Resume Tips

I reviewed 200 resumes yesterday Here are the biggest mistakes I saw, preventing them from moving forward: 1. Telling and not showing What I saw: long lists of bullet points describing their daily responsibilities What I want to see: bullet points showing HOW you did your responsibilities, made something more effective, saved the company time/resources, HOW you you went above and beyond in your role 2. A generic professional summary What I saw: buzzwords like "great communicator," "problem solver," "critical thinker," or "strong collaboration skills" What I want to see: keywords (different than buzzwords) that are specific to the job description, industry, and career path in tandem with a few accomplishment statements that speak to your credibility and aptitude along with what you can bring to the position 3. A skills section crammed with soft skills What I saw: "team player" "collaboration" "leadership" "communication" "problem solving" "project management" What I want to see: Hard skills, programs you are proficient in, keywords, that exist in your bullet points that show proof of these skills and not in some generic skills section 4. Not enough white space What I saw: a resume crammed with text to fit in as much on the page as possible, paragraphs of text, no space between bullet points What I want to see: a document that is scannable, readable, and has plenty of white space to make it easier to read 5. Unnecessary additions of photos, columns What I saw: attempts at making the resume stand out by making it look different What I want to see: get rid of all of it, tell yourself "KISS" (keep it simple, stupid), simplicity is going to get you farther in the job search than some resume you think is going to stand out because it looks different This is just the tip of the iceberg But the bottom line is that many of these things are easy fixes Some are going to take more time but fix them once and you won't have to worry about fixing them again As recruiters, we are the gatekeepers to the jobs we are hiring for We want the most qualified and best candidates We also want to do it in as less of a time frame as possible When you stand out, you make our jobs easier and we'll reward you with a callback for an interview Focusing on these 5 areas helps you help us And when you help us, you'll increase your chances for an interview Happy to chat more in the comments about your biggest resume struggles

This is one of the most important things I’ve learned about resumes, and most don’t do it. Not doing this can hurt your chances of getting an interview 👇 Your resume 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 a description of what you are 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 for. Your resume 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 a collection of your 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭 to the job you are applying for! Here's a simple example: A Project Manager's resume that describes what they are 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 for looks like this: - Delivered the project on time and within budget. - Communicated updates regularly to all stakeholders. This is a terrible way to "stand out" - In this example, every Project Manager is responsible for delivering projects on time and budget, and for communicating with stakeholders. In other words, there's nothing 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞 about this person's resume. Your resume has to show: - Evidence that you have the experience they are looking for (Tailored resume) - Evidence of the value you bring to the team (Your past accomplishments) To write a resume that 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭, here’s what you should do 👇 Write 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, not what you were responsible for : - What did you do? - What was the impact? - How did you accomplish it? Use the “𝐗 + 𝐘 + 𝐙” formula to write accomplishments: “Accomplished [𝐗] as measured by [𝐘], by doing [𝐙]” 🛑 Instead of writing: “Delivered a project on time and budget” ✅ Write this: 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 [𝐗]: “Launched ____ project” 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 [𝐘]: “1 month ahead of schedule and increasing ROI by Z%” 𝐁𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 [𝐙]: “, by creating a new communication process that allowed low and medium risk tickets to be pre-appproved, reducing friction during development” Together X + Y + Z: “Launched ___ project 1 month ahead of schedule and increasing ROI by Z%, , by creating a new communication process that allowed low and medium risk tickets to be pre-appproved, reducing friction during development” 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 help you show that you have the experience companies look for in 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭 of a project that had impact to customers, your team or the organization. 𝐓𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 your 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 to the job you are applying to will increase your chances of getting an interview. Adding more colors, graphs and random keywords will not. A few extra tips as you go through your accomplishments: 1. Not every accomplishment will have a number (impact). It’s ok, try to have as many as possible. 2. Accomplishments tailored to the job you are applying to >>>> accomplishments you believe are the most important. 3. You can skip the XYZ formula and instead write them as: Verb in past tense + what you did + the impact it had. ------ 🚀 Need help with your resume or Product Management interviews? Check out my comment below for THE BEST resources 👇 #productmangement #resume

Like many of you, I'm not a huge fan of cover letters. Times have changed and I think cover letters made more sense in an era where hiring managers were doing their own hiring, companies received just a handful of applications for each role, and interviewed many of those candidates. But in a world in which people are submitting hundreds of apps? They make less sense. And many companies have turned off this feature/requirement because they don't have the capacity to actually read them. (Y'all might remember Nicole Fernandez-Valle going super viral for sharing her hot take on cover letters a few years back!) That said, some companies do still require them - and care a lot about what's in them. AND I think they can help for career changers in particular. So I wrote a blog post to cover this topic for Teal - I'll drop the link in comments. My top 3 cover letter tips: 1. Write a general template for each job family. Your cover letter for a customer success role and a marketing manager role should look different. Highlight accomplishments specific to that type of work (this is particularly important if you haven't held relevant titles!) You can then tweak the first and last paragraphs to make them applicable to each company instead of writing a fresh cover letter for each one. 2. Make sure that your cover letter adds something new. If all you do is rephrase your resume, then it's not really serving any purpose. So deep dive into a really relevant project, or highlight something outside of work (like from volunteering or a leadership organization or hobby or side hustle) that may not have made it on your resume but is really relevant to the company. 3. Highlight company-specific info. I saw one of the BEST cover letters I've ever seen last week from someone who was applying for a company that does astrology work. They highlighted how their own astrological chart aligned with the role. It was so creative and really highlighted their passion for what the company does. (CHANI - I'd love to make an intro!) If I were applying to a job at United Airlines, I'd mention that I was a 1k for 6 years, and have taken over 500 United flights and will go out of my way to book United. If I were applying for a job at OpenAI, I would talk about how I use ChatGPT daily, and how I'd used it in my own application process. If I were applying for a job at Notion, I might talk about my enthusiasm for their new calendar launch. These are things that aren't going to show up on my resume, but can differentiate me from people who aren't as familiar with the company, product, mission, etc. And the upside of having a cover letter handy is that even if it's not required to apply, it's something you can quickly edit and send to a recruiter or hiring manager and gives you a reason to reach out - of course I wouldn't do this for every job, but it may make sense for those jobs that fall in the "dream job" category.

I applied to 150 internships as a freshman. From the first 75 of those 150 applications, I landed 2 first-round interviews and 0 offers. From the second 75 of those 150 applications, I landed 8 first-round interviews and 3 offers. So what changed? My resume. In one of those two initial, first-round interviews, the recruiter took an extra 5-10 minutes to give me some hard-to-swallow but incredible constructive feedback on my resume. It was a really tough moment because I realized I needed to overhaul and completely redo this resume I had spent so much time on. But it was a pivotal moment since this was just what I needed to turn my job hunt around. After implementing this feedback, I went from landing two interviews to landing eight interviews, six of which were with Fortune 500 companies. Here is the EXACT feedback I received from my recruiter: ➡️ Don't just "say" your skills; demonstrate your skills through work experiences and projects. ➡️ Academic honors/awards aren't in scope for a resume when applying for an internship. ➡️ Hiring managers want to see that you have REAL-world experience. ➡️ Your project portfolio can make you a more competitive applicant. ➡️ Quantifying the impact you've made adds credibility & legitimacy to what you've done. And here are some other tips, tricks, and resume hacks I picked up along the journey of my first job hunt: 🎯 If you don't have work or internship experience, leverage "relevant" experience. 🎯 Don't reinvent the wheel/start from scratch; utilize resources to create and improve your resume bullet points. 🎯 You don't have to start from a blank space; try templates & examples! ↪️ Steal THE resume that got me into Disney 👀 + my resume kit with editable templates: https://lnkd.in/g2mYVDaV #internships #internship #summerinternship #earlycareers #resumetips

95% of the Fortune 500 use #LinkedIn to source talent (and tons of other recruiters) They build queries based on things like: 1 - Job titles 2 - Locations 3 - Skills 4 - Companies 5 - Schools 6 - Industries 7 - Key words and more (like veteran status) Which means having a complete profile can make a HUGE difference when it comes to being found by a recruiter My advice? 1 - Complete your entire profile Every one of the categories above needs to be filled out completely and as relevant to your desired post-military career 2 - Include translations of your military job title If you have spoken with people in your desired field... (but keep the military title in there because it is horrible when a veteran has no idea what you actually did in the military and, therefore, can't make translations or recommendations for other roles) It shouldn't be "C-suite" anything 3 - Location should be where you want to be So you show up in recruiter searches there (if you have multiple locations, add those in the Open to Work banner) 4 - Skills on your profile should be relevant to the job(s) you want Add ones that occur often on related job descriptions The more endorsements you have on skills in the search, the higher you will rank in the results 5 - Make the experience section like your Master Resume Include your accomplishments in the description section of each job in the experience section This helps you appear in more search results for key words 6 - Make sure the logo shows up when you add schools or companies Otherwise it doesn't work for the filters 7 - It might not be a filter, but don't overlook the importance of a good profile picture and background image Because they are the first things we see on a profile #quinnsights HireMilitary #militarytransition I've added the LinkedIn article below for more info Questions? Thoughts? Anything you would add?

You’ve been getting the wrong advice: YOUR RESUME SHOULD NOT STAND OUT. If you think making your resume "pop" with unique elements will improve it. Just stop! Flashy colors and fancy designs might catch the eye, but they won't necessarily land you the job. Here’s how to ensure your resume makes the impact you need: 1. Focus on clarity and readability: -  Your resume should clearly communicate your skills and experience, so avoid jargon. - Make sure key details like your experience and qualifications are easy to find. - Use bullet points and headers to organize information logically. 2. Stick to a clean, professional layout -  Use a classic font like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman in a readable size (10-12 points). - Your resume should be consistent throughout. - Use bold and italics sparingly to emphasize key points. 3. Tell a compelling story - Instead of listing duties, focus on accomplishments. - Quantify your achievements where possible (e.g., "Increased sales by 30%"). - Customize your resume for each job application; don't just send it to every interviewer. 4. Include relevant keywords - Many companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to screen resumes. - Include keywords from the job description to increase your chances of clearing the ATS filters. 5. Keep it concise - Limit your resume to one or two pages. - Include only relevant information that showcases your qualifications for the role. Most interviewers take a few seconds to read your resume, so it should be skimmable, and provide all necessary details. ----------------------------------------- Hi, I'm Shreya - a recruiter and a professional career coach. Follow along as I share insights on building an impactful resume and cracking your next interview.

I spoke with a FAANG Recruiter and learned how they shortlisted candidates for interviews: The magic to get shortlisted is not 100% your talent. It's your resume! Section 1: The ATS Reality Check 70% of resumes die before human eyes see them. Here's what actually works: -- Standard headings: "Work Experience," "Skills," "Education" -- No fancy formatting that is not readable by the ATS System -- Keywords naturally woven into bullet points -- Clean, scannable layout Pro tip: Build your resume using LATEX. If it's still readable, it's ATS-friendly. Section 2: The 6-Second Recruiter Scan Here's what recruiters actually look for: 1. Clear job title matching the role 2. Recognizable company names 3. Relevant years of experience 4. Key skills matching the job description Pro Tip: Instead of: "Performed data analysis using Python", Write: "Developed predictive churn model using XGBoost that improved customer retention by 18%, generating $450K in annual recurring revenue" Numbers talk. Everything else is noise. Section 3: The Referral Hack The truth: Almost 50% of hires come from referrals. Here's the strategy for getting solid referrals: → Reach out to professionals on LinkedIn from Target Companies → Keep it short & specific → Mention the exact role you’re applying for → Show company knowledge (Not just “I love Tesla” – be specific!) → Request a quick chat, NOT just a referral The Bottom Line: Your resume isn't a comprehensive work history. It's a document designed to get your foot in the door. Make every word count → Lead with impact →  Get referred when possible. You've mastered the hardest part (the skills). Don't let a weak resume hold you back. BONUS: If you're struggling with crafting a ATS Friendly resume, Try Wisedoc, Inc.’s AI tools to optimize your profile and increase callbacks in your job search. Try it here: https://lnkd.in/g3neHw2Y If you found this useful, then please: ♻️ Repost to help others in your network 💭 Tag someone you know or Comment “CFBR” below I hope this helps, All the best! P.S: I post FREE job search tips and resources. Connect with me for more such resources daily.

6 Resume Strategies To Grab Recruiters' Attention In <6 Seconds: I've reviewed 1,000+ resumes as a career coach. Most candidates optimize for the wrong things, focusing on design and summary over substance and value. Your resume needs to check those boxes quickly if you want more interviews. Here’s how to do it: 1. Strategic Placement Wins Recruiters focus heavily on the top information from your resume. Leverage your resume summary by adding a Highlight Reel that includes: – A bullet point summarizing your experience – A few supporting case studies illustrating specific results – An extracurricular bullet to round your candidacy This makes it easy for recruiters to immediately identify a fit. 2. Numbers Cut Through The Noise Quantified achievements get more attention than qualitative statements. Instead of: "Significantly improved sales performance." Try: "Increased sales by 43% in 6 months" Numbers create instant credibility and provide concrete evidence of your impact. Aim for at least one quantified result in each role you list. 3. ATS-Friendly Keywords Matter Before human eyes see your resume, it must pass the Applicant Tracking System filter. Extract 8-10 key terms directly from the job description. Then, incorporate these naturally throughout your resume. You can use ResyMatch.io to identify the skill gaps in your resume by comparing it with the job description. 4. Achievement-First Bullet Structure Most bullets start with action verbs like "Responsible for" or "Managed." Instead, use this formula: Result + Action + Context. Example: "Reduced customer complaint rate by 37% by implementing a training program for 45 representatives." This structure forces recruiters to see your impact before anything else. 5. White Space Is Your Secret Weapon Dense, text-heavy resumes can get visually overwhelming. Create breathing room with strategic spacing between sections and bullets. Limit yourself to 4-5 bullet points per role, focusing only on your most impressive achievements. Use clean, consistent formatting with a single font and minimal styling. You can pick a template from ResyBuild.io to get started. 6. The Customization Advantage Generic resumes get overlooked because they lack relevant specificity. Candidates can increase interview rates by 3x by customizing for each role. Analyze the job description a to identify their core needs and values. Then, reorder your bullet points to lead with the most relevant achievements for each application. This signals recruiters that you're the solution to their specific problem. —— 🔵 Ready to land your dream job? Click here to learn more about how we help people land amazing jobs in ~15.5 weeks with a $44k raise: https://lnkd.in/gdysHr-r

You want to use LinkedIn to find your next job? Here’s some atypical advice that's not your usual cookie-cutter career coach spiel. 🔴 Stop Being a Flattering, Needy Job Seeker: Everyone is out there 'liking' and complimenting every post by a big shot in their industry, hoping to get noticed. Guess what? You’re not the only one. It's a sea of sycophants. Instead, stand out. Be bold. Post strong, well-informed opinions about your industry. Disagree, respectfully, with big names. Spark real conversations. Thought leaders appreciate a good challenge more than a pat on the back. 🔴 Turn Your Profile Into a Story, Not a Resume: Everybody’s LinkedIn profile reads like a boring resume. Flip the script. Tell your story. How did your biggest failure teach you a lesson? What’s your unique approach to your work? Why are you the rebel or the unorthodox thinker in your field? People remember stories, not bullet points. 🔴 Hack the Algorithm with Smart Content: Stop posting generic industry news. Instead, create content that’s so unique and compelling that people can’t help but engage. Use video, infographics, or even provocative questions. LinkedIn’s algorithm loves engagement. The more unique your content, the more it stands out, the more it circulates. 🔴 Network Sideways: Everyone tries to network up, trying to rub elbows with the CEO or the industry guru. Here’s a twist: network sideways. Connect with peers, people at your level in other companies. Why? Because they are the ones who will move up the ladder and bring you along, or they’ll be the first to know of opportunities in their companies. 🔴 Be a Connector, Not a Moocher: Don’t just reach out to people when you need a job. Be the person who connects others, who offers help without expecting anything in return. Build genuine relationships. People remember kindness, and they’ll think of you when opportunities come up. 🔴 Use LinkedIn Learning as a Secret Weapon: Everyone has skills. Few continue to sharpen them. Dive into LinkedIn Learning. Talk about what you’re learning in your posts. Show that you’re a lifelong learner, constantly evolving. It’s attractive to employers who want people who can adapt and grow. 🔴 Kill the Template Message: If you’re reaching out to someone, for the love of god, don’t use a template. Write something that shows you’ve done your homework about them. Make it so personalized that they can’t help but respond. 🔴 Ride the Wave of Current Events: Tie your posts and professional narrative to current events or trends in your industry. It shows you’re in tune with what’s happening and can adapt your skills and perspective to current challenges. 🏁 Remember, LinkedIn is not just a job search tool, it’s a platform to build your brand, your network, and your career. Play the long game. Be different, be memorable, and above all, be relentlessly you. That’s how you’ll find not just a job, but the right job. #careeradvice #careers #hiring #bedifferent

🚀 Want your resume to actually make it past the robots and into a recruiter’s hands? Here are 13 steps to get your resume through the Applicant Tracking System (ATS): 1. ✅ Use Relevant Keywords Match your resume to the job description by using the exact skills, tools, and qualifications listed. 2. 📄 Choose an ATS-Friendly Format Stick to a clean layout. No fancy designs or images. Use standard fonts like Arial or Times New Roman. 3. 🏷️ Use Standard Section Headings Keep it simple with headings like “Work Experience,” “Education,” and “Skills.” Creative alternatives can confuse the system. 4. 🚫 Avoid Special Characters Skip symbols, tables, columns, and text boxes. They can break ATS parsing. 5. 📁 Submit as a Word Document or PDF Word files (.docx) are often preferred. Always check the job posting for specific format instructions. 6. 🔤 Spell Out Acronyms Include both the full term and abbreviation (e.g., “Search Engine Optimization (SEO)”). 7. 🛠️ Optimize Your Skills Section List hard skills that align with the job. A dedicated section helps ATS recognize them. 8. 🧾 Match Job Titles Use the exact job title from the posting if it accurately reflects your experience. 9. ✂️ Include Relevant Experience Only Trim out unrelated or outdated roles to keep your resume focused. 10.🧍♂️ Avoid Headers and Footers Some ATS can’t read these areas. Put your contact info in the main body. 11.📅 Prioritize Chronological Order List your most recent experience first. ATS often favor reverse-chronological resumes. 12. 🔍 Proofread for Typos A single misspelled keyword can cause your resume to be skipped. 13. 📝 Add a Professional Summary Include a keyword-rich summary at the top that aligns with the job description. 🎯 By optimizing for ATS, you improve your chances of getting in front of a real human. 💬 Which of these tips have you already tried, and which one surprised you the most? 👉 Follow Ricardo Cuellar for more HR and workplace insights.