Top 10 Resume Tips (Part 2): The Top 5 Revealed
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
Last week, I shared 10 through 6 of my newsletter's most-read Shameless Plugs of the summer.
Each one came from real Karpiak Consulting client cases and showed how small changes, like more clarity, better alignment, and sharper framing, can make a huge difference in your job search.
Now it’s time for the big reveal. These are the top 5. This was the advice that resonated most with readers over the summer, and for good reason. It’s the same kind of resume strategy I use every day at Karpiak Consulting to help clients stand out and land interviews as hiring season kicks back into gear!
5 – Stop Underselling Yourself
Titles don’t tell the whole story. “Account Manager” means something different at every company, and recruiters won’t know what it means for you unless you spell it out. If your bullets are vague, you’re underselling yourself...and leaving the reader guessing about your value.
The fix is to clarify scope and outcomes. Instead of “managed accounts,” say “managed 15 enterprise accounts worth $5M+ annually.” Instead of “handled onboarding,” say “developed a new onboarding process that cut ramp-up time by 30%.” These details give recruiters confidence in your abilities.
A Comprehensive Resume Review client who stopped underselling themselves finally broke free from a toxic workplace into a role where they felt valued. The message: be clear, be specific, and show proof.
4 – Clarity Through Subtraction
More isn’t better. A resume that tries to tell your entire life story just dilutes your message and forces the reader to dig. Recruiters aren’t looking for a generalist who’s “done a little of everything." They’re looking for someone who looks like a direct fit.
Clarity often comes from cutting. Trim content that doesn’t point toward your next role. Rewrite your summary to highlight the skills and outcomes that matter most. And don’t be afraid to remove old or irrelevant jobs if they add nothing to your story.
A Comprehensive Resume Review client who did this landed in a role they’re thriving in today. Their skills didn’t change...their framing did.
3 – AI Can’t Add Context
AI tools can reword, rephrase, and even tailor your resume to job descriptions, but they can’t add the one thing that sells: context.
If your bullet says “managed a team,” AI can only dress it up: “successfully managed a cross-functional team to deliver results.” But that still doesn’t explain how many people, what the project was, what results you achieved, or why it mattered. Without context, the bullet has no impact.
That’s why you can’t outsource the hard part. You have to write the details that prove your work mattered. AI can polish phrasing, but you need to provide the story.
2 – Align to Your Next Role
A resume that tries to do everything at once ends up doing nothing well. If your summary is a generic recap of your career and your bullets are listed in random order, the reader won’t see how you’re a fit.
Instead, write your summary as if it’s introducing you for your next role. Move the most relevant accomplishments to the top of each job. Cut or downplay bullets that don’t connect to where you’re headed. Add context so achievements don’t look like tasks but like results.
That’s exactly how a Comprehensive Resume Review client landed a new role with a $30K salary increase. The resume finally made their value obvious.
1 – Frame for Seniority
If you’re aiming for Director, VP, or higher, your resume can’t just show what you did. It has to show how you think, lead, and deliver results at scale.
That means reframing bullets around ownership and strategic impact. Highlight cross-functional initiatives, budgets managed, teams led, and problems solved across the organization. Show how you coach, mentor, and drive change. This is the level of context that convinces hiring managers you’re ready for senior leadership.
A Resume Edit client who made this shift went from being seen as a “doer” to being hired as a Director, then promoted twice to VP, with a $150K salary bump to match.
That’s the full top 10, the most-read Shameless Plugs of the summer! Together, they form a playbook of strategies that work in real job searches.
Now’s the time to put these takeaways into action. Hiring season is here, and a sharper resume can make all the difference.