Applicant tracking system: software that stores and parses applications. An ATS-friendly resume uses standard headings, a simple layout, and no essential text trapped in images. What is an ATS-friendly resume?
STAR
A way to answer “Tell me about a time…”: Situation, Task, Action, Result. Keep Situation and Task short; spend the time on what you did and what happened. What is the STAR method?
STAR+LAI
STAR plus Lesson, Application, and Impact: what you learned, what you changed next time, and evidence that change helped. Used when you want a story interviewers remember. How do you make a STAR answer memorable?
Capability-forward resume
A resume that answers “What can this person do for me?” by naming a capability and then giving evidence. Traditional resumes list past tasks and leave the reader to infer capability. Should a resume say what you did or what you can do?
A teachable, observable capability (project management, SQL, contract negotiation). What you can do. Not a character trait. Skills vs strengths on a resume?
Strength
An underlying quality or pattern that explains success across contexts (judgment under ambiguity, stamina with incomplete data). Why you are effective. Skills vs strengths on a resume?
CRACAS
A scoring sheet for an interview answer: Credibility, Relevance, Authenticity, Conciseness, Answer quality. Score 1–5 each; rewrite the lowest score first. How should you evaluate your own interview answer?
PRAR
A pattern for questions you ask the interviewer: Provenance (something you researched), Reflection (a callback), Accolade (a specific true compliment), Request (“I would value your advice on…”). What questions should you ask the interviewer?
General vs targeted resume
General is for an unknown or broad reader. Targeted is aimed at a known posting, person, or type of role. Style (traditional vs capability-forward) and variation (general vs targeted) are independent. How do you write a resume for a career change?
Elevator pitch
A spoken introduction. About 20–30 seconds for a stranger at an event; 60–90 seconds for a meeting. It should sound like talking, not like a bio. How do you introduce yourself professionally?