What Recruiters Look At During The 6 Seconds They Spend On Your Resume

[grahamhgreen]

What Recruiters Look At During The 6 Seconds They Spend On Your Resume

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-what-recruiters-look-at-during-the-6-seconds-they-spend-on-your-resume-2012-4#ixzz2jhXAfLLa

Although we may never know why we didn't get chosen for a job interview, a recent study is shedding some light on recruiters' decision-making behavior. According to TheLadders research, recruiters spend an average of "six seconds before they make the initial 'fit or no fit' decision" on candidates.

The study used a scientific technique called “eye tracking” on 30 professional recruiters and examined their eye movements during a 10-week period to "record and analyze where and how long someone focuses when digesting a piece of information or completing a task."

In the short time that they spend with your resume, the study showed recruiters will look at your name, current title and company, current position start and end dates, previous title and company, previous position start and end dates, and education.

The two resumes below include a heat map of recruiters' eye movements. The one on the right was looked at more thoroughly than the one of the left because of its clear and concise format:



Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-what-recruiters-look-at-during-the-6-seconds-they-spend-on-your-resume-2012-4#ixzz2jhXkhCIe

[hollysmom]

1. I am always shocked at what passes for resumes.

I used to be self employed as a contractor. I had a format I followed and had a 10 page base resume that I edited down to one or two pages customized to a particular job, and that started before computers when I had to type each one, ha ha .
Anyway, lots of white space, and intro of one paragraph stressing what you want them to see. Short sentences, easy reading, followed by a work history without dates ( I was not employed for stretches of time when the market was bad). If you are older OR younger, you don't want to stress years of experience that might give them a reason to not see you.

I know it is hard to believe since I am not a great writer, but I rewrote people's resumes and they suddenly got interviews. One was an HR person who should have known better. It's a gift. No, that is a joke, it is just that I probably applied for more jobs than most people in a life time because I would have some assignments that would last a few days before I had to look for more work. I also worked for a very nice person who spent a lot of time helping me develop the format I used for the rest of my career.

[Blue_Tires]

2. I might need an extra set of eyes for mine...

[hollysmom]

3. PM me, I will give you my real e-mail rather than my message board e-mail.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

4. I have bolded certain catch words on my resume to make it easier for them to see in

those six seconds. It must be working. I have job offers out the wazoo.

[grahamhgreen]

7. Good technique!

[hedgehog]

6. Many times these days - no human actually sees your resume -

it's read by machine. It's important to have the right buzz words in your resume to increase your chances of getting past the machine filter to a real human!