How to Evaluate Communication Skills from a Resume

Introduction: Why Communication Skills Matter in Hiring

Communication skills are among the most in-demand soft skills across industries. Whether it’s written, verbal, or non-verbal communication, candidates with strong communication abilities can effectively collaborate, present ideas, and interact with clients and team members. But how can you evaluate a candidate’s communication skills just by reviewing their resume? In this guide, we’ll break down what to look for in a resume to assess communication skills, red flags that might indicate weak communication abilities, and alternative ways to verify this skill beyond the resume during your candidate application review process.

1- Indicators of Strong Communication Skills in a Resume

A well-crafted resume itself is an early indicator of a candidate’s communication skills. Here are key signs to look for:

• Clear and Concise Resume Structure – A well-organized resume with properly formatted sections, clear bullet points, and a logical flow reflects a candidate’s ability to communicate effectively.
• Well-Written Resume Summary – A compelling professional summary that concisely highlights the candidate’s experience, strengths, and career goals is a sign of good written communication.
• Action-Oriented Language – Candidates who use clear, impactful action verbs (e.g., “Presented,” “Negotiated,” “Facilitated,” “Persuaded”) demonstrate confidence in their ability to communicate ideas effectively.
• Experience with Public Speaking or Client-Facing Roles – Any mention of public speaking, presentations, sales pitches, training sessions, or leadership roles where communication was key is a strong signal.
• Writing Experience – Candidates with experience in content creation, marketing, journalism, technical writing, or documentation roles typically have strong written communication skills.

💡 Pro Tip: If the job requires strong written communication, take note of whether the candidate has customized their resume for the role. Generic, poorly structured resumes could indicate a lack of attention to detail and weak communication abilities.

2-Red Flags Indicating Poor Communication Skills

• Disorganized Resume Format – If a resume lacks structure, has inconsistent formatting, or uses excessive jargon, it may indicate poor communication.
• Spelling and Grammar Mistakes – Frequent errors show a lack of attention to detail and could reflect weak writing skills.
• Excessive or Vague Descriptions – Overly lengthy job descriptions without clarity on actual accomplishments may indicate difficulty in articulating ideas concisely.
• Lack of Quantifiable Achievements – If a candidate describes their work in general terms without specific examples, it may indicate they struggle to present information persuasively.
• Overuse of Buzzwords Without Context – Candidates who excessively use phrases like “excellent communicator” or “great team player” without examples may be overstating their abilities.

3- Alternative Ways to Assess Communication Skills Beyond the Resume

While the resume provides initial insights, communication skills are best evaluated through further candidate interactions:

• Pre-Screening Questions – AI-powered resume screening tools like Brainner allow recruiters to include pre-application questions that assess communication skills. Example: “Describe a time you had to persuade a team to adopt a new approach.”
• Writing Samples or Portfolio Reviews – For roles requiring strong writing skills, reviewing a portfolio or requesting a short writing exercise can be valuable.
• Video or Phone Interviews – Observing how candidates articulate their experiences in real-time provides direct insight into their verbal communication abilities.
• Reference Checks – Asking past employers about a candidate’s ability to communicate effectively can confirm (or contradict) what’s on the resume.

Turning Resume Screening into a Data-Driven Process with AI

At Brainner, we’ve trained our AI resume screening software to automatically detect key indicators of communication skills in resumes. Our AI-driven resume screening tool analyzes candidate applications in real time, ensuring recruiters focus on top-qualified candidates without manually sifting through hundreds of resumes.

By leveraging AI resume screening, recruiters can:

• Identify resumes with strong communication-related achievements.
• Avoid wasting time on poorly structured or vague applications.
• Gain data-driven insights into candidate applications for better decision-making.

Want to see how AI can transform your resume screening process? Book a demo today and start hiring smarter with Brainner!

More Guides on Resume Screening Best Practices

1. How to Evaluate Problem-Solving Skills from a Resume
2. How to Assess Leadership Potential During Resume Screening

Final Thoughts

Evaluating communication skills from a resume is possible if you know what to look for. By focusing on resume clarity, writing quality, and relevant experience, recruiters can efficiently assess candidates at the top of the funnel before moving forward with interviews.

Using an AI-powered resume screening software like Brainner can further streamline this process by automatically detecting key indicators of communication skills and helping recruiters prioritize the best-fit candidates faster.

What’s your biggest challenge in assessing communication skills during hiring?