Ex-Google Recruiter Urges 3-Step Resume Overhaul for 6-Second Hiring Scan

2 articles · Updated · CNBC · Aug 24

Farah Sharghi says tighter budgets have shifted hiring toward candidates who can contribute on day one, making resumes that sell “potential” far less effective.
Her 3-step fix is to show what improved because of you, attach context to every number, and replace vague traits like “strong communicator” with specific examples of work done.
Cover letters, she says, should stay to 2 or 3 short paragraphs and prove you have already solved the problem the role exists to fix, rather than argue why you could grow into it.
Entry-level candidates should look for employers with named internship or rotational programs and campus recruiting, while mid-career workers should assume companies are hiring to fill a specific gap.
Internal moves remain the main exception because employers already have performance data; in a hiring freeze, Sharghi says workers should judge whether their current role is making them more hireable.