The process of reviewing resumes starts well before receiving the first applications. It starts when writing a job description and creating a list of minimum and preferred qualifications for the role:

• Minimum qualifications are basic, certifiable, typically non-negotiable qualifications that a candidate must have to be considered for the role (e.g., education degrees, professional accreditations).
• Preferred qualifications are the preferred, non-mandatory skills and experience of an ideal candidate. These are often more qualitative than the minimum qualifications (e.g., demonstrated proficiency in persuasive communications, teaching background preferred).

Reviewing applications against the same set of posted qualifications can help make your hiring more efficient, more fair, and more thorough. Using a firm standard makes it easy to sort out applications that don’t meet any of the qualifications, those that just meet the minimum, and those that have many of the preferred qualifications as well.