Resume Psychology - Your Resume Action Plan - Updated: resume layouts, formats, eye-access patterns, content, context and common errors to avoid - lots of examples. Websites for Dirk https://dirkspencer.com - Dirk’s recruiter experience https://resumepsychology.com – The book preview https://thecandymakerresume.com – The book preview https://theoneinterviewquestion.com – The book preview https://dirksinterviewpsychology.com – The book preview https://resumekeywordsdecoded.com – The book preview http://www.slideshare.net/DirkSpencer - Online presentations by Dirk http://resumekeywordsdecoded.teachable.com - Dirk’s online resume keywords class (free)

1. Resume Psychology ©
Your Resume Action Plan
Dirk Spencer
Corporate Recruiter

2. The Resume is a Game of:
•Reach ability
•Read ability
•Like ability
Inch by inch
down the resume

3. Layout and Format
Be Boring Already

4. Use One Inch Margins
Every page

5. 1 Inch Margins -
•Top
•Bottom
•Left
•Right

6. Who Are You?
What Are You?
How Do We Reach You?
Where are you located?
Make it easy to know these 4 details…

7. Name
Job Title
Email
Phone
City, State, Zip
At the top of the
resume

8. Names Need to Be
Easy to Read
Initials, Commas, Acronyms
can turn your name to
electronic dust…

9. Dirk Spencer
Dirk V. Spencer
Dirk Victor Spencer
Dirk V. Spencer, PMP
Dirk Victor Spencer, PMP, ACIR
Dirk Victor Spencer, PMP, ACIR, CIR

10. Name Issue:
Middle Initials & Periods
Dirk V. Spencer
The problems with the middle initial and
period combination – it can cause the Last-
Name to disappear and not be entered into
the ATS (resume database).

11. Name Issue:
The Middle Name
Dirk Victor Spencer
Again - the ATS (resume database) can
replace the Last-Name with the Middle-
Name, making difficult to find your resume
moving future. ..

12. Name Issue:
A Case Against Punctuation in General
Dirk Victor Spencer, PMP, ACIR, CIR
My best theory? Punctuation was NOT a
consideration for a “name-field” in the ATS.
Regardless of “why” it happens, commas can
blow-away the Last-Name …

13. Name Issue:
The Post-Name Alphabet Dump
Dirk Victor Spencer, MBA, PMP, ACIR
It might really be the “commas”, it might be
the space-size allotted for the field; but it
might also be the post-name acronym labels
alone blow-away the Last-Name

14. Warning – Avoid “Shift+Back-Slash”
•AKA: The “Vertical Pipe”
•It is the Boolean Operator
“OR” in some ATS and Social
Media sites

15. Dirk Spencer
Recruiter / Sourcing Specialist
DirkPMP@Yahoo.Com
214-295-8687
Plano, Texas 75024
Simplest Is Best
The ATS software design is likely based
on tradition (IE: location) and NOT
artificial intelligence

16. Dirk V. Spencer
Recruiter / Sourcing
Specialist
DirkPMP@Yahoo.Com
214-295-8687
Plano, Texas 75024

17. Dirk V. Spencer, PMP
Recruiter / Sourcing
Specialist
DirkPMP@Yahoo.Com
214-295-8687
Plano, Texas 75024

18. Dirk Victor Spencer, PMP,
ACIR, CIR
Recruiter / Sourcing
Specialist
DirkPMP@Yahoo.Com
214-295-8687
Plano, Texas 75024

19. Resume Job Titles
Make It Obvious

20. Recruiter
Sourcer
Talent Acquisition (TA) Specialist

21. Recruiter / Sourcer
Sourcing Specialist
Sourcing / TA Specialist

22. Project Manager
SW Developer
Electrical Engineer

23. Project Manager
Project / Product Manager
Project Manager / Product
Manager

24. SW Engineer
Software Engineer
Software Engineer / Developer
SW Engineer / SW Developer

25. Email
Phone Number
Zip Code
Verify they work by
using the resume…

26. Email
Do’s & Don’ts

27. Bad Email Names
Tail Chaser
Sexy Kitty
Harley Chick

28. Email Errors to Avoid:
Missing Letters
Transposed Numbers & Letters
Wrong / Missing Domain
(.COM .NET .CO .ME .BIZ)
Old Work Emails

29. Phone Numbers
Test from the Resume

30. Phone Number Errors to Avoid:
Transposed Numbers
Wrong Exchanges / Extensions
Old Cell / Old Land Line

31. It is all
about the
Zip Code
Most searches begin with
the zip code in mind…

32. Location Minimums
CITYState
Zip Code

33. The Top
of the Resume
Pulling It All Together

34. Dirk Spencer
Recruiter
DirkPMP@Yahoo.Com
214-295-8687
Plano, Texas 75024

35. The
Secret
Spreadsheets
Be Part of the Pipeline

36. Which Layout is Easier to Copy?

37. Paragraphs Hacks
The Magic of 3 Lines
The Failure of 4 or More

38. The Magic of 3-Lines
In this example, the reader is
likely to “read” the text.

39. The Failure of 4 or More Lines
In this example
the reader “sees” the 4th line
& decides to “read” it later
(which they never do…)

40. The “Eye”
The laziest organ in the body

41. Trick Question:
What is the easiest thing for the
eye to read in the example below?

42. Trick Answer: Nothing…
The Eye Jumps to the White Space

43. The Eye & White Space - #1
The eye will gravitate to the
easiest thing to “read.”

44. The Eye & White Space - #2
The human “reader”
will “feel-like” they
read the resume
When they have not…

45. The Eye & White Space - #3
Use white space correctly…

46. Blank Lines
used
incorrectly…

47. …the eye
jumps to
the blank
lines…
- not the
text -

48. Turned the resume on its side
Look Again…

49. You can see
The “White Picket Fence” Affect

50. You
Need
“white”
space
-
Put it
between
logical
changes
in content
Need
“white
space”

51. Resume Layout Hack
Use Left Justified
(AKA: Ragged Right)

52. Where Do The Eyes Go?

53. First:
Company Name and or Job Title

54. Second:
Then the First Bullet

55. Third:
The White Space right of the bullet

56. Fourth:
At least - The first word…

57. How Does This Work?
Rods & Cones in the Eye

58. What Happens with the Eye?
This white-space
gives the eye 2 Things:
easy “reading” & direction

59. How Does This Work?
The width of the white-space
allows the eye to pick-up
the first word effortlessly

60. Other Indenting Formats
Why They Fail

61. Eye Scans the wrong white-space
Here the eye travels downward
to the left of the bullets

62. Why? It is larger & easier to read
Less stress on the eye!
With ZERO word comprehension

63. Getting the Bullet Indentation Wrong
Here the eye travels along the far left
white-space…

64. Getting the Bullet Spacing Wrong
The eye never engages
the white space
to the right of the bullet
because it is too narrow

65. Avoid Justified Text
The Risk

66. Where Does the Eye Go First?

67. Left Edge to Right Edge…& Back

68. Why is Justified Text Bad?
The human reader
“thinks” or “feels”
they have read
the resume… #1

69. But the Truth is They Did Not?
When you explain this
phenomena with the
eyes the response is
underwhelming:
“Well, I guess nothing
stood out to me” #2

70. Why is Justified Text Bad?
Resumes / Candidates
are rarely rehabilitated
from reader-biases in general
once we get to “No-Thanks.”
#3

71. Why is Justified Text Bad?
It draws the eye
toward job dates
and job gaps
if present…
LAST

72. Find a Font
Arial or Times Roman?

73. Arial is Your Friend…
…On Screen…

74. Why Arial?
Sans-Serif Font
Internet Standard for most web sites
Used by on-line retail & news sites

75. Why Arial Does Well On Screen!
The lack of “serifs” make the font less
crowded and easier to read

76. Why Do “Serifs” Muddy the Display?
Two Words: Monitor Resolution
Things like - Pixel Rates, Aspect Ratios,
LED, Back Lit, HD, LCD Displays…
Resumes are widely viewed
electronically in a Green World

77. Times Roman is Your Friend…
…In Print

78. Why Times Roman in Print?
The serif gives the eye direction
The eye follows the implied
line created by the horizontal
stems in each letter or number

79. Arial Font
Times Roman
Which of the 2 is easier to read?

80. Pick a Point Size
Stick to it every
WHERE…

81. Use Arial 11
Is easier to read than…
pretty much everything else

82. Be Boring on Purpose
Be the Same
Everywhere on the Resume

83. Be the same everywhere Checklist
The same font-type
The same point-size
The same bullet-type
The same indention-style
The same label locations

84. Your Content
Must Have a Context
Quick Hacks

85. Leveraging Labels
AKA - Resume Outline

86. Generic Labels Everyone Can Use
The “Preview”
The “Summary”
The “Overview”
The “Professional Experience”
The “College”
The “Continuing Education”

87. Other Labels to Leverage
The “Software”
The “Methods”
The “Tools”
The “Associations”
The “Awards”
The “Conferences”
The “Best Practices”
The “Processes”
The “Body of Knowledge”

88. Using Labels + Job Title
=
Context Hack

89. Job Title “Recruiter”
Technically Creates “Context” for Section Labels
Recruiter Preview
Recruiter Summary
Recruiter Overview
Recruiter Professional Experience

90. Where Does Your Eye Go?

91. Beating a “Job-Title” Hack to Death?
Recruiter Software
Recruiter Methods
Recruiter Tools
Recruiter Associations
Recruiter Awards
Recruiter Conferences
Recruiter Best Practices
Recruiter Processes
Recruiter Body of Knowledge

92. Real Life Example
Labels Alone
Can Make a Difference

93. The job
board
highlights
RECRUITER
Adding
keywords
effortlessly

94. Resume Review

96. LEFT
ALIGNED

97. Ragged
Right

105. Style Options to Stop Using
Mostly Because of the
Least Common Denominator
(LCD)

106. STOP DOING THESE THINGS:
Random Bolding
All Capitalization
Underlines
“Symbols” as “Bullets”

107. The Sin of Random Bolding
Distracts the Reader
Appears Disorganized

108. The Sin of All Capitalization
Grammatically Incorrect
Comes Across as SHOUTING

109. Misgiving of Underlines
Creates White-Space Escape
Draws the Eye to the End

110. Avoid Using Symbols as Bullets
Use Standard Bullet List
Examples to Avoid:

111. Word Processing Tricks to Avoid
Stuff you can do
– But should stop already

112. Technical Things to Stop Using
Graphic Lines
Text Boxes
Headers
Footers

113. Avoid Graphic Lines
ATS products may translate,
convert or delete text from the
the resume

114. Text Boxes
The content in text boxes is
usually NOT cataloged in the ATS
or resume database
This is why they do not email or
call – they do not have the
information electronically

115. Headers & Footers Are Not Your Friend
The content of the Header & Footer is not
always captured by the ATS or resume
database electronically
If your name & contact data is here they
may not be able to “find” it in follow-up
searches…. Even when the header & footer
displays the content to the reader on the
monitor

116. The Kiss of Death
(The K.O.D.)
Vagueness:
Kills Resumes

118. Job Board & ATS Technology
Negatively Rank
Resumes for:
Vague Terms,
Hyperbolic Language
& Hyperbole

119. Job Board & ATS Technology
One “Vague” term
can keep your
resume out of
the top 50
search results

120. Job Titles to Avoid
•Entrepreneur
•Owner
•Consultant
•Operator
•Franchisee
•Principal
INSTEAD: The be “job” function

121. Replace these phrases…
(We Never Search on them)
•Results-Oriented
•Proven Leader
•Strong Interpersonal Skills
•Hands-on Technician
•Seasoned Professional

122. Words That Blunt Your Expertise
•Other
•Every
•All
•Any

123. Listing Years of Experience –
Stop It
For example:
...with 25 years of experience
If “your” number does not equal
“their” number; they can legally
disqualify you from consideration

124. Never Use Humor on a Resume
•“Head Bottle Washer & CEO”
My hiring manager
was NOT impressed

125. TMI
STOP IT ALREADY…
• Happily married with 3 beautiful kids
• Wife’s name is Mary
• Born Crafter

126. Words Recruiters Do NOT Search On
• Strong
• Dynamic
• Duties
• Utilize, Utilized, Utilizing
• Responsible
• Successfully
• Effectively
• I (EYE did this - EYE did that)
• Thinker
• Strategic Thinker
• Tactical Thinker
• Duties
• Decisive
• Dynamic
• High Energy
• Power
• Powerful
Remove or replace
with keywords

127. Honest is Good –
Vulnerable is Stupid
• Self-Taught
• Recent Death in the family forced me to
start my own company

128. This Still Happens…
Trough Sales Vs Team Leader
as opposed to…

129. Negativity Sticks to You
Not What You Are Selling About “Them”
•Demoralized
•Depressed
•Discouraged
•Disheartened
•Subpar

131. Dirk Spencer – CORPORATE RECRUITER
• DirkPMP@Yahoo.Com
• 214-295-8687
• @DirkInDallas
•
WWW.Slideshare.Net/Dirk Spencer
• http://www.linkedin.com/in/dirkindallas
• Creator of "Resume Psychology – Get the Offer
Not the Interview”©

132. Companies Dirk Spencer has worked for includes:

133. Accounting
Administration
AP & AR
Asset Management
Audit
Banking
Benefits
Call Centers
Chip Design
Compensation
Construction
Dirk’s recruiting expertise includes…
Consumer Products
Content Management
Coordination
Circuit Design
Defense
Developers / Programmers
Executive Search
Financial Services
Food & Beverage
Franchising

134. Graphic Design
Hospitality
HRIS
Human Resources
Legal Counsel
Logistics
Org Development
Payroll
Pharmaceuticals
Project Management
… and …
Real Estate
Revenue Management
Sales
Social Media
Software Apps
Software Architecture
Software Development
Supply Chain
Technology / IT / IS
Telecommunications
Training
Transportation

135. • Colorado Association Healthcare Executives (CAHE) Annual Conference
• Meeting of the Minds Conference
• Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce Breakfast of Champions
• North Texas Small Business Summit
• TalentNet Live Social Recruiting Conference
• Frisco Connect Job Seeker Strategy Summit
• Texas Small Business Summit
• Texas Regional Infrastructure Security Conference
• American Society of Quality (ASQ)
• Texas Workforce Commission Veterans Support Group
• Intuit Women’s Network
• International Institute of Business Analyst (IIBA)
• National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI).
Previous Events - Professional Organizations

136. • St. Jude Career Alliance a Chapter of the Catholic Career Development Community
(CCDC)
• Career Counseling Group (CCG) of DFW Islamic Association of North Texas (IANT)
• Career Counseling Group (CCG) of DFW Islamic Center of Irving (ICI)
• Crossroads Bible Church (CBC) Career Transition Workshop (CTW)
• Jewish Family Service (JFS)
• Career Jump Start - First United Methodist Church Richardson (FUMCR)
• Carrollton Career Focus Group (CFG)
• Carrollton City Job Hunt 101
• Custer Rd Church Job Net Plano
• Fort Worth Career Search Network (FWCSN)
• MacArthur Blvd Baptist Church (MBBC) Career Transition Network (CTN)
• McKinney Trinity Presbyterian Church Career Transition Network (CTN)
• McKinney Workforce Networking
• Preston Trail Job Network (PTJN)
• Saint Philip's Episcopal of Frisco Job Ministry
• Southlake Focus Group (SFG)
• St. Andrew UMC Sales Group with Dennis O’Hagan
Ecumenical & Volunteer Events

137. • Dallas Fort Worth Texas Recruiter Network (DFWTRN)
• Executive Search Owners Association (ESOA)
• Inter-City Personnel Associates (IPA) Associates Food & Beverage
• Pikes Peak Recruiter Network (PPRN)
• Texas Regional Infrastructure Security Conference
• The Rick Gillis Radio Show in Houston, Texas ESPN Radio
• CareerRocketeer “The 150+ Experts on Twitter All Job Seekers Must Follow
• The Fort-Worth Star-Telegram
Previous Recruiter / Speaker Mentions

138. Legal Stuff
• Reference Material: Courtesy of
Google
• I am not affiliated with LinkedIn,
Slideshare, Monster, CareerBuilder,
Dice, JobVite, MaxHire, Taleo, Infor,
PeopleAnswers, iCims
• All trademarks & logos are property
of their respective companies