📺 Stream EntrepreneurTV for Free 📺

4 Red Flags to Watch Out for on a Resume Here are some of the most common signs to look for when hiring new employees.

By Ceren Cubukcu

entrepreneur daily

This story originally appeared on Personal Branding Blog

graphicstock

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.

Related: 5 Reasons Why Your Employees Are Quitting

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.

Related: Why Employer Branding Is So Important

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.

Related: The Do's and Don'ts of Asking for a Raise

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.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Fundraising

My Startup Couldn't Raise VC Funding, So We Became Profitable. Here's How We Did It — And How You Can Too.

Four months ago, my startup reached profitability for the first time. It came after more than a year of active work and planning, and here's what it took.

Starting a Business

Clinton Sparks Podcast: From Hit Records to Humanitarian Powerhouse, Akon Shares His Entrepreneurial Journey

This podcast is a fun, entertaining and informative show that will teach you how to succeed and achieve your goals with practical advice and actionable steps given through compelling stories and conversations with Clinton and his guests.

Business News

McDonald's Is Responding to Sky-High Fast Food Prices By Rolling Out a Much Cheaper Value Meal: Report

The news comes as the chain looks to redirect back to customer "affordability."

Starting a Business

Clinton Sparks Podcast: CEO of Complex Shares How Media, Culture Have Shifted in Recent Years

This podcast is a fun, entertaining and informative show that will teach you how to succeed and achieve your goals with practical advice and actionable steps given through compelling stories and conversations with Clinton and his guests.

Business News

Jack Dorsey Explains Bluesky Exit: 'Literally Repeating All the Mistakes We Made' at Twitter

Dorsey left the Bluesky board and deleted his account earlier this week.