How to Write a Resume That Gets Noticed in 2026

In today's job market, your resume faces two audiences before it reaches a hiring manager: automated screening software and AI-powered ranking tools. Understanding how both work — and writing a resume that appeals to both machines and humans — is now an essential skill for any job seeker.

This guide walks you through everything, from the basics of good resume structure to the modern reality of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and AI screening tools. Whether you're applying to a multinational company in Costa Rica's free trade zones or exploring opportunities abroad, these steps will give your resume the best possible chance.

1. Beat the Robot First: Understanding ATS and AI Screening

Most mid-size and large companies — including the majority of multinationals operating in Costa Rica's technology, medical device, and business services sectors — use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to manage job applications. Platforms like Workday, Greenhouse, Lever, and iCIMS automatically scan, parse, and score your resume before any human ever sees it.

On top of traditional ATS, many companies now add an AI scoring layer that ranks candidates based on how well their profile matches the job description. Tools like Eightfold.ai and LinkedIn Recruiter use similar logic. If your resume scores too low, it gets filtered out — regardless of how qualified you actually are.

How ATS Works

The system extracts text from your resume and compares it against the job posting. It looks for keyword matches, relevant job titles, years of experience, and required qualifications. The higher the match score, the more likely your resume gets in front of a recruiter.

The Most Common ATS Mistakes

• Using tables, text boxes, or multi-column layouts — these break the parser and scramble your information
• Putting contact info, section titles, or key data in headers or footers — ATS often skips these entirely
• Using graphics, icons, photos, or logos — these are invisible to machines
• Submitting a PDF when the system prefers .docx — many ATS platforms struggle with PDF formatting
• Using creative job title variations — write "Project Manager" not "Delivery Champion"

How to Optimize for ATS

• Mirror the exact language from the job posting — if it says "bilingual customer service," use that phrase, not "English-speaking support"
• Use standard section headings: Work Experience, Education, Skills — not "My Journey" or "What I Bring"
• Submit in .docx format unless the job posting specifically requests PDF
• Use standard fonts: Arial, Calibri, or Garamond — avoid decorative typefaces
• Keep your layout to a single column with clear, simple formatting

Costa Rica Context

If you're applying to companies in the free trade zones — in industries like tech, BPO, medical devices, or financial services — assume ATS is in use. These multinationals typically use the same enterprise HR platforms as their global headquarters. Tailoring your resume keywords to each job posting is not optional; it's essential.

2. Start with a Striking Header

Your header should be clean and immediately scannable — by both humans and machines.

• Full name (make it the largest text on the page)
• Professional email address — not a nickname or an old Hotmail account
• Phone number with country code if applying internationally
• LinkedIn profile URL — keep it clean with your custom URL (linkedin.com/in/yourname)
• City and country — full street address is no longer necessary or recommended
• Portfolio or personal website if relevant to your field

Keep your header in the main body of the document, not in the Word header/footer — ATS systems often skip those areas.

3. Write a Powerful Professional Summary

Your summary is the first thing a human recruiter reads if your resume passes the ATS filter. Make it count. Aim for 3–5 sentences structured around this framework:

• Who you are (your professional identity and years of experience)
• Your specialty or area of expertise
• One key quantified achievement that demonstrates your value
• What you're looking for or what you bring to the role

Example: Bilingual customer service specialist with 6+ years of experience in high-volume BPO environments. Expert in CRM platforms including Salesforce and Zendesk, with a track record of reducing average handle time by 22% while maintaining a 95% customer satisfaction score. Seeking a senior support role where I can apply my coaching experience to develop frontline teams.

Customize this section for every application. The keywords in the job posting should show up naturally in your summary.

4. Work Experience: Lead with Impact

List your work history in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent position. For each role, include the company name, your job title, dates of employment, and a description of what you accomplished — not just what you were responsible for.

The Power of Quantifying Achievements

This is one of the most impactful changes you can make. Vague responsibilities don't stand out to humans or AI scoring systems. Numbers do.

• Instead of: "Managed a customer service team" — write: "Managed a team of 12 agents, reducing ticket resolution time by 30% over six months"
• Instead of: "Responsible for social media" — write: "Grew Instagram following from 4,000 to 18,000 in 12 months through organic content strategy"
• Instead of: "Improved sales performance" — write: "Exceeded quarterly sales target by 18% for three consecutive quarters"

Ask yourself for each bullet: How many? How much? How often? By what percentage? These answers transform a generic resume into a compelling one.

Use strong action verbs to start each bullet: coordinated, implemented, designed, reduced, increased, launched, trained, negotiated, delivered.

5. Education and Certifications

List your formal education in reverse chronological order. Include the institution name, degree or diploma earned, and dates. If you're a recent graduate, you can include your GPA or academic honors if impressive.

In 2026, certifications carry significant weight — especially in tech, digital marketing, project management, and data fields. Include relevant credentials such as:

• Google, HubSpot, or Meta digital marketing certifications
• Project management credentials (PMP, Scrum Master, CAPM)
• Technology certifications (AWS, Microsoft, Salesforce, etc.)
• Language proficiency certifications (TOEFL, Cambridge, DELE)

Keep certifications current — expired credentials can raise red flags.

6. Skills Section: Be Strategic

Your skills section serves a dual purpose: it signals your capabilities to human readers and it feeds keywords to ATS systems. Be intentional about what you include.

• Technical skills: software platforms, programming languages, tools, systems
• Language skills: specify proficiency level (native, advanced, intermediate)
• Industry-specific competencies relevant to the job you're applying for

Cross-reference the job description and make sure the key skills mentioned there appear in your resume — using the same terminology. If the posting asks for "data analysis" don't only write "analytics."

Avoid listing generic soft skills like "good communicator" or "team player" in a skills section — these are better demonstrated through your work experience bullets.

7. Your LinkedIn Profile: The Extension of Your Resume

When a recruiter shortlists your resume, the very next thing they do is look you up on LinkedIn. Your online profile should tell a consistent, expanded version of the same story as your resume — but with more personality and depth.

• Match your job titles and dates exactly between your resume and LinkedIn — discrepancies raise doubts
• Use a professional, current headshot
• Write a compelling About section that goes beyond your resume summary
• Request recommendations from colleagues and managers
• Keep your profile active: engage with industry content, follow relevant companies

Some AI sourcing tools cross-reference resumes against LinkedIn profiles automatically. Consistency between the two strengthens your candidate score.

8. Achievements and Recognitions

If you have awards, recognitions, or standout accomplishments that don't fit naturally into your work experience bullets, give them their own section. This includes:

• Employee of the month or quarter awards
• Performance bonuses or incentives tied to results
• Published work, speaking engagements, or media mentions
• Scholarships or academic honors

Keep this section brief — two to four items — and quantify where possible.

9. Volunteering and Professional Development

Volunteer experience, participation in professional organizations, and ongoing learning signal initiative and well-rounded character. This is particularly valuable for recent graduates or career changers who may have shorter formal work histories.

Include any leadership roles, community impact, or skills developed through these activities.

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10. Length, Format, and Design

How Long Should Your Resume Be?

• Under 5 years of experience: one page
• 5–15 years: one to two pages
• Senior leadership or highly technical roles: up to two pages
• Three or more pages is almost always a mistake — edit ruthlessly

Design That Works for Both Humans and Machines

• Use a single-column layout
• Choose standard fonts: Arial, Calibri, or Garamond at 10–12pt
• Use consistent formatting for headings, dates, and bullet points
• Leave white space — cramped resumes are hard to read
• Save as .docx for ATS applications; PDF is fine for networking or email
• Avoid: tables, text boxes, graphics, photos, headers/footers for content, bright colors

11. Review, Edit, and Get Feedback

A resume with typos or grammatical errors signals a lack of attention to detail — a critical attribute for almost any role.

• Read your resume out loud to catch awkward phrasing
• Use a spell-checker AND proofread manually — spell-checkers miss context errors
• Ask a trusted colleague or mentor to review it
• Consider using an AI tool to check readability and keyword alignment
• Check that all dates, company names, and titles are accurate and consistent with LinkedIn

12. Customize for Every Application

Submitting the same resume to every job is one of the most common — and costly — mistakes job seekers make. With ATS keyword matching, a generic resume will consistently score lower than a tailored one.

For each application: read the job description carefully, identify the most important skills and qualifications listed, and make sure those terms appear naturally in your resume. This doesn't mean copying the posting word for word — it means ensuring alignment.

It takes extra time, but it dramatically increases your chances of getting past the automated filter and into a recruiter's hands.

Quick Reference: Resume Do's and Don'ts for 2026

Example of the ideal resume

Your Resume Is Your First Impression — Make It Count

In 2026, a great resume does three things: it passes the automated screening filters, it impresses the recruiter who reads it, and it accurately represents the value you bring. Take the time to build a document that does all three.

Ready to put it to work? Browse open opportunities at leading multinationals and growing companies on CINDE Jobs — and let your new resume open doors.