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)
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
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
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
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
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”
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
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
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
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