Some resumes get interviews. Others vanish into the void.
Why?
Either because it doesn’t make it past ATS or it doesn’t grab the attention of the recruiter. Recruiters spend seconds scanning your resume. If it doesn’t grab them fast, it’s gone.
So how do you make yours stand out?
1. Make it ATS-friendly.
Many companies use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)—a software that scans resumes for keywords before a human sees them. If your resume lacks the right terms (or has formatting errors that confuse the system), it might get filtered out automatically and never get viewed by a human.
2 Keep it short.
Statistics show that recruiters spend 6-8 seconds on average looking at a resume- therefore it should not be more than 2 pages. No need to have unnecessary information on there. Remember they will ask question to get to know you during the interview
3 Skip the fluffy intro.
No “hardworking team player” clichés. Start with a 2–3 sentence summary that actually says something about your experience, the skills you have to offer and the work you’re interested in doing.
4. Make your skills easy to find.
List your technical skills, frameworks, and tools in a dedicated Skills section. No guesswork.
5. Show impact, not just tasks.
Instead of “Worked on API performance,” say “Reduced API load time by 40%, improving user experience.” It’s good to quantify your impact at previous roles. Numbers grab attention
6. Don’t bury your best work.
Got a strong project or open-source contribution? Feature it. Show what you built, not just what you know.
The goal? Make it impossible to ignore.
If you need help with your resume, book a resume review service with Cactus Tech today!
Article By:
Ekene Precious Chidubem
