It’s another fine Friday, friend. I saw this at CES and had to share it with my fellow dog lovers. Tractiv’s smart collar now functions kind of like an Apple Watch but for pups, complete with wellness, sleep and activity scores, plus resting heart and respiratory rate alerts to catch health problems earlier. It provides a summary of their barking, too, so you know what Fido got up to while you were at work all day.

If my golden retriever, Abby, could text me, all her messages would say “BALL.” In Sunday’s newsletter, I’ll share more CES goodies (and flops, of course). Now, on to the tech smarts you need to know to be ahead and never left behind in the digital dust! It’s my labor of love. — Kim

I was talking with Joey, our new podcast producer, and he mentioned the tricks I pass along to get past the AI-powered applicant tracking systems (ATS) help a ton of people.

Humans no longer filter resumes at most companies. It’s inefficient when AI can review over 100 resumes per minute.

For a while, you could get your resume past the ATS using the “white-font trick.” That’s where you’d put the actual job description in your resume or cover letter in white so it was hidden. A bot scanning it would say, “Wow, this person fits the bill!” Well, ATS caught on, and now, if you try the white-font trick, you’ll get penalized.

To get the job, you’ve gotta get past the AI

Here are seven steps to give your resume the best shot of eventually reaching human eyes.

1. Tailor your resume: Gone are the days of having one resume and sending it out to anyone and everyone. You need to adjust your skills, experience and keywords to match each job description for a better chance of passing the AI filters. Yeah, it’s a pain in the rear, but so is standing in the unemployment line.

2. Get specific: ATS looks for skill sets based on popular tools. Surefire winners: Project Management Professional (PMP) for a project management role, Google Analytics for digital marketing positions and HubSpot Inbound Marketing for anything marketing‑related.

3. Nothing fancy: Even if you’re good-looking like me (I saw you smile there), keep your photo off your resume. Also, don’t put your qualifications in a chart or table; AI will just zoom past it.

4. Be boring: Stick with recognizable headers like “Work Experience,” “Education” and “Skills.” AI systems are programmed to scan for these specific sections. If you list your hobbies, put down chess; apparently, it’s something AI likes to “see.” Just remember this in your interview, or you’ll be stuck between a rook and a hard place.

5. Use your verbs: AI loves it when you start sentences on your resume with action words like “achieved,” “developed” or “sold.” I hear these three words get especially high marks.

6. Check your LinkedIn: Many applicant tracking systems cross-reference your resume to what you’ve posted on LinkedIn. Your employment dates, titles and skills there should match what’s on your resume; otherwise, into the virtual trash your resume goes.

7. Use online tools: Jobscan and ResumeWorded compare your resume to the job posting and spot any gaps that wouldn’t pass most ATS scans. Both offer a free trial.

When I was trying to land my first job in radio, I sent in my resume, waited … and nothing. Determined, I started hounding the program director. Finally, I scored an interview. I thought this was my big break — until the program director ghosted me. For three months, every single week, I called, emailed and sent letters. Crickets.

One day, the program director said, “OK, I’ll give you a shot.” That was all I needed. The funny thing? Years later, I married that program director.

🦸 Be a hero and use the icons below right now to share this important post with the job seekers in your life. This way, they’ll get a job and you can stop loaning them money.

🍝 Because you guys and gals freakin’ loved the Fasta Pasta …

• Transform your boring work sammy with a microwave panini maker (18% off). Did you know a microwave cake maker is a thing, too?
• Get rid of the random jar of bacon grease. This grease strainer and collector ($17) is dishwasher-safe and won’t melt.
• If you also hate throwing away half-full cans, soda can lids (25% off) to the rescue. I’m totally bringing these to the beach for my seltzers.
• Slicing a banana is easy. What’d make it even easier? A banana slicer (39% off, $7). Good for kiddos!
• I found this pancake batter dispenser because I’m not ready to say au revoir to crepes after a week in Paris. If anyone has a good recipe, let me know.

🏃💸 Don’t forget about Amazon’s Winter Sale! This sweet dashcam is 40% off, plus another $20 off if you click the coupon.

⚖️ Shocker, Google lied: A new class-action lawsuit says even if you turned off tracking on your phone, Google still collected your data. Google says no, no, the disclosures were clear. Surprise, internal messages suggest they were vague on purpose. The judge didn’t believe Google and I don’t, either. The case is going to a jury trial on Aug. 18.

Crypto job scam: It starts with a random message on Telegram or LinkedIn offering you a few hundred bucks a week to be a beta tester, chat moderator or NFT artist. Click the links and you’re infected with malware that looks for crypto on your computer. Don’t even think about replying.

Look to Japan: There’s a global nursing shortage, and in Japan, they’ve come up with a solution. Nursing homes there are using robots for tasks like moving patients and monitoring vitals. So far, it’s a win for everyone.

More like Cost of Duty: How much money does it take to make a video game? Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (2020) had a $700 million budget, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) cost over $640 million. For perspective, the “Avengers: Endgame” movie only cost $356 million to make. If they’re spending that kind of money, they’re making three times that at least.

🤑 The art of the deal: Amazon just dropped $40 million for a behind-the-scenes documentary about Melania Trump that will debut in theaters, then stream on Prime Video. Her story is incredible. Now, this is the weird part: The film’s director is Brett Ratner, who’s been MIA since 2017, when he was hit with numerous sexual misconduct allegations that forced Warner Bros. to cancel his $450 million contract.

I’d be scared if I owned Evite: Invites was spotted in Apple’s iOS 18.3 beta code. It looks to be specifically for organizing meetings and tracking RSVPs for in-person events, not just another Calendar app.

✈️ “Delayed Even Longer Than American”: Yup, I’m talking about Delta. Coming in 2026, all Delta cabins (even economy) will get Bluetooth and 4K seatback screens. The airline’s Delta Concierge AI bot will help you navigate airports, remind you when your passport expires and give packing tips. Great, just what we need … one more Delta acronym meaning: Delivering Everyone Late To Atlanta!

Are you still relying on QuickBooks? There’s a smarter, more powerful solution waiting for you. Here’s why NetSuite by Oracle is the right choice for your business:

• All-in-one solution: Manage financials, HR, inventory and more from one platform.
• Boost efficiency: Eliminate tedious paperwork and get real-time insights to grow your business.
• Proven success: Trusted by over 40,000 companies.

Whether your business earns hundreds of thousands or hundreds of millions, who wouldn’t want less manual work, better decision-making and higher profits? Now’s the time to make the switch.

👍👎 AI can’t read your mind: Use “do” and “don’t” in your prompts to get the results you want. Say you’re cooking for friends, and some have allergies. Say, “Create a recipe for six people. Do include protein, fruits, vegetables and carbs. Don’t include dairy products, shellfish or nuts.” Easy‑peasy.

Free templates: The ones built into Google aren’t lame anymore. Really! Start a new Google Doc. (Shortcut: In your browser’s address bar, type doc.new and hit Enter.). Then, click Templates, Meeting Notes or Email Draft to browse the options. Once you choose one, hit the menu in the upper left to see all the pages and options.

⚠️ “Evil twin” attacks: That’s when scammers set up a public Wi‑Fi network where folks are already logging on, like an airport or coffee shop. The goal is to get you to connect so they can intercept everything you type — social media logins, credit card numbers and personal data. Always ask staff for the exact Wi‑Fi network, and use a VPN to encrypt your internet traffic. My pick is ExpressVPN.*

💬 Netflix search is smart: You don’t have to know the name of the show or movie to find it. You can type in an actor, genre or term, too — or go total spy mode and check out the secret Netflix category codes.

If you always have to help your robo-vac find its home: Your base station is probably in the wrong spot. For the best results, put it against a wall on flat ground with two to three feet of clearance to either side and about five feet of clearance in front. Those little vacs need space!

Own a Kindle? Amazon’s Send to Kindle page rocks. Use it to upload a file from your computer to your e-reader, or use the tabs on the right for instructions to email or send just about any other way you can think of.

🚀 Growing your team in 2025? Post your next job for free on LinkedIn* and use their tools that make sorting through the pile of resumes that come in so easy.

“Apocalyptic” really is the best word to describe this fire. So very frightening.

I’m praying for California. If you’re there or know someone impacted by the fires, pass this along. Every little bit helps when the worst is happening.

• Airbnb: Their nonprofit arm, Airbnb⁠.⁠org, is working with an LA housing group to offer shelter to those displaced. Here’s the form.
• Uber: Use code WILDFIRE25 for up to $40 off a trip to a shelter.
• Lyft: Use promo code CAFIRERELIEF25 for two free rides up to $25 each.

Thanks for being here. I’ll be back bright and early tomorrow with a five-minute security checkup for your phone. Until then, stay your wonderful self and pat yourself on the back for all the tech know-how you get with the best newsletter in the USA! — Kim