Job search, resume and career advice · Sortie blog

ATS-Friendly Resume Format: Rules That Matter and Myths

What applicant tracking systems actually need from your resume, which formatting rules matter, and the common ATS myths you can safely stop worrying about.5 min read Interviews

Behavioral Interview Questions: Build a Story Bank That Works

The common themes behind behavioral interview questions and how to build a story bank of eight to ten examples that can answer almost anything they ask.5 min read Career change

Career Change Resume: How to Lead With Transferable Skills

Switching fields at any stage? Build a career change resume around transferable skills, relevant proof and a clear target, with a before-and-after example.5 min read Executives

Confidential Executive Job Search: How to Look Quietly

How senior leaders can run a confidential job search while employed: protect your profile, work with recruiters, network quietly and stay on track.5 min read Veterans

DoD SkillBridge Guide: Find a Program, Apply and Get Approved

What DoD SkillBridge is, how to find a program that fits, how to apply and how to time it with your command so you leave the service with civilian experience.5 min read Resumes

Employment Gap on a Resume: How to Explain It Honestly

Explain an employment gap on your resume and in interviews without oversharing. Wording for layoffs, caregiving, health, moves, school and career breaks.5 min read Executives

Executive Resume Guide for VP, C-Suite and Board Roles

Write an executive resume that shows scope, P&L ownership and business outcomes for VP, C-suite and board roles, with structure, examples and pitfalls.5 min read Federal jobs

Federal Assessment Questionnaire Tips: Rate Yourself Honestly

Answer federal self-assessment questions honestly and back up every rating in your resume so HR can verify it, with a worked example and a final check.5 min read Federal jobs

Federal Resume Format: How to Fit the Two-Page Limit

Build a federal resume that fits the two-page limit on many USAJOBS announcements while still proving you qualify. Structure, required details and cuts.5 min read Federal jobs

GS Grades and Military Rank: Where Your Experience Fits

How the General Schedule grade system works, why rank charts don't set your grade and how to judge which GS level your military or civilian experience fits.5 min read Industries

Healthcare Resume Guide for Clinical and Nonclinical Roles

Write a healthcare resume for nurses, techs, admin and operations roles. Covers licenses, clinical skills, patient outcomes and privacy, with examples.5 min read Federal jobs

How to Apply on USAJOBS: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Apply for federal jobs on USAJOBS from search to submission: reading the announcement, building your resume, the questionnaire, documents and tracking status.5 min read Job search

How to Get Employee Referrals Without Being Awkward

Ask for an employee referral the right way: who to ask, when to ask, what to send and exact wording for friends, former coworkers and people you just met.5 min read Federal jobs

How to Prove Specialized Experience on a USAJOBS Resume

Learn how to show specialized experience at the right grade level on a USAJOBS resume by mapping your bullets to the announcement, with a worked example.5 min read Resumes

How to Quantify Resume Bullets Without Exact Numbers

Show scope and results on your resume even when you don't have exact numbers. Honest ways to add scale, frequency and impact without inflating anything.5 min read Job search

How to Tailor Your Resume to a Job Description in 20 Minutes

A repeatable 20-minute process to tailor your resume to any job description: find the key terms, reorder your bullets, adjust your summary and check fit.5 min read Veterans

How to Translate Military Experience Into a Civilian Resume

Turn ranks, duties and military jargon into plain civilian language that hiring managers understand, with a before-and-after example and a simple process.5 min read LinkedIn

How to Write a LinkedIn About Section in the First Person

A step-by-step guide to writing a first-person LinkedIn About section that sounds like you, shows your value and tells recruiters what you want next.5 min read Cover letters

How to Write a Short Cover Letter That Gets Read in 2026

Write a short, specific cover letter hiring managers actually read. A simple four-part structure, a before-and-after example and when to skip it entirely.5 min read Job search

Job Search Tracker: Run Your Search Like a Sales Pipeline

Set up a job search tracker that works like a pipeline, with clear stages, follow-up rules and weekly targets, so you always know your next step.5 min read Job search

Laid Off? Your Job Search Plan for the First 30 Days

A clear plan for the first 30 days after a layoff: handle benefits and paperwork, update your resume and LinkedIn, tell your network and start applying.5 min read LinkedIn

LinkedIn Headline Formulas That Work for Any Job Seeker

Five LinkedIn headline formulas with examples for veterans, tech workers, executives, career changers and more, plus the mistakes that make headlines vanish.5 min read LinkedIn

LinkedIn Networking Messages: Templates That Get Replies

LinkedIn message templates for recruiters, alumni, hiring managers, fellow veterans and former coworkers, plus how to follow up without becoming a pest.5 min read Veterans

Military Spouse Careers: Build a Job That Survives a PCS

Build a portable career as a military spouse: remote-friendly fields, license transfer, federal hiring options and a resume that explains frequent moves well.5 min read Veterans

Military to Civilian Job Titles: How to Convert Your Rank

Turn your rank and duty title into civilian job titles employers search for. A simple four-step conversion method, examples by level and mistakes to avoid.5 min read Resumes

Modern vs Professional vs Federal Resume: Which Format to Use

Compare modern, professional (classic) and federal resume formats, see when each one works best, and learn how to pick the right one for your next job.5 min read Resumes

One Page vs Two Page Resume: How Long Should Yours Be?

Should your resume be one page or two? A clear guide by situation for new grads, mid-career pros, executives, career changers, tech workers and federal jobs.5 min read LinkedIn

Open to Work Post Examples: How to Announce Your Job Search

When to announce your job search on LinkedIn and how to write an open to work post, with templates for layoffs, veterans, career changers and new grads.5 min read Tech careers

Product Manager Resume: Build Every Bullet Around Outcomes

Write a product manager resume that shows outcomes, not tasks. Bullet formulas, before and after examples, the right skills and tips for career switchers.5 min read Industries

Project Manager Resume: Examples Across Industries and Certs

Write a project or program manager resume for any industry: scope lines, outcome bullets, examples for construction, IT and healthcare, and how to list a PMP.5 min read Interviews

Questions to Ask the Interviewer at Every Interview Stage

Smart questions to ask the interviewer by stage: recruiter screen, hiring manager, peer and panel, and final round, plus the questions to save for the offer.5 min read Resumes

Resume Skills Section: What to Include and How to Group It

Build a resume skills section that matches the job: how to pick hard and soft skills, group them, mirror the posting and prove each one in your bullets.5 min read Resumes

Resume Summary Examples for 12 Fields and How to Write Yours

Resume summary examples for tech, healthcare, veterans, executives, sales, teaching and more, plus a three-part formula to write a summary that fits the job.5 min read Job search

Salary Negotiation Guide: Step-by-Step Scripts for Any Offer

Negotiate a job offer step by step: research your range, handle the salary question, respond to the offer and counter with confidence, using simple scripts.5 min read Veterans

Security Clearance on a Resume: How and Where to List It

List your security clearance on a resume the right way: where it goes, how to word active, current and expired status, and the details you should never share.5 min read Tech careers

Software Engineer Resume: Show Impact, Stack and Projects

Build a software engineer resume around impact, not task lists. How to present your tech stack, projects and results, with a before-and-after example.5 min read Interviews

STAR Method Interview Answers With Examples Across Fields

Learn the STAR method for behavioral interview questions, with worked example answers for operations, tech, healthcare and military-to-civilian backgrounds.5 min read Interviews

Tell Me About Yourself: 30, 60 and 90 Second Pitch Framework

Answer 'tell me about yourself' with a simple present, past, future framework, plus 30, 60 and 90 second elevator pitch versions and examples.5 min read Interviews

Thank-You Email After an Interview: Templates and Timing

What to send after an interview and when, with thank-you email templates for phone screens, panels, final rounds and follow-ups when you haven't heard back.5 min read Federal jobs

Veterans' Preference Points Explained: 0, 5 and 10 Point

A plain-language overview of 0, 5 and 10 point veterans' preference for federal jobs, the documents usually involved and where to confirm the current rules.5 min read