6 Details That Recruiters Will Look For in Your Resume

Career and hiring experts agree that recruiters glance at resumes for a maximum of 10 seconds to determine if a candidate is worth a shot. During those 10 seconds, candidates must make a stellar impression and deliver a convincing argument for their caliber. Since most head-hunting efforts today take place online, recruiters rely on technology along with their sound judgment when looking for green flags. These telltale signs help recruiters narrow down their pool of candidates and decide which of the potential new hires should proceed to the next step.

Beyond your education and work experience, there are certain aspects of your resume that recruiters are actively trying to spot. We’ll be discussing some of the details you need to include in your resume to make a stellar impression and land an interview.

A Clear and Concise Career Summary

Recruiters want to have a clear idea of your field of expertise, how experienced you are, and what skills you bring to the table. Consider placing a 2-3 sentence summary that introduces yourself as a professional. Think of your career summary as a bio that must succinctly tell your story and showcase the abilities you can bring to the company.

Location and Contact Information

If you’re applying for an office-based position, you need to include your present location and how the recruiter can contact you. Normally, recruiters seek candidates that live near or within the area of the office. If you’re eyeing a job hiring in Cebu and live in the Metro Cebu area, indicate that you live nearby to boost your chances of getting noticed. However, you shouldn’t be too general or specific when it comes to addresses. Most recruiters are content with just your city of residence.

For online resumes, it’s generally recommended to put your phone number, e-mail address, and indicators of an online footprint. Include links to pages such as your professional online profile and online portfolio to provide supporting details for the recruiter’s assessment.

Work Experience That Tells a Story

The work experience section of your resume serves as a snapshot of your career progression. When putting together this section, make sure that it paints a clear picture of how far you’ve come. When going through online resumes, recruiters often look for specific keywords. It would be helpful to include task- and industry-relevant words such as those mentioned in the job posting.
Instead of just listing down past employers, be descriptive when detailing your past roles. If possible, mention accomplishments that you have made. For example, you may have led a team or organized a department project. Use strong, aptly placed action verbs and mention the soft and hard skills you used to achieve these accomplishments. Soft skills that make you stand out include effective communication, attention to detail, and organization. Hard skills are tied to your chosen field and may involve specific software, tools, and abilities (i.e., writing or speaking in a foreign language).

Relevant Experiences Beyond ‘Work’

Career-shifters and entry-level applicants often find it difficult to determine professional experiences that are relevant to the job they are applying for. But besides the meat of your professional history, recruiters also look for related experiences that showcase your abilities and personal qualities. These experiences may include projects you worked on in school, an organization, or any other affiliation. Including relevant experiences can also be a way to explain employment gaps, especially if you’ve been out of a fixed, full-time role for a while.

Indicating experiences beyond employment-related tasks gives recruiters the idea of your capacity to bring value to a workplace setting. Be sure to use titles such as project manager, research associate, or strategic lead to make you sound more professional.

Clean Formatting

A cluttered resume often contributes to the rejection of applications. On the other hand, resumes with a clean layout assure recruiters that a candidate can present themselves in a professional way. Use basic fonts and bullet points to structure your resume clearly and make it easier on the eyes. That said, recruiters would rather pay attention to a straightforward resume than a novel-length application. As much as possible, limit your resume to just one page, and don’t include jobs from decades ago if you have a lengthy work history.

Some recruiters prefer candidates that exhibit creativity in their resumes. Although an eye-catching layout is not a prerequisite for applications in general, a unique template might get you a call, especially if you work in a creative industry. But even though you’re not applying as a graphic designer, you should still consider using trusted online tools that have pre-designed templates to make your resume look professionally designed.

Proper Spelling, Grammar, and Attention to Detail

Lastly, you should never forget to proofread your resume for typos and grammatical errors. Your prospective employer could be a stickler for grammar and immediately reject your application at the first sign of a spelling error. You can use online tools to polish the content of your resume and make it clear, coherent, and easy to read.

Another quality that recruiters can deduce from your application is the ability to follow instructions. Some employers require applicants to send resumes in specific formats. Generally, recruiters prefer a PDF file type and a “first name, last name, resume/CV” filename format.

Sell Yourself (Honestly)

Putting together your resume is an important part of the application process and should not be overlooked. Although the goal is to make an impression, you should also make sure that your resume retains its authenticity. Overly exaggerating your qualifications will only backfire on you as this encourages recruiters to set high expectations. When crafting a resume, make it a point to go beyond just presentation and build on the strong qualities that you already have.