Does Your Resume Leave Them Wanting for More?

Recruiters and human resources managers rarely have time to read an entire resume, even if it's clear and concise. The way to get noticed beyond a keyword search program is to alter your resume style to hook the reader as quickly as possible.

A report by Business Insider states job recruiters average just six seconds per resume when they view someone's credentials for a position. The study examined the behavior of 30 recruiters over 10 weeks by monitoring their eye movements. Recruiters made their initial determinations by looking at vital pieces of the resume instead of the whole document. Make sure a potential recruiter immediately notices your name, job title, company, start dates, end dates and education.

In order to draw the eyes of HR managers, keep your resume style simple yet active. Think of your document as a movie trailer created to hook an audience in just two minutes – except you have only six seconds.

Avoid clutter by excluding common buzzwords and phrases such as "motivated," "driven" and "problem solver." Those fluffy words do not quantify what you have done in the past that translates into success with a potential employer. More clutter makes it harder for someone to see the important stuff.

Instead, keep your resume style clean with a lot of white space in between obvious divisions of data points. Clearly define your education, past work, skills, experience and quantified achievements. These sections draw the attention of those people you want to impress at the beginning of the job search.

Optimize your resume style by including relevant keywords, since your document usually must first pass through an applicant tracking system. Roughly 75 percent of employers utilize this kind of software before human eyes scan your resume. Use keywords from the job description, industry lingo, company website and similar job postings to make your resume relevant to the position at hand.

Keep your resume polished and uncluttered; don't dress up your resume with colored paper, varied fonts and fancy designs. These only divert attention from your actual credentials. Instead of focusing on your action-packed personal "trailer," the human resources manager is likely moving on to the next one because yours failed to get to the point fast enough. When a recruiter has to work too hard to see what you are made of, you'll lose his interest – and your chance at the job.

Wow every audience with a resume style that gets to the point, quantifies your abilities and shows you can accomplish the job. Even if human eyes look at your resume for just six seconds, a correct format and the right keywords may win the day and give you a chance for an interview.

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