Redesigning Your Resume for Recruiter’s Six Second Look

A recent study by TheLadders revealed that recruiters typically look at a resume for six seconds before deciding whether there is a fit or not.  The study used heat map tracking to determine which parts of the resume gained the recruiter’s six seconds of attention.  Looking at the heat maps in the study and reprinted in this article , one can see that recruiters focus on bold headings, and don’t read large blocks of text.  It is important to have a well organized resume with a clear hierarchy.  Also, pictures tend to be distracting and result in less time looking at a person’s qualifications.  (Thanks to Professor Karin Mika for pointing out this article).

The library has several books available for check out on resume writing, including Resumes for Law Careers, KF297.Z9 R47 2008.  And be sure to take a look at Career Services’ Resumes/Cover Letters Handbook.

Photo by C. Frank Starmer