[fecak]

Resume writer and ~20 year tech recruiter here. Just a comment to readers about the author's estimate that your resume is being reviewed for 5 minutes. It's not, so be sure not to write your resume as if it is going to get that much attention.

Don't save the good stuff for the ending, thinking "the reader will get to that." Interview or delete decisions are often made in under thirty seconds, at least for things like a quick phone screen. If you start out the resume too slow, many readers are not getting to page two.

[ramblinjan]

Good point. I tried to be pretty conservative so it didn't feel like I was fudging numbers to make a point about speed in earlier rounds, but I wonder if I should clarify.

I'll definitely include this when I write more for an audience of applicants. Resumes are soooooo boring, so anything to stick out is a big deal.

[fecak]

I was hoping not to seem pedantic on this, but it's potentially a key detail to a reader and I wouldn't want anyone to think they have 5 minutes to make an impression when the reality is much closer to 5 seconds to make an immediate positive impression. Then you likely get some more review time once the initial gut reaction is over.

Nicely written article BTW.

[ramblinjan]

Thanks!

Definitely didn't take it as pedantic. Thanks for the reminder about the impact this could have on an audience I didn't think about. I added a small disclaimer.

[drawkbox]

Elevator pitch that resume.

[fecak]

Seconded. I always write a summary even though many writers don't, and my emphasis on summaries is also to define my client before a junior recruiter or inexperienced screener does it incorrectly on their own.

[ramblinjan]

I hate the "objective statement" (since it is almost always just filler nonsense), but a good personal statement can go a long way. It's like a good thesis statement: make a bold claim that is backed up by the evidence in the resume. But it helps to tell people what unique stuff they should look for.

[aml183]

As a recruiter, I second this!