Resume Tips

I’ve reviewed 1,000+ LinkedIn profiles over the past 5 years. Here are 8 tips to turn your LinkedIn profile into a job-generating machine: 1. Upgrade Your Profile Picture Like it or not, your profile picture is your first impression. Make it a good one: - Upload your PP to Photofeeler .com - Analyze the feedback - Reshoot/edit your picture based on the data Repeat until your scores are good! 2. Leverage Keywords The right keywords help you show up in more searches. Here's how to find them: - Find 5+ job descriptions for target roles - Paste them all into ResyMatch.io's JD scanner - Save the top 15 skills Weave them into the rest of your profile! 3. Write A Killer Headline I like to use this headline formula: [Keywords] | [Skills] | [Results-Focused Value Proposition] Example for a data scientist: Data Scientist | Python, R, Tableau | I Help Hospitals Use Big Data To Reduce Readmission Rates By 37% 4. Write A Killer About A great About section has 3 parts: - A short paragraph that speaks to your job, years of experience, and value prop. - Five "case study" bullets that showcase specific results. - Your email w/ a CTA for people to connect with you. Include keywords! 5. Leverage Your Featured Section It’s hard to convey your value on a resume or in an About section. This is your chance to show people what you’ve done on your terms. Include things like: - Case studies of your work - Content you’ve created - Posts you’ve written 6. Skills Matter LinkedIn uses profile Skills sections to rank candidates. Here’s how to boost your rank: - Add every keyword from your ResyMatch scan - Choose the top 5 most relevant skills - Ask colleagues, friends, family, & classmates for endorsements (aim for 5) 7. Engage & Support Others Comments can generate tons of profile views! Here’s how: - Find 10+ thought leaders in your target space - Bookmark their post feed - Check their feeds daily - Leave a supportive, valuable comment on each new post Repeat for a minimum of 30 days 8. Create Content! Content is networking at scale. One post can reach more people than your entire connection base. It also allows you to showcase value in your own words, on your own terms. It can feel scary, but only 1% of people do it—and the returns are huge.

I've reviewed 2,000+ resumes this year. Avoid these mistakes that 90% make. 1. Generic Summaries ❌ "Motivated professional seeking opportunities to leverage my skills..." ✅ "Marketing Director who increased e-commerce revenue 47% through data-driven campaigns and strategic partnerships." 2. Missing Numbers ❌ "Led large team and improved sales." ✅ "Led 15-person sales team to deliver $3.2M in new business, exceeding targets by 28%." 3. Cluttered Formatting ❌ Tiny margins, dense paragraphs, and multiple fonts. ✅ Clean headers, consistent bullet points, and enough white space for easy scanning. 4. Outdated Information ❌ Listing your high school achievements and every job since college. ✅ Your most relevant accomplishments from the past 10-15 years that showcase your career progression. 5. RESPONSIBILITY LISTS ❌ "Responsible for managing client relationships and handling complaints." ✅ "Retained 98% of key accounts and turned 3 dissatisfied clients into top referral sources." 6. ATS-UNFRIENDLY DESIGN ❌ Creative formats with graphics, text boxes, and unique fonts. ✅ Clean, standard formatting with relevant keywords that match the job description. Your resume has 7 seconds to make an impression.  Use these tips to make them count. Share this to help others level up their resume! 📈 And follow me for more advice like this.

Over the last few years, I’ve switched jobs, given many interviews, and spent hundreds of hours optimizing my resume and profile. During this journey, I made plenty of mistakes that cost me time and opportunities. So today, I want to share these genuine mistakes—and more importantly, how you can avoid them: Applying Randomly & Everywhere: In the early stages, I thought applying to as many jobs as possible was the key. Big mistake! Quality always beats quantity. Lesson: Tailor each application to the job role. Research the company and make sure your resume aligns with their requirements. Ignoring LinkedIn & Online Presence: Initially, my LinkedIn profile was incomplete and poorly optimized. I underestimated the power of LinkedIn visibility. Lesson: Your online presence matters. A complete, active LinkedIn profile attracts opportunities you’d never find by traditional methods alone. Sending Generic Cold Messages: I used to send cold messages like "Hi, can you refer me?" which rarely received replies. Lesson: Craft a concise, clear message. Always include the specific role, job link/ID, your resume, and a short summary of your skills. Poor Resume Formatting: My resume had too many graphics, complicated formatting, and lacked the right keywords. This reduced my ATS compatibility. Lesson: Keep your resume simple, structured, and ATS-friendly. Use clear headings, bullet points, and keywords from the job description. Not Preparing for the "Tell Me About Yourself" Question: I used to treat this question lightly and gave long, vague answers. The interviewer would lose interest quickly. Lesson: Prepare a structured 1-minute summary focusing on your experience, skills, and how you match the job you're interviewing for. Underestimating the Job Description: I didn't closely analyze the job description and often missed key details required by employers. Lesson: Job descriptions are gold. Analyze them carefully and reflect their highlighted skills and requirements in your application and interviews. Overlooking Company Research: During interviews, I would have limited knowledge about the company's products or mission. This made my answers generic. Lesson: Always research the company’s recent activities, products, and news. It helps you answer questions meaningfully and shows genuine interest. Getting Demotivated by Rejections: Early rejections made me question my capabilities, negatively impacting future interviews. Lesson: Every rejection is a lesson. Ask for feedback, reflect, and improve. Rejection means redirection—not the end of the road. Negotiation Mistakes: I used to accept offers quickly without proper negotiation due to the fear of losing the offer. Lesson: Negotiate politely but confidently. Companies expect this. Always understand your market worth, and clearly communicate your value. Have you made similar mistakes or learned something valuable from your own job search? Share your experiences in the comments—let's help each other grow!

I’ve reviewed 500+ applications as a recruiter at Amazon, Microsoft, and TikTok. This is the kind of resume that gets rejected in 3 seconds. I'll break down why such resumes fail to create an impact and how you can avoid such mistakes. Problem 1: Too much, too soon Two degrees, 15+ courses, and 30+ tools listed - all in the top half. Recruiters don’t need a tech stack dump upfront. Instead: ➡️ Start with a skills summary tied to impact-driven achievements. ➡️ Highlight tools you’ve mastered, not dabbled in. Problem 2: Responsibilities ≠ results Worked with IT to maintain PC and network health. Okay... but how did it matter? Reduced downtime? Saved costs? Improved performance by X%? Instead: ➡️ Write impact-focused bullets — e.g., “Reduced network downtime by 35% through system upgrades.” Problem 3: Irrelevant experience Amazon Prime Shopper role at Whole Foods is listed in detail. Unless applying for retail or logistics, this distracts. Instead: ➡️ Group unrelated roles under a single “Other Experience” section. ➡️ Focus on transferable skills like teamwork, deadlines, or inventory handling — but keep it brief. Problem 4: Projects without purpose Projects sound impressive but lack outcomes. E.g., “Built an AI model to detect human emotion.” Questions recruiters ask: What accuracy did it achieve? Was it deployed? How did it solve a problem? Instead: ➡️ Add metrics — e.g., “Improved emotion detection accuracy by 20% and reduced processing time by 15%.” Here’s the hard truth: Most resumes don’t fail because candidates lack skills. They fail because they fail to communicate impact. If you're not receiving calls from recruiters despite applying to 100s of jobs, it could be due to your resume. Repost this if you found value. P.S. Follow me if you are an Indian job seeker in the U.S. I share insights on job search, interview prep, and more.

You’re busy, and so are HR professionals. Recruiters spend just 6 seconds looking at a CV, so it's important to make it count. Your CV is your first chance to impress, and it could be the deciding factor between landing an interview or getting rejected. A strong CV highlights your skills, achievements, and personal brand in a clear, strategic way. Here are 4 steps to improve your CV and boost your job search: 1. Understand What Recruiters Want: Recruiters like CVs that are clear and to the point. Make sure to tailor yours for each job, include relevant keywords, and show how your career has progressed. 2. Build Your Personal Brand and USP: Your personal brand is a mix of your skills, values, and personality, while your USP (Unique Selling Proposition) is what makes you valuable to an employer. Highlight these to make your CV stand out. 3. Use an Easy-to-Read Layout: A neat, organized CV is easier to read. Use headings, bullet points, and list your details in a clear order: contact info, summary, education, and work experience. Stick to a simple format and list jobs in reverse order (most recent first). 4. Highlight Achievements and Skills: Show what you've accomplished using specific examples. Use numbers when possible to show your impact. List your skills and certifications to prove you're the right person for the job. For more career tips, follow Smriti Gupta #JobSearch #ResumeTips #CareerAdvice #CVWriting #PersonalBranding

My first CV looked perfect — until it wasn’t. Fresh CA. Solid articleship. Good exposure. But I wasn’t getting interviews. It took me a while to realize the truth: My CV was a list of tasks — not a story of value. Here’s what I changed (and what actually started working): 1. Added impact over duties. “Assisted in audits” became “Worked on statutory audits of 5+ listed clients with minimal review notes.” 2. Cut the clichés. Removed things like “quick learner” and instead let my work speak — like managing tight deadlines during tax season or juggling multiple clients. 3. Kept it to one clean page. No fancy designs. Just clean formatting, bullet points, and consistency. 4. Tailored it for the role. For Credit Risk roles, I highlighted financial analysis, credit memo writing, and exposure to risk frameworks. 5. Got real feedback. I sent my draft to a senior and said, “Be brutally honest.” That feedback changed everything. Moral of the story: Your CV isn’t a report card. It’s a sales pitch. Make sure every line earns its place. If you’re working on your CV and want a second set of eyes — happy to help. #CVTips #ResumeWriting #CharteredAccountant

Advice for women in their 20s “Instagram is cute, but I need you to take LinkedIn seriously.” - Brandon Smithwrick 🧠 Invest in your professional presence. Optimize your LinkedIn profile. 1. Use a Professional Photo Importance: Profiles with photos get up to 21x more views. Action: Choose a recent, professional, and approachable photo. Pro Tip: Set your profile visibility to ‘Public’ to increase reach. 2. Create a Short Profile Post or Video Introducing Yourself Purpose: Introduce yourself in a post or 30-second video. Action: Be conversational, share your story, and highlight your expertise. 3. Craft a Headline That Shows Who You Are Opportunity: Showcase who you are, not just your job title. Action: Highlight your expertise, personality, and what you bring to the table. Pro Tip: Add name pronunciation and pronouns. 4. Turn on Creator Mode to Highlight Your Content Benefit: Access features like analytics, newsletters, and LinkedIn Live. Action: Turn on Creator Mode. 5. Feature Your Best Work in the Featured Section Use: Highlight important work, links, videos, and articles. Action: Select 2-3 pieces of content you are most proud of and showcase them in the Featured section. 6. Write a Compelling About Section Function: Your personal elevator pitch. Action: Summarize your mission, motivation, and skills in a few paragraphs or bullet points. Include key achievements and what drives you. 7. Detail Your Experience with Clear, Concise Achievements Content: Focus on your current role, projects, accomplishments, and impact. Action: Write about specific projects, results, and the value you brought to your roles. Use bullet points for clarity. Pro Tip: Pin work (e.g., videos, presentations) to each experience to showcase your work. 8. Post Valuable, Engaging Content Regularly Content: Share insights, tips, and stories that add value to your audience. Action: Post weekly, using a natural and conversational tone. Use 3-5 relevant hashtags. Pro Tip: Share leadership or career advice with personal stories to make it unique. 9. Engage with Your Network Authentically Engagement: Like, comment, and share posts from your connections. Action: Ask questions, join discussions, and provide thoughtful feedback to others' posts. 10. Build Meaningful Connections Networking: Connect with people in your industry, mentors, and peers. Action: Personalize connection requests and follow up with a message to start a conversation. Your network wants to support you. They want to refer you for jobs and recommend your business. Make it easy for them by having a strong LinkedIn presence. Don’t underestimate the power of LinkedIn in shaping your career. What advice do you have for women in their 20s? Please share in the comments ⬇️ If you found this helpful, follow Caitlyn Kumi and Miss EmpowHer for more personal and professional development content.

I'm a recruiter and hiring manager There is a huge trend I see that is ruining your first impression as an applicant Here's what it is: Generic professional summaries The typical professional summary I see will have the following: Results-driven Detail-oriented Great communicator Full of fluff and buzzwords The same boring professional summary Not noting anything specific to the job description Vague and overused language Here's a recent example from a candidate for a project manager role: Skilled project manager with a proven track record of success. Experienced in leading and managing complex projects from start to finish. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Ability to work independently and as part of a team. Seeking a challenging and rewarding project manager role where I can use my skills and experience to make a positive contribution. Yawn 🥱 You just ruined your chance at a great first impression I can tell you put zero effort into it Which means I'm going to put zero effort into reading the rest of your resume Want to catch my eye? 👀 Try this on for a professional summary formula -Use industry-specific keywords that showcase your soft/hard skills -Show quantitative results and measurable impact (it's okay if you list these in your bullet points in your resume later on, but bring them to my attention now) -Be specific, don't leave things open to interpretation -Tailor it to the job you are applying for (this takes less than 5 minutes) -Keep it at about 4 sentences maximum Here's how that candidate may do it differently: Project Manager with 10+ years of experience in the technology industry with a proven ability to lead and manage complex projects from start to finish. Expertise in Agile and Waterfall methodologies, as well as experience with various project management software. Oversaw implementation of a $600K e-commerce feature, achieving key milestones on time and under budget, resulting in a 27% increase in annual revenue. Aligned existing e-commerce framework with expansion initiatives, increasing site traffic by 30% and generating $200K+ in new revenue in just six months. Well, hello there...🔥🔥 Now you've got my attention This is a candidate I feel like I NEED to learn more about See the difference between the two? Your professional summary is your movie trailer Your appetizer or first bite into a meal How do you want people to feel about your meal or movie trailer? Do you want them feeling bored and unenthused? Or do you want them eager to learn and want more? If your average hiring manager is spending less than 10 seconds on your resume You need to make the best use of that time in the spotlight Follow this formula and you're guaranteed more callbacks P.S. I share more tips on points like this on a resume in my newsletter. Join the movement with 500 other job seekers Link: https://lnkd.in/g_-492fv

Sambil tengah cari kerja in corporate, ramai jugak yang amik kerja part time as a waiter kan? My cousins after degree, some of them weren't as lucky as others to get a job terus after internship. So diorang semua cari kerja as part-timer and diorang tanya akak, kerja yang mana will benefit them more? Retail ke F&B? Kalau akak, akak recommend F&B especially kalau kat restaurant. Letih memang letih, tapi kerja F&B lah yang paling berharga, kalau awak sejenis employee yang productive. Kerja dalam F&B, awak akan jumpa beribu-beribu orang yang lain perangai, lain pe'el. And this, works in your advantage. Dia bina apa? Your people skills + your resilience. Waiters deal with all sorts of manusia. Ada yang rude, ada yang terlalu banyak bercakap, ada yang tanya seratus soalan tapi last-last dia order air sirap limau je, ada yang umur 10 tahun tapi berlagak macam kedai ni atok dia punya, ada pulak yang umur 43 tahun tapi mengada-ngada. Waiters have seen it all. Waiters know how to listen, how to smooth over rough spots, and how to keep cool when things get crazy busy during peak hour especially lunchtime. Apa yang boleh ditulis kat resume awak instead of "Took orders to the kitchen. Sent food to table. Clean table."? "Effectively resolved customer complaints and addressed issues with tact and diplomacy, resulting in positive outcomes and customer satisfaction." "Developed active listening skills by understanding and addressing customers' needs and preferences promptly." "Increased ability to communicate effectively and empathise with customers from various backgrounds." "Managed multiple tasks simultaneously, such as taking orders, serving food, and processing payments, while maintaining accuracy and efficiency." Macam tu dik! Jadi waiter ke, kitchen assistant ke, customer service ke, you can use these to put in your resume. This shows yang you bukan waiter semata-mata, tapi sambil kerja tu, you sedang belajar and absorb very, very valuable skills yang - believe it or not - some orang corporate pun takde skills ni. Makanya, be proactive as you do your part-time job while looking for a corporate career. Semua yang kita lalui dalam hidup ni ada hikmahnya. Awak bukan waiter, awak problem-solver. Awak feeding hungry people. Awak satisfying customers. You are more than your title!

🔍 The resume tip no one tells you Most resumes are built like job descriptions. They tell you what someone was assigned to do… but not what actually changed because they did it. Here’s the mindset shift: ❌ “Responsible for building a dashboard in React” ✅ “Built a React dashboard used by 300+ engineers, reducing bug triage time by 35%” Adding impact + scope + numbers doesn’t just sound better. It shows you think like an owner. 🧠 Here’s why this matters: According to a 2023 ResumeGo study, recruiters spend an average of 6.25 seconds scanning a resume. And resumes with quantified results had over 40% higher callback rates. Your resume is your pitch deck. Lead with outcomes, use verbs that punch. And if you can’t measure it, describe the before/after. Think: “What happened because I was there?” “What would not have happened if I hadn’t done it?” ✨ Bonus tip: Write your resume as you go. Keep a running doc of wins, metrics, experiments, and quotes from teammates or managers. You’ll thank yourself later.