When a hiring manager receives your resume, he places it in the file with literally hundreds of other individuals, just like yourself, who believe they are equally qualified for posted job. And you thought you were the only one? So how do you position yourself to get him or her to consider you among the first to receive an interview?
Make sure your resume passes the SSAG TEST; the acronym for Seven Second Attention Grabber.
Believe it or not, research has been conducted by various resume writing services, including ResumeEdge.com that shows hiring managers typically spend ONLY seven seconds holding a resume in their hand before making a decision to call the prospective candidate for an interview. Seven seconds. That’s all. Look at your watch and notice how quickly opportunity knocks and leaves. If you can’t crab that hiring manager’s attention in the first seven seconds, you get placed in the condolence pile for the dreaded thank-you-for-your-interest- but-your-qualifications-don’t-meet-our- current-needs pile, or worse… the trash!
So, how to do you increase your chances of passing the SSAG test?
Keep it simple and professional.
- Presentation: Don’t use colored paper, thinking that will draw more attention to your resume. Colored paper is a guaranteed trash can toss. Like clothing, you are what you wear. Use white paper, 24 lb. with a smooth finish. Think corporate. Think image. Think professional.
- Content: Recognize that hiring managers don’t have time to read wordy resumes. Keep the content direct, focused and concise. Use power verbs that quickly identify your strengths. Resumes are like hand grenades; small, but powerful.
Move the reader through your resume.
- Format: The resume should be easy on the eye, and allow the hiring manger to easily find what he is looking for. Don’t use cutesy, embellished fonts that are hard to read. It makes reading your resume a challenge, not a pleasure.
- Objectives Line: DON’T USE THEM. Obviously you want the job, that’s why you are applying. Instead, write a PROFILE, which gives the hiring manager a quick assessment of your skills and entices him to read further.
- Resume length: Resumes are considered a brief history of your professional experience. Don’t write an epistle. The hiring manager won’t read it. In fact, it’s a turn-off. Here is a good rule to use when determining length. If you have less than 2 years of experience use one page. If you have more than 3 years you are good to go with 2 pages, if necessary. If you are a senior executive with extensive experience, you may use 3 pages. There are cases where more than 3 pages are acceptable. This exception pertains primarily to senior executives, entertainers, writers, and artists. The extra pages are for publications, lectures, etc.
Write the resume for the position you seek.
- Don’t regurgitate: Don’t produce a resume that is just a list of all your employers and positions. Hiring managers want to see skills, capabilities and accomplishments. When listing your accomplishments, make sure you identity not only the specific accomplishment, but how you achieved it and how it benefited the company. Companies hire people to help them profit. They don’t hire people to fill a vacant desk
Pertinent information only, please.
- No GPA’s or Fraternities: This issue is always a tough debate with many of my own clients. If you graduated from college ten years ago, don’t include all your sorority and fraternity information on your resume. Honestly, no one cares. If you think by putting this information will increase your chances, think again. What if the hiring manager was from a rival group and discounts you for that reason alone? Include only pertinent information. No one cares about your GPA, what club you belonged to in college, or if you had perfect attendance. The only exception to this rule is when you are a recent graduate. For that first job, GPA and honors are good to use. But after you have established a work history, it’s irrelevant.
- Caution Women: Be very careful how you present other accomplishments on your resume. Vanity doesn’t work well for you in the corporate world. If you modeled for Neiman Marcus in college and have a portfolio of photos that you are proud of, keep them for your children. Because unless you are applying for a job as a model, a spokesperson or an actor, listing that on your resume will only accomplish two things; 1) get you an interview just so they can “check you out”, and 2) indicates to the hiring manager that you are trying to impress him/her with irrelevant information about you that doesn’t bring credibility for the prospective position.
Need help? Hire a resume writer.
If you aren’t confident in your ability to write and produce your own resume, don’t stress. There are plenty of resume writing services available. However, know what you are getting BEFORE you commit. Resume writing services can be quite expensive. There are plenty of message boards around on the net that can offer you recommendations. Since I was contracted with ResumeEdge.com for some time, I am a little biased. They are a very good service.
Here are just a few considerations when hiring a resume writer: 1) Compare prices. You get what you pay for…however, there are reputable writers who are not associated with a service who can assist you; 2) Do they have experience in your field of interest? Do they understand the scope of work in your field of interest?; 3) ALL resume writers should provide you with an interview (by phone or email) to gather information. Providing the writer with a copy of your current resume is a good idea; 4) You should receive a rough draft for your review and consideration; 5) Then you should be given a chance to make corrections and changes; 6) A revision of you resume should be sent to you for final approval. In most cases, resume writers will work with you if you require additional modifications, however, don’t abuse them. Requests for extensive revisions and modifications can result in an additional charge.
What is the SSAG guarantee?
There are no guarantees. Resume writing is like life. You can have all the information and strategies in place, but sometimes it all boils down to the individual preferences of the hiring manager. Simply produce the best resume that you possibly can. Send it. And hope that you get the call. However, if you don’t, it’s a good idea to remember that when one door closes another opens.
