Ex-Google recruiter: This common mistake makes your resume ‘invisible’—you have ‘six seconds to prove you can do the work’

After spending more than a decade recruiting for companies like Google, TikTok, Uber and The New York Times, I’ve noticed a shift in which jobseekers get hired — and which ones don’t.

Previously, applicants needed only to demonstrate their enthusiasm and sell their potential to land a role; companies used to devote time and resources to employee development. Now as budgets have tightened, they want someone who can do the job on day one. 

The problem is, many job seekers haven’t changed how they apply for jobs. In their resumes and cover letters, they still portray themselves as eager learners ready to grow, and hiring managers look right past them.

Here’s my best advice for how to break through in this fraught job market:

Every hiring manager has a specific issue they need solved quickly. The most effective resumes provide evidence you can fix what’s broken. When you read a job posting, parse it for the problem the role exists to…