ELIZA Evangelista, 23, landed her first job after more than three months of applying. During her so-called “jobless-fresh-graduate-and-looking-for-employer era,” she said she had breakdowns on how human resource managers filter the candidates, especially the qualified ones.

“As someone who is not really fond of participating in college organizations and other extracurricular activities, I don’t have any other information to include in my resume,” said Evangelista.

According to Evangelista, this was why she did not get a call from recruiters.

“I guess maybe the reason why some companies are not calling me back is that they don’t see any special about the resume that makes me stand out since it’s plain and simple,” said Evangelista

But does the design matter?

Edsel Fusio, a human resource professional, said the design does not symbolize the applicant’s qualifications but how they lay facts on a piece of paper.

“As a recruiter, what matters is how the applicant presents themselves in their resume. Those resumes with intricate formatting and design have the possibility of not getting hired because recruiters tend to have their judgment over the unnecessary formatting,” he said.

US-based business and employment-focused social media platform LinkedIn, which hosts more than 900 million professional profiles that aim to connect members to potential recruiters around the world, said in a special report that hiring managers “don’t look through a stack of resumes anymore,” but these are the following information most hiring managers pay attention to when they are assessing an applicant:

Reading the resume

Most recent role

For hiring managers, the first thing they are looking at is the last role the applicant took. Some of the essential things they are taking into account are if the applicants were laid off, fired, or worked for how many months/years.

For fresh graduates, some recruiters look at the applicant’s role in academic organizations or events that they deem fit for the position.

Company recognition 

According to the report, while the recognition of a company is not an issue to hiring managers, some recruiters look at the last company an applicant worked for to assess the qualification of the candidate. For those who worked for “obscure companies,” some hiring managers have to read the resume a little deeper.

Organization

Professional information that the applicant includes in their resume has to look coherent and organized. According to hiring managers, applicants are also assessed based on the “ease of use and ability to present ideas clearly.

Things recruiters rarely pay attention to

Fancy formatting

Resumes with fancy formatting can make it difficult for recruiters to read your resume. While there is an exception in the usage of fancy formatting, hiring managers are likely to read plain and simple resumes if an applicant is not applying for a graphic or art-related position. 

Personal details

Most recruiters ask personal questions during the actual interview, so reserve your stories when you reach that point. According to LinkedIn, hiring managers don’t really pay attention to your number of siblings and, of course, photos. 

“Many HR managers have a real issue with photos, so don’t ruin your chances by adding a photo unless it is requested,” the report said.

Things you should do instead

Keep the work details professional – Only share relevant information that is fit to the position you are applying for

Include URLs for web presence – For better background checking, share your URLs (like your LinkedIn account) with your recruiters to better grasp your personality and work background.

List key personal projects – Aside from work experience, including a list of the projects you do beyond work that can help boost your chances of getting the position.

Cheer up, edit your resume, and rock the interviews.