Resume Writing Tip: Screening

Slick Formatting No Longer Makes The Grade

It used to be that resume formats were printed on special paper to stand out from the crowd. The idea was that colored paper and computerized formatting could make even the dullest resume stand out from the crowd. Most didn’t and quickly ended up in the trash. Even the most colorful parchment paper or slickest formatting doesn’t offset dull copy or bad writing. A resume must be tightly written to represent who you are, and convey the essence of your employment history to make the screener sit up and take notice. To understand why, take a look at what happens once your resume arrives.

Resume Writing Tip: Screening is Distasteful

Depending upon the size of the company, your resume will be screened by a Human Resources (HR) rep if the company has one, or a staffer elected to the position. When there is no HR department, the department head gets the job, one which he probably doesn’t want and clearly sees as a waste of productive workday time, requiring extra hours of personal time to administer the task. The task is also dull because most resumes are boring. So the executive does two things. One, he stacks all the resumes in a pile and two, calls in his secretary and gives the job to her with instructions when he needs it back, usually yesterday or the day before. The amount of time given depends upon how much time the executive has to fill the job. More time is allowed for department expansion or a two-week notice, less if the person who had the position walked or has been fired.

Enter The Overworked Secretary

Resume writing tips on screening must include reality. The overworked secretary scans each resume in spare moments when she isn’t involved in the other job tasks. Because her time and attention is limited, the right keywords in your copy become even more important, because the secretary will be working from a list given to her by her boss. And while she or he may be personally impressed that a resume is printed on expensive paper, any resume lacking these keywords will be quickly trashed.

Remember that the secretary means to please her boss. So anything that doesn’t fit the list criteria is history. Once the initial stack is reduced to a more manageable 50 or so, then this stack is given back to the department head.

As you can see, this resume writing top on screening quickly removes any illusions you may have by dazzling a potential employer with the magic of presentation if you aren't qualified for the job.

What The Department Head Will Look For

Once the stack is back on his desk, the executive scans each resume quickly, hoping for a spark of originality or skill set in a candidate that can benefit his department. What he needs is a problem solver and team player that can step in and quickly become productive with minimal hand holding. His choice will reflect in his own job performance and ability to lead. A resume reveals little about personality, but hints about who you are is what the executive is looking for by reading between the lines. He’ll sort resumes into “A” to “D” stacks. If your resume contains the right key words and quickly communicates your potential, you’ll make the cut and be called in for an interview. The rest will be up to you.