When we actively hire, our startup gets 150 - 200 applications each month. I read every single one of them. Sometimes, I’d talk to a candidate and s

What we look for in a resume

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Style Pass

2023-01-25 15:30:07

When we actively hire, our startup gets 150 - 200 applications each month. I read every single one of them. Sometimes, I’d talk to a candidate and see that what we perceived as their strongest aspects actually weren’t included in their resume. Occasionally, a candidate would tell me that they didn’t expect their resume to still be screened by humans – had they known, they would have written their resume differently.

The resume evaluation process is pretty much a black box for most candidates. And it is so because few hiring managers have publicly discussed this. I thought I should start the conversation.

“Resume” here refers to both the traditional resumes and LinkedIn profiles. If your LinkedIn is current and contains all the information you want to share, that’s perfectly fine. Some hiring managers I know at other companies actually prefer looking at LinkedIn because they find it faster to find the info they need (e.g. company logos, time spent at each company). I’ve also seen candidates who use their personal websites as their resumes, which also works.

Whether you’re interested in applying to our startup, I hope that my perspective can shed some light on what is happening on the other side of the table, and how to create a resume that helps you put your best foot forward, not just with us, but also with other companies.