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After Reviewing More Than 700 Resumes, Expert Reveals What Really Catches Recruiters’ Attention and What Only Hinders.
A Scottish recruiter who turned into a professional resume writer shared the most valuable tips he learned after analyzing hundreds of profiles. After a decade working as a recruiter in agencies and internally at companies, Sam Struan, 36, dedicated himself entirely to writing resumes.
Since then, he has helped create more than 700 resumes and states: content is what matters most.
Start With The Essentials
For Struan, every resume should start with basic information, such as email and phone number.
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Additionally, he recommends including a value statement at the top of the page.
This statement should contain one or two sentences with a clear summary: years of experience, types of positions held, and organizations the person has worked for.
The ideal is to quantify this information with data such as number of employees and company revenue.
Avoid vague phrases like “I am a results-oriented leader with a proven track record of operational excellence.”
According to Struan, the important thing is to present the facts directly, leaving no room for interpretations. The recruiter needs to glance and find the relevant information easily.
Add Company Summaries
One of the most frequent pieces of advice Struan gives to his clients is to insert a brief summary of each company they worked for.
These descriptions, with one or two lines, should explain what the company does, where it operates, number of employees, and approximate revenue.
These data serve to save the recruiter’s time and, at the same time, show what kind of environment the professional has already worked in. Mentioning, for example, that they worked at a company with a similar product or size to the job can increase the recruiter’s interest.
Avoid Visual Excesses and Empty Terms
Struan also recommends removing exaggerated visual elements, such as logos and images. Although these items do not automatically cause rejection by automated selection systems, they can hinder the reading of information. And that is a problem.
Another important point is to eliminate certain so-called “soft skills,” such as “good communication” or “results-oriented.”
For him, anyone can claim to have these qualities, but they sound empty without context or concrete proof.
Resume Length Is Not Everything
The ideal, according to Struan, is that professionals with little experience stay on one page. Those with more background may use up to three pages. He himself, with around 15 years of career, has a resume that is two and a half pages long.
There are specific cases—such as academic, medical, or government positions—that require longer resumes, with certifications and publications. However, he reminds that one should not reject a candidate just for the number of pages. He states that at his previous jobs as a recruiter, he would have been fired if he discarded someone just for that.
On the other hand, it is also possible to err by exaggerating. He has received resumes with more than 20 pages from people with only five years of experience, which demonstrates a lack of objectivity.
Experience Should Be Front and Center
Struan makes a final alert: many candidates poorly organize the resume and place their professional experience only on the second page.
This is a serious mistake. Recent experience needs to be right at the beginning of the document. The recruiter shouldn’t have to “dig” to find the important parts.
The final recommendation is simple: clear font, black color, and focus on concrete data. Use numbers to show impact and results.
The resume should be an objective, clear, and direct tool. No unnecessary embellishments. Less is more.
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