What Do Recruiters Look for in a Resume? 10 Things That Actually Matter

What Recruiters See First (The Science)

Before diving into what recruiters look for, you need to understand how they look. Eye-tracking research shows recruiters don't read resumes — they scan them in an F-pattern:

• First, a horizontal scan across the top of the page (your name, title, contact info)
• Second, a shorter horizontal scan below (your current job)
• Finally, a vertical scan down the left side (section headers, first words of each line)

This means where you put information matters as much as what the information says. A brilliant achievement buried on page two might as well not exist.

The 10 Things Recruiters Actually Look For

Based on recruiter surveys, hiring manager interviews, and eye-tracking data, here are the 10 things that determine whether your resume moves forward:

1. Relevant Job Title
   Recruiters look at your current title immediately after your name. If it doesn't align with what they're hiring for, they often stop there. Consider using a headline that matches the target role (e.g., "Senior Product Manager | B2B SaaS" rather than your exact internal title).
2. Company Recognition
   Where you've worked signals credibility. Known company names = instant trust. If your companies aren't household names, compensate with clear descriptions: "Series B fintech startup (200 employees)" tells more than just the company name.
3. Quantified Achievements
   Numbers stop the scanning eye. "Increased revenue" is forgettable. "Increased revenue by 47% ($2.3M ARR)" demands attention. Recruiters are trained to look for metrics — give them something to grab onto.
4. Keyword Match
   Both humans and ATS systems scan for specific terms from the job posting. If the role asks for "Python" and "machine learning," those exact words should appear on your resume — in context, not stuffed into a skills list.
5. Career Progression
   Recruiters check if you've grown: promotions, expanding responsibilities, bigger teams managed. Static titles over many years can signal stagnation. If you've been promoted internally, make it obvious.
6. Employment Timeline
   Dates are scanned quickly to check for gaps and tenure. Short stints (under 1 year) raise questions. Gaps require explanation — or strategic formatting. Recruiters notice, even if they don't always reject for it.
7. Education (Sometimes)
   Education matters most for entry-level roles and specific industries (finance, consulting, academia). For experienced professionals, it's a quick checkbox — did you graduate? From where? Then move on.
8. Technical Skills Match
   For technical roles, recruiters scan for specific tools, languages, or certifications. They often have a mental checklist: "Do they know AWS? Do they have experience with React? Is there Kubernetes anywhere?"
9. Location / Remote Status
   With hybrid and remote work, recruiters check if you're in the right geography — or if you've indicated remote availability. Don't make them guess. "San Francisco, CA (Open to Remote)" removes ambiguity.
10. Clean, Scannable Format
    A cluttered resume gets skipped. Recruiters reward clean formatting: consistent fonts, clear section headers, adequate white space. If it looks hard to read, it won't be read.

Red Flags That Get Your Resume Rejected

Recruiters are also scanning for reasons to say no. Here are the instant rejection triggers:

• Spelling or grammar errors — One typo can end your candidacy, especially for detail-oriented roles
• Generic objective statement — "Seeking a challenging position..." signals you didn't customize your resume
• No quantified results — Duties without outcomes suggest you show up but don't deliver
• Unexplained employment gaps — Gaps aren't always deal-breakers, but mysterious gaps are
• Job hopping without progression — Multiple short stints at the same level suggests problems
• Inconsistent formatting — Mixed fonts, erratic spacing, and alignment issues signal carelessness
• Missing contact information — Sounds obvious, but recruiters see it more than you'd think
• Buzzword stuffing — "Synergistic thought leader driving paradigm shifts" makes recruiters cringe

What ATS Systems Scan For

Before a human sees your resume, it likely passes through an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). These systems parse and rank resumes based on:

• Exact keyword matches from the job posting (titles, skills, tools)
• Proper formatting — ATS struggles with tables, columns, headers/footers, and images
• Standard section names — "Experience," "Education," "Skills" parse better than creative alternatives
• Consistent date formatting — "Jan 2022 - Present" is safer than "1/22 - now"
• File type — .docx and .pdf usually work; other formats can fail to parse

The safest approach: use a clean, single-column format with standard fonts and clear section headers. Creativity in design often means failure in ATS.

How to Optimize Your Resume for Recruiters

Based on everything above, here's a practical optimization checklist:

Top Third Optimization

• Name is prominently displayed (16-22pt font)
• Headline/title matches the target role
• Contact info is complete and professional
• Location and remote preference are clear

Experience Section

• Most recent role is first and most detailed
• Each bullet starts with an action verb
• At least 50% of bullets include numbers/metrics
• Keywords from job posting are naturally incorporated

Overall Format

• One page (unless 15+ years experience)
• Consistent formatting throughout
• Adequate white space between sections
• Standard, readable font (10-12pt)

The Bottom Line

Recruiters aren't reading your resume — they're scanning it for signals. Your job is to make those signals impossible to miss:

• Right title in the right place
• Recognizable context (companies, metrics)
• Clear progression and stability
• Keywords that match the role
• Clean format that invites scanning

Design your resume for the F-pattern scan. Put your best material where eyes actually land. Everything else is noise.

Sources: ResumeHeatMap Eye-Tracking Analysis • LinkedIn Recruiter Surveys • SHRM Hiring Research