5 Random Resume Observations from a Long-Time Recruiter
1.) Email addresses. Just get a Gmail account! If you have any other type of email address like AOL, Hotmail, Yahoo or, God forbid, you use your current employer email, a recruiter notices! Just get a Gmail account!
2.) Resume format, chronological, functional, or a little bit of both? If you’re new to the workforce, a chronological resume that lists your jobs is best. A functional résumé is great for anybody who has expertise in a field and does not need to expand on their positions within each of their previous jobs. A little bit of both is great for those people who want to expand on their experience and also have job details within their experience. Also, try to keep it to one page. Anything after the fold, so to speak, does not get the attention of information on the first page.
3.) Keywords. If you are applying for a bookkeeper position, make sure the bookkeeper is in your résumé, preferably multiple times. If you are an accounts receivable clerk applying for a bookkeeper role, make sure that bookkeeper is in your résumé multiple times. Don’t assume that the recruiter will know that accounts receivable experience can equate to bookkeeping. A recruiter will look at your résumé for 7 to 9 seconds.1 Keywords make a difference.
4.) ChatGPT And AI. It’s tempting to put the job Into ChatGPT and your résumé and have them spit out the perfect resume for the job. But as ChatGPT becomes more ubiquitous, it Has become easier to gauge a ChatGPT generated résumé. How, you ask? ChatGPT loves the dash- really, really loves the dash.
Here is a ChatGPT generated version of the above: It’s tempting to plug the job description and your résumé into ChatGPT and let it generate the “perfect” version for you. But as AI tools have become more common, it’s also become easier to spot an AI-generated résumé. How, you ask? ChatGPT loves the dash—really loves the dash.
5.) LinkedIn. After you apply, spend a few minutes finding recruiters for the organization and link with them. It makes you memorable and shows that you have put in the effort!
Bonus Recommendation-Get a Gmail account!
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Indeed Editorial Team. (2025, June 9). How long do hiring managers look at a resume? https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/how-long-do-employers-look-at-resumes?utm_source=chatgpt.com