. Quantifying accomplishments packs a persuasive punch.

3. Outdated Contact Information

You can’t receive an interview invite without providing current, working contact details. Yet expired phone numbers, non-functional hyperlinks, and misdirected email addresses still appear on many submitted resumes. Verify all your listed contact information is totally correct before applying. Inaccuracies are highly concerning to recruiters.

4. Template Copy-and-Pasting

Applying for diverse roles? While custom tailoring your resume to each job description requires more effort, it pays off exponentially, compared to sending a generic off-the-shelf resume. Hiring managers recognize when candidates haven’t aligned skills to their needs. Prioritize and edit content accordingly.

5. Visually Unappealing Formatting

First impressions matter enormously, so avoid instantly putting off reviewers with unpolished, cluttered, or oddly structured resume layouts. Carefully organize attractive, readable resumes enhanced by white space and consistent visual elements. It directly signals your professionalism when resumes effectively showcase information.

The bottom line is that every detail of your resume affects whether you get reached out for interviews. Avoiding common mistakes and red flags puts you in the best position to showcase your qualifications to hiring managers.

Looking for work? Get connected with one of our career experts.

When it comes to hiring the right candidates for your company, skills and experience are crucial, but so is attitude. A candidate’s attitude can significantly impact their performance and how well they fit into your company culture. See the seven key attitude traits that employers should assess in job candidates to ensure they are the right fit for the role and your team.

7 Attitude Traits to Assess in Job Candidates

1. Positive Attitude

A positive attitude is infectious and can improve the overall workplace atmosphere. Candidates with a sunny disposition tend to approach challenges with optimism, making them more adaptable and productive. Look for signs of positivity in their responses, body language, and how they handle adversity during the interview.

2. Adaptability

In a rapidly changing business world, adaptability is a highly valuable trait. Candidates who are open to change and can quickly adjust to new circumstances are more likely to thrive. To evaluate adaptability, ask candidates about their experiences in situations where they had to change course or adapt to new processes.

3. Resilience

Resilience is the ability to bounce back from setbacks and remain focused on goals. Candidates who are resilient can handle criticism, stress, and disappointment without losing motivation. Explore their past experiences and challenges to gauge their resilience.

4. Collaborative Nature

The ability to work effectively with others is essential in most workplaces. Look for candidates who can demonstrate strong collaboration skills. You can assess this by asking about their experiences working in teams, their approach to conflict resolution, and their communication style.

5. Growth Mindset

A growth mindset is the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort and learning. Candidates with a growth mindset are more likely to embrace challenges and improve over time. Ask about their approach to personal and professional development to identify a growth mindset.

6. Accountability

Accountability is the willingness to take responsibility for one’s actions and decisions. Candidates who are accountable can admit their mistakes, learn from them, and make necessary corrections. Discuss scenarios where they faced challenges and assess their level of accountability.

Assessing Attitude Traits

To evaluate these attitude traits effectively, consider using a combination of interview questions and situational assessments. Here are some interview questions to get you started:

“Can you share an example of a time when you faced a major setback in a project? How did you handle it, and what did you learn from the experience?”
“Tell me about a project where you had to collaborate with a diverse team. How did you ensure effective communication and collaboration among team members?”
“Describe a situation where you identified a process that could be improved in your previous job. What steps did you take to initiate that change?”

When hiring for fit, assessing attitude traits is just as critical as evaluating skills and experience. The right attitude can help candidates integrate seamlessly into your company and contribute positively to your team’s success. By focusing on these seven key attitude traits, you can build a more harmonious and productive workplace.