What's the single most useful resume tip?

Turn duties into quantified achievements. Nothing else changes how a resume reads as much, and it's the difference between a reader guessing at whether you were any good and simply knowing.

How do I make my resume stand out?

Not with design. With specific, quantified achievements aimed at the job in front of you. A clean template full of sharp content stands out far more than a busy layout full of vague content.

Should I use a resume objective?

Usually not. A short summary aimed at the role does the same job better. An objective says what you want, a summary says what you offer, and only one of those is the reader's problem.

How do I get past an ATS?

Standard headings, real text instead of images, and the posting's actual keywords where they're true of you. Most of the "ATS hacks" floating around, like white keyword text hidden on the page, are both detectable and pointless. Write it properly and it'll parse.

Resume guide

Resume tips that get interviews

The resume tips that actually change outcomes: quantified results, tailoring to the posting, and cutting filler. Plus a couple of popular tips worth ignoring.

7 min read

Most resume advice is either too obvious to help or too confident to trust. These are the few changes that reliably move outcomes, plus a couple of popular tips you can safely ignore.

Lead with results, and put numbers on them

Recruiters are scanning for evidence. Start each bullet with an action verb and attach a figure wherever you honestly can: a percentage, an amount, a count, time saved. "Cut onboarding time 40% by rewriting the setup guide" does far more work than "Responsible for onboarding documentation," and it costs you the same line.

Ignore the power-verb lists

You'll find lists of 200 "powerful action verbs" on every careers blog. They're close to useless. Swapping "led" for "spearheaded" doesn't make the achievement any bigger, and a page stuffed with thesaurus verbs reads like it's trying too hard. Pick the plain, accurate verb and spend your effort on the result that comes after it.

Tailor it to the posting

A generic resume is a weak one, and it's usually obvious which is which. Read the job description, then make sure the specific skills and terms it emphasizes show up on yours where they're true of you. That's what keyword screening scores against and what a human scans for. Once your base resume is solid this takes minutes, which makes it the best return on time in the whole job search.

Cut the filler

Delete the objective statement, "references available on request," and any adjective a stranger could equally claim about themselves. They cost space and add nothing. If a line doesn't help your case for this job, it isn't neutral, it's in the way.

Keep the formatting boring

Layouts that hide text inside images or invent their own section names can trip the software that reads you first. Standard headings, real selectable text. You can still look good doing it: a well-built template gives you a distinctive design that still exports as text a screener can read.

Match length to what you've actually done

One page suits most people. Go to two only when you've got years of directly relevant experience that genuinely earns the space. Density beats length. (Academic CVs are the exception, as always.)

Proofread like it costs you the job, because it can

A single typo can end an application before it starts, which is unfair but real. Read it aloud, pick one date format and stick to it, and get a second pair of eyes on it. Then export a PDF so nothing shifts on someone else's screen.

Quick steps

1
Rewrite your top five bullets
Start with your most recent role. Lead with a verb, add a number, and cut anything that's a duty rather than a result.
2
Read the job description twice
Pull out the skills and terms it keeps repeating, and make sure the true ones are on your resume.
3
Delete the filler
Objective statements, generic adjectives, and anything that doesn't strengthen your case for this specific job.
4
Check it parses, then export
Standard headings, real text, clean layout. Then export the PDF.

Frequently asked questions

What's the single most useful resume tip?: Turn duties into quantified achievements. Nothing else changes how a resume reads as much, and it's the difference between a reader guessing at whether you were any good and simply knowing.
How do I make my resume stand out?: Not with design. With specific, quantified achievements aimed at the job in front of you. A clean template full of sharp content stands out far more than a busy layout full of vague content.
Should I use a resume objective?: Usually not. A short summary aimed at the role does the same job better. An objective says what you want, a summary says what you offer, and only one of those is the reader's problem.
How do I get past an ATS?: Standard headings, real text instead of images, and the posting's actual keywords where they're true of you. Most of the "ATS hacks" floating around, like white keyword text hidden on the page, are both detectable and pointless. Write it properly and it'll parse.

Keep reading

How to write a resume Common resume mistakes to avoid Free resume checker Tailor your resume to a job Resume examples by role