Sigificance Of A Competitive Resume In Recruitment And Selection

When it comes to recruitment, we all have our own rational or irrational beliefs about our resumes that may accelerate or, in some cases eliminate the probability of selection. According to a research conducted by TheLadders (2012), on an average, every recruiter spends around 6 seconds on a resume to decide whether the candidate is suitable for a given position or not.

The key to hack the challenging game of recruitment and selection is to create a resume that has the capability of sustaining the attention of any recruiter for more than 6 seconds. In addition, it must create a positive impression. However, the pre-requisites for entry level and experienced positions may vary, and are discussed below:

For entry-level positions, the most critical aspects are the educational qualifications, internships and skillset of individuals. Since individuals lack experience, they can build their resume on the basis of skills they possess and their academic achievements. If the skills are in alignment with the job description, the candidate is most likely to receive an interview call. For example: if an individual applying for the role of customer relations has described himself as shy, reserved and introvert in his resume, it indicates that he may not possess the skills required for the job. He is most likely to not receive an interview call. Similarly, an individual applying for the role of academic writing possesses an excellent academic background is more likely to receive an interview call.

If a fashion designer applies for the role of a software engineer, S/he may not get a call for interview. In simple terms, it can be stated that an individual must possess desired skills to secure a job interview at an entry-level position.

For experienced candidates, the most vital aspect is alignment of given job role with previous job-roles. For such candidates, the recruiter pays less attention to academic qualifications. More attention is given to previous roles and responsibilities of an individual. Recruiters are also interested in the extent of growth an individual has acquired within the organization in past few years. For example: an individual has an experience of five years in sales and marketing and he applies for the role of a recruitment head, sudden changes in job profiles are less likely to be reinforced by recruiters.

In such cases, applicants with an experience in recruitment are most likely to receive an interview call for the position of a recruitment head. This is because their skills and experiences are in congruence with expected job roles. For some recruiters, the previous and current organizations in which an applicant has worked are also important. Individuals working in a reputed MNC are considered to have a fine grasp with deadlines, teamwork and large-level projects. On the other hand, individuals working in a startup are more inclined towards creativity, strict deadlines and out-of-the-box thinking. Recruiters pay attention to applicants’ organizations and decide whether they are suitable for a given job-role or not.

Apart from the above mentioned characteristics, there are some general conditions that applicants must keep in mind. Firstly, the resume must be short, crisp and concise. A majority of resume writers believe that the average length of an ideal resume ranges between one to two pages. Most of the times, entry-level job seekers have a single-paged resume. But, applicants who have pursued a wide range of internships and activities often find it difficult to mention their achievements in a single page. So, even two paged resumes are considered appropriate. Even for experienced applicants, the resume must focus more on their job-related accomplishments and the ideal length is up to two pages. However, despite the ideal length, a resume may exceed two pages depending upon the accomplishments of the applicant.

Secondly, the language must be correct and simple. Spelling mistakes and incorrect grammar must strictly be avoided. It leaves a bad impression on the recruiter and decreases the chances of getting an interview call.

Thirdly, if there are gaps in one’s resume, it is advised to mention the reasons such as family emergencies, personal reasons, or team downsizing. It helps the recruiter to avoid false and negative assumptions about the applicant.

Also, applicants must avoid irrelevant information and experiences in their resume. The experiences that are relevant to applied roles must be mentioned. An applicant must avoid mentioning short-term jobs unless they are a contractual position. No recruiter prefers applicants who engage in job-hopping.

To summarize, it would be convenient to state that an eye-catchy resume must be relevant, direct, should not be lengthy, have correct grammar, must be in alignment with required roles and expertise, and must represent information in a chronological order.