Here is a little secret: Recruiters spend on average only 6 seconds scanning over your resume. Try scanning this blog post for 6 seconds and see what you notice. Probably not a lot, right? Maybe you saw a few bolded headers and skimmed a sentence or two. This is exactly what a recruiter does when they see your resume. We asked 5 of our recruiters exactly what they look for in a resume. Keep reading to find out their responses:
Resume Formatting
“When looking at a resume, one of the first things I take notice of is how the resume is organized. If the resume is not structured in a way that makes it easy to read, I’m not likely to continue reading since I have so many other resumes to review.” – Jennifer Ibeanusi, Senior Recruiter
Proper Use of Keywords
“The most important thing that any person can have on their resume is keywords. I search for keywords using an artificial intelligence program. If there are no keywords then it will most likely not ever make it in front of me in the first place. Instead of long-winded descriptions of each job I would suggest that all candidates use lists of keywords so that they will show up in relevant searches by recruiters.” – Brooke Stevison, Senior Recruiter
Content & Basic Information
“When looking at a resume, I check for basic information such as name, location, contact information, and most recent position. Next, I look through their experience and education (which should include where they worked or went to school, start and end dates, job title or major, and responsibilities or coursework). Finally, I look for possible red flags, such as unexplained gaps or job-hopping, typos, and poor grammar.” – Kim Holmes, Client Success Manager
“I look for a professional-looking resume; no spelling errors; someone who really took the time to present themselves in the most professional way. Do they have the relevant experience for the position they are applying for? Did they list additional items such as volunteering experience that shows a little bit more about themselves and what they enjoy? Did the candidate take the time to explain any “gaps” in their employment since this causes a big red flag for recruiters and employers?” – Beth Koziara, Senior Recruiter
“When reading through resumes, I love seeing specific achievements/goals that were achieved by the candidate. I also look for keywords that are specific to that industry (i.e. shrink in the retail industry).” – Phoebe McLean, Senior Recruiter
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