When sorting through resumes or interviewing candidates there is a tendency to make notations directly on the resume. This can be a dangerous and potentially embarrassing practice. Since most firms hang onto resumes for equal opportunity statistical records, comments become a part of the firm’s permanent records and, therefore, reviewable by the employees should they be hired and subpoenable should they not. Using code or abbreviations doesn’t help much since most are common sense, e.g., “PP” = poor presentation, “noncom = poor communications skills, “TMI” = too much information (long-winded answers). Of course, there are also comments regarding race, gender, age and other discriminatory factors. 

 

The best course of action is to send around a candidate evaluation form with resumes asking reviewers and interviewers to rate the candidate in a questionnaire format. The form should remind reviewers to avoid making written comments on the resume or the form. If a recruiter forwards a resume with comments on it, destroy or return the resume and ask for a clean copy (Legal Resource Group provides clients with a Candidate Evaluation Form attached to each resume that contains non-discriminatory background notes on our conversations with the candidate).