What is more important to you when selecting a digital specialist — creativity or technical skills? How to understand if a candidate is truly good or just knows how to present themselves? We have compiled tips: how to evaluate a digital specialist's resume.
What should be in the resume
A digital specialist's resume should include skills and work experience. For different professions, the requirements vary, but there is an approximate list.
An SEO specialist should be well-versed in search optimization. A candidate with experience will have a portfolio featuring website audits and strategies for search engine success.
An SMM specialist differs from an average user. Everyone knows social media nowadays — a job applicant should have a broader skill set. Cases, increases in subscribers, engagement, sales — these should be in the resume.
An advertising specialist needs skills in setting up and managing campaigns — contextual and targeted. The candidate should skillfully manage budgets and optimize ads. Seeing proficiency with Google Analytics and Yandex.Metrica in the skills section is a good sign.
Work experience. What to consider?
Experience does not always mean tenure — sometimes cases are more telling. Pay attention to the projects the candidate mentions in the resume.
It's important for the cases to be relevant to your field. For example, if you are looking for an SMM specialist for a pharmacy chain, prefer someone who has worked with medical projects. Need a designer in a construction company? Someone with experience in the construction field would be suitable.
It's beneficial if the candidate has worked in a team and with different departments. It means they can deliver and process information clearly and quickly. The team with this employee will also feel comfortable.
How to evaluate a portfolio
Descriptions in the resume are good, but the portfolio shows real capabilities. It’s important to look at the cases the candidate presents.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Does the portfolio have numbers and data: percentage of conversion increase, cost-per-click reduction?
- Are the projects related to your industry?
Unconventional ideas are another important indicator. Analyze how different the candidate’s solutions are from typical approaches. However, even the most creative projects should benefit the business. Evaluate how the candidate's solutions helped clients achieve their goals. This could be increasing brand recognition, boosting sales, or attracting a new audience.
How the specialist presents their work also matters — especially for designers and content marketers. A good portfolio should be well-structured and reflect a wide range of experiences.
How to filter candidates
Before reviewing resumes, note down the criteria you will use. Which skills you want the specialist to have, what education and personal qualities. And determine what is more important to you among these.
In the first stage, you need to filter out resumes that clearly do not meet the requirements. Search by keywords and phrases: if a candidate-targetologist's resume does not mention the VKontakte advertising cabinet at all — they are not suitable.
The next step is to look at the portfolio. A digital specialist should have one. Evaluate creativity, technical skills, and results.
A cover letter is a plus for the candidate. Check if it's generic or if the specialist has mentioned your company and tied their skills to it.
Still have contenders after the previous stages? Give them a test assignment. Offer something close to your real work. You can evaluate the results yourself, or delegate it to the relevant department.
Approach the selection of a digital specialist with an eye towards long-term cooperation. The ideal candidate will deliver results now and help elevate the team to a new level in the future.
