Why Your Resume Might Be Working Against You — Even When You’re Qualified

Hi everyone — I’ve read through many honest and powerful posts here: people who feel qualified, experienced, and ready — but still getting rejected or ghosted. I want to share a few common resume issues that aren’t about lack of skill or experience — but about how your strengths are being communicated, and that might be what’s holding you back.

1. Your resume isn’t telling your story.
It’s not just about listing your tasks and roles. Recruiters — and even hiring systems — want to see impact. What changed because of you? What problem did you help solve? When your resume shows that, it suddenly feels more real, more valuable.

2. ATS systems are filtering out strong candidates.
Unfortunately, many companies use automated tracking systems before a human ever sees your application. This isn’t just a numbers game — it means real, capable people are being passed over simply because their resumes aren’t perfectly tailored for the system. It’s not a reflection of your potential — it’s a limitation of the process.

3. Your choice of words matters.
I’ve seen resumes full of “helped,” “assisted,” or “worked on” — and while those are honest words, they don’t show the scale of your contribution. Using verbs like “led,” “implemented,” “optimized,” or “designed” helps hiring teams understand the real weight of your work.

4. The way your resume is formatted makes a difference.
Even a powerful experience can be missed if the layout is confusing — too many tables, odd graphics, or clutter. A clean, simple, and readable structure works best. It helps both the ATS and real people see what you actually did.

If any of this resonates — if you feel like your resume is good but isn’t doing its job — I’d be very happy to review one sentence or bullet point from it (or your LinkedIn headline) and give you a honest tip. Just drop it below, and I’ll respond.