Landing interviews often comes down to two hurdles: getting past ATS filters and making a human want to read more. Here are practical, high-impact tweaks you can apply today—without rewriting your entire resume.

1) Start with a job-matched headline + summary

A generic objective won’t help. Instead, use a targeted headline and a 2–4 line summary that mirrors the role.

• Example headline: “Data Analyst | SQL, Tableau, Stakeholder Reporting”
• Summary: focus on years of experience, core tools, and measurable outcomes

2) Make your formatting ATS-safe (and human-friendly)

ATS struggles with complex layouts.

• Use single-column structure
• Avoid tables, text boxes, icons, and graphics
• Stick to standard section titles like Experience, Education, Skills
• Use consistent fonts (e.g., Calibri, Arial) and clear spacing

3) Upgrade your bullets: action + scope + impact

Strong bullets read like proof, not tasks.

• Weak: “Responsible for monthly reports”
• Strong: “Built monthly KPI dashboard in Tableau, reducing reporting time by 40% and improving stakeholder visibility.”

Quick formula: Action verb + what you did + tools + measurable result

4) Use keywords strategically (without keyword stuffing)

Keywords should appear where recruiters expect them:

• Skills section (tools, platforms, methods)
• Experience bullets (show applied use)
• Summary (top 3–5 must-haves)

Tip: Pull repeated phrases from the job description (e.g., “cross-functional,” “forecasting,” “customer lifecycle”) and weave them in only if they’re true.

5) Put your best wins on page one

Recruiters scan fast. Lead with your most impressive, relevant accomplishments.

• For each role, make the top 2 bullets your strongest
• Keep older roles shorter unless highly relevant

6) Clean up your Skills section

Make it easy to scan and match.

• Group by category: Languages, Tools, Methods, Domain
• Keep it tight: prioritize role-relevant skills over “nice-to-haves”

7) Tailor lightly, not painfully

You don’t need 20 versions of your resume. Aim for 80/20 tailoring:

• Swap headline + summary
• Reorder skills
• Adjust 3–6 bullets to reflect the job’s priorities

Quick self-check before you hit “Apply”

• Can a stranger understand your impact in 15 seconds?
• Do you have numbers in at least 50% of your bullets?
• Does your resume include the job’s top keywords naturally?

What’s the one resume section you struggle with most—summary, bullet writing, or ATS-friendly formatting?