As promised, this month I am addressing how to have a resume that grabs attention.

Sadly, the job seekers I work with often tell me that they never hear back from companies after submitting their resume and application for a job. According to Glassdoor, the average hiring manager and recruiter spends six seconds reading your resume. That’s right, only six seconds. Unbelievable! What can you do to immediately grab that attention? Here are my three resume “must-haves”:

Attractively Formatted Resume

Resumes must be nicely formatted, well-organized, and easy to read. The easier to read the better. They should be pleasing to the eye with the right balance of content and white space. Too many words in your resume could cause the hiring manager to ignore it because it’s just too much work to read. Lastly, resumes must be error-free - any spelling or grammatical errors show a lack of detail and recruiters are likely to pass on your resume and you.

Top Third of the Resume Is Most Important

This is the part of your resume (above the Work Experience section) the hiring manager sees first and must capture their attention. It consists of your name, contact information, and summary statement. The purpose of a summary statement is to showcase your talents, set you apart from the competition and capture the hiring manager’s attention so they keep reading through your resume.

This statement, only two to three sentences long, must be clear, compelling, and concise, expressing your tangible value, your unique talents, skills, and experiences along with the position you’re seeking.

Here is an example of a compelling summary statement:

“I am a tenacious attorney with over 15 years’ experience and have a diverse background in employment, litigation and contract law. I am an effective communicator, strategic thinker, and problem- solver able to quickly identify legal issues and strategize proper solutions that reduce operational and financial risks. The position I am seeking is an in-house attorney position in employment, contract or litigation areas.”

Bullet Points Need to Be Accomplishment-Oriented not Task-Focused

Your resume should tell the hiring manager how you can add value and contribute to their organization. The way to do this is by having bullet points that highlight your accomplishments, achievements and successes relevant to the position you are applying for. Bullets that are task-focused won’t showcase your uniqueness and won’t help you stand out from the competition, making it easier for the hiring manager to pass on you.

Here is an example of an accomplishment-oriented bullet point:

“Spearheaded the company through a complicated global re-organization resulting in a 75% increase in profits with minimal employee turnover.”

_

Be sure to incorporate these three resume “must-haves” to your resume so it stands out and makes it into the “Yes” pile. Reach out to me if you would like help improving your own resume and grabbing the attention of the people who are making hiring decisions.