Conducting SME Resume Reviews

Resume reviewers must be familiar with the required competencies and proficiencies. They'll use these to assess resumes for the required experience and deterimine if applicants will be further assessed.

To be successful as a subject matter expert reviewing resumes, you will:

1. Familiarize yourself with the core competencies and proficiency levels specified for this position during job analysis (see Competencies/Proficiencies document).
2. Review resumes for evidence of the {NUMBER} competencies and proficiencies specified for the position.
3. Write a 1-4 sentence note explaining whether applicants move forward or not. For example:

   “Does Not Move Forward ({ROLE}): Kevin’s resume does not show the communications/collaboration competency at the level required for this position because it contains significant spelling and grammatical errors.”

Guidelines for Conducting SME Resume Reviews

As you review resumes, keep these points in mind:

• To move an applicant forward, look for evidence of each pre-defined competency and proficiency in their resume. Use the experience they describe in their resume along with your subject matter expertise rather than searching for keywords. If you make an educated assumption about their experience, write it down.
• Make sure the applicant has at least 52 weeks of relevant experience.
• When you decide not to move an applicant forward, provide enough detail to retrace your decision later. You must cite the specific competency that wasn’t reflected and why.
• When hiring for technical roles only, OPM permits you to require that an applicant have recent experience with a particular aspect of a technical competency. If this is true for your hiring action, confirm the applicant has that experience within the specified number of years.
• If you have multiple roles or parentheticals available for your hiring action, clearly document which role applies to your rating. It’s possible to move an applicant forward for one role but not move them forward for another.

Requirements Reference List

While you’re not required or expected to create and upload a checklist of the competencies and proficiencies, you may find it useful to reference this list while reviewing resumes to remember the requirements:

Only read and consider information from the first {NUMBER} pages of the resume. If their work experience doesn’t begin until the bottom of the first page or on the second page due to a formatting issue, begin your review where their work experience begins, up to {NUMBER} pages.

Providing Written Justification

Your written justification should be 1-4 sentences that explains why the applicant should or should not move forward based on the required core competencies and proficiency levels.

When rating an applicant based on the criteria above, you can give one of these two ratings along with a description:

• Move Forward: Use this rating if all competencies and proficiency levels are adequately reflected, in addition to having one year relevant experience and any additional recency requirement.
• Does Not Move Forward: Use this rating if one or more required competencies and proficiency levels are not adequately reflected, or the applicant does not have a year of relevant experience.

If your hiring action has multiple roles/parentheticals for the applicant to select, your note should also address whether the applicant meets the proficiency for each role/parenthetical they selected. Never move an applicant forward who did not meet all core competencies, even if they meet the parenthetical-related competency.

Moving an Applicant Forward

Always use 1-4 sentences to explain why, in your experience, the applicant’s resume reflects:

• The core competencies and proficiency levels were met
• If applicable, the parenthetical competencies and proficiency levels that were met
• The duration of experience
• Any additional details to help someone retrace your decision

Some examples:

Move Forward: Required competencies and proficiency levels adequately reflected for both the Generalist and {PARENTHETICAL 1} to warrant further evaluation. Duration of experience is met.

Move Forward ({PARENTHETICAL 1} and {PARENTHETICAL 2}): Core competency proficiency levels adequately reflected. Meets {CORE COMPETENCY 1} because she implemented a company-wide program that had success results and metrics. Additional competency proficiency levels adequately reflected for both the {PARENTHETICAL 1} and the {PARENTHETICAL 2} roles to warrant further evaluation. Duration of experience is met.

Choosing Not to Move an Applicant Forward

Always use 1-4 sentences to explain why, in your experience, the applicant’s resume reflects that:

• The required competency isn’t met (you’re only required to document one deficient competency, but you may document more if you wish)

OR

• The required duration of experience isn’t met

For example:

Does Not Move Forward (all roles): Though Eugene’s resume shows 43 years experience as an IT Specialist, there is no evidence that he is experienced at {COMPETENCY 1} or effective {COMPETENCY 2} at the levels required by the position because there is no evidence of any successful outcomes.”

In addition, a resume is a demonstration of the applicant’s experience and skills. If the applicant has the requisite experience for most competencies, but the resume contains significant grammatical issues, you may use your judgement to determine that the applicant is not proficient in communication or writing competencies like “Technical Communication.” Document that the applicant shouldn’t move forward, and why. For example:

Does Not Move Forward (Generalist): Kevin’s resume does not show {COMMUNICATION COMPETENCY} at the level required for this position because it contains significant spelling and grammatical errors.