Human Resource Blog

Resume Retention

We are always looking to expand our company and constantly posting job openings on recruiting websites. Do I need to save every single resume that I recieve in regards to these jobs postings or can I just save the resumes of the people I follow through with and call for a phone interview? When I receive a resume that is not in regards to a job posting and the current job they are seeking is not available, do I need to save those resumes also? The state is New York.

Yes, the best practice is to save all resumes for 3 years or more. This is to defend against a lawsuit alleging illegal discrimination in hiring. If you do not save all the resumes, you have no way to show that you did, in fact, interview and hire the most qualified candidates. This leaves you open to allegations that race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, etc. played a part in the selection process.

While you need to retain these records, you do not need to keep them handy. They can be kept in remote storage or locked away in a rarely-used store room.