Recruiting is an integral part of creating successful work teams or a successful business. In my years as a HR Manager and as a Consultant I have recruited for my own teams and on behalf of my clients.

The real delving into the minds and work ethic of applicants is during the interview but first of all there are often many resumes to wade through.

The most important first step is to ensure that you have a clear and defined position description including accountable expectations of the role.

Here’s what I do when faced with a stack (often a large stack) of resumes:

1. Set aside uninterrupted time to read through all the resumes this initial time – These applicants have taken time to apply for your position and as such it is appropriate to acknowledge that effort by reading them through
2. Make a pile of those applicants that do not meet the requirements of the role; set aside
3. Mark any outstanding applicants for interview – If this group is large, begin to shortlist from this group
4. If not enough outstanding applicants; shortlist from both groups
5. Decide on the amount of interviews you are prepared to do
6. Plan interviews accordingly
7. Get help if recruiting isn’t your strength

Enjoy!