Jobseekers know that a strong CV is their first chance to catch the eye of a potential employer.
Now a recruiter has revealed that adding just one word to your resume might transform your chances of getting the job.
Hiring managers receive an average of 75 CVs per position they post, according to CareerBuilder.com.
That means they don't have the time or resources to review each one closely, and they spend approximately six seconds on their initial decision.
Introduce “which” into your resume and it will instantly gain depth and substance, according to Erica Seidel, a recruitment expert.
The recruiter said that adding the five letter word to your CV will push jobseekers not to simply list their achievements but give them context and show off the results of their actions.
“The explanations that follow from ‘which’ put all your accomplishments and responsibilities into context. They show off your unique approach to your work and, perhaps most important of all, the results they bring,” Seidel wrote in an article on FastCompany.
“If listing a skill or achievement such as ‘launched new product’, add ‘launched, new product, which evolved into a $5 million business’”, the recruiter suggests.
Instead of writing “reduced product development costs by 25 per cent”, go for “reduced product development costs by 25 per cent, which tapped into my extensive network of international outsourcing partners”.
This will show your future employer not just what you have accomplished but how you did it, according to the expert.
“Working a little which-craft over your resume can help you zero in on the things that actually matter to your potential new employer. Grabbing a hiring manager's attention, after all, doesn't take magic,” Seidel said.
