by Amanda Zais

Over the last year, I’ve partnered with candidates through a highly competitive job market. The candidates who rose to the top were clear, concise, and confident in how they talked about their work. This article shares the specific things those candidates did that helped them move forward.

Be Intentional with AI Usage on Your Resume

AI can help tighten language, but overuse is easy to spot and often works against candidates. 

• • Remove dashes throughout sentences
  • Avoid bolded bullet starters like:
    • • Project Delivery: Successfully led teams…
      • Test Management: Led testing efforts for
  • Make sure bullets read like real work, not summaries
  • Include what tools were used within job responsibilities

Resumes that look templated or over-structured tend to blur together quickly. If your resume sounds like it could belong to anyone, it’s probably too AI-driven.

Share Specific Project Details and Outcomes

High-level responsibilities aren’t enough anymore.
If someone else could reasonably have the same resume as you, add:

• • Specific projects you worked on
  • What changed for the organization because of your work
  • Where you personally owned or influenced outcomesSpecifics help hiring teams understand your actual impact. Be able to quickly summarize the projects you’ve worked on over the past 5–10 years and your individual impact.

For technical roles, listing technologies only in a tools section isn’t enough. Include them in your experience bullets with context on how you used them and what you built or improved. That’s what differentiates hands-on experience from familiarity.

Send Context to the Recruiter Ahead of Time

Take the time to write 1–2 short paragraphs explaining:

• • How your experience relates to this role
  • Where you’ve done similar work before

Sending this ahead of time helps recruiters position you strategically, highlight your strengths, and advocate effectively on
your behalf.

Tighten Your “Tell Me About Your Background” Story

Every interview deserves a slightly different version.

• • Tailor your background story to the role
  • Pull out the most relevant experience
  • Keep it 3–5 minutes max
  • Get to the point quickly

Rambling at the start of an interview is one of the easiest ways to lose momentum early. If needed, practice with your recruiter. We’re always happy to help.

Ask Thoughtful, Non-Generic Questions

Skip questions like “What does success look like in 90 days?” — everyone asks those.
Better questions show you’re thinking about:

• • How work actually gets done
  • Where teams struggle
  • How decisions are made

Good questions often matter more than people realize. Think back on your past roles and ask yourself what you wish you had known before starting.

Write a Real Follow-Up Thank You

Generic thank-you notes don’t stand out.
Reference:

• • The project or work discussed
  • Team dynamics
  • How your experience connects to their goals
  • Where you see yourself making an impact

This reinforces alignment and keeps you top of mind. Send it to your recruiter to forward along as a thoughtful follow-up that can support quicker feedback or next steps.

Show Comfort with Ambiguity

Many Minnesota based IT and business teams are:

• • Lean
  • Mid-transformation
  • Wearing multiple hats

Candidates who can clearly articulate how they’ve operated in ambiguity tend to stand out immediately.

Know That Relationships Matter Here

Minnesota is a small, relationship-driven market.
Hiring managers often:

• • Know each other
  • Share referrals
  • Remember strong impressions (good or bad)

Professionalism, follow-through, and consistency matter more than people realize. If you have connections at the company, such as former colleagues, referrals, or recommendations, share them with your recruiter. They can make a meaningful difference in securing an interview.

Be Flexible with Hybrid Expectations When You Can

Hybrid means different things to different companies and expectations are tightening.
When possible:

• • Stay open to in-office time
  • Ask clarifying questions instead of ruling things out
  • Don’t miss a flexible hybrid opportunity by being overly rigid early

Have a Clear Rate or Salary Range Upfront

It’s extremely helpful when you share your current rate, target range, and the lowest range you’d realistically consider. That context allows us to advocate for you effectively and ensure we’re positioning you competitively in the market. When expectations are clear early, we can move faster, avoid misalignment, and keep you in the strongest possible spot.