Hey everyone! Let’s help each other out—drop your best resume tips or favorite formatting hacks below so we can all level up our applications!
11 replies (most recent on top)
Is it wrong to use AI? I gave it a go last week and it's phenomenal! It will do your resume, cover letters and if you feed AI the Company and details of the job, it can align what you do with what they need, and help help w/interview questions. I was blown away.
Create an email just for applying so nothing gets overlooked and you don't have any age identifiers like grad year, birth year, etc.
Upload a copy of your resume to AI for optimization, then upload (anonymously) to Reddit for personalized human suggestions
Use the top sites/apps including LinkedIn, Indeed, Dice, Jobot, Builtin, Zip Recruiter, Monster, Glassdoor
Create a cover letter for apps that require it, otherwise don't bother
Make sure to apply to jobs within 48 hours of posting and use the weekend to apply to jobs posted on Thursdays and Fridays
Post to LinkedIn a couple times a week so your profile stays active and visible to recruiters.
Post your "Open to work" on LinkedIn but DO NOT use the standard template, use AI or type out your tops skills, desired positions, education, etc
Use an open smile photo on your profiles with a professional looking background. Create a LinkedIn banner in Canva to give your profile a stand out, yet professional look. Again, AI is an option
I do not like AI but since corporations are using it to review, interview, deny apps, we should at least use it to level the playing field.
Save copy of resume on computer so you can always update it accordingly, instead of rewriting it every time.
@a2 The problem with that is a lot of online application forms require you to not only put the year but also the exact date. Same goes for employment dates, etc. They have it sort of tied up in a nice bow so they can get some idea as to how old you are.
@ah only the last 10-12 years.
@a2 Thanks for the tip. What about the years you’ve worked in different roles? I’m sure that would give a hint to your age.
@a5 thank you.
Use your favorite AI tool and start with your best manual effort to start. Add something in there to personalize it as well as this is just a start.
Here’s a prompt:
“Act as an executive recruiter, hiring manager, ATS parser, career coach, and professional resume writer. Review my resume from each perspective. [Add something about the role or job type you want and anything else worth mentioning].
Identify:
- Weak or generic accomplishment statements
- Bullets that tell instead of show impact
- Missing metrics or business outcomes
- ATS compatibility issues (keywords, section headings, formatting)
- Red flags such as outdated technology, unnecessary dates, or irrelevant experience
- Repeated or redundant language
- Skills that should be emphasized or removed
- Formatting issues that reduce readability in both ATS systems and for humans
- Opportunities to better tailor the resume to the target role
Rewrite only what needs improvement while preserving my voice and never inventing accomplishments or metrics. Explain every recommended change and why it increases the likelihood of getting an interview. Then give the resume an overall score (ATS, recruiter appeal, hiring manager appeal, clarity, and impact) along with the five highest-value improvements I should make first.”
I treat AI as an editor, not an author. It catches things I’d never think to look for. With each role, you’ll need to apply small tweaks to suit… it’s a hassle, but will be worth it.
Do you use word document to write resume or a template?
A recruiter once told me to always tailor each resume according to job description by adding in required skills , experience etc. fake it till you make it
If you have a degree remove the year. Nobody needs to know/guess your age from that especially if you're older.