Picture a hiring manager, surrounded by heaping piles of word dense resumes on their desk. More likely than not, there is a deadline to meet. It’s time for them to utilize the quick glance test methodology! Well what is the quick glance test you ask? According to Forbes, studies have shown that on average employers initially spend less 30 seconds scanning your resume to decide if you are worthy of making it to the next round.[1] Here are some tips to make your resume the attention grabbing, eye-catching document it needs to be in order to pass the assessment. On to the second round you go!
- Organize– Make it easy for the recruiters to find what they are seeking. Help them effortlessly find the information that convinces them you should advance in the process. To start, display a sense of strategy. There should be a top to bottom and bottom to top thought process when constructing your resume. They want to clearly see you graduated in May of 200X, started your first job in June of 200X, progressed to the next career step in 200Y, now you are in a well-respected position in 200Z. Distinctly displaying your career progression is essential. Presenting dates in a sensible order is a major part of this organization strategy.
- Keywords– Prior to submitting your resume against a specific position you must thoroughly read the job description and tailor your resume to the job you are seeking. Utilize keywords that showcase your already in depth knowledge of the duties and requirements of the position. Yes folks, this means you should be customizing your document every time you submit it against a new position. It is imperative that you pay close attention to particular programs, job titles, specific skill sets and so forth that are embedded in the description and incorporate that same lingo into your own resume (if applicable). A common tool used by recruiters when reading resumes online is the keyword search function. Their program will pull the resumes that have the key terms they specifically searched for and discard the rest. Don’t be rejected because you didn’t take the time to tailor your resume to the job you are seeking.
- Emphasize the best– Although you want to keep your resume in chronological order, you should display the information that is going to get you hired screaming at the top of the page. To maximize the 30 second window, you could highlight your relevant skills at the top of the page under the “Summary of Qualifications” section. Another approach, if your resume is in bullet form, would be to lead with your most impressive bullets and dwindle down to the less admirable, yet still significant bullets at the bottom.[2] Make what you bring to the table loud, clear and upfront.
Just remember folks, less than 30 seconds is all you get to showcase your best professional features. If you are interested in seeing if your resume passes the test, submit your resume to www.thomasbyrne.com and mention the quick glance test. We would be happy to have our team of professionals analyze your resume and get you started with new career opportunities today!
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Thomas Byrne Associates excels in matching qualified financial professionals with new career opportunities. Our integrity, credibility and focus have earned us the trust and respect of financial professionals and leading companies throughout the Northeast. So whether you’re seeking a new position or are looking to fill one, Thomas Byrne Associates is ready to help. Let’s begin the process.
[1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/dailymuse/2014/07/23/how-to-get-your-resume-noticed-in-the-blink-of-an-eye/
[2] https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/4-ways-pass-8-second-resume-glance-darrell-joyner?trk=hp-feed-article-title-comment