Step 1
Job Match Analyzer
See how well your resume lines up with the job you want
Plain English: Companies use software to automatically filter resumes before a human ever reads them.
That software looks for specific words from the job posting. If your resume does not have those words,
it gets filtered out — even if you are perfectly qualified. This tool shows you exactly which words
you need to add so your resume makes it through to a real person.
📋 Job Description
Copy and paste the full job posting here — the more detail the better
📄 Your Resume
Paste your resume text here — do not worry about formatting, just the words
0%
Analyzing...
✅ Keywords Found in Your Resume
Run the analysis to see results
❌ Missing Keywords to Add
Run the analysis to see results
What to do with missing keywords: Do not just copy and paste them in randomly.
Look at each missing keyword and think honestly — do you have that skill or experience?
If yes, reword your existing bullet points to include that language naturally.
If no, that is okay — scroll down to the "Improve Your Chances" section for ideas on how to build those skills.
Never lie on your resume. It will come up in the interview.
Step 2
Word Variety Checker
Find overused words and get fresh alternatives
Plain English: If every bullet point on your resume starts with "responsible for" or ends
with "skills" — recruiters notice and it reads as lazy. Each bullet point should start with a strong
action word and no two bullets should use the same opening word. This tool scans your resume for
words you are using too many times and suggests fresh alternatives.
Don't do this: "Responsible for managing team. Responsible for budgets.
Responsible for client communication." — Using "responsible for" repeatedly makes you sound
passive and boring. You did not just watch things happen — you made them happen.
Use action words like Led, Built, Managed, Delivered, Grew, Reduced, Improved instead.
📄 Paste Your Resume Text
If you already pasted it above it will carry over automatically after you click Analyze
Reference Guide
Skills by Industry
What skills and certifications actually mean in your field
Plain English: When a job posting asks for "licenses" or "certifications" they are
almost never talking about your driver's license. They mean job-specific credentials.
A truck driver posting asking for a license means a CDL. A nursing job means your RN or LPN license.
A tech job might mean AWS or Google Cloud certifications. Select your industry below to see
what skills and licenses actually mean for your field.
Common mistake: Adding "Driver's License: Valid" to your resume skills section
when a job asks for licenses. Unless you are applying for a driving job this takes up valuable
space and signals to recruiters that you do not understand what they are looking for.
Only list licenses that are directly relevant to the job.
✅ Skills that mean something in Tech
▸Programming languages — Python, JavaScript, Java, SQL, etc.
▸Frameworks — React, Node.js, Django, Spring, etc.
▸Cloud platforms — AWS, Azure, Google Cloud
▸DevOps tools — Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD pipelines
▸Agile / Scrum methodology
▸Version control — Git, GitHub
▸Cybersecurity fundamentals
▸Data analysis — Tableau, Power BI, Excel
🏅 Certifications that actually matter
▸AWS Certified Solutions Architect — industry standard for cloud
▸Google Professional Cloud Architect
▸CompTIA A+, Security+, Network+ — entry level IT
▸Certified Scrum Master (CSM) — for project roles
▸Google Analytics / Google Ads certifications — free
▸Meta Blueprint certifications — free
▸Microsoft certifications — Azure, Office 365
▸Salesforce certifications — very valuable in sales tech
✅ Skills that mean something in Healthcare
▸Patient care and assessment
▸Electronic Health Records — Epic, Cerner, etc.
▸HIPAA compliance and patient privacy
▸Medication administration
▸Phlebotomy, IV insertion, wound care
▸Vital signs monitoring
▸Medical coding — ICD-10, CPT codes
▸Care coordination and discharge planning
🏅 Licenses and certifications that matter
▸RN, LPN, CNA — your state nursing license number
▸BLS / CPR certification — required for most roles
▸ACLS — Advanced Cardiac Life Support
▸CMA — Certified Medical Assistant
▸NCLEX license number and state
▸Specialty certifications — ICU, ER, OB, etc.
▸Medical billing certifications — CPC, CCS
▸DEA number if applicable
✅ Skills that mean something in Skilled Trades
▸Blueprint reading and technical drawings
▸Specific tools and equipment you operate
▸Safety protocols — OSHA compliance
▸Welding types — MIG, TIG, Stick
▸Electrical systems — AC/DC, voltage, wiring
▸Plumbing codes and systems
▸HVAC systems and refrigerants
▸Heavy equipment operation — list specific machines
🏅 Licenses and certifications that matter
▸CDL Class A or B — for driving roles, list your endorsements
▸Journeyman or Master Electrician license — state specific
▸Plumbing license — apprentice, journeyman, or master
▸OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 certification
▸EPA 608 certification — for HVAC refrigerants
▸Forklift certification
▸AWS welding certifications
▸DOT medical card — required for CDL holders
✅ Skills that mean something in Education
▸Curriculum development and lesson planning
▸Classroom management strategies
▸Differentiated instruction
▸IEP development and special education support
▸Student assessment and data analysis
▸Learning management systems — Google Classroom, Canvas
▸Parent and community communication
▸Grade level and subject area expertise
🏅 Licenses and certifications that matter
▸State teaching license — list state, grade level, and subject
▸ESOL or ESL endorsement
▸Special Education endorsement
▸Reading specialist certification
▸National Board Certification — very prestigious
▸CPR/First Aid — often required for school roles
▸Google Certified Educator — free, valued in ed tech
▸Instructional coaching certifications
✅ Skills that mean something in Business
▸Project management — list tools like Asana, Monday, Jira
▸Budget management and financial reporting
▸Stakeholder communication and presentations
▸Process improvement and documentation
▸CRM tools — Salesforce, HubSpot
▸Data analysis — Excel, SQL, Power BI
▸Cross-functional team leadership
▸Vendor and contract management
🏅 Certifications that matter
▸PMP — Project Management Professional, highly valued
▸Six Sigma Green or Black Belt
▸Certified Scrum Master (CSM)
▸HubSpot certifications — free, valued in marketing roles
▸Google Analytics certification — free
▸Salesforce Administrator certification
▸Microsoft Office Specialist — Excel especially
▸SHRM-CP or PHR — for HR roles
✅ Skills that mean something in Creative fields
▸Software — Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, Sketch, etc.
▸Design principles — typography, color theory, layout
▸Copywriting and content strategy
▸Brand identity development
▸UX/UI design and user research
▸Photography and video production
▸Social media content creation
▸Print and digital production workflows
🏅 Portfolio and certifications that matter
▸Portfolio link — more important than any certification
▸Adobe certifications — Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.
▸Google UX Design Certificate — via Coursera
▸HubSpot Content Marketing certification — free
▸Meta Social Media Marketing certificate
▸Canva certifications — free, useful for marketing roles
▸SEO certifications — Semrush, Moz, HubSpot
▸Relevant exhibitions, publications, or client work
✅ Skills that mean something in Retail and Service
▸POS system experience — list specific systems
▸Cash handling and drawer reconciliation
▸Inventory management and receiving
▸Customer conflict resolution
▸Upselling and cross-selling techniques
▸Loss prevention awareness
▸Food safety and handling — if applicable
▸Team scheduling and shift management
🏅 Certifications that matter
▸Food Handler certification — required in most food service roles
▸ServSafe — food safety manager certification
▸TIPS or TABC certification — alcohol service
▸Notary Public — for service businesses
▸Cosmetology license — for beauty industry
▸Real estate license — for property roles
▸Insurance license — for insurance sales roles
▸CPR/First Aid — valued in any customer-facing role
✅ Skills that mean something in Finance
▸Financial modeling and forecasting
▸GAAP accounting principles
▸QuickBooks, SAP, Oracle, or NetSuite
▸Tax preparation and compliance
▸Accounts payable and receivable
▸Risk assessment and management
▸Regulatory compliance — SOX, Dodd-Frank
▸Advanced Excel — pivot tables, VLOOKUP, macros
🏅 Licenses and certifications that matter
▸CPA — Certified Public Accountant, gold standard
▸CFA — Chartered Financial Analyst
▸CFP — Certified Financial Planner
▸Series 7 and Series 63 — securities licenses
▸Insurance license — P&C, Life, Health
▸QuickBooks ProAdvisor certification — free
▸Bloomberg Market Concepts — free online
▸Enrolled Agent — for tax professionals
Formatting Guide
Resume Formatting Tips
How your resume looks is just as important as what it says
Plain English: A resume that is hard to read gets skipped — even if your experience
is great. Recruiters spend an average of 6 seconds scanning a resume before deciding to read further.
Clean formatting, consistent fonts, and clear sections make those 6 seconds count.
✅ Do This
Use one clean font throughout — Arial, Calibri, or Georgia at 10-12pt for body text
Keep it to one page if you have under 10 years experience. Two pages maximum for senior roles
Use consistent formatting — if one job title is bold, all job titles should be bold
Use standard section headers — Experience, Education, Skills, Certifications
Include numbers wherever possible — "Managed a team of 8" beats "Managed a team"
Save as PDF — preserves your formatting on any computer or ATS system
🚫 Don't Do This
No photos or headshots — creates bias risk and ATS systems cannot read images
No tables or text boxes — ATS software often cannot read text inside tables and skips it entirely
No "References available upon request" — this is assumed and wastes space
No objectives section — replace it with a brief professional summary that adds value
No creative fonts or colors — unless you are in a creative field and the job specifically calls for it
Do not list every job you have ever had — focus on the last 10-15 years and what is relevant
Writing Strong Bullet Points
Every bullet point should follow this formula: Action Word + What You Did + The Result.
The result is what most people leave out — and it is the most important part.
❌ Weak bullet point
Responsible for managing the social media accounts for the company.
✅ Strong bullet point
Grew company Instagram following from 2,400 to 11,000 in 8 months by implementing a
consistent content calendar and targeted hashtag strategy, resulting in a 34% increase
in website traffic from social channels.
❌ Weak bullet point
Helped customers with their questions and complaints.
✅ Strong bullet point
Resolved an average of 45 customer service inquiries per day via phone and email,
maintaining a 97% customer satisfaction rating over 18 months.
1
Your name should be the biggest thing on the page
Name at 16-18pt, section headers at 11-12pt bold, body at 10-11pt. This creates a clear visual hierarchy that makes the recruiter's eye go where you want it to go. Do not put your full address on your resume — city and state is enough for privacy reasons.
2
Tailor your resume for EVERY single job
One generic resume sent to 50 jobs gets fewer interviews than a tailored resume sent to 10 jobs. Use the Job Match tool above to see which keywords you need to add for each specific role. Yes, this takes more time. Yes, it is absolutely worth it.
3
Skills section — be specific, not vague
Vague: "Communication skills, Team player, Hard worker, Microsoft Office" — every resume says this and it means nothing.
Specific: "Python, SQL, Tableau, Salesforce CRM, Google Analytics, Advanced Excel, HubSpot" — these are searchable keywords that mean something to both ATS and recruiters.
Specific: "Python, SQL, Tableau, Salesforce CRM, Google Analytics, Advanced Excel, HubSpot" — these are searchable keywords that mean something to both ATS and recruiters.
4
Gaps in employment — address them honestly
If you have a gap in your work history, do not try to hide it with weird date formatting. Recruiters notice. If you were raising kids, caregiving, dealing with health issues, or just job searching — you can briefly note it. "Career break — family caregiving 2023-2024" is completely acceptable and respected. What is not acceptable is leaving an unexplained gap with no context.
Pre-Submit Checklist
Grammar and Final Review Checklist
Go through every item before you hit send — then print it off
Plain English: One typo on a resume can get it thrown out immediately.
Recruiters see hundreds of resumes. A small grammar mistake signals carelessness —
which is the last thing you want to communicate before you have even had a conversation.
Go through every single item on this list before submitting. Check each box as you go,
then print it off and keep it next to you while you review.
📄 Content
0 / 9
✍️ Grammar and Spelling
0 / 8
🚀 Before You Hit Send
0 / 6
Career Development
How to Improve Your Chances
What to do when your resume feels thin
Plain English: If your resume feels thin — not enough experience, not enough
skills, not enough to fill a page — the answer is not to pad it with fluff. The answer is to
actually build the skills you are missing. The good news is that many valuable certifications
are completely free or cost less than a tank of gas. Adding even one relevant certification
can make the difference between getting filtered out and getting a callback.
Technology
Google Analytics Certification
Covers data analysis, reporting, and digital marketing measurement. Recognized by employers in marketing, tech, and business roles.
Free
Technology
Google IT Support Certificate
Entry-level IT support credential from Google via Coursera. Highly valued for breaking into tech without a degree.
~$50 via Coursera
Business / Marketing
HubSpot Certifications
Free certifications in content marketing, SEO, email marketing, social media, and sales. Takes 3-6 hours each and is well respected.
Free
Business
Project Management Foundations
LinkedIn Learning offers free project management courses with completion certificates. Good stepping stone before pursuing PMP.
Free with LinkedIn
Creative / Marketing
Meta Social Media Marketing
Meta's official social media marketing certificate covers ads, strategy, and analytics across Facebook and Instagram platforms.
~$50 via Coursera
Any Industry
Microsoft Office Specialist
Validates Excel, Word, and PowerPoint skills. Particularly valuable for administrative, finance, and business roles. Exam-based certification.
~$100 exam fee
Healthcare / Any
CPR and First Aid Certification
Red Cross or American Heart Association certification. Required for many roles and viewed positively in virtually any customer-facing position.
$20-$60
Education / Any
Google Certified Educator
Demonstrates proficiency in Google Workspace tools. Valued in education, administrative, and remote work roles.
Free training, small exam fee