How long does it take an employer to review your resume? What points in the resume does the HR manager look especially closely at? Those who know the answers to these questions will be able to make their resume work for themselves much more effectively.
In early 2012, TheLadders, an American recruiting company, conducted a large-scale 10-week study among its recruiters using Eye tracking technology. The purpose of the study was to find out what exactly and for how long recruiters look at while studying resumes. Based on published data from TheLadders, the portal rabota.ua conducted its own research.
This study is based on the use of mouse tracking technology. The essence of the technology special program, which maintains statistics on the movement of the cursor across resume pages. The system fixes the movement paths, fixation points, the speed of the pointer movement, as well as the pointer dwell time at certain points of the resume. The program then creates so-called heat maps, on which points of cursor activity are displayed using color. Depending on the cursor activity, the color of the dots on the page changes. Thus, the summary page is painted with colored spots of varying intensity. The color of the spots changes depending on the activity of the pointer, from blue to yellow and then to red.
According to the results of several studies of the correlation of gaze and mouse movement (for 2000, 2005, 2007 and 2008), the majority of Internet users, to one degree or another, accompany their gaze on the monitor screen with the mouse pointer. This happens involuntarily, at moments when the user is focused on the perception of information from the screen. Very often, the cursor lingers in places where, in the opinion of the user, there is an important or interesting information. This comes from a subconscious desire to focus attention or somehow highlight a piece of text or image.
By combining mouse tracking data with research results, you can quite accurately determine how much time a recruiter spends on different resume items and what is really important and what is not.
Research results
Before make a decision about a candidate, an HR manager spends an average of one and a half minutes looking at a resume, depending on the length of the resume and its information content.
The task of the applicant is to interest the employer precisely for this period of time, for 85 seconds.
So the results are (rounded up):
- Personal data: up to 3 sec.
- Job title: 1 sec.
- Target: up to 5-8 sec.
- Key information: up to 12-15 sec.
- Experience:
- Last/current place of work: 15–17 sec.
- Previous place of work: 8–12 sec.
- Earlier place of work: 5–8 sec.
- More than four jobs or more than 5 years: 3-6 sec.
- Education: up to 3–5 sec.
- Language Proficiency: 3-5 sec.
- Courses, trainings, certificates: 5–8 sec.
- Additional information: 7–10 sec.
As can be seen from the results of the study, most the employer spends time studying the Objective, Key Information and Work Experience. Moreover, less attention is paid to the most ancient places of work. A position that you held more than 5 years ago, as a rule, does not have crucial. It should also be noted that quite often interesting resumes are not read to the end, but downloaded and viewed later.
As a survey of HR managers showed, conclusions about your professional suitability for working in a given company are made just at the stage of online review of a resume. The selected and saved CVs are later examined in more detail. It is at this stage that one sees Additional Information and conclusions are drawn regarding the compliance personal qualities job candidate.
The greatest chances of success are resumes in which all the points are filled in as detailed as possible. If you are submitting a resume for a specific job, be sure to write transmittal letter.
You will significantly increase your chances of success if you tailor your resume to a specific job and company. It is very simple to do this: just add the necessary data in the Target section, as well as write a cover letter addressed to the recruiter of this particular company. This approach will make you stand out from other applicants and let the employer know how serious you are about getting the position.
Catch luck by the tail, create a resume and get the job of your dreams.
Hello again, dear friend!
It is clear that each employer has its own requirements. Depending on the vacancy, his own preferences, the specifics of the company. And yet there are patterns. So,how to write a resume to interest the employer?
Full compliance with the requirements of a vacancy is almost never. In practice, it happens like this: There are key requirements in the job description. For example, some professional skill. Or several.
The recruiter selects resumes of candidates with these skills. They are typed for example 20. What's next?
Then the rules come into play, reminiscent of the process of “buying” in terms of choosing approximately the same goods.Let's draw this analogy: a resume is a product. The person who views it is the buyer.
What does the typical buyer pay attention to?
- Product properties, its characteristics
- Manufacturer's brand or mark
- Package
Let's go in order:
Product characteristics are essentially the content of a resume. It should be structured and contain all the necessary information about the "product".
Optimal Structure
A “selling” resume contains 5 main blocks.
1. Personal data
Last name, first name, patronymic, phone number, city of residence, age, email.
The name of the mail address - the best name and surname. There should be no bunnies and baby dolls.
Age - if you are under 23 or over 50 - you can enter your year of birth in the Additional Skills section. I guess you understand what I mean. If you specify at the beginning, they will often not look further than the resume. Unfortunately, this is the reality.
It is not necessary to capitalize the word “resume” as the title of your resume.
2. Education
If you have several educations, indicate as the main one that is most suitable for this work. Indicate the website address, the number of students, some university regalia.
In additional education, write down all trainings, courses, any master classes related to this work. Also include education that is not related to the job.
3. Professional skills
Or key skills. I don't see any fundamental difference. We have discussed this issue in detail in
4. Experience
You can call “career development” for example. A matter of taste.
On most job portals, the employer sees a preview of the last job and the first line below. I recommend to “decorate” your last company and put the most important achievement in the first line. important to the company.
a) How to build a brand out of a company
If the company is well known, great. If not, it should be “pumped”.
How to do this, we analyzed in article
b) How to "elevate" the position?
“Don't be so humble, you're not that big yet” :)
Many candidates write the job title as in work book. This is not at all necessary. Nobody will compare.
How to “decorate” a position, we analyzed
c) Functions and achievements
It might look something like this:
If you are writing a resume on a job site:
- On Headhunter, it is better to write a description of the company not in the field of activity, but next to the name, as in the picture. You can take it in brackets. This way, the employer will see the brand attributes of the company in the announcement format.
- First (top) write achievements, then features. Achievements are more important, the employer should see them first.
- Update your resume every day. The "fresh" resume, the higher in the list.
Use numbers, they attract attention.
5. Additional information
In additional information, write everything that comes to mind.
This is not reasonable. This section is also better structured
- Personal qualities
- Foreign language, computer
- Recommendations
All that we have listed above, figuratively speaking, are the properties of the goods.
All this is wonderful. However, let's ask ourselves: will the “buyer” see our talents, sorry, the properties of the product if they are in a nondescript package? And in a torn one?
"Package"
a) bright
There are several tricks that allow you to “catch attention”.
Anchors of attention, “flickering”, - we analyzed .
In the same article, also pay attention to the need to make the summary readable and the importance of .
Formulations. For example, a description of personal qualities. I strongly recommend creating unique formulations. Examples can be seen . Simple adjectives such as “efficient”, “sociable” better not write at all. It's about nothing and best case the recruiter will just let them through.
b) inconspicuous
Monotone text. Excessive - more than 2 pages. Few specifics.
c) torn package
- Spelling mistakes.
- Typical templates that do not overlap with the company in any way. For example, a list of typical official duties. I guess you understand what I mean. Type in Yandex “typical job description marketer” (for example). And you will understand that this dull writing is not suitable for a resume.
- Pearls like “I have a passion for working with people.”
I suppose comments on the nondescript and torn “packaging” are unnecessary.
So let's make the following conclusion:
Usually there is no exact match to the requirements of a vacancy . It is possible that your resume will compete with a dozen others . Suitable for this position “by and large”.
And then factors come into play. how ease of reading, structuredness, “hooks” of attention
. The recruiter devotes no more than 10 seconds to each resume during the initial viewing. And in the “stack” for further study, as a rule, summaries fall, drawn up according to the rules that we have analyzed today.
Thank you for your interest in the article.
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Sooner or later, each of us is faced with the problem of finding a job. Few people respond to electronic applications, and in live interviews you can’t please the employer in any way. You should not be upset, then we will consider several unusual methods, thanks to which you can easily interest the employer in yourself and get almost any job.
There are many ways to practice this trick. One of the simplest - you should fill out everything as if you were created for this company, and not like everything really is. For example, if you want to become a seller, then the words “familiar with all prices, rules and other documentation” will hook the employer much less than words like “I am fond of marketing and have a fairly good experience in sales.” Don't be afraid to cheat a little, the main thing is to feel the measure.
The next step is to rephrase your thoughts about the job into what the employer wants to hear from you. You can learn these phrases, for example, when communicating with the employer himself, or on the company's website, after analyzing all the articles. Try not to scatter these phrases idly, as the boss may suspect something was wrong. Use them only at the moment when he asks a question on this particular topic.
It would be ideal if you also learn to believe in your words at the interview. There are many people who know how to radically change in a matter of minutes in order to please the team or certain person. For people who live by the principle “why should I adapt to someone?” There is only one piece of advice: all these principles may help you in life, but the purpose of your attending an interview is simple -.
And if you don’t arrange a boss, then you won’t see a workplace, so there’s no choice left. If something does not suit you with the boss, then try to become his position yourself. Does not work? No opportunity? Then do not blame anyone and continue to work for him, because it is in your interest.
For employers who only hire their own people, be your own
To date, you can meet many enterprises that refuse to provide vacancies to unverified people. Their owners prefer to cooperate with relatives, acquaintances or simply trusted employees. To, you have to spend a lot of effort, but this is a completely feasible desire.
To get started, start looking for friends who have the opportunity to help with employment. If there are none, then finding them is also not difficult. Chat with people on forums, social networks, ask your relatives, friends. Surely at least one of these people will help you get a job in the right company. Well, after that, do not forget to thank him in any way you can, so you will increase the chance of maintaining a relationship with this person.
Be helpful in every way
Take, for example, the salesperson position mentioned in the first subparagraph. Think about what the employer will think if you already come with one or even several clients? Most likely, he will hire you without hesitation. And this can be done in any profession, you just need to think carefully.
The same translator may please the employer with his rich speech and understanding of the term, and so on. Your goal is to find out what is most important for the employer to see in their employee and introduce this character trait or skill into themselves. In this case, the chances of a positive answer at the interview will increase significantly.
Be interesting
It is not necessary to consider the employer as a person from a superior race or an inaccessible rich man. The heads of enterprises are the same people as everyone else, therefore it is worth treating them the same way. You can, for example, in an unusual way. You can describe any important moment or event related to experience in this field of work, so that the employer is interested in this and decides to call you back. Describe your skills as colorfully as possible and unusual, then success is in your hands.
Be adequate
Becoming an adequate person is quite easy, but, unfortunately, many people do not consider it necessary. If you check the statistics of enterprises, then every third resume contains at least 2-3 errors in words. It is not difficult to guess where these ads go immediately. In order for the employer to get acquainted with your application completely and carefully, put all your efforts into it and double-check it several times. So a person will understand that he is dealing with an educated, punctual and adequate worker.
Arriving at the interview on time is also very important., and if it does not work out, you need to warn the employer about this. With these actions, you will also emphasize your adequacy. When you name the desired salary, you should not supplement the named amount with a story about problems in the family and life, arguments and other things, employers do not like this, they need a self-confident person who clearly knows his goal.
Of course, these are not all ways, and stand out from a bunch of other resumes. Do not be afraid to open up to your future boss and be afraid of him. Use one or more of these methods, and then everything will work out for sure.
Search new work- it's always difficult moment, so you need to know a lot of nuances when applying for a job. We have selected tips for you that will help you apply for a more interesting and profitable position.
How to write a resume to impress an employer
Online resume forms great amount, so there is no point in copying them again. We want to talk about the quality of the information that should be provided. The first step is to understand where you are writing your resume. If you want to work as a holiday planner, some creativity is welcome, but in most cases, you need to briefly tell the employer about your strengths. Mark all places of work, education, even if these are additional courses or tutoring in a foreign language. Be sure to indicate achievements in past positions - your value as an employee is important. One more thing important rule, which many people forget - do not lie or exaggerate. This is especially true for language proficiency. different kind computer programs. Most employers, inviting for interviews, arrange additional checks and testing. If you greatly embellish your resume, you can get into an awkward situation.
How to get an employer interested in a cover letter
A cover letter is a separate document that accompanies a resume. In it, you contact the employer, the HR manager, indicate the position for which you are applying, and your contact details. There should be no requests or additional advertising of yourself in this part of the text. Only official information that will help to contact you in case of interest, as well as data that will help you immediately understand the purpose for which you sent your resume. It would be useful to indicate your willingness to provide additional information upon request. You can write like this: “If necessary, I am ready (s) to provide additional information for consideration of my candidacy.” This will once again show that you are interested in the position, but are not going to be imposed.
How to get an employer interested in an interview
The first rule of an interview is to be calm and confident. If a person is very nervous and worried, it can be seen immediately. For some positions, this behavior may not be decisive. But if in the future you are preparing to work with people, any excitement must be learned to suppress. Be friendly, don't try to joke with people you meet for the first time. Answer questions briefly, concisely, but do not voice the first thing that comes to mind. Small pauses are allowed. Try to control your voice: too loud or too quiet speech can be annoying - here the surest step is to adjust to the interlocutor. Look at how he behaves: is he strict, speaks clearly, is short in his statements? Take this tactic as an example, but do not copy it openly. Be sure to choose clothes appropriate for the occasion. Even if the company is loyal and without a dress code, put on something versatile and simple - like a black laconic dress for girls and dark jeans with a shirt for men.
How to get an employer interested over the phone
On the telephone, the voice and the content of the conversation make the most impression on people. Do not fuss, answer questions clearly - so that you do not have to ask again. In no case do not interrupt the interlocutor, let him finish the sentences to the end, and only then you will enter. If you are talking in someone's presence, try to go to another room and be alone so that no one interferes with additional conversations. It is also unacceptable to talk against the background of a working TV, music turned on. If some conditions no longer suit you on the phone, do not give them any emotional assessment, such as long pauses, sighs, emotional questioning. Your task in the conversation is to give the maximum useful information for the employer, as well as to get the maximum of useful information about future work for yourself. Everything else can be thought about later.
How to interest an employer if there is no experience
In this case, one must consider different types works. If this is a job that does not require high qualifications, it is enough to be strongly interested in it - to show your desire to work, to assure the employer of your reliability, calm and honest approach, and respect for the company you will have to work for. If we are talking about those areas where knowledge is really needed, there is only one way out - to show what you are capable of. To do this, you can do some small project, fulfill an order on a remote basis, get recommendations from other one-time employers. If you are confident in your abilities, you can go for a little trick - place an order that a good friend will “order” from you. So you can explain where the project came from, and at the same time show its results.
When looking for a job, if you have no experience or necessary knowledge, remember: you can start small, but after a few months, move up the career ladder significantly. Try yourself as often as possible in different places, constantly go to interviews. To get a job even within a month, if this is not the easiest work, is great luck. So don't be afraid if you have to spend time. A good place It is not easy, but it promises great prospects.
The job search dragged on for a humiliating six months, and the mailbox is silent in response to your resume and cover letters. It's time to think about what you're doing wrong. Elena Chazova, founder of the Dinner at Home service, tells how to write a resume that will definitely interest a recruiter.
In a well-known proverb they say that they are met by clothes. And the recruiter meets with a cover letter. You don't write cover letters to ? Then I have bad news for you. A cover letter is a key element that can sell your candidacy to a recruiter.
Writing cover letters but still not getting a response? We figure out which resumes and cover letters go to the trash and how to avoid it.
Transmittal letter
A candidate for a position is noticed by a cover letter. Summary - additional information on the merits: facts, dates, skills. So start with it. Typically, a recruiter spends 3-4 seconds on each email. If during this time the letter is not interested, it is closed.
What emails go straight to the trash?
Huge sheets with a detailed chronicle of your whole life and services to the Fatherland.
Letters that do not salute, introduce themselves, and do not follow the rules of formal tone.
Humor letters. Do not confuse a cover letter with a competition for participation in a festival in Jurmala. Jokes should be in moderation.
Letters in which there is too much pathos. Don't do your employer a favor. In this situation, both parties are equally interested in cooperation.
Letters in which the phrase “I want to bring more creativity into my life” slips in a red line. Or “I have been sitting at home for 3 years, now I want to change everything.” How does an employer read it? This is a candidate who wants me to change his life. But this is not included in the plans of the employer! He needs a specialist and assistant, not a pupil. And if you have not had work experience for a long time, tell us about the qualities of your character. How did you manage to organize your wedding for 100 people, for example. Hobbies can also be a useful skill for a new job. The main condition - be honest and do not exaggerate. Honest and hardworking people are sometimes more valuable and promising employees than seasoned specialists.
Letters with conditions in the forehead. I am ready to work for you even tomorrow. My rate is 100 thousand per month. Money up front. I work from 10 to 17, after 20:00 I do not pick up the phone. Do you have a measured life and a strict schedule? The employer too. Why does he want to fit in with you? You can discuss all the working conditions with the employer after you interest him. The employer has already "sold" itself by writing an attractive job posting. Now it's your turn to present your candidacy. Without conditions.
Letters that indicate errors in the vacancy, on the site, write about the wrong approach to business. If there are such comments, write like this: “I analyzed your site and noticed several shortcomings. I can fix them in 2 days and this work will increase site traffic. I am happy to share my comments, regardless of your decision on my candidacy. Just contact me."
Letters from inattentive candidates. Read the job posting slowly. When a copywriter writes, "I love talking to people," chances are the recruiter will close the letter. And what about communicating with people if the job of a copywriter is to write texts? “I like to work with text, I am assiduous and pedantic. I read and blog a lot. And in free time I meet friends and go to acting classes.” Here is the correct interpretation. And not vice versa.
What should be a resume?
Strict and to the point
Dates. Where did you work and when. By whom, what duties did he perform. Do not exaggerate or exaggerate the responsibility of the position. For example, when promoters write in their resumes "formed a positive image of the company in". And by doing so, he is trying to present himself as almost a pr-manager of the company. Such phrases are empty. Have you worked as a promoter? Wonderful! Tell us that this job has taught you how to communicate with people. Ability to determine target audience. Discipline, because it was necessary to come without delay. And stamina, 7-8 hours on your feet! Be honest with yourself first.
Fill the letter with facts
Not “I have experience in the field” (generally forget the phrase “I have experience”, as a phenomenon - it sounds terribly tongue-tied), but “during my work at the previous place, sales of my department increased by 15.6%”. Share your concrete results and achievements.
Resume must be strictly in PDF format
Neatly designed. Preferably 1 page. Great with infographics. Here are some online resume writing services:
Do not forget to attach a photo, indicate your age and city of residence
Attach only one photo. Resumes without photos are viewed less. No need to make a photo album out of a resume. Let in the photo you will be in full face and with a smile on your face. The photo should be relevant and you like it. But at the same time be restrained and adequate. Without strangers and objects in the photo. Against a neutral background and in modest clothing (closed shoulders, adequate neckline). The employer wants to see you without masks, without any alter ego in feathers. He needs a specialist, and you will show your personal life in the photo later. If you make friends.
You must have a page on social networks, whoever you are. Get her in order. Delete vanilla quotes, profanity compromising photos. This is suitable for friends, but not for the employer. You can create a work page if your image in social networks is so effective that it is difficult to hide it. If you don't use social media, create a page with a simple profile and a few photos. Everything, you can not use it further. But information about you on the Internet should be.
Have multiple resumes for different jobs
But do not indicate there places of work where it was not possible to acquire useful skills for this vacancy.
Don't rename your resume for every job
Set similar names for the queries you are looking for. Manager / social media manager, editor / junior editor and so on.
Your resume should be titled like this:
Tkacheva Maria, Account Manager. The subject of the letter is as follows: “Resume from Maria Tkacheva for the vacancy of a customer service manager.” Make life easier for a recruiter. And increase your chances of being noticed. Letters with the subject line "The employee you've been looking for all your life" and "The best chef in the world!" are sent to the trash faster than their authors can imagine. Also, if you run a blog, sites or other projects that you are proud of, attach links to them.
No need to prescribe your school diplomas as achievements
Similarly coursework and diplomas. At the resume stage, the recruiter doesn't care about your grades. But! If you have a red diploma, indicate this fact. Usually a red diploma is an indicator of the candidate's discipline and determination, which is also very important.
Writing a cover letter
Greet the recruiter and introduce yourself
Good day! My name is Maria Tkacheva and I am applying for the position of Account Manager.
Tell us in a free form what attracts you to this vacancy
Opportunity to realize some of their skills and goals. Interesting tasks. The fact that you already had experience of similar work. But in any case, not the location near the house and wages.
Tell us why you are attracted to work in this company
Find out about the employer on the Internet. If his activities are public, emphasize the positive aspects for you. If there are no such people and nothing is known, firstly, think, why respond? Or just skip this paragraph.
Tell why the employer is interested in you as a candidate
Briefly about your skills, experience, qualities of character. This description should resonate with the resume, but not retell it. And with the requirements for the candidate, which the recruiter indicated in the vacancy.
Inform that you are always in touch and indicate all your contacts
Always in touch. Not from 10 to 20! Say goodbye politely, wish you a good day.
Attach your resume as a PDF document
And no more other documents. If you have a portfolio, please attach a link to view it. Preferably with online viewing, no downloads. Even if you are a cool designer and photographer, no one wants to download 3 GB of your portfolio.
Recruiter is human too
And the employer too. It often happens that this is the same person. Or a candidate is selected by an employee who is currently in this position. And he combines selection with his main job. Most likely at night.
A recruiter can receive over 100 applications per day. In fact, this is the minimum if the position is universal and/or popular. If you do not interest the recruiter - do not wait for an answer. He just physically can not answer all. Especially considering that after the refusal, questions “why” come. The list of "becauses" is too long to answer everyone.
The job of a recruiter is to find a candidate, not to help you work on your mistakes. And don't blame him for that. The recruiter has days off. When sending a letter on Friday, do not expect a response on Saturday and Sunday.
Some vacancies fill slowly. And they have been open for many months, not because there is hell in the company, but because there is a turnover. Because it doesn't burn. They are looking for their man. Long or seldom read letters. As a rule, the longest search for leaders. Marketing or Sales Director. There can be no turnover here, and finding your person is very important.
If you change your mind about going to an interview, let me know. No need to write about the fact that they lost the keys and the cat died. It is enough to write: “Good afternoon! Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend the interview due to other circumstances. My candidacy is no longer relevant. I am sorry to bother you". Everything. You will be told: "Thanks for the warning." 8 out of 10 candidates do not make it to the office. Cats, at times, die in 3 out of 8. Be honest and polite.
Books to Help You Write Your Cover Letter and Build Your Resume
“Write, cut. How to create a strong text”, authors Maxim Ilyakhov, Lyudmila Sarycheva
“Don't rush to send your resume. Non-traditional advice for those who want to find the job of their dreams, by Jeffrey J. Fox