If you’re not getting any hits on your applications, it may be your resume working against you.
Most people aren’t bad at writing resumes. They’re just too close to their own experience.
That is, they are too involved with the details of their own work to effectively determine what is important to include and what is noise.
When someone sends me a resume they’ve written and formatted themselves, it’s usually clear they put real effort into it. The problem isn’t how much effort was used to make a resume, though. It’s if the resume is focused and if it aligns with the role being targeted.
Here are the things I fix most often:
1. Job duties instead of impact
DIY resumes tend to read like internal job descriptions with lots of “responsible for” and “assisted with,” very little about outcomes. I focus on results, scope, and decision-making. Even if you’re not sure what your impact really was in a role, I can find it.
2. Too much information, not enough clarity
People try to include everything they’ve ever done. The result is a dense document that hides the strongest points.
Unless you are applying for a coaching position, your employer isn’t going to care if you played football in high school. I strip it down so the right experience is obvious in the first few seconds.
3. Titles that undersell the role
Internal titles often don’t translate externally. For example, “Project Champion” may mean something to your internal world, but it doesn’t tell hiring managers or recruiters much.
I adjust language so it aligns with how roles are actually labeled in the market, without misrepresenting what you did in your previous role.
4. Weak opening sections
DIY resumes often start with vague summaries, generic objectives, or long introductions that repeat information that can be found in a cover letter or LinkedIn bio.
I replace lengthy career “summaries” or vague buzzwords with clear, targeted statements that quickly portray your value as an employee.
5. Formatting that is working against you
When someone sends me a DIY resume, I most often have to fix the formatting because it usually falls on one of two extremes (overly embellished or visually boring).
Resume formatting is tricky because, while we all want a document that looks polished and modern, those designs don’t always play well with applicant tracking systems (ATS). As you may know, most mid-large organizations use ATS to pre-sift through applicants.
These systems effectively support hiring managers but are known for sifting out qualified professionals who are screened out due to formatting, structure, or keyword mismatches rather than lack of experience.
To avoid this, I adjust spacing, organization, flow, and aesthetics so ATS can properly read the content, and recruiters and hiring managers can scan the document easily, while also ensuring your resume is clean, professional, and pleasant to view.
