Have you ever heard of the 30-second test? It’s a screening tool that hiring managers use to evaluate resumes quickly. As a job seeker, you have only half a minute to make a good impression, and your resume is your only shot.
In this article, we’ll explain the concept of the 30-second test: What it is, how it works, why it’s crucial, and how you can pass it with flying colors.
What is the 30-second test?
The 30-second test is a brief scan of a resume that a hiring manager performs to see if you are a good fit for the job. In most cases, job seekers’ resumes go through an applicant tracking system (ATS) to reach the desk of a hiring manager. Afterward, the hiring manager will only spend half a minute skimming your resume to determine whether you’ll receive an interview call or not.
How does the 30-second test work?
In those thirty seconds, a recruiter is not going to read your resume word after word. Instead, they’ll quickly glance over it to assess whether you fit the job description and the candidate profile they’re seeking. They’ll look for essential information such as:
- Headline
- Contact information
- Current location
- Work experience (organized sequentially)
- Notable achievements
- Education
- Professional Development
Why is the 30-second test significant?
Recruiters skim resumes for two reasons: time constraints and the increasing number of applications received for each position. A recent study by The Ladders revealed that recruiters spend an average of six seconds scanning a resume before deciding whether to continue reading or not. A thirty-second test, therefore, is an eternity in their books.
Passing the 30-second test is crucial to moving forward in the job application process. If hiring managers can’t immediately see that you fit the job, it’s unlikely that they’ll spend more time considering you.
Tips and tricks to beat the 30-second test
- Make your resume easy to review:
- Use headings and bullet points.
- Avoid dense paragraphs or long sentences.
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Use a simple and clean font.
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Tailor your resume to the job description:
- Use the same keywords that appear in the job posting.
- Highlight directly related work experiences and achievements.
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Customize your summary or objective statement addressing the employer’s needs.
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Showcase your accomplishments:
- Demonstrate your achievements and successes with numbers.
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Use action verbs to begin each bullet point.
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Keep it concise:
- Keep your resume to a maximum of two pages.
- Eliminate irrelevant information from your resume.
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Use clear and straightforward language.
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Proofread and spell-check:
- Strike out all errors and typos on a resume.
- Re-read it, read aloud or ask someone to proofread it for you.
Examples of successful and unsuccessful resumes
- Unsuccessful: A drawn-out, wordy paragraph that uses first-person point-of-view with no mention of the sought position.
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Successful: A concise, single-sentence objective statement that speaks directly to the job and uses keywords from the job posting.
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Unsuccessful: An applicant’s experiences are lumped together in no apparent order.
- Successful: An applicant’s experience is set out in a chronological or functional format, with action verbs to make each bullet point strong.
Burstiness and Perplexity
Are you tired of the same old resume formats and designs that make you feel like just another job applicant in a sea of nameless faceless job seekers?
Instead of following the beaten path, try something different. Dress up your resume in a way that shows recruiters that you’re a unique person with something different to offer.
Include unconventional resumes in your job search such as infographics, short videos, or resumes made in a graphic style. Just make sure that the format isn’t distracting and doesn’t hinder your message from coming across effectively.
Conclusion
Hiring managers’ time is precious, and they must sift through stacks of resumes to find the right candidate. The 30-second test has become increasingly vital because it gives recruiters an easy way to decide whom to call for interviews.
Make sure that your resume catches the recruiter’s attention by addressing their specific needs and using effective formatting, keywords, and straightforward language. By doing so, you will be more likely to pass the 30-second test and move to the next stage of the hiring process.