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Discover the Top 14 Surprising and Entertaining Facts About Resumes You Never Knew!

illustration of resumes
Get ready to be dazzled by a world of hidden intrigue and surprising revelations as we uncover the lesser-known, fascinating aspects of resumes - your ticket to the world of employment!

1. America's "Creative Enhancement"

It seems that American resumes often receive a little "creative enhancement," as if their credentials went on a spa retreat and emerged with a new lease on life: In a survey by ResumeBuilder.com, a surprising 72% of American respondents admitted to lying on their resumes, with the most common untruths relating to education and years of experience, which may help secure a better salary, but could also leave them haunted by a reputation for dishonesty in the job-search world.
Source => businessinsider.com

2. Indiana Jones Resume Sprint

Next time you're crafting your resume, think what Indiana Jones would do: because your resume is about to embark on the fastest six-second archeological dig recruiters have ever seen! Armed with eyetracking gear and a single mission, researchers at TheLadders followed 30 brave recruiters for 10 weeks to reveal that they spend a fleeting six seconds scanning a resume to determine if a candidate is the chosen one for the position.
Source => fastcompany.com

3. HR's Speedy Resume Judgment

If resume skimming were an Olympic sport, Human Resources managers would take home the gold with ease: As it turns out, a CareerBuilder survey reveals that 39% of HR managers spend less than a minute initially looking at a resume, while 19% barely take half that time—so make sure your resume packs a punch from the get-go! Meanwhile, don't try to spice things up with creative lies, as 75% of HR managers have caught applicants fibbing on their resumes, proving that when it comes to honesty, they're certainly not asleep at the wheel.
Source => press.careerbuilder.com

4. Success Equation: Metrics and Data

Feeling like a number cruncher looking for a job? We've got the equation for success: A 2018 study discovered that job seekers who include specific metrics and data points in their resumes' bulleted lists of achievements outshine the competition. By quantifying accomplishments with concrete numbers, candidates provide compelling evidence of their skills, making their resumes both impactful and memorable.
Source => resumeworded.com

7 Seconds to Impress

5. 7 Seconds to Impress

Speed dating for job seekers: In a fascinating twist of fate, it turns out that resumes only get 6-7 seconds to win the hearts and minds of potential employers, underscoring the importance of making a swift and spectacular first impression.
Source => teamstage.io

6. References: Help or Hindrance?

Ready for a twist that makes M. Night Shyamalan look predictable? Hold on to your references, job seekers, because they might be steering your resume Titanic-style into the proverbial iceberg: Including a list of references on your resume might actually hinder your job search, as hiring managers could feel bombarded with extraneous information and miss out on your vital skills and experience. Keep that "references available upon request" phrase on the down low and wait for them to roll out their red carpet before you unleash your VIP list.
Source => zety.com

7. ATS: Detective of Resumes

Move over, Sherlock Holmes, there's a new detective in town, and its name is ATS: Over 98.8% of Fortune 500 companies use applicant tracking systems to sift through resumes, match candidates with job requirements, and even handle communication with applicants, streamlining the entire recruitment process. Elementary, my dear Watson!
Source => gohire.io

8. Chinese Zodiac Discrimination

Heaven help the Virgos seeking employment in China: it turns out that some Chinese employers discriminate based on astrological signs, with Virgos being deemed the most unlucky and even being excluded from job postings – all without any official government support or opposition.
Source => businessinsider.com

9. Adding "Ka-ching!" to Your Resume

Tickle your job-seeker's bone and laugh all the way to the bank by adding some "ka-ching!" to your resume: Sprinkle in quantifiable metrics and concrete numbers for areas such as comparisons to others, revenue and profit improvement, and cost containment to showcase your ROI like a boss to potential employers.
Source => workitdaily.com

Multilingual Unicorns Wanted

10. Multilingual Unicorns Wanted

Do you speak-a the lingo, señorita? Surprise, surprise: Including your language skills on your resume can boost your chances of riding the employment roller coaster to the top! Recruiters are on the lookout for linguistic prowess, as it showcases your ability to mingle with the motley crowd and highlights your unyielding quest for knowledge. With the world becoming a business smorgasbord, being bilingual or multilingual turns you into a coveted unicorn in any company's eyes. So don't shy away from flaunting your language glitter on your resume – parlez-vous fantastic!
Source => indeed.com

11. Da Vinci's Humble Brag

Before LinkedIn was even an inkling in Leonardo da Vinci's eye and job applications involved carrier pigeons, the Renaissance master tried his hand at penning the very first humble brag: In 1482, da Vinci crafted a letter to the regent of Milan seeking employment, and thus, the concept of a resume was born. Fast forward a few centuries and the first official resume on record was created by an English land surveyor named Ralph Agas, who took the idea of listing qualifications and previous roles and transformed it into a detailed document fit for recruiting purposes.
Source => apollotechnical.com

12. Ghosting Job Applications

Breaking up is hard to do, but when it comes to online job applications, 60% of candidates are ghosting before leaving their digital John Hancock: This is due to the lengthy and complex application process, as well as an obscure view on pay, benefits, and ever-changing interview schedules, which magnifies the importance of simplicity and clarity in luring keepers to your company net.
Source => blog.hiringthing.com

13. Aging Controversy: British Fibbers

Aging gracefully, or just plain age-old fibbing? British job applicants seem to have a pension for altering their years: According to a YouGov survey, 3% of them admitted to lying about their age on their resumes, but beware - this risky move may do more harm than good, leading to potential employment termination, prosecution, and damage to one's professional reputation.
Source => forbes.com

14. Stretching the Truth: College Edition

Stretching the truth like a college student's waistband during finals week: 46% of resumes contain discrepancies with reality, while 92% of college students admit to at least one misrepresentation on their resume.
Source => creditdonkey.com

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