21. Why Your Resume Isn’t Working (And What to Do About It)

If you’ve been applying to jobs, getting auto-rejected, or hearing absolutely nothing back… this episode is for you.Elin Filbey and Alli Schell break down the biggest resume mistakes they see museum professionals making and why so many resumes fail before a hiring manager even seriously looks at them.Because most of the time, it’s not that you’re unqualified.It’s a strategy issue. It’s a communication issue. Or your resume simply isn’t making it easy for someone to understand why you’re a fit.Throughout the conversation, they unpack:why a resume is a marketing document, not a full record of your careerthe difference between resumes and CVshow museum professionals often write for the wrong audienceand why hiring managers are not going to “connect the dots” for youThey also dive into:tailoring resumes to specific job “lanes” instead of sending the same one everywherewhy focusing only on tasks (instead of impact) hurts your applicationshow to better communicate scope, leadership, and responsibilityand why so many museum professionals undersell the complexity of what they actually doThe episode also tackles one of the most common areas of confusion in today’s job market:ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems)Elin and Alli explain:why overly designed templates often backfirewhy Canva/Etsy-style resumes can create technical issueswhat actually makes a resume easy for both humans and software to readand why “standing out” visually is outdated advice in a digital hiring landscapeThroughout the episode, they come back to one core idea:The goal of your resume is not to sound impressive.It’s to make it obvious why you’re a fit for the role.If your resume hasn’t been getting traction lately, this episode will help you step back, rethink your strategy, and understand what might actually be getting in the way.**If you want to meet up with Elin and Alli at AAM in Philly, fill out this short form to be included in updates on where we'll be.Chapters00:00 Why resumes get auto-rejected02:00 Resume myths and “standing out” advice03:30 A resume is a marketing document05:00 Resume vs CV: what’s the difference?08:00 One page? Two pages? Resume length debates13:00 Who are you actually writing for?15:00 Tailoring for museum vs non-museum audiences18:00 Why you need to “connect the dots”20:00 Don’t bury the lead: highlighting relevant experience23:00 Tasks vs impact in bullet points28:00 Showing scope, outcomes, and responsibility31:00 ATS systems and resume formatting mistakes35:00 Why Canva/Etsy templates can hurt your applications38:00 Keyword stuffing vs strategic alignment39:00 Why generic resumes don’t work43:00 Leadership resumes and organizing complex experience45:00 Final takeaways: clarity, strategy, and alignmentKeywordsmuseum careersmuseum resumesresume tipsmuseum professionalsATS resume tipsjob search strategymuseum job searchcareer transitionsresume formattingtransferable skillsmuseum jobsresume mistakescareer coachingmuseum career coach