Print reading is just about dead – at least where resumes are concerned.
Today, almost 100% of readers will read your resume on a screen, and the numbers of folks comfortable conducting that initial read on a mobile device or phone is growing by leaps and bounds.
If your resume ever does get printed out, it likely won’t happen until the 3rd or 4th round.
Bottom line? Resumes designed for print do not translate well on the screen—which means you risk the chance key points you need to get across won’t.
The four components below will facilitate a powerful skim read on screens both big and small:
#1 Career Title: Similar to a news headline, a one-line resume career title quickly tells the reader the kinds of roles you seek or your industry expertise.
Customize accordingly to show the reader you are well-suited for a particular type of role.
#2 Branding Paragraph: Skip the generic summary that could describe anyone.
Include instead a brief (four lines max) paragraph that describes strengths unique to you with language from job postings aligned with what the reader is searching for in an ideal candidate.
#3 Bullets v. Blocks: Online readers have a hard time digesting large blocks of text – a challenge that increases as a screen size grows smaller.
Replace paragraphs with one- and two-line bullets that highlight your achievements.
#4 Front-loaded Bullets: Skip the adjectives, qualifiers and lead-ins. Make sure each bullet leads with the achievement, so it’s the first thing the reader sees. Here’s an example:
“Saved client $20M via software automation” v. “Led software automation that saved client $20M.”
Get Ready for Your Screen Test
These simple actions will get you the results you need for your resume to pass a screen test and land you that interview or phone screen.
Interested in learning more about getting your career documents ready for an online read?
Check out my Emergency Career Toolkit – a series of 8 short and sweet videos to guide you through creating materials suitable for screens of all sizes.