Concrete Steps You Can Take This Week

You understand the problem. You know what needs to change. But where do you start? What do you do first? This article is your action plan. These are the concrete steps you can take this week to start positioning yourself effectively and breaking through the waves.

We'll break it down into actionable tasks. Each one is specific. Each one is doable. Each one will move you closer to getting noticed, getting interviews, and getting hired. No fluff, no theory—just concrete steps you can take right now.

Rewrite Your Headline and Summary

Your headline (on LinkedIn, your resume, your portfolio) is the first thing people see. It's your 3-second pitch. Most candidates waste it with generic titles. But you can fix this today.

Step 1: Pick your direction. Backend? Frontend? Cloud? Mobile? DevOps? Data? Pick one. Be specific.

Step 2: Identify your specialty. Within your direction, what are you great at? Microservices? Distributed systems? React? iOS? Infrastructure? Be specific.

Step 3: Write your headline. Format: "[Direction] | [Specialty] | [Key Technologies]". Example: "Backend Engineer | Microservices & Distributed Systems | Python, Go, AWS"

Step 4: Write your summary. In 2-3 sentences, answer: What do you do? What are you great at? What value do you bring? Make it clear, specific, and focused.

Step 5: Update everywhere. LinkedIn, resume, portfolio—use the same headline and summary everywhere. Consistency matters.

This should take 30-60 minutes. Do it today. It's the highest-impact change you can make.

Remove Irrelevant Skills

Most resumes list 20+ skills. But listing everything dilutes your positioning. You need to focus. Remove skills that don't align with your direction.

Step 1: List all your skills. Everything you've ever touched. Be honest.

Step 2: Identify your core skills. What are the 5-7 skills that are essential to your direction? These are your core skills. Keep these.

Step 3: Identify supporting skills. What skills support your direction but aren't core? These can stay, but de-emphasize them.

Step 4: Remove everything else. If a skill doesn't align with your direction, remove it. Even if you're good at it. Even if you're proud of it. If it doesn't support your positioning, it's noise.

Step 5: Update your resume and LinkedIn. Remove the irrelevant skills. Lead with your core skills. Make your expertise obvious.

This should take 20-30 minutes. Be ruthless. Less is more.

Reframe Your Top 3 Projects

Your portfolio should showcase 3-5 strong projects, not 20 scattered ones. And each project should tell a clear story using the problem → action → impact framework.

Step 1: Select your top 3 projects. Which 3 projects best demonstrate your direction and expertise? Pick the strongest ones. The ones that align with your target roles.

Step 2: For each project, identify the problem. What challenge were you solving? What problem did it address? Why did it matter?

Step 3: Describe your action. How did you solve it? What technologies did you use? What approach did you take? What decisions did you make?

Step 4: Quantify the impact. What was the result? How do you measure success? Use numbers whenever possible. Response time reduced by X%. Costs cut by Y%. Users increased by Z%.

Step 5: Rewrite each project description. Use the problem → action → impact framework. Make it clear, structured, and compelling.

Step 6: Update your portfolio. Replace old project descriptions with new ones. Make sure the problem, action, and impact are clear.

This should take 2-3 hours. But it's worth it. Strong project stories are what get you interviews.

Role-Aligned Portfolio

Your portfolio should align with the roles you're targeting. If you're applying for backend roles, your portfolio should scream "backend engineer." If you're applying for frontend roles, it should scream "frontend developer."

Step 1: Identify your target roles. What specific roles are you applying for? Be specific. "Backend Engineer at fintech companies" is better than "software engineer."

Step 2: Identify what those roles require. What technologies? What patterns? What types of projects? What skills?

Step 3: Curate your portfolio. Select 3-5 projects that demonstrate those requirements. Remove projects that don't align. Focus on quality, not quantity.

Step 4: Structure your portfolio. Make it easy to navigate. Clear headings, obvious sections, easy to scan. Make the connection to your target roles obvious.

Step 5: Add context. For each project, explain why it's relevant. How does it demonstrate the skills your target roles require? Make the connection explicit.

Step 6: Get feedback. Show your portfolio to someone in your target direction. Do they see the alignment? Do they understand the relevance?

This should take 4-6 hours. But a focused, aligned portfolio is what gets you noticed.

Update Your CV for ATS

Most CVs aren't optimized for ATS systems. They use complex formatting, missing keywords, or unclear structure. But you can fix this.

Step 1: Use standard formatting. Simple fonts, clear headings, standard sections. No images, no tables, no complex layouts. Make it machine-readable.

Step 2: Include relevant keywords. Look at job descriptions for your target roles. What keywords do they use? Include those keywords in your resume. But use them naturally—don't keyword stuff.

Step 3: Match job title language. If job descriptions say "Backend Engineer," don't say "Software Developer." Use the same terminology they use.

Step 4: Use clear section headings. "Experience," "Projects," "Skills," "Education." Standard headings that ATS systems can parse.

Step 5: Save as PDF. PDF is the most ATS-friendly format. Make sure it's text-based, not image-based.

Step 6: Test it. Use an ATS checker (like Jobscan) to see how your resume scores. Fix any issues.

This should take 1-2 hours. But ATS optimization is essential—most applications never reach humans without it.

Targeted Job Search

Don't just apply everywhere. Be strategic. Create a targeted job search plan.

Step 1: Identify your target companies. What companies align with your direction? What companies would you want to work for? Create a list of 20-30 companies.

Step 2: Research each company. What do they do? What technologies do they use? What roles are they hiring for? What's their culture like?

Step 3: Identify open roles. For each company, find roles that align with your direction. Add them to your list.

Step 4: Prioritize. Which roles are the best fit? Which companies are most interesting? Prioritize your list.

Step 5: Customize applications. For each role, customize your application. Tailor your resume, write a targeted cover letter, highlight relevant experience.

Step 6: Track your applications. Use a spreadsheet. Track which companies you've applied to, when, what the status is, and any follow-up needed.

This is ongoing work. But a targeted approach is more effective than applying everywhere.

Prepare for Interviews

Getting interviews is only half the battle. You also need to perform well in them. Start preparing now.

Step 1: Prepare your stories. For each project and role, prepare a story using the problem → action → impact framework. Be ready to tell these stories clearly and concisely.

Step 2: Practice technical questions. Review common technical questions for your direction. Practice explaining your approach, not just solving problems.

Step 3: Prepare behavioral questions. "Tell me about a time when..." questions. Prepare stories that demonstrate ownership, impact, and problem-solving.

Step 4: Research companies. Before each interview, research the company. Understand what they do, their culture, their challenges. Prepare thoughtful questions.

Step 5: Practice out loud. Don't just think about answers—practice saying them. Record yourself. Get feedback.

This is ongoing work. But preparation is what separates successful candidates from unsuccessful ones.

This Week's Checklist

Here's your action plan for this week:

Day 1-2: Rewrite your headline and summary. Remove irrelevant skills. (2-3 hours)

Day 3-4: Reframe your top 3 projects for impact. (2-3 hours)

Day 5-6: Update your CV for ATS format. Create a role-aligned portfolio. (4-6 hours)

Day 7: Craft a targeted job search plan. Start preparing for interviews. (2-3 hours)

Total time: 10-15 hours. That's 1.5-2 hours per day. Doable. And it will transform your job search.

Conclusion

These steps are concrete, actionable, and doable. You can start today. You can make progress this week. You don't need to do everything at once—just start.

The candidates who succeed aren't the ones who wait for the perfect moment. They're the ones who start now, who take action, who make progress every day.

Pick one step. Do it today. Then pick the next one. Keep moving forward. That's how you break through the waves.