Lessons Learned Comparing Computer Science Student and Recruiter Resume Screening Evaluations

Abstract

Only about 11% of applicants receive an invitation to interview for a typical computer science position because of the highly competitive nature of the field. Therefore, there is a need for future computer science graduates to understand which factors contribute most to the quality of their resume and how these qualifications translate to their employability. To explore students’ understanding of resumes, college students and professional recruiters were shown sample entry-level computer science resumes and asked to determine which resumes they would move to the next level of the hiring process. Findings support the importance of GPA, work experience, projects, and technical skills on entry-level computer science resumes. Students were more likely to move resumes to the next level and spent about 3 seconds longer than recruiters screening each resume. Students also significantly overestimated the value added by previous work experience such as internships, and the value of personal projects on resumes. Additionally, students differed from recruiters in the proportion of time spent evaluating resume sections. Taken together, these factors may account for students being more lenient in resume screening decisions and suggest that students may have misunderstandings regarding industry resume expectations.