Resume Refresher: Passing the Initial Scan

In my Senior Seminar class and among my fellow Seniors, there has been discussion about the ever-important initial resume scan: the few seconds hiring managers take to scan your resume before deciding if you are an immediate no or if you have potential. Here are some tips I found on CAREEREALISM for making it past the initial resume scan:

1. Professional Formatting: A resume with an organized, easy-to-read layout is more likely to be read than a resume with an unorganized layout. My professor told us our resumes should look like something you could frame and hang on the wall. If the layout doesn't look appealing to you, chances are it won't look appealing to hiring managers either.

2. Easy-to-Find Requirements: Most job listings include required or preferred qualifications. Hiring managers spend time writing these for a reason, and resumes that don't include any of the qualifications are not likely to make it past the initial scan. To increase your chances of catching the hiring manager's attention, make these qualifications easy for them to find on your resume.

3. Compelling, Easy-to-Read Content: Keep your content concise and highlight your accomplishments. No one wants to read a whole paragraph to figure out what you have done. Don't overuse bold, italics and underline, but use them to highlight the most important information.