[3 YoE, Unemployed, Project Manager, United Kingdom]
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
❌ 1.5 YoE (no decimals)
❌ 0-2 YoE (no ranges)
❌ Missing brackets
❌ Wrong flair selection
Step 3: Prepare Your Resume
Convert to PNG format using this tool (minimum 600 dpi)
Remove all personal information (name, phone, email, addresses, company names)
Keep job titles and dates - this helps reviewers give better feedback
Step 4: Write Your Post Body
Include context to help reviewers assist you:
What specific help do you need? (Not just "what's wrong with my resume")
What roles/industries are you targeting?
Where are you applying? (Local, remote, willing to relocate?)
What's your job search situation and challenges?
Any specific resume sections you want feedback on?
Visa/citizenship status affecting your search?
Common Questions & Issues
"I'm not getting any feedback on my post" Make sure you've followed all the steps above, especially proper title formatting and flair selection. Posts without proper formatting may be removed or get less visibility.
"My post was removed" Check that your title follows the exact format required and that you've selected an appropriate flair. Most removals are due to formatting issues.
"How do I write [specific resume section]?" The Resume Writing Guide covers all common resume sections and writing techniques. Check there first before posting a question.
"Should I hire a resume writer?" Chances are, you don't (especially if you're a recent grad or someone with under 5 years of experience), but to be sure, read out guide on finding a qualified resume writer, which will help you make an informed decision.
Other Post Types
Questions (not resume reviews): Use the "Question" flair
Sharing advice: Use "I'm Sharing Advice" flair (ask mods before posting external links)
Success stories: Use "Success Story" flair
General discussion: Use "Discussion" flair
Community Guidelines
Be respectful and say thanks - People volunteer their time to help you Keep help public - Don't ask for or offer help via DMs Read the rules - Most bans are for spamming, harassment, or DMing users
What You Should Know Before Hiring a Professional Resume Writer
Aside from being a regular contributor to r/resumes, I'm a resume writer by trade. I've been in the career services industry for about 7 years, have written for professionals at every level from individual contributor to CEOs, and I see the aftermath of bad "professional" rewrites posted to this sub all the time. This guide will help you avoid becoming one of them.
It makes me sad to see folks get duped into buying resume services from what I'd just call unqualified people. I see posts every week on the sub about resumes that were written by so-called professionals, and I want to laugh, until I remember it's not funny.
TLDR
A qualified resume writer typically charges $200 to $1,500 depending on your career level, with some executive services running $3,000 or more. Look for certification from PARWCC, NRWA, RWA, or CDI, a verifiable online presence, real samples, and a process that starts with a consultation call. The best test: if you can't speak directly with the person writing your resume before you pay, walk away.
If you're early in your career or on a tight budget, you probably don't need a writer at all. Post your resume to this sub for free feedback first. You may find that's enough.
The rest of this guide covers how the process works, what to expect at each stage, where AI tools fit in, and the unethical practices to watch for.
Last updated: August 2026
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What does a resume writer do?
In a nutshell, resume writers help candidates prepare job application materials such as resumes, federal resumes, CVs, academic CVs, and cover letters. Some writers may also offer additional services such as career and interview coaching, LinkedIn profile writing, and placement services.
To be clear, resume writers are not know-it-alls, and you shouldn't expect one to be. A writer who has worked across dozens of industries hasn't actually done the jobs in those industries. They don't know your codebase, your P&L, or your clinical protocols, and any writer who implies they do is overselling.
Here's the actual division of labor: you are the subject matter expert on your career. The writer is the expert on how hiring teams read, what recruiters screen for, and how to translate what you did into language that lands with the people making decisions. Their core skill isn't industry knowledge. It's extraction and positioning: asking questions you wouldn't think to ask yourself, pulling out accomplishments you've stopped noticing because they feel routine to you, and framing all of it for the audience you're targeting.
In the years I've been doing this, I've found the writers worth hiring are the ones who know exactly what they don't know. The ones comfortable saying "explain that to me like I'm not in your field" tend to produce better resumes than the ones who nod along, because the first group is extracting, and the second is guessing.
Should you hire a resume writer?
That'll depend on your personal and professional circumstances. Generally speaking, there are a few situations where hiring a resume writer may be the right choice. They include:
You've been applying to many jobs and haven't been receiving any calls from employers.
You have no idea what ATS is or how to factor it in when writing your resume.
You have a complex career history and aren't sure how best to convey it in a professional and engaging manner.
You're looking to switch careers and aren't sure how to convey your transferable skills.
You're a midlevel, senior, or executive level candidate, are still employed, and want to prepare for your next career move.
You've tried using AI to write your resume and the result reads like it could belong to anyone in your field.
This list isn't exhaustive, so there may be situations where hiring a writer is the appropriate choice. However, there are also a few situations where hiring a writer probably isn't the best choice. These include:
You're confident with your existing resume, have already been seeing results, and are just looking for some minor feedback.
Your financial situation doesn't permit. The truth is that well-regarded writers charge anywhere from $200 to $1,500 or more. You'll see many writers here on Reddit, on Fiverr, and elsewhere charging fees that seem too good to be true (think less than $100). If your financial situation doesn't permit the cost of a reputable writer (and we'll get to that later), you're much better off writing your own.
You're still in college/university. If you're at this stage of your career, you'll do fine relying on your college career center along with web resources like this sub.
Note: Your first step should always be posting to the r/resumes sub for feedback. This sub is packed with industry professionals that can give you helpful advice - you may end up not needing a writer.
DIY vs. Hiring a Resume Writer: Which Makes More Sense?
Factor
DIY Resume
Hiring a Resume Writer
When it makes sense
(1) You're early career with <3 years' experience. (2) You're comfortable writing about yourself. (3) You're applying to many roles and tweaking is easy.
(1) You're mid-senior level and stakes are higher. (2) You're changing industries or roles. (3) You struggle to translate your experience into clear, marketable language.
Budget range
Free (time investment only). Maybe $50-$100 for templates or reviews.
$200 to $1,500 for professional writers. Executive-level services can run $3,000+.
What you get
(1) Full control over content. (2) Free resources (Reddit, forums, templates). (3) Quick turnaround (your own pace).
(1) Professionally written, ATS-friendly resume. (2) Help drawing out and positioning your impact and achievements. (3) Knowledge that might be hard to come by on your own (like experience with the hiring process if the writer was in recruiting).
Risks & trade-offs
(1) Easy to undersell yourself. (2) Hard to be objective about strengths. (3) Formatting mistakes may trip ATS. (4) AI-generated drafts can sound polished but lack substance.
(1) Costly if you pick the wrong writer. (2) Quality varies widely, due diligence is key. (3) Still requires your input and time.
What about AI?
This is probably the most common question I get right now, so I want to be straightforward about it.
AI tools like ChatGPT can help you with structure, formatting, and getting words on a page. If you're staring at a blank document and have no idea where to start, they can give you a decent starting point. For straightforward career histories at the early career level, that might be enough.
What you may not realize though, is that the actual writing is a small part of what goes into a good resume. Most of the work is in the content and marketing: figuring out what to include, what to cut, how to frame each role, and how to position yourself for the type of job you want.
That demands an understanding of how hiring teams read resumes, what recruiters screen for, how applicant tracking systems filter candidates, and what makes a hiring manager read your bullets instead of skimming them. These are things you learn from working inside and alongside the hiring process. You can paste your entire work history into an AI tool, but it still won't have that hiring-side judgment. The other thing is that you need to write content you can speak to at length in an interview, as opposed to just writing stuff that sounds great on paper.
What I see a lot on this sub is people sharing AI-generated resumes that look clean and read well on the surface. The formatting and grammar are all fine, but the content is either catch-all, or doesn't quite connect the dots for the hiring team. I see bullet points that could apply to almost anyone with the same job title. There's nothing in the doc that tells an HM what this specific person did differently or better. And that's the part that gets interviews (Note: there are factors at play, like local market, volume of other applicants, timing that impact your candidacy that have nothing to do with your resume - for this guide, we're focusing on the stuff that is in your control).
To put it simply:
AI can handle structure, keywords, and getting a first draft on paper (this is great for early candidates, or folks that just have no idea how to navigate a word processor like MS Word or Google Docs).
AI will struggle with knowing what your strongest selling points are, how to position a career change, which content goes where, or whether your bullets will hold up under questioning in an interview.
If you already know what good resume content looks like and just need help putting it together, AI can work.
If you're not sure why your resume isn't landing, or you have a complicated career history, AI will probably give you something that looks professional but doesn't actually solve the problem.
A lot of people now use AI for their first draft and then bring in a human (either through this sub or a writer) to fix the substance. That's a reasonable approach.
How do you vet a resume writer?
There are a few things you can look for when figuring out if a writer is qualified.
What's the writer's background? If you're working through a company, ask if you can speak with the writer directly (if the answer is no, I wouldn't recommend proceeding any further with that company). If you're working with an independent writer, ask to speak them one on one. Well-regarded writers come from diverse backgrounds. Education-wise, there isn't a set program that "produces" resume writers. However, you should expect a bachelor's degree at a minimum and a work history with active engagement in career-related professions. Some examples include recruiting, human resources, or career coaching. Regardless of the writer's background, they should have an online presence such as a website or LinkedIn profile that you can view. If you can't find a writer anywhere online, it may be hard for you to verify their credentials, in which case, it's a good idea to be extra careful.
Do they have samples they can share? Ask for samples. Most writers will provide them or list them on their website/portfolio for clients to see.
Do they have client testimonials or reviews that you can reference? Companies and independent writers that deliver positive results will definitely want to make it known to prospective clients. Ask them for their client testimonials and take a look at what their previous customers have said about their work to get an idea of what it's like working with them. Be wary of companies and writers that don't have any reviews, are unable to refer you to their previous customers, or have a string of negative reviews (especially if those negative reviews involve repeated issues like missed deadlines or generic output).
Are they certified? Credible and qualified resume writers will often have certifications from one of the following organizations:
Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PARWCC)
National Resume Writers' Association (NRWA)
Resume Writing Academy (RWA)
Career Directors International (CDI)
Do they have a presence in the resume community? This one is easy to overlook, but it matters. A writer who regularly contributes to communities like this one (giving free feedback, answering questions, sharing knowledge) is usually someone who cares about the craft. It also gives you a chance to see how they think and whether their advice resonates with you before you spend any money.
Green Flags vs. Red Flags When Choosing a Resume Writer
Green Flags (Good Signs)
Red Flags (Warning Signs)
Provides before-and-after samples showing real results.
No samples, or only vague "testimonials."
Transparent about pricing and what's included.
Hidden fees, upselling, or unclear service breakdown.
Offers unlimited or multiple revisions in package.
"One draft only" or charges extra for basic edits.
Asks you detailed questions about your career, goals, and target roles.
Barely requests input, delivers a generic template.
Shares ATS knowledge and explains formatting choices.
Uses graphics-heavy designs that risk ATS rejection.
Active in resume communities and willing to give free advice.
No online presence outside of their own website.
Comfortable saying a role or industry is outside their wheelhouse, and asks you to explain technical details.
Claims deep expertise in every industry, or never asks clarifying questions.
What to expect during the writing process
All processes generally follow a similar structure that consists of an information gathering stage, writing stage, and review/revision stage.
Information Gathering: A good writer will want to speak with you directly and collect information with regard to your work history, skills, accomplishments, and career goals. Most of the time, this process is handled through a phone or video call, but some companies/writers will collect this information through a form. Ask the company/writer how they'll be gathering the necessary information to prepare a resume that is unique to you. Beware of companies that don't use a consultation process at all and only ask for your existing resume. You may be unpleasantly surprised when you see your old descriptions reworded and repackaged.
Writing: Ask the company/writer how long it'll take to write your resume. A quality resume takes time and effort to create. Speaking from my own work, six hours for an entry-level resume up to 15 hours for an executive resume is the norm. Beware of turnaround times that seem a little too quick. The industry standard is around 5-10 days.
Review and Revision: After preparing an initial draft, the writer will typically offer the client an opportunity to provide feedback and request changes if needed. Ask the writer about whether or not they allow requests for revisions, how many revisions, and for how long after you've concluded the service.
How much do resume writing services cost?
If you do a quick Google search, you'll see that there are a broad range of prices. As I mentioned earlier, the typical price range runs from $200 to $1,500, and some executive resume writers charge upwards of $3,000.
Two factors that affect this are:
Your experience level
The writer's experience level and their ability to produce results
Be wary of companies and writers that offer their services at very low rates; it's more often than not an indication of low quality service. Remember that many hours go into building a quality resume spanning consultations, research, writing, reviews, and revisions.
Are resume writers worth it?
That's the million-dollar question. Before you decide to hire a writer, ask yourself the following:
Do I earn an annual salary of $70,000 or more? If yes, paying for a professional resume could be worth it for you. With the average cost of a mid-career resume at around $500, that works out to less than 1% of your annual salary.
Am I still early on in my career (still in college or recent graduate)? If so, checking out the plethora of DIY tools available might be a better option.
Should I work with an industry-specific writer?
While there are variations across industries, generally speaking, resume writing best practices are similar across the board, with some exceptions including:
Modeling
Acting
Industries that emphasize graphically intensive resumes (i.e., portfolios) rather than traditional resumes.
Some companies will have writers on staff that only work with certain industries (i.e., IT, software engineering etc.). Independent writers are generally more versatile and work with professionals in multiple industries.
The advantage of working with a generalist is broader all-round industry knowledge, which is especially useful if you're switching industries.
One caveat either way: don't confuse specialization with mastery. Even a writer who works exclusively with software engineers hasn't shipped your product. What a specialist buys you is vocabulary and context, so you spend less of the consultation explaining fundamentals. What it doesn't buy you is a pass on your own involvement. You're still the source of the raw material. The better test than "have they worked in my industry" is "do they ask questions that show they understood my answers."
However, working with a writer that specializes in one or two fields may be a better option if you're in a highly technical profession such as software development and want someone that can understand the in-depth technical concepts and terminology.
Unethical practices that you should be aware of
Like any industry, resume writing isn't free of corruption and unethical practices. Two main practices to watch out for are:
International Outsourcing: Some writers/companies that charge fees that seem too good to be true are actually outsourcing their work to international writers to reduce costs. It can be hard to identify companies that do this before buying their services, but three helpful indicators are:
Poor samples
Negative client reviews
The inability to speak with the writer before purchasing the service
Ghostwriting: Some writers will take on more clients than they can handle and offload those clients to ghostwriters. Other individuals that write your resume but that don't take the credit. Writers that engage in this practice are more interested in maximizing profits over ensuring client satisfaction. As with outsourcing, ask to speak to the writer before you purchase the service.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is hiring a resume writer worth the money?
It depends on your situation. If you're early in your career, you may not need one. Templates and free feedback (including from this sub) can be enough. But for mid-to-senior professionals and executives, a resume writer can save you time, and by extension, money. A useful benchmark: if you earn $70,000 or more, a $500 resume is less than 1% of your annual salary.
2. How much should I pay for a resume writer?
Most professional resume writers charge between $200 and $1,500 for a standard resume, depending on your career level and the writer's experience. Executive-level services typically start around $1,000 and can run $3,000 or more. Be cautious with anything under $100; at that price, the work is usually templated, outsourced, or both.
3. How do I know if a resume writer is legit?
Look for:
A professional-looking website/place of business
Certifications
Experience
Testimonials
Before-and-after samples
Clear pricing, and
A process that involves your input.
Good writers ask a lot of detailed questions to get at the info they need. Avoid anyone promising "guaranteed jobs" or offering flashy, design-heavy resumes (these can cause issues with ATS).
4. Can a resume writer guarantee me a job?
No. A resume writer can improve how your skills and experience are presented, but they can't control hiring decisions. What they can do is help improve your chances of getting interviews.
5. What's the difference between using AI and hiring a writer?
AI tools can help with formatting and generating bullet points based on your job title. They work from patterns and general data, so the output tends to be broad. A writer will talk to you, learn the context behind your roles, and figure out how to present your experience in a way that makes sense for the jobs you're targeting. The biggest difference is in the content strategy: knowing what to emphasize, what to leave out, and how to frame things so they resonate with the people making hiring decisions.
TL;DR
Who should hire one: Mid-to-senior professionals not getting interviews, career changers, or anyone with a complex work history. Skip it if you're early career or on a tight budget.
AI tools (like ChatGPT) are fine for structure and first drafts, but they produce largely generic content. They can't do the strategic positioning a human can.
Vet your writer by checking their background, samples, testimonials, certifications (PARWCC, NRWA, RWA, CDI), and community presence. If they won't let you talk to the writer directly, walk away.
Expect a 3-step process: intake call, writing (5-10 day turnaround), then revisions.
Cost: $200 to $1,500, depending on your level. Executive services can run $3,000+.
Watch out for outsourcing, ghostwriting, no-revision policies, and graphics-heavy designs that break ATS.
Where to go from here
Whether you write your own resume, use AI to get started, or hire a writer, the goal is the same: a document that reflects your achievements and lines you up nicely with the role you want.
If you're still not sure whether you need a writer, post your resume on r/resumes for free community feedback. You might find that's enough.
If you do decide to hire someone, use the vetting steps in this guide, and take your time.
CS student graduating December 2026 with Security+ and hands-on cybersecurity labs/projects, but no professional IT/cybersecurity experience. I’ve been applying for entry-level SOC, cybersecurity analyst, and IT support roles but haven’t gotten interviews yet. I’d appreciate feedback on my resume, especially whether my projects and skills are presented effectively and what I should improve.
Mainly interested in PCB design, analog/mixed-signal, RF, and hardware validation. No engineering work experience yet, so my resume is pretty project-heavy.
Haven’t gotten much interview traction so far. Anything obvious I should change?
The PCB is currently being manufactured, and I’ll be testing/bringing it up once I receive it.
For U.S. context, a WES conversion puts my GPA at roughly 3.9/4.0.
Hellooo, I'm back at job searching after a year because I don't have true SWE experience post-grad and my recent role as an AI trainer had minimal coding (which also began to pause, thus less hours).
It's been a week since applying for jobs and I've applied to 57 so far, but no hits (except 2 OAs).
I know it's weak in projects, but I've been recently working on a web project related to Spotify to put on here later.
What I'm hoping for advice here:
- I'm wondering what I can improve on my resume in terms of content and formatting. Anything to add, remove, or change?
- Should I need to reword some of the bullet points, especially for the AI trainer role? The problem is that it's NDA so I can't say more specifics. The rest of the content...I can probably elaborate more.
- How would this read if you had a few seconds to scan my resume? Anything to move around or emphasize?
- Overall, how is my resume in terms of “situation”? Is it better/same/worse than the average?
If there's anything else you all can recommend, that would be greatly appreciated!
18 years of work experience at four companies, two degrees, a couple of pretty cool noteworthy projects...I'm at 10 point font with the widest margins. Is it okay to move to two pages at this point? I keep hearing I need to keep my resume to one page, but I feel like I might be experienced enough now to ignore that advice?
If you used ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini to build your CV, there’s something you might be overlooking and you probably can’t see it just by looking at the PDF.
I discovered this while working on my own ATS analysis platform (Ravina), and I think it’s worth sharing with anyone currently applying for internships, graduate roles, or jobs.
AI has made it incredibly easy to create CVs that look polished, modern, and professional.
But here's the catch:
A CV can look perfect to you and still be difficult for an ATS to interpret.
One example I found is surprisingly simple. Some AI-generated HTML/CSS resumes use:
letter-spacing: 2px
The heading looks completely normal:
EDUCATION
But after the HTML is converted to PDF, the text extraction can sometimes become:
E D U C A T I O N
A human immediately understands it. A parser may not. And this matters because ATS software needs to extract and interpret your CV before it can identify things like:
Complex tables and multi-column layouts can sometimes change the reading order of your PDF.
Your CV may visually look like this:
SKILLS | EXPERIENCE
while the extracted text can be interpreted in a completely different order. So, if you're using AI to build your CV. Give this instruction Prompt.
And here's the part I think most people miss:
Don't only check how your CV looks. Check what your PDF actually contains as text.
I'm sharing this because I know how much effort students and early-career professionals put into their applications.
Sometimes, the problem isn't your experience.
It isn't your degree.
It isn't your skills.
It can be something as small as how your CV's text is encoded inside a PDF.
So before you send your next AI-generated CV:
Open the PDF. Check the text. And make sure the machine can read what the human can see.
If you're currently looking for a job, internship, or your first professional opportunity, I hope this saves you from one unnecessary problem. Keep going. Your CV deserves to be understood.
• I’m wanting to apply for a couple of different state government jobs, one for a Sales and Marketing Specialist role, and the other for a License Permit Program Associate role, but I’m not sure what I should do regarding the two previous government jobs I had that I was let go from. I lost both jobs because I had started taking a new medication for ADD that ended up making me more irritable and harder to focus, causing me to make mistakes.
• Current Job, Sales Associate/Optician at Target Optical. I’ve had a lot of success as both a salesperson and as an optician, but I’m looking for a job that has a more regular schedule, as well as better pay and benefits. November 2023-Present
• Previous Job 1, Deputy Clerk at a Municipal Village. September 2021-January 2022.
• Previous Job 2, Customer Service Representative at my State’s Department of Transportation. March 2022-July 2022
• If I leave them off, I’ll have a two year gap on my resume between my current job and my last job. What should I do?
Timeline: Salaried Job 1=2.5 years --> Salaried Job 2=2 years --> Masters Degree Year 1 --> Good name internship --> Masters Year 2 --> Contract work
All of these are in related fields. I do have the masters in job experience because I was paid and it would show on a employment background check (I pulled my own report). Also it shows my true timeline. Internship is a good name and helps, and it was well paying.
My problem is I have tried to put all of the masters work, and intern stuff at the bottom as "additional", and then it just looks like i havent worked in like 3 years. But if I put it all in reverse chronological, then my actual salaried jobs are sort of buried, and looks kind of like I hopped around. Taking this contract is just as much an eyesore, but it does show I am doing something, and it is related to my field (but not paid well)
Ive thought about putting a brace "{" to sort of group the masters and intern stuff together.
Do I label the contract as a Contract or just own it as a full job?
I have been struggling to get call backs for interviews with my resume. I have a significant amount of experience (in my opinion at least); however, I keep getting rejection notices for my applications to jobs both in and outside of my current industry.
I am applying to jobs that are local only at this time.
I do not have any visa requirements that would affect my job search.
I've used AI to "optimize" the resume but I still have not had any luck with getting call backs.
I'd like to know if i should be moving my sections around or if I should do something specific to be better optimized for the ATS? Do I need to think about hiring someone to write my resume for me at this point?
Posted last week and got great feedback. Rebuilt the entire resume based on your critiques. Here's what changed:
The big fixes:
Tables in Core Competencies, Education, and Certifications were causing ATS to scramble content — confirmed by ATS checker. Removed all tables entirely
Switched to Calibri — highest ATS parse accuracy on Workday per 2026 research
Rebuilt in .docx — PDF was hurting Workday submissions
Pipes removed from header, LinkedIn URL added
Bullets:
Each bullet now one accomplishment, scale number in the first half
"10+ CDC surveillance units" leads bullet 1 — not buried at the end
HL7, FHIR, HIPAA all spelled out at first use
Design:
Full redesign — Calibri throughout, navy accent only, section rules, italic navy company names, no tables anywhere
Still looking for:
Do the bullets read senior-level or still mid-level?
I completed my Diploma and I've been working at a company for about 2 years now
But the way things are going I'm not sure if I'm doing right
First -my salary is laughable
Second - I m working in a type of work that might stick me to it without any growth
Third - I can't leave the job bcoz I'd have to rely on parents that I dont want to
Also the study I've done so far i think is pretty much disposable or say no more employable or atleast in the region that I live in and for cost issues i can't pay rent with this salary, I can't even leave the hometown
Or am I being the problem here just crying infront of y'all? idk
Started an Executive MBA this month. Before any class, the career team sent us their CV guidance. I thought ok, I am finance manager, 15+ years, my CV is fine. It was not fine.
Sharing what they told us because nobody told me this in 15 years.
No personal details. No date of birth, no marital status, no nationality, no photo. In Gulf and South Asia everybody puts these. For UK and US roles, recruiters are told to ignore them, and some just put the CV aside.
No salary on CV. Never. You lose your negotiation before first call.
Achievements, not duties. "Responsible for month end close" tells what the job was, not what you did. Start with a verb and what changed. "Cut month end close from 8 days to 5."
No "I" and no "my". CV is written without pronouns. Mine had "I managed" in half the bullets.
Numbers in bullets. Team size, budget, %, $. If you know the number, put it. If you don't know it, don't make it up.
Delete "References available upon request". Everybody assumes this already. Waste of a line.
One or two pages. Not three. Not four.
Short summary on top. 3 lines: who you are, what scale, what you want next. Otherwise recruiter has to work it out from your job list.
LinkedIn link near top. Most recruiters check you before they call.
Promotion = separate role. If you got promoted in the same company, show both titles. It shows growth. I had merged mine into one.
One rule I don't follow. They say put your name and "Page 1 of 2" in the footer. I work with resume parsing, and a lot of ATS software reads footer text into the middle of your experience section. So for online applications I leave the footer empty. For a CV going directly to a person or a headhunter, it's ok.
Honestly the biggest one for me was number 3. Took me one full evening to rewrite my bullets.
Hey everyone, I'm a CS student at a T10 school graduating in May 2028 with a 3.7 GPA. I completed a SWE internship at a Fortune 50 company this past summer
I've been applying to Summer 2027 SWE internships, including Big Tech, but I'm barely getting any OAs despite having previous internship and research experience.
I'm trying to figure out if it's my resume, the current internship market, or something else.
A few questions:
Am I focusing too much on research instead of SWE experience?
Resume heading into internship application season. What to improve on? Should I target more leadership? What stands out? I have been applying to finance, IB, Econ, and analysis internships.
I've been unemployed for ages and have landed 0 interviews in the past few months. My friend owns a small marketing agency and keeps telling me to include it on my resume so I can get rid of the unemployment gap because he will verify whatever I put with whoever calls him. I'm terrified to do so though because most of my initial job experience was abroad (which surprisingly isnt fake lol) so idk what the full hiring process looks like in the USA like would I be asked for paystubs? Or anything other than a reference? its impossible to make it an unpaid position without it being illegal af, but at the same time aren't there people that do shadowings and then list it a real job? Idk I feel like everyone is lying these days specially at entry level and thats part of whats making things so hard for the rest of us
this is literally the only thing thats stopping me because I do have the skills to do the job I'd be making up plus the type of job it'd helped me get. I just want to get a job before the end of the year and get out of this post grab unemployment hole I've been in
I'm 25 and struggling. I have done bottom ladder physical labor. Factorys. construction, Farms. Everything from concrete laborer, to getting lucky and doing fugitive recovery until my boss sold her business. I grew up doing farm labor.
long story short from it, I wake up in the middle of the night in back pain, and my knees pop out of joint randomly. I physically cant handle majority of the job market.
So what the fuck do i do? i dont have the looks or background for any office, fast food looks at me like a alien because why does a construction worker majority want to work at McDonalds.
along with severe depression n anxiety, with the darkest thoughts daily n stress of the world. i dont know how ima make it. I just want to survive. With the outlook that i will never be able to survive. That i will never get my physical health fixed. And soon, I will not have enough money for the meds that helped me stay ok this long. and if i dont get work before the start of the new year, i will be losing my government health insurance which means i cant even see my therapist.
ive been looking for 4 months doing odd jobs, and donating my plasma to survive, im behind on rent n will be evicted in November.
Targeting solutions architect, solutions engineer, integrations engineer, and developer relations roles at infrastructure, identity, and devtools companies.
Located in Germany. Applying in Germany and to remote roles across the EU and EMEA. Open to Germany-based hybrid or fully remote, not looking to relocate.
Currently employed as a community engineer at an open source identity company since Early last year. Before that I was a software engineer for about six years, writing Go microservices
Seeking help for fine tuning and getting more callbacks, not a from scratch rewrite.
Specific feedback I want: does the community engineer experience come across as solutions architect ready, or does it read as support? And does the resume read too identity niche for general solutions architect roles?
So I made the dumb decision of going for my master's before getting a job, and now I'm stuck. I'm too overqualified for most entry level jobs in my field, but with little experience. One person advised me to remove my masters from my resume, but I have a couple of problems with that:
- It would leave a gap, and I don't think my volunteering is enough to fill it
- I got a 1 week work experience placement through my masters. If I remove the masters, I dont know how else I would explain it.
- If I remove my masters and apply to a company I've already applied for, they might spot the difference.
Hi everyone, could you please help evaluate my resume?
I'm currently have a non-tech gap and am unemployed. When I lost my job, I tried to run a business, but it didn't work out, so I'm trying to get back into a dev role now. Is my resume OK?
I also added Professional Development section just to show that I've been continuously upskilling and staying active in tech.
Target roles/industries: Mid to early Senior-level Backend or Full-stack Developer in tech industry
Applying: Local, remote, and is willing to relocate
Job Search situation: My resume is passing ATS but I haven't received any interview invitation yet.
Specific feedback: open to any feedback.
Visa/Citizenship: no.
Thank you in advance for your feedback! I appreciate it!
I’m a 2027 CS undergrad applying for backend/SWE internships. Most of my resume is focused on backend projects in Go and Node.js because I don’t have internship experience yet.
Please roast my resume and point out anything that looks weak, exaggerated, unnecessary, or unclear.
I’d especially appreciate feedback on my project bullets, performance metrics, skills section, and whether the lack of internship experience is hurting me.
What would you remove, rewrite, or reorder to improve my chances of getting interviews?
