Recruiters, especially the professionals who recruit for executive positions, are very busy people who have only a couple of minutes to spend looking at a resume at a time – if their interest is not raised during that short time frame, they usually move on to the next resume and the next candidate. Experienced executive headhunters have a trained eye to evaluate resumes at a glance, filtering information and evaluating resume layout very quickly.

Here is what they are looking for when they are looking at a resume:

• The candidate’s most recent role and current employment status – this detail is important for figuring out why the candidate is looking for a job whether it is because the applicant was fired or is just looking for new challenges;
• The previous employer – whatever the industry, some companies will be more prestigious than others. Working for a company that enjoys a high reputation will surely add to the value of the candidate;
• Experience – the direction of the progression of the candidate’s career is also important;
• Gaps in the timeline – being in between jobs for a couple of months is usually not a problem, but spending a long time looking for a new job, then spending very short in that new job is usually a red flag for recruiters.