7.4 seconds. That’s the average amount of time a private equity recruiter spends on a resume before deciding whether to keep reading.
In a PE-backed search, a PE firm will typically interview only 5 to 10 candidates for a given role. Your resume is often your one chance to make that list. Small mistakes and inconsistencies can get strong executives cut.
Often, the problem isn’t that the executive behind the resume has a weak track record. It’s that the resume makes the accomplishments that matter most in private equity hard to see. Formatting problems, weak word choice, and space spent on the wrong things can all stop a strong executive from advancing.
Below are a few of the principles covered in PrivateEquityCXO’s Resume Guide, drawn from what our partner firm, Falcon Partners, has seen in the resumes that make it from first screen to interview.
Don’t let a simple resume mistake stand in the way of your next opportunity.
In Private Equity, a Plain Resume Outperforms a Designed One
It’s common to think a visually striking resume will help you stand out. In private equity, it usually works against you. Graphics, icons, sidebars, and other design elements that don’t add to the substance pull the reader’s eye toward the wrong things, often vague items like a skills list with no metrics or examples behind it.
A clean, plain-text format does the opposite. When a recruiter skims it, your key contributions are easy to fin...