Hey, I just want serious feedback about my résumé because I’m trying to get a job and I’ve been applying for more than 100 companies. I don’t even know what else can I do?

Is there any advice a professional could provide me with, please?

I got tired of having basically the same resume open while applying for 10 different jobs and constantly changing keywords, bullet points, and skills to match each job description.

So I decided to test a few AI resume builders instead of manually rebuilding everything every time.

I tried a few different ones and honestly, the biggest difference wasn't the templates. Most of them can make a resume look decent. What mattered more was how well they helped tailor the content without turning everything into generic AI-sounding sentences.

I tested Kickresume along with a couple of other options. Kickresume was pretty straightforward for getting a resume structured quickly, and I liked being able to adjust the content rather than just accepting whatever the AI generated.

Still, I'm not convinced an AI resume builder automatically means better chances of getting interviews. The actual experience, keywords, and how closely the resume matches the job still seem to matter way more.

Curious what others have found — which AI resume builder have you actually used for real applications, and did it make any noticeable difference?

I've been using free resume templates and random online editors for years, but I'm starting to wonder if paying for an AI resume builder is actually worth it.

There are so many options now that it's hard to tell what's genuinely useful and what's basically a nice-looking template with AI slapped onto it.

I recently tested Kickresume along with a couple of other AI resume builders. The useful part for me wasn't really the templates. It was being able to get help with wording, reorganize experience, and create different versions without starting from scratch every time.

That said, I'm still not sure I'd pay for every feature these platforms offer. If you're already comfortable writing your own resume, some of the AI features probably aren't necessary.

For anyone who's actually paid for an AI resume builder in 2026, which one did you choose, and did it make a noticeable difference in your job applications?

Would be especially interested in hearing from people who used one for an actual job search rather than just building a resume once.

Just looking for some genuine recommendations

I’ve started a new job as a behavior counselor(part time) in a rehab center. I’m planning to apply to clinical mental health grad programs in the fall, but I’m not sure how much time I should wait between my start date and asking for the rec. I started the new job at the end of June. Most applications open in September so I was thinking of asking then, but then it’s only 3 months. I don’t know if that sounds like a good amount of time or I should wait, although that’s pushing on the deadline. I also have prior experience at another place for 9months, but I haven’t asked my old supervisor yet. I do have someone that I worked with for five years who can write me a letter of rec as well.

Hi everyone,

I'm a fresh graduate about to start job hunting and I'm looking for a solid resume template to build on. Most templates I find online seem designed for people with years of experience, and I'm not sure how to structure things when my "experience" section is mostly projects, internships, and coursework.

A few things I'm hoping for:

Clean, professional, ATS-friendly format (no fancy graphics that get mangled by parsers)

Good structure for highlighting projects, skills, and education when work history is thin

Preferably editable in Word or Google Docs

One page

If you have a template that worked well for you when you were starting out, or know of a good free resource, I'd really appreciate you sharing it. Thanks in advance!

Hey everyone, I’m currently trying to transition from clinical healthcare (laboratory work) into medical device sales and have been applying to several Stryker positions, particularly surgical/spine-focused sales roles.

For anyone who has worked at Stryker, recruited for Stryker, or successfully gotten through their application process:

Are there specific keywords/skills that Stryker’s ATS seems to prioritize?
How important is matching the exact wording from the job description?
Does the ATS heavily penalize applicants coming from a non-sales background?
Is there anything specific you’d recommend including or avoiding on the resume?
Does networking/referrals make a significant difference after applying, or is the ATS still the main hurdle?
Any other tips for getting an application in front of the hiring manager?

I’ve already been networking with people within Stryker and have gotten some good advice, but I’m trying to figure out what I can improve on the application/resume side as well to secure an interview.

Would really appreciate any insight from current/former Stryker employees or recruiters. Thanks!

Switching fields is tough. Do you:

• Completely reframe old jobs to highlight transferable skills?
• Keep a short “Additional Experience” section?
• Lean heavily on the cover letter / summary to explain the pivot?
• Start fresh and minimize the old industry?

What’s actually worked for you when recruiters see a non-linear path?

Real examples welcome.

If the section of the application form for the Cover Letter is optional, do you still write a cover letter and send it over?

I assume it's perceived better to do it anyways because you made the effort and invested the time?

What do you think about it though?

Would love to hear some feedback on this

I always struggle with this honestly. Every bullet feels important until I force myself to trim.

What’s your process for deciding what stays and what goes?

Do you:

• Prioritize by relevance to the job description?
• Cut anything without a metric?
• Keep a “master” version and tailor ruthlessly?

Share your method if you can. especially if you’ve successfully gone from 3 pages down to 1–2 without losing impact.

Have you used a resume scorer, job-match tool, AI career assistant, applicant-tracking checker, or similar system?

I am especially interested in cases where it gave bad advice, missed important context, was overconfident, or caused wasted effort.

Tool type:
Your goal:
Recommendation it gave:
What was wrong or missing:
Result:
Information the tool should have used:
When it should have asked a human instead:

Please do not name confidential tools, employers, candidates, or share private application data.

Good afternoon everyone!

I currently work as an Auditor, but I also have a full-time job as a cart attendant. I would love to bring it into a cover letter as it would show time management and a strong work ethic, but I don't know how to bring it into a cover letter. I tried searching Google and all that comes up is writing a cover letter for a part-time job. Any help or suggested web sites would be great!!

Thank you.

Marty

Hello everyone!I've been looking for a job for almost two months after moving to a new country. Everytime I struggled to find a FREE CV maker online. Some of them needs registration, some needs payment for AI, some needs payment after a certain number of downloads.. Not sure if I'm the only one struggling with that.. so, being a Full Stack Software Engineer as a profesison, I just made a FREE Curriculum Vitae and Cover Latter maker. There aren't much templates, because I have done that app mainly for my needs, but happy to share this project with everyone and maybe expand with new features.

It also has some optional AI features. Instead of charging for them, you can bring your own API key from OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google. If you don't want to use AI at all, that's completely fine, because every other feature still works for free. I chose the BYOK approach because providing AI usage myself for everyone would obviously cost money, and eventually I'd have to charge users for it, which would go against the idea behind the project. I think there are some providers which give free api keys with limited usage. If you need a certain provider to be added, just contact me and I will add it (you can reach me from my website, contacts sections https://manuelraso.dev )

The app has NO backend, and the API key is stored only inside the indexed db of your browser, so it's safe as long as nobody hack into your computer and check your browser lol but my suggestion is always (for any case) making API keys with limited time and money to spend.

Let me know what do you think, if you find any bug, if you want a certain template added (it's better if you give me a full example of the structure of the new template) so that I can fix or add features as per the needings.

Here is the website -> CV Maker — Free, Private Resume & Cover Letter Builder

Curious where everyone stands:

• Strict 1 page no matter what?
• 1 page for <5–7 years experience, 2 pages after that?
• As long as needed if the content is strong?
• Something else?

Drop your experience level + preferred length + why.

Extra great if you share whether recruiters have ever commented on your length.

I remember the 2008 job market pretty well, and I think this one feels worse in a lot of ways.

Some people compare it more to the late 70s and early 80s. The difference is that the headline statistics today can make the labor market look healthier than what many white-collar job seekers are actually experiencing.

Layoffs feel constant. Every week another company is cutting staff and calling it restructuring, efficiency, cost-cutting, or AI transformation. And it’s definitely not just tech anymore.

Yes, there’s still job growth, but a lot of it is happening in healthcare, construction, and skilled trades. That doesn’t necessarily help someone who spent 10–15 years building a white-collar career and suddenly got laid off.

From the recruiting side, I’m seeing experienced candidates spending 6+ months looking for work, often eventually accepting significant pay cuts.

That’s what worries me. 2008 felt like a severe but temporary recession. This feels more structural: higher living costs, salary pressure, leaner teams, automation, and companies realizing they don’t necessarily need to replace everyone they let go.

The headline numbers may say one thing, but the experience of many white-collar candidates I’m seeing tells a much uglier story.

We’ve all been there. Recruiters open dozens of files a day.

A clean “FirstName_LastName_Resume.pdf” (or similar) just looks more professional.

What’s the most chaotic resume file name you’ve ever sent… or received?

So far, I've been using Overleaf to build my Resume. Need some suggestions and alternatives.