Hiring teams often spend 6–10 seconds on a first scan—and many companies run resumes through an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) before a human ever sees them. The goal isn’t to “game” the system; it’s to make your value easy to parse for both software and recruiters.
A simple format wins more often than a fancy one.
Quick check: If you copy/paste your resume into a plain text editor and it becomes a mess, your ATS readability is at risk.
Keywords matter, but relevance matters more.
Tip: If a job asks for “SQL” and you write “data querying,” you might be missed. Use both when appropriate: “Built SQL queries for data analysis…”
Most resumes say what you did. Strong resumes prove what changed because of what you did.
Try this structure:
Examples:
No metrics? Use volume, frequency, speed, quality, or risk indicators:
Your Skills section should be a fast filter, not a vague list.
If you’re comfortable sharing (redact personal info), post one bullet point from your Experience section and the job description keyword you’re trying to align it to—let’s workshop it together.
What’s the hardest part for you: picking the right keywords, writing metrics, or formatting for ATS without losing personality?
This is a really strong, practical breakdown—especially the “proof + impact” framing. One extra angle that’s helped candidates keep *personality* with...
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