Resumes: How to hook the employer

How long will the average employer look at your resume?

15 - 30 seconds!!

Not long to take in all your life's achievements.

So how on earth can you get the employers attention if he's just going to skim over your resume?

When an employer looks over resumes quickly, what is read is on the first half of the first page of the resume.

Also what is read is in bullet points, for quick and easy reading. Not in paragraphs that take more time and concentration.

So, when you put together your resume, after your name and contact information, and your job objective, put a bulleted list entitled "Highlights".

Make this list of short, one liners, and include the main skills and experience that this employer is looking for, so you will hook him in that crucial first few seconds.

One way to find what is likely to hook any employer, of course, is to read the job ad if there is one, carefully. Whatever you have that's in the advertisement, you reword, so you don't come across as a parrot just regurgitating the ad, and put in your highlights.

If you have any special skill or experience that you know will interest this employers, put that in the highlights whether or not it's mentioned in the ad.

About 6 - 8 highlights only.

If the employer is hooked by that, he will probably go on to read the rest of your resume.

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