Build Your Winning Resume
Every job offer starts with a resume. Let's build your unshakeable foundation.
"My experience wasn't the problem. The way I framed it was.
If you're here, you're already the type of person who takes initiative. You're not the bottleneck. The bottleneck is how you're presenting the value you already have.
Our goal together in these modules is to make hiring managers see you not as just another resume in the pile, but as someone they NEED on their team.
Let's get started."
— Jim
Template Downloads
This is a simplified version of the template. Perfect for getting started quickly.
This is the exact template I used, with precise typography and spacing. If you care about fine-grained control at the cost of some learning curve, this is for you.
Adapting the Template (Don't Just Copy)
This is the exact layout I used to land 5 tech offers — but don't just copy it blindly. Tailor it to you.
We'll go over basic structure here, then get into bullets in the next section.
🏗️ Start Here: Universal Resume Principles▼
These 3 rules apply whether you're a new grad, senior dev, or career switcher. If you skip this foundation, nothing else will save your resume.
Keep your header clean. Use a simple, professional email (like firstname.lastname@gmail.com). Include your phone number. Recommend: Include LinkedIn or portfolio site.
Ensure it is ATS-safe. Some say companies use software to auto-reject resumes that don't parse cleanly. Verdict is out on if this is actually true but better safe than sorry. This template is verified to be ATS-safe.
Test that your resume is ATS-safe with this resume parsing tool.
Lead with experience. Put your most recent and most relevant role first — even if it's an internship. Recruiters scan for experience first. If your best experience is at the bottom, you're sabotaging yourself.
Skills section (optional). I personally recommend having a skills section, primarily to help recruiters skim your resume. However, don't go overboard. Quality over quantity.
This is the only step I'd call optional. You can just interlace skills in your experience bullets. Use your judgement.
✅ Have Experience? Start Here First▼
Even one internship or job gives you valuable experience to highlight.
Put experience first: Even if it was just an internship, lead with your most recent and relevant professional experience. Real-world professional experience outweighs everything else on your resume.
If it's your only one, squeeze every last drop out of it.
Prioritize impact and scope: Every bullet should show what you achieved and how it mattered. Think: "What changed because of my work?"
We'll talk more about this in the bullet writing module.
Only add Certifications/Projects if they add value: If your experience is strong, these sections should support, not distract from, your professional story.
🔁 Switching Careers? Here's How to Frame It▼
Your previous experience is valuable—it's all about how you frame it.
Highlight transferable skills: Communication. Ownership. Problem-solving. These aren't soft skills — they're success skills. Call them out in your experience and show how they impacted outcomes, even if they weren't in a tech setting.
Use projects to show real-world experience: You don't need a formal job to build something useful. Projects are your leverage — they show you can execute, not just learn. Bonus points if they solve a real problem, even for just one person.
Tell your story through the lens of the role you're aiming for: Pick and frame your experiences in a way that signals you're already halfway in the new seat.
Even if the title doesn't match, the narrative can. Make the transition feel inevitable.
🚀 No Work Experience? Build From Projects▼
Everyone starts somewhere. Focus on what you've built and learned.
Start with Education if it's recent + relevant: If you just graduated or your coursework was relevant, let it carry some weight. Call out courses, projects, or research that show technical ability.
Add projects (personal, academic, open source): Show what you've built, not just what you've learned. Class assignments, side projects, open source — they all count. What matters is what you built, how you built it, and why it mattered.
Consider putting above education if you have strong projects.
❓ Length? Summary? GPA? Projects?▼
How long should my resume be?
One page is ideal for most candidates. Every line should add value. If you have 5+ years of experience I'll leave the call to do 2 pages up to you.
Should I include a summary or objective?
Only if you're changing careers or have a unique story to tell and truly believe it will give you an edge. Otherwise, let your experience speak for itself. The space is better used for concrete achievements.
Should I include my GPA?
I'd recommend only to list GPA if you're a student/new grad with little/no work experience and have a 3.7+ GPA. In tech people generally don't care about GPA.
Should I include projects on my resume?
• You have less than 1 year of experience
• You are switching careers
• The project is legit (real tech + real utility)
• You have 2+ strong roles with quantifiable results
• The project is outdated, basic, or filler
My Resume Archive
See how this resume evolved from ignored → hearing back from recruiters:
The "Rejected & Ignored" Version
Education should have been at the bottom. Profile section is dead filler. Laundry list style, weak language, unfocused, no quantified metrics.
The Transitional Version
Better structure and stronger wording but many bullets are still missing the impact focus.
The Final Version
The one that landed 5 offers, including Google. Each experience bullet details impact.
Next: Master Bullet Writing
Now that you've seen how my resume evolved, let's dive into the bullet writing framework that made the difference. You'll learn how to:
Transform weak bullets into compelling stories
Quantify your impact effectively
Sell yourself and separate yourself from the pack
If you're building freedom too — or thinking about what comes next — you can follow my journey here: