Project Type
group
Campus
Daytona Beach
Authors' Class Standing
Emily Rickel, Graduate Student Devin Kelley, Graduate Student Kobe Reese, Senior Barbara S. Chaparro, Faculty
Lead Presenter's Name
Emily Rickel
Faculty Mentor Name
Barbara Chaparro
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Abstract
College students use resumes to provide potential employers with an overview of their background to show they are the best fit for a full-time or internship position. In some cases, the large volume of job applicants can result in employers only spending 8 to 10 seconds on one applicant’s resume before moving onto the next. To better understand how individuals read resumes, Tobii Pro 2 eye-tracking glasses were used to monitor eye movements as participants read a student resume. With a between-subjects design, participants viewed one of two black-and-white, one-column resumes that presented information about a student with an aviation-oriented Human Factors background. The “original” version of the resume included sections such as the applicant’s contact information, work experience, and skills. The “modified” resume consisted of the same content as the original, along with a more specific objective statement and the addition of project dates and bolded project titles. Qualitative results from pilot participants garner reader perceptions and suggest differences in retention between the original and modified resumes. Eye tracking results provide insight into resume reading scan path and indicate eye movement differences associated with the presence of stylized project headings. This presentation will discuss these differences and implications for student resume design.
Did this research project receive funding support (Spark, SURF, Research Abroad, Student Internal Grants, Collaborative, Climbing, or Ignite Grants) from the Office of Undergraduate Research?
No
How to Catch an Employer’s Eye
College students use resumes to provide potential employers with an overview of their background to show they are the best fit for a full-time or internship position. In some cases, the large volume of job applicants can result in employers only spending 8 to 10 seconds on one applicant’s resume before moving onto the next. To better understand how individuals read resumes, Tobii Pro 2 eye-tracking glasses were used to monitor eye movements as participants read a student resume. With a between-subjects design, participants viewed one of two black-and-white, one-column resumes that presented information about a student with an aviation-oriented Human Factors background. The “original” version of the resume included sections such as the applicant’s contact information, work experience, and skills. The “modified” resume consisted of the same content as the original, along with a more specific objective statement and the addition of project dates and bolded project titles. Qualitative results from pilot participants garner reader perceptions and suggest differences in retention between the original and modified resumes. Eye tracking results provide insight into resume reading scan path and indicate eye movement differences associated with the presence of stylized project headings. This presentation will discuss these differences and implications for student resume design.