Proof Beats Polish: How to Stand Out When 500 People Apply — From WRITER AI’s Chase Johnson, formerly @ Replit

Chase Johnson has led recruiting across technical and go-to-market roles at some of the most competitive teams in tech — three and a half years at Replit, now at WRITER.

When he joined Wellfound’s Ask a Recruiter session, he opened with a truth most job seekers feel but few say out loud:

“Applying and getting jobs in 2025 is extremely challenging. The market has never been more competitive… On average you’re competing against 500 applicants per role. If you do the math, that’s about a 0.2% chance if you’re doing the bare minimum.”

— Chase Johnson, Talent @ WRITER

TL;DR: Proof of work beats polish. Portfolios, blogs, and visible projects get you further with recruiters than the best-formatted resume.

🎥 Watch the full session on YouTube

Proof of Work Over Bullet Points

Johnson’s mantra is simple: show, don’t tell.

“People who have portfolios, blogs, projects, videos of their work — anything showing how they work — that’s what helps people jump ahead. Recruiters can dig three layers deeper than someone who just has bullet points.”

He recommends linking that work everywhere: in your resume header, LinkedIn profile, and application form.

“If it’s password-protected, include the password. It’s missed about 30% of the time.”

Tip: Make your proof of work impossible to miss. A visible portfolio gives recruiters something to click — and a reason to keep reading.

What Actually Matters on Your Resume

“PDF or Word doc — doesn’t really matter. The formatting’s fine either way,” Johnson said. “What matters is clarity of thought and direct action you’ve taken.”

He suggests using AI to check alignment with the job post you’re applying to, not to write the resume for you.

“Throw the job description and your resume into your favorite AI and ask, ‘Where does my experience match well?’ Then refine. Spend time on the edit, not the output.”

He remembers a candidate who attached a short YouTube walkthrough of their project.

“It wasn’t flashy. Just clear. And it stood out.”

Tip: Keep your format simple, your phrasing direct, and your examples real. Clarity gets remembered; templates don’t.

The AI Certification Question

“Hot take — AI certifications don’t help much on their own,” Johnson said.

He sees value only when they translate to applied skill.

“Proof of work matters more than validation from a certification program. Go get it if it helps you learn, but if you’re not showing how you applied it, it’s not doing much.”

Roles like security engineering is the one exception, where credentials are often required.

Otherwise, Johnson says, build something small that solves a real problem.

“I’m not technical, but I’ve built tools that solve my own problems — like an equity outcomes calculator. It doesn’t have to be work-related. If you’re tinkering to make your daily work better, that’s a good signal.”

Tip: Skip the badges unless they connect to something you’ve built. Learning is impressive — proof of learning is hireable.

Agents Are Getting Attention

“Agents are where a lot of the future work is headed,” said Johnson. “We’re hiring and indexing heavily on agent experience. The pool is small, which makes it an opportunity.”

A weekend side project can be enough to open doors.

“You can spin something up fast. If the company builds agents and you’ve been experimenting, that’s an immediate connection.”

Tip: Don’t wait for perfect credentials. In emerging tech, curiosity is the credential.

Employment Gaps Are Fine If You Own Them

“Any recruiter worth their weight will understand gaps,” Johnson said. “Honesty always wins.”

What matters is what you did with the time off.

“The bias is that people forget how to ride the bike — they don’t. Be ready to talk about what you learned: open source work, new frameworks, anything that shows growth.”

He advises against listing “career break” as a separate line item.

“Put your last experience and explain the gap later. It doesn’t add value as its own entry.”

Tip: Be upfront and specific. Growth is a better story than absence.

How to Get Past the ATS

“Sometimes breaking the rules is the right answer,” Johnson said.

Apply online — but then reach out directly.

“Target maybe two really solid people. Don’t blast the whole company. Send a Google Doc with proof of work — something thoughtful. Make it easy for them to advocate for you.”

He’s not against cold outreach; he’s against lazy outreach.

“Bad outreach is ‘I’d be great for this role, can you refer me?’ Better is: ‘I think I’m a fit because of A and B. Here’s how I work. Would you share this with the hiring manager?’ That’s something I can drop in Slack with context.”

Tip: Treat outreach as part of your application, not an afterthought. A short, specific message with proof of work beats ten generic ones.

Show Up to Events

“I’m not a huge fan of going to events — my social battery drains fast — but you should still go,” Johnson said.

Because recruiters remember faces.

“We had an event last week. I got face time with people, and it helped me vouch for them later. It’s underrated.”

Tip: Don’t hide behind your resume. One conversation at an event can do more than a hundred online applications.

The Experience Paradox

Not enough experience?

“If a post says five years and you have three, apply anyway. Most hiring managers are flexible within a year or two.”

Too much experience?

“The concern is always, will this person leave for something that matches their level? Address it directly. Say you’ve seen the comp range, you’re aligned, and you’re excited about the role.”

Tip: Don’t let the numbers on a job post decide for you. Context and communication count more than years.

Management Isn’t the Only Path

“Management isn’t for everybody,” Johnson said. “A lot of engineers go into the field to solve technical problems, not people problems.”

If you’re a lifelong IC, that’s not a red flag — it’s clarity.

“You can still lead and guide people without being a manager. Companies need senior ICs who want to work on hard problems.”

Tip: Be explicit about the path you’ve chosen. Senior ICs are in demand — but only if you say that’s what you want.

“If you help recruiters connect the dots on how you’ll make impact and how you work, that’s the unlock,” Johnson said. “Some candidates aren’t the most experienced, but they show momentum toward the work that needs to be done.”

Quick Takeaways

• Show proof of work — make it impossible to miss.
• Keep your resume simple and human.
• Skip certifications that don’t lead to real projects.
• Reach out with context, not templates.
• Gaps happen — own the story.
• Curiosity counts more than credentials.
• Be clear about the path you’re choosing.
• Showing up still matters.

Based on Wellfound’s “Ask a Recruiter: How Engineers and PMs Can Stand Out in the AI Hiring Market” live Q&A with Chase Johnson, Talent Lead @ WRITER, held October 16, 2025. See more sessions on YouTube here.