How to Design a Resume That Hiring Managers Actually Read — And Remember

I was planning to write this week’s newsletter on who to comment on — and how to turn that into warm outreach on LinkedIn.

But after four separate conversations with jobseekers this week — all stuck in the same place — I decided to shift gears.

Let’s talk about resumes. Specifically, why yours might be getting skipped (and how to fix it).

The hiring landscape in 2025 is sharper, faster, and more selective. Recruiters aren’t reading your resume word for word. They’re scanning for signal. And they’re deciding fast.

The problem? Most resumes are written for careful readers — not fast deciders.

The most common mistakes I see:

• Long paragraphs with no visual anchors

• Tasks instead of results

• Flat job histories with no momentum

• Buzzwords without proof

But when your resume aligns with how hiring teams actually consume them? You get in. Here's how:

Step 1: Bold Your Results — Literally

Why it matters:

Industry research tells us that on average recruiter spend 7.4 seconds on an initial resume scan. They’re drawn to job titles, bolded keywords, and measurable results.

What to do: Make your wins skimmable:

• Use bullet points only

• Start with strong verbs

• Bold the outcome or number

• Mix in “I” statements where impact is personal and clear

Example:

• Reduced churn by 22% after revamping onboarding.

• Increased qualified leads by 36% via a new webinar funnel.

• I led 3 cross-functional teams through a multi-market rollout.

If it looks like a wall of text, it gets skipped. If it looks like outcomes, it gets read.

Step 2: Tell a Story of Progression

Why it matters:

Emphasizing career progression remains a valuable strategy. For instance, a 2024 study highlighted that resumes quantifying achievements are 40% more likely to attract the attention of hiring managers.

What to do: Make your growth visible:

• Highlight promotions and role expansions

• Emphasize responsibility shifts, even without a title change

• Use metrics that show increasing scale or impact

Examples:

Hired as associate → promoted to manager in 14 months.

Started managing 1 product; now lead a 4-product roadmap.

Grew pipeline from $200K to $1.1M over 18 months.

A static resume says, “I did this.”

A progressing one says, “I’m just getting started.”

Step 3: Format for Skimmability

Why it matters:

Resumes longer than two pages were 37% less likely to be considered for further evaluation, based on recent resume analytics.

What to do:

• Left-align job titles, companies, and results

• Use white space to create breathing room

• Avoid fancy graphics, columns, or design tricks that trip up ATS filters

Think of it this way:

• Top third of your resume = first impression

• Left margin = where the eye naturally goes

• Bold + bullets = visual stopping power

Structure is strategy. If they can’t find your strengths fast, they won’t go looking.

To recap:

Step 1: Make your impact unmissable

Step 2: Show forward momentum, not just past roles

Step 3: Format for how resumes actually get read in 2025

Your resume is not a recap of your past.

It’s a fast, skimmable signal of your future value.