One of the most popular question our clients ask is related to why resumes are rejected by resume screeners aka recruiters, aka HR, aka hiring managers etc.

This is a tricky question to answer and since I have worked as a recruiter and in human resources, I can confidently say there are many variables, some of which are not in my clients’ control.

Essentially there are two parts to this answer, one dealing with the person who is screening your resume and deciding whether to call you for an interview or tell someone to call you, or your resume and cover letter.

Resume Screener

I can think of a few reasons why this person may not advance your resume to the next stage 1) this person is inexperienced and may not understand your experience

1. They may have personal biases towards you, such as your name, affiliations and past jobs
2. The screener may be overwhelmed with resumes and will pick a few to call

Client Resume and Cover Letter

1. The documents are too wordy and the screener has a hard time to decipher the proper information
2. Cover letters are generic and too wordy
3. Resumes may look unorganized
4. Important information needs to be at the beginning of the documents

I think most people realize there is a certain amount of luck involved with getting to the next job attainment stage and there are also some ways to improve your chances.  We prefer to rely on the items that you can control and we do our best to ensure you have the right documents, which contain the proper wording and language.

What works for you? or doesn’t work?