80% of all resumes are discarded 12 seconds AFTER they get to the first human.
Seize the screeners attention.
Here is the secret. Look at the first two sentences.
- Using numbers or BOLDED words gets attention
- Great first words make a difference
- The first two or three bullet points under your first job are usually read
- Short is infinitely better.
Study the three paragraphs above. They are the key to being noticed in under 12 seconds. If a screener is going to toss 40 resumes in the trash can and keep 5, he is going to get rid of the duds as quickly as possible. Use the 4 tricks above to get past that human filter.
Avoid the crowd. Do your own thinking independently. Be the chess player, not the chess piece (Ralph Charell)
Something To Do Today
Hand your resume to a friend. Tell them you will take it back in 12 seconds and want their opinion. Let them read it for only 12 seconds and snatch it back. Find out what they read. That is a great test for your resume’s impact.
————————–
Later: What a big house or great job costs