resume tips, resume writing tips, tailored resume, what recruiters look for in a resume

Discover what recruiters actually look for in resumes. Learn the must-do tips and insider secrets that get your resume noticed and land you more interviews.

These days, it is no surprise if you receive a rejection email within 24 hours of applying for a job—even when your skills and experience align perfectly. You might wonder if you are doing something wrong. More often than not, it is not your skills but your resume that’s the problem.

The reason is simple: Recruiters only spend about 30 seconds reviewing resumes, assuming it even passes ATS screening in the first place. Did you know 75% of resumes—even from qualified candidates—never reach an actual recruiter?

If you have been struggling to get shortlisted, you need to optimize your resume for both ATS and actual recruiters. The key is to:

  • Learn what recruiters look for in a resume

  • Create a tailored resume for each application

  • Follow all the steps required during submission of your application.

In this blog, we’ll break down the resume writing tips that increase the odds of success:

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Understanding What Recruiters Look for in a Resume

To increase your chances of securing an interview, you need a two-pronged strategy: passing ATS verification and standing out to a recruiter. Research shows that recruiters receive an average of 250 resumes per opening —your window of opportunity to make a positive impression is very small.

Here are the key aspects recruiters typically consider when screening your resume:

  • Clean layout

    Your resume should have a clean appearance. Standard margins, clean fonts, and logical structure make it easy for recruiters to grab the key points in your resume.

  • Relevant skills and experience

    Tailor your resume to the job description—skills, education, and experience must align as closely as possible.

  • Measurable impact

    Reframe your responsibilities as results and back them up with numbers and statistics.

  • Simple formatting

    Keep design elements to a minimum. They can potentially interfere with ATS parsing and can even lead to rejection.

  • Strong summary or objective

    An effective summary is short, highlights your key achievements, and connects them to the role you’re applying for.

  • No errors

    Check for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors before sharing your resume.

Resume Do’s and Don’ts

To optimize your resume for both ATS and recruiters, follow these dos and don’ts:

Dos

  • Integrate keywords naturally : Focus on keywords that fit your skills, education, and experience. Provide examples wherever possible. Using every keyword in the job description may raise suspicions among recruiters.

  • Focus on skills : Research shows that 75% recruiters prefer hiring for skills over degrees. Put your skills in a separate ‘Skills’ section at the top of your resume above your experience. This saves time for the recruiter and improves your chances of getting shortlisted. This is particularly useful if you have a career gap or have changed multiple jobs lately.

  • Tailor your resume : Based on the job description, you can modify the format, tone, and layout of your resume. Reorder the sections in a logical flow so that recruiters get a complete picture of your skills and experience. Use keywords from the job description justifiably and naturally.

Don’ts

  • Don’t exaggerate to fit in as many keywords as possible. Include only relevant education, skills, and experience based on the role.

  • Don’t include too many personal details (such as hobbies or a complete postal address). Only provide contact information and the city you live in.

  • Don’t include details of every job you may have worked in the past—especially if they are over five years old. Combine those jobs into a single section, leaving out dates and months.

  • Don’t extend the length beyond one to two pages. It can confuse the recruiter or simply cause information overload.

  • Don’t use ChatGPT to write your resume for you. If you must use it, ensure to edit the output for accuracy, clarity, and logical flow.

Tips for Writing a Tailored Resume that Closely Fits the Job Description

With the rise of AI, a generic resume does not stand a chance in today’s market. Here are a few best practices for customizing your resume.

  • Be realistic

    Including keywords in your resume can backfire if you don’t actually have the skills or experience. You can include similar qualifications or skills to what recruiters look for in a resume—but back them up with examples that you can justify in an interview. For example, if the job requires experience ‘managing payroll and admin accounts’, you can only tailor it if you have done similar bookkeeping work.

  • Remove irrelevant work history

    Focus on the skills and experience that match the job description—it makes a better impact on the recruiter. You don’t have to write a new resume from scratch. Just replace the irrelevant parts with the skills or experience that do match.

    To decide which parts to remove or keep, think from a recruiter’s point of view. In other words, adapt your work experience, education, or skills in a way that aligns with their expectations.

  • Stick to standard headings and sub-headings

    Standard resume headings such as Summary, Skills, Work Experience, Education, etc, are accepted across industries. While it’s OK to tailor education or experience to specific roles, make sure you don’t change the headings. It can affect how ATS reads your resume and may take longer for recruiters to understand.

  • Edit and Proofread

    Inconsistencies in your work history can make recruiters cautious about your application. Make sure to double-check dates of employment, the sequence of jobs, and the validity of any certificates or licenses you may have listed on your resume. Use tools like Grammarly or Hemingway Editor to fix spelling or grammar errors.

Resume Writing Tips for Better Results

Research shows that many candidates include irrelevant information in their resumes, fail to mention skills relevant to the job, or place them in the wrong order. Recruiters barely spend a few seconds scanning your resume, so be sure to:

Preview your resume before downloading

If you’re using a resume builder tool, preview the text carefully for any errors before you download—check for alignment, spacing, bullet points, margins, and overall look. Whether it’s a PDF, Word, or Google Docs file, previewing ensures proper margins, indents, and page breaks.

Include the same job title

Stick to the same job title as the job description to increase your chances of getting shortlisted. For example, if the job title used in the job description is ‘Data Analyst’, use the same term in your resume.

Use an ATS-compliant template

Not every resume template you see online is equally good. Formatting errors could affect how ATS reads your resume. Make sure the template you’re using is ATS-compliant to minimize the chances of a rejection. Before exporting or changing to a different file format, check the text alignment and formatting.

Structure your resume effectively

Even if you are a fresher, your resume should ideally start with the ‘Skills’ section. For experienced professionals, it is best to start off with an ‘Experience’ section. The reason is that this provides a better flow for the recruiter and answers their questions upfront. It improves their ability to judge your skills and experience and make the right decision.

Stick to a single column, black and white design

Unless you are a designer or a creative professional, the single-column resume format is the safest. It allows the recruiters to seamlessly read from top to bottom—a natural reading pattern. Black font on a white background looks distinct and professional. A clean resume with a standard font is both ATS-proof and appreciated by most recruiters.

Avoid the use of shorthand or abbreviations

While some abbreviations may be common in certain industries, they may not be understood as easily by everybody. Stick to the rules when using abbreviations—spell out the full form and then include the abbreviation in parentheses. This will enable ATS, as well as recruiters understand the abbreviations.

Streamline Your Job Search with GroYouth

Searching for a job is filled with uncertainties and rejections. It’s not because you lack the skills but because you don’t have a clear strategy for identifying the right job. GroYouth leverages the power of AI to align your preferences and career aspirations with job openings from top employers across India. Through rigorous skills assessments, we connect you with the best opportunities, faster than traditional job boards.

Whether you are a fresher or an experienced professional, GroYouth provides interview prep, resume optimization, and career counselling services to empower you to dream big.

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Insider Resume Tips that Give You the Edge

A well-crafted resume provides an overview of your skills and experience. However, some supporting elements make it more impactful:

  • Follow the required application guidelines

    While platforms like LinkedIn and Naukri provide a ‘Quick Apply’ or ‘Easy Apply’ button, many others will autofill your details on uploading a resume. Before you submit the application form, check for missing details or incorrect formatting in fields like skills, portfolio links, and contact information. Check the job description for specific requirements in terms of location or native language to avoid disappointment.

  • Leverage LinkedIn

    Recruiters often cross-check candidates’ backgrounds via social media. Update your CV on LinkedIn to provide a comprehensive view of your work history, education, work experience, and skills. Adding your latest certificates, courses, skills, and projects in the ‘Featured’ section can also improve your chances of getting shortlisted.

Categories: Recruitment AgenciesTags: , ,