Resume and Application Support
What recruiters actually look for, and what most people are never told…
1. Your resume should mirror the job description
Recruiters scan resumes for alignment first, not perfection.
If a job description lists specific tools, software, or skills and you genuinely have them, they should appear clearly on your resume. This does not mean copying and pasting the posting word for word. It means intentionally highlighting your strongest, most relevant experience for that specific role.
If the posting emphasizes certain skills and your resume does not, many applicant tracking systems will filter you out before a human ever sees it.
2. Not all resumes use the same format
Resume templates are not one size fits all.
Different industries expect different layouts, language, and levels of creativity. A resume that works well for a designer or marketer may actively hurt someone applying for HR, finance, operations, or administrative roles.
Understanding which format fits your field matters more than having a visually impressive resume.
3. Stop using Canva resumes unless your industry supports it
This is one of the most common mistakes recruiters see.
Canva resumes often look nice, but many are not compatible with applicant tracking systems and can be difficult for recruiters to read, parse, or download. For roles in HR, operations, legal, finance, or most corporate environments, a clean Word or Google Docs resume is far more effective.
If your industry is design or creative focused, Canva may make sense. If it is not, simplicity will serve you better.
4. Treat your job search like a project, not a memory test
Once a job posting comes down, it is usually gone forever.
Create a system to track
• Job title
• Company name
• Date applied
• Job description copy/paste
• Application portal or ATS used
• Login information for that portal
A simple spreadsheet or digital notebook can save you hours of frustration later, especially when recruiters reach out weeks after you applied and ask about a role you no longer remember.
5. One resume is rarely enough
Most people do better with two or three core resume versions, not one.
Instead of rewriting from scratch every time, create a few base resumes that emphasize different strengths or role types. Then make small adjustments for each application. This saves time and leads to stronger alignment.
6. If you keep getting rejected, the issue is usually alignment, not experience
When applications go unanswered, people often assume they are underqualified.
More often, the resume simply is not telling the right story for the role. Small changes in wording, structure, or emphasis can make a meaningful difference without changing your actual experience.
7. Use AI as a drafting and alignment tool, not a replacement for your experience
AI tools can be helpful when used intentionally, especially for organizing thoughts, identifying gaps, or translating experience into clearer language. They should not be used to fabricate experience, inflate titles, or generate generic resumes that do not reflect your actual work.
Helpful ways to use AI
• Compare your resume against a job description to identify missing or under emphasized skills
• Rewrite bullet points to be clearer, more concise, or more impact focused
• Help translate internal job titles or niche experience into language employers understand
• Draft a starting version of a resume or cover letter that you then heavily edit
Ways AI often hurts candidates
• Submitting resumes that sound overly polished but vague
• Using language that does not match how you actually speak or work
• Copying generic bullets that could apply to anyone
• Relying on AI without reviewing for accuracy or relevance
Recruiter reality check
We can usually tell when a resume or cover letter was written entirely by AI. That is not an automatic rejection, but it often signals that the candidate did not take time to tailor their materials or understand the role.
The best use of AI is as a thinking partner, not a shortcut. Your resume should still sound like you, reflect your real experience, and align clearly with the role you are applying for.
8. Always upload a PDF when applying through ATS systems
When applying for jobs through applicant tracking systems, always upload a PDF version of your resume, not a Word or Google Docs file.
This is especially important when applying through ADP.
ADP has a long standing issue with resume parsing and formatting. Word and Google Docs files often get distorted during upload, resulting in resumes that appear to recruiters as disorganized blocks of text with broken spacing, missing headers, or scrambled sections.
Even strong resumes can look unreadable once processed by the system.
Important notes
• Always download and upload your resume as a PDF
• Avoid uploading Google Docs files directly
• Be cautious about complex formatting, columns, or text boxes
• Review your application preview if the system allows it
Recruiter reality check
When a resume comes through ADP with broken formatting, we are not seeing what you intended to submit. We are seeing a wall of text. This can hurt your chances even when your experience is a good fit.
Submitting a clean PDF is one of the simplest ways to protect your resume and make sure recruiters are actually seeing your work.
