Originally published on the CVFit blog.
I'm Momin, founder of CVFit in Ottawa. I build a resume-tailoring tool that uses only work you have actually done.
Full disclosure: this is my product area — CVFit sells a resume tool, so I benefit if you believe tailoring matters. I have kept the evidence against tailoring in here too.
Over two weeks in October 2026, we asked recruiters, talent acquisition leads, HR leaders and hiring managers on LinkedIn: what should a new grad put on a resume so it earns an interview? By October 25 we had logged 49 replies from 43 people, about 28 of them on the hiring side. Not a scientific survey — see the limitations. This is what they said in public, in their own words, including where they disagreed.
The market
The New York Fed reports unemployment for recent US college graduates stayed at about 5.6% through the second quarter of 2026, and underemployment edged up to 42%. Recent computer science grads sat at 7.0% unemployment, computer engineering at 7.8%. In Canada, youth unemployment (ages 15 to 24) was 13.0% in September 2026, against a 2017 to 2019 average of 10.8%. NACE's spring survey projected 5.6% more Class of 2026 graduate hires, mostly at large companies. But in Enhancv's interviews with 25 US recruiters, software openings, especially hybrid or remote ones, could get 1,500 to 2,000 applications before screening began.
1. Skills and output, not a title you don't have yet
Zena Contreras, a corporate hiring expert: "Early-career candidates aren't expected to have years of experience. They're expected to demonstrate potential, foundational skills, initiative, and the ability to learn." Rodney B., a talent management leader: "For all roles I look for skills and output first." On coursework: "some recruiters will skip over coursework, so it should be a small section so that the student has more space to highlight what they have accomplished with their projects."
2. Dependability — including the part-time job you almost cut
Stephanie Carroll, in talent sourcing and executive search, looks for "examples of follow-through: holding a part-time job throughout school, being trusted to train a new employee, or completing a project with clear deadlines and deliverables." Joshua Samowitz, a talent acquisition specialist: "If I see less experience but they have maintained good tenure at their previous positions, I am more inclined to interview them."
3. Impact over duties — and you don't need fake metrics
Manasi Joshi Bidkar, a director and global head of HR: "A resume that clearly communicates achievements rather than just listing responsibilities immediately stands out." Jessie Elkin, a director of recruiting: "They don't have to have metrics, but can include any skills that they've learned through projects, school or internships."
4. Tailor lightly — don't rewrite the whole resume
Breonna Suarez, RACR: "Keep one solid updated resume, but make small changes depending on the job you're applying for. You don't have to redo the whole thing." Aaron Rivers, a talent acquisition lead: "It doesn't need to be a whole resume reset, but something to draw the recruiter to the experience you know best fits, should be your goal." Jonathan Hershaff, a senior scientist at Uber: candidates should "find 1-3 roles that seemed the closest fit and apply to them," and "when you get to 8-12 or more that it starts to look ridiculous."
5. Use AI as a second set of eyes, not a ghostwriter
Mishika Gupta recommended "treating AI match scores as a starting point, not a final verdict," and checking the posting's "3-5 must-have requirements" yourself. "A lower match score doesn't always mean you're a weaker candidate!" Andrew Henke, an executive search recruiter: "The goal isnt to have AI reinvent your experience, but to make sure youre presenting it in the best possible light!" Daniel Umstead, an AVP of HR and talent acquisition, said heavy polish often shows "in the format," such as bold on skills "that aren't necessary," and when he's unsure, "I will ask a couple of key questions related to their experience to determine if they are a fit."
Where the advice conflicts
The summary. Maiyah Mercer: "It's best to skip the professional summary, especially if most of your experience consists of internships and fellowships." Jessie Elkin: the summary "should include what kind of role they're interested in, talk about their excitement for growth." Chelsé Rader: "A 2-4 sentence summary." Ron White: "I quickly review it and move on." Jeff Altman: "When it's only in the summary and the rest of the resume doesn't support what the summary says, the message is very clear." Keep it short and backed up below; skip "excitement for growth."
Titles vs skills. James Kennedy: the first few seconds go to "titles you've had, location (are you where the role is)." Billy Kopeikin wanted "A resume that says what the person is good at, not what titles they've held." Jobscan reports resumes whose titles matched the posting had a 10.6 times higher interview rate — from its own users, correlation, not cause. Don't rename a job you held. Sheldon Indryas: keep "the official title as the main title, then add the market-facing one in parentheses," as long as it "accurately describes the role."
Inventing a LinkedIn role. Rachael Gingery, a career coach and former tech recruiter, recommends "creating a new role under your experience section with the title you're targeting and relevant context" — only if honestly labelled as independent project work you really did. Her sharper point: "most junior candidates don't have enough experience to know how to tie their skills to the requirements of the role."
Does tailoring even pay off? Jeffery Y., a job seeker: "Honestly, it rarely seems to pay off. Last time I was job searching it took me 7 months to get a good hit." Kerri Rewerts: "if the bigger problem is sheer volume, how much does tailoring help if your resume never gets far enough into the pile to be read?" In Enhancv's interviews, 52% of recruiters said submission timing influences who makes the shortlist, and teams often pause postings after the first few hundred applications. A tailored resume sent a week late may never be opened.
"Get involved" assumes free time. Rodney B. warned students who skipped projects, clubs, work and volunteering "will get overlooked in comparison to a student who was involved." Fanny Y. suggested using free time to "volunteer at any big/small/start-up organisations." Students working to pay rent often don't have that time — the job that got you through school counts.
Cover letters. Aaron Rivers: "I am also a big believer in a strong cover letter for new grads," and "not every recruiter weighs them heavily." Write one when you have a real story; it won't rescue a resume that doesn't fit.
Do ATS systems reject entry-level resumes automatically?
In Enhancv's interviews, 92% of recruiters said their ATS doesn't auto-reject applicants based on format or content. All of them used knockout questions (work authorization, location, minimum education), and those can reject you instantly. Jobscan's survey of 384 recruiters found 99.7% use filters in their ATS or a similar system, and 76.4% filter by skills. Both companies sell resume tools, so read the numbers with that in mind.
Entry-level resume checklist
- One page. Jessie Elkin: new grads "should limit their resume to one page."
- Projects like jobs — what you built, tools, result. Coursework small.
- Part-time jobs kept, one bullet about responsibility.
- Most relevant item first.
- The posting's exact skill names, only for skills you can discuss.
- No invented numbers or titles.
- A summary, if any, of two to four lines, backed up below.
- The 3 to 5 must-haves checked yourself.
- Apply early, only to the few roles you fit best.
Where to get help without wasting money
Career centre — free while you're a student, often after. AI: Carlene Brown, Ph.D., suggested giving AI "a few examples of your own writing so it can get a feel for how you naturally communicate." Recruiters directly: Haviva Karon wished hiring teams were "responding to DMs or emails sent from candidates." Keep notes short.
Limitations
- Small sample: 49 replies from 43 people, about 28 hiring-side. Anecdote at scale, not data.
- Self-selected: people who post about resumes on LinkedIn replied; many sell coaching or recruiting.
- Not all tech: some examples don't map to a software internship.
- Some early comments were leading: before October 24, some stated a view rather than asking. We didn't use "great tip!" replies as evidence.
- No outcomes: what recruiters say they look for, not measured interview rates.
- We sell a resume tool: CVFit benefits if you believe tailoring matters.
FAQ
How do I get interviews with no experience? Show skills and output from projects, internships and part-time work; tailor lightly; apply early to roles you fit. Recruiters judge potential, not years.
Should an entry-level resume have a summary? Recruiters disagree — some say skip it, others want two to four lines naming the role. If you include one, back every claim below it.
How do I tailor my resume? Keep one master resume, move the most relevant project to the top, use the posting's exact names for skills you really have. It "doesn't need to be a whole resume reset."
Do ATS systems reject resumes automatically? Usually not on content alone, but knockout questions can. Use the plain names of skills you actually have.
Is it OK to use AI to write my resume? Yes, as a second set of eyes — check it against the posting yourself and rewrite it in your own voice.
Tailor what you have. Don't invent what you don't.
That was the common thread in almost every reply, and it's what CVFit does: it matches your real experience to a job description, shows which must-haves you can back up, and never adds skills you don't have. You review every change — 1 month of Pro free, no credit card required.
Thanks to everyone who answered on LinkedIn. If we've quoted you and you'd like a correction or your name removed, message the CVFit page and we'll update this article.
Read the original post on CVFit: Entry-level resume tips from recruiters: how new grads get interviews in 2026
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