Let’s talk about the importance of keeping your mining resume clean and skimmable…
I recently worked with an experienced mining employee who wanted their mining resume updated. There were a couple of specific changes, and they wanted it tailored to a specific Supervisor role they were considering applying for. They had had their resume updated by another Resume Writer in the past – I had seen the template before.
At first glance, I’m not gonna lie; it looked kinda snazzy. It had a fancy logo, colours, columns, and lots of detail. But then, as I was reading through it, I could barely find their specific experience, the type of work they had done, or the type of equipment they had worked on. It was crammed with filler information, tiny text, no white space, and columns filled with repetitive information.
A Recruiter has 6 to 10 seconds…
If I were having trouble finding their experience, how do you think a Recruiter who has about 6-10 seconds to skim your resume would feel? They’re the ones who decide if your resume is worth a more detailed read or if you’re put into the “filing” pile (aka, thanks but no thanks).
The client and I completed the phone consultation, and I got to work on updating their resume. As part of the resume update service at Ruby Resumes, every client receives a 30-minute phone consultation so I can find out about all the incredible things you have done throughout your career. I don’t just hand you a generic questionnaire to fill out. That’s boring. Your experience is unique, and I want to know all about it, so a phone consultation with my clients is part of the resume update process.
I sent back the Draft to my client at record speed, thinking I had nailed the resume update to showcase their skills and expertise… but I didn’t quite receive the feedback I had anticipated.
The client was happy with the information in the resume, but when we jumped back on the phone, there wasn’t the excitement from the client that I was hoping for. “It’s ok, but are you going to bling it up?”
A clear resume without the bling
Ruby Resumes resumes aren’t fancy or blinged up, and here are the reasons why:
- Figures suggest that a Recruiter often has only 6-10 seconds to review a resume. Recruiters are busy people with hundreds of resumes to review daily, so your resume must be easy to read and skimmable.
- Your resume needs to address the requirements in the job advertisement. The information in the job advertisement is what the Recruiter and the Hiring Manager need to see on your resume to put you through to the interview pile. Can they easily see the information they need about your skills and experience?
- If your resume has text everywhere, the human eye doesn’t know where to look first. Do I read the tiny column on the left? Do I start at the top? Do I read half/half? Utilising the format of your resume, you can decide where you want the Recruiter to look first.
- Cleaner resumes without all the fancy columns and tables are easier for the ATS (applicant tracking system) to read. Don’t get me started with all the ATS craziness online. That’s a blog for another day.
- Font type and size are also important, especially on the computer screen. Recruiters will initially open your resume on their computer, but they may also print it off to read. It must be easy to read when printed and when viewed on the computer screen.
- White space is important for the human eye to optimise readability and ensure the right things on your resume stand out to potential employers.
What do Recruiters say?
Don’t just take my word for it, though; here’s some feedback from a Recruiter on LinkedIn regarding white space and resumes:
“Not enough white space. What I want to see: a document that is scannable, readable, and has plenty of white space to make it easier to read.”
~ Jordan Hallow – Recruiting Partner – 26,000+ followers and Top Job Search Strategies Voice
Your resume is read by a human.
I will be keeping it simple so the Recruiters and the Hiring Managers can focus on the content and what makes you the ideal applicant!
So, the answer is no, I won’t be blinging up your resume.
Cheers to your mining career,
~Jasmin
PS. Keen to know more about Ruby Resumes? Head to the website for all the information and FAQs.