Top 10 Resume Tips to Land More Interviews

Your resume has one job: to get you interviews, which means it needs to stand out, not just for recruiters and hiring managers, but on applicant tracking systems (ATS) too. Learning some resume tips to land interviews can be invaluable in this competitive landscape.

As a former corporate recruiter who now helps job seekers navigate the hiring process, I’ve reviewed thousands of resumes. Most don’t work. Here’s how to make sure yours does.

1. Use a Clear, Clean Format

First impressions count. Don’t waste yours on flashy templates that confuse ATS software.

Stick with classic fonts like Calibri, Arial, or Helvetica.
Use bold headers and a single-column layout.
Avoid icons, graphics, tables, and text boxes.

The goal? Easy to scan, recruiter-friendly, and system-safe.

2. Write a Professional Summary That Works

Forget generic blurbs about being “motivated” or “results-driven.” These are on everyones resume (thanks ChatGPT), and are overused words that don’t tell employers anything about the work you’ve done in the past.

Use this structure instead:

Sentence 1: Who you are, what you do, and where you’ve done it.
- Example: 10 years of experience in agency recruiting and leading internal talent teams for global tech companies and startups with 60 to 2K+ employees and up to 9-figures in annual revenue.
Sentence 2: One sharp, quantifiable win.
- Example: Recruited 58 new team members from April to December 2021 for a digital healthcare provider covering 250K+ patients across 9 states.

Keep it short, specific, and jargon-free.

3. Use a Headline Instead of an Objective

Under your name, add a clear title line that positions you instantly.

Example: Digital Marketing Manager | SEO & Content Strategy | B2C eCommerce Growth

This is faster and more effective than a traditional objective statement.

4. Lead with Results, Not Responsibilities

Don’t just list what you were assigned. Show what you accomplished.

Instead of:

Managed social media channels

Say:

Grew Instagram engagement 135% in 6 months through targeted campaigns

Each bullet should answer: What did I do? How did I do it? What was the outcome?

5. Use Keywords from the Job Description

Job descriptions are keyword cheat sheets. Use them.

Scan 3–5 listings for your target role
Look for common tools, skills, titles, and responsibilities
Weave them naturally into your resume

This boosts your match rate in ATS and shows relevance to human reviewers.

6. Quantify Everything You Can

Even if your role wasn’t about numbers, find ways to measure your impact:

Trained 15+ new hires
Reduced process time by 30%
Supported 5 cross-functional teams

Numbers stand out and validate your contributions.

7. List Skills Strategically

Aim for 12–15 hard and role-relevant skills. Keep it tight and targeted.

Include: tools (Salesforce, Python), methods (copywriting, onboarding), systems (CRM, SQL)
Exclude: soft skills like “team player” or basics like “Microsoft Word”

8. Mirror the Language of Your Industry

Speak the industry’s language.

Bad: Customer Happiness Lead Better: Customer Success Manager

Use real job titles, current tools, and standard acronyms to build instant credibility.

9. Save Versions for Different Tracks

Instead of tailoring your resume for every single role, which isn’t feasible in today’s market (with how many application you need to send out to get a single interview), create two (or more) master resumes for different types of roles/

Example:

Resume A: Content Strategy
Resume B: Project Management

No need to rewrite every time, just send the most aligned version for that specific role.

10. Add a Link to Your Optimized LinkedIn Profile

Make it easy for recruiters to learn more. Add a clickable LinkedIn URL under your contact info.

Pro tip: Customize your LinkedIn URL (remove the numbers) before adding it.

Here’s where you find it:

Want to stand out even more? Check out why having an optimized LinkedIn profile is essential for your job search.

Bonus #1: Add a “Core Competencies” Section

A focused list of keywords helps with both ATS and skimming.

Example:

SaaS Sales Strategy
Enterprise Client Management
Salesforce | Gong | HubSpot

This gives recruiters a quick snapshot of your strengths.

Bonus #2: Use Strong Verbs (Without Clichés)

Ditch the overused “led” and “managed.”

Try:

Spearheaded
Streamlined
Orchestrated
Scaled

These punchier verbs make your resume more dynamic and credible.

Ready to Get Noticed?

A great resume doesn’t just check boxes—it tells a compelling story that aligns with what hiring teams are looking for. If you’re still stuck or want expert help, I offer 1:1 resume reviews, strategy sessions, and complete rewrites tailored to your goals.

Let’s make your resume work harder — so you don’t have to.