Let’s be real, when it comes to resume writing, there’s no shortage of noise. Thousands of templates, a plethora of “experts,” and endless contradictory advice. There’s no governing body for resumes, but there are clear things to avoid to help you get close to your dream job. So, why should you listen to me? Because I’ve got the street cred to back it up. I’ve hired for startups, Fortune 500 companies, and been through my fair share of interviews. I’m not a fresh-out-of-college influencer who built yet another AI career app without any real world experience—I’m a professional with years of hands-on experience (that’s building an AI career app haha), and I’m here to pay it forward.

The Real Goal of Your Resume

6 seconds. By the time it takes you to read this, your resume may get rejected. 

Recruiters and hiring managers spend an average of 6 seconds on a resume. If they want to learn more about you, they’ll spend more time on your resume. Therefore, when it comes to crafting a resume, the main objective is simple: minimize your disqualifiers. Forget about overcomplicating things or obsessing over every little detail. In the end, your resume’s structure doesn’t matter as much as you think. When you hear someone say, this template increases the call back rate by 50%. That's ludicrous. It’s how you build your value story and show your impact. What truly matters is how you present your value and relevance to the hiring team. What makes resume writing such a pain is that you’re trying to optimize your value story to a recruiter (the gatekeeper, you need to look relevant), a hiring manager (you need to show specificity), and an ATS (an emotionless bot that is scanning for keywords). 

So, let’s break down how to do that effectively. Here are my top 20 resume tips that will help you stand out—without getting lost in the weeds.

Resume Crafting Tips:

1. Treat your resume as a storytelling tactic: Think of your resume as your highlight reel, not just a list of job duties. It should tell your unique value story, not just what you’ve done.
2. Compelling Hook/Impact Summary: You may have seen this as a professional summary. The first thing employers see should answer who you are and why you matter. Keep it concise, attention-grabbing, and focused on your impact—not just your tasks. 
3. Dedicated Skills Section: List 10-12 relevant hard and soft skills, prioritizing those mentioned in the job description. Some say this section gets ignored, but this will help both ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) and human readers quickly see your fit for the role.
4. Impactful Experience Section: Use the simple formula: Why (problem), What (action), How (quantifiable results/outcomes). Focus on your results to highlight how you’ve made a difference.
5. Concise Bullet Points: Keep bullet points to 2-3 lines—impact-focused, not a job description. For relevant roles, include 5-7 bullet points; for older or less relevant roles, stick to 1-3.
6. Action Keywords: Swap out passive words like "responsible for" and "supported" for dynamic verbs like led, executed, and spearheaded to showcase your proactive approach.
7. Quantify Achievements: Use metrics to clearly demonstrate your impact. If you don’t have numbers, focus on qualitative outcomes that show your contributions. And please don’t include metrics in every bullet point, be strategic on the ones you pick that are relevant for the role.
8. Context is Key: Don’t assume they’ll connect the dots. Provide just enough context so the reader understands why and how your work mattered. They shouldn’t read like job descriptions, there is beauty in the context, and give enough for the reader to understand what you did and “how” you did.
9. Show Growth and Progression: Highlight your promotions, increased responsibilities, and skill development. Show that you’re constantly evolving in your career.
10. Managerial Experience: If you’ve managed teams, explicitly state team size and key accomplishments to demonstrate leadership skills.
11. Simplicity Over Clutter: Don’t overdo it with bolding, underlining, or non-standard fonts. Keep it clean and readable. I personally like Arial and Calibri best, easiest on the eyes for a human reader.
12. Length: Keep your resume 1 page for recent grads or early professionals, and 2 pages for those with 10+ years of experience.
13. Tailor, But Within Reason: Focus on tweaking your hook and skills section for each job application. There’s no need to rewrite your entire resume every time. There is a psychological tax in doing this, you don’t need to change you for a job, you just need to find the right fit.

Cover Letter & Job Search Tips:

14. Cover Letters Are Valuable: The reality is more hiring managers read cover letters. You won’t get disqualified for a kick ass cover letter. A cover letter is your chance to showcase your personality, writing skills, and passion for the company and role. Don’t just rehash your resume—make it compelling.
15. Cover Letter Best Practices: Address it to the hiring team, use bullet points to highlight key skills, and provide unique insights that are relevant to the job.
16. Proactive Cover Letters: Even if a cover letter isn’t requested, if you have a contact within the company or can reach the hiring manager directly, send one anyway. It shows initiative and dedication.
17. Don’t Disqualify Yourself: If you meet 80% of the job description requirements, go ahead and apply. Don’t talk yourself out of an opportunity before you’ve even tried.
18. Believe in Your Value: Own your unique career DNA. Understand your story and the value you bring to every role. Confidence is key.
19. Leverage AI Tools (like ChatGPT): Use AI tools to extract keywords from job descriptions and optimize your resume. It’s an easy way to make sure your resume is aligned with what employers are looking for.
20. Seek Help if Needed: Don’t hesitate to reach out to career coaches or mentors if you need guidance. Getting another perspective can make all the difference.

Final Thoughts

Resume writing doesn’t need to be complicated. The key is to minimize disqualifiers, showcase your value, and make it easy for hiring teams to see why you’re the perfect fit. By following these tips, you’ll present yourself in a way that resonates with both humans and ATS systems, helping you land the interviews and opportunities you deserve.

Now go ahead—put your best foot forward with a resume that tells your unique story!

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