Recruiters' perceptions and use of applicant resume information: Screening the recent graduate

Despite resumes being evaluated as an initial step in most employment decisions for professional-level job openings, researchers have not adequately examined the influence that applicants' resume qualifications may have on recruiters' initial impressions of applicants' employability. Based on prior research, we hypothesised that recruiters' perceptions of job applicant employability will be associated with varying levels of job applicants' academic qualifications, work experience, and extracurricular activities as reported on applicants' resumes. Experienced recruiters (N = 244) evaluated 122 actual applicant resumes of recent or soon-to-be college graduates. Results supported our hypotheses, indicating that recruiters' perceptions of applicants' academic qualifications, work experience, and extracurricular activities interacted to predict recruiters' perceptions of applicants' employability.