💡 Invincible Tip - Eyes on Your Resume (Issue #545)
Research shows where recruiters and managers will look
When I was leading the Yahoo! Search Product and Design team, Prasad Kantamneni, a researcher, conducted some fascinating eye-tracking research for our Search Results Page. The results showed us where people focused their eyes as they looked for information on the screen.
Notice the intensity at the top left in the images below, and note how quickly people fatigue and stop looking down and to the right as they scroll the results.
Guess what?
A similar thing happens when people scan your resume. And I say “scan” because recruiters and hiring managers don’t really read your resume unless you pass that first scan, which only takes a few seconds.
The Ladders shared similar research from an eye-tracking study of resume designs and layouts. They noticed that recruiters quickly scanned the left side and looked for relevant information that might encourage them to scan to the right and read the rest of a line.
There was a big difference between the best-performing resumes and the worst ones. The best resumes:
Had simple layouts
Used clear fonts and clean bullet points
Had an overview/summary statement at the top
Took advantage of that scanning pattern using section and title headers and appropriate bolding
I’ll discuss this research and its implications during my Job Search workshop on April 1st. Registration will close later today to allow attendees time to complete the preparation homework. So, if you’re interested, sign up now!
I’m Larry Cornett, a Freedom Coach who can work with you to optimize your career, business, and life. My mission is to help you take complete control of your work and life so you can become a more “Invincible You.” I live in Northern California near Lake Tahoe with my wife and our Great Dane.