The relationship between the recruiters shortlist and your resume lies in several factors. Some of these factors relate much to your academic qualifications. They include:

1. Basic qualification
Academic qualifications are used as a screening tool. They ensure candidates meet the job’s minimum educational qualifications. If a role requires a PhD, candidates without it one not be shortlisted.

2. Competitiveness of the job market
Jobs which are highly competitive need strong academic qualifications . A higher degree, like a PhD, can increase the chances of getting shortlisted for academic, research, and senior roles.

3. Relevance to the job.
A candidate with a degree closely related to the job is more likely to be shortlisted. The relevance of their degree can make a significant difference in their application. Having the right degree is important for getting noticed. For example, a PhD in Human Resource Management is highly relevant for HR leadership or academic positions in HR.

4. Extra certifications
Some recruiters look beyond degrees.  Professional certifications increase the chances of a candidate, making them more attractive to recruiters.

5. Experience and education
Some jobs need practical experience more than  academic qualifications. Recruiters focus candidates with extensive experience over those with high academic qualifications but limited work experience.

6. Employer preference and industry trends.
Employers place a strong premium on academic excellence, while others value skills and experience. Industries like academia, medicine, and engineering value formal education unlike   tech startups, where skills and experience matter more.

How to make your Resume attract Shortlisting

A resume that secures a shortlist should be  tailored, well-structured, and highlights most relevant qualifications and achievements. Key areas to consider are:

1. Use a Professional Format
– Make  it clear, concise, and well-organized and about 2–3 pages.

– Use professional fonts such Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman, size 10–12.
– Have a consistent formatting.

2. Include all key Sections
These are.
– Header and contact information

– Write a professional summary about 2–3 sentences. Focus on achievements, not just duties. Use numbers, percentages, and impact-based statements to show achievements.

– Write work experience in reverse chronological order. Include Job title, institution/Organization and years. Start each bullet with an action verb like developed, led, Increased, Improved.

– Highlight education and certifications
– for education include only higher education attained like Ph.D

– Professional certifications and memberships.

– Include key skills and make sure your skills match the job description keywords to pass Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

– Include Technical and soft skills.
– If you have done research, add

Research, Publications & Projects, especially for academic roles.

– Make your Resume Error-Free. Make sure it is ATS-Friendly by using keywords from the job description. Avoid fancy fonts, tables, images, or excessive formatting that ATS systems may not read.

– Proofread to remove grammatical errors.

– Do a final Checklist for all items.

This, if well done, it will attract Shortlisting.