Is your resume getting rejected?

Many wonder, why their resumes don’t get shortlisted. Why is it so hard to make the right impression on a recruiter? Current day competitiveness in the job market can be very dodging. Recruiters today are required to screen hundreds, sometimes thousands of resumes.

So, how do you get yours to stand out? For this, you need to first understand how a recruiters brain is trained to hold their attention. Applying this knowledge while creating your resume’s structure and design gives you an extra advantage in holding a recruiter's attention and focus.

How does your BRAIN hold ATTENTION?

Attention is a complex cognitive process that enables us to focus on certain stimuli while ignoring others. The brain’s attention system works through several key regions, notably the prefrontal cortex (which helps with concentration and decision-making) and the parietal lobe (which processes spatial attention). When recruiters scan resumes, they rely on this brain system to quickly assess whether an applicant’s qualifications are worth further consideration.

The information is processed by the brain in two ways:

• An external trigger that is salient either visually or auditorily. Bright colors, shapes, or large, bold text attracts the attention of the brain without consciousness.
• Guided by goals or expectations from within. A recruiter actively looks for particular qualifications, skills, or experience.

In the case of an applicant looking to attract a recruiter, you might want to attract both the conscious and subconscious mind. You would like your resume to hold their attention at a more conscious level- naturally by attracting them visually but also at a more subconscious level by meeting the specific needs or expectations they have of someone fulfilling this role.

How to Structure Your Resume to Capture Attention

Once we understand how human attention works in the brain, it is time to design a resume according to these principles of cognitive science.

• The First Impression is the Best Impression: "Inverted Pyramid" Technique When recruiters scan the resume for the first time, they usually do that in 6-10 seconds. In such a short time, the most crucial thing is to hook it with the most critical information. That is the advantage of using the "inverted pyramid technique," very popular in journalism. Write down at the top of your resume only those qualifications that will attract immediate attention from the recruiter about why you are a good candidate.
• Contact Information: Keep this section clean and easy to see at the very top.
• Professional Summary: Two or three concise lines summarizing your experience, skills, and career goals all clearly in line with the job you're applying for.
• Key Achievements: Include quantifiable accomplishments that demonstrate your impact, using bullet points for easy scanning. Numbers and data can be compelling when it comes to holding attention.

Visual Hierarchy Use: Making Information Easily Scannable

The other important function is visual hierarchy, which leads the recruiter's eye. The brain likes patterns and structures that are easy to read, so an organized resume keeps attention where you want it.

• Bold & Italic: These can be used subtly for important headings and subheadings such as "Skills" or "Experience." Too much can overwhelm, but the strategic use of bold or italics can help highlight the most critical details.
• White Space: A very cluttered resume is too difficult to read for a brain. Use white space through proper margins and space for this document to become clearly accessible by visual consumption. Information will come down easier, and recruiters won't get lost in the ocean of details.
• Bullet Points: Digest information by breaking specifics into single, easily readable bites. This helps stay away from cognitive overload thus sustaining one's ability to focus.
• Font Size & Type: The text should be in clear readable fonts with body text set to 10-12 points. For headings and other sections that split up the different parts of the resume, use a larger font size 14-16

Color Psychology: Using Color to Refocus

While colors in your resume can guide attention, use them purposefully. There is a field of study called color psychology that helps determine which colors trigger certain emotions and reactions. For example, many people believe that blue is associated with trustworthiness, and red is great for prompt action. But you really have to balance the act between standing out and appearing unprofessional.

• Accent Colors: Vary the reader from a sea of white or business like color use with sparing application of color for highlights, section breaks, and borders. Restraint in use of a single accent color, navy blue or dark gray on headings is powerful but not overwhelming.
• Contrast: Adequate contrast between text and the background should be maintained so the information is readable. Dark text on a light background is ideal as it draws people's attention to the content without forcing their eyes too much.

Textual Tactics to Maintain Attention

Visual appeals apart, textual content finally convinces an interviewer that he or she has found the perfect candidate for their company. Here are some tactics that can keep text in your resume interesting as well as easy to digest:

Make Your Resume Answer the Job Description Well

Job seekers find job openings that highlight particular skills and experience. It means that if you tailor your resume to fit the job description, the recruiter will have no choice but to notice it quickly. These studies actually found that semantic congruence-that is, the use of similar language and keywords to the job ad-increases the attention probability. This fits within the top-down attention brain: expectations and goals (the recruiter's needs in this case) mold attention.

• Action Words: Use strong action verbs like "led," "managed," and "executed" to describe your impact. Avoid the use of passive language, which can reduce the engagement level.
• JD Specific Keywords: Employ keywords from the job description that are mostly applied in the industry. Most recruiters use an ATS that filters through the keywords, so put them into your resume.

Transform Achievement into Numbers

Numbers are proof of your competencies and attention-grabbing on the page. The recruiter's mind yearns for the concept of data, so wherever feasible, express in numbers your accomplishments. Example: Where you would have placed "Increased sales," do the following: Increase sales by 30% in six months and overachieve on targets set. The measurable outcome will make your success stories linger in the recruiter's mind and help him judge value in the role more easily.

Brevity is the Soul of Wit

Focus is a limited resource. The brain will get disinterested if the text is too long or confusing. Keep your resume short and straightforward. Do not bog the recruiter down with too much information and/or experiences that do not matter.

If your resume has appropriate structure and can be scanned easily, it will maintain the attention of the recruiter for longer times. Use short paragraphs and bullet points to break up text.

It's not about what you are presenting in the qualifications section alone; it is about structuring your resume in such a way that it obeys the laws of how information is processed by the brain. By applying the neuroscience principles of attention in regard to this resume experience building—a good first impression, visual hierarchy, and textual strategy—this will show you through seeing it as easy to be reviewed that recruiters become interested enough in keeping you as an alternative to the person best suited for the job.

Such techniques in capturing attention will guide you to well design your resume so that you stand a good chance of avoiding that first screening and getting into the much-sought shortlist to be interviewed.

Authored By: Samona Sarin 

With 15 years of HR experience, she primarily focuses on writing standout resumes. Leveraging her deep understanding of hiring processes and employer expectations, she helps clients craft resumes that showcase their best professional selves.