During periods of high unemployment, the market is flooded with candidates, making the selection process a lot more difficult than it normally is.

Finding qualified candidates in a healthy economy isn’t easy, but in a recessionary one, it’s significantly harder because companies have more resumes to sift through, says Dave Robertson, president and CEO of Robertson & Co., Ltd., a Toronto-based staffing company with nine offices throughout Canada.

Like most small businesses throughout Canada recently, Robertson finds that the number of unsolicited resumes he receives doubles or triples every week. "A year ago, my office received about 10 unsolicited resumes a week," he says. "Throughout January, I was receiving an average of 200 per week."

Separating the wheat from the chaff isn’t easy. Robertson says the following four tips can make this tedious chore more efficient and effective:

1. Focus only on your need. Each company's hiring needs are different. Determine what you need, and go right to that information on the resume. For Robertson, it’s the last place the candidate worked. Since he’s always matching people and jobs, the last place worked is the telling indicator of whether a candidate might be right for an open job.

2. Don’t compromise. "Don’t try to fit a square peg in a round hole," advises Robertson. "It’s very easy to be seduced by a fantastic resume that doesn’t match the job requirements of an open job. Never lose sight of the skills and abilities of the job you’re trying to fill."

3. Check references. Robertson is still amazed at how many candidates try to get away with bogus references. Candidates sometimes get away with listing friends and family members as references because many small-business owners don’t take the time to fact-check resumes. "Don’t be naïve and assume all candidates are ethical and honest," Robertson cautions. "That assumption could come back to haunt you."

4. Prepare questions that determine candidates’ competence. Most recruiters and HR people have favorite questions that reveal whether a candidate is right for a specific job. Robertson’s favorite loaded question: "Why did you leave your prior job?"

Cover letters? Robertson doesn’t put much credence in them. He reads the cover letters only of candidates he’s considering interviewing. For this veteran headhunter, a cover letter ought to tersely confirm the candidate’s qualifications.