Career Insights & Resume Tips

Job seekers often ask which document hiring managers read first, the cover letter or resume. My experience reviewing over 30,000 applications shows there's no universal answer. Resumes present your career achievements in a scannable format.

Your resume sections can determine whether you'll get that interview call. The numbers tell a compelling story - 40 percent of hiring managers spend under a minute reviewing each resume.

The resume's progress from its Italian origins to modern digital formats tells an incredible story. The concept we recognize today emerged during the Great Depression of the 1930s when job competition reached its peak. Written resumes became essential for interview consideration by 1950. 

Applicant Tracking Systems help employers screen out candidates who lack the right skills and keywords. A Harvard Business School study revealed that 88% of employers acknowledge their hiring systems filter out qualified candidates who don't match the job description precisely. Your job search success depends on finding the right keywords in job descriptions.

Your resume mistakes might be killing your job chances right now. The numbers are shocking - Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) reject up to 75% of resumes before a human sees them.

A functional resume, also called a skills-based resume, puts your abilities and competencies ahead of your work timeline. Rather than organizing by previous jobs, this format groups your experience under skill categories.

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) act as digital gatekeepers in today's recruitment process. These systems filter candidates before human recruiters see their applications. Making your resume ATS-friendly isn't optional anymore—you need it to get your foot in the door.

The top section of your resume is prime territory. Recruiters often read just this part completely. Good formatting creates a clear visual hierarchy that helps your best qualifications shine in those first crucial moments.

Your resume is your professional marketing document—make every word count by focusing on what you can do for employers rather than what you want from them. Remember to update it regularly as your career evolves.