How Much Time Do Employers REALLY Spend On Your Resume?

How Much Time Do Employers REALLY Spend On Your Resume?: "

     With so many people being out of work, the dilemma of writing a resume has come back into focus.  If people are anything like me, they have created a resume, proofread, revised, had a friend read and critique, revised again and then finally, called it finished.  Oddly enough, I read an article that states that the average employer only spends 6.4 minutes on resume review.  Hell, I spend that much time alone thinking about my layout!!  Here is the article....

Survey: Executives Spend an Average of Six Minutes Reading Each Resume

MENLO PARK, Calif., Oct. 27  -- It's usually flattering
when someone hangs on your every word. For job seekers, this kind of
scrutiny takes on a whole new meaning. According to a new survey by
OfficeTeam, executives spend more than six minutes, on average,
screening each resume received. Considering these documents are usually
only one or two pages in length, this suggests many are being examined
with a fine-toothed comb.

The survey was developed by OfficeTeam, a leading staffing service
specializing in the placement of highly skilled administrative
professionals. It was conducted by an independent research firm and
includes responses from 150 senior executives at the nation's 1,000
largest companies.

Executives were asked, 'Approximately how much time, in minutes, do
you spend screening each resume when reviewing job applicants for an
advertised position?'

The average response was 6.4 minutes.

'Executives are paying extra attention to application materials to
avoid costly hiring mistakes -- something no company can afford,' said
Robert Hosking, executive director of OfficeTeam. 'To improve their
chances of passing the initial screening process, job seekers should
craft resumes that are accurate, clear and error-free.'

Hosking added, 'In a highly competitive job market, hiring managers
spend the most time on the best prospects, which means a candidate's
application must catch and keep their interest.'

OfficeTeam offers the following tips for creating an attention-grabbing resume:

  --  Get off to a good start. Be specific and concise when describing past
      accomplishments and highlight these achievements up front. This allows
      an employer to clearly recognize how you can impact the company's
      bottom line.
  --  Tailor the content. Customize your resume so it speaks directly to a
      potential employer's needs -- mirror the language and keywords found
      in the job description.
  --  Do the two-minute test. Ask a friend or family member to review your
      resume and summarize its key points for you. Make sure the most
      valuable information is being conveyed to readers. Also enlist the
      help of someone to proofread and check for typos.

  --  Keep it simple. Refrain from using complicated language, graphics or
      distracting fonts that can make the resume difficult to read.


  About OfficeTeam

OfficeTeam provides businesses with the temporary administrative
professionals they need to maximize productivity, achieve cost
efficiency and support existing staff. The company has more than 325
locations worldwide and offers online job search services at
www.officeteam.com.

Source: OfficeTeam

Web Site: http://www.officeteam.com/

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