Career Launchpad · Pillar 1 of 4

Most Resumes Never Reach a Human

An applicant tracking system reads a resume before a recruiter does. Formatting choices that look fine to the eye — tables, columns, headers, icons — often make a resume unreadable to that system. Getting the bullets, format, and LinkedIn profile right is the unglamorous work that determines whether anyone ever sees the rest.

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The Bullet Formula

Action + Task + Measurable Result

Every strong resume bullet does three things: starts with a strong verb, states what was actually done, and ends with a quantified result. Most new-grad bullets stop after step two.

❌

Before

Responsible for Marketing

"Responsible for managing the club's social media accounts and helping plan events throughout the semester."

✅

After

Action + Task + Result

"Grew club Instagram following 340% (200 → 880) over one semester by launching a weekly content calendar, driving a 45% increase in event attendance."

❌

Before

Worked on a Coding Project

"Worked on a group project to build a web app for tracking expenses using React and Firebase."

✅

After

Action + Task + Result

"Built a full-stack expense-tracking app (React, Firebase) with a 4-person team, cutting manual entry time 60% for 50+ beta users through auto-categorization."

ATS-Safe Formatting

Rules That Actually Matter

Do

Use a single-column layout with standard section headers (Experience, Education, Skills)
Save and submit as a PDF unless the application explicitly requests otherwise
Use a standard, readable font — no script fonts, no icon-based bullets
Spell out the first instance of any acronym before abbreviating it
Mirror keywords from the job description where they honestly apply

Avoid

Tables, text boxes, or multi-column layouts — many ATS parsers scramble or drop them
Headers/footers for contact info — some systems never read that region
Graphics, skill bars, or headshots — they add nothing an ATS can parse
Non-standard section titles like "My Journey" instead of "Experience"
Cramming in every skill ever used — list only what's genuinely relevant

LinkedIn Optimization

Built to Show Up in Recruiter Search

Recruiters search LinkedIn by keyword before they ever see an application. A profile without the right keywords in the headline and About section is functionally invisible, no matter how strong the experience is.

🏷️

Headline Formula

Not just a job title — target role + core skills + what you build. Example: "CS Grad — Full-Stack Development (React, Python) — Building Products That Ship" beats a default "Student at University."

📝

About Section Formula

Three short paragraphs: what you do and care about, one or two concrete proof points with numbers, and what you're looking for next — written in first person, not resume-speak.

🔑

Keyword Strategy

Include the exact terms recruiters search for in your target role — "software engineer," "data analyst," specific tools and languages — in the headline, About, and Skills sections.

📸

Photo & Banner

A clear, forward-facing headshot with good lighting outperforms a cropped group photo every time — profiles with a photo get significantly more recruiter views.

💬

Activity & Engagement

Commenting thoughtfully on posts in your target industry — not just posting — keeps a profile active and visible in the feeds of people who might refer you.

🎯

Open to Work

Use LinkedIn's "Open to Work" setting with recruiter-only visibility so it signals availability to hiring teams without broadcasting a job search to a current employer or network.

Before You Submit

The Final Checklist

Resume

Every bullet follows action + task + measurable result
One page, unless there's genuinely two pages of relevant experience
Tailored keywords match the specific job description
No typos — read it out loud once before sending
File name includes your name, not "Resume_Final_v3.pdf"

Headline includes target role and core skills, not just "Student"
About section written in first person with concrete proof points
Experience section mirrors the resume's strongest bullets
Skills section lists tools relevant to the target role, ranked by relevance
Custom LinkedIn URL (no random number string) for a cleaner link to share