Focus or Fail
- Adam Karpiak
- Jun 18
- 1 min read
One of my Comprehensive Resume Review clients came to me with a solid background...but a resume that was doing too much. It listed every job in detail (recruiting, events, professional development, customer service) and expected the reader to figure out what they were best at. The result? A confusing mix of skills with no clear direction. It was what I call a "kitchen sink" resume.
The problem with that approach is simple. Recruiters don’t have the time (or in many cases, the context) to connect the dots for you. If your resume doesn’t clearly signal, “This person is a great fit for this role,” they’ll move on. Most recruiters haven’t done your job, so they rely on clear, focused signals. If your resume is too broad, or tries to be everything at once, it ends up working against you.
What did we change? We focused. We restructured the resume around the job they actually wanted, prioritized the most relevant experience, and trimmed anything that didn’t strengthen the case.
That shift made all the difference. The client landed a higher-paying job with a more senior title. That’s the goal. Not to list everything you’ve done...but to show exactly why you’re the right person for this specific job.
Want a resume that actually gets noticed?
If your resume is trying to be everything at once, it’s probably not working. We can help you focus your message, highlight what matters, and position you as the clear match for the job you want.
