Resume Linter
Line-by-line resume feedback. Flags what's weak, explains why, and pushes you to fix it or delete it.
What the Linter Does
The Rejectless linter reviews your resume line-by-line. Every bullet point is evaluated independently. No summaries, no overall scores. Each line either survives scrutiny or gets flagged.
Not a rewriter
The linter never rewrites your resume. It flags problems, explains why a line is weak, and pushes you to fix it yourself or delete it.
What Gets Flagged
The linter checks every bullet against criteria that matter to engineering hiring managers and recruiters. Here's what it looks for:
Vague scope
Bullets that say "built scalable systems" without saying what, how big, or for whom.
Fluff & buzzwords
Empty phrases like "leveraged cutting-edge technologies" that add no information.
Credibility risks
Claims like "responsible for everything" that trigger skepticism in reviewers.
Missing specifics
Lines that omit the decisions, tools, scale, or outcomes that make a bullet defensible.
Weak ownership signals
Passive phrasing like "was involved in" or "helped with" that hides your actual contribution.
Unverifiable claims
Impact statements that can't be backed up in an interview follow-up question.
How the Lint Report Works
When you upload your resume or send a draft from the builder, the linter produces a structured report with per-line diagnostics.
Severity Levels
Every flagged issue is assigned a severity level so you know what to fix first:
- Major: The line is actively hurting your resume. Fix or delete it.
- Moderate: The line is weak but salvageable. Needs more specifics or reframing.
- Minor: Small improvements that would strengthen an already decent bullet.
Issue Navigation
Each issue in the report is linked to the exact line on your resume. Click any issue to jump directly to the flagged bullet, highlighted with its severity color. Issues are grouped by resume section (Experience, Projects, Education, etc.) so you can work through them systematically.
What a Good Bullet Looks Like
The linter pushes you toward bullets that follow a clear structure: what you did, how you did it, and what changed as a result.
Before
Built scalable systems to improve performance.
After
Reduced p95 API latency from 420ms to 180ms by adding Redis caching and rewriting the top 5 slowest SQL queries, serving 12K RPM.
The difference: the second bullet can survive a follow-up question. The first cannot.
Free vs Pro
The free tier gives you a lint report showing your top 3 issues. Enough to see what the linter catches and whether it's useful for your resume.
Free
Top 3 issues flagged. One lint report. Enough to evaluate the tool on your actual resume.
Pro
Full lint report with all issues, all severity levels. 3 reports per month included, with option to purchase additional credits.
How to Use the Linter
- Upload your existing resume (PDF) or send a draft from the builder.
- Wait for the lint report to generate (usually under 30 seconds).
- Review flagged issues by severity. Start with major issues first.
- Click any issue to jump to the exact line on your resume.
- For each flagged bullet, add what you did, why you did it, and what changed. The linter validates your context as you go.
- Export your fixed resume in the builder. Download as PDF in Jake's Resume, Modern Deedy, or Harvard template.
Tip
Don't try to fix everything at once. Start with major issues. They're the ones most likely to get your resume rejected.
What the Linter Does NOT Do
- It does not rewrite your bullets with AI-generated text.
- It does not check for ATS keywords or formatting compliance.
- It does not give you a resume score or letter grade.
- It does not invent achievements or inflate your claims.
The linter is a diagnostic tool. It tells you what's wrong and why. You decide how to fix it.