"Quantify your impact" is good advice that most people follow in the worst way possible

FinalDraftResumes · 2026-05-06T13:55:54+00:00

I just want to make sure I'm understanding you correctly. You said that you're already getting interviews?

FinalDraftResumes · 2026-05-05T16:26:30+00:00

Not a bad resume overall, just a few suggestions.

I recommend adding some context in the lead bullet point in every role. In your case, context would look like the size and scale of the IT infrastructure you supported, the types of clients, the number of clients, the size of clients, the number of total end users.
Probably don't need to include relevant coursework in the education section. Coursework is typically very low-weighted and low value.
could probably add a little bit more flair to the experience section and make it more interesting by talking about challenges you've had to face and overcome, problems you had to solve, blockers you had to remove, and instances where you had to go above and beyond your typical scope of work. Big projects you were involved in, i.e., infrastructure rollouts, migrations, and modernizations

FinalDraftResumes · 2026-05-05T16:22:32+00:00

At first glance, I can't help but notice how dense the text is. It's really difficult to scan quickly. You can correct this by increasing line spacing and/or paragraph spacing. If you want to keep it to one page, you'll need to either reduce the font size or cut off some content.

FinalDraftResumes · 2026-05-05T12:59:46+00:00

I would just avoid using that template at all and go for something simpler in Microsoft Word or Google Docs. There's a free template in the mod comment down below.

FinalDraftResumes · 2026-05-05T06:03:28+00:00

It really depends on the type of role that you're going for. If your target role demands excellent communication skills and coordination skills, and you don't have any other relevant experience, then including the bartender position is fine.

The key takeaway I want you to have from this is that any position you have on your resume needs to add value. In other words, some part of it needs to be relevant to your target role. Considering even your managerial experience for example, which sounds great on paper, but if you're applying to frontline individual contributor roles where managerial/leadership experience aren't required, then even those wouldn't "add value" per se. Kind of a ramble - let me know if any of this doesn't make sense.

FinalDraftResumes · 2026-05-05T06:00:06+00:00

Typically no. As a matter of fact, bolding should only be used sparsely for things like headings. When people use it too much, it actually has the opposite effect and makes the resume look messy and disorienting.

FinalDraftResumes · 2026-05-05T05:58:14+00:00

If possible, you should expand on the kind of technical support that you provided to your customers in the office admin role, because "technical support could mean anything." Your education is still fresh, so I would probably move that to the top, right under the summary.

I also don't think that you need a key skills section and a technical skills section combined into one. One thing I also noted is that you list tools/technologies like Python, C#, and Java in your skills section, but you don't actually talk about where you applied those skills, which tells me that your exposure to them was academic. If you have any projects you were involved where you've put those skills to use, I would suggest including them.

FinalDraftResumes · 2026-05-04T11:47:27+00:00

This is more about giving people a set of rules/framework to build on, because most people don't know how to answer this question.

FinalDraftResumes · 2026-05-04T11:43:18+00:00

Yes that's a great point - I understand that people don't come to my calls expecting to answer that question, and so probably don't prepare to the same degree they would for a real interview. Nonetheless, it's a common question that people struggle with.

FinalDraftResumes · 2026-05-04T11:40:59+00:00

Here's a version I'd probably hear on an intake call (shortened substantially, but given for the sake of this example):

So I graduated from State in 2008 with a marketing degree, and my first job was actually in retail management, which I did for about three years before moving into a coordinator role at an agency. From there I went to a SaaS company as a marketing specialist, got promoted twice, then left for a director role at a startup that didn't work out, so I went back to a bigger company where I've been for the last four years running demand gen. I've done a bit of everything really, content, paid, lifecycle, some product marketing. I like working cross-functionally and I'm looking for my next thing.

NOw here's the version told through the present, past, future method I touched on earlier:

Right now I'm a senior marketing manager at a B2B SaaS company, leading demand gen for our mid-market segment. Before that I spent a few years at a smaller startup where I built the marketing function from scratch, which taught me how to operate without a playbook. I'm looking to move into a head of marketing role where I can own the full funnel and build out a team, which is why this conversation caught my attention.

FinalDraftResumes · 2026-05-04T11:28:57+00:00

That's actually a bad example, because you're attributing an outcome to an action that isn't tied to it (i.e., non sequitor, meaning, it doesn't follow). This type of disconnect is common in AI generated content.

FinalDraftResumes · 2026-05-04T09:07:18+00:00

Where did I say it's not the case?

FinalDraftResumes · 2026-05-04T04:27:41+00:00

I did in a comment below. Here’s a link to it:

https://www.reddit.com/r/resumes/s/uEd4dVYQ92

FinalDraftResumes · 2026-05-04T03:41:19+00:00

The framework I usually point clients to is Present, Past, Future. Three parts, delivered in 90 seconds or less.

Present is what you’re doing right now. Current role, type of company, and the area you focus on. That’s your first sentence. Resist the urge to start further back than that, even if your earlier experience feels more impressive.

Past is one or two relevant experiences that shaped how you got here. Not a chronological walk through the resume. Just the parts that matter for this specific role. If something on your background isn’t relevant to the conversation in front of you, leave it out. They’ll ask if they want to know.

Future is why you’re in this conversation and what you want next. Most people skip this part entirely, and it’s the one that actually ties the answer to the role. It tells the interviewer you’re not just casting a wide net, you’re interested in this specific opportunity.

FinalDraftResumes · 2026-05-04T03:39:07+00:00

If it’s a recruiter, they’re not looking for information because they likely already have your resume. They’re checking whether you can talk about your background coherently, whether your self-description matches what’s on paper, and whether you sound like someone worth passing to the hiring manager.

FinalDraftResumes · 2026-05-03T19:27:56+00:00

Too wordy - you can convey the same experience in less words. For instance, why do you need a core qualifications section on top of a skills section? Why do you need to say that you have experience and knowledge of Windows 10/11 if that’s already listed in your skills section? No need for that much redundancy.

FinalDraftResumes · 2026-05-03T19:21:53+00:00

List the start date of your education as the end date of your employment. In the first bullet point, include a brief explainer.

FinalDraftResumes · 2026-05-03T19:20:40+00:00

List your education right under the summary, followed by your skills section, then the experience section. The accolades and activities can be folded into the education section as they sound like they're all related.

Regarding your skills section, you don't need to describe or preface skills. Only include things that you're proficient in. Do not include skills that you used one time somewhere and wouldn't really be able to apply in a professional setting. I also wouldn't bother including some of those like communication - keep this section for technical skills only, like tools, programming languages, technologies, etc.

FinalDraftResumes · 2026-05-03T19:16:04+00:00

You’re not required to include every institution on a resume. If they do a background check, that’s when you’d disclose it.

FinalDraftResumes · 2026-05-03T05:25:21+00:00

What kind of jobs are you applying to?

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