How to write a recruiter-friendly resume

Published

17 September 2020

Writing a perfect resume is a fine art

Creating an effective resume is a careful balance between being specific enough to accurately represent your experience and broad enough to remain relevant to different reviewers.

Recruiters often spend only a few seconds scanning a CV before deciding whether to continue reading. In fact, an eye tracking study has showed that on average, recruiters spend around seven seconds looking at a candidate’s CV.

So how do how do you condense several years of experience into a document that captures attention in seconds, while still reflecting the depth of your background?

One option of course would be to find a better recruiter, one that could take the time to understand your profile and identify common grounds with their list of job openings or even proactively think of future openings on your behalf. However, that’s not always an option as sometimes you will be working directly with a Talent Acquisition specialist / HR of a company you’re applying to. Here’s our guide on getting shortlisted with such little time to make an impression.

Seven seconds to capture attention, two minutes to tell your story

Most recruiters say 2-3 pages is all it should be, but it all depends on how much relevant information you have to share. The problem with the 2-3 pages approach is that you’re catering to two different audiences with the same resume – the recruiter and the hiring manager. While recruiters attention span is usually not the greatest, hiring managers love a detailed resume they could dig into prior to committing to an interview with a candidate.

Consider maintaining two versions of your resume with a short note in the header that indicates that a detailed version is available if needed. While this may require some additional effort, it can significantly improve clarity and efficiency during the application process.

A concise version for initial screening, and a more detailed version available upon request.

The concise version of your CV

The goal of the concise version is clarity, efficiency, and relevance.

The concise version of your CV should contain the following:

  • Recent and relevant roles and responsibilities
  • Key accomplishments and measurable impact where possible
  • Core skills and competencies relevant to the position
  • Brief descriptions of each role (1-3 lines per position or project)

Avoid unnecessary detail. The objective is not to document everything, but to highlight what matters most for the role you are targeting.

The detailed version of your CV

The goal of the detailed version of your CV is expanding on your experience.

The detailed version of your CV should contain the following:

  • More context around your responsibilities and achievements
  • Additional examples of projects or contributions
  • Broader skill sets and transferable experience
  • Relevant certifications or training where applicable

This version is for hiring managers who want a deeper understanding of your background before or after an interview. This is also the version where you want to elaborate on your transferable skills.

Tailor your CV to the roles you are targeting – Bait the hook to suit the fish

In an ideal scenario, every resume would be tailored to each application. While this is not always practical, aligning your CV with the most common requirements of your target roles can significantly improve your chances of being shortlisted.

Focus on the patterns that consistently appear in job descriptions for your field and ensure those are clearly reflected in your resume.

In other words, you don’t need to tailor your resume for every role you’re applying for, but you do need to tailor it for the type of role you’re aiming for.

Keep the structure simple and consistent

Clarity and readability are critical. Choose an easy-to-read structure, make use of white space and headings, highlight the important points by using bullet points. Use a logical order and stick to it, if you decide the format should be Company Name, Start / End Date, Project, Technologies – stick to this format throughout every experience you list.

Design:

  • Clear headings
  • Consistent formatting
  • Bullet points to improve scanning
  • White space to improve readability

Content:

  • Organization
  • Role and dates
  • Key responsibilities
  • Key achievements

Consistency helps the reader process information quickly and efficiently.

For early-career professionals

If you are early in your career and have limited professional experience, focus on:

  • Academic projects
  • Personal or volunteer projects
  • Relevant coursework or training
  • Demonstrated initiative and learning efforts

Avoid unnecessary filler content

Sections listing generic traits such as “team player,” “hard worker,” or “motivated individual” add little value without context, while using precious real-estate.

Instead of listing qualities, demonstrate them through concrete examples of your work, achievements, and impact.

Whenever possible, replace general statements with evidence of outcomes or contributions.

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