how to make resume that stands out

How to Make a Resume That Stands Out in 2024: A Guide That Stands Out

In This Guide:

What makes a resume stand out in 2023, key takeaways.

So you want to know how to make your resume stand out to recruiters?

You’re here because the generic “best practices from recruiters” advice you got until now was not very helpful. You already knew it all. You know what the baseline is .

But do you know how to write a visually appealing resume that makes you stand out from the crowd?

What makes a resume pop?

We, at Enhancv , asked ourselves the same questions. To find the standout factors, we did some research and testing.

We started by analyzing our clients’ resumes that helped them secure jobs at the likes of Amazon, Spotify, PwC, Verizon, and other top companies. We identified all the resume components that catch the eye of employers and recruiters. Then, we performed solid A/B testing, and finally, put together all our findings into one test resume . This test resume gathered over 1 million views, got covered by CNBC and Business Insider, and was praised by Mark Cuban .

BUILD MY RESUME LIKE THIS

To put it simply – it stood out and attracted attention.

The following advice helped thousands of candidates get interviews and land jobs at leading companies. We’ll share their resumes as case studies and explore different ways to make your resume stand out from the rest.

Here’s what you’ll learn from this guide:

• How to make a resume that both stands out and gets you interviews in 2023
• Case studies, tips, and professional examples from candidates that successfully landed jobs at top companies
• What resume layouts are getting more interviews and which are getting less
• How to pass automatic HR filters when creating a stand out resume

At the end of the day, you want your resume to stand out and land you a job, not raise HR’s eyebrows or get shared on Reddit for the sake of it.

So we won’t be using fancy fonts or inserting funny pictures. Every example we provide and each template we use has been thoroughly tested with HR systems to pass automatic filters.

This guide will take your resume from good to great, and here’s how.

• First, for every section we’ll cover a baseline, a bare minimum you need to do in order to have a competitive resume. Unfortunately, the majority of career guides stop at that.
• From there, we take it one step further with specific advice on how to make every section of your resume even more engaging and remarkable with out-of-box techniques.
• Finally, we’ll talk about the power of formatting and layout in creating an outstanding resume.

Along the way, we’ll provide case studies and real-life examples that helped candidates land real jobs at the companies they wanted.

Create attention-grabbing header section

The Header is the top section of your resume. It includes your name, location, job title, and contact details.

• Baseline: provide clear, typo-free contact and location details so that recruiters could contact you with zero effort.
• Stand out: include a link to your developed LinkedIn profile, add a custom headline, consider adding a photo.

Looking for ways to make your header stand out? See how you can perfect your resume header and get noticed .

Link to LinkedIn and/or personal portfolio website

Here’s a thing: 70% of recruiters will be checking your social media profiles. But the real bummer is that 79% of employers can reject candidates based on their social media.

Let’s turn this into our advantage and put a link to your LinkedIn profile in your Header section.

This will earn you extra points with recruiters and guide their attention to where you want them to be.

If you have a personal portfolio website that you want recruiters to see, link to it as well.

Gal included a link to his personal website to guide the recruiter’s attention, but also to keep his resume one-page without having to describe all the projects he’s worked on over the decade.

Pro tip: when applying for code-heavy jobs, consider linking to your Github.

Custom headline

Recruiters will spend most of their time analyzing the top third of your resume, and a custom headline is one of the most influential and often overlooked ways to grab their attention.

Headline goes immediately after your name on the resume and can include anything from your job title to a personal slogan.

However, you can do much better than simply putting your job title there., e.g. “System Administrator”.

Below are two amazing standout resume examples of a customized headline in action:

In the past, Daniel had two different jobs: Customer Support Engineer and Systems Administrator.

So he combined both qualifications in his headline, emphasizing experience with both people and systems.

This way he framed his diverse experience as an advantage before the recruiter even got to see the rest of the resume.

Result? Intercom hired Daniel. Check out the resume template that got Daniel the job.

For other jobs, you might want to get even more creative with your headline. For example, how are you going to stand out from hundreds of other marketers?

Wrong example : PPC specialist with 5 years of experience.

Right example : Fighting shady, aggressive marketing.

In his headline, Louis took a strong stance against something that was at the time a massive problem for established brands: shady viral marketing tactics of competition. Later he was hired by Hotjar. Check out the template that Louis used to get his dream job.

Custom headline allows you to frame the rest of your resume however you need, providing a halo effect. Daniel framed his work experience as an advantage for his next job, while Louis stood out from hundreds of marketers with the same skillset.

And the best part? Headlines can be easily tailored to every job you’re applying for, so you can easily switch between experience-based headlines, slogans, or anything related to your next job. Learn more about how to craft your headline here .

Should you include a photo in your resume or not?"?

Short answer: it depends. The best practice is to check company and government policy (including photos is illegal in some countries). For the long answer, head over to our helpful post on the topic .

Sam wanted to switch careers, but her extensive investment banking background made her resume look a bit boring for a startup-tech world.

So she used one of our resume templates, including her photo and adding some personality to her resume , to successfully score a job at Spotify.

To sum it up – you’ll need an attractive header section to make your resume stand out from the crowd. What you’ll also need is a special Summary section…

Use summary that captivates recruiters

The summary section is a short paragraph or bulleted list that briefly describes your professional experience before the rest of your resume.

Sometimes Summary is called an “Objective”, especially if you are using it to explain why you’re applying for the job.

• Baseline : short, easy-to-read, and impactful description of your professional experience
• Stand out : make your Summary memorable, use a proper layout .

Think of your Summary section as a cold email you’re sending someone you don’t know. If it’s a long, boring, and self-centered cold email, no one wants to read that.

But if you research your recipient, create an engaging and short cold email, you have a much higher chance of someone responding to it.

The Summary section, when done right, is one of the most powerful ways of “aligning” you to the position.

Sometimes you’ll hear the opinion that the Summary section takes too much space on your resume.

First, there’s an easy fix to it.

Let’s look at Daniel’s resume once again.

He puts the Summary section to the right of his Experience section. Why?

When recruiters scan your resume, they are checking your experience section first, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want to learn more about you after.

With his Summary, Daniel once again frames the recruiter’s perception, highlighting that he did the majority of his work experience remotely. It helps a lot given that the company he applied for, Intercom, is a fully remote organization.

At the same time, he also provides some insight into his personality, as he knows how important culture fit is in remote companies.

Learn as much as you can about the company you’re applying for to know what’s important to them, and use this information to make your Summary more memorable.

Another great way to use the Summary section is when you’re switching careers, have no work experience, or have gaps in your work history.

Seeing your experience section, recruiters will immediately ask themselves questions: why are they making the career switch? Do they have enough experience?

Be proactive and address the elephant in the room yourself.

Akshay S. Rao put a brief summary section before his experience section to explain why he wants the internship with Tesla in the first place.

Check out the job-winning resume layout that Akshay used to land a promising internship.

Okay, so you’ve mastered the Summary, and you are one step closer to making a creative resume that stands out from the rest. Now, it’s time to understand how to tie results with responsibilities and present your work achievements on your resume.

Always provide quantifiable achievements

One of the most common pieces of advice we hear from recruiters is “provide results, not responsibilities”.

Well, yeah, it’s great advice. But we can do even better than that.

• Baseline: when describing your experience, demonstrate the impact of your work and contribution to the bottom-line of a company
• Stand out: Add quantifiable achievements to other sections of your resume, creating a cohesive “rainmaker” narrative.

Compare these two Experience sections from our job-winning Tech resume guide.

The first example may seem clean and concise, but in reality, it’s generic and doesn’t bring impact.

When you provide quantifiable achievements in your resume, it’s not about bragging with numbers.

It gives recruiters the impression that the person knows the impact of their work and their value to the company. And knowing your impact makes you more effective and loyal, a recruiter’s dream.

Here’s a formula we are using to describe our experience in an engaging and impactful manner:

Accomplished [A] as measured in [B] by doing [C]

Just remember that quantifiable achievements don’t necessarily mean “numeric achievements”. Simply adding numbers to something doesn’t make it impactful.

As long as what you did makes an impact and benefits the company, it will resonate with recruiters.

The best part is that you can demonstrate impact throughout other sections of your resume, instantly making them more engaging and effective: Summary, Projects, even your headline.

Maximilian Malterer, who now works at Amazon, used our “Most Proud of” section and moved it right next to his experience section.

No matter how recruiters will be scanning this resume, they will notice the impact you made.

Access the job-winning resume of Maximilian layout at our library of top-performing templates .

Now, let’s discover what the Achievement section is and how to use it wisely.

Highlight awards and recognitions

• Baseline : candidates rarely have this section in their resumes
• Stand out : adding an Achievements section to your resume sets you apart from the majority of candidates in the hiring pool.

If we were to summarize what sets apart the majority of our customers whose successful resumes we’ve used throughout this guide, we’d say custom sections.

“Achievements”, “Awards”, and “Most Proud” sections are all great examples.

Adding them within our resume builder is a one-step drag-and-drop process, but the most important part is that you can quickly change the whole layout based on your particular needs.

As mentioned before, Maximilian put his most impactful Achievements right next to his Experience section, amplifying the overall impact, which is critical when you work with Amazon partners.

But Julian Prim, who now works with PwC, took a different approach. His high-stakes analyst job required extra attention to detail and next to perfect time-management skills.

After all, that’s what PwC had in mind for their operations specialist.

So Julian put his skills first to let recruiters know he checks all these boxes and added his “Most Proud” section below.

While Maximillians’s resume narrative is an ambitious and impactful account manager, Julian Prim is an efficient and timid analyst. The layouts of their resumes work great for both of them.

Pro tip : with simple drag and drop you can quickly change layouts and thus how your resume narrative.

Julian can easily become an ambitious superstar data wizard and apply for some hot BigData startup by simply dragging his “Most Proud” section to the top. Experiment with resume layouts by using the top-performing templates directly in our resume builder .

Surely, sharing awards and recognition is a way to make your resume stand out from other applicants and land you the job. But if you want to get things to the next level, you’d spend some time tailoring your resume and make it more specific to the position you are applying for.

Tailor your resume

Tailoring your resume to the job description is an extremely effective strategy for landing more job interviews.

Just don’t overdo it, otherwise, your efforts might seem too obvious.

• Baseline : include in your resume skills and keywords from your target job description
• Stand out : group skills and provide context for your core skills to maximize the impact and prove that you actually have these skills.

There are several ways to feature both technical and soft skills on your resume.

The majority of candidates will simply list them, but for recruiters, it’s as engaging as reading someone’s shopping list.

Instead, we have a few more easy-to-read and effective options you can use.

Daniel is a technical person. It was important for him to showcase his technical skills when applying for a job at Intercom, but he didn’t want to scare off recruiters with a poorly formatted list of 100+ technologies he learned during his career in IT.

He mentioned many skills and technologies he worked with when describing his Experience section, but for the skills section he followed the old wisdom of “less is more”.

So he identified four of the most important groups of skills he has and presented them as engaging infographics.

Adapt this layout and try out various visual styles using our freely accessible resume templates .

Julian went for the jugular with his PwC analyst resume. He was perfectly aware that the majority of analysts lack soft skills, and that was a great opportunity to stand out from his competition.

But instead of simply listing soft skills he presented them in a real-world context. Finally, he renamed the whole section “Strengths” to grab the recruiter’s attention.

Pro tip: Don’t be afraid to experiment with the names for your custom resume sections.

Recruiters are tired of seeing thousands of “My skills” sections to the point they automatically skim them.

But try naming them “Core strengths” or “Tech achievements” and you’ll hold their attention.

If you are interested in learning more about making your resume laser-targeted, read our post on the topic .

Did you know that nothing sets your resume apart from the rest more than sharing your personal story in it…

Show your career and personal story

So far, we’ve managed to make every section of your resume stand out and engage recruiters, showcasing your experience and achievement in the most convincing way.

Let’s apply some final effort with custom sections that will push your resume into a league of its own.

Here are the four custom sections our customers most often add to their job-winning resumes:

• Life philosophy

Marcellus Nixon, now Senior Director of Network Operations, had an excellent work history in the network communications sector.

You can access Marcellus’s full resume template here .

But so did every candidate who was aiming for an executive role at Verizon.

At this level, candidates rarely can outperform each other on a skill basis.

At the end of the day, organizations hire humans, and if recruiters feel that there’s a person behind all the achievements on your paper, they will remember you.

That’s why Marcellus decided to add “A Day In My Life” and “Life Philosophy” sections.

With these two custom sections, his resume narrative switched from “experienced network executive” to “experienced network executive with a strong work ethic and a solid plan.”

Exactly what Verizon, a global network mogul, needs.

Still with us? Good.

It’s all fun and games until we mention proper formatting. Are there any tricks to it? What colors and fonts are appropriate? Let’s see how you can make your resume stand out visually.

Apply formatting tricks to create stand out resume

Watch out for white space.

According to an eye-tracking study from Ladders Inc, resumes that lack white space turn recruiters off.

The easier your resume reads, the more chances there will be that the recruiter reads every section of it.

If you have a lot to put on your resume, use smart layout and custom sections.

The two resume examples feature the same amount of information, yet the second one is much more engaging and comfortable to digest.

Pro tip: after you filled all the sections of your resume, look at it with your eyes squinted. If your resume feels like a big cluttered black spot, start decluttering it.

Declutter your resume with minimalism approach

Make a point of using as few words to describe your experience as possible. The worst thing you can do is trying to sound smart.

Bad example: developed an elaborate testing environment throughout a wide array of 22 company and partner software assets

Good example: Launched a test-to-production environment for 22 software products

Use well-tested fonts and combinations

Don’t be afraid to use several fonts on your resume, especially if you want to bold certain parts of your resume like headers or titles.

Just remember to limit yourself to only three fonts per resume , and try using font pairs that were already tested together by designers and user experience experts.

Make colors work for you

Here’s a really elaborate, but effective trick you can use to earn some extra points: try using the company’s brand colors on your resume.

Surely don’t put a company logo or use the exact color palette, go for a subtle effect .

It’s a bit of reverse psychology: in-house recruiters that know brand colors too well may subconsciously gravitate towards resumes with familiar colors.

Proofread your resume at least 3 times

Even the most elaborate and engaging resume can quickly become a recruiter’s kryptonite when a single typo creeps into your sentences.Make sure to proofread your resumes at least three times before you send them out. If you’re using our resume builder, it will automatically check every resume you create or upload for typos.

Study specific cases of resumes that stood out from competition

Writing a resume that stands out with no work experience.

• Put Education and Projects section on the top left and top right
• Hide GPA if it’s below 3
• Add a link to personal industry-related projects or Github if you’re in development
• Include a short objective to frame the recruiter’s expectations
• Use custom sections (e.g. Projects and Certification) to stand out from hundreds of applicants
• DON’T mention passion in your objective.

Successful example: [internship at Tesla]

Tips for making your resume stand out for senior employees

• Use custom section to stand out from your competition and add personality to your top-management experience (e.g. “A Day In My Life” and “Life Philosophy”  sections)
• Frame your experience with a well-researched custom headline on top
• Add links to a business-related profile (LinkedIn)
• Frame Skills sections in a unique way (e.g. name them “Workflows”, “Strengths”)

Successful example: senior manager resume at Verizon

How to create a standout resume with bad work history

• Go for a functional layout resume where skills and workflows are prioritized over the experience section
• Create a proxy item in your experience section, e.g. “Freelancer”, or “Agency” and list your temporary experiences within it
• Write an engaging Summary section to address the recruiter’s questions about your inconsistent work history and turn it to your advantage (e.g. several areas of competence)
• DON’T mention passion in your objective. Just don’t.

Standout resume for different positions

Over years we’ve shared and updated a library of 530+ professional resume example guides with best practices and tips for specific job titles.

Simply type in the job title you’re applying for, and you’ll get a resume guide similar to this one with actionable tips specific to your dream job.

BROWSE RESUME EXAMPLES

• Small details matter: make every section stand out for the compound effect
• Extensively research the company you’re applying for and use your findings in different sections
• Add custom sections to stand out and boost engagement with recruiters
• Visuals and readability matter more than you think. Watch your white space, fonts, and formatting

Did you like the guide? Anything else that we’re forgetting and you might want to add? What are your tips for creating a stand-out resume? Jump in the discussion below.

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10 Proven Tips To Make Your Resume Stand Out in 2024

Is your resume decent but doesn’t bring you any interviews? Read on to uncover how to make resumes stand out from peers.

Your resume is, in all probability, the only editable document that you possess. With your ever-evolving career, it enables you to make updates to your professional development whenever you need them.

But, as a jobseeker, you likely know that freshness and relevance aren’t the only factors that have a bearing on your resume success. It’s also about making your resume an entertaining read that is notable and distinguishing. 

In this guide, we’ll answer how to make your resume stand out from other jobseekers. Plus, we’ll offer you 10 proven hacks to see your resume drawing attention.

Save hours of work and get a job-winning resume like this. Try our resume builder with 20+ resume templates and create your resume now.

Create your resume now

What users say about ResumeLab:

I had an interview yesterday and the first thing they said on the phone was: “Wow! I love your resume.” Patrick I love the variety of templates. Good job guys, keep up the good work! Dylan  My previous resume was really weak and I used to spend hours adjusting it in Word. Now, I can introduce any changes within minutes. Absolutely wonderful! George

In the meanwhile, check these guides to elevate your resume:

• ATS-Friendly Resume Templates & Guide
• Best Resume Format This Year
• Best Resume Practices to Apply
• General Resume & Writing Tips
• How to Write a Perfect Resume?
• Resume Profile Examples for Any Jobs
• Popular Resume Mistakes
• Resume Tips + Dos & Don’ts
• Should You Save a Resume in PDF or Doc?
• Things to Include in a Resume

You’ve probably had to call any kind of service at least once. It was because you needed someone’s expertise to solve a specific problem. And so you contacted a number of professionals to receive several offers and choose the one. Could you recall what factors influenced your decision to use that particular service? Were they your emotions, experiences, or memories? 

There’s a whole lot of research on human decision-making. We’re not going to dive too deep into psychology, but just to make things clear: you, too , can make your offer look better than others’. 

Consider these 10 resume tips to create a resume that stands out and impacts a decision:

1. Follow the Job Posting

Job postings are treasuries of knowledge. They contain a lot of handy information regarding the job requirements. If you pay enough attention to job descriptions, demanded skills , and other expectations, you can get a complete picture of the perfect candidate.

Research the company’s profile, culture, and values extensively. It’ll help you understand what kind of work environment the company creates and what is needed to fit in such a setting. Once you’re familiar with their preferences, try to reflect in your resume the candidate’s image that they pictured.

2. Check for Keywords

With tons of resumes to sift through, most recruiters use applicant tracking systems to scan applications for matching resume keywords . To get through the screening process, ensure you’ve included in your resume all the key terms displayed in the job description. If you struggle to denote them, use a word-cloud generator . It’ll pull the most frequently used terms out of the uploaded content.

3. Customize Your Resume

Who’s more likely to get a job as a data scientist: a former data engineer or a game tester? It’s vital that your resume conveys the most accurate information and that it corresponds to the industry and the role that is in your sights.

Get rid of irrelevant experience and focus on the work achievements that might be important to a recruiting company. Customize the job title, job descriptions, and professional skills to strengthen your candidate’s profile.

4. Include a Pithy Resume Summary

The first lines of your resume make up a snapshot of your career history. It helps a recruiter get a grasp of your experience and skills. An ideal resume summary mentions your most relevant experience and assets that favor your candidature. Additionally, it underscores your motivations and attitude toward a new role, which is very insightful for recruiters. A good resume summary has a wow! effect and leaves a lasting impression.

5. Display Pertinent Skills

If you need to replace washing machine parts, you call a repair technician. If your washing machine is not turning on at all, you’ll more probably call an electrician. Sometimes, even two akin positions demand distinct skill sets.

The more accurate your abilities, the more likely you’ll be considered for the role. Recruiters look for hard and soft skills that fit the job profile most accurately. Hence, you must juxtapose the company’s preferences with your assets and check for overlap. 

6. Keep Your Resume In Check

Since a resume is pertinent to the success of one’s candidature, lots of applicants feel the urge to load it with as much information as possible. However, the amount of content does not make a resume stand out. It’s instead how deftly you intersperse all essential accomplishments and assets into a condensed content form. Strive for the best resume length , usually one page, and keep it concise. Quality over quantity, to be brief.

7. Adjust Layout & Perfect Formatting

A good-looking resume starts with a clear layout and structure. First things first, it shouldn’t necessarily use embellishments or special effects. If you’re doing a creative job, you can always attach a portfolio to show off your former pieces of work. A clear structure gives room for your achievements and traits, which are the highlights of your resume. Secondly, a good resume is well-formatted and eye-friendly. It’s easy to scan, and it doesn’t confuse a reader.

8. Focus on Quantitative Achievements

You can introduce yourself to a recruiter in many ways. Imagine John, who’s a florist. He has his job interview and says he’s making sophisticated, aesthetically pleasing floral arrangements that clients love. Then comes Lonnie. He boasts of creating personalized floral decorations for birthday parties, weddings, and bridal shows. He says he served 100+ events and was featured in 5+ well-read floral magazines. Which one would you hire?

An impressive resume comprises quantitative achievements rather than regular duties and responsibilities. Overall, it’s not what you do but how you do it.

The ResumeLab builder is more than looks. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Easy. Improve your resume in our resume builder now .

CREATE YOUR RESUME NOW

Nail it all with a splash of color, choose a clean font, and highlight your skills in just a few clicks. You're the perfect candidate, and we'll prove it. Use our resume builder now .

9. Use Action Words

Words convey a lot of meaning. A few sentences can recreate a whole story. The more active language you use, the more dynamic the text gets. For example, ”I fostered excellent customer service by answering clients’ needs and doubts” sounds way better than “I handled multiple customers’ issues.”

Action verbs make you sound more confident, motivated, and devoted to your job duties. They convince a recruiter that you’re capable of facing challenges and that you’re incentivized to do them with maximum efficiency.

10. Double-Check if It’s Grammatically Correct

Don’t you hate it when someone shares their opinion on the web, using sloppy and imprecise language? While it can happen within informal discussions, it’s frowned upon in resumes and other documents that undergo someone’s evaluation.

If you’re unsure if your language is grammatically correct, put your resume through a grammar checker to quickly identify potential errors. A perfect resume is spotless, and it proves your geeky-style erudition.

Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.

CREATE YOUR COVER LETTER NOW

Want to try a different look? There's 21 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here .

Key Takeaway

Creating an impressive resume is absorbing on many levels, but it pays off. If you employ these 10 fundamental tips, you’ll master resume writing to perfection.

Here’s to recap of what we’ve mentioned before:

• Stick to the job posting when creating your resume. It’ll give you a hint as to what should be accentuated in your application.
• Tailor your resume to the company you want to work for. Run thorough research on their company culture, values, and business needs. If you need more, contact your network for more insights.
• Hit an employer with a catchy resume summary. The first lines of your resume might be decisive in your candidature success.
• Adjust formatting and keep it readable. A clean resume structure is gold.
• Use quantitative achievements and action words. They speak for your valuable experience and expertise.

Seek help with creating a resume that stands out? Need ideas on how to improve your resume to see it rocks? Share your thoughts in a comment. We’ll be happy to help.

About ResumeLab’s Editorial Process

At ResumeLab, quality is at the crux of our values, supporting our commitment to delivering top-notch career resources. The editorial team of career experts carefully reviews every article in accordance with editorial guidelines , ensuring the high quality and reliability of our content. We actively conduct original research, shedding light on the job market's intricacies and earning recognition from numerous influential news outlets . Our dedication to delivering expert career advice attracts millions of readers to our blog each year.

Marta Bongilaj is a career expert and a Certified Professional Résumé Writer. She's a member of the National Career Development Association and the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches. She has a vast marketing background, which helps her give relevant advice on bringing out candidates’ strongest points and making their resumes a compelling read. In her articles, she underlines the importance of showcasing the most prominent skills, experiences, and qualifications in a resume to stand out in increasingly competitive job markets. Marta provides on-point tips on how to promote one’s candidature efficaciously at every career stage. Holding a philology degree, she believes that concise, persuasive language lies at the core of a successful resume. If you seek advice on marketing yourself to employers, no matter your recruitment stage, you’ve come to the right place.

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What to put on a resume? There are 5 must-have sections you need to include in a resume and some extra ones. Read on and learn what should be on your resume.

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• How Many Jobs To List On Resume

Resumes are more than just words; they are also about style. The keywords you utilize to highlight your accomplishments and qualifications are what will help get your resume securely through the resume reader . How you present those keywords stylistically and structurally is what will grab the reader’s attention.

Keep reading for ten tips on how to make your resume rise above the competition.

Key Takeaways:

Tailor your resume to the specific job you are applying to.

When writing you resume, use industry-specific keywords and buzzwords.

Make sure you resume is well organized and easy to read.

Have someone proofread your resume to catch any mistakes that you may have missed.

10 Tips To Make Your Resume Stand Out

Why it’s important for your resume to stand out, final thoughts, expert opinions.

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Let’s start with a gentle reminder that you don’t have to add all of these tips to get your resume picked out from the rest. Pick the tips that resonate most with you and add a touch of your style.

Ensuring your resume reflects the true you versus a computer is often accomplished by not forgetting your personal touch. With that in mind, here are ten tips on how to make your resume stand out from the rest, both stylistically and structurally:

Use resume buzzwords. The first hurdle you have to overcome when writing a resume is making sure your resume makes it through the resume readers and answers the main question: do you have the qualifications necessary for the job ?

Organize your resume well. Once you’ve completed your resume buzzword brainstorm, you’ll need to use them in the correct format. You’ll want to make your resume well organized and specific to your situation.

Are you a recent graduate or an experienced worker back in the job search ? What about a Veteran? Are you applying for a federal job ? These types of situations require specific resume organizations.

Show evidence. Now that you’ve picked out which buzzwords to use and how you’ll organize your resume, you’ll need to fill in each section. When you do, make sure you show evidence for the skills and accomplishments you claim on your resume.

To best show evidence for your accomplishments and deliverables, put numbers to them. If you managed a team, how many people were on your team? If you improved site traffic, by what percent did you improve it over time?

Keep it short. Most resumes should only be about a page long. If you need to make it two pages, you can but try to make it short. Only include information that can help you stand out from the other candidates.

Make your resume a compelling story. While a daunting sheet of paper, a resume is just a formal story of your work experience . Read over it with that lens and make sure the story makes sense.

Are there any major gaps in it? Does each chapter of your work history make sense and flow into the next?

Add a cover letter. If a resume summary doesn’t explain the transitions or your qualifications enough for the job, definitely don’t forget to write a cover letter .

However, no matter what your current job situation is, adding a cover letter will help you appear more dedicated to the job application. It also gives your resume a more personal voice.

Tailor it to make it job specific. Another way you can make your resume stand out is to make your resume specific to the job application . One of the last things hiring managers want to see is a resume that is so generic, you likely used the same one for every single job application.

Make your resume easy on the eyes. An easy way for your resume to find its way to the bottom of the pile, even if it did make it through the resume scanner , is by having your resume so cramped and difficult to read. You should avoid:

Small fonts

Multiple colors

Too many differing fonts

Removing all your margins .

Remember that your resume readers may not have 20/20 vision and may just chuck your resume away because they don’t want to squint to read it. Consider a few graphics and different ways of organizing and consolidating your information to make it fit better.

Be careful about the graphics you use. With graphics in mind, take special care with how many graphics you use . Unless you are applying for a design position, using too many graphics can sometimes hurt your resume because resume scanners cannot read those resumes as easily.

Proofread. Finally, when you have finished writing your resume, and you think it’s perfect, take a look at it again. You can also have someone else look at it. View it as a practice run for the hiring manager . You should also run the resume through programs like Grammarly to clear it of basic mistakes.

Writing resumes is a tricky business — you want your resume to have the right keywords and phrases so that it can make it through electronic resume readers , but you also want it different enough to catch the hiring manager’s eye.

Your resume is a document that showcases your qualifications for a job. You will want to include your education, experience, skills and other achievements that you have made.

Having a resume that stands out will make a hiring manager stop and take a second look and will see what sets you apart from other candidates. Having a resume that is not visually appealing, has mistakes, or is too long can be the difference from you being considered for a job or not.

Making your resume stand out can be difficult if you’re new to the job application game or if your industry is saturated with candidates. Our guide can help you stand out from the rest.

At the end of this article, just remember that you know yourself best. Use that knowledge and the tips above to deliver a stellar resume.

How do you get your resume noticed?

Murray Schulman Independent Business Owner

Recruiters receive stacks of online resumes. My advice is to keep your resume short and concise. Be bold and powerful from the start. Catch the recruiter’s attention in the first few lines of your resume. Don’t get passed over.

How do you make a resume stand out?

Kolby Goodman Career Coach The Job Huntr

When writing your resume, always remember your audience: your next manager. Too often I see resumes written to remind the candidate of what they can do in a job. Tell your next company not just what you can do, but how you can impact them.

You are presenting yourself as an asset to your new company. Businesses tend to measure the impact of a potential asset in one of 4 ways: making money, saving money, saving time, and reducing risk. If you can align experience and expertise to showcase how they move the needle in one of these areas, you will be leapfrogging your competition.

If you have a hard time taking credit for your work, get proactive in soliciting feedback. Go to the people you’ve worked with ( boss , co-workers, clients/customers) and ask them this simple question “How have I been able to help you?” The responses to this question will help you get some perspective about how your contributions and impact are being felt by others.

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Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

Don Pippin is an executive and HR leader for Fortune 50 and 500 companies and startups. In 2008, Don launched area|Talent with a focus on helping clients identify their brand. As a Certified Professional Resume Writer, Certified Digital Career Strategist, and Certified Personal Branding Strategist, Don guides clients through career transitions.

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• Career Advice >

How to Make Your Resume Stand Out and Get a Dream Job

In today's job market, your resume is your ticket to landing that dream job.

But here's the thing: hiring managers often spend just a few seconds scanning each resume.

So, how do you make sure yours catches their eye?

Don't worry, we've got you covered. We've put together a list of game-changing tips that'll help your resume rise above the rest.

Whether you're a fresh graduate or a seasoned pro, these tricks will give your resume the edge it needs.

Ready to turn those job applications into interview invitations? Let's dive in!

Did you know that most hiring managers spend just 30 seconds scanning a resume before deciding whether to consider it further?

Well, with the right tricks up your sleeve , you can make your resume pop and grab the hiring manager’s attention from the get-go.

So, here are nine tips designed to make those crucial 30 seconds count, ensuring your resume stands out from the crowd!

#1. Understand What the Hiring Managers Are Looking For

To make your resume stand out, you need to get inside the hiring manager's head. What are they really looking for?

It's not just about matching a list of qualifications. They want someone who can solve their problems and add value to their team.

So, start by carefully reading the job description. Look for phrases that highlight the company's needs and priorities, and use them as keywords throughout your resume . Pay attention to the skills they emphasize and the challenges they mention.

Are they looking for a team player? A problem solver? An innovator?

Understanding your potential employer’s needs will help you shape your resume to show you're not just qualified, but you're the solution they've been searching for. 

#2. Tailor Your Resume to the Job Ad

Applying to every job opening with the same resume is a big no-no.

To stand out, you need to customize your resume for each position you apply to. This doesn't mean rewriting your entire work history, but rather highlighting relevant experience and using the right word choice to match the job description.

To tailor your resume, use the information found in the job posting. This shows that you've paid attention to what they're looking for, but it also helps your resume pass through applicant tracking systems (ATS) that many companies use to filter candidates.

For example, if the job ad emphasizes "project management" skills, make sure those words appear in your resume and are backed up by relevant experiences.

Remember, tailoring isn't about changing who you are or exaggerating your skills; it's about highlighting the parts of your experience that best match what this specific employer is seeking.

#3. Focus on Achievements Over Responsibilities

One of the most effective ways to make your resume stand out is to shift from listing job responsibilities to showcasing your achievements .

In most cases, hiring managers know exactly what your responsibilities were in your previous role. So, instead of simply stating what you were supposed to do in a role, highlight what you actually accomplished. 

Just compare the following two examples:

• Responsible for managing social media accounts.
• In charge of managing a team of five.
• Tasked with handling customer inquiries.
• Assigned to oversee budget reports.

This candidate has succeeded in showing the hiring manager they were doing the bare minimum in their previous role, but it’s unlikely this will help their resume stand out.

Do you want to do it right?

Use specific examples and, whenever possible, quantify your achievements with numbers. You should also use action verbs and specific metrics where possible.

Check out the following example:

• Increased Instagram followers by 50% in 6 months, resulting in a 25% boost in website traffic.

And even if you don't have exact numbers, you can still focus on results!

• Streamlined the onboarding process, reducing new hire orientation time by approximately one full day.

#4. Keep It Short and Concise

In the fast-paced professional environment, hiring managers don't have time to read lengthy resumes. The key to getting and keeping their attention is making your resume easy to scan while still including all the important information.

So, how long should your resume be ?

Aim for a one-page resume if you're early in your career and writing a resume for your first job , and only go for two pages if you’re an experienced professional with more than ten years of relevant work history. 

Focus on using clear, concise language and avoid jargon or overly complex words unless they're industry-standard terms.

• Responsible for organizing company events, which involved planning event details, coordinating with vendors, managing the budget, overseeing the event setup and execution, and ensuring that all participants had a positive experience.

To keep it short, cut out any fluff or redundant information. Additionally, try to use bullet points instead of dense paragraphs to make your content more readable.

• Successfully organized and executed company events.
• Planned event details and coordinated with vendors.
• Managed budget and oversaw event setup and execution.
• Ensured positive participant experiences.

Take a look at these free one-page resume templates here!

#5. Use a Professional Template

The visual appeal of your resume matters more than you might think.

A clean, professional-looking resume layout can make a strong first impression and help your application stand out from the stack.

Choose a template that's appropriate for your industry; creative fields might allow for more design elements, while traditional industries often prefer a more conservative look.

Whichever style you choose, make sure it's easy to read and well organized. Additionally:

• Use consistent formatting throughout, including font sizes and styles for headings and body text. 
• Incorporate white space to prevent your resume from looking cluttered.

Novoresume offers a variety of templates for different industries and professional levels. They're created in collaboration with hiring managers, so they can make your resume stand out twice as effectively as other resume templates.

Here’s how our templates compare to a basic word processor template:

#6. Don’t Forget to Proofread

A single typo or grammatical error can be the difference between landing an interview and having your resume tossed aside. That's why proofreading is crucial.

Read your resume out loud to catch awkward phrasing or missing words. Then, read it backward, starting from the bottom. This trick helps you focus on individual words rather than getting caught up in the content.

Additionally, you can ask a friend or family member to look it over too; fresh eyes can spot mistakes you might have missed.

Pay special attention to names, dates, and contact information . A mistake could cost you the opportunity to hear back from an employer.

Typos or grammar mistakes are not the only ones. Take a look at these 10+ bad resume examples to avoid making common pitfalls!

#7. Hire an Expert to Check It

Sometimes, it pays to bring in a professional.

If you're struggling to make your resume stand out or you're applying for a particularly important position, consider hiring a resume expert or career coach .

These professionals have insider knowledge of what hiring managers are looking for . They can help you highlight your strengths, downplay any weaknesses, and ensure your resume is optimized for both human readers and applicant tracking systems.

A professional can also provide objective feedback on your resume's content and design.

While this option does involve an upfront cost, think of it as an investment in your career. A polished, professional resume could lead to better job opportunities and potentially higher salary offers, making the investment well worth it in the long run.

#8. Send It Along With a Cover Letter

While your resume provides a snapshot of your skills and experience, a cover letter allows you to tell your story . Because of that, always send a cover letter with your resume unless the job posting specifically says not to.

Think of it as your chance to show personality, express enthusiasm, and address any potential concerns, like gaps in employment , that your resume might raise. Use your cover letter to highlight a few key achievements from your resume and explain how they relate to the job you're applying for.

Remember to tailor each cover letter to the specific job and company; generic cover letters are easy to spot and often get ignored. A well-crafted cover letter can set you apart from other candidates and make a hiring manager excited to read your resume.

#9. Update it Regularly

It's important to update your resume every few months, even if you're not actively job hunting.

Add new skills you've learned, projects you've completed, or achievements you've earned. This way, when an opportunity arises, you won't be scrambling to remember what you've done in the past year.

Regular updates also help you track your professional growth and identify areas where you might need to develop new skills. If you're in a fast-moving industry, keeping your resume current ensures you're always ready to seize new opportunities.

Plus, reviewing your resume regularly can be a great motivation to seek out new challenges and continue growing in your career. 

Learn about these 99+ resume statistics you should know if you want to land your dream job in 2024.

7 Essential Sections You Need (and Tips on How to Write Them)

A well-structured resume can grab a hiring manager's attention within seconds, potentially securing you an interview.

On the flip side, a poorly organized one might cost you the opportunity, no matter how qualified you are.

The key lies in knowing which sections to include and how to make them shine.

To help you with that, we've prepared a list of the essential sections you need in your resume:

#1. Contact Information

Your contact information is, in a nutshell, how employers can reach you if they’re interested.

Seems simple, right? But you'd be surprised at how many people get this section wrong.

To do it right, start with your full name in a slightly larger font to make it stand out. Include your phone number and a professional email address (stay away from nicknames). Add your location, but just city and state are enough; – no need for a full address.

If relevant to your field, include links to your LinkedIn profile or professional website. For creative professionals, consider adding your portfolio link.

And don't forget to double-check everything – a typo here could cost you an interview.

Name: John Doe

Phone: (555) 123-4567

Email: [email protected]

Location: Springfield, IL

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/johndoe

#2. Resume Header

Another key to grabbing the hiring manager’s attention is having an impactful resume header . That can be a resume summary or a resume objective, depending on your level of experience. 

Here’s what each involves:  

• A resume summary is a brief overview of your professional background, key skills, and significant achievements. A good summary should include
• A resume objective , on the other hand, is a statement of your career goals and how you aim to contribute to the role you are applying for. It should contain

Here’s an example of a well-written summary:

• A results-driven marketing professional with over 8 years of experience in developing and executing strategic marketing campaigns. Proven ability to increase brand awareness and drive sales growth through innovative marketing techniques and data-driven decision-making. Skilled in digital marketing, content creation, and market analysis. Known for exceptional communication skills and the ability to lead cross-functional teams to achieve business objectives.

And here is what a good objective looks like:

• Recent graduate with a degree in Data Science seeking a challenging role as a Data Analyst at XYZ Corp. Eager to apply strong analytical skills and proficiency in Python, SQL, and data visualization tools to support data-driven decision-making processes. Committed to leveraging my background in statistics and data modeling to contribute to the company’s success in a dynamic and collaborative environment.

#3. Professional Experience

This is usually the meat of your resume, where you showcase your career journey and professional achievements.

But before you can impress the hiring manager with what you’ve done, you should make sure the section looks good , too. 

Here’s how:

• List your roles in reverse chronological order , starting with your current or most recent position.
• For each role, include the company name, your job title, and dates of employment.
• Highlight key responsibilities and achievements for each role.

Now, here's where you can really shine: use bullet points to highlight your key responsibilities and, more importantly, your achievements.

Additionally, tailor this section to the job you're applying for: list only relevant work experience , emphasizing experiences and achievements most relevant to the new role. Finally, don’t forget to quantify your achievements, whenever you can. 

For example: 

Professional Experience

ABC Corporation, New York, NY Senior Marketing Manager 01/2018 – Present

• Led a team of 10 marketing professionals to execute comprehensive marketing strategies.
• Developed and launched a social media campaign that increased brand awareness by 30%.
• Managed a $500,000 marketing budget, optimizing spend to achieve a 20% increase in ROI.
• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to create and implement new product launches.

XYZ Inc., Los Angeles, CA Marketing Specialist 06/2014 – 12/2017

• Assisted in the development and execution of digital marketing campaigns.
• Conducted market research and analysis to identify new market opportunities.
• Increased website traffic by 25% through SEO and content marketing strategies.
• Created and managed email marketing campaigns, resulting in a 15% increase in open rates.

#4. Education 

When listing your education , start with your highest degree and work backward.

Include the name of the institution, your degree, and your graduation date.

If you're a recent graduate and have no work experience , you might want to add relevant coursework , academic achievements, or your GPA (if it's impressive). 

However, if you’re further along in your career, keep this section brief; your work experience will likely carry more weight.

In case you have multiple degrees, prioritize accordingly and only add the ones that are most relevant to the position you're applying for.

Don't forget to mention any ongoing education or professional development courses if they're relevant to the job. 

And remember, education isn't just about formal degrees; significant workshops or training programs can be included here too.

Your skills section is your chance to show off your professional toolbox. And hard skills alone aren’t enough - employers are looking for soft skills that are relevant to the job too.

For hard skills, list computer skills , software, tools, or specific techniques you're proficient in. But don't just put "Microsoft Office" – be specific about which programs you excel in.

For soft skills, focus on abilities like organizational skills , communication skills , or problem-solving skills , but be prepared to back these up with examples from your experience.

If you're in a technical field, consider creating a skills matrix that shows your proficiency level in each skill.

Remember to keep it honest; you should be prepared to demonstrate any skill you list here.

This is how a well-written skills section should look like:

Don’t forget to check out our article with 101 essential skills to put on a resume !

#6. Certifications and Training

This section can really set you apart, especially in fields where specific certifications are valued.

List any relevant certifications , licenses, or specialized training you've completed. Include the name of the certification, the issuing organization, and the date obtained (or "In Progress" if you're currently working on it).

If you have many, prioritize the most recent and relevant ones. And if you have certifications that require renewal, make sure to include the expiration date.

This section can be particularly impactful if you're changing careers or if your formal education doesn't directly align with the job you're applying for.

#7. Optional Sections

Depending on your field and experience, you might want to include supplemental sections to strengthen your resume .

These could include:

• Volunteer work. This is especially relevant if you have limited work experience or if it relates to your target job.
• Publications. Listing your papers, books or important essays is great for academic or writing-intensive roles.
• Awards and honors. It's always good to showcase the recognition you've received in your field.
• Hobbies and interests. Mention activities that showcase your personality, skills, or interests that might be relevant to the job.
• Professional affiliations. Mention memberships in industry organizations or associations.
• Projects. It is particularly useful for tech roles or recent graduates.
• Languages. Include any languages you are proficient in, especially if they are relevant to the job you're applying for.

These extras can help paint a fuller picture of who you are as a professional and what you bring to the table.

Just remember to keep your resume concise – only add these if they truly add value to your application.

Does your resume keep getting rejected ? Learn how to fix it with our dedicated article.

16 Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even if you put the work in, it's easy to fall into common resume pitfalls that could cost you the job.

These mistakes might seem small, but they can make a big difference in how hiring managers perceive your application.

Let's take a look at some of the most common resume mistakes to steer clear of:

• Using a generic, one-size-fits-all resume for every application.
• Using cliché phrases like "team player" or "hard worker" without backing them up.
• Neglecting to proofread, resulting in typos and grammatical errors.
• Making your resume too long or too short.
• Using an unprofessional email address.
• Including a photo (unless it's standard in your industry or country).
• Lying or exaggerating about your skills or experience.
• Forgetting to include keywords from the job description.
• Using an outdated or overly complicated format.
• Leaving unexplained gaps in your work history.
• Including salary information or not knowing how to list references on your resume .
• Overusing buzzwords or industry jargon.
• Using an unprofessional font or inconsistent formatting.
• Including personal information like age, marital status, or religious affiliations (unless relevant to the job).
• Forgetting to update contact information.
• Using passive language instead of active verbs.

Are you a beginner? Read our dedicated article and learn how to start a resume in 10 easy steps !

Key Takeaways

Before we wrap up, let's recap the most important points to remember when crafting your standout resume.

These are the key takeaways you should always keep in mind:

• Tailor your resume for each job application, using keywords from the job description.
• Focus on achievements rather than just listing job responsibilities.
• Keep your resume concise and easy to scan (1-2 pages maximum).
• Include essential sections: contact information, a strong header, education, professional experience, and skills.
• Update your resume regularly, even when not actively job hunting.
• Avoid common mistakes like using clichés, including irrelevant information, or using an unprofessional email address.

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How to Make Your Resume Stand Out to Recruiters

Customers Interviewed by:

Hiring managers take as little as 6 seconds to read your resume —less time than it takes to tie your shoelaces. In the competitive job market, it’s critical to make your resume stand out from other applicants and impress the recruiter.

How do you make your resume stand out? Format, style, and content all play a role in helping you impress the hiring manager and secure an interview. 

Keep reading to learn tips to make your resume stand out from the competition.

What is a resume?

Your resume is a make-or-break document. It not only lists all your accreditations, skills, and experience but highlights your professional accomplishments, too. It can help you illustrate how you can be an asset to the organization.

You know your resume is important to your job search, so it’s normal to stress about its design , structure, and every action verb . The last thing you want is a forgettable resume that falls through the cracks of the hiring managers’ awareness.

With every new job description, you should change your resume to optimize for skills and keywords listed by the hiring manager. You should take the time to highlight the most prominent keywords in each job description, then adjust your resume to match.

To speed up the process, use Jobscan’s resume scanner for a detailed match report. It shows you which keywords are missing, the level of keyword importance, and an overall score to optimize your resume for ATS.

What does a resume include?

Resumes fall into 3 formats :

• Chronological : Chronological resumes list your work experience in reverse chronological order, with your most recent work history at the top.
• Hybrid : Hybrid resumes feature your skills and accomplishments at the top, followed by your reverse chronological work history.
• Functional : Functional resumes focuses on skills and accomplishments and glosses over work experience. Hiring managers hate functional resumes , so we recommend choosing a chronological or hybrid format.

Whichever resume format you choose, it will include key resume sections to answer all the hiring manager’s questions, from your resume headline to skills and work experience.

Resume headline and summary

Your resume headline and summary are a quick introduction telling the hiring manager who you are and why you’re an ideal candidate. Your headline should include your professional title or the title of the job you’re applying for.

Your resume summary should include 2 or 3 brief sentences stating your key experiences, measurable achievements , and top skills or expertise.

Including the job title you’re applying for in your resume can increase your chance of getting in front of the hiring manager. Using the ATS, they search for the exact title to find resumes that match.

If you’ve never held the role you’re applying to, showcase your relevant skills in your resume that support the job title. Making the connections between other roles, transferable skills, certifications, and education can help the hiring manager picture how your achievements will apply to the role.

• Work experience

Your work experience section is the core of your resume. To make your resume stand out, be specific and intentional about how you tell the story of your career so far.

Here’s an example of a clear work experience that shows the previous role, the company, and employment dates to create a roadmap of a marketer’s career.

Your education can qualify you for a position over other candidates. Whether you have an associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degree, it shows the hiring manager that you have specialized knowledge. Listing the right education for the job description can make your resume stand out.

This is an education section that lists the master’s degree first. The specific areas of study—middle level math and science—make the candidate stand out.

• Certifications

Certifications from online courses or supplemental training also have a place on your resume. Certifications complement the experience, education, and skills sections. They can show the hiring manager increased specialization and skill development.

This example of a certification section illustrates specialized skills that can make the applicant more attractive to a hiring manager for a project management or related role.

Hiring managers want to know if you have the in-demand skills to do the job. Skills and proficiencies shine a spotlight on what you will bring to the new role that directly ties into the responsibilities laid out in the job description.

Hard skills are technical skills specific to the job or industry. Examples of hard skills include:

• Project management
• Graphic design
• Computer software knowledge
• Search engine optimization (SEO)

Soft skills are no less critical. They’re people skills, character traits, or behaviors that indicate how well you work with others and handle stressful situations.

They’re sometimes called transferable skills , meaning they can transfer from any job and any industry. Some common soft skills that are in demand include:

• Collaboration
• Attention to detail
• Time management
• Growth mindset
• Adaptability

Read through and identify the hard and soft skills for each job description to ensure you’re adding them to your resume.

A time-saving tool is Jobscan’s resume scanner . Upload your resume and the job description, and the scanner will create a match report to tell you whether you have the right skills to get an interview.

For example, this report illustrates that Google Suite and MS Office skills are missing from the resume. But if you want a chance to secure the interview, you need to add those skills that the hiring manager is searching for.

Tips to make your resume stand out

You need to make your resume stand out from the rest by following a few simple guidelines.

Include only relevant information

Clutter of unrelated skills, education, or experience can take up valuable space on your resume. Instead, focus on information relevant to the job description.

A good way to tell if something is relevant is to study the job description to understand the scope of the role.

Use the same language in your resume as in the job description and you’ll be a strong candidate for the job.

Highlight accomplishments, not just responsibilities

Your day-to-day responsibilities don’t tell the hiring manager much about who you are as an industry professional. Instead, emphasize accomplishments . Measurable performance can help the hiring manager imagine how your achievements can help their organization.

Vague language won’t help you land the job. Use numbers, percentages, or data to back up what you’re saying on your resume, like in the example below.

Your responsibilities show what you did, but measurable achievements show how well you did it. This shows the impact you had in your last role.

Tailor your resume to the job you’re applying for

A one-size-fits-all resume doesn’t exist. You need to tailor your resume to the job description, the industry, and the company.

Why does tailoring your resume matter? Most companies are using ATS to help streamline the hiring process. ATS, or applicant tracking systems , is a software that adds your resume to a database. The hiring manager will search the database for suitable candidates by entering keywords from the job description.

Hiring managers input specific keywords, and the ATS will parse your resume to detect them. If you’re missing relevant keywords or skills that the hiring manager searches the ATS to find, they won’t see your resume at all.

To optimize your resume faster and more effectively, use Jobscan’s resume scanner to generate a detailed match report. It pulls critical information from the job description, like keywords and skills the hiring manager is looking for.

Then, it compares the job description to your resume to illustrate what details you’re missing. With this information, you can design tailored resumes that stand out for each job application.

With Power Edit , a Jobscan Premium feature, your match report will offer phrasing suggestions to best integrate important keywords into your resume.

How to make your resume stand out visually

Your resume should be visually appealing , but don’t overdo it. Fancy graphics can confuse the ATS and cause your resume to get lost in the database.

Before you design a stylistic resume, know that a clean resume makes a significant impact on the ATS and hiring manager.

Use standard resume headings

Section headings break up the information to make it easy to skim. But if you don’t use them correctly, the ATS won’t read them. Poor heading choices include:

• Autobiography
• My Career Journey
• What I Know

Stick to standard resume headings like:

• Summary or objective

This example uses bolding to help make the document more scannable for the hiring manager. The headings aren’t a place to show off your creativity. Basic headings are mandatory for the ATS.

Use standard resume margins

Avoid trying to pack in more content by widening the margins. It won’t be an ATS-friendly resume, and the hiring manager will never see it.

Instead, stick to the standard guidelines for resume margins. One-inch margins make the ATS happy and are readable for the hiring manager.

• In Microsoft Word, one-inch margins are the default, and you can ensure you’re choosing the right measurement by selecting Layout/Margins/Normal.
• In Google Docs, you can confirm your margin measurements by selecting File/Page Setup.

Best fonts to help your resume stand out

What are the best fonts for your resume? The ATS and hiring managers prefer clean, crisp, and legible fonts.

The most common and preferred fonts for your resume include:

Using color to help your resume stand out

Is it okay to use color on a resume? Yes, using color sparingly can add visual appeal to your resume.

Color can help your resume:

• Draw attention to the headings
• Show off your creativity
• Fit with the company’s culture

If you’re applying for a creative role or your research suggests the company would appreciate engaging visuals, adding a hint of color can benefit you.

Some industries are more conservative, so dark shades like navy blue, forest green, or maroon are more appropriate for jobs in:

• Engineering

Here’s an example of using color to make your resume stand out without overwhelming the hiring manager.

Read more : Should You Use Color on Your Resume?

Use templates to make your resume stand out

Resume templates can still be personalized and attention-grabbing. You can make your resume stand out by customizing a template to include all the relevant information in a structured, ATS-friendly resume format. Templates save you time and helps ensure your resume is clean and readable.

Use Jobscan’s free ATS-friendly resume templates and start building your resume that gets noticed by recruiters!

Common resume formatting mistakes

The format of your resume is critical for the ATS. Your resume needs consistency and simplicity for the ATS to decipher the content. Some common mistakes people make on their resumes for ATS include:

• Not using the right date formatting: acceptable formats are MM/YYYY, like (04/2023) or fully spelled month and year, like April 2023.
• Using acronyms or abbreviations: don’t use them alone—the hiring manager will often search the entire term, as in “client relationship management” over “CRM.”
• Adding graphics: the ATS can’t extract information from design elements and, once uploaded to the ATS, they can scramble your resume formatting.

How to make a resume stand out to hiring managers

When your resume reaches a person, you have to pique their interest in under 6 seconds. So, how can you make your resume stand out to the hiring manager? 

Know what the hiring manager is looking for

Every hiring manager has different goals. Even if you’re applying to several identical roles, each organization will emphasize a need for unique qualifications.

Reading the job description isn’t enough to understand the hiring manager’s needs. Go to the company website and read the mission statement, the company’s core values, and the team members’ biographies to help your resume fit the culture.

Most job descriptions are comprehensive—providing information about:

• The company mission
• The must-have qualifications
• The nice-to-have proficiencies

Going the extra mile can take more time, but catching the most minor details is worth it.

Keep it concise

An overcrowded resume is challenging to read. White space makes your resume easy to skim and lets the hiring manager find information quickly.

Read the job description carefully, and if there are details in your resume that don’t support what the hiring manager is looking for, remove them.

A time-saving way to compare is Jobscan’s resume scanner . After scanning your resume and the job description, it will generate a match report to illustrate where you’ve integrated keywords and where they’re missing.

This example keeps every point short, but impactful. You want every point to have a purpose, so be ruthless with your editing.

Review and proofread

You’ve hit all the keywords, your resume is formatted, and everything is relevant and clean—don’t let a spelling or grammatical error make your resume stand out in a negative way.

Whether you run it through a grammar checker, read it out loud to yourself, or let your friend check it for an objective read-through, review it until you’re confident there are no mistakes.

Ask yourself a few questions in your review:

• Are you using strong action verbs?
• Are your accomplishments measurable?
• Is everything relevant?
• Is it designed with the ATS in mind?
• Will it be appealing to the hiring manager?
• Is it concise and clean?

When you answer “yes” to these questions, you’re ready to submit your resume.

How do I make an impressive resume with no experience?

It’s common to ask how to make your resume stand out with no experience. You can make your resume impress the hiring manager, even without experience, by highlighting a few key points:

• Relevant education
• Relevant experience
• List your relevant skills
• Include a strong resume summary

Use a resume template to help guide your formatting and create an stand-out resume.

What is a good objective for a resume with no experience?

If you’re a new grad or starting in the workforce looking for an entry-level job , you can still create a solid resume objective that stands out to hiring managers:

• Read the job description to identify important keywords to use in your objective.
• Use impactful action verbs and measurable accomplishments related to your relevant part-time job, volunteer experience, or course projects.
• Promote yourself, show off your character, and highlight your skillset, even if you have no practical industry experience.

How do I make a resume?

Building a resume from scratch is time-consuming, and you can’t be sure your resume is ATS-friendly.

You can use an ATS resume template that suits your industry and personal preferences and easily add your personal information, work experience, education, certifications, and skills.

You can also use Jobscan’s free resume builder . There are no hidden costs and it allows you to build an ATS-compatible AI resume in no time!

Find our resume examples to help you make your stand-out resume with ease.

More expert insights on this topic:

How to Write a Summary for a Resume with No Experience

86+ Resume Summary Examples To Inspire You

54 Examples of Effective Resume Objectives

Kelsey is a Content Writer with a background in content creation, bouncing between industries to educate readers everywhere.

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How to Make Your Resume Stand Out

Learning how to make your resume stand to get noticed by a potential employer during a job search is extremely important to land your dream job. In fact, getting a recruiter’s attention takes more than just stating your prior employment experiences.

How do you make your resume stand out?

To make your resume stand out, you’ll need to have an effective resume layout with clear sections, leverage your use of effective bullets with strong action verbs and results, and tailor it to a job posting.

MatchBuilt asked Lori Wade , a journalist, and human resource expert that covers recruiting and employee productivity, for best practices that job seekers can implement to stand out and attract attention to their resumes.

Like making your LinkedIn profile and cover letter stand out, you’ll want to ensure your resume is easy to skim and highlights your relevant experience to showcase why you’re the best candidate. You’ll also find that utilizing critical keywords in the optimization process will help you stand out. In this post, Lori details how to make your resume stand out and other vital pieces of information that will help you secure your next job.

20 Tips to Create a Resume That Stands Out

Creating a resume that stands out among 100s or even 1000s of other candidates can be difficult. These tips below are worth your consideration as you create a resume that stands out and gets noticed by recruiters and HR managers.

1. Plan Your Resume Layout With Clear Sections

The first step and one of the best ways to stand out with your resume is to maintain a clear and easy-to-skim format and design . An easy way to achieve this is to arrange the information in clear sections with your name, email, address , and LinkedIn link at the top of your resume, followed by a section on your work experience and education with any academic honors .

It has been observed that using F and E resume layout patterns is a way to capture the employer’s attention. This is because these patterns imitate how the eyes scan through internet pages. You can use these patterns in place of the right-to-left or drop-down pattern.

Primary Resume Sections

• Contact Information
• Professional Experience

Optional Resume Sections

• Awards and Honors
• Volunteer Work
• Certifications and Licenses
• Hobbies and interests
• Qualifications
• Extracurricular Activities
• Accomplishments
• Associations
• Publications
• Conferences

Optional Skills Sections

• Personal Skills
• Management Skills
• Technical Skills
• Computer Skills
• Additional Skills

Pro Tip:  Choose unique resume sections that best reflect the professional skills and accomplishments that match up with the job description and company.

Do Not: Add every possible resume section to your resume.

2. Don’t Be Afraid To Go Bold, Use All-Caps, and Underline

Keep your font style simple by using Calibri, Times New Roman, or Arial, but explore different font sizes and thicknesses to draw attention to the resume’s vital areas (years of experience, job title, customer service accomplishments, volunteer work, work history) .

Consider bolding your name, address, job titles, companies you’ve worked for, dates employed, and section headers.  You can also leverage all-caps and underline some elements.

Leading career site, FreshGigs , recommends the following as a rule of thumb regarding fonts, caps, italicizing, and underlining.

• Use font sizes 10, 11, or 12. If you wish to emphasize headings and titles, you may use font size 14 or 16.
• Use no more than two different font sizes in your resume.
• Use bold fonts sparingly to highlight key items such as the names of companies, job titles, or degrees. Some people use bold fonts to highlight key skills and qualifications, and that’s fine. Remember those bold fonts are only used to draw the reader’s attention to certain areas; no more than 10 percent of your resume should be bolded.
• Use italicized fonts only if you refer to the names of books or magazines (presumably containing work you’ve authored).

3. Crush Your Bullet Points

Long paragraphs slow down a potential employer as they scan numerous resumes for a job opening. One way to improve readability is by adding bullet points under a job or section that break up the text and make it easy to skim through . Utilizing sub-bullet points can also be effective when showcasing specific projects and accomplishments.

You want the recruiter to take note of the essential skills you have to give you a chance at the job. Therefore, you can  display your skills and qualifications in bullet points to make them easy to spot. Doing that also ensures that whoever is reading your resume does not miss the critical sections of the resume.

Leveraging bullet points in critical sections, including under skills and jobs, is essential. Here are a few example bullet points to help your resume stand out .  Not their use of action verbs and results.

Example Bullet Points that Attract Attention

• Sourced, hired, and developed 14 new team members in 2022
• Collaborated with three hiring managers across two different teams to aid in hiring and recruiting efforts, including writing and managing online job postings, screening candidate resumes, and conducting first-round interviews
• Spearheaded employee benefit overhaul, identifying a new, improved health insurance provider while reducing employee insurance costs by 15%
• Achieved over 90% of sales quota in Fiscal Year 2022
• Achieved 12% territory growth in Q4 2021 for the Indiana branch
• Responsible for driving $1M revenue and market share in Florida
• Led and managed a team of 3 Senior Account Managers, including recruiting, hiring, and training new reps on the company sales process
• Forecasted $8 MM across accounts and product line categories by analyzing trends, inventory, and order history
• Devised a co-forecasting process with clients which uncovered issues in their analytical system and merged client forecasts with ours
• Collaborated with sales and marketing departments to improve forecast accuracy, thus reducing the production of extra or outdated products
• Created a 7-year business plan and investor marketing materials leading to a successful $2.5MM round of financing
• Designed and implemented a company-wide loyalty rewards program for a leading Swiss retail bank with revenue exceeding $1.3BN, resulting in a 10% rise in product cross-sales
• Defined strategic vision statement for the largest gas processing firm in the Middle East, gaining board approval
• Introduced a new document management system, which improved document searchability and saved admin staff an average of 1 hour per day
• Gained buy-in from directors for the purchase of new rota management software to improve team efficiency
• Successfully reduced worker’s compensation injuries from 20 to 2 in a one-year period through the introduction of a comprehensive employee incentive program.
• Brought the organization back into federal compliance by establishing an organization-wide Leave of Absence process.
• Received corporate-wide Employee of the Year Award (pool of 100+ staff) and multiple Employee of the Month Awards (pool of 80 staff).

Other essential details to include in this section are your core and soft skills, such as how you are a team player , and make sure to present them orderly. Consider your specialty and include relevant skills. For example, one of your relevant skills would be design and communication if you’re in the creative field. If your specialty is in information and communication technology, a relevant skill may be software programming.

4. Leverage Action Words

Using action verbs throughout your resume will suggest that you’re a person of action and getting things done.

Example Action Words to Make Your Resume Stand Out

• Ambitious:  Is having or showing a strong desire and determination to succeed
• Avid learner:  This shows that you are very eager or enthusiastic and willing to learn
• Career-focused:  Verifies that you are focused on moving forward in your career path
• Results-driven:  This means that you always seek to provide the best results
• Collaborative learner:  This shows that you like to work with other people to solve problems , complete tasks, or learn new concepts
• Leadership:  Demonstrates your ability to lead a group of people or an organization
• Career-focused:  Suggests that you are  conscious of your career  and the choices that affect it
• Flexibility:  This shows that you have the willingness to change or compromise when necessary
• Integrity:  Indicates that you only submit finished work that meets your high standards
• Communication:  This shows your ability to share your ideas effectively with clients, coworkers, and managers
• Responsibility:  Demonstrates that you can act independently and make decisions without authorization
• Adaptability:  This indicates that you can adjust to new conditions.
• Motivation:  Involves your ability to keep yourself motivated, along with those around you
• Focus:  Shows your level of attention to tasks
• Time management:  Shows your skills in developing timelines and completing projects
• Problem-solving:  Demonstrates how you evaluate situations and find practical solutions
• Teamwork:  Indicates you work well with others and thrive in a team environment
• Commitment to excellence:  Illustrates that you are someone who strives to do their best

5. Tweak Critical Keywords to Beat the ATS

Because recruiters and employers have so many job seekers to choose from every time a new position gets listed online, competition is fierce, and  companies need a way of filtering out the best applicants before human eyes can land on them . That’s why many businesses today use an applicant tracking system. An ATS is very beneficial to large companies but also something that can leave well-rounded candidates out of the running if they’re unprepared.

In today’s job market, similar to LinkedIn profile optimization , a job seeker’s resume needs to be optimized for an ATS , the job application, and the job description with the right keywords. This can also help you stand the chance of getting hired whether or not your recruiter uses resume parsing software such as Affinda. This software is designed to assess and extract relevant information from resumes for a specific position that is available.

Furthermore, don’t stuff your resume with too many keywords, and remember that certain software can also pick up grammatical errors. Also, avoid word repetition so your tone doesn’t sound like a bot. Instead, use human-reasoning keywords like compliance, marketing deliverables, and corporate communications in natural ways.

6. Show How You Make an Impact

Employers want to see the impact you’ve made in your previous positions.

Be specific about the impact you had in your role, how you did it, and what you accomplished, and start your bullet points or statements with strong action verbs.

Next, provide contextual details to inform the reader about your work’s purpose, the project’s scope, and what you produced or accomplished . Quantify your work and achievements where possible.

7. Tailor It to the Target Company and Job Description

Make sure to tailor the information to the company’s interests , such as your professional experience. The same applies to the job description. To do this, relate the very vital aspects of the job description to the notable parts of your resume. This is particular to your past work experiences and skills.

Let the bullet points made under every past job on the resume be as significant as possible. This is essential because the employment history on your resume is one of the initial areas an employer looks at.

8. Research Your Target Company

Identifying your target company helps to simplify your research and direct your writing to what matters. Moreover, you can easily address its needs and solutions with the right information about the company. Once you understand the company’s core competencies , for example, a best practice for your resume is to incorporate them on lists, headlines, and your resume‘s body.

Remember that you want to keep your resume concise and not too wordy. Don’t just pile on a list of skills and competencies, especially if you’re a seasoned executive. Be mindful of this as well, and keep your resume to one page. Most experienced professionals can address many of these points in their resume‘s body or qualifications section .

9. Know the Challenges the Company is Facing

When creating your resume, be sure to identify the company’s challenges . Afterward, outline your past encounters with similar challenges, how you dealt with them, and the results you got.

10. Show How You Will Add Value

Concentrate on relevant accomplishments to your target company. This will show them how you will add value as a team member.

You can do this by defining “success” in your previous positions, making a list of ways you have achieved success, quantifying that success, listing awards you’ve received, using value-related keywords, and highlighting your achievements.

11. Utilize a Resume Template That Stands Out

Pick a resume layout that stands out, remains appealing to employers in your industry, and is easy to skim. One way you can do this is by using the latest resume templates below. You might need to compare your final result with a professional standard to confirm your progress. To do this, you’ll need comparison software such as Draftable that allows you to weigh the quality of your resume.

Below are resume examples and templates that stand out for your use.  Simply click on the image to view the Google doc resume.  From there, you can save the resume as any type of document you’d like (Google Docs, Word, etc.).  You can also save it as another Google doc to begin editing.

To quickly find examples and resumes on Google Docs, launch the  Google Docs app (create an account if you haven’t already). Then, click on “Template Gallery” from the home page and scroll down until you find the resume templates. Pick a template and start editing.

Excellent for entry-level resumes , each Google Doc resume example that stands out is easy to navigate and minimalistic.  Most of the templates are ideal for both recent graduates and seasoned pros.

You can easily add or replace any section you wish. So, if you’re unhappy about the skills section being so high up, replace it with a professional summary or a career objective.

Google Doc “Spearmint” Resume Example Template to Get Noticed

Google doc “serif” resume example template that looks good, google doc “coral” resume example template that looks professional, google doc “swiss” resume example template to stands out, google doc “modern writer” resume example template that attracts attention, 12. be clear that you’re the right person for the job and prove you’re the most qualified.

Use data when possible to display how your past accomplishments are pertinent to the job you are applying for. Use as many facts, figures, and numbers as you can in your bullet points.

How many people were impacted by your work? By what percentage did you exceed your goals? By quantifying your accomplishments, you allow the hiring manager to picture the level of work or responsibility needed to achieve this accomplishment.

13. Proofread and Have Someone Else Review Too

Carry out proper proofreading and editing before submitting your resume.

Proofreading Your Resume Tips and Tricks

• Think like an employer as you write your resume, and remember that you’re not writing it for yourself
• Edit out the unnecessary fluff
• Print it out to review
• Read it, line by line and word by word
• Read it out loud to someone
• Read it backward
• Spellcheck with an online app like Grammarly
• Have someone else proofread it

14. Consider Including a Passport-Sized Photograph

Consider adding passport-sized photographs is gradually becoming the order of sorts for many firms. This is because the applicants might not be available the first time the company assesses their files. They’ll need to see pictures of the applicants to know what they look like. Remember that adding a photo is an industry-specific recommendation, not for every job or employer .  Use your best judgment here.

15. No Experience? Do This…

Not every university graduate has the experience certain companies might require. If you’re faced with such a situation, here’s what you can do:

State Your Best Qualities As Regards the Job Position

You must identify what makes you good enough for the job and project it to the employers. Outline these qualities, whether or not they’re professional.

Start Your Resume with a Personal Summary

Your personal summary is a piece of brief information about yourself. It’s important to keep this section short and straight to the point. Begin by introducing yourself and stating your educational qualification. You can follow these up with your skills or talents.

Translate Extra-Curricular Activities as Jobs

The fact that you didn’t receive any pay for past activities doesn’t imply that you didn’t gain knowledge. Include those volunteer positions and make them appear as jobs are done. Also, add the duration, date of the tasks, and the skills learned at the time.

Talk About A Project You Carried Out Upon Graduation

A good way to transfer your skills to your resume is through your degree projects. You can include your research skills in your resume if you have written a thesis. If you performed oral presentations, that’s an excellent place to draw pitching experience. Reflect on major degree activities and translate them to skills and experiences.

16. Keep it Neat and Brief

You may not be able to see your resume from the hiring manager’s viewpoint. However, one common thing amongst them is the simplicity of writing. So, you might need to keep it as simple and short as possible.

17. Add a Relevant Link

Adding a link to your profile might be necessary when applying online, as social media platforms quickly become the center for recruiters and job seekers.

Some examples of the social media platforms used by hiring managers include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Also, if you own a blog or website, including the links to your resume would be a plus.

18. Brand Yourself on Your Resume and Social

Make yourself stand out by sending a clear message on your resume and social profiles .

• Strive for consistency across social platforms (usernames, headshots, etc.)
• Include your resume summary on your social profiles (especially on LinkedIn)
• Share content that people in your target industry might find valuable.

19. Save and Send as a PDF Document, Now Word

If you are emailing your resume, send a PDF rather than a Word document . This will ensure all your careful formatting won’t get messed up when the hiring manager opens it.

20. Sift Through Dated and Unnecessary Jargon

An average human nowadays has an extremely low attention span. This suggests that a three-page resume would seem overwhelmingly long. A busy employer will quickly move on to a briefer document and may miss out on your excellent qualifications.

A great resume-building tip is to remove the following fluff or dated items  from your resume.

• An objective or skills section at the top of your resume
• Weird or potentially polarizing interests
• Third-person voice
• An email address from your current employer or an outdated one from Yahoo or Hotmail
• Unnecessarily big words
• Tiny, unimportant jobs from 20 years ago

Final Notes on Creating a Resume That Stands Out and Gets Noticed

Resuming writing patterns change with time, making it necessary to know the latest tips to make your resume stand out and garner attention.

To make your resume stand out, you’ll need to plan your resume layout with clear sections, leverage your use of effective bullets with strong action verbs and results, and tailor it to a job posting.

Like making your LinkedIn profile and cover letter stand out, you’ll want to ensure your resume is easy to skim and highlights your relevant experience to showcase why you’re the best candidate.

You’ll also find that utilizing critical keywords in the optimization process will help you stand out. In this post, we’ll detail how to make your resume stand out and other vital pieces of information that will help you secure your next job.

Need More Help? Check Out These Video Tips For Creating an Eye Catching Resume

About Mark Matyanowski

As the founder of MatchBuilt, with over 18 years of recruiting and coaching experience and 8+ years in executive roles at a leading Fortune 100 company, I am deeply committed to guiding professionals in their career paths.

Our team at MatchBuilt offers expert support in enhancing resumes, optimizing LinkedIn profiles, and preparing for interviews. Our blog, drawing on our rich experience and industry insights, is a valuable resource for job seekers.

We take pride in successfully guiding job candidates to top-tier company roles while empowering individuals to achieve their career ambitions, irrespective of their background or educational level.

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• 17 Best Skills to Put on Your...

17 Best Skills to Put on Your Resume (with Examples)

20 min read · Updated on July 30, 2024

Everything you need to know about adding the right skills to your resume

Whether your resume has been through 19 revisions lately or you're just revisiting it for the first time in years, spending some time taking stock of your skills section can generate more interest in your candidacy and be the key to winning interviews. 

However, there's a lot of conflicting information online and in books about maximizing the effectiveness of this section. 

Do you simply list all of your key skills on the resume? 

What are the right skills to put on a resume? 

What order is best? 

How will a jumble of technical qualifications help you stand out? 

And what about those  soft skills ?

Let's tackle those questions one at a time and learn the 17 best skills to put on your resume – starting at the beginning.

Why is the resume skills section there in the first place?

The number one reason to spend a fair amount of time crafting your skills list is employability. Being employable means that you have the right skills – academic skills, applied knowledge, technology skills, vertical and lateral thinking abilities, and interpersonal skills – that employers value and are willing to pay you for. 

When the hiring manager picks up your resume to determine whether you're a fit for the role they have open, one of the first things they'll look at is your skill level. Having the right skills on your resume is also important to ensure your CV pops up in recruiter searches. 

There are three key reasons to include the skills section in your resume and to organize it well:

To list your skills and abilities in one place for easy reference and scanning

To highlight the match between your background and the job requirements for the position you're interested in

To get your well-crafted resume through keyword screening by applicant tracking systems

The right mix of resume skills will get you past the first hurdle and towards a conversation. Here's a blueprint for making the most out of your skills section:

Relevancy is critical

Including a jumble of skills on your resume, beefed up with some basics that pretty much everyone knows (like Microsoft Office, as an example) won't help you to stand out. In fact, listing out skills that are considered to be a common baseline can actually hurt your candidacy by making you look like you're scrambling to establish credibility. 

PRO TIP: As a general rule, basic user-level proficiency with Word, Excel, PowerPoint and email applications is  assumed to be a given . However, if you have advanced Excel skills (expert-level proficiency with macros and advanced analysis capabilities, for example), you should list those.  

Rather than go back to basics, you'll want to focus only on skills that look good on a resume.

So how can you tell that a skill is relevant? That's easy! Read the  job description . 

Interpret the job description

As you dissect the job description to learn what will be required of you if you're hired for the position, pay special attention to the “requirements” and “qualifications” bullets, as that's where you'll find the majority of the keywords your resume will need. Again, the goal is to ensure that your resume speaks to that particular job so you can impress the hiring manager. 

Let's say you're applying for a job as an Account Manager. You may see these bullets under the “requirements” part of the job description:

Build lasting relationships with new and existing clients

Maintain client records, including contract renewals 

Develop sales plans to meet key performance indicators

Understand product offerings to meet customer needs and upsell when available

The keywords you need to focus on in each bullet are:

Client relationships

Client records and contract renewals

Sales plans and KPIs

Product offerings, customer needs, and upsell

The question you then need to ask yourself is, “Do I have the skills to back up these keywords?” If the answer is “Yes,” then these skills should appear on your resume. 

This is called  tailoring your resume  and should be done with every job that you apply to. For example, if you are applying to be a Floor Manager at a store that sells musical instruments, your proficiency with inventory management and your ability to play guitar would both be relevant for the job.

The four main types of skills for your resume

As a human being, you have technical and interpersonal skills in a broad range of areas. You might be an expert whitewater rafter, or maybe you have advanced a World of Warcraft character all the way to level 80. Both of those accomplishments require dedication, practice, and technical proficiency, but they're probably not going to help you land a job. 

The general recommendation on standout skills for a resume is to only list skills that will, directly or indirectly, help you to be more effective in your job. 

To do this, you have to understand the different types of skills that employers look for. 

1. Hard skills for a resume

These are learned abilities that you've picked up during your career, either through education, training, or experience. They can be honed over time. When you add hard skills to your resume, you'll want to include numbers –   measurable accomplishments  – as often as possible. 

2. Soft skills for a resume

Soft skills are characteristics you possess that improve your ability to get along with others, solve problems, and communicate effectively. You'll find that hiring managers love soft skills. 

No matter how technical your position is, it will require interacting with people, dealing with deadlines, and adapting to change. It's not as easy to quantify soft skills as it is hard skills, but employers still want you to prove that you possess these traits.

While most skills can be categorized as hard or soft skills, there are other types of skills, too!

3. Transferable skills for a resume

In addition to hard and soft skills, you might consider whether you have any transferable skills. This becomes especially important if you're changing careers, as they allow you to provide tangible proof of your ability to adapt to new circumstances and use lateral or vertical thinking to apply knowledge about one thing to something else. 

When you're leaning on  transferable skills to sell your qualifications  to the hiring manager, you must take the time to relay how those skills will benefit them and their new team. So, rather than saying that you have good time management skills, prove it by demonstrating what you do to manage time and how this has benefitted previous employers. 

4. Adaptive skills for a resume

You can also show resiliency through skills in your resume if you're not changing careers. Let's face it, if there's one thing that's certain in life and work, it's that things change. If you're the type of person to leverage change as a learning opportunity, then you should definitely be highlighting your adaptability on your resume. 

The 17 best skills to put on your resume

Now that we've defined what types of skills you can use on your resume, let's explore some specific examples of different skills you can include.

1. Computer skills and programming languages

When the job description wants you to prove that you possess programming skills, you can add “ Proficiency in Python, Java, or HTML, ” for example. This signals to employers that you can do everything from coding to automation and makes you a valuable candidate in the tech space.

Some roles that require an understanding of computer languages include:

Software Engineer

Computer Scientist

2. Data analysis

Saying that you possess data analysis skills allows you to demonstrate that you can interpret raw data and draw actionable insights to fuel change. It's adaptable across industries and can be easily backed by quantifiable data. 

Some roles that require an understanding of data analysis include:

Data Scientist

Marketing Consultant

Senior Accountant

3. Project management

You don't have to be a Certified Project Management Professional to include an ability to manage projects on your resume. If you're good at leading, organizing, and delivering successful outcomes, then you should add that you know how to manage projects. 

Some roles that require an understanding of project management include:

Construction Contractor

Industrial Engineer

IT Project Manager

4. Creativity

Creativity is one of the most highly sought-after skill sets. Not only can you leverage it to create tangible marketing pieces that connect with target audiences, but it can also be used to solve problems and bring fresh perspectives to projects. Creativity also signals that you're adaptable to dynamic environments. 

Some roles that require you to be creative include:

Graphic Designer

Digital Marketing Manager

Brand Manager

5. Languages

The world gets smaller every day, so being able to speak more than one language is a skill that you should definitely include on your resume. Adding multiple languages to your application makes you highly valuable in a globalized, connected working world.

Some roles that require you to be speak other languages include:

International  HR Director

Foreign Exchange  Investment Banker

Some  Teacher  roles

6. Communication

Every job everywhere requires employees to have good communication skills. But instead of simply saying that you are a good communicator, be prepared to demonstrate that you understand the value of everything from active listening to properly articulating complex concepts. 

Some roles that require great communication include:

Sales Representative

Public Relations

Nurse Practitioner

7. Teamwork

A lot of people will throw the word “teamwork” into the skills list on their resume without giving it much thought. However, given the vast amount of hybrid and remote working environments, teamwork is more important than ever. A happy team that works together reduces burnout and increases morale. 

Some roles that require good teamwork include:

Sports Fitness Coach

Product Manager

Scrum Master

8. Leadership

If you're applying for a role that will involve guiding others, then including leadership skills is a must. When you add leadership to your resume, you highlight that you're not afraid to take the initiative to make decisions that drive outcomes. 

Some roles that require you to be a leader include:

Director of IT

Sales Manager

9. Critical thinking

When you're known for making well-informed decisions by analyzing information and evaluating situations objectively, you possess critical thinking skills. You may see this pop up in job descriptions where the employer is seeking someone with high emotional intelligence. Basically, if you can navigate your way logically through problems, then critical thinking is probably something you should add to your resume.

Some roles that require critical thinking include:

Data Engineer

Telecommunications Professional

10. Cultural competence

Diversity, equity, and inclusion have become buzzwords in today's workforce. People want a voice and value having a psychologically safe place in which to get things done. This is even more true when you have people coming together from different cultures. 

Some roles that require you to have cultural competence include:

Military-to-Civilian

11. Quality assurance

Quality assurance has implications across a number of fields, including software development and cybersecurity. There is an emphasis on quality assurance in roles that require you to maintain compliance with regulations or particular guidelines and best practices. 

Some roles that require an understanding of quality assurance include:

Aviation Mechanic

Cyber Security Specialist

12. Time management

Ranking right up there with creativity as far as top-rated skills go, being able to properly manage time is critical in today's workforce. It's not only something that's found in professional settings, but across industries and jobs worldwide. A simple search of job descriptions will reveal that the majority of them want people who can meet deadlines, at the minimum. 

Some roles that require good time management include:

Administrative Office Assistant

Finance Director

Project Manager

13. Conflict resolution

Being able to de-escalate situations with irate clients by demonstrating empathy and clearly defining options for a resolution means you're probably good at conflict management. However, conflict management isn't only demonstrated in client interactions. You may also be able to showcase conflict resolution skills if you've solved problems within team environments, too. 

Some roles that require conflict resolution skills include:

Retail Merchandising

Insurance Agent

Information Technology

14. Sales and upselling

Sales is all about employing active listening to ascertain customers' needs, to sell the right product or service at the right time. Whether you're connecting with target audiences to get them to buy something through a digital marketing campaign or you're trying to sell someone a product, meeting client needs is critical to demonstrating that you're good at sales and upselling. 

Some roles that require you to be able to sell and upsell include:

Marketing Manager

Consulting Manager

Real Estate Manager

15. Data entry

As you progress in your career, showcasing that you're good at data entry will become less and less important, however, there are still some roles that value candidates who can quickly and accurately input data into a system. 

Some roles that require data entry include:

Recent Graduate

Mid-Career Professionals

16. Tech-savviness 

Being tech–savvy means that you're always on the cutting edge and consistently keep up with emerging technologies. It helps you to deliver innovative solutions that help your company remain competitive in the ever-changing IT landscape.

Some roles that require candidates to be tech-savvy include:

DevOps Engineer

Technical Project Manager

Senior Software Engineer

17. Continuous learning

Today's employers value job seekers and employees who are fastidiously committed to ongoing education and skill development. Most even provide some sort of knowledge bank or in-house professional development courses to allow you to engage in continuous learning. 

Some roles that value a commitment to continuous learning include:

Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Electrical Engineer

Mechanical Engineer

How to add skills to your resume

Keep your skills specific and clear.

A common pitfall when it comes to resume skills is to list broad categories of abilities without going into sufficient detail. The problem with that approach is that it won't get your resume found in keyword searches, because they are looking for specific proficiency statements.

So, instead of writing “familiarity with accounting software,” list “Quickbooks, Quicken, Sage, and Xero.” 

Use numbers and descriptive words where appropriate – 

How many projects have you managed using Teamwork Projects? 

How many people have you trained to use Salesforce? 

A few well-placed quantifiers can position you as a serious candidate with supported qualifications.

Organize your skills list

When creating a long list of skills for a resume, consider how you organize everything. Ordering your skills strategically will make your resume easier to read and call the right attention to the right skills in the right place. 

This is especially true considering that our brains look for patterns. A well-organized skill section on your resume will improve the aesthetics and help the hiring manager to skim through it to find just what they're looking for. 

PRO TIP: There isn't a hiring manager alive who is reading your resume. They're  scanning through it in just a few seconds . This makes keeping things organized all the more important.

Another organizing tip is to list the most important skills for the job first. Specifics will vary by industry, but think through the critical technical skills that will drive your effectiveness and success in the role and put them at the top.

When you're starting to group your skills list together, deciding which is most important depends on the job description. While most employers want employees who are good communicators and can solve problems, you have to take the industry and employer preferences into consideration. 

Job relevance: This goes back to tearing the job description apart to find the relevant keywords

Industry trends: Stay on top of things that may be changing in your industry and highlight any new skills that come into demand

Employer preferences: Take some time to research the company and learn what they do, why they do it, and for whom – this will help you to get a feel for their company culture, so you'll know which soft skills will impress them the most

The best place to put skills on your resume

The placement of the resume skills section itself on the page is up to you. Many people prefer to have it positioned near the top of their resume, but it works at the bottom too.

PRO TIP: If you have a lot of skills to list, consider breaking them up (for example, technical skills at the top and additional skills at the bottom).

No matter where you place the skills section, the layout is critical in catching the eye of hiring managers and showcasing your qualifications in a way that helps you to stand out from the crowd. 

At the top of your resume

Technically speaking, your skills list shouldn't be at the top. The first things on your resume should be your  contact information ,  headline , and  summary paragraph . So, when we say “at the top of your resume,” we mean beneath the summary paragraph. 

When you put your skills list at the top of your resume, you call immediate attention to some key selling points. It's an effective technique if you have a strong set of skills that directly align with the job requirements. 

Here's what a skills list at the top of your resume would look like:

FIRST NAME, LAST NAME

City, ST 12345 • LinkedIn URL • [email protected] • 111-222-3333

REGIONAL MANAGER

Operations Management | Project Management | Sales Management | Business Analysis

Innovative and ambitious executive-level management professional offering extensive experience and an accomplishments-driven career in sales, marketing and operations, and key account management. Leverages an entrepreneurial spirit to orchestrate tactical business plans that challenge the status quo, allowing for reformation of process. Intuitive business acumen and skilled strategist who uses the most up-to-date business practices to create, implement, and oversee business continuity. Naturally assumes leadership roles to oversee and achieve organizational success.

Business Development • Executive Leadership • Strategic Business Planning • Data Analysis • Team Training & Development • Policy & Procedure Development • Marketing & Territory Expansion • Procurement, Sourcing, & Negotiation • Relationship-Selling • Customer Relations

This resume example actually has two skills lists. One just beneath the title and then the regular one beneath the summary paragraph. It's an effective way to separate out the skills that are most important – the specialized abilities that you want to call immediate attention to. However, if you do it like this on your resume, the skills listed beneath the title should only be one to two lines max!

At the bottom of the resume

If you've reached a point in your career where your work history and career achievements outshine your skills, then it's a good idea to place the skills list at the bottom of your resume. 

Here's what your skills could look like at the bottom of your resume:

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

[List your career history in reverse-chronological order, starting with the most recent and working backward about 10 years]

[List the degrees you've earned and the schools where you obtained your degrees. You can also mention any professional development classes you've taken and certifications or licenses you possess]

Core proficiencies:

Project Management | Lean Management | Change Management | Operations Management | 3PL | Inventory Management | Inventory Control | Inventory Planning | Logistics Management | Distribution & Processing | Budgeting | Procurement | Purchase Orders

Soft skills:

Team Leadership | Coaching | Persuasion | Creative Problem Solving | Negotiation

Technical skills:

Epicor | PeopleSoft | XAL(Concorde) | HighStage | Deltek (Costpoint) | KBM | Syteline | Kinaxis | Glovia (Oracle-based) | Oracle | Adept | Workflow | Data Vault (Oracle-based) | Intralink

English |  Spanish |  French

Throughout your resume

Since your resume is more than a list of skills, you should know that your master list of abilities and the keywords you've culled from the job description aren't limited to being placed only in a skills list. You can – and should – include hard, soft, adaptive, and transferable skills throughout your entire resume. 

After your contact information, the first thing that should appear on your resume is a headline. A lot of people will simply put a title, but if you take a moment to spruce it up and turn it into a headline, you'll be able to inject a few keywords on the top line of your resume. 

For example, if you're applying for a role as a Real Estate Broker, here's the difference between a title and a headline:

Title: Real Estate Broker

Headline: Real Estate Broker with Expertise in Property Valuation and Team Management

Put yourself into the shoes of a hiring manager and ask yourself, which of those would give you more information about the job seeker? The headline not only indicates which role you want, but also includes two keywords – property valuation and team management. 

Summary paragraph

As you move on to write your career summary, that appears just beneath the headline, you'll want to continue adding relevant skills from your career that are mirrored in the job description. Doing this will ensure that your resume presents a cohesive and powerful message that your experience and achievements will serve the new company well. 

In sticking with the example of Real Estate Broker, perhaps you find that the new company wants you to coordinate marketing events and client activities, write weekly reports, and have a solid understanding of the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) platform for listing properties. 

The keywords to include in your profile paragraph would be:

Marketing events

Client activities

Multiple Listing Service (MLS)

Thus, your profile paragraph could look like this:

Veteran real estate professional with a strong background in orchestrating impactful marketing events for single and multi-family residences. Specializes in managing client activities that turn passive consumers into active clientele. Proficient in maximizing MLS to enhance property visibility and streamlining documentation and reporting processes. Known for creating a culture of excellence and client satisfaction by maintaining an open-door policy that encourages communication among team members.

As you can see, the profile paragraph isn't a long and drawn-out diatribe of things you've done in your career. Rather, it's a short paragraph that matches your skills to the job you're applying for. 

Work experience

Let's move on to the meat of your resume - the part the hiring manager is going to spend the most time on – your  career history . You may be wondering how you can put future-facing keywords into the historical part of your resume, but all it takes is a bit of finesse. 

For example, if you have a history of closing multi-million-dollar deals in high-end neighborhoods, you could work a few keywords into an achievement bullet like this:

• Closed 5 multi-million-dollar property sales per month by leveraging MLS for property exposure

While you could stop after you say how many multi-million-dollar deals you closed, because that's a great achievement statement, expanding the bullet to include a keyword makes your overall resume all the more compelling. 

TopResume wants to do more than write your resume. We want to give you the tools you need to succeed in your job search and career. Click on the following link for more  resume and career advice .

Stand out from the crowd

When you master including the best skills in your resume, you reach a level of job search preparedness that propels your resume to the top of the pile. The whole idea is to make it easy for potential employers to see how you'll fit within the folds of their organization and team. That's where tailoring the skills on your resume comes in – wherever you include them. 

Want to see how your resume stacks up? Try out our  free resume review  today!

Recommended reading:

How to Write a Powerful LinkedIn Summary

How to Format a Resume for Multiple Jobs at One Company

The Best Resume Format to Get Hired  

Related Articles:

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Don't “Snowplow” Your Kids' Job Search — Set Them Up for Success Instead

What Kind of Job Candidate Are You?

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Seven ways entrepreneurs can make their resumes stand out

You may be wondering why an entrepreneur even needs a resume. After all, you most likely work for yourself. If you are an entrepreneur, no matter how successful you are, it is still a good idea to have a resume on hand. If things don’t work out, at least you’ll have a career plan to fall back on. Here are seven tips to help you create a stand-out resume.

1. Highlight your transferable skills. As an entrepreneur, you pick up a lot of random skills that can be used in a variety of other jobs. Make sure that your resume highlights those skills . You don’t have to focus on them, just mention how they apply to other companies.You may be wondering why an entrepreneur even needs a resume. After all, you most likely work for yourself. If you are an entrepreneur, no matter how successful you are, it is still a good idea to have a resume on hand. If things don’t work out, at least you’ll have a career plan to fall back on. Here are seven tips to help you create a stand-out resume.

2. Don’t emphasize a business failure. Entrepreneurs wear their past failures as a badge of pride, but potential employers might not see it that way. Recruiters and hiring managers want to want to see your successes.

3. Stand out from the crowd. What makes you stand out in the business world? As an entrepreneur, you take on a lot of different responsibilities, but usually there are one or two things that you can do better than anyone else. These are the things you need to focus on, when crafting your resume. Remember, you can always craft different versions of your CV depending on the job you’re targeting.

4. Add a cover letter. Many people think that they only need to have a resume ready to go. It is also a good idea to have a cover letter on hand. This is your introduction to a prospective employer. In fact, your cover letter could be the only reason an employer takes a look at your resume. You need to know  how to write a great cover letter if you want  to attract employers.

5. You need a title. The title you use on your resume should reflect the type of position you are seeking. For instance, if you want to be in sales, make sure that you use a title such as sales executive or sales director on your resume. This is important for potential employers to see, because it shows you are seeking more than just a job, you are seeking a career.

6. Use the right keywords. Many recruiters use applicant tracking systems (ATS) so it is not only important to use keywords , but you need to know which ones. Look for words or phrases that describe your past experience, and fit the type of job you are looking for in the future. One way to narrow down the list, is to see what keywords occur in your job postings. Then, use those same keywords when applying.

7. Include leadership skills. If you have operated your own business, then you have some degree of leadership experience. Even if you did not manage any employees, you still had to run that business, deal with clients and customers, and possibly handle distributors. Show potential employers that you have what it takes to take charge and get things done by including this on your resume.

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How do I update my resume to help land that job? Ask HR

Johnny C. Taylor Jr. tackles your human resources questions as part of a series for USA TODAY. Taylor is president and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management, the world's largest HR professional society and author of "Reset: A Leader’s Guide to Work in an Age of Upheaval.”

Have a question? Submit it here .

Question: Since leaving a job I have had for almost a decade, I have primarily conducted my job search online. I have used the same resume design since I started working 12 years ago. Should I update my resume design to be more effective? What do you recommend for building a modern resume? – Sandra

Answer: Updating your resume design can indeed be a wise move, especially if you've been using the same format for a long time. A fresh, modern design can help your resume stand out and leave a positive impression on recruiters and hiring managers. Here’s what I recommend for building a modern resume:

◾ Clean, professional layout: Opt for a layout that’s visually appealing and easy to read. Avoid cluttered designs and overly decorative elements that may distract from your content.

◾ Font selection: Stick to standard, easy-to-read fonts such as Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman. These fonts are widely accepted and compatible with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), ensuring your résumé is easily scannable by both humans and software.

◾ Incorporate keywords: Tailor your resume to each job application by incorporating industry-specific keywords and phrases relevant to the position. Many companies use ATS to screen résumés, so this will increase the likelihood of your resume being noticed.

◾ Organized sections: Structure your resume into clear sections, including Contact Information, Summary or Objective, Work Experience, Skills, Education and any additional relevant sections such as Certifications or Volunteer Work. This organization makes it easy for recruiters to quickly find the information they need.

◾ Summary/objective statement: Start your résumé with a summary that highlights your key qualifications and career goals. Keep it concise, focusing on what sets you apart and what you aim to achieve in your career.

◾ Accomplishment-oriented experience: When listing your work experience, focus on highlighting your accomplishments, rather than just listing job duties. Use quantifiable achievements whenever possible, to demonstrate your impact, such as increasing sales by a certain percentage or leading successful projects.

◾ Skills section: Dedicate a section to showcasing your key skills and competencies, including both technical skills and soft skills relevant to the job. This section provides recruiters with a quick overview of your capabilities.

◾ Proofreading: Before submitting your resume, thoroughly proofread it to ensure there are no grammatical errors, typos, or formatting issues. Consider having someone else review your resume for feedback and additional insights.

By updating your resuméewith a modern design and incorporating these key elements, you can increase your chances of making a strong impression in today’s competitive job market. Good luck with your job search!

Ghosting a job Is it bad to ghost low priority potential employers? Ask HR

I've been denied PTO requests on multiple occasions, which is becoming increasingly frustrating. Most of them are denied on the grounds of staffing needs. Do I have any recourse in fighting these denials? What can I do to ensure PTO approvals? – Chanette

You may indeed have some recourse in addressing these denied paid time off requests. Start by reviewing your company's PTO policy and procedures. Many employers have specific guidelines regarding PTO requests, including deadlines for submission and limits on the number of employees who can be on leave simultaneously, to ensure adequate staffing levels.

First, check if your PTO requests were made in accordance with company policy. If they were not, ensure that you adhere to the established procedures for future requests, to increase the likelihood of approval.

However, if you followed company policy and your requests were still denied, consider discussing the matter with your manager or the human resources team. Seek clarification on the reasons for the denials and inquire about potential strategies to improve the approval rate for your requests.

It's also essential to consider whether your state mandates sick leave, and if your company uses PTO to fulfill those requirements. If so, your employer may be obligated to approve leave requests that align with qualifying reasons for sick leave under the law. If you’re uncertain about your state’s sick leave requirements, consult your HR team for clarification.

Ultimately, unless there is a contractual agreement or policy stating otherwise, employers typically have discretion in managing PTO usage. However, by following company procedures and addressing your concerns with management or HR, you may increase the likelihood of having your PTO requests approved more frequently.

Salaried, nonexempt What does that mean? Ask HR

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How To Make Your Resume Stand Out From The Crowd

Resume, Curriculum Vitae, whatever you want to call it, they can be really tough to write. Many of us really struggle to write about ourselves, highlighting our achievements and making us sound like the very best versions of ourselves. The struggle to make yourself stand out, while fitting the mold, is entirely real. Boxes, profile picture, scented paper like Elle Woods? (Ignore the last one).

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in August 2022 unemployment in the U.S rose by 0.2 percent, meaning the number of unemployed people increased by 344,000 to six million. "In July, these measures had returned to their levels in February 2020, prior to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic."

Resume tips are clearly a hot topic, and a viral TikTok video posted to the page European Language Jobs page has been viewed over 1.3 million times, entitled 'Keywords to avoid using on your CV."

Speaking to Newsweek, brand partnership strategist at European Language Jobs Erika Ianovale said: "When writing a CV, it's very important to keep in mind many companies use ATS to read through them.

@europelanguagejobs Do you want part 2? #cv #cvhelp #jobs #jobtips ♬ original sound - Ali Campbell🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

"So in this case it's necessary to add specific keywords (found in the job description) throughout your resume . Additionally, it's not necessary to add all of the professional experience and educational background, just the most relevant ones. Lastly, it's imperative to keep in mind the country you're applying to because they all have different priorities and requirements."

Newsweek has spoken to Scott Dobroski, careers expert at global employment company Indeed, and Emma Feasey, services manager at UK based charity The Young Women's Trust, whose Work It Out service offers free support to woman aged 18 to 30.

Quick Tips:

Emma Feasey

• Tailor your resume to every new job description.
• Try and imagine a busy person reading through loads of applications and make yours concise and to the point.
• You can also include experience from outside work that show transferable skills such as caring for children or others.

Scott Dobroski

• Use legible and standard fonts such as Calibri, Georgia, Open Sans or Cambria in sizes 10 to 12 points and be consistent. Use larger fonts (size 14 to 16 point) for section headings to help break up your resume.
• Be consistent with the use of italics, bold, bullet lists and font style
• Make your writing powerful and concise. Use strong, active verbs throughout. Be sure to edit, revise and proofread your resume before sending.

What You Should Include On Your Resume/CV...

How to write and present your resume varies dramatically depending on the job and sector you are applying for, an aerospace engineer, for example, will probably approach their resume slightly differently than a journalist..

"Recruiters spend so much time going through resumes," says Mr. Dobroksi, "So they want to see resume that concisely convey your main selling points showing you are a good fit for the role, including relevant skills , previous work experience and your contact information (name, number, and email)."

He continues, "What's most important is customizing your resume for the job and employer and showing them how you can instantly add value to the team. To do this, you want to leverage the job description and review the responsibilities of the role. When drafting your resume, show them how your current or past experience aligns to their needs, and use metrics and numbers to really support how you add value. For instance, you increased xx output by 110% YoY, or sold xx sweaters in 1 month, up xx% from last month. No matter what role you are going for, many, if not all, employers love seeing data and metrics that correlate to how you can help their business grow."

Ms. Feasey says that some employers will use software to filter through resume's. "It will be scanned by a tracking system looking for certain key words. Make sure you respond to all of the points in the job specification and mirror the language of the employer."

"Everyone is different", she tells Newsweek, "and so everyone's resume will be different! One useful tip is to look at the language used by the employer in the job description and on their website and try to mirror it – this will immediately make you seem like a good fit. Also use active language and use numbers to give a sense of scale – for example 'successfully established a student volunteering program with over 50 volunteers'".

We all try to avoid cliches and trite phrases, and as Mr. Dobroski suggests it's important to include "Phrases that showcase confidence , your impact in your current/former jobs and potential value for the new job can go a long way." He suggests using a variety of terms and words, "For example, instead of using "responsible for" repeatedly, mix it up with words like "managed," "lead" and "executed." Leverage numbers/metrics and concrete examples of success where you can. Adding quantifiable statements throughout your resume will paint a picture to showcase your impact in your previous roles and how you will add value in your next role."

What You Should Avoid Putting On Your Resume/CV...

Ms. Feasay suggests, "No specific words to avoid but do always try and be specific rather than vague, with examples. So just saying you are a 'strong team player' doesn't mean much but saying you 'collaborated with 8 colleagues from across departments to organize a large scale event in a short time frame' demonstrates your teamwork skills. "

Keep it professional, not personal suggests Mr. Dobroski, and don't include your age, height, or a headshot. "This is all deeply personal," she explains, "and while we respect individuals from all backgrounds the resume's purpose is to showcase a person's skills and experience relevant to the role.

Another suggestion would be to avoid including every single job you've had in your career, and keep it to one page only. There's also no need to include 'references on request', "It takes up precious space on the page and the recruiter will ask for reference whether it's noted on your resume or not."

"Instead", he continues, "make sure to tailor your past experiences to fit the job you are applying for and highlight why you are the best fit for the role. For most roles, highlighting your experience over the past 10 years should be sufficient, though there are some roles where going back as far as 20 years may be best, such as very senior roles at certain companies. In addition, once you get past 10 years in the workforce, it's probably OK to drop your internships at this time on your resume, unless they are very relevant to the job you are applying for."

Ms. Feasey suggests creating and adapting a new resume for every job application, and "Don't use an overly complicated template or layout witch might make it hard to see your content. Keep it to one to two pages maximum, and don't be too hard on yourself! It's a tiring and difficult process! Take it one step at a time and congratulate yourself for your efforts (taking the time to edit you resume) not just the outcome (getting and interview).

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About the writer

Leonie Helm is a Newsweek Life Reporter and is based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on all things life, from abolishing the monarchy to travel to aesthetic medicine. Leonie joined Newsweek in 2022 from the Aesthetics Journal where she was the Deputy Editor, and had previously worked as a journalist for TMRW Magazine and Foundry Fox. She is a graduate of Cardiff University where she gained a MA in Journalism. Languages: English.

You can get in touch with Leonie by emailing [email protected]

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Ask Our Experts: How to write a resume that stands out

Jennifer Mayville, Senior Manager, Communications

You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. This is especially true when it comes to employers and your resume.

In today’s super-competitive job market , a well-crafted resume that showcases your skills, experiences, and qualifications is vital to help secure interviews and unlock other opportunities.

We asked our Employment Services team for their advice to help you create a resume that stands out so you can land your dream job. Here are their top tips!

Are you looking for more support with your job search? We offer free one-on-one job counselling. Contact us today to get started.

Tailor your resume for each job application.

Resist the urge to use the same resume for each job application. Instead, carefully review the job posting and customize your resume to highlight your skills and experiences most relevant to the role. Look for the job requirements and/or qualifications listed in job postings, and ensure you are addressing the key skills and requirements in your resume. You might want to switch up the sequence of your bullet points or change the language to reflect what is in the job posting. Don’t forget to update your resume often, as you gain new experiences and skills, so it’s ready to go when you want to start looking for your next job.

Keep it concise

Recruiters often don’t have much time to review each resume, so you want to make every word count. Keep your resume to one to two pages max, focusing on your work history, skills and achievements, prioritizing recent and relevant experiences.

Use a professional-looking format

A visually appealing and easy-to-read resume can also help you to stand out. Choose a clean and professional font (no Comic Sans!) and make sure that formatting is consistent throughout the document. The good news is that you don’t have to design your resume from scratch. You can find some great templates for resumes on Canva , Microsoft Word , Etsy , and other platforms, as well as on WoodGreen’s website .

Highlight your achievements not just job duties

Potential employers want to know what you can contribute to their organization. Instead of providing an overview of your tasks in your previous roles, share the impact that you made. If and when possible, use numbers and percentages to demonstrate what you were able to achieve. For example, rather than saying you "increased social media reach," specify that you "increased social media reach by 20% within six months."

Include relevant keywords

Unfortunately, your resume might not always be reviewed by a human. Many companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to screen job applications. To ensure you successfully makes it through this screening process, incorporate relevant keywords from the job posting into your resume.

ATS screeners also don’t like fancy formatting. So, create a version of our resume with a simple format, so your resume is easy to read. Here are some more tips on how to create an ATS-friendly resume.

Add a professional summary or objective

At the top of your resume, include a summary or objective statement that provides a quick overview of your skills, experiences, and career goals. This section briefly highlights why you are interested in the role and why you are a strong candidate, and should only be a couple of sentences in length.

Proofread, proofread, proofread

Spelling and grammar errors on your resume can make a negative impression, and, depending on the role, could land your application in the recycling bin. Therefore, it’s important to take your time and proofread your resume before you send it out. Asking a friend or a loved one to review your resume before submitting it to employers can increase your chances of getting a call for an interview. Sometimes a fresh pair of eyes can catch mistakes that you’ve missed.

Include your contact information

It's probably obvious, but it’s important to include your contact information on your resume. That includes your most recent email address (make sure it sounds professional), phone number, and LinkedIn profile (if you have one).

By following these tips, you can craft a resume that will grab the attention of potential employers.

Are you looking for more help with your resume? Check out these resources on our website.

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How To Make Your Resume Stand Out

Wondering how to make your resume stand out from the rest? When hiring managers are bombarded with resumes from potential candidates, the last thing you want is for yours to be lost in the pile. With this in mind, this article provides five actionable resume tips to follow. You’ll learn what should be on a resume and how to position yourself as a competitive candidate.

In This Article:

Why Your Resume Needs to Stand Out From the Rest

Resume tips for making a good impression, what should be on a resume, resume examples, prepare for your future at gcu.

Companies can get hundreds of applications for a single job posting. In order to potentially secure an interview for a job you may be interested in, you not only need a strong academic background but also a professional resume that stands out from the crowd and showcases your unique skills and experiences. This is particularly true if your chosen field is characterized by a tough job market, in which there is considerable competition for desirable positions.

What makes a resume stand out? Hiring managers like to see highly professional, well-polished resumes which showcase key skills and competencies and highlight any relevant experience — whether paid or volunteer. The key word here is “relevant.” You must tweak your resume for each position you apply to, taking care to make sure the most relevant information for each position is highly visible.

First and foremost, never forget to proofread! Submitting an error-filled resume is one of the main ways to get immediately rejected. Be thorough and try to get a friend or family member to read it for you, too.

Secondly, include your contact information. It sounds like a no-brainer, but even the best resume in the world is useless without a way for the employer to contact you. They most likely won’t go searching for your information, no matter how good your resume is. When listing your address, it is best to only include city and state instead of your full address. If you are looking for employment in the same area as your university, use the city and state where you are attending school.

As a complement to these resume tips, it’s advisable to keep your social media cleaned up. Companies often search for potential employees online, so all public social media accounts should be screened for appropriateness. You can ensure that your social media pages are private and not publicly viewable. Still, be cautious because screenshots can be captured from your page(s) and shared.

One important account to have is a LinkedIn profile . Through LinkedIn — a professional networking platform — employers and other professionals can access your profile. Your LinkedIn profile functions as an extended resume. Some hiring managers may even use it to conduct the hiring process.

Follow these five tips and you’ll be well on your way to making your resume stand out.

1. Create a Professional Summary Statement

A professional summary statement is meant to grab the attention of hiring managers and show them what you can bring to their organization. On your resume, you have a short window of time to show how you are a great fit for the position. It’s important to gain the attention of the hiring manager right away so they want to keep reading.

When creating your professional summary statement, consider what the hiring manager wants to know about you. By highlighting what you can do for the organization, they will be more likely to reach out to you for an interview.

Use descriptive words that add to your value as a potential employee. Instead of sticking with commonly used phrases, try to think outside the box and include active words that will spark their interest.

2. Incorporate Industry Keywords

One of the most effective resume tips is to incorporate information from the job description itself. For example, the job description might state, “Looking for a creative individual who has experience with Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom.” You can easily incorporate this into your resume by stating you are a creative individual who has experience with Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom. As simple as this may sound, it can go a long way! It is imperative though to refrain from copying and pasting information from a job posting into your resume, and to only list skills and experiences which are factual. Academic integrity extends beyond the classroom and should be practiced throughout your career.

3. Use CAR Statements

Another great way to make your resume stand out is to include accomplishment statements, otherwise known as CAR (challenge, action, results) statements. These state not only what you did in your previous experience, but also the way in which you carried out your tasks.

In the workplace, the past is a great indicator of the future. So, by listing the challenges you have faced in the past, the action you took and the positive result that came of it, hiring managers can get an idea of what kind of a worker you are.

4. Use a Professional Resume Template

The visual appearance of your cover letter and resume does matter. While the content of your resume is the most important, hiring managers can easily be turned off by a disorganized and unprofessional-looking document.

Today, there are so many great resources when it comes to putting together your resume. Just by browsing the web, you can view resume templates which may have a format or design you like. Resume templates may be difficult to format so be careful to ensure that any resource you utilize is user-friendly. Most college students can easily format a resume.

5. Formatting

Perfecting the format of your resume is a vital step of the process. If a resume is not easy to read, it can get tossed to the bottom of the pile. Choose and left-align a standard font, using bold and italics to designate headings and sub-headings.

Make sure there is a good balance of text to white space, so it does not appear too congested. Bullet points are your best friend! Reviewing a resume template can help you nail the format.

Lastly, you should never leave the best for last. The most important information should always be in the top half or one-third of the page. It is often said you should keep your resume at one page, but if you are cutting out valuable information to do so, it may not be worth it. A second opinion can help you judge what to keep and what to cut.

There are many examples of great resumes online. You can search for examples by field and type of job position to get a sense of how your resume should look for your preferred position.

As you look at examples, you’ll likely notice that resumes often don’t use complete sentences. Indeed offers this example of an executive summary for a paralegal resume: 1

“Organized and detail-oriented Paralegal with 3+ years of experience supporting attorneys by performing day-to-day administrative tasks, drafting legal documents and assisting with research”

Here, note that the number “3” jumps out at the reader. It’s important to make sure any experience you have is easily identifiable. This resume also uses action words like “drafting” and “supporting.”

Korn Ferry offers an example of an excellent resume for a recent college graduate, noting that it’s ideal to keep sections short and sweet. If you try to list every single responsibility you had as an intern, for example, the hiring manager might think you’re exaggerating. Instead, try to emulate Korn Ferry’s example of a strong internship section: 1

• Drafted promotional copy for websites
• Rounded up select content and drafted copy for daily email newsletters
• Assisted in all facets of news reporting, writing and editing, including for the award-winning SpotCheck investigation team

Grand Canyon University’s Career Services can provide resources, professional knowledge and support to help you transition from academics into a career you may find rewarding.

1  Indeed Editorial Team. (2024, June 7). Resume Samples and Examples . Retrieved July 1, 2024. 

2  Burnison, G. (2024). The 3 Best Resumes I’ve Ever Seen. Korn Ferry . Retrieved July 1, 2024. 

Approved by the executive director of Career Services on Aug. 20, 2024. 

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited were accurate as of the publish date.

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How to write a resumé summary (with examples)

When applying for jobs, you want to take every chance you have to stand out from the crowd. Adding a resumé summary to the top of your resumé can help interviewers get a quick snapshot of who you are and why you’d be great in their team. But what if you’re not sure how to write a resumé summary? 

In this article, you’ll find a step-by-step guide of what to include, what to leave out, and how to nail your resumé summary so it lands you an interview.

What is a summary for a resumé?

A resumé summary is a short statement at the top of a resumé that outlines key experiences, roles and achievements. Its purpose is to highlight at a glance why you’re the ideal person for a specific job and what you bring to the table. 

It can often be confused with a career objective . What’s the difference between a career objective and a resumé summary? A career objective outlines the future you’re hoping to achieve, while a resumé summary is an overview of your career so far. 

Understanding your target audience

Before writing your resumé summary, you should first identify your target audience, i.e. who will be reading and vetting applications. Think about what role they’re likely in, such as team leader or HR manager . Then consider what they may be looking for and what would stand out to them. Then, tailor your resumé summary to suit. 

For example, if a job ad implies the application will be going to a manager of a team or department, they will likely be looking for skills and experience, in addition to teamwork and communication skills . Meanwhile a HR manager or recruitment agent might have a checklist of technical skills that directly relate to the job. 

Key elements of a professional summary for resumé

With your target audience in mind, it’s time to move onto the main elements of your resumé summary. Here are a few things to keep in mind: 

• The length.  Keep your professional summary short, clear and concise, ideally one to three sentences. 
• The tone and style. The tone and style of your professional summary should be consistent and align with the rest of your application documents. 
• The use of keywords.  Your professional resumé summary should include keywords of the skills and experience you have that match those in the job ad. You can bold them to make them really stand out to the interviewer.
• The structure.  A resumé summary is typically one to three sentences outlining your key skills, experience and qualifications that align with the job ad. 

How to write a resumé summary

Here are some practical tips on how to write a resumé summary that will highlight your skills and catch the interviewer’s eye. 

• Start with a hook – a relevant qualification or unique skill – to capture the reader’s attention.
• Highlight your key skills and achievements, matching them to the job description.
• Include metrics or data-driven evidence of your accomplishments, such as percentage increases in performance, sales figures or the number of people you managed.
• Showcase your unique value proposition – what you believe you can offer that no one else can.
• Ensure you have proofread your summary so it’s free of spelling and grammatical errors.

Quick tip:  Write your resumé summary in the first person ( “I led a team of five” rather than “[Your name] led a team of five”.) In the rest of your resumé, omit pronouns altogether ( “Led a team of five” . “Increased sales by 23%” .)

Writing a resumé summary with no experience

If you’re writing a resumé summary with no professional experience, you should focus on your soft skills and technical skills. You may have more than you think! 

Research the job you’re applying for and see what additional skills may help you, outside of what’s mentioned in the job ad. This could include things like computer proficiency, basic coding, customer service skills and more. Even if you’re still in school, you’ll likely still have teamwork and other soft skills you can mention. 

Resumé summary examples

To get you started, here are some resumé summary examples. Take note of the format: lead with the strongest statement, use specific data (where possible), include your most relevant skills, and be sure to personalise your summary before sending it to a potential employer.

Entry-level resumé summary ideal for a first job

I am a proactive and confident person looking for a casual customer- service position in Darwin. Through my studies I have developed strong communication and interpersonal skills. I am a people-person and eager to be in a role that allows me to help people every day.

Resumé summary for recent graduates

Data-focused computer science and business graduate with experience in app development and marketing. My first project app surpassed 2,000 downloads in 30 days, and I’m excited to build off this achievement and further develop my skills with a business that prioritises agile development and app innovation. 

Resumé summary for experienced applicant 

Accomplished in-house  marketing director with a proven track record of executing successful results-driven campaign strategies. Have led multiple regional and global campaigns in my 12 years in the automotive industry. 

Tailoring your resumé summary to different industries

Resumé summaries can easily be adapted to suit any industry or job. It’s all about focusing on your key skills and what you can bring to the role. You can use these personal summary resumé examples as ideas for your own, swapping out the titles and experiences as you need.

Resumé summary for a teacher

Dedicated and passionate educator with over 5 years in early-years development, focused on fostering a positive and inclusive learning environment. Proven expertise in curriculum development and pioneering new teaching methods for students with learning challenges. 

Career summary for a tradesperson 

Multi-skilled tradesperson with 12 years of experience in carpentry, project management and commercial fit outs. I have completed more than 120 projects on time and on budget, have mentored several apprentices and have supervised teams on multiple job sites. 

Professional summary for a customer service person

I am a results-oriented customer service professional with more than three years in big box retail. Over the past year, I have been awarded staff member of the month twice, and have more than 20 mentions in Google reviews for providing outstanding customer support.

Tips for optimising your resumé summary for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)

Some organisations will use an ATS (or Applicant Tracking System) to help them manage the hiring process more efficiently. ATS software collects information from applications and filters them for the most relevant applicants. From there, employers will often take the filtered piles and begin their own screening. 

As a job applicant, you can optimise your resumé for ATS. Some tops ways to optimise your application include:

• Use standard fonts (such as Arial) to ensure your resumé is easy for the software to read.
• Use clean formatting with no charts, tables or graphics, as this may impair the ATS from properly reading your application.
• Use an ATS-friendly template.
• Include keywords in your resumé that match the job ad.
• Stick to standard heading names, like Work Experience, Education and Skills to ensure your information is read correctly.
• Proofread your resumé, as ATS may not be able to read typos, missing crucial information.

A business likely uses an ATS if its careers page has you fill out a series of forms, the job application has a long URL or it is a very large corporation. 

The dos and don'ts of resumé summary writing

By now, you should know the basics of writing your career summary, but these quick dos and don'ts of resumé writing can help make sure you get every detail right.

Best practices for writing a resumé summary

Writing a good resumé summary helps capture the attention of employers. Here are some best practices to keep in mind.

• Keep it clear and concise. Only include your key skills, qualifications and experience.
• Start with a strong statement. Your opening sentence should hook the reader by showing how you’re a good match for the role.
• Quantify achievements.  Use specific data, examples of how you have used your skills and knowledge, and what results you achieved.
• Include keywords.  The skills and experience in your career summary should reflect those mentioned in the job ad.

Most importantly, don’t overthink it. If you had to sum up your entire career in a sentence or two, what would you say? How would you highlight your skills and achievements? That should give you a good idea of what to write. 

Common mistakes to avoid when writing a resumé summary

Some top mistakes to avoid when writing a career summary for your resumé include:

• Being too general.  Your summary should be specific to your skills and how you’ve used them in the past.
• Being too long. Remember: a resumé summary should only be one to three sentences long. It’s a summary, not a cover letter.
• Lack of personalisation. Every resumé summary should be personalised to the job ad and industry.
• Using exaggerated language. Avoid exaggerating your skills and accomplishments – you may need to qualify your skills in a job interview (and eventually in the job role).
• Not proofreading. Mistakes in your resumé are the biggest giveaway that you lack attention to detail, so proof, proof and proof again!

Remember: your resumé summary is often the first impression a potential employer has of you, so it's crucial to make it impactful and tailored to the specific job you're applying for. With employers and hiring managers filtering through multiple resumés, a well-written resumé summary is the thing that could make you stand out.

The most effective resumé summaries should somewhat mirror the job ad, while highlighting specific career achievements and data that reinforce why you’re the perfect fit. It should also be free of errors, clearly formatted and optimised for ATS. If you’ve aligned your summary with the job ad, you’ve given yourself an even better chance of getting a callback.

What is the ideal length of a resumé summary?

The ideal resumé summary should be one to three sentences. It’s a snapshot of who you are and what you have to offer. Make sure to keep it concise, with only relevant information, enticing the employer to read your full application. 

Should I include my career objective in my resumé summary?

Adding a career objective to your resumé is a personal preference and is not required. But using an objective statement can help immediately draw attention to specific skills, experience or other credentials that will help you stand out from the crowd. It can also be beneficial if you need to address a career change, location change or gaps in your resumé .

How do I tailor my resumé summary to different job postings?

To tailor a resumé summary to different job postings, read the job ad carefully and review your resumé to ensure you are highlighting the desired skills and experience. These skills, qualifications and expertise should be front and centre, and quick to absorb for the reader. 

Can I use the same resumé summary for different job applications?

You should ideally have a different resumé summary for different job applications. Read the job ad carefully and align your skills and experience with the qualities they are looking for, to help you come across as the perfect candidate.

How do I make my resumé summary stand out from the competition?

Some top ways to help your resumé summary stand out from the competition include:

• Personalise your summary to the job ad
• Include impressive data
• Match your skills and experience closely to those mentioned in the job description
• Keep it concise – less than three sentences
• Ensuring it is free of errors

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How to Stand Out in the Job Market with a Professionally Written Resume

Career 30 Aug 2024 35 0

In today's competitive job market, where many candidates vie for attention, a well-crafted resume helps you stand out. More than just a document, your resume is a marketing tool showcasing your skills, experiences, and unique value to employers. As hiring managers sift through applications, your resume must capture their attention and communicate your qualifications effectively. Crafting a compelling resume requires strategy, industry insight, and presenting yourself well. Let's explore how to transform your resume into a powerful asset for landing that coveted interview.

Make a Strong First Impression

Your resume's first impression is crucial; it often determines whether you'll move forward in the hiring process or be overlooked. A professionally written resume should highlight your most relevant achievements and skills right at the top, creating an immediate connection with the reader. By utilizing industry-specific keywords and a clean, modern design, you can effectively draw attention to your strengths. 

Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results, like revenue increases or successful projects you've led. A practical layout and clear language ensure your resume is visually appealing and easy to navigate, enabling hiring managers to see why you're an exceptional candidate quickly. For a stronger first impression, consider using a resume writing service to tailor your document to showcase your unique professional brand and distinguish you from the competition. A resume writer can help you make a lasting impact with a personalized and well-written resume. Maximize Your Professional Brand

A professionally written resume should reflect your professional brand, positioning you as an expert in your field with unique value to offer. Your resume can convey essential elements of your professional identity through strategic language and formatting choices, like experience level or industry focus.

A well-crafted resume should highlight what makes you stand out from other candidates. A professional writer can help pinpoint and emphasize these differences with targeted keywords and compelling stories. By consistently communicating your brand, you present yourself as an exceptional candidate worthy of attention.

Adapt to Different Industries and Job Roles

A professionally written resume effortlessly adapts to various industries, roles, and experience levels. A skilled writer tailors your resume for the specific job you're targeting, ensuring it resonates with hiring managers. By highlighting relevant skills and experiences, a professional resume can bridge any gaps between your work history and the new role's requirements.

A professional writer can also incorporate industry-specific buzzwords that emphasize your familiarity with the field. This makes you stand out as a potential candidate and positions you as a knowledgeable and experienced professional in your chosen industry.

Save Time and Effort

Creating an effective resume takes time and effort, from deciding what to include to crafting the right language and format. A resume writing service can help save you time and energy by providing expert guidance and support. By partnering with a professional writer, you can trust that your resume will be polished, error-free, and tailored to your unique strengths.

Moreover, a professionally written resume may help you land interviews more quickly. When hiring managers receive hundreds of resumes for a single job posting, they often skim through them quickly. A well-crafted resume that clearly communicates your qualifications can make all the difference in catching their attention amidst the sea of applicants.

Ensure Clarity and Professionalism

A professionally written resume ensures clarity and professionalism, leaving no room for confusion. It should be free from grammatical errors, typos, and vague language that can undermine your credibility. By working with a resume writer, you can be confident that your resume will accurately and professionally convey your qualifications.

Furthermore, a professional writer can help you avoid common pitfalls like using too many buzzwords or clichés that may make your resume appear generic or insincere. Instead, they can offer fresh perspectives on showcasing your accomplishments and experiences authentically and compellingly.

Optimize for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) 

Many companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to scan resumes and filter out candidates who don't meet specific criteria. However, these systems can only accept well-qualified candidates if their resumes are optimized for the software's algorithms. A professional writer understands how to structure and format your resume to ensure it gets past ATS filters and reaches human eyes.

A well-crafted resume uses industry-specific keywords, formatting, and relevant content to improve your chances of passing initial screenings by automated systems or recruiters. This approach highlights your qualifications and aligns your profile with the job description, making it easier for screening software and hiring managers to recognize your potential.

Standing out in the job market requires more than just a good set of skills; it also takes a well-written resume that showcases those skills effectively. By partnering with a professional writer and utilizing their expertise, you can create a powerful resume that stands out from the crowd and helps you land that dream job. Remember, your resume often makes an employer's first impression of you, so make it count.

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How to craft an effective XYZ resume to land your dream job

Do you want to get hired by the world’s top companies? According to a former Google SVP, using the XYZ resume formula to focus on achievements and measurable outcomes is the way to go. Discover how to make a strong impression on recruiters and hiring managers with this unique method.

What is an XYZ resume?  

An XYZ resume format is a formula introduced by Laszlo Bock, former senior vice president of personnel operations at Google, to help those applying for jobs at Google (and other top companies) increase their chances of landing their dream job (1). The acronym stands for the following: “Accomplished [X] as measured by [Y], by doing [Z].”

The purpose of creating a Google XYZ resume is to help you stand out as an accomplished professional who understands how your work connects to overall business outcomes. 

The format gives you an easy way to quantify your achievements, enabling you to go beyond simply describing your professional responsibilities and helping you show the true, measurable impact of your work. 

Benefits of the XYZ resume format  

The XYZ resume format is far from just another trend or gimmick put forth to try to tip the scales in your favor. Similar to the CAR method , it’s a tried and true formula that has many practical benefits in the job search process.

First, it helps you provide clear and concise details about your achievements. When you use the XYZ formula, recruiters and hiring managers won’t be confused about your professional background and what you bring to the table. Instead, you can get straight to the point using highly impactful language.

Additionally, the XYZ resume format helps you highlight your measurable outcomes, which is much more impressive to recruiters than using generic language. This is especially true at highly sought-after companies that receive thousands of resumes. Hiring managers want to know they’re hiring someone who can get the job done, and the XYZ format helps you demonstrate this.

Finally, the XYZ resume formula helps you keep everything relevant to the job role. If you have experience in the role and have read the job description thoroughly, you know what recruiters and hiring managers want to see on your resume. The XYZ formula helps you trim irrelevant details and stick to only what the readers need to know.

How to create an XYZ resume  

The Google XYZ resume method is a fairly easy way to create an impactful job application. You can use a standard reverse chronological format for most of your resume. The bullet points you use to explain your professional history are where you’ll apply the XYZ formula. 

Once you have collected details of your past accomplishments, start your first bullet point describing what you accomplished. For example, you may have:

• Grown sales revenue
• Increased customer satisfaction scores
• Increased employee productivity

In the next part of the sentence, you’ll explain how your accomplishment was measured using quantifiable results. For example, you may have:

• Grown sales revenue by 15%
• Increased customer satisfaction scores by 46%
• Increased employee productivity by 32% 

In the last part of your bullet point, you will talk about the task that led you to that impactful outcome. For example, you may have:

• Grown sales revenue by 15% by pivoting to account-based marketing
• Increased customer satisfaction scores by 46% by prioritizing first-call resolution 
• Increased employee productivity by 32% by launching generative AI training

As much as possible, limit your XYZ statements to one line. Note that you may have to tweak any resume examples you’re using to achieve this goal.

Key components of an XYZ resume  

It’s important to understand how a good XYZ resume is structured. If you’re crafting your application using a resume and cover letter template , you’ll want to ensure the following key components are included in your document.

Contact information 

Your contact information, including your name, location (city, state, and zip code), phone number, and email address, should go at the very top of the document. This helps recruiters and hiring managers easily contact you for an interview or inquire further about your qualifications.

Objective statement

Many expert resume articles agree that this section of your resume should only be one line. Use it to tell the recruiter or the hiring manager what role you’re applying for and what you hope to accomplish in that role.

Summary of qualifications

Use this section to describe your professional background and why you’re a great fit for the job. Include details such as how many years of experience you have, what achievements you have made, and how your past colleagues and managers have described your impact.

Education background

List the important details of your educational experiences, such as the names and locations of any colleges or universities you attended, the degrees you obtained, and the year you graduated from the institution. 

Relevant experience 

Provide the details of your past roles in reverse chronological format (starting with your current or most recent position). List the title of the position, the company name and location, and the dates you worked there. Then, create succinct bullet points covering your major achievements using the Google XYZ resume formula.

Skills and competencies 

Provide a short list of your skills to grab the attention of the recruiter or hiring manager. If you prefer, you can split this list into separate sections for soft skills and technical skills. To keep things relevant, try to include skills that are also listed in the job description (if you actually do possess them). 

Achievements and qualifications 

If you choose, you can include a separate section on your resume to list your major achievements and qualifications directly so a hiring manager or recruiter doesn’t have to go fishing for them. Make sure to use the XYZ format in this section and include only accomplishments that are relevant to the role.

Expert Tip:

To identify relevant accomplishments that you can use to execute the XYZ formula, try looking back at past performance review notes or considering your past project outcomes. Then, determine exactly how your job responsibilities and actions contributed to those positive outcomes.

Common XYZ resume mistakes to avoid  

Despite the simplicity of the Google XYZ resume format, there are a few mistakes you may be tempted to make if it’s your first time using the formula. Here are some common pitfalls you should avoid as you craft your XYZ resume.

Using vague language

Be specific about your achievements. For example, don’t just tell the hiring manager you improved customer service. Tell them what specific aspects of the customer service experience you improved and how much of an improvement you made.

Forgetting measurable outcomes

To correctly use the XYZ format, resumes must include quantifiable achievements that connect actions to business outcomes. Ensure your bullet point statements include numbers, as this helps showcase the impact you’ve made in past roles.

Overloading statements with details

Though details are important, it’s also crucial not to include too many. When possible, try to keep your statements to one or two lines at most and your entire resume to one page. If you feel that your achievements need more context, include that information in your cover letter .

Including irrelevant information

Each statement should be tailored to the role and company you’re applying for, so leave out anything that doesn’t directly relate to the industry or job description. The criteria for relevance is that there should be a clear connection between the jobs, skills, and achievements you have written about and what is listed in the job description.

"The XYZ resume format helps you highlight your measurable outcomes, which is much more impressive to recruiters than using generic language."

Let the XYZ resume format lead you to job-hunting success

Much like using the STAR method to answer interview questions, following the XYZ resume format is an excellent way to include measurable outcomes that wow recruiters and hiring managers and highlight you as an accomplished professional. It also helps you present your achievements in a clear and concise way, making it obvious that you’re the best candidate for the job.

If you need help building your XYZ resume, one of the best ways to get started is with a template. Using resume and cover letter examples that incorporate the XYZ format can help enhance your job applications and improve your chances of landing interviews. With a few robust resources and the right resume format, this approach can help you get the job you’ve been dreaming about.

(1) Inc. Magazine: Google Recruiters Say Using the X-Y-Z Formula on Your Resume Will Improve Your Odds of Getting Hired at Google

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4 must-have items in your resume to get a remote job.

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4 Must-Have Items In Your Resume to Get a Remote Job

For a lot of people, remote working is the dream. The benefits of remote work include no longer

dealing with traffic and long commutes, greater flexibility in managing your schedule, and the comfort of working from home.

But even more importantly, remote work can also open avenues for professional growth as it allows you to work for companies across the globe without having to relocate. If this sounds like an excellent deal to you, you’re not alone. According to the Pew Research Center , at least 65% of workers prefer to work remotely full-time, and 98% would like to have the option to work remotely at least part of the time.

With many CEOs calling their employees to return to the office , you may need to exert more effort to get a remote role, at least compared to the pandemic years . That being said, the demand for remote roles is still high in many industries, and with the right tweaks, your resume should help you get the remote role you want.

Here are four must-have items in your resume if you want to get a remote job today.

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Trump vs. harris 2024 polls: harris leads trump in latest post-dnc surveys, today’s nyt mini crossword clues and answers for wednesday, august 28th, previous remote work experience.

As with any job, you want to show previous related work experience to prove that you are qualified for it. With remote jobs, you want your future employer to see how well you fare with working unsupervised and what results you achieved in such setups.

But even if this is your first time pursuing a fully remote role, you can still highlight past experiences where you successfully collaborated with co-workers or stakeholders in different states or even overseas to accomplish set goals.

It’s particularly helpful to think about projects where you coordinated across time zones, managed communication remotely, or relied on digital tools such as Zoom or Slack to get the job done.

To make your resume even more attractive to employers, try your best to quantify your results and show how your work improved the company’s processes or contributed to the bottom line.

For example, you might mention how you implemented a new project management tool that streamlined workflow and resulted in a 25% increase in task completion rates, helping the team consistently meet deadlines. You could also cite a time when you managed a remote team across different time zones, which allowed your team to operate more efficiently and cut overhead costs by 15%.

The more you can show your ability to deliver good results in a remote setting, the more attractive you’ll be to potential employers. The key is to highlight your successes and show that distance will not hinder you from creating stellar results.

Collaboration Skills

At the heart of any successful remote working experience is effective collaboration with your peers and managers. Employers value collaboration skills because you don’t see each other face to face; it’s easy to work in silos and lose touch with the team’s overall goals.

Including collaboration as part of your skills is crucial, but to truly stand out, you’ll want to demonstrate that you were instrumental in getting the team to work collaboratively, even when you’re all miles apart.

Don’t forget to mention your experience in using specific project management tools like Asana , Trello , or Monday.com — this is important because it demonstrates your proficiency with the tools that help you assign tasks, track progress, and ensure timely deliveries, especially as a remote worker.

Excellent In Presentations

Presentations are a crucial skill for anybody to master, but it’s even more important for people working remotely. Because you’re not in the office, your best opportunity to make a good first impression is during meetings, and having excellent presentation skills will help you clearly communicate your ideas, engage your audience, and establish a professional presence.

You’ll want to cover the basics first. Ensure your slides are clear, concise, and visually engaging. Focus on structuring your content logically and practicing your delivery to maintain a confident and professional demeanor.

Once you have your content down, you’ll also want to be adept at using the tools. Remote presentations come with unique challenges, so also familiarize yourself with tools like Zoom , Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet . Learn how to use their features effectively, and find out how you can maximize them to achieve your goals.

Mastering the tools helps you maintain command of the room and avoid technical glitches as much as possible. You already spent a ton of time polishing your slides and delivery, so the last thing you want is to fumble around trying to share a screen or get a video playing!

Data & Numbers

From tracking customer behavior to optimizing supply chains, data allows companies to predict trends, personalize experiences, and stay ahead of the competition. But while we’re all practically up to our ears in data, it takes people with actual data analytics skills to find patterns and create actionable insights that companies can use to inform their operations.

If this is you, then you’re in luck. With Quanthub estimating the demand to have grown 650% since 2012, your skills are highly sought after, and companies will want to hire you, even if you’re on the other side of the globe.

But first, you’ll want to ensure that your data analytics skills and experience are highlighted in your resume. For example, if you’ve led projects where data-driven decisions led to increased efficiency or growth, you want to detail that impact in terms of numbers.

Mention specific tools that you’ve mastered and how you used them to uncover trends or optimize processes. Did you create a predictive model that saved your company thousands or even millions? Again, don’t just mention it—quantify it in terms of how it has benefited your company and its bottom line.

The more you can do this, the better your chances of getting hired for remote roles. It might be a bit more challenging, but the effort will pay off. So polish up your resume, highlight those key achievements, and get ready to seize the opportunities that come your way. Rooting for you!

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How To Design Your Data Science Portfolio

Creating a strong data science portfolio is a crucial step in establishing your presence in the field, whether you’re a seasoned professional or a newcomer. A well-crafted portfolio showcases your skills, demonstrates your experience, and serves as a powerful tool for attracting the attention of recruiters and potential employers.

This article will guide you through the essential steps of designing a data science portfolio that stands out.

Understanding the Purpose of Your Portfolio

Showcasing skills and expertise.

Your portfolio should serve as a comprehensive showcase of your skills and expertise. Whether you’re proficient in data analysis, machine learning, or data visualization, each project in your portfolio should highlight a different aspect of your abilities. This helps to demonstrate your versatility and depth of knowledge.

Target Audience: Recruiters, Hiring Managers, and Peers

It’s essential to consider who will be viewing your portfolio. Recruiters and hiring managers are often looking for specific skills and experiences, while peers might be interested in your approach to problem-solving. Tailoring your portfolio to appeal to these different audiences can make a significant difference in how it’s perceived.

Showcasing Your Skills and Tools

In this section, provide a comprehensive list of your skills and the tools you are proficient in. Break it down into categories for clarity:

• Programming Languages: Python , R , Java , C++, etc.
• Data Science Tools: Pandas , Scikit-Learn , TensorFlow , Keras, etc.
• Data Visualization: Tableau , Matplotlib , Seaborn, etc.
• Soft Skills: Communication, problem-solving, teamwork, etc.

Detailing Your Projects

Each project should be presented with enough detail to show your problem-solving process and technical expertise. Include the following elements for each project:

• Title and Description: A concise project title and a brief description of the problem you aimed to solve.
• Objective: Clearly state the goal of the project and its relevance.
• Tech Stack: List the tools, technologies, and libraries you used.
• Methodology: Describe your approach, including data collection, cleaning, analysis, and modeling.
• Results: Highlight the key outcomes and the impact of your work.
• Visualizations: Use graphs, charts, and other visual aids to illustrate your results.
• Code: Provide links to your code repositories (e.g., GitHub) for others to review.

Creating a Resume and Bio

Alongside your portfolio, you should have a polished resume and a professional bio that summarizes your experience, skills, and achievements. Your bio should include:

• Personal Summary: A brief overview of your background and career goals.
• Professional Experience: Highlight your work experience, focusing on roles related to data science.
• Education and Certifications: List your degrees, certifications, and any relevant courses.
• Contact Information: Ensure your contact details are easily accessible.

Design and Layout Tips

The design and layout of your portfolio play a significant role in its effectiveness. Keep the following tips in mind:

• Keep It Clean and Professional: Use a simple, professional design with plenty of white space.
• Use Visual Aids: Incorporate charts, graphs, and images to make your portfolio more engaging.
• Ensure Easy Navigation: Organize your portfolio with clear headings and a logical flow.
• Mobile-Friendly: Ensure your portfolio is responsive and looks good on both desktop and mobile devices.

Making Your Portfolio Stand Out

To make your portfolio stand out, consider adding unique elements that reflect your personality and creativity:

• Personal Branding: Create a logo or unique design elements that make your portfolio memorable.
• Interactive Elements: Incorporate interactive charts, maps, or dashboards that allow the viewer to explore your data and insights.
• Case Studies: Include in-depth case studies of your projects, detailing the challenges you faced and how you overcame them.

Updating and Maintaining Your Portfolio

• Regularly Adding New Projects and Content: Your portfolio should evolve as your skills and experience grow. Regularly update it with new projects, tools, and techniques you’ve learned.
• Keeping Technical Skills and Tools Up-to-Date: As technology changes, so should your portfolio. Make sure you’re showcasing the latest tools and methods in your projects to stay relevant in the fast-paced field of data science.
• Gathering and Incorporating Feedback : Seek feedback from peers, mentors, and industry professionals. Use their insights to refine your portfolio and make it even stronger.

A well-designed data science portfolio is essential for showcasing your skills, projects, and expertise. By understanding your audience, carefully selecting and detailing your projects, and keeping your portfolio updated and professional, you can create a powerful tool that sets you apart in the competitive field of data science. Remember to promote your portfolio actively to ensure it reaches the right audience.

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