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How to craft a resume that gets noticed by recruiters. [A Complete Guide to making resume in 2020]

Your CV gets a few seconds to be noticed by recruiters. An easy-to-read professional yet well-crafted CV format grabs the recruiter’s attention in 2020. In the midst of COVID-19 Pandemic, it is all the more important to have a CV format that is clearly readable on Mobile as well. Craft a resume that gets noticed by recruiters.



So let’s dive a little deep into it, let’s figure out how to build the ultimate professional resume that clicks. Craft a resume that gets noticed by recruiters.

But before we do that, let’s understand how long it really takes for recruiters to analyze your resume, how much time you really have to impress the recruiter, research says not more than 6 seconds. Yes, that’s true. If your resume lasts more than 6 seconds, you have technically passed the first round.

So what does it take to stand out in these critical 6 seconds, what really happens in these seconds?

Gone in 6 Seconds: You only have six seconds to impress the recruiter.

The first thing hiring managers look at is the top of the resume; naturally, the eyes move from top to bottom of the page. They look for your Full Name first. So keep it nice, big, and bold.

Leverage reading patterns like F-pattern in your CV format. Many eye-tracking studies have discovered that an F-shaped reading pattern is the most prominent scanning pattern.  Yes, remember F for Fast, that how people can read on screens, they just scan through the pages in a few seconds. So use this compositional technique to make your CV format more scannable for the best results.

It would be great to create your formatting decisions prior to your writing. This enables you to make the exact Resume that follows the correct formatting and guidelines.

The next thing recruiters want to see is your location because most companies prefer to hire from within the same city and country to avoid relocations. This may not be fun address, just the city is enough.

Formatting an ultimate professional resume that gets noticed

Craft a resume that gets noticed by recruiters. The next thing recruiters look at is the top half of the first page of the resume, which is no longer than a two-page resume. No, they don’t read it, they just don’t have the time or mind space to read the contents until they are sure and have made up the mind to get into the minutiae.

Recruiters just look at the resume and not read it. Which means they just scan it first, before getting into details.

Then the eyes naturally move towards the left column of the page, Looking for companies that you have worked for, not looking at your positions yet. 

They care about the team/company before knowing what your role in that company is. The company takes precedence over your role here.

Simple groups of content make it easily scannable to craft a resume that gets noticed by recruiters

It is very frustrating if the recruiters have to keep looking for Employment History or companies you’ve worked for. While you may update your resume for once or twice in months, for recruiters it is a daily job to screen, it may get laborious and punishing if your resume format is not immaculate and to the point. So craft a CV that is crystal clear.

Less is more: Attention span is narrowing globally

The next thing they do is to have a quick glance at the second page, all at once. If your CV goes on till the 3rd page it is agitating to the recruiters.

Craft a resume that gets noticed by recruiters

You may be wondering if 6 seconds is good enough to make such an important decision. Yes, it works like a Blink behavior – Read this book – Blink that talks about thinking without thinking. It talks about choices made in an instant in the blink of an eye that actually aren’t as simple as they seem. How our brain works in the office, kitchen, shopping malls to make important decisions quickly in seconds.

That’s it, gone in 6 seconds. That’s all it takes for a recruiter to decide if they want to get to the details or not. Craft a resume that gets noticed by recruiters.

Size matters, Keep it short and to-the-point

It is very clear that the most prime real estate on the resume is the top half of the first page. The information seen on the first half, is the only way to entice them to know more about your profile. So craft a resume that gets noticed by these recruiters, and not just machines.


That brings us to the next question – What is it that you must highlight on the top half? What are these recruiters looking for on the top half of your CV?

Highlight values you bring to the table. Build the ultimate professional resume that clicks.

Well… they simply look for how you can be an asset to their organization, how you can add value to their company, what have you done so far, that clearly conveys how valuable you can be for this company in a nutshell.

Craft a resume that gets noticed by recruiters

A summary paragraph that precisely illustrates how valuable you can be for the organization or its customers/clients. 

Keep it short and meaningful.

Ideally not more than 300 words, but if you have immense experience to showcase, we would recommend keeping the Summary paragraph to be not more than 500 words to the maximum. Build the ultimate professional resume that clicks.

Learn more about writing a powerful Career Objective as part of the Summary.

Don’t lose the essence of what you must emphasize by using too many words, the focus must be on the value you bring to the table.

If you manage to capture it in words in the right language and tonality, you have managed to instantly educate them on whom you are and what true value you can bring to their organization.

Respect recruiters’ time

In order to craft a resume that gets noticed by recruiters, you need to make a resume that covers what value you bring to the organization in minimal words.

Recruiters will appreciate and embrace it, it only means that you respect their time, and the fact that it gives a quick picture of you in their mind is the fastest way to move to the next level, your CV now moves to the consideration bucket.

5 things that you must strictly avoid to craft a CV that gets noticed by recruiters.

  1. Do not put an Objective Statement: Companies do not take interest in what your life objectives are. Yes, you heard it right, they are more interested in how you can help them achieve their business objectives first, and if you can contribute to achieving their business goals in any role, they may consider fulfilling your objectives as part of the process, it is still secondary. 

    So make sure you tell them what you have to offer in these 6 precious seconds.
  1. Do not put a laundry list of skills: Putting a laundry list of skills is detrimental, and it only worsens if you put generic skills like leadership, hardworking, attention to detail, communication skills. Instead, put industry-specific prudent skills, but not more than 6 industry-relevant skills. 

    If you don’t have relevant skills, you have a problem, do an online course to acquire new skills. Mention certificates to prove you own these coveted skills the industry is looking for. You can put the certifications at the bottom of the page.
  1. Experience takes precedence over Education: When it comes to hiring, companies prefer people with some work experience over freshers and if you have any work experience, internships, or independent projects. Put them on top of the experience. Unless you are a college student.

  2. Do not use the same resume everywhere: Create customized resumes to each position that you apply for. Think about skills and experience that fits well for the job or position you are applying for. Share your website or online resume link that showcases your experience and portfolio better to look more professional. Take a look at this Software Engineer Resume Example

  3. Do not share A4 resume on mobile: Most professionals and decision makers travel. They are constantly on the move, and it is more likely that your resume will end up on their mobile phones. Avoid sharing A4 size resumes, they are not mobile-friendly, the fonts look small and illegible.

    Mobile-friendly CV design fits in one column that optimally retro-fit on mobile screens. Check out recent study by glassdoor on mobile job seekers.

Takeaway: Keep it crisp and snack-able.

So the key takeaway is to craft a persuasive and professional CV format that showcases the significant contributions that you are most proud of in a nutshell. Craft a resume that gets noticed by recruiters in 2020.

Craft a resume that gets noticed by recruiters. Create a snapshot of the key elements on the top half of the first page in a compelling layout to catch recruiters’ attention. It must sum up what they need to know about you, almost teasing them to dive deeper. This the best you can do to get one step closer to the next round of interviews and land that dream job.

Conclusion

After writing your resume following a preferred format, consider asking your colleagues or friends to give you their feedback. This will help you a lot to improve your resume. Aside from checking your spelling and grammar, they should also take a look at the format you used. You may also ask their feedbacks about its consistency and readability. Through this, you can create a resume that feels and looks professionally-made.

Consider using easy-to-read font size and style. If possible, use bullet points to help your hiring manager find the needed information to hire you. Choose the right free resume template to impress your employer and get hired! Happy Job Hunting!


Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How long should the resume be?

A. Not more than 2 pages long, more than 2 pages makes it cumbersome for recruiters to scan through it, considering their attention span is not more than 6 seconds. Build the ultimate professional resume that clicks, keep it short.

Q. I’m a student, I don’t have work experience to show on my resume. What can I show instead?

A. Experience may not necessarily be paid, you can showcase your unpaid experience like any volunteering you may have done, internships, or college projects. Again, keep it on the top half of the first page. Experience still takes precedence over education, even if it is something you didn’t get paid to do.

Q. Is it a good idea to use bullet points in CV format?

A. Yes, It is always good to break the content into pieces, make it easily digestible and most importantly it allows you to boast about your achievements in listing format.

Q. What font size is suitable for CV?

A. Fonts can be used in different sizes to create visual hierarchy on the CV format. Name, Designation, Companies you work for, Degree, Skills can be in 16 pt preferably bold. The body text can be 12-14, anything smaller than 12 pt will make it less legible to read especially on smaller mobile screens. 

Q. What should be the tonality of the resume?

A. Keep it impeccable, flawless, and persuasive in tone. Talk more about your accomplishments, showcase skills instead of just talking about what role you played in the project. Quantify your accomplishments with concrete evidence with tangible results to make it more convincing. Use eloquent language that articulates your achievements better.

If you are using any tricks that works for you to get your resume stand out. Please share it in the comments below and help the community land better jobs. 

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