Sam Struan's Linkedin Analytics

She went from zero interviews to 3 offers in 3 weeks. Here's my approach to crafting a targeted "Summary" section Step one – answer the following questions about yourself: 1) How many years of work experience do you have? 2) What roles/responsibilities have you held? 3) For what types of organizations? (add headcount and revenue for question 3) Here are my answers in a single sentence: "10+ years across agency recruiting and leading internal talent teams at global tech companies with 60 to 2,000+ employees and $300M+ in annual revenue." This is my OBJECTIVE value proposition. I use it as the first bullet point. It's more impactful than a generic statement like: "Dynamic and detail-oriented recruitment professional with a track record of strong organizational, leadership, and teamwork abilities." I follow this with 2-3 bullet points of relevant experiences that are tailored to the job advert. This is the ONLY section I tweak in the résumé. If the job advert is asking for "experience leading a team"... I include: • Led a team of 5 recruitment professionals for a global tech company operating in 15 countries. If the job advert is asking for "experience recruiting at scale"... I include: • Managed 60+ requisitions simultaneously and hired 500+ clinical and non-clinical roles in 2 years for a national healthcare service. My recommended summary structure (2-5 bullets): • Intro bullet • Relevant accomplishment • Relevant accomplishment • Relevant technical skills or education No need to spend hours editing your entire résumé for every job. Just tweak the top summary for maximum impact. Follow along for more résumé tips! If you need personalized 1:1 support, I offer résumé reviews and rewriting services. DM for info 🙌

In under 2 minutes, learn my approach to adding freelance/consulting experience to your résumé: • Add the company name • Provide context (what they do and size) • Specify the duration (e.g. 3-month contract) • Add specific measurable results in bullet points Let me know if this was helpful to you or if you have a different approach? Thanks! Sam (Former recruiter now résumé writer)

When I was 23, I worked at the Apple Store. It was a great experience, but I wanted OUT of retail. I applied to 500+ jobs but couldn't land a single interview. Then, a piece of FREE advice completely changed my job search: "Apply to some temp office jobs" Why? • They have lower barriers to entry. • Far less competition/applicants. • Network and new experiences. So, I shifted my target. Not long after, I landed my first interview in over a year. A temporary, part-time admin job at an executive recruitment agency. By day, I worked in the office. By night, I worked at Apple. After 8 months, I was promoted to a full-time executive recruiter position. That’s where I got an inside look at hiring – what makes a search successful, why some candidates struggle, and what helps others land big career jumps. I also learned what makes an effective résumé. And I'll be sharing it with you in an upcoming event. People say, "Free has no value." But free advice is what turned my job search around. On April 2nd, I’ll be joining four top experts to share job search and career success strategies: • Personal Branding – Matthew Wohl • Networking & LinkedIn Hacks – Nancy D'Onofrio • Compensation Strategies – Devon Hennig • Navigating Severance – Dan Goodman 7 AM PST/10 AM EST/3 PM GMT Grab your spot now for the LinkedIn Live event here: https://lnkd.in/eT524WNh What if one piece of advice is all it takes to land your next job?

Only applying to 100% remote roles? Here's how to check the size of your target market on LinkedIn: (the results are not pretty)

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When I recruited for 100% remote roles in the US, I needed this information on someone's résumé: *Current location* Why? Most US companies have to: • Be registered in the state they hire in. • Withhold and file local state taxes. • Ensure health plans cover states. • Follow state employment laws. Factors do vary by company, but location still matters for remote roles. At the company I worked for, we had just launched in the U.S. and our legal and HR teams gave us strict instructions on which states we could – and could not –extend offers in until they caught up with registrations. I would recommend including your current location in your résumé. Good luck landing that remote role! Sam

Looking for a 100% remote job? AVOID saying: "I'm interested in this role because it's remote" It's like saying "I'm interested in dating you for your money" It comes across as a bit shallow. Companies DON'T want to attract candidates who *just* want a remote job. They want to attract: ↳ People who are passionate about their mission. ↳ People who understand their business model. ↳ People who have experience in their industry. ↳ People who care about their customers. ↳ People who share their values. *Leading* with “I’m interested in this role because it’s remote" is the fastest way to lose that opportunity. → Instead, try this 3-step structure to answer "Why are you interested in this role?" 1) Confirm your direct experience in the role.  2) Back it up with a relevant example.  3) Apply mission/broader impact. EXAMPLE: Marketing at Patagonia: "I’m interested in this role because I have a background in marketing for large organizations in the outdoor and apparel industry. In my previous role, I led a social media campaign that increase site visits by 130% and grew sales by 12% during Q2. For me, Patagonia represents an opportunity to work with a company that prioritizes environmental responsibility and ethical practices” When I recruited for 100% remote roles across the US, answers like this made it much easier for me to advocate for a candidate to the hiring manager. If I told a hiring manager "the candidate is interested in this role because it's remote" they'd respond with: "Yeah, tell me something I don't know 🙄" You can stand out from other applicants by aligning your objective work experience with the business instead of your personal working preference. Good luck!

I used this BORING résumé template for my client who ended up landing interviews with AWS, Google, and the London Stock Exchange: Here's what we did with this format: → The Summary Section: - Highlight 2-4 relevant career accomplishments tailored to the job - It's NOT about throwing in keywords; it's about key EXPERIENCES. - I only tweak this section, if needed, for applications (saves time). → The Professional Experience Section: - Include the usual: Company, Title, Location, and Dates (include months) - Include a 1-2 line company summary to provide context to the reader. - Aim for about 4-10 bullet points of specific, measurable results. → Company Summary Example: ↳ "Babylon was a global digital healthcare and AI startup that raised $1.2 billion across 8 funding rounds. At its peak, with 2,000+ employees, its app and services covered 24 million beneficiaries in 15 countries. " → Example bullet point improvement: ↳ Old: "Designed and automated systems to meet project requirements and specifications" ↳ New: "Automated the finance department's invoicing process (over 10,000 invoices/year) using custom .NET Core and C# scripts and reduced manual tasks by over 60%, representing an estimated $40,000+ in savings." A simple résumé template helps. But you also need the right content and approach. Not landing interviews? You can download this résumé template which comes with a 15-minute video guide FOR FREE on my site. I also offer personalized 1:1 résumé review services. Visit my site for more info: https://www.samstruan.com/ Thanks!

Here's a simple 6-figure résumé format explained in 6 sections: 1) Contact details (name, location, cell, email, LinkedIn) • Add your current location (yes, even if targeting remote roles). • US companies must be registered in the state where they hire. • This is for tax/legal reasons, etc. 2) Summary First bullet point: • How many years of experience do you have? • What roles and responsibilities have you held? • What types of companies? Quantify by headcount and revenue. Example: 10+ years in agency and in-house recruiting, leading internal talent teams across North America at startups and global tech firms with 60-2,000+ employees and $300M+ revenue. Don't be vague like this: "Results-driven recruitment leader focused on operational efficiencies with a background in leading successful recruitment campaigns." Bullets 2-4: Highlight relevant and measurable details. Job ad is a leadership role? Highlight leadership experience. Job ad says 50% travel? Highlight you are able to travel 50%. I only tailor this section, if needed, per application (saves time). 3) Professional Experience • Company name • Location • Title • Dates (include the months for last 5+ years) 4) Company summary (1-2 lines about the company) If you work for a large company like Google, it can be helpful to clarify what division or function you worked for. (Google is a search engine, mapping and navigation application, email provider, office suite, video sharing platform, etc, etc). It gives you an opportunity to clarify your SPECIFIC impact within a large business. I always highlight: • Headcount revenue/operating budget • Geographic scope • Product/service 5) Measurable accomplishments for each role (5-10 bullets of your top wins) No metrics often means no interviews. 6) Education and Technical skills • Education (required for some roles but not all) • Technical skills (avoid listing soft skills and this can be moved up top) The picture is just an EXAMPLE. My actual résumé is 2.5 pages long. *IMO, here's rough page amount guideline: • 1-page for new grads/first job • 2-3 pages for experienced professionals • 4-6+ pages for academic/medical/research CVs Good luck! Sam P.S. Need help with your résumé to land more interviews? • Get a free template on my site. • I also offer 1:1 personalized résumé services. • Info and testimonials here: https://www.samstruan.com/

8 out of 10 résumés I've seen this month have had this AI-generated fluff in them: "Results-driven professional specializing in delivering measurable results. Proven track record of boosting revenue growth, operational efficiency, process improvement through strategic planning, cross-functional collaboration, and data-driven decision-making. Adept at managing projects to support business objectives and foster innovation." This tells the reader nothing. Instead, here are 3 simple questions to create an objective intro: 1) How many years of work experience do you have? 2) What roles/responsibilities have you held? 3) For what types of organizations? (add headcount and revenue for question 3) Here are my answers in a single sentence: "~10 years in agency recruiting and leading internal talent teams at global tech companies with 60 to 2,000+ employees and $300M+ in annual revenue." This is my objective value proposition. It's based on FACTS, not fluff. Comment yours below and I'll try to offer some feedback. Good luck! Sam P.S. Need help with your résumé? I offer personalized reviews and rewrites. Info and testimonials on my site: https://www.samstruan.com/

When I was 25, I tried to negotiate an extra $10,000 salary for a new job offer... It was declined. Here are 4 salary negotiation mistakes I made – and what I'd say instead: 1️⃣ I said “I’m looking to make $150,000” when asked about desired salary. “I’m looking” sounds aspirational, sometimes interpreted as “I’m hoping to make $150,000” Now, I'd say: “I’m currently interviewing for positions that pay $140,000 to $160,000, depending on factors like bonuses, stock options etc.” "I'm currently interviewing" is situational and implies the market is considering you for that range and you’re in demand from other companies. 2️⃣ I said “Would *you* be able to offer $150,000?" "You" personalizes negotiations and makes them feel almost confrontational. Now, I'd say: “Would [Google] be able to offer $150,000?” → This *depersonalizes* the conversation. → Shifts focus on the company as a 3rd party. → Positions offerer as the messenger instead of a barrier. 3️⃣ I said “I need time to think about this” when presented with an offer This phrase can stall momentum and signal uncertainty (possibly prompting them to formally engage backup candidates). Now, I'd say: “I'm very grateful for this offer and will review this in detail/with my partner and get back to you no later than [specific time/date].” This is assertive and implies forward momentum. It removes some uncertainty on their end. 4️⃣ I said “I *feel* I’m worth $150,000” Feelings DO NOT belong in salary negotiations. Now, I'd say: “In my last role, I led a team of 5 recruiters, hiring 500+ people in <2 years while maintaining an 83%+ annual retention rate. From the interview process, I understand this experience would align with the company's goals. Would [Google] be able to consider $150,000?" Focus on measurable impact, not emotions. What negotiation approaches have worked for you?

Companies in 2025:  • Lay off thousands despite record profits  • Raise prices while blaming inflation  • Invest in AI to cut even more jobs Companies in the future: "Why is no one buying what we're selling?" When will the elite realize that squeezing workers out of jobs also means squeezing customers out of purchasing power? They hoard wealth in stocks, tax havens, and shell companies – diverting money away from wages, local investment, and local economic growth. It’s just money circulating among the ultra-rich while the rest of society can’t afford to eat. Even billionaires need a functioning society, right? If too many people are broke, businesses collapse, crime rises, and social instability makes it harder for them to enjoy their wealth. At some point, that money HAS to flow back in. Through fair wages, investment in social systems, or if they keep at this nonsense too long – through social and political upheaval. I keep asking myself – to what end? Is there a way to better balance a free-market economy with fairness for workers and society? Sorry, no résumé advice today. Saddened by the seemingly never-ending layoffs.

Did you know? Just commenting "I'm interested" on a job post improves your interview chances by this much: 0%