What Is the 6-Second Resume Review and How to Pass It
Getting a job can seem as lucky as winning the lottery in today’s tough job market. You spend hours writing a cover letter, carefully tailoring your resume to each position, and then you hear nothing back. The truth is that hiring managers often get tons of applications and may not have much time to look at each one. This is why knowing how to make your resume grab attention quickly can boost your chances of getting the job you want.
How Long Does It Take for Your Resume to Be Reviewed?
Based on an eye-tracking study, the time recruiters spend reviewing each resume during the first round of sorting is around 7.4 seconds. ¹ This is where the 6-Second Resume Test comes in.
The main idea of this test is that, in those brief six seconds, important parts of your resume should stand out during the resume screening. These parts should include your job titles, the companies you’ve worked for, the duration of your employment in those jobs, and your education. This fast check helps recruiters decide if they should review resumes more closely or move on to the next one.
You might feel confident about your skills, but your resume is your first impression on paper. It’s what determines whether you’ll get a chance to show off those skills. And those six seconds decide if your resume will be examined further or just tossed aside. It’s a tough truth but knowing this helps you tailor your resume to make the strongest impact possible.
Pass the 6-Second Test: 9 Recommendations to Improve Your Initial Resume
Here are simple steps you can take to make your resume stand out of the crowd:
1. Make it Easy to Read
Choose a simple, professional font like Arial or Times New Roman, and use a size between 10-12 points. Keep your resume tidy with enough space around the edges – about 1 inch – to make it easy to read.
Divide your resume into sections with clear titles, such as Contact Info, Summary, Work Experience, and Skills. Make these titles bold to stand out and help the reader find what they need. When you list your skills and accomplishments, consider using short bullet points. Moreover, resume builders can also make things a lot easier.
2. Align Your Skills with the Job Description
Using the same resume for all job applications might not make much impact. To catch the hiring manager’s eye, customize your resume for each job you apply for. This ensures your resume matches what the recruiter is looking for and helps it get through applicant tracking systems that screen resumes before the recruiter sees them.
Start by carefully reading the job posting to spot the keywords and skills that are most important. Then, weave these keywords naturally into your resume, especially in the ‘Skills’ and ‘Experience’ sections.
However, be careful with the details and make sure they fit well with your work history and achievements. Cramming your resume with keywords from the description can cause problems. Screening systems are getting smarter and can flag resumes that are too packed with too many keywords as suspicious.
3. Include a Strong Professional Summary
An objective or summary statement at the top of your resume is like your elevator pitch. In two to three sentences, it should highlight your qualifications and the unique value you bring to the role. You can mention your years of experience, soft skills, significant achievements, and career goals that make you an ideal candidate for the position. This section should be crafted to reflect the priorities of the job you’re applying for, quickly showing the recruiter that your resume deserves a closer look.
4. Highlight Relevant Experience
Concentrate on the experiences that are directly related to the job you’re applying for. In the experience section of your resume, list each position with clear bullet points that detail your responsibilities and achievements.
However, don’t just enumerate your duties. Aim to quantify your accomplishments where possible. Did you boost sales by 20%? Did you improve an existing process, making it 35% more efficient? Use numbers to demonstrate the concrete impact you’ve had.
5. Use Appropriate Job Titles
Job titles can differ a lot between companies and might not truly show what you did in your role. If your official job title is unclear or unique, think about using a more common title that matches what people usually use in the industry (but make sure it still honestly describes your job). This makes it easier for recruiters to quickly grasp your job level and responsibilities.
6. Use Action Verbs
The verbs you use on your resume can greatly influence how your skills and experience come across. Swap out weaker verbs like “performed” or “assisted” for stronger action verbs that highlight your initiative and impact. Using words like “spearheaded,” “managed,” or “implemented” shows you’re proactive and helps your qualifications stand out more.
7. Create a Dedicated Section for Achievements
Adding a specific “Achievements” section to your resume is an excellent way to highlight your most impressive accomplishments, especially those that don’t naturally fit within your work history descriptions. For example, did you win an award for outstanding performance? Or did you lead a project that helped your company save money? These are perfect examples to include in this section to show your value beyond your everyday duties.
8. Showcase Your Digital Presence
Consider adding a link to your professional brand next to your contact information if it highlights relevant experience and achievements. This can be your LinkedIn profile, online portfolio, or even social media account. Make sure your online presence is updated, well-maintained, and professional before you include a link.
9. Keep It Brief
The best way to pass the 6-second resume review is by keeping your resume concise. Try to fit all the necessary information on one page. This makes sure the most important information is quickly accessible within those crucial six seconds for the hiring manager.
If you have a long career history, a well-organized two-page resume is acceptable, but try not to go beyond two pages as it can be too much for the reader to handle.
10. Proofread to Remove Errors
Typos and grammatical errors can make you seem unprofessional. To make a good first impression with your resume, careful proofreading is key. Check your spelling, grammar, and punctuation closely.
Also, don’t be afraid to ask for feedback. Don’t just rely on checking it yourself — have a trusted friend or colleague review your resume as well. They might find mistakes that you didn’t see. The responses can help you spot areas that need improvement and ensure your resume is polished to catch the attention of hiring managers.
LET HUGHES RESOURCES EASE YOUR JOB SEARCH JOURNEY
We know how tough and frustrating job searching can be, and we’re here to make it easier for you. With our dedicated team of professionals and a broad network of top employers, we’re ready to match your skills and aspirations with the perfect job opportunities.
Don’t face the complicated job market by yourself—let Hughes Resources help you find your ideal career. Check out our career page to apply for the job of your choice, or connect with our support team for further assistance.
References
1. “Ladders Updates Popular Recruiter Eye-Tracking Study With New Key Insights on How Job Seekers Can Improve Their Resumes” PR Newswire, 6 Nov 2018, www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ladders-updates-popular-recruiter-eye-tracking-study-with-new-key-insights-on-how-job-seekers-can-improve-their-resumes-300744217.html
