Get your resume shortlisted in 5 easy steps!

6 seconds is the rule of thumb for glancing through a resume. Yes it’s correct. According to the rational shortlisting practices, the maximum time allotted to select an application falls under the 6 seconds rule.

On an average, each job posting receives 250 applications, demanding recruiters to grant as much as 23 hrs per hire only for screening them. But the question is, between the back breaking hours of sorting these applications, how can one stand out in only one glance?

The recruiter tries to walk the farthest lengths and capture the best talent available at hand. This demands for applicants to build their resumes with the right ingredients that a recruiter is looking for, in order to maximize their chances of making it to the next level. To understand these ingredients well, let’s have a detailed look at them below:

1. RESUME STRUCTURE OR FORMAT: The very first thing a recruiter glances at is the resume layout. A clean, well-structured format of the resume is always an easy story teller. It attracts the recruiter’s attention to read fine details that should not be missed. A clean layout also gives a clear understanding of the candidate’s profile, in addition to easily being able to navigate through the resume’s sections.

A crowded resume on the contrary will not attract attention, no matter how rich an applicant’s work experience is. The recruiter will constantly keep searching for relevant information while spending too much time on one profile, ultimately not benefiting either of them.

It is hence important to give clear headlines and simply describe the subheadings which will standout in a good way and make one’s resume easy to read.

2. CAREER PROGRESSION: The second most important element is the career progression. In the recruiter’s vision, the career progression should look like an overall experience as a connected story. Some of the striking elements searched here are the stability shown by a candidate in their position, time spent at the organisation, self-growth, profile transitions and the brand names that the candidate has worked for. The recruiter may also look for a candidate’s industry exposure, which may add to the applicant’s skills and understanding, while enhancing his chances of being shortlisted.

3. GAPS: The third and one the most important elements is addressing the gaps between two work experiences. Prolonged gaps between two stints may lead to the recruiter developing false assumptions about a profile. These red flags must be addressed properly with a one line explanation over the actual concern. E.g. one may describe these gaps as “family emergency” or ‘company shifted base to a far off location’, or ‘finished my higher education during this period’.

The recruiter looks for such well explained reasons in a resume that form the base of the entire story and help him connect the dots together.

4. QUALIFICATION: This element in a resume depends upon the specific position a recruiter is looking to fill. For example, for a recruiter wanting to hire an accountant, a bachelor’s degree in accounting is a must. Or, if the recruiter wants to hire a brand manager, a masters in marketing is a must. Similarly in other roles, clearly defined qualifications in a chronological manner (latest on top followed by the rest) help in identifying one’s work experience. This will not only Benefit the reader’s ease but also contribute in enhancing the chances of being shortlisted.

5. GRAMMAR AND ACTION VERBS: More often than not, it is perceived that the use of good grammar is only profile specific. However, that’s not the true case. A grammatically poor resume fails to describe itself well, while the errors highlight themselves pretty obviously.Another commonly observed mistake in resumes is not using action verbs. E.g. instead of mentioning ‘was responsible for brand events’, you may mention’ planned and organised brand events’. This creates an instant impact in the reader’s mind and the whole process of reading and understanding a resume becomes shorter and smarter.

In an aerial view, a recruiter may also pay attention to a candidate’s specific achievements, skill based certifications and web presence. However, this may depend upon the profile a recruiter intends to hire for.

For candidates having additional achievements or skills as described above, they may seek advantage by strategically placing these important details, right below their academic qualifications. This will catch the recruiter’s eye while glancing at their academia, and help him choose the right candidate from all the other applicants.