Why “good” resumes get rejected

Even strong candidates get filtered out because their resume isn’t ATS-friendly, is hard to scan, or doesn’t match the role’s language. The goal isn’t to game the system—it’s to make your value easy to find for both software and humans.

10 practical tweaks you can apply today

1) Lead with a clear, keyword-aware summary

Use 2–4 lines at the top that mirror the job description’s themes.

• Include your role + years of experience + niche
• Add 2–3 specialty keywords (tools, domains, methodologies)

2) Put the right keywords in the right places

ATS cares about context, not just repetition.

• Skills should appear in Skills and within Experience bullets
• Match exact phrasing when it’s reasonable (e.g., “stakeholder management,” “SQL,” “GTM strategy”)

3) Replace “responsible for” with impact verbs

Start bullets with strong verbs: Delivered, Improved, Reduced, Automated, Led, Built, Launched.

4) Use the “X-Y-Z” bullet formula

A high-performing bullet often includes:

• X: what you did
• Y: how you did it (tool/skill)
• Z: the outcome (metric/result)

Example: Reduced onboarding time by 25% by redesigning workflows in Jira/Confluence and partnering with Customer Success.

5) Quantify results (even if you don’t have perfect data)

Hiring teams love numbers. If needed, estimate carefully:

• Time saved, revenue influenced, defect reduction, cycle time, CSAT/NPS, volume handled

6) Keep formatting ATS-safe

Avoid designs that break parsing:

• No text boxes, columns, icons, or graphics-heavy templates
• Stick to standard headings: Summary, Experience, Skills, Education
• Use a simple font and consistent spacing

7) Make your Skills section scannable

Use a clean list, not paragraphs. Consider grouping:

• Tools: …
• Methods: …
• Domain: …

8) Prioritize relevance over chronology

Your most relevant bullets should be top 2–3 under each role.

• Trim older roles to 1–2 bullets if they’re not aligned

9) Add a “Tech/Tools” line per role (when appropriate)

This helps both ATS and skimmers:

• Tech: Python, SQL, Tableau, AWS (only what you actually used)

10) Tailor lightly, not endlessly

You don’t need 50 resumes—just a strong base plus targeted edits:

• Swap 5–10 keywords
• Rewrite 2–4 bullets to match the job’s priorities

Quick self-check (30 seconds)

• Can someone understand your target role in 5 seconds?
• Do your top bullets show outcomes?
• Do your headings and formatting parse cleanly?

What’s the one part of your resume you struggle with most—summary, keywords, or translating duties into measurable impact?