Wouldn’t your life be easier if identifying high performers was as simple as watching the right resumes leap to the top of the heap, just like these candidates do once they’re hired? It’s possible to spot the high performers who can help your organization excel—just by reading their resumes. September and October are the busiest months for hiring. More people are looking for jobs during this time than any other time of the year. Here are 5 surefire ways to streamline your process for identifying high performers through their resumes.
Tip 1. High performers have had a lot of jobs.
Don’t be surprised, dismayed, or deterred by the number of jobs or positions that a high performer has had. In the process of identifying high performers, it’s important to recognize that the days when people stayed in one company their entire careers are long gone. High performers, driven by their desire to succeed, are always looking for new opportunities to move up. If an employer doesn’t provide those opportunities, they won’t hesitate to seek them elsewhere.
If a resume shows a steady rise in job positions, it’s a good sign. It likely means the candidate is worth interviewing. When searching for high performers, keep this in mind. If your company does not offer a clear career path, you may have to fill this position again in a few years. This could happen when the high performer you hire chooses to seek a better opportunity elsewhere.
Tip 2. Promotions Are Key to Identifying High Performers
Similarly, when high performers have been with the same company for a long period of time, they most likely haven’t stayed in any one position for very long. They usually get promoted every one to two years. If they leave a company, it’s generally for a job that’s a step up. They leave only for a better opportunity that involves more responsibility, power, and status.
High performers tend not to be interested in lateral moves; they want positions that will take them to the next level. For example, if you have the resume of someone who was a project director, then became a manager, and within a few years moved into a VP slot, you may well be looking at the resume of a high performer.
Tip 3. High performers have held leadership positions.
High performers often take on leadership roles, even when they work in a team. This happens in most of their jobs. High performers tend to step naturally into leadership because they are goal driven and want to make sure that the task at hand gets done successfully.
Contrary to conventional wisdom, it doesn’t always matter how long a person has been in the workforce. When identifying high performers, it’s often more important to look for leadership capabilities than just experience. If a young applicant has limited work experience on their resume, you can still uncover signs of their leadership potential. Examine their college activities, which can provide valuable insights into their skills and abilities. A person who participates in many extracurricular activities is often a high performer. If they’ve also held leadership roles in these groups, it indicates they possess strong leadership skills, time management abilities, and the capacity to work effectively with others.
Tip 4. High performers emphasize goal achievement.
High performers tend to focus their resumes on the goals they’ve achieved. For example, their resume might highlight how they achieved sales or revenue goals, completed project objectives, or contributed significantly to an organization’s overall success. This focus can be a key factor when identifying high performers during the hiring process.
A word of caution: since resume writing guidebooks and other resources often emphasize showcasing goals and achievements, you can’t rely solely on this information when identifying high performers. Some candidates may simply have mastered the art of crafting an impressive resume. However, if the resume exhibits this characteristic along with the other four traits discussed here, you can confidently prescreen the candidate as a high performer.
Tip 5. High performers are involved in many activities.
While the current school of resume writing discourages including activities and accomplishments outside of the workplace, when they are included and show that someone is involved in lots of activities and has accomplishments, this candidate is likely a high performer. High performers don’t “turn off” when they leave the workplace. They’re involved in their communities, continuing education, and highly devoted to their hobbies and personal interests. For example, if someone lists gardening as a hobby and mentions that they have taken that interest to the max by achieving the designation of Master Gardener, that might indicate a high performer candidate.
While not all of these indicators may be present on every high performer’s resume, if you find many of these characteristics present, then you’re almost certainly looking at someone who fits this category. Use a screening call before bringing your the candidate in for an interview and see if your resume sleuthing is on target!
Learn more about managing high performer employees and high performer bosses in Katherine Graham-Leviss’ new book, High Maintenance Employees: Why your best employees will also be your most difficult… and what to do about it (Source Books), November 2005. For over twenty years, Katherine Graham-Leviss, president of XB Consulting, has been helping companies manage and develop their talent to improve results and grow their businesses.