The Seven Second Resume

Don't let the title of this article fool you. Everyone knows that it takes more than seven seconds to write a resume; just like everybody knows that it takes more than five minutes a day to get six-pack abs. This seven second integer, however, bears heavy weight in the world of good resume writing.

The job market is tighter than five minute abs; so tight that it's commonplace for hiring managers to receive hundreds of resumes from applicants submitting for a single job opportunity. Massive slush piles (a collection of rejected documents), once indigenous solely to the publishing industry, have oozed their way into virtually every Human Resources operation in every sector of the job marketplace. And just like a writer looking to publish a novel, a job seeker must hook the reader quickly or their resume will join reams of fallen, slushy brethren.

The life or death of your chances at a landing a job is determined in seven seconds...or less. This may seem like a grim outlook. It's not. It's simply reality; life telling you to step it up a notch and rise above the circumstances, to empower your job search with a Seven Second Resume. I'm here to tell you that there is a solitary, easily applied secret that will allow you to wield the sharp edge of a Seven Second Resume. And here it is:

Instead of using an Objective statement, use a Summary of Qualifications at the top of your resume.

GASP! "Why?" Here it is: The job market is impersonal. We live in the Information Age, and everybody is looking for the facts, not extraneous statements about what kind of job you would like. Viewing the job market as a field of conquest instead of a wishing well is a healthy perspective and telling an employer that you are "seeking a job where I can employ my knowledge in engineering widgets to the benefit of an organization" just wasted seven seconds of their time. Don't you think they already know that you'd like a job using your widget engineering prowess? Instead, why not tell them what they are seeking? Which is...

YOU!

Now, toot your horn!

Tell them how many widgets you've made, the awards you've received for widget engineering, and if at all possible, use numbers. Show them what you're made of.

For example:

Senior widget engineer possesses over 10 years of strong widget engineering experience. Outstanding instincts in designing and integrating business processes to efficiently drive widget-focused projects to support mission-critical business initiatives. Notable accomplishments include the research, design, and implementation of a quality assurance process that reduced production downtime by 15%, reclaiming $200,000.00 in revenues representing 20% of company income.

Pow! Right?

This summary is an effective use of good writing coupled with a statement of ability. The extra punch lies in what are known as quantified statements. The word "outstanding" is used, which is a word that pops off the page - especially at the beginning of a sentence. But what if one of the other candidates used "outstanding"? This is where the quantifiable statements come in. The quantifiable statement encompasses a description of measureable results that back up your use of "outstanding". In the example above the quantified statement is:

...reduced production downtime by 15%, reclaiming $200,000.00 in revenue, representing 20% of company income.

No hiring manager or HR personnel would pass by reading the rest of this resume. They'd have to read on. After all, you've just proven that you're outstanding.