TCW #011 | Debugging your Resume

If you're not getting called back on at least one in nine job applications, the problem is your resume. 5 common resume issues (and how to fix them).

Getting your resume right can boost your job search results 2x-3x overnight.

A bad resume impacts not just the speed of your job search but also your negotiation potential, future scope, title, and career trajectory.

Today’s post summarizes what I’ve learned over 10+ years as a tech hiring manager and 3+ years as a coach rewriting resumes for tech job seekers.

I cover foundational tips on how job posts and applicant tracking systems actually work, plus how to fix these five common resume pitfalls to boost your callback rates:

• No ATS optimization (or incorrect optimization)

• Missing key sections (that humans are looking for)

• Non-skimmable (wall-to-wall text, no whitespace, long sentences, misuse of bullets, and more)

• Lacking a clear relationship to the role being applied for

• Lacking cohesiveness (who is this person? what are they aiming for in their career?)

We’ll cover:

• Resume formatting best practices (font recommendations, font size, colors, page lengths, column formats, hyperlink inclusion, and more)

• Readability standards (white space and margin settings, how much space to leave between lines, sections, and bullets)

• The seven header sections (what to call them and what order to put them in)

• How to write a professional objective (and where to put it)

• When, how, and where to inject a Career Highlights section

• How to format your experiences (with multiple visuals and examples you can pirate)

• Writing zingy accomplishment bullets (extracting metrics, claiming your work, evocative verbs, and dozens of illuminating examples)

• Education, certifications, and extras (what to write, dealing with exceptions like dates, global universities, and more)

• Formatting your skills section (best practices, plus multiple examples you can steal and use).

Let’s dive in ↓