Resume Help! One of my favorite things to do when talking to a candidate about a job is helping with their resume. Not just for the position we’re discussing, but to give overall advice and suggestions that help them get calls for the right opportunities in the market. Here are a few of the main things I go over with everyone: ✅ Start with the basics. Your first and last name (not just an initial). City, state, and zip - You don’t need your full address, but those three are searchable pieces of data that help recruiters find you. Even if you’re targeting remote jobs, I still want to know your time zone (CST, EST, PST). Make sure your email, phone number, and LinkedIn URL are listed. You don’t need a picture on your resume, just make sure your LinkedIn has one. 💡 Pro tip: Save your resume file as your first and last name “Crystal Rehling” and nothing else. ✅ Have a summary, not an objective. Your summary is your elevator pitch. It should highlight the quantifiable, tangible skills you’re bringing to your next role. Someone should read your summary and know what job they would hire you for! Be specific. Skip the soft skills here; people will gauge those when they meet you. Use this space for hard data and measurable impact. 💻 If you’re in IT: Right after your summary, include a Core Technical Skills section. This should list your key tools, systems, and technologies, things like programming languages, ERP systems, CRM platforms, or integration tools. It gives hiring managers an instant snapshot of your capabilities before diving into your experience. ✅ Prioritize your recent experience. Your most recent roles should have the most detail. For positions 10+ years old, stick to main highlights or list a brief technical environment section. You can even say “previous experience available upon request” or just list the company, title, and dates without bullet points. 🎓 Education goes last. Unless you’re a recent grad, your education should appear at the end of your resume. Let your professional experience lead the story. 🌐 Finally: Make sure all of this information is also on your LinkedIn profile. It’s searchable data that helps recruiters find you for your next job. Someone mentioned to me recently that she was told to keep her LinkedIn brief since people can see the details on her resume. I completely disagree! If your profile isn’t complete and detailed, we might not find you in the first place. If you’d like a quick 15-minute video call for personalized resume feedback, drop a comment below, I’d be happy to help!
Brilliant post, Crystal 🔥 — this is exactly the kind of clarity and insight candidates need! I completely agree that a strong, detailed LinkedIn profile and a well-structured resume make all the difference in finding the right match. I work with pre-vetted IT consultants across the US, and I’d love to connect to explore how we can align efforts to help more candidates land their perfect roles.
I am going to beg you to add some things that I have started doing in my 11 month job search which thankfully has ended. Thank you our 50th State Higher Education institutions. First, if you are in IT I believe we are competing against AI (either the myth or the reality however you look at it) as well as against other human candidates. To that end, we have two audiences. The keyword searching for the ATS system, but we have to differentiate ourselves against AI. We can only win by emphasizing our humanity not by allowing recruiters or job search advice mavens to talk us into becoming commoditized automatons. We will never outcompete an algorithm this way. To that end. My resume has a section that outlines a cohesive 8 point development philsophy. Why? Because AI cannot have a central underlying ethos for working. It isn't capable. For every project I have a bullet point that indicates how the project contributes to the common good. Because humans care about such things. Nameless, souless, robots do not. I have over a page of colleague testimonials because humans have valued colleagues. Nameless, soulless automatons do not. I am convinced this is the way forward. Challenge the conventional wisdom.