#20 Years Experience

Resumes don’t get you hired. People do. A résumé is not the decision-maker. It’s just the entry point. Hiring is about personality, mindset, communication, and cultural fit. Your résumé opens the door — you close it. In my upcoming online course, I break down how résumés really work in today’s hiring process and how to position yourself to get interviews — not ignored.

NEVER hire based on a resume. Don’t even hire based on an interview! Let me explain: I once spent 60 hours hiring for a specialized position… Only to have that person leave three months later. Now my hiring process takes less than 6 hours total. One of the keys to this is avoiding resumes like the plague. Don’t waste your time reading cover letters, reviewing past experience, and fantasizing over the best applicants when your favorites are just going to ghost you anyway. Sounds harsh, but it’s true. Instead, create a two-hour window for interviews with 10-minute time slots that candidates can book through Calendly or YouCanBookMe. That opens up only 12 opportunities for interested applicants to interview, which means they have to compete for a spot. These initial 10 minutes are an opportunity for you to get a feel for the candidates and see if you even like the person! Doing the 12 interviews back-to-back in a two-hour period will make it abundantly clear who the best candidates are. Once you move them to a second interview, you can SKIM through the resumes… but don’t you dare touch them or waste time with them before they’ve shown up for a first interview and you liked them enough to invite them back. Even if the first and second interviews go great, you STILL don’t hire that person. Not until you give them a paid test project and they’ve shown they can execute. You want to hire based on character and ability to perform. Some of the best interviewees are the worst performers and vice versa. But if someone has good character and they’ve shown they can perform well with a paid test project, you’ve just found a great addition to your team. I have a Google Doc we use to hire all of our team members. If you want it, just comment “Hiring” and I’ll send it to you. Follow for more business tips.

12 years hiring for top companies. This is how I prep top professionals for $150K+ interviews. These are the 9 steps I use in private prep. Step 1 Study the job description. Not the website. The website is branding. The job description is the brief. We break down: – What they actually need solved – What skills show up repeatedly – What they care about vs what’s filler If you don’t understand the business problem they’re hiring for, you’re guessing. Step 2 Pick 2–3 things they must remember about you. Not everything you’ve ever done. Two or three strengths that directly match the role. For each one you need: – A clear example – A result – A story you can explain naturally If they walk away remembering those three things, you did your job. Step 3 Build a strategic “Tell me about yourself.” Not your resume out loud. It should cover: – Why you’re passionate – The through-line in your background – Why you’re open – Why this role makes sense This answer lets you guide the interview instead of reacting to it. That’s just the first three. The full checklist walks you through all 9 steps — including stage-by-stage strategy, how to anticipate what will be asked, how to ask questions that give you leverage, leadership positioning, and compensation clarity. Comment checklist and I’ll send you the full 9-step interview prep guide I use with my private clients. #careeradvice #jobsearch #leadership #interviews

12 years inside Fortune 500 recruiting taught me this: Your resume matters. So does how you show up. So does how you make yourself visible. From getting hired → to getting promoted → to getting paid more, this is what actually moves careers forward. I’m Mike — former Fortune 500 recruiter helping you land interviews, earn what you’re worth, and create the career you want next. Save this for later. Follow for recruiter-backed career strategy. 🚀

👇 Here’s what separates candidates who get job interviews from the ones who don’t 👇 **1️⃣ Volume gets you seen. Effort gets you remembered.** Applying to lots of roles *does* help. But hiring managers don’t remember resumes — they remember people. If you’re just another PDF in their inbox, you’re competing with thousands of others doing the exact same thing. **2️⃣ When you *know* you’re a great fit, go uncomfortably above and beyond.** This doesn’t mean cold-emailing 50 people or begging for referrals. It means finding one real human tied to the role and showing genuine initiative — helping, contributing, following up, and being present *before* you ever ask for anything. **3️⃣ Rapport beats credentials when everything else is equal.** When a recruiter or hiring manager already knows your name, you stop being “a resume” and start being “that person who showed up.” That’s the difference between being ignored… and getting the interview. You can’t do this for every job — and you shouldn’t try to. But for the roles you *actually want*? Going the extra mile isn’t optional anymore. Because if you don’t…**someone else will.** 👇 Save this to get ahead in your job search @nigelscanvas @resumeplug #jobsearch #recruiting #careeradvice

It doesn’t look like a “step back.” It looks like a risk. And hiring teams are wired to avoid risk. When they see a more senior candidate applying for a slightly smaller role, they don’t think: “Wow, what experience.” They think: • Will they get bored? • Will they leave in 6 months? • Will they resent the comp? • Are we just a backup plan? That’s the signal you’re fighting. Now here’s the part no one says out loud: It’s okay if you’re burned out. It’s okay if your life priorities shifted. It’s okay if you want something different. But you cannot frame it as: “I want less.” You frame it as: “I’m being intentional.” “I’m choosing alignment.” “I want to make impact here.” Same move. Completely different signal. If you’re navigating a career move that might look like a step back… Comment SIGNAL and I’ll show you how to position it without killing your leverage. #careerpivot #interviewtips #midcareer #careergrowth #jobsearchstrategy

Let’s make this practical. 🚫 Mistakes to avoid ❌ Giving a boring, cookie-cutter summary of your work experience ❌ Only focusing on your background and not tying anything back to the company or role ❌ Only focusing on the actions of your past experience, not the outcomes / value ❌ Rambling on for 5+ minutes and spending a huge chunk of interview time here If your answer sounds like LinkedIn bullets read out loud… it’s forgettable. ✅ Things that make for a great answer ✅ Highlighting the connection between this role and your values/passion ✅ Being concise about summarizing your past with a heavy focus on the value and results ✅ Showing this person you did your research and you know the goals, challenges, and vision they’re hiring for ✅ Personalizing your story and examples to the specific company and role This is the mindset shift: Your intro isn’t “what I did.” Your intro is “why I’m the right hire for what you need right now.” Next reel: the exact 4-part framework we use to build a job-winning answer. Follow for more consulting content! Your consulting coach, Constantin

Your resume isn’t “bad.” It’s just not convincing. And that’s why you’re not getting interviews. Hot take: Most people don’t lose because they’re unqualified. They lose because their resume + LinkedIn profile don’t reduce hiring risk. And yes… about cover letters: ❌ NO: Sending one “just because” Most don’t get read. ✅ YES: Use them strategically Only when: • The role requires it • You’re pivoting careers • You need to explain your “why” Then they help. Otherwise? Focus on your positioning. Here’s what recruiters actually respond to 👇 ❌ NO: “ATS is everything” Yes, software scans first. Humans decide who gets hired. ❌ NO: Generic bullets “Responsible for…” = invisible Results get interviews. Tasks get ignored. ❌ NO: Blind AI copy/paste If it sounds like ChatGPT wrote it… So does everyone else’s. Use AI to think better. Not to sound average. ✅ YES: Mirror the job description (on purpose) Use their language. Frame your experience around their problems. That’s not lying. That’s positioning. ✅ YES: Write every bullet like a business case What you did → Why it mattered → What changed → That’s what lowers hiring risk. 🔥 Bonus most people miss: Put your strongest win in the top third. We skim in seconds. Weak top = skip. Want my exact resume + positioning checklist? 💬 Comment VALUE and I’ll send it to you. Save this. You’ll need it. 👊 #JobSearchTips #CareerAdvice #ResumeHelp #LandInterviews #NextWaveWithMike

NEVER hire based on a resume. Don’t even hire based on an interview! Let me explain: I once spent 60 hours hiring for a specialized position… Only to have that person leave three months later. Now my hiring process takes less than 6 hours total. One of the keys to this is avoiding resumes like the plague. Don’t waste your time reading cover letters, reviewing past experience, and fantasizing over the best applicants when your favorites are just going to ghost you anyway. Sounds harsh, but it’s true. Instead, create a two-hour window for interviews with 10-minute time slots that candidates can book through Calendly or YouCanBookMe. That opens up only 12 opportunities for interested applicants to interview, which means they have to compete for a spot. These initial 10 minutes are an opportunity for you to get a feel for the candidates and see if you even like the person! Doing the 12 interviews back-to-back in a two-hour period will make it abundantly clear who the best candidates are. Once you move them to a second interview, you can SKIM through the resumes… but don’t you dare touch them or waste time with them before they’ve shown up for a first interview and you liked them enough to invite them back. Even if the first and second interviews go great, you STILL don’t hire that person. Not until you give them a paid test project and they’ve shown they can execute. You want to hire based on character and ability to perform. Some of the best interviewees are the worst performers and vice versa. But if someone has good character and they’ve shown they can perform well with a paid test project, you’ve just found a great addition to your team. I have a Google Doc we use to hire all of our team members. If you want it, just comment “Hiring” and I’ll send it to you. Follow for more business tips.

NEVER hire based on a resume. Don’t even hire based on an interview! Let me explain: I once spent 60 hours hiring for a specialized position… Only to have that person leave three months later. Now my hiring process takes less than 6 hours total. One of the keys to this is avoiding resumes like the plague. Don’t waste your time reading cover letters, reviewing past experience, and fantasizing over the best applicants when your favorites are just going to ghost you anyway. Sounds harsh, but it’s true. Instead, create a two-hour window for interviews with 10-minute time slots that candidates can book through Calendly or YouCanBookMe. That opens up only 12 opportunities for interested applicants to interview, which means they have to compete for a spot. These initial 10 minutes are an opportunity for you to get a feel for the candidates and see if you even like the person! Doing the 12 interviews back-to-back in a two-hour period will make it abundantly clear who the best candidates are. Once you move them to a second interview, you can SKIM through the resumes… but don’t you dare touch them or waste time with them before they’ve shown up for a first interview and you liked them enough to invite them back. Even if the first and second interviews go great, you STILL don’t hire that person. Not until you give them a paid test project and they’ve shown they can execute. You want to hire based on character and ability to perform. Some of the best interviewees are the worst performers and vice versa. But if someone has good character and they’ve shown they can perform well with a paid test project, you’ve just found a great addition to your team. I have a Google Doc we use to hire all of our team members. If you want it, just comment “Hiring” and I’ll send it to you. Follow for more business tips.

🚨 HARSH JOB SEARCH TRUTH 🚨 Someone less qualified than you is getting the interview. Not because they’re smarter. Because they’re positioned better. Most resumes say: “Responsible for…” “Managed a team…” “Strategic leader…” Which tells hiring managers absolutely nothing. 🫠 Recruiters remember: 📈 Results 💰 Revenue impact ⚡ Problems solved Not job descriptions. If you’re applying and hearing nothing back… Something is off. Comment RESUME and I’ll send you the link to book a free 15 minute strategy call. Stop blending in. Start getting noticed. 🔥

NEVER hire based on a resume. Don’t even hire based on an interview! Let me explain: I once spent 60 hours hiring for a specialized position… Only to have that person leave three months later. Now my hiring process takes less than 6 hours total. One of the keys to this is avoiding resumes like the plague. Don’t waste your time reading cover letters, reviewing past experience, and fantasizing over the best applicants when your favorites are just going to ghost you anyway. Sounds harsh, but it’s true. Instead, create a two-hour window for interviews with 10-minute time slots that candidates can book through Calendly or YouCanBookMe. That opens up only 12 opportunities for interested applicants to interview, which means they have to compete for a spot. These initial 10 minutes are an opportunity for you to get a feel for the candidates and see if you even like the person! Doing the 12 interviews back-to-back in a two-hour period will make it abundantly clear who the best candidates are. Once you move them to a second interview, you can SKIM through the resumes… but don’t you dare touch them or waste time with them before they’ve shown up for a first interview and you liked them enough to invite them back. Even if the first and second interviews go great, you STILL don’t hire that person. Not until you give them a paid test project and they’ve shown they can execute. You want to hire based on character and ability to perform. Some of the best interviewees are the worst performers and vice versa. But if someone has good character and they’ve shown they can perform well with a paid test project, you’ve just found a great addition to your team. I have a Google Doc we use to hire all of our team members. If you want it, just comment “Hiring” and I’ll send it to you. Follow for more business tips.