The Six-Second Showdown: A Former Recruiter's Confession
Adrian Tan
Fractional CMO for HR Tech | Author of 'No More Bosses: The Journey to Sustainable Self-Employment' | Host of The Adrian Tan Show
As it approaches the year end (plus I will be going on a holiday soon), this will be the last issue for the year. See you in 2025!
You know what's both hilarious and slightly terrifying?
The fact that your carefully crafted, multi-page resume – the one you spent hours perfecting – gets about as much attention as a TikTok video.
And I'm being generous here.
The Time-Warped Truth
Back in 2012, The Ladders dropped a bomb on job seekers with their eye-tracking study: recruiters spend just six seconds per resume. By 2018, we'd evolved to a whopping 7.4 seconds. Progress, people!
Though recent studies show we actually spend anywhere from 27 seconds to 2.5 minutes on promising candidates, let's be honest – your resume needs to grab attention faster than a cat video on social media.
The Rusty Recruiter Returns
Here's my confession: After 11 years of being the resume-scanning ninja in my recruitment agency, I recently found myself helping a client hire for their marketing department.
The result?
My inbox exploded with 81 applications in less than a week. Plot twist: 70% of them looked better on paper than my own resume. Talk about a humbling experience!
8 Ways to Get Rejected (Because Who Doesn't Love Rejection?)
1. Play Superman (Without the Cape)
It's an employer's market, and everyone's looking for Superman. But here's the thing – even Clark Kent had to start somewhere.
? Bad Example: "Looking for challenging opportunities across marketing, sales, business development, product management, and strategy roles."
? Good Example: "Digital Marketing Specialist with 5 years of experience driving e-commerce growth through paid social campaigns. Consistently achieved 3x ROAS across Meta and Google platforms for D2C brands."
Why it works: Instead of trying to be everything to everyone, focus on your core strength and proven track record in a specific area.
2. Stick to Your Dead Industry Like a Captain Going Down with the Ship
If your industry is sinking faster than the Titanic, it's time to look at adjacent verticals.
? Bad Example: "15 years of experience in traditional print newspaper advertising sales"
? Good Example: "15 years of media sales experience, successfully transitioning from print to digital advertising. Led the digital transformation of client portfolios resulting in 40% higher revenue through programmatic advertising and content partnerships."
Why it works: Shows how your core skills (sales, client relationships, media strategy) transfer to growing sectors.
3. Ignore Keywords Like They're Your Ex
Even modern ATS systems are as "dumb" as a rock when it comes to keywords.
? Bad Example: "Managed social media and made lots of content that went viral"
? Good Example: "Developed and executed social media marketing campaigns across Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn, achieving 2M+ impressions and 15% engagement rate. Proficient in Meta Business Suite, Hootsuite, Sprout Social, and Google Analytics."
Why it works: Incorporates specific platform names, tools, and metrics that both ATS and humans look for.
4. Keep Your Achievements Vague and Mysterious
"Drove xyz by 10%" – Is this a car commercial or your resume?
? Bad Example: "Improved team performance and increased sales"
? Good Example: "Led a team of 8 sales representatives to increase monthly revenue from $200K to $450K within 6 months by implementing a new CRM system and developing a structured sales playbook."
Why it works: Provides specific numbers, timeframe, team size, and methods used to achieve results.
5. Assume Everyone Knows Your Company
Not everyone knows that "Bob's Digital Solutions" isn't just your uncle Bob's side hustle.
? Bad Example: "Marketing Manager at TechFlow Solutions"
? Good Example: "Marketing Manager at TechFlow Solutions (Series B SaaS startup specialising in AI-powered workflow automation, serving 500+ enterprise clients including Adobe and Salesforce)"
Why it works: Provides context about company size, industry, and credibility through client names.
6. Be as Bland as Unseasoned Tofu
Remember Zuckerberg's "airport test"? Show some personality!
? Bad Example: "Interests: Reading, traveling, music"
? Good Example: "? Founded and lead a 200-member local tech community meetup ?? 2x hackathon winner (MIT MediaLab 2023, AWS re:Invent 2022) ?? Lead guitarist in a corporate rock band that raised $50K for charity ??♂? Completed 3 marathons while listening to coding podcasts"
Why it works: Shows leadership, competitive spirit, creativity, and dedication through specific achievements outside work.
7. Stick to Plain Text Like It's 1999
No traditional accolades? No problem!
? Bad Example: "References and portfolio available upon request"
? Good Example: "?? Portfolio: yourname.dev (50K+ monthly visitors) ?? Tech Blog: medium.com/@yourname (15K followers) ?? Speaker: Web Summit 2023, 'The Future of AI in Marketing' ?? Side Project: Created a Chrome extension with 10K active users"
Why it works: Provides immediate proof of expertise and initiative through accessible, verifiable achievements.
8. Use That Resume Template from 1995
After seeing 80+ resumes, anything different catches the eye.
? Bad Example: Standard Word template with Times New Roman font and basic bullet points
? Good Example:
Why it works: Makes information easily scannable while showing attention to detail and modern sensibilities.
The Numbers Game
Out of 81 applicants, only 17 made it to the next round, and there's only one position. But remember: getting rejected just means you're one "no" closer to your "yes."
Pro Tip: If all else fails, attach a picture of a cute puppy to your application. It won't get you the job, but at least the recruiter will spend more than 6 seconds looking at your resume! Just kidding!
About the Author: A reformed recruitment ninja who recently discovered that getting back into resume screening is like riding a bicycle – except the bicycle is on fire, and so is everything else.
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3 周It's common to compare, but remember your unique strengths; your experience sets you apart, and authenticity resonates with employers. Your insight adds value to discussions on hiring challenges.
CloudHire | CEO
3 周Relatable imposter moments highlighted authentically and humorously.
CHRO of the Year | Influential HR Leader | Adjunct Professor | Professional Speaker | Coach | Trainer | Book Author
3 周If you don't meet the basic job criteria, you're probably correct—the recruiter will likely spend only a few seconds on your resume. However, if you make it to the interview, your resume will undergo detailed scrutiny, so the effort you put into it will pay off. Check my earlier article here: https://getyourdreamjob.co/2024/03/19/5-easy-tweaks-for-maximum-resume-impact/
AI @ Google | I share Career Tips in Tech | 1.2k+ Newsletter Subscribers
3 周AI writing resume progress faster than the trained eyes of the recruiter. I recommend to shadow some interviews now... you'll be surprise
Technology Enthusiast | Data Analytics Proponent | Thoughtful Writer | Resource Optimiser | Focuses on Human Capital
3 周Power packed read with a great close. Really making feel I need rejig my LinkedIn profile. Thanks for writing!