New Name, Same Game-Changing Advice

You might notice the newsletter has a new name—HireReady.

Same helpful tips, same voice, same mission… just with a name that better reflects what this newsletter is all about: helping you stay prepared, confident, and ready to get hired.

Insights from the Jobscan Blog

• Resume PDF or Word: Which Should You Choose? In this quick guide, you will learn the advantages and disadvantages of both file formats and which one you should use.
• How to Write a ChatGPT Resume (With Prompts) Creating a compelling resume with ChatGPT is easy. Follow our guide to quickly create a professional and impactful resume that stands out.
• How Long Should Your Resume Be? This guide breaks down exactly how long your resume should be and how to trim it without losing what matters.  
• How to Format Your Resume Education Section Your education can be one of your strongest assets. Learn how to format it perfectly on your resume and get noticed.

Stick to a simple resume design   

Most companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to scan resumes, and design-heavy layouts can confuse them. Use a one-column format and skip the photos, charts, and tables. The goal isn’t to impress with creativity (even if you’re in a creative field). It’s to make sure your skills and experience get seen.

Are You Making These ATS Formatting Mistakes?

Update your LinkedIn Skills section

Recruiters often search LinkedIn by skills, even before job titles. That makes your Skills section one of the most important parts of your profile. You’ll find it near the bottom, and LinkedIn lets you add up to 100 skills. Use clear terms like “Copywriting,” “WordPress,” or “Python” to help you show up in searches. 

Get Your LinkedIn Profile Score Here

Prepare for competency-based questions 

Interviewers love asking questions like, “Tell me about a time you…” They’re not just looking for a good story. They’re evaluating how you think, act, and solve problems. Prepare by brainstorming examples that show key traits like leadership, collaboration, problem-solving, ownership, and adaptability.

Master Tough Interview Questions Fast

Turn volunteering into a career asset

 Volunteer experience isn’t just a nice-to-have. It can show the same skills employers are hiring for. Managed events? That’s project management. Trained new volunteers? That’s leadership. Add these experiences to your resume and connect them directly to the roles you’re targeting.

How to Add Volunteer Work to Your Resume

Use color sparingly and strategically on your resume

A little color can make your resume feel modern and polished, but too much can distract or confuse applicant tracking systems (ATS). Stick to one accent color for section headings or subtle design elements. Avoid bright backgrounds or colored text that’s hard to read.

Learn Which Colors Work Best for Different Industries

Some Thoughts Before You Go…

 The last time I looked for a job, I thought it was a numbers game.

Just apply to enough jobs, and something’s bound to stick… eventually.

Makes sense, right?

But here’s the problem: everyone is doing this. And companies are drowning in a sea of applications.

When everyone is playing the same game, doing what they’re doing doesn’t help you stand out. 

It just buries you deeper.

So no, the job search isn’t a numbers game. Not anymore. 

Today, it’s a visibility game.

The jobs that get filled? They often go to people who were already on someone’s radar:

• The candidate who had coffee with a team member
• The person who commented thoughtfully on a company’s LinkedIn.
• The job seeker who was introduced by a mutual connection.

In 2025, it’s about showing up in the right place at the right time. 

Stop counting applications. 

Start building connections.

That’s when real opportunities start finding you.

That’s it for this edition. I hope these tips have sparked some new ideas for your job search. 

 See you next week!

Robert Henderson, CPRW, Resume Expert

P.S. For daily job search tips and advice, follow me on LinkedIn.

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