You spend hours perfecting your resume—finessing every bullet point, lining up your formatting, tweaking your wording—and then, a recruiter looks at it for 10 seconds. Maybe even less.
It sounds harsh, but it’s true. Recruiters often have dozens, even hundreds, of resumes to go through for a single role. That means they’ve learned to scan fast and make quick decisions. The good news? Knowing what they’re looking for in those first few seconds gives you a major edge.
Here’s what actually catches a recruiter’s eye—and how to make those first 10 seconds count.
A Clear, Clean Layout
First impressions are visual. If your resume looks cluttered or hard to read, the recruiter may move on before reading a single word. A clean, simple format with clearly labeled sections (think: education, work experience, skills) invites the reader in.
Use plenty of white space. Keep margins even. Avoid weird fonts or graphics. Your design shouldn’t be the star, your content should.
Your Name, Title, and Contact Info
This is basic, but it matters. Right up top, your name should be easy to find, followed by a professional email address and location (city and state are enough). Including a job title (such as “Marketing Assistant” or “Entry-Level Data Analyst”) also helps the recruiter immediately understand what you’re aiming for.
Pro tip: If you have a LinkedIn profile, include the link. Just make sure it matches what’s on your resume.
A Strong Summary (If You Use One)
A short, well-written summary can act like a quick pitch: who you are, what you’re good at, and what you’re looking for. Keep it tight and focus on your value, not just your goals.
For example: “Detail-oriented recent graduate with internship experience in social media marketing and analytics. Seeking a full-time role where I can bring creative ideas and data-driven results to a growing team.”
That’s short, focused, and speaks directly to what a recruiter wants to know.
Job Titles and Company Names
Recruiters skim for familiar job titles and recognizable companies. If you’ve had internships or jobs that align with the role you’re applying for, make sure those titles stand out.
Even if your past roles weren’t a perfect match, using a clear and understandable job title (e.g., “Administrative Assistant” instead of “Office Ninja”) helps the recruiter connect the dots faster.
Easy-To-Spot Skills
Whether it’s technical tools like Excel or Photoshop, or soft skills like customer service and communication, a short, scannable skills section lets the recruiter know what you bring to the table right away. Bonus points if those skills mirror what’s in the job description.
Make Those 10 Seconds Count
Your resume doesn’t need to be flashy—it just needs to communicate clearly. When recruiters scan quickly, they’re looking for relevance, clarity, and potential. A well-structured, keyword-smart resume helps you pass the glance test and land in the “yes” pile.
Want a second set of eyes on your resume? At Entry Resume LLC, we help you polish your resume so it stands out—for all the right reasons.
Visit EntryResume.com to get started today. We’ll help you make every second count.