The average recruiter spends only 6 seconds scanning through a CV to determine if the candidate meets the basic qualifications for the job.
6 seconds!
A typical adult reads 200 - 300 words per minute, so on average, a recruiter will only read the first 20 - 30 words of your CV before they decide whether to continue or not.
So, what can you do to ensure recruiters carry on reading your CV?
Remove the waffle.
Use tools such as Grammarly to shorten sentences and remove un-necessary words.
Prioritise.
Put the most important pieces of information at the top of the page. Always list jobs in descending order (most recent on top) and include key selling points in your professional summary.
Time yourself.
Set your timer to 6 seconds and see how many of these key bits of information you can read:
Job title
Key skills
Location
Current employer
Highest/most relevant qualification
If you can't easily read those 5 key points (in fewer than 6 seconds), reformat your CV to make them standout.
Ready, steady, go...
