Navigating your resume like a website
By Gary Alan Miller, UCS Assistant Director
Do you know that feeling when you go to a website for the first time, and the layout or the navigation is such that you don't even know where to click? You look around for about 5 seconds and then close the window, frustrated by your inability to quickly find what you want. Your resume might be that website.
You hear a lot about how long a prospective employer will look at your resume. Sometimes you hear 20 seconds, sometimes 1 minute, sometimes 8 seconds! In any case, it's not very long, and if your resume is difficult to navigate or they can't quickly and easily get to the information they care about, they're going to "close the browser" on your document and move onto the next applicant.
So, what can you do? First, understand what employers are looking for. That might be different for different industries or positions. But, often, it's your experience they want to see first -- looking for your "skills in action." Second, emphasize those things through the placement of the information on the page and the quantity you provide.
Look at your resume with an objective eye, and because that's so difficult, have several other people look at it, too. Your friends and family might not want to hurt your feelings with criticism. But, ask them what their eyes went to first. That will let you know if you're on the right track. Compare this resume to this resume. In the first, your eyes start at the top and then go quickly to the bullets. In the second, your eyes go directly to the clip art... and stay there. :)
Content is incredibly important, and we put a lot of emphasis on crafting good, targeted resume content. But, you cannot overlook the importance of easy navigation and helping the employer quickly obtain the information they want! Otherwise, just like a website, they will surf off of your page and onto the next candidate.
