Does your resume pass the “10-Second Rule”?
With hundreds of resumes for any job posting landing in their hands, the hiring manager will give your resume about 10 seconds to engage their interest. This preliminary analysis is the first test your resume must pass, and it is essential that the document piqué their interest in a concise paragraph or two. You might think of this in terms of a newspaper headline. If the headline does not draw you in, you are not going to read the rest of the article.
While resume design and layout can be subjective, the key elements are applicant tracking system compliance, formatting, font size, use of white space, and ease of readability. It is critical to use titles and headings effectively, organize the information to draw attention to your strengths, structure the document so that it is easy to read and be consistent in terms of how you present your information.
With so much at stake, your resume must begin with a custom-tailored career summary that quickly communicates your key skills and achievements, professional awards or recognitions, scope, fit, and value added.