Make Your Resume a 30-Second Success
It is said the average recruiter takes an average of 15-30 seconds hastily glancing over a resume, make your resume a 30-second success. After all, companies receive hundreds of applications daily and it is expected that only the best candidates will be selected for an interview.
Can Your Resume Be Read in 30 Seconds or Less?
You must learn how to successfully optimize the formatting of your resume. As well as include the proper information that companies are searching for to truly make your resume what you would call, a 30-second success.The story behind the 30-second success is that by the time a hiring manager has taken 30 seconds to scan through your information, they should have already been impressed with what they have seen in that short amount of time. In reality, the amount of time spent is much less than that. If your portfolio has generated enough interest that you receive an interview, then you are a success!
The idea of a perfect, attention-grabbing resume sounds great on paper, but making it happen with the information that you have to work with is the most difficult part. Consider these suggestions about resume section ordering, keyword optimization, and other techniques to get yourself noticed to potentially find success in a competitive job market.
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You Can Make Your Resume a Success!
It should only take someone 30 seconds or less to quickly scan your resume and decide if they want to learn more about you. It is all about how you structure your document and what you choose to include. While these techniques may not work for everyone, you can try them to see if they will improve your success in the job application process.- Spatial Importance
It is not a secret that where you choose to place certain pieces of information can make a difference as to what information sticks out to a reader. It would help if you thought of the piece of paper as a canvas that is full of eye-grabbing images. These images happen to be words, but the eye works the same way regardless. You can highlight more important sections over less important sections.
The top of your resume is your most valuable space because it is the location where the eye gravitates to first. Never include an objective statement at the top, objective statements tend to be outdated any way. You need to provide hardcore experience and qualification summaries that specifically target and match the job description completely.
The recruiter now knows that your skills are of the type for which they are looking. It is a matter of minute details at this point. Make sure all that important information fits nicely, avoid using small font sizes that squeeze everything together. Your information should be brief and to the point; it will answer the question “Is this candidate whom I am looking for?”
The next most important section is the very center of the page. You should list your specific experiences in this section. Finally, the third most important section is the very bottom of the page. The eye moves to this section, and it is the last thing that the reader will read.
If you have any additional important skills or anything else that a company should know about you, include it here. However, keep it interesting and positive, that is the impression we want the reader to get when they are finished reading. The Additions Sections are good places to add these points. - Include the Right Information
Go through internet job listings for the type of job that you are applying for and highlight all the common words and phrases in which the industry is interested. Incorporate many of these keywords into your writing, but be careful not to copy directly from any job listing.
Also, if you are really interested in getting the job, make sure that the document that you are sending has a few elements specific to that company. Whether it is lingo used by the company, or industry expectations, target the resume in particular for the company that you want to impress.
Using special words and phrases in your writing will make statements stand out to the reader or scanning program. This technique will make them put your resume on the “keep” pile for further review even after a short glance. - Keep It Neat
An essential aspect is keeping everything laid out neatly and organized. It would be best if you kept everything extremely neat and in order. If a reader selects a resume to read, and it is all over the place and presented in a messy format, the employer may not even consider it.
The goal is to make your resume desirable only after a few seconds of looking at it. Don't have a deterrent such a disorganization ruin your chances of having a success story.
