Technology is a beautiful thing. For one, it makes our lives a lot easier. You can get any information, at any time, all with the tips of your fingers. You can also do almost anything you need on your mobile device and phone if your phone is a smartphone. This makes almost anything possible and can increase our productivity ten fold. Perhaps some of the best technology is implemented on Spark Hire with online interviews and video resumes that can boost your chances of finding a job and put you right in front of an employer from the get go. This job search technology is awesome, but what about tracking technology? Not GPS people tracking or the kind of microchip you place in your dog to track them if they get lost. We’re talking about eye tracking. This technology that has the ability to track where your eyes go first on a piece of paper isn’t new, but it can certainly help you as a job seeker.
This may not make any sense to you just yet, but after reading this blog post I promise it will. Even though this kind of ‘eye tracking’ technology isn’t new, it can bring a lot of new things to your attention. In an article posted by the Business Insider, this eye tracking technology was used on recruiters looking at the resumes of job seekers. When research finds that a recruiter or employer will spend only six seconds glancing at a new resume before they decide whether or not they want to invest more time, this information can be highly valuable to you. The experiment they conducted had the goal to “record and analyze where and how long someone focuses when digesting a piece of information or completing a task.”
In regards to resumes, the study found that recruiters first look at your name, your current title and your current company. Their eyes travel to the start and end dates of that position next. Then they move on to your previous title and company, those start and end dates and finally your education. This kind of information tells you what to focus on when creating or editing your resume. It also points to the fact that if your resume isn’t structured in a neat and easy-to-read format, then that could be the reason why you aren’t receiving any call backs.
Take a look at this image of where recruiters look when glancing at a resume. The darker, red areas are where their eyes lingered the longest. You can see that the resume on the right, the one that is structured in a better, neater way, was glanced at fully. The other resume, the one to the left, didn’t get much of a view since the structure was confusing and somewhat disorganized. With only six seconds to grab an employer or recruiters attention, you better make sure you are doing everything you can to aid them in the process. Structure your resume so it is easy to read and make all of the important information stated above clear and concise. It’s one piece of paper, but you need to put the most important information you have on the paper in the right areas so that you can set yourself above the competition and make sure your skills are actually being noticed when others look at your resume.
Study the image below and see how your resume matches up to the one on the right. If your resume resembles the one on the left more, then it may be time to edit and restructure its format.
Does your resume measure up? Are you considering a restructure of your resume after seeing this research?
SOURCE: Business Insider
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