Senior resume: how to avoid bloat
On this page
Senior candidates often have a lot to say. The challenge is focus.
Why bloat happens
- too many bullets per role
- long lists of tools
- repeating similar projects across multiple jobs
- adding every initiative instead of the best ones
A strong senior resume rule
Every line should answer: “Why are you a fit for *this* role?”
What to keep
- 2–5 strongest bullets per role (for recent roles)
- outcomes + scale (users, revenue, reliability, cost)
- leadership signals (ownership, mentoring, cross-team work)
What to compress
- older roles: 1–2 bullets or even just title + company + dates
- tool lists: keep to what the job needs
- minor internal projects: remove unless they match the role
A practical process
1) Tailor summary and skills to the job
2) Pick the best 10–15 bullets across your whole resume
3) Remove everything else that doesn’t support the story
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