FIELD NOTES
Writing on résumés,
and what actually works.
Most résumé advice is folklore repeated until it sounds like fact. We write the version we can defend: how applicant tracking systems really behave, how recruiters really search, and how to be more convincing without inventing a word.
- Job search23
- Résumé writing16
- ATS12
- AI resumes8
- Career strategy6
- Job applications5
- Job search tools5
- Australia4
- Resume tools4
- Australian job market3
- Tailoring3
- Career management2
- Cover letters2
- Interviews2
- Keywords2
- Career advice1
- Career change1
- Career research1
- CV1
- Government jobs1
- Master resume1
- Resume formatting1
- Selection criteria1
LatestIs AI actually killing graduate jobs in Australia?
Australian graduate postings rose 6.4% year on year in early 2026. Here is what the local data actually shows, against the AI-panic headlines.
AustraliaJob searchApplications per job ad in Australia just hit a record high
SEEK's July 2026 data shows applications per job ad are now higher than at any point on record. Here is what actually still works to stand out.
AI resumesATSDoes hiding AI instructions in your resume actually work?
At least 1% of resumes now carry hidden text aimed at AI screeners. Here is the real data on the tactic, who catches it, and why it's a bad trade.
AI resumesJob searchHow to prepare for an AI video interview
70% of job seekers say nobody told them AI would grade their interview. Here is what these tools actually assess, and how to prepare properly.
AustraliaJob applicationsShould you list salary expectations on a SEEK application? What the data shows
Only about a third of SEEK job ads list a salary, yet disclosed pay drives 47 percent more applications. Here is how to read and react to that gap.
AustraliaJob searchA 2026 job scam checklist for Australian job seekers
Employment scams now rank second only to investment fraud in Australia. A checklist for verifying a recruiter or offer is real before you hand anything over.
AI resumesATSWhat the Workday AI hiring lawsuit means if you're job hunting right now
Mobley v Workday is the largest live legal case on automated hiring rejection. Here is what it alleges and what it means for how you apply.
Job searchCareer strategyHow to spot a ghost job posting before you waste a tailored application
About 1 in 7 US job postings sit unfilled for 30+ days. Here is the data on ghost jobs and a checklist for spotting one before you apply.
Job searchCareer strategyHow long does a job search actually take? What the data says
Government labour data puts real numbers on job search length, and the gap between the median and the average explains why it feels endless for some.
ATSAI resumesHow recruiters actually use AI to screen your resume in 2026
A 2026 survey of 1,000 US hiring managers shows how much of resume screening is really AI, how much is human, and where the two overlap.
Job searchResume toolsKickresume review: pricing, templates, and where the AI writer falls short
Kickresume pairs polished templates with an AI writer for $8 to $24 a month. Here is what a Kickresume review actually finds once you look past the design.
Australian job marketRésumé writingHow to tailor your resume for SEEK job ads
SEEK is two separate documents wearing one login: a profile recruiters search, and a resume you attach per job. Confusing them is the real problem here.
Career changeRésumé writingHow to write a resume for a career change with no direct experience
A plain chronological resume from your old field reads as the wrong candidate in seconds. Here is the structure that reframes your experience instead.
Cover lettersAI resumesDo AI cover letter generators actually work?
The data says yes and no at once: AI drafts get rejected when they read as generic, and accepted when they don't. Here is exactly where that line sits.
Job searchJob search toolsDo you need a job application tracker? What to track and what to ignore
A tracker only earns its keep if it answers three questions: which resume version, when to follow up, and what is actually converting.
Job searchJob applicationsHow many jobs should you apply for each week?
The real answer isn't a single number. Here's the math on tailored applications per week, real conversion data, and a weekly plan you can copy.
Selection criteriaAustralian job marketHow to answer selection criteria for Australian government jobs
APS panels now score a one page pitch, not long criteria essays. The STAR method done properly, real word limits, and two full weak to strong rewrites.
AI resumesJob search toolsChatGPT vs a resume tailoring tool: what each is actually good at
You already have ChatGPT. Here is an honest, specific breakdown of what it does better than a tailoring tool, and where it genuinely falls short.
Résumé writingJob searchHow to explain a career gap on your resume (with examples)
Gaps are common now, and hiding them backfires. How to name a career gap on your resume in one honest line, with real example lines to adapt.
ATSJob searchDoes an ATS automatically reject your resume? What actually happens
No, in almost all cases. Automatic rejection is driven by the knockout questions you answer, not a robot judging your resume. Here is what really happens.
KeywordsJob applicationsKeywords for job application forms, not just your resume
Application forms have their own keyword fields, separate from your resume: skills selectors, screening questions, free text boxes. How to fill each one.
Job searchResume toolsResume Worded review: is the free resume score worth acting on?
Resume Worded ranks first for resume score and draws over 600K monthly visits. What its free score checks, what Pro costs, and where it falls short.
Résumé writingAustralian job marketResume vs CV in Australia: what employers actually expect
US advice says one page, UK advice says CV. Neither fits Australia. Here is the length, format and detail SEEK-era Australian employers actually expect.
Job searchResume toolsTeal vs Jobscan: which should you pay for?
Teal tracks your search and drafts bullets from a free base tier. Jobscan scores what you already wrote for $49.95 a month. Here is how to actually choose.
Cover lettersJob searchDo you need a cover letter in 2026? What the data says
A 7,287 application field study and conflicting recruiter surveys disagree. Here is what the cover letter data actually supports, and what does not.
ATSResume formattingCan ATS read PDF resumes? (tested, 2026)
Yes, modern ATS platforms read text-based PDF resumes fine. Here is what actually breaks parsing, plus a two-minute test you can run yourself.
Job searchRésumé writingWhy you're not getting interviews: a diagnostic checklist
You've sent 200 applications and heard almost nothing back. Here's how to diagnose the small number of real causes, in order, starting today.
AI resumesJob searchCan recruiters tell if you used ChatGPT on your resume?
Usually not with software, but experienced recruiters spot the tells fast. Here is what actually gives an AI written resume away, and what does not matter.
Résumé writingJob search toolsBest resume tailoring tools (2026)
Builders design a resume. Scorers grade one. A tailoring tool rewrites yours for each job from real evidence. Here is the honest 2026 list, ranked.
ATSRésumé writingJobscan alternatives: what to use instead in 2026
Jobscan charges US$49.95 a month for a resume score. Here are the real alternatives, what each one does, and why a score alone never fixes anything.
Job searchResume toolsJobscan review: is it worth $49.95 a month in 2026?
An honest Jobscan review: how the match rate actually works, what the free tier really gives you, and whether $49.95 a month earns its keep.
Master resumeRésumé writingWhat is a master resume? The one document that makes tailoring fast
A master resume is not a longer resume. It is an evidence file you never send, and confusing the two is why tailoring one takes an hour, not ten minutes.
ATSJob searchDoes an ATS score your resume? What actually happens when you apply
Applicant tracking systems do not give your resume a score out of 100. Here is what they really do, why good candidates still disappear, and how to fix it.
Résumé writingJob searchHow to tailor your resume to a job description without lying
A repeatable method for adapting your resume to each role: what to change, what must never change, and how to stay truthful while being more convincing.
KeywordsRésumé writingHow to find the right resume keywords in a job ad
Recruiters search their applicant database by keyword. Here is how to work out which words they will actually type, and where those words belong on your resume.