What Kind of Resume Will Work for You in 2025
If you're job hunting in 2025, it's time to rethink your resume strategy. The competition is intense, and most resumes are screened by machines before they ever reach a human. Here's how to make sure your resume doesn't just get noticed—it gets results.
So, what does a strong CV look like in 2025? In short: one page, under 1MB in file size, with clearly highlighted skills and experience. It should include complete contact information — including a LinkedIn profile — and be tailored specifically to the job.
Timing matters too: submitting your application within an hour of the job posting can significantly improve your chances of being seen.
Why apply within the first hour?
Because timing is everything. Just take a look at the screenshot showing over 100 applications in under an hour.
The moment a job goes live, both bots and real candidates flood the posting with resumes — fast. Even if you have a strong, well-crafted CV (which we’ll discuss shortly), most hiring managers can only realistically review a limited number of applications. While 70–80% may be filtered out by the ATS, being among the first 50–70 applicants significantly increases your chances of getting seen.
1. Customize for Every Job
Sending out generic resumes is a lottery. Your resume should match the job posting 75%+, especially in the key requirements. If you're not using referrals, this step is essential.
2. Make Skills Instantly Visible
Your resume must highlight core skills and technologies clearly and early. Don't bury them in job descriptions or hide them in a corner—recruiters look for these right away. If they don't see the right keywords within seconds, your resume gets skipped.
3. Format for ATS, Not Art Shows
Avoid:
- Columns
- Tables
- Fancy graphics
- Embedded images
Stick to a clean, standard format that parses well in ATS software. Many visually appealing resumes simply don't open correctly and get discarded.
4. Length: Keep It Short and Relevant
One- to two-page resumes are ideal. Anything over three pages is a red flag unless you're in academia. One candidate even submitted a 19-page resume—closer to a novel than a job application.
5. Quantify Achievements (In Moderation)
Yes, numbers are great — but don't overdo it as some CV builders suggest. Every line doesn't need a percentage or metric. Use numbers to enhance, not overwhelm. Overloading with stats makes resumes hard to read and looks unnatural, especially in engineering, teaching or creative roles. If you are in sales, marketing or finance, you can use numbers to your advantage.
6. Include Your LinkedIn Profile
Put it next to your email address. Recruiters will look you up anyway, and if they can't find your LinkedIn, it raises red flags. Ensure your profile matches your resume — discrepancies can lead to instant disqualification.
7. Follow Local Norms
If applying in Canada, remove photos and unnecessary personal information. Even if you've worked locally before, conforming to standard expectations shows professionalism.
8. Take a look at real job postings
Pick 10 job posts on LinkedIn that you’d actually want to apply for. Jot down the hard and soft skills they all seem to mention. Then check out our sample CV format and see how your own experience lines up. You’ll probably remember things you’ve done that you forgot to include — or didn’t think were worth mentioning. It’s a great way to see yourself the way companies do.
How can we help?
At Linked CV Builder, we specialize in transforming your CV to meet all the key criteria mentioned above.
What we need from you is a complete version of your resume — including your skills, certifications, courses, work experience, education, languages, industry domains, and tools you've used.
This comprehensive version becomes your personal data source.
From there, our tool intelligently extracts and reformats the relevant information to align with specific job requirements.
Here’s the CV template to get started:
Apply faster and smarter
with a CV that matches the job you want