When you create your resume, you should consider your audience.
Your resume will be read by hiring managers and recruiters who stand between you and your next job. It’s important to know what makes them tick.
We poured over global HR research to put together a statistical guide on hiring managers, recruiters and HR professionals to give you an advantage in your job search. Here is what we found.
If you want to impress the hiring manager, improve your interpersonal skills.
Hiring managers and HR professionals are selecting candidates for their emotional intelligence (EI) rather than IQ:
Source: CareerBuilder
HR research suggests that hiring managers want to hear how you've managed conflict and learned from mistakes in the interview.
Managing conflict (69%) and learning from mistakes (68%) were most valued by hiring managers as very important qualities to highlight during your interview, followed by your answer to the following questions:
Source: netQuote
Employers will ask you about your greatest strengths.
These are the top five things they want to hear about:
Source: netQuote
And when you're waiting for the call back after an interview, keep in mind the modes of communication are changing.
Recruiters are increasingly likely to text candidates rather than email or call.
Two-thirds (64%) of workers who received a text message from a recruiter after an interview said they preferred this communication over email or phone call.
Source: Jobvite
The majority of texts (95%) are read within the first three minutes of receipt and are responded to in an average of 90 seconds.
Source: Jobvite
Other things never change: Using personal connections (aka, networking) is still the No. 1 source for getting an interview.
Recruiters are most likely to find people through:
Source: SHRM
Recruiters are increasingly likely to search for
candidates on the internet
Here’s where recruiters say they get the best response rate:
LinkedIn
25%
Indeed.com
24%
Email blast to candidates in database
9%
ZipRecruiter
3%
Monster.com
3%
CareerBuilder
Source: Top Echelon
but not for executive candidates.
They’re most likely to be found via:
Source: SHRM
Ever wonder what gets on a recruiter's nerves?
Top complaints recruiters receive from employers:
Source: Top Echelon
Top complaints recruiters receive from candidates:
Source: Top Echelon
Ultimately, recruiters say their biggest challenge is simply finding enough good candidates.
Companies may be losing out on great candidates because they’re taking too long to make decisions.
Hiring managers take an average of 33 days between the interview and a job offer — an 84% increase from 2010 to 2018. Meanwhile, candidates are dropping off: There’s been a 16% decrease in candidates accepting offers.
The HR research and statistics above should help you get an interview by appealing to your primary audience: recruiters and hiring managers.
You may be more successful by:
- Enhancing your emotional intelligence (EQ). Highlight your EQ by mentioning soft skills (e.g., communication, collaboration) in your resume and cover letter.
- Preparing answers for common job interview questions. Knowing that interviewers want to hear how you’ve managed conflict, solved problems and learned from your mistakes, write down workplace stories that illustrate each point.
- Updating your LinkedIn profile, which remains a popular candidate pool for recruiters. Make sure your profile complements your resume and cover letter. All application documents should work in concert, not in conflict, with each other.
A better understanding of what hiring managers and recruiters are looking for can help you get an interview. If you’re serious about your job search, consider reading the other articles in our 2022 employment stats series, including:
- The key to writing a job-winning resume. The one-size-fits-all resume is a myth, and this resume and cover letter stats guide ensure yours won’t get dismissed at first sight.
- Why surveys finding decades’ high job satisfaction fail to tell the whole story. The truth is more complicated, with low worker engagement and nearly half of employees unhappy with their pay.
- The story behind the record-low unemployment numbers. Job seekers say it’s easier than ever to find good work — and they’re feeling so emboldened they’re even ghosting companies.
About the Author
About the Author
Don Sjoerdsma
Career Advice Expert
Don is a senior content writer for BOLD. He conducts in-depth research and writes special reports on trends and issues that impact job seekers. With a proven track record in building cross-platform content plans in diverse sectors, Don has written extensively on topics related to careers and employment, including interviewing, resumes, cover letters and the job search. His work has appeared on Oprah.com, HuffPost, Yahoo! and LiveCareer. He holds an M.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University, where he specialized in media innovation, and is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW).
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