Blog · page 12
Resumes, ATS, and the rest of the job hunt
Practical, no-fluff guides written for people actually applying for jobs.
6 min readDo cover letters matter? When they're read and when they're skipped
The roles and companies where cover letters change outcomes — and the much larger set where the time is better spent on the resume or outreach.
job-searchapplications
6 min readHow recruiters actually use ATS filters
What a recruiter does after the parser finishes its job — the filters they set, the filters they ignore, and how shortlists really get built.
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6 min readSalary ranges in job postings: what they tell you and what they don't
How to read a posted salary range — what the law requires, what employers list vs. what they pay, and the signals a missing or vague range sends.
job-searchsalary
6 min readThe resume summary: keep it, kill it, or rewrite it
When the two-line summary at the top of a resume earns its space — and when it actively hurts. With concrete before/after examples and a four-step rewrite.
resumeswriting
5 min readChronological vs. functional resume: which format wins?
When each format works, when it backfires, and the hybrid case — with the parser-readability and recruiter-trust tradeoffs spelled out.
resumesformat
6 min readHow many jobs should you apply to per week?
The volume math behind a successful job search — how many applications it actually takes, and why too few applications hurts you more than too many.
job-searchapplications
6 min readATS-friendly resume format: myths vs. what actually breaks the parser
Most ATS formatting advice on the internet is folk wisdom from 2012. Here's what modern parsers actually choke on — and what's been fine for years.
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6 min readThe 70 percent rule: when to apply if you don't fit every requirement
Real research on apply-when-underqualified, plus a quick decision rule that beats both 'apply to everything' and 'wait for the perfect fit.'
job-searchapplications
6 min readWhy am I not getting interviews? Five things to check before you blame your resume
Five real reasons callback rates drop — and the order to check them in. Half have nothing to do with your resume.
job-searchapplications
5 min readAchievements vs. responsibilities: rewriting bullets that get noticed
Why 'managed a team of five' falls flat where 'shipped X with Y outcome' lands — with concrete before/after examples and a workaround when you don't have metrics.
resumeswriting