Does HR really only look at a resume for 6 seconds?

By Danielle Birchard

I was recently asked if this was true, “does HR really only look at a resume for 6 seconds?” I work in Human Resources for a thriving small business and have seen my fair share of resumes. I had to think about it but decided that, yes, we look at resumes very quickly. I usually spend closer to 10 seconds on a resume, but as a rule, I look through them quickly. There are a few reasons for this. 

A resume is a first impression. Time is precious to everyone, employers and applicants alike. Hundreds of resumes are submitted for one position, that is a lot to read through. A quick scan is often all the time that can be spent on one resume. So, an applicant only has those six seconds to make a good first impression. 

You can learn a lot from a quick scan of a resume. Just because a page is full of words does not mean the person has a lot of good experience. An applicant could stretch a simple point into three sentences if they really wanted to. I look for action verbs and concise explanations of the tasks have been completed throughout a career. I look at formatting and grammar to see how seriously they are taking their job search. I look for skills, education, numbers, company names, and the types of projects the applicant has worked on. Skills are at the top of that list as they are an important aspect of what a new hire will be able to bring to the table. I also try to figure out what type of energy a person will bring to a job. Energy is hard to convey in a one-page document. But I have come to notice that energy can be seen throughout other steps of the interview process. 

When I talk about bringing energy into the interview process with a small business, I mean an applicant’s familiarity with my company’s offerings, our products or services, information that can be found if they put in a little work. It should be obvious that they went to our website to learn about what we do. I mean those follow-up emails to thank me for an interview and to express continued interest in my company. Those thoughtful questions about our mission and what our culture is like. That attentiveness can put an applicant miles ahead of the others, and that is something that can be done outside of a resume submission. 

So yes, HR will often look at resumes for a few seconds. That resume is a first impression. It is a vital piece of the process. But as soon as an applicant moves on to that first interview, they have a chance to wow the company with their energy, their skills, their dedication, their passion, and their goals. But one should never forget to make a strong first impression.