Before you hit “send” on your resume, stop. Take 60 seconds to think like a hiring manager, not a job seeker. This quick mindset shift can be the difference between landing in the interview pile or getting passed over.
Step 1: Get In The Hiring Manager’s Shoes
Clear your mind of your own goals and focus on the hiring manager’s perspective.
As the hiring manager ask yourself:
- What challenges am I facing right now?
- What risks do I face if I hire the wrong person?
- How many more resumes do I have to review today?
Step 2: Back into your own shoes
Now, look at your resume as if it’s #143 in a stack of 200 for that hiring manager. You have seconds to make them stop and think: “This person could be the one.”
Consider whether your resume answers those hiring manager questions – especially #1 and #2.
Key Questions to Evaluate Your Resume
As a hiring manager skims your document, would they immediately see:
- You’re the exact type of person they’re looking for?
- You’ve delivered real impact on problems they care about?
- You inspire the reaction:
- “Wow! That’s amazing. I wonder if they could do that for us. Let’s bring them in.”
- Instead of: “I hope there’s someone more exciting in the next stack.”
Signs That Make Your Resume More Likely To End Up In The Interview Pile
Your resume clearly:
- ✅ Shows who you are and the role you excel at
- ✅ Includes a meaningful differentiator that sets you apart from the other qualified candidates.
- ✅ Highlights impact, not just responsibilities
- ✅ Removes open loops—no vague bullets, no filler, no “responsible for” language.
If it doesn’t check all three boxes, you risk ending up in:
- The “maybe later” pile (spoiler: they never come back)
- Or worse, the disqualified pile
Final Reminder
If you want more callbacks, don’t start by tweaking bullet points.
Start by stepping into the hiring manager’s brain.
Then craft your resume so it’s crystal clear why you’re the right person.
Want Your Resume Summary to Work Like This?
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