resume building tips 2021

Microsoft 365 Life Hacks > Writing > 10 proven tips for building better resumes

10 proven tips for building better resumes

Applying for new jobs is exciting—and stressful. Updating or creating a new resume can be a challenge, especially if you haven’t changed jobs recently. If you’re confused or discouraged, it’s time to get some tried-and-true resume help.

In this blog post, we rounded up necessary information about resumes, and ten tips to help yours shine.

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What is a resume?

Most recruiters ask job candidates to send their resumes alongside cover letters and recommender information. In academia, they ask for curriculum vitae (CVs) . These are rarely requested in a business setting.

In the business world, a resume is a single-paged document that lists a person’s professional background and skills. It can cover a variety of topics, including your:

• Professional summary
• Certificates
• Awards and honors

While resumes often contain these core materials, they rarely look the same. You can organize your resume chronologically, by function, or a mix of the two. You can use plain white paper with black lettering, or add color and interesting shapes.

You can format your resume however you’d like, as long as it is organized and appealing. However, it does need to reflect your unique qualities.

Why is having a good resume relevant?

Resumes are often the first thing recruiters look through. Cover letters, recommenders, and professional websites come later.

Recruiters spend 7.4 seconds screening your resume before they decide whether or not to keep looking at it. In that time, recruiters must be able to determine your work history and if you’ll be suitable for the position.

After the initial scan, recruiters want to review the highlights of your career. If your resume is well-written, they see your job history at its finest.

Resume help: 10 resume tips

So how can you make your resume stand out? You should:

• Use simple formatting. Recruiters will scan your resume quickly. If the formatting is overly complex, they might put it down. Carefully balance font style, font size, layout, and design. Use bullet points and bold headings to break up the text.
• Place an overview or mission statement at the top. Your most important information should be at the top of your resume. An overview at the top gives your recruiter a good sense of you right away.
• Include both hard and soft skills. Today’s recruiters aren’t just looking for hard skills. They want to be sure that you can thrive in their offices, too. Depending on the job you’re applying for, include a mixture of both hard and soft skills.
• Show results where you can. Don’t just mention your capabilities. You’ll need to show results, too. Include numbers where you can, and give small, telling details that show how you have helped projects succeed.
• Leave off what you can. Packed resumes often look disorganized. Include what is relevant to the role you’re applying for. You can leave off items like your mailing address and social media accounts, too, unless they’re necessary.
• Be consistent with your design and text. To help make your resume clear, ensure your colors and fonts are consistent. If you use specific tactics in formatting, like bullet points or sentence fragments, stay consistent throughout.
• Get creative. If you work in a creative field, experiment with design and presentation. If you don’t work in a creative field, you can still get creative with your text. Think of ways to reword items to exemplify their challenges and how you overcame them.
• Keep it to one page. Recruiters expect a one-page resume. While this can be a hurdle, it’s also a good thing. One page forces you to focus on the aspects of your history and present skills that matter.
• Proofread. Finally, you’ll need to proofread. Grammar and spelling errors can make your resume look unprofessional. It can help to read your resume out loud. You might even want to put your resume away for a day and come back to it later with fresh eyes.

Should you ever pay for resume help?

There are various businesses and freelancers who will write your resume for a fee.

If you are extremely stressed out about your resume and have absolutely no idea where it should start, this can be a good option. It might help your anxiety to know that a professional is in charge. Plus, your resume writer will certainly write you a relevant, clear resume.

However, if you pay someone to write your resume:

• It will cost you
• The finished product might seem clichéd
• It will be difficult for them to reflect your personality
• Your writing at a later stage (cover letter, emails, thank you note, etc.) might seem obviously different

Authoring your resume is free, and you’ll be able to make it unique. When you get a job, it will be apparent to your coworkers that the person who wrote your resume was you.

Plus, if you have a Microsoft account, you can use templates to get you started.

Getting resume help with templates in Word

Word resume templates are free for anyone who wants to start their resume off strong.

If you’re short on time, you can simply select a template, enter your information, and be done with it. If you just want a place to get started, Microsoft templates are easy to personalize.

With templates in Word—and our ten tips—you can get the resume help you need to start wowing recruiters.

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40+ Resume Tips and Advice for 2024 [with Expert Insights] | Enhancv

In This Guide:

Structure and formatting resume tips, content resume tips, tailoring and customization resume tips, tips for using ai to write your resume, additional resume tips.

Crafting the perfect resume can feel like a daunting task, but with the right advice, you can create a stand-out resume  that captures the attention of potential employers.

Whether you're a seasoned professional looking to update your resume or a recent graduate stepping into the job market, our comprehensive guide will help you demonstrate your skills and experiences effectively. From structuring your resume to highlighting key achievements, these tips will make your resume shine and increase your chances of landing that dream job.

So you’re already familiar with what a resume is —all the different and possible parts of a resume , maybe some typical resume mistakes  to avoid, and perhaps even exactly how to write a resume .

In that case, the next step is to familiarize yourself with the following tips. They’re sure to help you in the final stretch to get your resume ready to impress!

Structure and formatting are crucial on a resume because they ensure your information is easily readable and accessible to hiring managers. A well-structured resume puts the spotlight on your key qualifications, skills, and achievements, making it easier for employers to quickly see why you’re a strong candidate.

Good formatting also helps your resume pass through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) , which many companies use to screen applicants.

By organizing your resume clearly and professionally, you make a positive first impression and increase your chances of landing an interview.

1. Study the job posting

Tailoring your resume to match the job description  is crucial in catching the eye of recruiters and passing through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

Begin by thoroughly reading the job posting to understand the specific skills and experiences the employer is looking for. Highlight the keywords and phrases used in the job description, especially those listed under "Responsibilities," "Qualifications," or "Requirements." These keywords should be seamlessly incorporated into your resume, reflecting your qualifications in a way that matches the employer’s expectations.

For instance, if the job posting mentions proficiency in “project management” and “ budgeting ,” ensure these terms are included in your resume where relevant.

If you’re applying for a marketing manager position , your resume might include a bullet point like:

• Managed a team of 5 in the successful launch of a $50,000 marketing campaign, increasing brand awareness by 30%.

2. Structure your resume properly

A well-structured resume makes it easier for recruiters to find the information they need. Typically, an application should include the following resume sections : Header, Summary/Objective, Employment History, Skills, and Education.

The header should contain your contact information; the summary should provide a brief overview of your professional background; employment history should list your previous jobs in reverse chronological order; the skills section should highlight your relevant abilities; and education should detail your academic background.

Resume structure example

• Header : Jeffery Holmes | [email protected] | (123) 456-7890 | LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/johndoe
• Summary : Experienced Marketing Professional with 5+ years in digital marketing, specializing in SEO and content strategy.
• Employment history :

Marketing Manager, ABC Corp, 2019-present : Increased web traffic by 40% through SEO improvements.

• Skills : SEO, Content Strategy, Google Analytics
• Education : Bachelor’s in Marketing, XYZ University, 2014

3. Create an eye-pleasing header

Your resume header  is the first thing potential employers will see, so it should be clear, attractive, and professional. Ensure it includes your name, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile .

You may also include your city and state, but avoid unnecessary details like your full address unless required.

Use a larger font size for your name to make it stand out and ensure the contact information is easy to read.

4. Choose the right resume format

Selecting the appropriate resume format  is essential for presenting your information effectively.

• The reverse chronological format , which lists your work history starting with the most recent, is ideal for those with a steady career progression.
• The functional format  focuses on skills rather than job history, making it suitable for those with gaps in employment or changing careers.
• The hybrid or combination format merges these two, highlighting skills and work history, which can benefit professionals with a varied work background.

5. Keep it concise

A concise resume is more likely to be read and appreciated by recruiters. Aim to keep your resume length  to one page  if you have less than ten years of experience. This forces you to prioritize the most relevant and impactful information, ensuring that every word adds value.

Among the most effective ways to shorten your resume  is using bullet points to clearly present your achievements and avoid long paragraphs.

Instead of detailing every job duty, focus on key achievements:

• Reduced page load time by 40% through optimization techniques.

6. Use a professional font

Using a clean, sophisticated resume font  makes your document easy to read and ensures it looks professional.

Stick to ATS-friendly fonts , like:

• Times New Roman

Also, remember to keep the size between 10-12 points for body text, however, for headings, a slightly larger size (13-14 points) can be used to help differentiate sections.

7. Maintain consistent formatting

Consistency in formatting makes your resume look organized and professional. Ensure that all headings, bullet points, and text align properly.

Use the same font and style throughout your resume, and keep the resume layout  clean and uncluttered.

8. Use appropriate margins

Typically, one-inch resume margins  on all sides are ideal for a resume, but don’t go less than 0.5”. This provides enough white space to make the document easy to read while fitting in all the necessary information.

If you find you have too much white space, consider spacing your lines by 1.15 or 1.5.

9. Quantify your achievements

Quantifying your achievements with numbers and statistics  helps substantiate your accomplishments and gives a clear picture of your impact. This makes your resume more compelling and provides concrete evidence of your success.

Increased website traffic by 50%  through strategic SEO improvements.

10. Proofread and get feedback

Typos and grammatical errors on your resume  can leave a negative impression on recruiters. After proofreading yourself, have friends, family, or colleagues review it to provide additional insights and catch mistakes you might have missed. This extra step ensures your resume is polished and professional.

Consider using the  Enhancv resume builder  to avoid typos. The built-in Content Suggestion software automatically checks your work for errors. It also provides specific feedback and language to improve your resume.

You can also  enable grammar-checking on Microsoft Office  or Google Docs  to proofread as you write. Another excellent option is Grammarly , which provides plug-ins to further enhance the grammar check on Microsoft or Google Docs products.

11. Save as PDF or Word

Unless a job posting specifically requests otherwise, save your resume as a PDF or Word document .

These formats are easily opened and can be read by ATS. PDFs are particularly useful as they preserve your formatting across different devices and programs.

12. Name your file clearly

When saving your resume, use a clear and professional filename . This makes it easier for hiring managers to find your document and reflects a professional attitude.

Simple formula:

FirstName_LastName_Resume.pdf.

13. Resume icons

Using icons on your resume can enhance visual appeal and readability, making key sections easier to identify and creating a strong initial impact. However, overuse can clutter your resume and affect ATS compatibility.

To balance aesthetics and functionality, use icons sparingly for contact information, skills, and section headers. Ensure consistency in style and size, choose simple, recognizable icons, and keep the majority of your content text-based to avoid parsing issues with ATS.

14. Using lines on a resume

Using lines on your resume can enhance readability and visual appeal by clearly separating different sections. Place lines purposefully to divide major sections like Contact Information, Professional Summary, Work Experience, Education, and Skills.

Opt for thin, light-colored lines to maintain a clean, professional design and ensure consistency in style and thickness throughout. Maintain adequate spacing around lines to avoid clutter, and use them sparingly to highlight key sections without disrupting the flow of information.

Thoughtful use of lines improves organization and clarity, making it easier for recruiters to quickly find and understand your qualifications.

15. Be honest

Honesty on your resume is crucial. Exaggerating or lying on your resume  about your qualifications can be easily uncovered and can damage your credibility. Be truthful about your skills and experiences!

16. Update regularly

Regularly updating your resume  ensures it reflects your latest achievements, skills, and experiences. This keeps you prepared for new opportunities and ensures your resume is always current.

17. Include a cover letter

A cover letter  is an essential accompaniment to your resume. It allows you to introduce yourself, explain your interest in the position, and elaborate on key aspects of your resume. A well-written cover letter can distinguish you from other candidates.

For more on what your cover letter should consist of, click here .

Content is imperative on a resume because it underlines your qualifications, skills, and experiences, directly influencing a hiring manager's decision. High-quality content effectively communicates your achievements and capabilities, demonstrating your suitability for the role. It helps you stand out in a competitive job market by highlighting what sets you apart from other candidates.

Moreover, well-crafted content tailored to the job can help your resume pass through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), ensuring it reaches the recruiter. Clear, relevant, and impactful content is the hallmark of a strong, positive impression.

1. Write a compelling introductory

There are three options to choose from when it comes to your introduction.

Resume summary

This is a brief statement at the beginning of your resume that underlines your key qualifications and career goals. This section should succinctly convey who you are as a professional and what you bring to the table, helping potential employers quickly see your value. A well-crafted summary can set the tone for the rest of your resume and make a strong first impression.

• Resume summary formula

A strong resume summary should be concise and tailored to highlight your most relevant qualifications. Here’s a formula you can follow:

[Job Title/Professional Identity] with  [Number] years of experience in  [Industry/Field] .   Proven track record in  [Key Skill/Responsibility] ,  [Key Skill/Responsibility] , and  [Key Skill/Responsibility] . Adept at  [Specific Task or Tool] . Seeking to leverage expertise in  [Relevant Area] to  [Achieve a Specific Goal or Contribute to Company] .

Here’s an example of the formula in use:

Objective statement

This is another similar variant, designed primarily for entry-level candidates or career changers with little to no experience. It highlights your biggest strengths, relevant experiences, and how you plan to add value to the specific job or company you're applying for. In just three sentences, the objective statement demonstrates to prospective employers how your skills and work history will contribute to their business.

• Objective statement formula

To create a compelling resume objective statement, use the following formula:

[Adjective + Job Title]  + [Years of Experience]  + [Key Skills/Qualifications]  + [What You Want to Achieve/Contribute]  + [How It Aligns with the Company's Goals/Values]

We illustrate below:

Resume profile

This type provides a brief snapshot of your professional identity, emphasizing your skills, experiences, and career objectives. This short paragraph combines elements of a summary and an objective statement, offering a holistic view of who you are as a professional, what you’ve accomplished, and what you aim to achieve.

Breakdown of the example

• Professional identity:  "Dedicated project manager with over 8 years of experience in the IT industry"
• Skills and experiences:  "Specializing in software development and team leadership. Successfully led cross-functional teams to deliver complex projects on time and within budget. Skilled in Agile methodologies, risk management, and stakeholder communication."
• Career objectives:  "Committed to continuous improvement and passionate about leveraging technology to drive business success. Seeking to apply my expertise and leadership skills to a dynamic team at ABC Corporation to enhance project outcomes and foster innovation."

All of these professional statements should come first on your resume, just under the header and headline.

2. Highlight key achievements and honors

Instead of merely listing job duties, focus on your accomplishments in each role. This approach demonstrates the impact you've made and your ability to deliver results. As we’ve already mentioned above, quantifying your achievements with numbers, percentages, or other metrics can make them more compelling and concrete.

If you have received an award for outstanding performance, you might write:

3. Showcase your skills

Include a dedicated resume skills section  to shine a light on the hard skills  relevant to the job you're applying for. Soft skills , on the other hand, should be embedded within different areas of your resume, such as your work experience, education, and summary.

Hard skills, also known as core competencies , encompass a wide array of technical abilities  and knowledge specific to your profession. In contrast, soft skills are interpersonal and behavioral abilities that influence how you work and interact with others.

4. Provide contact information

This is related to your resume header, please refer back to the example above if needed. Ensure your contact information  is up-to-date and prominently displayed. Include your name, phone number , email address, and LinkedIn profile. Including your physical address on your resume  is optional but can provide context about your location.

One thing to avoid, however, is having your photo on your resume . This may incur unconscious bias and it’s rarely expected.

5. Include relevant links

Providing links on your resume  to your professional website, work portfolio , or LinkedIn profile allows employers to see more of your work and accomplishments. Ensure all links are up-to-date and relevant to your professional image.

6. Resume adjectives

Using the right adjectives on a resume is important as it can effectively convey your strengths and qualities to potential employers. Well-chosen adjectives can make your skills and experiences stand out, giving a clear impression of your professional identity and work ethic.

Tips for using adjectives include being specific and relevant to the job you're applying for. Avoid overused or vague adjectives, and instead, opt for those that accurately describe your abilities and achievements. Balance the use of adjectives to maintain professionalism and avoid exaggeration. This enhances your resume's impact and readability.

Read our post on resume adjectives  for more information and an extensive list of examples.

7. Use action verbs

Starting bullet points with strong action verbs  makes your resume more dynamic and engaging. Words like “developed,” “managed,” and “implemented” effectively describe your contributions and responsibilities.

Managed  a team of 10 sales representatives, increasing overall sales by 25% within one year.

8. Showcase career progression

Showing your career progression by displaying promotions and increased responsibilities demonstrates your growth and capability to take on more challenging roles. This helps employers see your potential for long-term value.

Promoted from Junior Sales Associate to Senior Sales Manager within two years, managing a team of 10 sales associates and increasing regional sales by 30%.

9. Highlight relevant education

List your educational background in a dedicated education section on your resume , including degrees, institutions, and graduation dates. Also, include any professional certifications and training relevant to the job although separate sections are also acceptable.

• • Minor in Graphic Design.
• • Relevant Courses: Digital Marketing Analytics, Social Media Strategy, Content Marketing.
• • Certification in Digital Marketing,

10. Include volunteer work

Volunteer work  can demonstrate additional skills and dedication. It's especially valuable if it’s relevant to the job you’re applying for or helps fill employment gaps.

Many candidates place this after their work experience or under a separate section if it's extensive and relevant.

• • Organize food drives and manage a team of volunteers. Increased donation levels by 20%

11. Mention professional development

Listing workshops, courses, and professional development activities— training skills , in general, shows your commitment to continuous learning and improvement. This can be particularly valuable in fast-evolving industries.

• Completed Advanced SEO Strategies Course, HubSpot Academy, 2021.
• Attended annual Digital Marketing Conference, 2019-2023.

12. Add additional sections if relevant

Additional sections can make your resume unique and provide more context about your skills and interests. Include sections like hobbies and interests, professional affiliations, awards, languages, projects, and publications if they add value to your application.

These additions should be placed after the main sections, like work experience, education, and skills.

Here are a few examples:

• Language section

This section shows your communication skills and cultural adaptability, which are valuable in today's globalized workforce. Multilingual abilities can differentiate you from others by making you more attractive for roles that require interaction with diverse clients or colleagues.

It also indicates your capacity for learning and flexibility. Employers often seek candidates who can bridge language barriers and contribute to international business operations, enhancing team dynamics and expanding market reach.

• Hobbies and interests

Including this element on your resume can provide a more well-rounded view of your personality and help you stand out from other candidates. They can underline soft skills like teamwork, creativity, and time management, which are valuable in a professional setting.

Additionally, hobbies can act as conversation starters in interviews, helping to build rapport with potential employers. If relevant to the job, they can also demonstrate a genuine passion or additional expertise that complements your professional qualifications.

• Resume awards

Awards demonstrate your achievements and recognize your excellence in your field. They illustrate your competence, dedication, and the value you bring to your work.

These distinctions also add credibility to your skills and experience, reinforcing your qualifications for the position.

• Professional affiliations

They demonstrate your commitment to your field and show that you stay updated with industry trends and best practices. Associations also highlight your professional network and can indicate your involvement in ongoing education and development.

This can be particularly impressive to employers, as it suggests you are proactive in maintaining your expertise and are connected with other professionals in your industry.

• • Participated in PMI Global Congress and local chapter events.
• • Engaged in continuous learning through PMI webinars and courses.
• • Active member of the Scrum Alliance community.
• • Attended annual Global Scrum Gatherings and local meetups.
• • Contributed to ACM Special Interest Groups (SIGs) on software engineering.
• • Published articles in the ACM Digital Library.
• Publications on resumes

Publications demonstrate your expertise, thought leadership, and contributions to your field. They provide context for your research skills, ability to communicate complex ideas, and commitment to staying updated with industry developments.

Including publications is particularly beneficial in academia, research, and technical fields, as it shows your active engagement with current knowledge and practices. Ensure the publications listed are pertinent to the role, as this can strengthen your application by showcasing your qualifications and professional accomplishments.

• Resume projects

Including projects demonstrates your practical experience and ability to apply your skills in real-world situations. Projects showcase your problem-solving abilities, creativity, and achievements, making your resume shine to employers.

They provide concrete examples of your work, which can be especially valuable if you lack extensive professional experience. Adding relevant projects also shows your initiative and dedication, whether they are from work, school, or personal endeavors.

Overall, projects add depth to your resume, illustrating your competencies and contributions effectively.

• • Implemented secure user authentication and payment processing.
• • Increased site traffic by 30% through optimized SEO strategies.
• • Collaborated with a team of designers and developers to ensure seamless user experience.

13. Include relevant licenses and certificates

Licenses and certifications on your resume  can be crucial in certain industries, as they demonstrate that you have the necessary qualifications and have met industry standards. Including these on your resume can set you apart from other candidates, especially if the job requires specific credentials.

Make sure to list any relevant licensures and certificates prominently and include the date of issuance.

Certification example:

Licensure example:

Tailoring and customization on a resume  are crucial because they show employers you have the specific skills and experiences they seek. By aligning your resume with the job description, you demonstrate that you’ve researched the company and understand their needs.

This increases your chances of standing out among applicants and getting selected for an interview. It also highlights your attention to detail and dedication, qualities valued by employers.

Tailor your resume for the job you want, not just the job you have.

1. Tailor your resume

Customizing your resume for each job application is essential to stand out in the competitive job market. This means you should carefully read the job description and identify the key skills and experiences that the employer is looking for. Then, adjust your resume to emphasize those qualifications. This not only shows that you have the required skills but also that you’re genuinely interested in the specific position.

Tailoring your resume involves reordering your skills, experiences, and achievements to align with the job requirements. For example, if a job posting for a marketing manager emphasizes digital marketing and data analysis, make sure to highlight your expertise in those areas prominently in your resume.

2. Make multiple versions

Creating multiple versions of your resume allows you to be prepared for various job opportunities without starting from scratch each time. This is particularly useful if you’re applying for different types of roles or industries.

Keep a master resume that includes all your experiences, skills, and accomplishments. From this master resume, you can create targeted versions that focus on specific aspects of your career that are most relevant to the job you’re applying for. This approach saves time and ensures that your resume is always tailored to the specific job.

If you are applying for both project management and business analyst roles, you might have two versions of your resume. The project management version would emphasize your experience in leading projects, while the business analyst version would focus on your analytical skills and experience with data analysis.

3. Use relevant keywords

To increase your chances of getting noticed, identify the key words and phrases  in the job description and naturally incorporate them into your resume. This shows the hiring manager that you understand the job's requirements and are able to fulfill them.

4. Curate your bullet points and experiences

Limiting bullet points to the most relevant achievements ensures that your resume remains concise and focused. Each bullet point should demonstrate a significant accomplishment or responsibility that is directly related to the job you’re applying for.

Avoid cluttering your resume with less relevant information that might dilute the impact of your most impressive achievements. Instead, focus on specific, quantifiable accomplishments  that highlight your skills and experience.

5. Show transferable skills and experiences

Highlighting transferable skills on your resume  is especially important if you are changing careers or applying for a role that differs from your previous positions. Transferable skills are abilities that you have developed in one context but can apply to another, such as leadership, communication, or project management.

By showcasing these skills, you can demonstrate your ability to succeed in a new role even if you don’t have direct experience in that field.

If you are moving from a teaching role to a corporate training position, you might highlight your skills in public speaking, curriculum development, and mentoring.

For example, you could write:

Designed and delivered engaging educational programs, resulting in a 30% improvement in student test scores.

6. List recent and relevant work experience

Focusing on your recent and relevant work experience on your resume  helps demonstrate your current skills and qualifications. If you’re asking yourself how far back you should go , typically, employers are most interested in your work history from the past 10-15 years. Older roles can be summarized or omitted if they are not directly relevant to the job you are applying for.

This approach keeps your resume concise and ensures that the most pertinent information is highlighted.

Keep your work history relevant

Instead of detailing a job you held 20 years ago, you might summarize it briefly if it is still relevant. " Previous roles include various marketing positions, contributing to a solid foundation in brand management and customer engagement”.

Using AI to assist with writing your resume can be highly beneficial. Here are some pointers to make the most out of AI tools:

1. Leverage AI resume builders

• Ease of use:   Enhancv’s free AI-powered resume builder  simplifies the creation process, guiding you through each section with prompts and suggestions.
• Customization:  Use these tools to tailor your resume to specific job descriptions by inputting keywords and skills relevant to the job.

2. Optimize keywords

• ATS optimization:  Run your current resume through Enhancv’s free AI resume checker  to identify and incorporate keywords from job descriptions, increasing your chances of passing ATS scans.
• Relevance:  Ensure that the keywords align with your actual skills and experiences to maintain authenticity.

3. Enhance formatting

• Consistency:  AI can suggest and implement consistent formatting, making your resume visually appealing and easy to read.
• Modern layouts:  Utilize AI recommendations for modern and effective resume layouts that attract recruiters' attention.

4. Draft multiple versions

• Role-specific resumes:  Create multiple versions of your resume tailored to different job roles or industries using AI suggestions.
• Experimentation:  Use AI to experiment with different wording and structures to see which versions resonate best with job postings.

Integrate AI into your resume writing process. It’ll enhance the quality, relevance, and effectiveness of your resume, increasing your chances of landing the job you desire.

1. Keep a resume outline

Maintaining a resume outline  is an essential organizational strategy that helps streamline the resume writing process. A resume outline is a comprehensive list of all your qualifications, including work experience, education, skills, certifications, and achievements.

By keeping this information readily available, you can easily tailor your resume to specific job applications without starting from scratch each time. This approach not only saves time but also ensures consistency and completeness in the information presented.

2. Avoid personal information

In short, do not put your  age , marital status, or social security number as they can lead to potential bias or identity theft. Employers are primarily interested in your professional qualifications and skills, not personal details that do not impact your ability to perform the job.

Excluding this information keeps your resume focused and professional, aligning with modern resume writing standards.

3. Avoid unnecessary phrases

Phrases like “References available upon request” are outdated and take up valuable space on your resume. Employers assume you will provide references if requested, so there is no need to state this explicitly. Instead, use this space to highlight additional skills or accomplishments that can make your resume stand out.

4. Explain career gaps

Being upfront about gaps in your employment history is crucial. Employers appreciate honesty and transparency. Use your cover letter or resume summary to briefly explain any significant gaps and focus on what you did during that time that contributes to your professional development.

If you took a year off to care for a family member, you could write, “ Took a career break from June 2020 to June 2021 to provide full-time care for a family member. During this time, I developed strong time management and organizational skills. ”

This explanation is straightforward and emphasizes the positive skills gained during the gap.

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50+ Resume Building Tips (Tricks and Writing Advice)

Writing a resume that helps you get noticed is very important as you embark on your next search for a dream job. In 2022, your resume needs to be easy to review quickly, concise with the most important highlights related to the job you’re pursuing, keyword-friendly for the AI resume bots that may be reviewing it first, and more.

When deciding to update your resume for a new job search in 2022, don’t feel like you must do a complete overhaul when considering the below-mentioned resume -building tips. In most cases, you’ll edit it to reduce the fluff and highlight the things that matter the most . Your number one goal is to get an interview for the particular job you’re applying for; it’s not telling your life story. Many job seekers believe that every little experience they’ve had or project they’ve completed has to be on their resume , and that’s not the case, as you’ll see below.

We advise you to print out your current resume  and the job posting you’re most interested in and have a red pen available as you walk through these tips and tricks for writing a great resume in 2022.

Best Resume Building Tips

Reduce Your Resume to One Page

Decide whether or not to include your mailing address, utilize a straightforward and easy scan format, maximize the use of format spacing, margins, all-caps, and bolded font for readability, remove the fluff by sifting through dated and unnecessary buzzwords, show off your hard and soft skills, scrub your personal info and social media accounts, do not match your resume to your linkedin profile.

When considering these resume -building tips, the first thing to do is reduce it to one page . A single-page resume is a widely held preference for most recruiters and HR leaders. Back in the day, we used to think of a long resume as proof of professionalism, and that’s no longer true. You can still include all the bright moments of your career and many of the different jobs you progressed through. Just try not to elaborate too much, and remember to be concise. If you’re stretching to get your resume to one page, adjust your font to a minimum of 11 for the body, and a max of 14 font sizes for your name.

Below are quick resume writing tips that you should use to highlight relevant skills, your educational background with academic honors , and your work history to reduce a good resume to one page.

• Only include relevant experiences to the job you are applying to
• Cut repetitive bullets for different jobs
• Leave out “references available upon request,” as employers will ask you when they want them
• Make your name smaller, with max 14 font size
• Get rid of your objective and skills section, especially if it’s taking up significant real estate
• Leave out volunteer work if it takes you to two pages unless it’s very relevant to the job to which you’re applying
• Leave out your high school unless you are in college looking for an internship or summer job
• Put information about each position on one line
• Format relevant leadership experience under work experience
• Adjust your spacing but make sure everything is easy to scan
• Put your contact information (city, professional email address, phone) on one line
• Use a smaller font, minimum 11 font-size though
• Don’t feel pressure to put three bullets but make sure they get your points across
• Use bullet points with relevant information that makes you stand out
• Only mention self-explanatory awards that are relevant
• Leave off irrelevant experience
• Submit it as a PDF unless otherwise specified
• Save your resume as “Your Full Name Resume ” and not something like “First Initial Last Name Resume Update 2022 March – The Newest”

Should you put your full address on your resume? Yes, you should add some form of location identifier , but it doesn’t necessarily need to be your complete address. There are different opinions about adding a street address to your resume . Some people find it necessary to have your prospective employer aware of your exact location, while others disagree. The consensus seems to point towards adding some form of location identifiers, such as adding just your city or state, your metropolitan area, or that you work remotely.

Reasons to put your full address on your resume include some employers expect it. It makes your resume ATS (Applicant Tracking System) friendly, makes the hiring process shorter, matches time zone compatibility for remote positions, and puts you in consideration for other jobs.

The reasons against putting your full address on your resume include personal security issues, the risk of employer location bias, unintentional disqualification if an employer sets up a location boundary, an outdated look, and space used.

Your career timeline isn’t as important as what you learned along the way. When updating your resume , even on an entry-level resume , state the milestones of your professional journey chronologically , and explain how they added to your skillset.

Generally speaking, there are four types of resume formats. Recruiters spend only a few seconds on every resume that lands on their desk. It would help if you crafted yours so that the most vital pieces of information are front and center. The good idea is to choose the proper format for your resume to do this. In some cases, resume templates can help get you started.

• Chronological
• Combination

Browse effective resume formats online for inspiration and choose a clearer  and more concise outline than your outdated resume . The aesthetics should first please you, but it should also be straightforward to read without exuberance. Choose a theme that’ll fit the image of your industry and a potential employer.

Below are a few resume formatting tips that may help you stand out and improve your current version.

• Set half-inch margins on the top and bottom and .7-inch margins on the sides
• Pick an 11 or 12-point resume font and stick to it
• Utilize times new roman font for the cleanest, least dramatic look
• Create a proper resume header format for your contact details with your name in a larger font than your address and phone number
• Divide your resume into distinct sections, for example, contact information, work experience, and education (add skills, awards, and summary if room otherwise remove)
• Use  relevant bullet points with action verbs  to talk about your experience
• Be consistent with your resume formatting and stick to the same date format, for example, 1–2023, or January 2023
• Use single spacing for bullets but add white space as necessary for readability
• Add an extra space before and after each section heading
• Don’t use photos on your resume unless the job description specifically asks for them
• Make sure the company, job title, and dates are in all caps, highlighted, or bolded so they stand out and are easy to scan

An average human nowadays has an attention span of a little less than a Goldfish. The short attention span 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.

Let’s 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

As you know, resume space is vital, and utilizing unnecessary words and verbose language can backfire. Here are more terms to never include on a resume .

• Team player
• Hardworking or hard worker
• Microsoft Office
• Reference available upon request
• I, she, he, him, her
• Can’t or won’t
• Unnecessary personal information
• I know HTML, photoshop
• Generalizations
• Accomplished
• Stay-at-home Mom
• Responsible for
• Results-oriented

Another great resume writing tip is to describe your current and previous work to frame your best traits. If you’re an expert in your field, write that before anything else. Leadership, conflict resolution, successful negotiation, and effective communication are among the most needed soft skills in the 2020s. Don’t just say that you have these skills, give examples that shed light on your best traits . If you missed it, check out our post on soft skills employers seek in the residential construction industry. Are you learning a new skill while searching for a new job ? Make sure to add it when building your resume .

Believe it or not, there was a time when marital status and the number of kids you had needed to appear on a resume . Familial status is no longer the case; recruiters generally avoid asking about these details. That said, go light on personal information in this uber-professional document, including non-relevant hobbies, and only present relevant social media handles. Lastly, this is an excellent time to remind you to scrub your social media channels that might have the information you don’t want to share with a potential employer.

• Make your accounts private if necessary
• Hide or delete any inappropriate posts
• Deactivate all old or unused accounts
• Add more appropriate photos
• Add a professional bio to your accounts if necessary
• Edit your handles and URLs
• Post-industry-related news, quotes, or articles

Tailor Your Credentials with Pertinent Keywords, the Job Requirements, and the Industry

Lastly, as you consider these resume writing tips, do your best to tailor your credentials to the job requirements to show you’re a good fit. We recommend updating your resume for each job, if different, and focusing  on keywords and notable topics in your industry .

Like the points above, keywords are words or short phrases related to specific job requirements. They are the skills, abilities, credentials, and qualities a prospective hiring manager might look for in a candidate. When a hiring manager looks through a pile of resumes, they scan each resume to find these keywords. Many companies even use automated applicant tracking systems (ATS), or talent management systems, to screen candidates for job openings. An ATS works by eliminating resumes that are missing specific keywords. If the software or the hiring manager does not detect any of the keywords in your resume or cover letter , your application might get thrown out.

Embedding keywords in your resume or cover letter is a great way to demonstrate, at a glance, that you fit the position’s requirements. That said, it’s essential, when updating your resume , that you have many of the crucial keywords specific to your background and the job you are applying to in your resume . We advise referencing the job description for many of the most relevant keywords.

You do not want to make your resume and LinkedIn profile the same. While your job history, dates, and education should match, LinkedIn should be more informal . Hiring managers will go to your LinkedIn profile to learn more about you, which is generally evident in your writing style. There are significant differences between resumes that get you hired and your LinkedIn profile, and it’s important to distinguish the two.

That said, don’t mistake an informal voice for being unprofessional. There are creative ways to make your LinkedIn profile professional and relaxed. Further, recruiters want to see different information, and it could signal to a recruiter that you’re lazy, not creative, or don’t understand what LinkedIn is used for. Generally, an executive resume should talk about business details, while LinkedIn should be more conversational about how you accomplished certain things.

There’s a fine line between crafting the perfect executive resume and writing a solid LinkedIn profile. Many executives use executive resume services to help distinguish the two.

Additional Resume Writing and Interview Tips for 2022

At Matchbuilt, in addition to helping you build a resume , we pride ourselves on supporting our candidates during the interview process. We’re jam-packed with tips regarding evidence-based recruiting practices, how to answer difficult interview questions such as “Why should we hire you?”, preparing for a Skype or Zoom interview , and tips for your LinkedIn profile —getting ready to resign from your current position? Try to leave without burning bridges .

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.

The Ultimate Guide on How to Write a Resume in 2021

Posted on 21 jul 2021.

We are now in the second half of 2021. Have you found meaningful work yet? If your resume is not getting you the results you want, it may be time to clean it up a bit with a few key resume writing tips 2020 . Make sure to use these tips to get ahead of the competition and finally get your foot in the door toward the career path you’re aiming for.

1. Plan your resume

Perhaps the most important of all resume writing tips 2021—before you begin writing a resume in 2021, you must first decide which type of resume works best: chronological, functional, or combination. Here’s the definition for each one so you’ll know the right one to write for your career situation.

• Chronological resume – the traditional type of resume, with the work experience listed in reverse chronological order.

• Functional resume – the type of resume that prioritizes skills over experience in order to take away attention from problematic career decisions.

• Combination resume – picks the best qualities of both the chronological and functional resume and merges them.

After choosing your resume type, you need to plan your resume sections according to the position and your specific career situation. Most people arrange their sections like so:

• Summary Statement

• Work Experience

• Professional Organizations

• Education

• Skills and Certifications

You can personalize these sections according to your needs, but avoid deviating too much from what recruiters and hiring managers expect to see.

2. Begin with a personal branding statement

For 2021 resume tips, well-crafted personal branding is not only important but crucial. Just like the “Bio” section of your social media pages, your resume’s personal branding statement gives a better understanding of who you are and your mission. Below your job title, write a sentence or phrase that best encapsulates your passion, profession, and/or accomplishments. Here are some tips to keep in mind: Use active verbs, focus on what you’re good at, and think over the keywords and make sure they feel fresh, not overused. Here are some examples:

• I build brands with small businesses.

• I make B2B transactions simpler and more cost-effective.

• Helping IT professionals achieve technical mastery over integrated management systems.

As one of the key resume writing tips to use for resume writing 2021 , keep working on your bio statement until you’re convinced that it conveys you as the ideal candidate for the job.

3. Write an impactful professional summary

A professional summary serves as an appetizer for the rest of your resume. Write it effectively, and your reader will be encouraged to read the rest of your application. As you write your summary statement, consider your unique strengths, experiences, and accomplishments that you believe are relevant to the job you’re applying for.

• Customize it specifically for the job position.

• Apply keywords used in the job listing.

• Quantify your achievements with solid numbers and figures.

• Sum up all that you have to offer.

Read the job posting carefully, then evaluate your own skills and experiences to identify the value that you can bring to the job and organization.

4. Keep it simple, clean, and modern

Your resume serves as your professional first impression, so you need to make sure it looks well-organized. It represents you formally, so here are a few of the more important resume writing tips you must remember: only use high-quality paper, and print only in black and white, because it helps establish you as a serious applicant. Choose a contemporary font, such as Calibri, Garamond, or Helvetica. Strive for the perfect balance of white space and print. Keep the size of the text between 10 and 12 for legibility, and only use single spacing for your paragraphs. Finally, keep the side margins one inch wide on both sides, as this is the universally accepted standard for formal letters.

5. Hit the right keywords

Many companies and business enterprises today employ an applicant tracking system (ATS), a type of computer program that basically scans and screens resume before they are read by recruiters and hiring managers. The way these applications work is that they basically pore through resumes looking for keywords specific to the job posting. Needless to say, if your resume doesn’t contain these keywords, your application has no chance of reaching the eyes of those who will supposedly hire you.

One of the crucial resume writing tips this year: the way to beat ATS is to ensure your resume possesses the right keywords and phrases, and this requires reviewing the job post carefully and taking note of prominent terms used. For a resume tips example, let’s say you were applying for a warehouse manager position, some of the keywords you’re likely to come across include:

• Trucking inventory

• Shipping and receiving

• Cycle counting

• Vendor management

By using job-specific keywords in your resume organically and naturally, you increase your chances of passing ATS screening, getting you closer to landing that ever-important job interview.

6. Be direct and concise

As you refine your resume, you need to make sure your document emphasizes the qualities that can help you stand out from the competition. This means you need to focus on skills, experiences, and accomplishments that are relevant to the job. Avoid peppering your resume with unnecessary and irrelevant information, as these may make you appear as someone who has very little to offer to the position in question. Recruiters will appreciate a lean resume more than that has been stuffed with unrelated experience.

7. Link to your LinkedIn profile

LinkedIn has become the preferred platform for brands and organizations to engage with a professional demographic. With over 87 percent of recruiters regularly using the platform, it is now considered a huge mistake for job hunters to not have a LinkedIn profile—even more so if they fail to link it to their application.

By linking your LinkedIn profile to your resume, you provide potential employers with a way to “get to know” you beyond your document. Expect them to go through your profile and posts to see if your skills and professionalism are up to par with what they’re looking for in a candidate. Likewise, you should also expect them to look for sensitive content that may put their branding at risk. Take the time to clean up your social media pages by hiding or deleting any inappropriate posts.

8. Present your accomplishments in a quantifiable manner

Recruiters love to see hard, solid numbers on a resume because it confirms to them that you were successful at your previously held jobs. Whenever you list your accomplishments, make sure you display them using percentages, proportions, or monetary amounts. For a resume tips example, if you worked as a salesperson at your old job, don’t just say that you regularly met the company quota—let your potential employer know what the quota was, how many months were you able to meet or exceed it, and how much your previous your company profited from your efforts. Here are some resume writing guides 2021 examples of what you could say:

• Generated over 20 percent of the company’s sales total over a four-year period.

• Met and exceeded delivery targets over a 2-year period, resulting in zero production downtime for the manufacturing company during the said period.

• Created and carried out skill workshops that improved employee productivity by 20 percent.

9. Be honest

It’s easier today for employers to research a candidate’s references and work history, so don’t conflate your achievements in an attempt to impress. If a recruiter finds contradictory information when they look you up on the Internet, you may just lose the chance of getting hired. Worse, you could even get blacklisted, and no recruiter will want to work with you. For resume writing 2021, this means that your resume will never be read by a hiring manager, and finding the next job or career opportunity only becomes that much more out of reach. Be truthful and avoid such consequences.

Need more tips on resume writing 2021?

Resumeble’s Career Advice section has many useful articles to help you develop your resume into the best application document it can possibly be. If you need help with your resume, we have expert writers who will work with you one on one to chisel your resume into a top-caliber application that showcases your best qualifications and highlights the value that you can deliver as an employee. Take advantage of our highly in-demand resume writing 2021 services today.

• 7 seconds: this is how long your resume has either to impress or be ignored by the recruiter
• 300+: average number of applications one corporate job opening posted online receives
• 3%: number of sent resumes that result in interviews

Transform your career and beat the odds!

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How to Make a Resume in 2024 | Beginner's Guide

For most job-seekers, a good resume is what stands between a dream job and Choice D. Get your resume right, and you’ll be getting replies from every other company you apply to.

If your resume game is weak, though, you’ll end up sitting around for weeks, maybe even months, before you even get a single response.

So you’re probably wondering how you can write a resume that gets you an interview straight up.

Well, you’ve come to the right place!

In this guide, we’re going to teach you everything you need to know about how to make a resume, including:

• The 8 Essential Steps to Writing a Resume
• 11+ Exclusive Resume Tips to Up Your Resume Game
• 27+ Real-Life Resume Examples for Different Professions

….and more!

So, let’s dive right in.

How to Make a Resume (The Right Way!)

Before we go into detail about how you should make a resume, here’s a summary of the most important steps and tips to keep in mind:

• Choose a resume format carefully. In 99% of cases, we recommend the reverse-chronological format .
• Add the right contact details. Leave your headshot out and make sure to include your job title , a professional email address, and any relevant links. (E.g.: your LinkedIn profile , online portfolio, personal website, etc.).
• Write an impactful resume summary. Unless you’re an entry-level professional, always go for a resume summary. If you do it right, it’s your chance to get the hiring manager to go through the rest of your resume in detail.
• Pay attention to your work experience section. Take your work experience section from OK-ish to exceptional by tailoring it to the job ad, making your achievements quantifiable, and using action verbs and power words.
• Add the right skills for the job. Keep this section relevant by only including the hard and soft skills that are required for the position.
• Keep your education short and to the point. Your most recent and highest degree is more than enough for a strong education section. You only need to add more details here if you’re a recent graduate with barely any work experience.
• Leverage optional resume sections. Optional sections like languages, hobbies, certifications, independent projects, and others can set you apart from other candidates with similar skills and experience.
• Include a cover letter. That’s right, cover letters matter in 2024, and the best way to supplement your resume is by adding an equally well-crafted cover letter to your job application. To make the most of it, check out our detailed guide on how to write a cover letter .

To get the most out of our tips, you can head over to the resume builder and start building your resume on the go as you read this guide.

New to resume-making? Give our ‘7 Resume Tips’ video a watch before diving into the article!

#1. Pick the Right Resume Format

Before you start filling in the contents of your resume, you have to make sure it’s going to look good. 

After all, the first thing hiring managers notice is what your resume looks like, and then they start reading it. So, this is your best chance to make a great first impression.

Start by choosing the right resume format.

There are three types of resume formats out there:

• Reverse-chronological. This is by far the most popular resume format worldwide and, as such, it’s the best format for most job-seekers.
• Functional. This resume format focuses more on skills than work experience. It’s a good choice if you’re just getting started with your career and have little to no experience in the field.
• Combination. The combination resume format is a great choice for experienced job-seekers with a very diverse skill set. It’s useful if you’re applying for a role that requires expertise in several different fields and you want to show all that in your resume.

So, which one should you go for?

In 99% of cases, you want to stick to the reverse-chronological resume format . It’s the most popular format and what hiring managers expect to see. So, in the rest of this guide, we’re going to focus on teaching you how to make a reverse-chronological resume.

Fix Your Resume’s Layout

With formatting out of the way, let’s talk about your resume’s layout , which determines the overall look of your resume. 

Does it look organized or cluttered? Is it too short or too long? Is it boring and easy to ignore, or is it reader-friendly and attention-grabbing?

Here are some of the best practices you should apply:

• Stick to one page. You should only go for a two-page resume if you have decades of experience and you’re sure the extra space will add significant value. Hiring managers in big companies get hundreds of applications per job opening. They’re not going to spend their valuable time reading your life story!
• Add clear section headings. Pick a heading and use it for all the section headers so the hiring manager can easily navigate through your resume.
• Adjust the margins. Without the right amount of white space, your resume will end up looking overcrowded with information. Set your margins to one inch on all sides so your text fits just right on the page.
• Choose a professional font. We’d recommend sticking to a font that’s professional but not overused. For example, Ubuntu, Roboto, or Overpass. Avoid Times New Roman, and never use Comic Sans.
• Set the correct font size. As a rule of thumb, go for 11-12 pt for normal text and 14-16 pt for section titles.
• Use a PDF file. Always save your resume as a PDF file, unless the employer specifically requests otherwise. Word files are popular, but there’s a good chance they’ll mess up your resume’s formatting.

Another thing you need to consider in terms of your resume’s layout is whether you’re going for a traditional-looking resume template or something a bit more modern :

If you’re pursuing a career in a more traditional industry, like law , banking , or finance , you might want to stick to the first.

But if you’re applying to a tech company where imagination and innovation are valued, you can pick a more creative resume template .

Want to Save Time? Use a (Free) Resume Template

Anyone who’s ever tried creating a resume from scratch knows how boring the formatting can be.

Before you can even start filling in the contents, you need to tweak the margins, adjust font sizes, and make sure everything fits into one page while still looking good.

What if you could skip past all that and still create a compelling resume?

Try one of our free resume templates . They’re pre-formatted, so all you have to do is fill in the contents.

They’re also created in collaboration with recruiters from around the globe, ensuring that the templates are visually appealing and ATS-friendly!

See for yourself how one of our templates compares to a resume created in a standard text editor:

#2. Add Your Contact Information

Now that we’ve got all the formatting out of the way, let’s get into what your resume is all about— the information you put on it .

The first thing you want to do when filling out the contents of your resume is to add your contact information .

This section is pretty straightforward but crucial. Your contact details belong at the top of your resume in a designated resume header , so the hiring manager can easily find them.

Even if everything else about your resume is perfect, that all flops if you misspell your email address or have a typo in your phone number. If the hiring manager can’t contact you, it’s a missed opportunity.

So, double-check, and even triple-check your contact information section and make sure everything is factually correct and up-to-date.

Must-Have Information

• Full name. Your first and last name should stand out at the top of your resume.
• Email address. Stick to an address that’s professional and easy to spell, like a combination of your first and last name. (E.g.: [email protected])
• Phone number. Add a reliable number where the hiring manager can easily reach you.
• Location. Add your city and state/country. If you plan to relocate for the job or want a remote position, specify it on your resume.

Optional Information

• Job title. Add your professional title underneath. Write it down word for word, whether it’s “Digital Marketing Specialist” or “Junior Data Scientist.” Just don’t make up job titles like “Marketing Wizzard” or “Data Manipulator.” They’re not quirky; they’re just unprofessional. 
• LinkedIn profile . We recommend that you include a link to your updated LinkedIn profile since over 77% of hiring managers use the platform when evaluating a candidate. 
• Relevant links. Include links to personal websites or any social media profiles that are relevant to your field. For example, a developer could include a Github profile, while a graphic designer could link their Behance or Driblle account, and so on.
• Date of birth. Unless this is specifically required in the job ad, the hiring manager doesn’t need to know how old you are. It’s not important for their decision-making, and at worst, it might lead to age-based discrimination.
• Unprofessional email address. Your quirky, old high school email address doesn’t belong on your resume. Instead of [email protected] , go for a [email protected] type of address.
• Headshot. (USA, UK or Ireland) Depending on the country where you’re applying, it might even be illegal to include a picture of yourself on your resume . While it’s the norm to include a picture in most of Europe and Asia, always check the regulations for each specific country or industry you’re applying to.

All clear? Good! Now, let’s look at what a great example of a resume's contact information section looks like:

#3. Write a Resume Headline (Summary or Objective)

It's no secret that recruiters spend an average of less than seven seconds on a resume .

When you receive hundreds, if not thousands, of applications daily, it's physically impossible to spend too much time on each.

So, what the hiring managers do to go through resumes more effectively is to skim through each resume and read it in depth only if it piques their interest.

This is where the resume headline comes in.

Placed right next to (or underneath) your contact information, this brief paragraph is the first thing the hiring manager is going to read on your resume.

Now, depending on how far along in your career you are, your resume headline can be either a resume summary or a resume objective.

So, how do you choose between a resume summary and a resume objective? Here’s all you need to know:

Resume Summary

A resume summary, as the name suggests, is a two to three-sentence summary of your career so far. If done right, it shows that you’re a qualified candidate at a glance and gets the hiring manager to give you a chance.

Here’s what your resume summary should include:

• Your job title and years of experience.
• A couple of your greatest professional achievements or core responsibilities.
• Your most relevant skills for the job.

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

Experienced Java Developer with 5 years of experience in building scalable and efficient applications. Contributed to a major project that enhanced application performance by 25%. Strong background in Spring Framework and microservices. Aiming to apply robust coding skills to develop innovative software solutions at XYZ Tech Solutions.

Unless you’re a recent graduate or amid a career change, we recommend you stick to a resume summary. Otherwise, a resume objective might be a better option for you.

Resume Objective

A resume objective is supposed to express your professional goals and aspirations, academic background, and any relevant skills you may have for the job.

It communicates your motivation for getting into a new field, so it’s the go-to headline for recent graduates and those going through a career change. As with a resume summary, a resume objective should be brief—around two to four sentences long.

So, here’s what it would look like if you’re a student:

Hard-working recent graduate with a B.A. in Graphic Design from New York State University seeking new opportunities. 3+ years of practical experience working with Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, creating illustrations and UX/UI design projects. Looking to grow as a designer and perfect my art at XYZ Design Studio.

Or, on the other hand, if you’re going through a career change, it might look more like this:

IT project manager with 5+ years of experience in software development. Managed a team of developers to create products for several industries, such as FinTech and HR tech. Looking to leverage my experience in managing outsourced products as a Product Owner at Company XYZ.

#4. Prioritize Your Work Experience

The most important part of your resume is your work experience.

This is where you get to sell yourself and show off your previous accomplishments and responsibilities.

If you manage to master this section, you’ll know most of what’s there to know about how to make a resume.

There are plenty of good practices for writing your work experience . But before we dive into all the nits and grits, let's start with the basics.

The standard format for each work experience entry is as follows:

• Job title/position. Your job title goes on top of each work experience entry. When the hiring manager looks at your resume, you want them to know, at a glance, that you have relevant work experience for the job.
• Company name/location/description. Mention the name of the employer and the general location, such as the city and state/country where you worked. In some cases, you may also want to briefly describe the company, like when the organization isn’t particularly well-known.
• Dates employed. Add the approximate timeframe of your employment at each company. You don’t need to give exact dates since the standard format for this is mm/yyyy.
• Achievements and responsibilities. This is the core of each work experience entry. Depending on your field, you want to list either your achievements or responsibilities. List them in bullet points instead of paragraphs, so they’ll be easier to read.

Here’s a real-life example:

Your work experience entries should always be listed in reverse chronological order , starting with your most recent job and working your way back into the past.

Now that you know how to list your experience, we’re going to show you how to write about it in a way that makes you stand out from the competition, starting with: 

Are you a student with no work experience? We’ve got you covered. Check out our guide to writing a resume with no experience here.

Focus on Achievements Whenever Possible

One of the most common resume mistakes is only listing responsibilities in your work experience section.

Here’s the thing—in most cases, the hiring manager knows exactly what your job responsibilities are.

For example, if you’re a sales manager, your responsibilities would be:

• Reach out to potential clients over the phone or email.
• Maintain relationships with existing company clients and upsell relevant products.
• Tracking and reporting on leads in CRM.

Coincidentally, this is also the same list of responsibilities for every sales manager out there. So, 90% of all other resumes probably mention the same thing.

To stand out from the competition, you want to focus on writing achievements in your resume instead. These can be how you helped your previous company grow, reach quarterly quotas, and so on.

Let’s compare how responsibilities hold up next to achievements for the same job:

• Exceeded sales team KPIs by 30%+ for 3 months straight.
• Generated over $24,000 in sales in 1 month.
• Generated leads through cold-calling
• Managed existing company clients

Keep in mind, though, that in some fields, there just aren’t that many achievements you can mention. Let’s say you’re a warehouse worker .

Your day-to-day responsibilities probably include:

• Loading, unloading, and setting up equipment daily.
• Packaging finished products and getting them ready for shipping.
• Assisting in opening and closing the warehouse.

In fields like this, it’s pretty hard to distinguish yourself through achievements, so it’s okay to stick to responsibilities instead. You can still make them shine by following the rest of our advice about listing your work experience.

Keep in mind, though, that in some fields, there aren’t that many achievements you can mention. Let’s say you work in a warehouse. Your day-to-day responsibilities probably involve:

• Loading, unloading and setting up equipment on a daily basis.
• Package finished product and get it ready for shipping.
• Assist in opening and closing the warehouse.

In such fields, it’s pretty hard to distinguish yourself, so it’s totally OK to stick to responsibilities instead.

Tailor Your Resume to the Job

Tailoring is what sets an amazing resume apart from an okay one.

Hiring managers don’t need to know about every single job you’ve ever worked at or every single skill that you have.

They only want to know about your jobs, experiences, or skills that are relevant to the role you’re applying for.

For example, if you’re applying for a job doing Google Ads, you don’t need to talk about your SEO internship from eight years ago.

By focusing your resume on whatever is important for the specific role, you’re a lot more likely to stand out and catch the hiring manager’s attention.

Let’s take a look at an example of a job ad:

As you can see, we’ve highlighted the most important requirements.

To tailor your resume accordingly, you just need to mention how you meet each of these requirements in your resume.

You can highlight your relevant achievements and qualifications in different parts of your resume, such as:

• In your resume summary, where you should recap your years of experience.
• Throughout your work experience section, where you should list achievements and responsibilities that reflect your social media marketing experience.
• In your education section, where you can let the hiring manager know you have the degree that they’re looking for.

Include the Right Amount of Work Experience

If you’ve got over a decade’s worth of work experience, you’re probably wondering whether all of it belongs on your resume. In most cases, you’d end up writing a novel if you listed everything you’ve ever done, and that’s not how long a resume should be .

If you’re new to the job market, on the other hand, you probably don’t have any experience, and you’re wondering what you could even add to this section.

So, here’s how much information your resume should include, depending on your level of experience:

• No experience. If you’re looking for your first job , you won’t have any work experience to fill this section with. So, you can either keep it empty and focus on all the other sections or fill it up with any experience gained in student organizations, extracurricular activities, volunteering, and other projects.
• Entry-level. List all your work experience so far. While some of it won’t be relevant, it can still show the hiring manager that you do have some actual work experience.
• Mid-level. Only mention relevant work experience to the position you’re applying for. There’s no need to waste space on jobs that aren’t related to what you’re after.
• Senior-level. List up to 15 years of relevant work experience, tops. If your most recent experience is as a marketing executive , the hiring manager doesn’t care how you started your career as a junior marketing specialist 23 years ago.

Consider Applicant Tracking System (ATS) Software

Did you know that over 70% of resumes don’t even make it to the hiring manager ?

Most companies these days use ATS to evaluate hundreds of resumes instantaneously and automatically filter out the ones that don’t meet their criteria.

For example, if a resume doesn’t mention a specific skill or isn’t formatted correctly, the ATS will automatically reject it.

Fortunately, there are some easy ways to make an ATS-friendly resume .

Here are a couple of tips to help you get past those pesky robots:

• Stick to one page. Sometimes employers set a limit on how long a resume should be. This means that if your resume is longer than one page, it might get automatically disqualified.
• Incorporate keywords. Tailoring your resume to the job helps a ton with beating the ATS. Just carefully read the job description to find hints for what the ATS will be looking for. Then, whenever you find keywords related to your responsibilities and achievements, make sure to include them in your work experience section.
• Use an active voice. Passive voice is too vague and unclear, so make sure to use active voice as much as possible when describing your previous jobs. (E.g.: “Managed a team of ten people,” instead of “ A team of ten people was managed by me.” )
• Leverage powerful action words. Instead of starting each of your sentences with “was responsible for," make your work experience impactful by using words that can grab attention. Saying that you “spearheaded” or “facilitated” something sounds a lot more impressive than “helped.”

Want to make sure your resume formatting passes the ATS test? Choose one of our tried and tested ATS-friendly resume templates , and you’ll be good to go! 

#5. List Your Education

The next section on your resume is dedicated to your academic qualifications. Let’s start with the basics!

Here’s how you should format the education section on your resume :

• Program Name. Your major and degree type should be listed. (E.g.: “B.A. in Business Administration” )
• University Name. Add the name of the institution. (E.g.: “New York State University” )
• Dates Attended. Use a mm/yyyy format for the dates you attended. (E.g.: “08/2008 - 06/2012” )
• Location. If your university is less well-known, you can also add the location. (E.g.: “Stockholm, Sweden” )
• GPA. Use the appropriate grading system for the country you’re applying to work in. (E.g.: In the USA, it would be “3.9 GPA” )
• Honors. Add any honors and distinctions you’ve been given. (E.g.: Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, Summa Cum Laude )
• Achievements. You can mention interesting papers you’ve written, projects you’ve done, or relevant coursework you’ve excelled in.
• Minor. “Minor in Psychology”

Pretty simple, right? Now let’s see what an education section looks like in practice:

This example includes all the necessary information, plus an eye-catching award and relevant classes this candidate has taken.

Resume Education Tips

Now that you know how to list your education on your resume, let’s take this section to the next level.

Just follow these expert tips:

• If you’re making a resume as a student and don’t have any work experience yet, you can list your education section at the beginning of the page instead of work experience.
• You can add your expected graduation date if you’re still pursuing your degree.
• If you already have relevant work experience, just keep this section short and sweet. Recent graduates can expand on their education more and add optional information like projects, classes, academic achievements, etc.
• Always list your degrees in reverse chronological order, starting with your highest degree on top. Your highest and most recent degree is usually enough, so if you have a Master’s degree that’s relevant to the job, there’s no need to mention your earlier degrees.
• Don’t add your high school degree to your resume if you already have a university degree. It doesn’t have as much weight, and you can use the space for something else.
• Only mention your GPA if you had an impressive academic career. Anything below a 3.5 GPA doesn’t need to be on your resume.

Are you in the process of applying for college? Check out our guide to writing a college application resume to wow that admissions officer!

#6. Emphasize Your Know-How in the Skills Section

After your work experience, your skills are the first thing the hiring manager is going to look for. In fact, together, work experience and skills make up 90% of the hiring decision .

So, this is the place where you want to mention all the know-how that makes you the perfect candidate for the job.

There are two types of skills you can include when writing your resume:

• Hard Skills. These are measurable abilities. What you can list here can be anything from coding in Python to knowing how to cook Thai cuisine.
• Soft Skills. Also known as personal skills, these are a mix of communication skills , personal traits, career attributes, and more. They can include leadership, critical thinking, and time management , just to name a few.

Your resume should always cover both hard skills and soft skills . Here’s an example in action:

Now, let’s discuss how you should list your most important skills on your resume.

There are a few essential steps you need to follow:

Always List Hard and Soft Skills Separately

Your resume should be easy and neat to navigate. The hiring manager shouldn’t have to waste time looking for a specific skill because you didn’t separate it into the appropriate subsection.

So, just create separate categories for your hard and soft skills.

Depending on your field, you could customize the name of your “hard skills” subsection to something like “technical skills," “marketing skills," or something else related to your field.

Let’s look at an example of what skills look like on a project manager’s resume :

Methodologies & Tools

• Agile Methodology
• SCRUM Framework
• Waterfall Project Management
• Microsoft Project
• Critical Path Method (CPM)
• Earned Value Management (EVM)
• Risk Management

Soft Skills

• Team Management
• Conflict Resolution
• Negotiation

Tailor Your Skills to the Job

You might have some awesome skills, but the hiring manager only needs to know about the ones that are relevant to the job.

For example, if you’re applying for a job as an accountant, your gourmet chef skills shouldn’t be on your resume.

Look at the job ad and list at least two to three essential skills you have that are required for the role. Remember—there’s no need to list every skill you have here; just keep it relevant.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Graphic Design or a related field.
• Tech-savvy, with some background in CMS systems such as WordPress.
• Thrives in a stressful environment and juggles multiple tasks and deadlines.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Self-reliant, with the ability to manage their own work.
• A can-do attitude and an outside-the-box thinker.
• Proficient in Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Keynote, and Pages.
• Basic understanding of Office software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

So, the must-have hard skills here are Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Keynote, and Pages. Other good computer skills to have are WordPress or similar CMS systems.

While you can also mention Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, it’s pretty much assumed that you know how to use them since they’re required for most office jobs.

List Hard Skills with Experience Levels

For each hard skill you list on your resume, you should also mention your proficiency level. This tells employers what they can expect from you and how much training you might need.

• Beginner. You have some experience with the skill, whether it’s from some entry-level practice or classroom education.
• Intermediate. You’ve used the skill in a work environment with good understanding.
• Advanced. You’re the go-to person for this skill in your office. You can coach other employees, and you understand the skill at a high level.
• Expert. You’ve applied this skill to more than a handful of different projects and organizations. You’re the go-to person for advice about the skill, not just in your office but even amongst some of the best professionals in your field.

Just make sure to never lie about your actual skill level. Even if you get the job, once you need those skills you exaggerated, it will be pretty awkward for both you and your employer.

Include Transferable Skills

These are the types of skills that are useful for almost any job out there.

Transferable skills can be both soft skills (e.g.: teamwork, creativity, problem-solving skills, and others) and hard skills (MS Office Suite, HTML, writing, etc.)

Whatever job you’re applying to, chances are you have transferable skills from your experience that can come in handy one way or another. So, feel free to include them, even if they’re not specifically required for the position.

Not sure which skills to mention on your resume for your specific field? Check out our list of 101+ essential skills for inspiration!

#7. Leverage Optional Resume Sections

The sections we’ve covered so far are must-haves for any resume. They’re the bread-and-butter for any job application, and if you get them right, you’ll land any job you apply to.

But if you have some leftover space, there are a few optional sections you can choose from to give your resume a boost!

Are you bi-lingual? Or even better  – multi-lingual? You should always mention that on your resume!

Even if the position doesn’t require you to know a specific language, it can still come in handy at some point. At the end of the day, it’s always better to know more languages than less.

To list languages in your resume , just write them down and assign them the appropriate level:

• Intermediate

You can also use the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL) or the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency scales.

As a given, you should never lie about your language skills. You never know—your interviewer might turn out to be fluent in the language or even be a native speaker!

Hobbies and Interests

If you want to spice up your resume, hobbies and interests could be just what you need.

While this section isn’t a game-changer, it can help the hiring manager see who you are as an individual.

For example, if you listed “teamwork” as one of your skills, hobbies like team sports can back up your claim.

And who knows? Maybe you and your interviewer have some hobbies or interests in common!

Volunteering Experience

If you’re the type of person who devotes their free time to helping others while expecting nothing in return, chances are that you’re the type of employee who’s in it for more than just the money. 

Seeing volunteer experience on your resume tells hiring managers that you’re a loyal employee who’s after something meaningful.

Several studies show that listing your volunteer experience can boost your chances of getting hired, especially if you have little to no work experience.

Certifications

Hiring managers love candidates who invest in themselves, and that’s exactly what they see when you list certifications on your resume .

If you value continuous learning and strive to expand your skill set, that’s always a plus.

Certifications can also show employers how much expertise you have.

For example, if you’re a Microsoft Cloud Engineer and you specialize in Microsoft Technologies, you should definitely include all essential certifications on your resume, such as the Azure Solutions Architect Expert one.

Awards and Recognitions

There’s no harm in showing off a little on your resume. After all, you want to be a candidate that shines above the rest.

So, if you’ve received any awards or recognitions that make you stand out in your field, make sure to add them.

For example, if you’ve been recognized for your contributions to data science or received a hard-to-come-by scholarship , mention it in your resume. Just keep your entries here relevant to the field you’re applying to.

Publications

Whether you’re a freelance writer or a distinguished academic, publications are always impressive.

If you have any published works (online or in an academic journal), you can add them to your resume. Just make sure to include a link so the hiring manager knows where to check your work!

Are you looking for a career in academia? Check out our guide to writing the perfect academic CV to get started!

Working on side projects can show off your passion for your field. Whether they’re university class projects or part-time entrepreneurial endeavors, they’re relevant.

For example, if you worked on a mock software product as part of a university competition, it shows you went through every step of product creation, from ideation to creating a marketing strategy.

This project also shows off your organizational skills , and if you mention it in your resume, you stand a better chance of landing the job you had your sights set on.

But projects can also be personal, not academic. For example, you might manage an Etsy store where you sell hand-made arts and crafts to customers online. This is a great opportunity to highlight your creativity, management, and customer service skills .

Overall, hiring managers love employees who do cool work in their free time, so projects are always a great section to add to your resume.

Looking to kickstart your career? Check out our guide on how to get an internship for useful tips and real-life examples!

Extracurricular Activities

Every college freshman knows that extracurricular experience can make a difference in their application.

Especially if you don’t have a lot of experience outside of school, extracurricular activities are a great way to show potential employers your skills and give them insight into you as a person. Different clubs and after-school projects can help you gain real-life skills and considerably increase your chances of landing your first job after college.

For example, joining a student government organization can hone your leadership skills and teach you how to work as part of a team.

For example, if you’re part of a student government or public speaking club, these activities can help you hone your leadership and presentation skills.

11+ Expert Resume Tips

You’ve got the gist of how to make a resume. Now, it’s time to make it really stand out from the crowd!

Follow these exclusive resume tips to take your resume game to the next level:

• Match the professional title underneath your name to the job title of the position you’re applying for. Hiring managers often hire for several roles at once, so giving them this cue about what role you’re after helps things go smoother.
• Mention any promotions from your previous jobs. Use the work experience entries for them to focus on the achievements that helped you earn them.
• Describe your achievements using Laszlo Bock’s formula : accomplished X as measured by Y by doing Z . This way, your work experience can go the extra mile and show the hiring manager what you can bring to the table.
• Always list your achievements and responsibilities in concise bullet points. This makes your resume more reader-friendly, and it’s more likely that the hiring manager will see your impressive achievements at a glance.
• Don’t use personal pronouns like “I” or “me,” and don’t refer to yourself by name. Stick to a slightly altered third person, like “managed data integrity at XYZ Inc.” instead of “he managed data integrity at XYZ Inc.”
• Name your resume sections correctly, or it might get rejected by the ATS. Swapping out quirky names like “career history” or “expertise” for “work experience” and "skills" makes it easier for the hiring manager to find what they’re looking for, too.
• Prioritize important keywords instead of adding all of them. Make sure the relevant skills, qualifications, and experiences you add all make sense in context, too. Your goal is to get past the ATS and impress the hiring manager.
• Focus on transferable skills if you don’t have a lot of relevant work experience. Any extracurricular activities or personal projects can help you stand out here.
• Add a strategic pop of color to headings, bullet points, or key elements you want to highlight. It can help your resume stand out, but don’t overdo it—you want the information to be more impressive than the color palette.
• Don’t include the line “references available upon request.” Hiring managers already know they can request a list of references from you, so there’s no need to waste valuable space on it.
• Make sure your resume is optimized for mobile viewing. Most hiring managers use their mobile phones as often as desktop computers, so save your resume to a PDF file and make sure your formatting stays intact across any device.
• Rename the resume file you plan to send so it includes your name and the name of the position you’re applying for. It’s a small detail that can turn into a crucial mistake if you forget it.
• Read your resume out loud when you’re done. This is a great way to catch awkward phrases or spelling mistakes you might have missed otherwise.
• Use a tool like DocSend to track your resume. You’ll get a notification any time someone opens your resume, and you can see how long they spend reading it.

FREE Resume Checklist

Are you already done with your resume? Let’s see how it holds up!

Go through our checklist for perfecting your resume and see where you stand!

If you missed some points, just go through your resume one more time and perfect it.

And if you ☑’d everything—congrats! You’ve learned all there is to know about writing a resume, and you’re good to go with your job search.

Need to write a CV instead of a resume? Check out our step-by-step guide on how to write a CV with dozens of examples!

9 Resume Templates for Different Industries

Looking to create an effective resume without dealing with the formatting hassle? Just choose one of the templates below.

#1. Traditional Resume Template

Good for traditional industries like finance, banking, law, and manufacturing.

#2. Modern Resume Template

Good for both contemporary and forward-looking industries, including entrepreneurship, medical technology, and engineering.

#3. Creative Resume Template

Good for creative industries, including entertainment, design, and architecture. 

#4. Minimalistic Resume Template

Good for experienced professionals in basically any industry who want to let their achievements do the talking. 

#5. IT Resume Template

Good for any IT-related profession like software development, cyber security, and DevOps engineering.

#6. Tech Resume Template

Good for the tech industry and everything it encompasses.

#7. College Resume Template

Good for college students and recent graduates alike.

#8. General Resume Template

Good for multiple industries, including HR, education, and customer service.

#9. Executive Resume Template

Good for senior professionals across different industries, including hospitality, marketing, and logistics.

17+ Resumes for Different Jobs

Knowing how to write a resume is one thing, but making a resume that stands out is something entirely different. Without inspiration, even top career experts might stumble on a roadblock or two.

Check out the following effective resume examples for specific jobs to get a better sense of what a good resume looks like:

#1. Nurse Practitioner Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a nurse resume here.

#2. Data Scientist Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a data scientist resume here.

#3. Business Analyst Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a business analyst resume here.

#4. Digital Marketing Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a digital marketing resume here.

#5. Software Engineer Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a software engineer resume here.

#6. Construction Project Manager Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a construction project manager resume here.

#7. Customer Service Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a customer service resume here.

#8. High School Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a high school resume here.

#9. Student Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a student resume here.

#10. Server Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a server resume here.

#11. Actor Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing an actor resume here.

#12. Web Developer Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a web developer resume here.

#13. Engineering Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing an engineering resume here.

#14. Computer Science Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a computer science resume here.

#15. Architect Resume Example 

Check out our full guide to writing a data analyst resume here.

#17. Remote Job Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a remote job resume here.

#18. Sales Associate Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a sales associate resume here.

#19. Receptionist Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a receptionist resume here.

Want to see more examples? Check out our compilation of 80+ resume examples for different fields .

• Administrative Assistant Resume
• Bartender Resume
• DevOps Engineer Resume
• Executive Assistant Resume
• Flight Attendant Resume
• Graphic Designer Resume
• Paralegal Resume
• Pharmacist Resume
• Recruiter Resume
• Supervisor Resume

Next Steps After Your Resume

Now that we’ve covered everything you need to know about how to make a resume, it’s time to talk about the rest of your job application.

After all, your resume is only the first step in your job search. To land the job you deserve, you also need to write a captivating cover letter and ace that upcoming interview. Here’s how:

#1. How to Write a Convincing Cover Letter

The companion piece to every resume is the cover letter.

Most job-seekers flinch when they hear that they have to write a cover letter. What do you even mention in a cover letter, anyway? If you were good at writing cover letters, you’d be applying for a job as a writer !

In reality, though, writing a cover letter is very simple once you know its purpose.

Think of your cover letter as a direct message to the hiring manager. It’s your chance to briefly explain why you’re such an awesome fit for the position. And with a few cover letter tips to point you in the right direction, you’ll write the perfect cover letter for your job application.

Just follow this structure:

• Add the contact details. Include the same contact information as on your resume, plus additional contact details for the hiring manager, including their name, job title, the company’s name, and location.
• Introduce yourself. Start your cover letter by mentioning who you are, what your work experience is, and why you’re interested in the position. Mention a standout achievement or two, relevant skills, and what you’d like to do for the company you’re applying for.
• Explain why you’d excel at the job. Find the requirements in the job ad that you meet, and elaborate on how you fulfill the most important ones. Research the company so you know what you like about it, and mention it in your cover letter. Make sure to convey your enthusiasm for the job and confidence that you’ll be a great fit for their team.
• Wrap it up politely. Conclude your cover letter by recapping your key selling points and thanking the hiring manager for their time. Then add a call to action, such as “Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at the provided phone number so that we can discuss my application in greater detail.” Then, add a closing line and follow it with your full name.

Sounds easy, right? Here’s a real-life example to drive the point home:

Do you need more help perfecting your cover letter? Learn what the most common cover letter mistakes are and check out cover letter examples for all professions here.

#2. How to Ace Your Next Interview

Once you’ve perfected both your resume and cover letter, there’s only one thing left.

It’s time for the final step—the dreaded job interview.

Whether you’re an extrovert or an introvert, you probably hate the interviewing process. No matter how experienced you are, it can be nerve-wracking. Sitting there while someone’s prodding into your past experiences and judging you isn’t fun.

But did you know that most interviewers ask the same questions?

That’s right—all you have to do is learn how to answer some of the most common interview questions, and you’ll be an interview away from landing your dream job!

Just check out our complete guide to the 35+ Job Interview Questions and Answers and learn how to ace your next interview.

FAQs on How to Make a Resume

Do you still have some questions about making a resume? Check out the answers to the most frequently asked questions below!

#1. What does a good resume look like in 2024?

For your resume to look good in 2024, make sure it’s organized and clean and isn’t longer than one page.

Be sure to include information that adds value to your application—leave out the focus on your relevant work experience and skills that you can back up, and list as many achievements as possible. 

If you’re using a resume template, choose one based on your industry. Conservative industries like law, banking, and business require more traditional resume templates. But if you’re going for an industry like design, architecture, or marketing, you can go for a creative resume template . 

Remote work is also big in 2024, so if that’s what you’re after, tailor your resume to match the job you want.

#2. How do you make a resume in Word?

The best way to create a resume in Word is to use a pre-designed Microsoft Word template. To access them, you should: 

• Open MS Word
• Click “file” from the menu bar 
• Select “new”
• Type “resume templates” in the search bar 

That said, Word resume templates are generic, hard to personalize, and overall not very stylish.

Want a resume that looks good and is extremely easy to make? Check out resume templates to get started!

#3. How do I write a resume for my first job?

If you’re writing your first-ever resume for an entry-level position, the hiring manager won’t expect you to have any work experience.

However, you can make up for your lack of experience with your skills and academic achievements.

For example, you can take advantage of extracurricular activities, internships, volunteering experiences, and other non-professional experiences. You can use them to highlight the skills you’ve gained and what you’ve achieved so far.

So, your first job resume should have a resume objective, emphasize your education, and replace your work experience with any internships, volunteering, independent projects, or other experiences.

#4. How to make a resume on Google Docs?

You can make a resume on Google Docs by choosing one of their templates and filling it in on the go.

All you have to do is go to your Google Drive’s template gallery, choose your preferred template, fill in your information, and your Google Docs resume is ready to go! 

That said, Google Docs templates aren’t the most user-friendly choice. You don’t have much flexibility with the layout and formatting isn’t that easy. For example, you tweak a section to the slightest, and the whole resume becomes a mess.

If you want an easier option, check out our resume builder !

#5. What kind of resume do employers prefer?

Typically, employers prefer one-page-long resumes that follow the reverse chronological format. 

Hiring managers receive hundreds of resumes every day, so they don't have the time to read three-page resumes. Try one of our one-page resume templates so you don’t go over the recommended resume length.

Meanwhile, the reverse-chronological format is the most popular because it draws attention to your most recent jobs and professional achievements, which is the #1 most important thing hiring managers look at when evaluating a resume.

#6. How many jobs should you put on your resume? 

You should only include relevant job positions on your resume.

This means that your work experience section should be tailored to the job you are applying for. If you’ve worked five different jobs and they can all add value to your current application, then you should include all five. 

If, on the other hand, you’re applying for, say, a customer service position and some of your past jobs don’t have anything to do with customer service, you should skip them.

#7. Should I put my address on my resume? 

You can put your location (city, state, or country) on your resume, but you don’t need to put your entire physical address.

Putting a physical address on a resume was the norm back when companies would contact you via mail. In today’s world, everyone communicates via email, which is why adding a correct and professional email address to your contact information section is far more important than putting your physical address. 

So, just include your location or-–if you’re a remote worker—specify you prefer to work remotely by writing “working remotely from [location].”

#8. What information should I leave out of my resume?

As a general rule, you shouldn’t include your birthday or your headshot on your resume. This norm varies from country to country but it applies to the USA, Canada, and UK.

If you have plenty of achievements to list under your work experience, then you can leave your basic work responsibilities out of your resume. 

In your education section, you should only include your highest and most recent degree. So, if you hold a Ph.D., you can list that and your Master’s degree and leave your Bachelor’s degree and high school diploma out.

Finally, leave out any skills that aren’t relevant to the job you’re applying for.

#9. Is a resume a CV?

Depending on where you are, a CV (Curriculum Vitae) and a resume might be completely different things.

In most of the world, though, including Europe and Asia, they are used interchangeably for the same document. Both CVs and resumes are one to two pages long, and list skills and experiences relevant to the position you’re applying for.

Sometimes more detailed resumes that go over one page are referred to as CVs. These are typically only used by senior professionals, executives, CEOs, etc.

In the USA, however, a CV is a completely different document. Typically, CVs are detailed and comprehensive documents that highlight your entire academic and professional history. They’re often used for academic, scientific, or research positions, which is why this type of CV can also be referred to as an academic CV.

You can create your CV using one of our CV templates !

#10. Should I write my own resume?

Yes, you should always write your own resume.

Your resume is your opportunity to show the hiring manager your communication, writing, and presentation skills . Employers also evaluate you based on how effectively you can convey information about yourself, and there’s no one that can represent you better than yourself.

Writing your own resume lets you introduce yourself authentically. You have the best understanding of your skills and experiences, and you can personalize them to make your resume stand out.

And, as a bonus, the experience of writing your resume yourself can be reflective and insightful, so it might help you understand your professional journey and career goals better.

#11. Can a resume be two pages?

Generally, we strongly recommend that your resume stick to one page.

Hiring managers go through hundreds of resumes every day, and keeping your resume to one page increases the odds that they’ll see your qualifications faster.

In some cases, like when you have a lot of relevant experience, your resume can go over two pages. But this exception is reserved for senior professionals with over a decade of relevant experience and tons of skills and achievements that simply can’t fit on one page.

#12. Is a simple resume okay?

Absolutely, a simple resume is often more than okay—it's preferable.

Before your resume even gets to the hiring manager, a complicated layout could get it rejected by the applicant tracking system (ATS). A simple resume template can help get your application straight to the hiring manager.

A clean layout can also make sure that your resume is easily readable and looks professional. This can focus the hiring manager's attention on your work experience and skills without excessive clutter or flashy colors to distract them.

Key Takeaways

And that’s a wrap!

If you’ve followed all of our advice until now, congrats! You’re probably an expert on how to make a resume.

To recap, let’s go through some of the most important lessons we’ve learned so far...

• Use the right resume builder to make the process as smooth as possible. You don’t want to mess around with formatting for hours before even starting to work on your resume!
• Focus on your achievements over responsibilities. This can help you stand out from all the other applicants, especially if you back your claims up with data.
• Include all the must-have sections, like the resume summary, work experience, education, and skills. Then leverage optional sections if you have leftover space.
• Tailor your resume for the job you’re applying for. Everything listed on your resume should be relevant to the specific job you’re applying for, and you should write a new resume for every new job application.
• Take the time to perfect your cover letter. It’s just as important as your resume, so make sure you pay as much attention to it!

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The 20 Best Resume Tips, Tricks and Hacks [Updated for 2024] [List with examples]

Over the past week, we reached out to a number of hiring managers, recruiters and career coaches to find out exactly what they're looking for when they skim through your resume. After reading this article, you'll know exactly what your future employers are looking for when they read your resume.

4 years ago   •   12 min read

A recent study by Glassdoor indicated that 98 percent of applicants are rejected based on their resumes alone.

That's ridiculous. And quite frankly, unfair . How can a company evaluate all of your skills, achievements and experiences from one piece of paper?

That's why we wrote this article.

Over the past week, we reached out to a number of hiring managers, recruiters and career coaches to find out exactly what they're looking for when they skim through your resume. After reading this article, you'll know exactly what your future employers are looking for when they read your resume.

At Resume Worded, we believe that content is the most important element of your resume, so that’s the focus of these resume tips and tricks. If you're looking for a resume template that is ATS-compatible — in other words, readable by automated computer screeners — see our ATS resume templates .

If you want to confirm that your resume passes the ATS resume test, upload it to our resume scanner for a free ATS resume scan.

Resume Tip #1: Use short, succinct bullet points. Not paragraphs.

If a recruiter was to pick up your resume right now, how easy would it be for him/her to skim it in 30 seconds and get a sense of your experiences and accomplishments? This is what we call the '30 second skim', and your resume needs to be optimized for it. Short, succinct bullet points are key to your resume's readability. Blobs of text, that is bullets or paragraphs that are three lines or longer, are likely to not be read.

If you’re not sure if your resume’s content is the right length, upload it to the tool below — it’ll give you feedback on your resume length, and other key criteria recruiters and hiring managers care about.

Resume Tip #2: Ditch the objective section from your resume

All recruiters agree that an Objective is superfluous on a resume. The company already knows what you’re looking for because you applied for a specific position. Having an objective section may even exclude you from other similar positions that might be interesting to you.

Resume Tip #3: Only add a Summary section if you need one!

With a few exceptions, a Summary section generally does little for your resume apart from duplicating your achievements and wasting space.

Your resume is already meant to be a concise summary of your achievements.

There's no need to re-summarize it in a paragraph form. The only exception to this rule is if you need to add important information that is not already in another section on your resume. This is key — don't duplicate achievements on the rest of your resume into your summary!

For example, if you're looking to completely change your career & role (e.g. moving from software engineering to marketing), you could use 1-2 lines to direct a recruiter to the specific roles you are looking for. If you do decide to include a summary, ensure that it is not filled with fluffy, subjective buzzwords like "team player" or "hard worker".

If you decide you need a resume summary, check out the Resume Summary Generator for inspiration. If you are changing careers, read our guide on how to write a resume summary for career changers .

Resume Tip #4: Order your resume's sections based on job requirements

Recruiters skim your resume from top to bottom, so be smart about how you position your sections.

"You need to ask, is there anything that may automatically disqualify me from contention and either don’t include it or move it.

For example, if a specific degree is required, and you have another degree, or no degree move the Education section to the bottom of your resume."

This tip is from Dory Wilson, from Your Office Mom.

Related : Resume 101: The Correct Order for Resume Sections

Resume Tip #5: Tailor your resume to include relevant achievements

James Rice, from WikiJob, tells Resume Worded: "Never send in a generic resume for a job. Even if you are applying for multiple jobs in quick succession, it is well worth the time it takes to tailor your resume to each and every position you are applying for.

Don’t just include everything you have ever done; make sure all the space on your resume is spent telling the recruiter why you are perfect for that particular job. If you have education or skills that are not relevant to the position, then think about leaving them out or explain succinctly why they show relevant transferable skills."

Related : Top 12 Resume Boosters To Quickly Improve Your Resume

Resume Tip #6. Add keywords from the job description into your resume

When writing a resume that is being initially reviewed by an automated screening process, the absolutely most critical step you can take to make sure that you make it through the initial phase is to add keywords that are in the job description to your resume.

Why? The vast majority of these screening processes are not sophisticated and simply check your resume for keywords that are relevant to the job. If they’re found in sufficient quantity, your resume will be passed onto a human for further review. If not, you will be instantly rejected, regardless of whether you are qualified for the position. Thought this may seem like a sneaky move, I can assure you it will cause your success rate to skyrocket.

This tip is from Rich Franklin, Founder of KBC Staffing

You can evaluate whether your resume is well targeted to the job you're applying for by trying out Targeted Resume. It is an ATS resume keyword scanner that tests if your resume is well targeted to the job description.

You can also use the skills search tool below to get a list of skills and keywords relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Resume Tip #7:  Achievement-oriented, not responsibility oriented

"Your resume should be achievement-based. Simply regurgitating your job description into multiple bullets is no longer effective. This strategy does nothing to show if you've even done your job well. It also doesn't provide employers with much context to how you can help them. I always recommend that my clients research pain points and appeal directly to those needs with relevant achievements. For example: A company may be looking for an administrative assistant with Instagram experience. Who would you be more likely to ask for an interview between these two?

Option 1: Run departmental social media pages.

Option 2: Increased Instagram following by 58% by developing engaging content, attending Instagram for Business online course, and staying up to date on emerging marketing trends."

This tip is from Brett Ellis, who runs Brett Ellis Career Marketing Services

Resume Tip #8: Quantify your resume!

"Rather than wording your resume to read like a job description (current or prior positions) use it as a guide to identify what’s most important relative to the role you are seeking. On those points, add keywords and details that reflect your success. All the performance metrics and KPIs are at play here.

If you had a hand in reducing, increasing, changing anything in your job, mention it. Don’t wait until the 5th bullet point to note you were instrumental in modifying a process that saved the company $50K, or you are 250% over quota.

Whatever it is, mention it to substantiate how you impact the bottom line. And, don’t be shy. If you were on a team that supported these efforts, you still had a hand in it. Too many people say, “well, I didn’t do it all by myself,” and don’t mention it, rather than stating they were part of a team that did. If you don’t know where to start, review your bullet points and ask the question “why is this important?” or “okay, so what?” to help you. Whether it’s your performance reviews or other documentation, review it to support your statements.

For more information on quantifying your resume, check out our blog post on how to use numbers and metrics to write effective resume bullet points .

Resume Tip #9: Use an easy to understand job title

"One of the first things I look at as a recruiter, is a candidates current job title. I then look at company, tenure and previous job titles. Education comes second."

"It is common to have inventive job titles, which make it unclear what someone is actually responsible for. Equally it is common to see someone’s title as their level, e.g. Vice President or Director. This doesn’t make what you do immediately apparent. It is important to be truthful, so don’t make up a title. However, if your job is a waitress , call yourself a waitress and not a customer satisfaction representative or a customer service specialist."

"Your resume is likely to get less than 30 seconds of attention and you probably have 5 seconds to make an impact. You need to make this really easy for someone. You do that by making it clear that you are relevant to the job you are applying to."

This tip is from Karla Reffold from BeecherMadden.

Resume Tip #10: Make sure your resume is readable by Applicant Tracking Systems

Companies get hundreds of applicants for each job. It's pretty unfeasible to expect a hiring manager to manually review each and every application, including those that may not have the right experience for the job.

This is why companies use ATS or Applicant Tracking Systems . They are automated software that electronically parse and process your resume, reducing the number of resumes hiring managers have to manually review. Go here if you need an ATS-ready resume template .

If you want to check if your resume can be read by ATS, try out our ATS resume checker here.

Erica McCurdy, from McCurdy Life Coach, stresses the importance of matching your resume to the job description: "If you are submitting your resume online, you will want to make sure you incorporate the major points and keywords from the job description in your resume and make sure you are using a format that is ATS optimized."

Steph, from Off The Clock Resumes, also had these 6 tips to add about how to make sure your resume is readable by ATS:

• "ATS can’t read text placed in headers or footers.
• ATS can’t read text placed in charts, tables, or text boxes.
• ATS doesn’t care about bold, underlined, italicized, colored, or color-filled text.
• ATS doesn’t see photos embedded in your resume (JPG or PNG files)
• ATS scans the text from left-to-right so it may not read text formatted in columns correctly."

Make sure you also upload your resume to the following tools to confirm it is ATS compliant:

• Resume Scanner : Upload your resume and get a free ATS resume scan
• Targeted Resume : Add your job description and we'll evaluate whether it is well targeted to the resume.

Related : Resume Trends To Follow in 2024

Resume Tip #11: If you're a programmer, list online projects or your Github

"If you're a programmer, be sure to list skills, languages, and frameworks clearly for the benefit of recruiters and hiring managers. Including a link to your Github profile or specific projects you've worked on will also enable resume reviewers to see your talent in action.

Recruiters often look for precise skills tied to the role so listing your proficiencies will help separate you from other resumes. Your Github profile and projects will help for hiring managers to see what you've worked on clearly."

This tip is from Beth Cohen, a Senior Recruiter at Fundera.

If you're not a programmer, you can still include links to your projects, whether that is your blog or your online portfolio.

Resume Tip #12: Use a clean resume template

Keep your resume design clean without a lot of clutter, colors , different fonts , or graphs. These can be easily overdone and when you're a recruiter reading hundreds of resumes, it's just too much to look at so you move on.

This tip is from Becky, from Go Write2Hire.

Additionally, using fancy styles and fonts increases the chance that your resume will be processed incorrectly by ATS. If you're unsure if your resume will be processed correctly by ATS, upload it for a free ATS resume scan .

Resume Tip #13: Organize your sections effectively

"Use separation to create visual space. Break up your past work experiences into sections and sub-sections, with at least a blank line of uniform spacing between each. Use section headers as an organizational tool."

"You want the reader of your resume to be able to go down your list—from one past work experience to the next—without all of the details blending together. However, don't use text boxes to do this; they tend to look very tacky and are not compatible with company applicant tracking systems . You don’t want your resume to end up in the hiring manager’s trash file because of a formatting error."

This tip is from Jan Hudson from Surf Search.

You can find resume templates which are compatible with ATS here.

Resume Tip #14: Use a meaningful file name

Use FirstName-LastName.pdf (or similar) as the filename . Recruiters often save resumes in the same folder and you'll be surprised at how often resumes get lost because they're saved as "Resume.pdf"!

Resume Tip #15: Use the active voice, not the passive voice

Using the active voice not only ensures your resume is less wordy and more concise, it also makes it more impactful.

Stacy Caprio also had this example to add regarding using the active voice:

"Use active voice and not passive when writing your resume bullet points . This means saying things such as "I increased revenue by X, when I set up campaign X" and not "Campaign revenue increased by X when the campaign was set up".

The first active voice example makes it clear you were the one who initiated the action and got the results, which is key to standing out with your resume."

Editor's note : Resume Worded's free resume checker scans your resume for the active voice. Try it out here .

Resume Tip #16: Proofread your resume. No spelling or grammar errors!

Obvious stuff here, but you’d be surprised at how many resumes we’ve seen that have spelling or grammar mistakes. Ask a friend to review your resume!

James Rice from WikiJob also had this to add : It is absolutely essential that you proofread your resume. Many recruiters will throw away resumes that have typos or other errors. Don’t rely on spell-check to spot all errors, as many typos will not show up. Read over the document slowly and concentrate on every word; it is also a good idea to show it to a friend or tutor and ask them to have a read through. Make sure you send in a resume to be proud of.

Tip #17. Follow up after you apply for a role!

"Don’t 'submit and forget,' take the time to follow up and inquire on the status of your submission. Include a link to your LinkedIn and ensure it is current. Bonus points if you have some recent LinkedIn recommendations. And extra bonus points if you already follow the hiring company on LinkedIn."

This tip is from Stephanie Mahnken, who leads the hiring process at Directom.

Go to this link if you need sample follow up networking emails !

Tip #18: Cover letters are important too!

Karen Elkins Cohen is a Director of Human Resources, and she stresses the importance of a cover letter, in addition to your resume.

"It's not just your resume, but your cover letter. Your resume may not detail where you meet every qualification, so a well-written cover letter is what will get you in the door. If you use a template you see online, use the structure, but not the exact words!

"I'm seeing the same wording on multiple letters, "Thank you for the opportunity to apply for the position available at your company. Given the requirements in the job description, I am certain that I have the necessary skills to successfully do the job adeptly and perform above expectations." It's terrible.

"Instead, in your cover letter , tell me exactly how your experience meets my qualifications. If I'm asking for a year of supervisory experience and you've never been a supervisor, that's okay -- tell me about how your leadership experience (volunteer? college? church ?) makes you a good supervisor .

Resume Tip #19: Ensure your resume is consistent with your online profiles (e.g. LinkedIn )

“Ensure that your resume matches up with your experience, education and qualification information that might be found on your online profiles. If a hiring manager spots any inconsistencies between the two, it may imply that you have something to hide.

It can also suggest that you haven’t put the care and attention in that’s expected when applying for a role and that you’re unaware of how to manage your personal online brand effectively – something which would be a red flag for those in commercial roles."

This tip is from Lars Herrem, from Nigel Wright Group.

Resume Tip #20: Avoid unnecessary industry jargon and acronyms

Keep the wording of your resume as simple as possible. Industry jargon and trade buzzwords are too niche, and you don't want to jeopardize your interview chances because the first HR staff member failed to understand it.

However, if the job ad calls for a particular acronym or buzzword in their requirements or qualifications, use it, of course. These are resume keywords.

This tip is from Christian Eilers, a career advice writer at Zety.com

Resume Tip #21: Use the right tenses to describe your achievements

We've said this before and we'll say it again, your resume is supposed to be a concise overview of your achievements — things you've achieved — and not your responsibilities.

This means that most of your bullet points should be in the past tense . After all, it's hard for something you accomplished to be written in the present tense. Most bullet points written in the present tense are often just responsibilities, and not things you actually accomplished. That said, there are some bullet points which can use the present tense — for example, if you're currently managing a team, you can use the present tense 'Manage' when describing your current role.

That's it from Resume Worded today! Thank you to all the contributors.

We hope you found these resume tips, hacks and tricks useful.

If you need more resources:

• Free resume review with Score My Resume
• ATS resume keyword scanner with Targeted Resume
• Free LinkedIn profile review with LinkedIn Review

If you have any questions, let us know! You can reach out to me directly on contact [at] resumeworded.com.

Founder, Resume Worded

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Your Step-by-Step Guide to Making the Perfect Resume (With Examples!)

Your resume is arguably the most valuable piece of paper for your career. But this document can be daunting for many. Maybe you’re not sure how to fit in all your information onto one page. Maybe you’re not sure about the right way to format and write your resume. Maybe you don’t even know what the heck a resume is!

Whatever your concern, we’ll break down everything you need to know about making the perfect resume, from scratch.

What Is a Resume?

What are employers looking for in a resume.

• Pick Your Format
• Start With Your Basic Information
• Add in Your Work Experience
• Consider Including Volunteer Work or Other Experience
• Don’t Forget Your Education
• Top It Off With Some Skills and Interests
• Write a Resume Summary Statement (if Relevant)
• Tailor It to the Job (and the ATS)
• Edit and Refine It

What Are Some Examples of a Good Resume?

A resume is a summary of your career, whether yours is just getting started or has been going on for years. Coming in at around one page in length (two only under specific circumstances), it showcases the jobs you’ve held and currently hold, the responsibilities you’ve taken on, the skills you’ve developed, and the qualities you bring to the table as an employee. Together, those things make it super easy for any hiring manager to see your qualifications and fit for a role.

For all the work you may put into writing one, hiring managers actually spend very little time—mere seconds in many cases—looking at your resume. But despite this sad fact, it’s safe to say that creating a great resume (rather than hastily throwing one together) still matters.

“If you miss the mark, your resume may never be read. Even worse, you might be removed from the applicant pool by a computer before a human even knows you exist,” says Muse career coach Heather Yurovsky , founder of Shatter & Shine. So you want to get it right because, as she explains, isn’t the goal to “spend less time looking for a job and more time in a role you love?”

You might be wondering if you can lean on your LinkedIn profile instead of writing a resume. The answer, sadly, is no. Most hiring managers still expect you to submit a resume, even if they also look at your LinkedIn. Even if you don’t need a resume for a job you’re applying for now, you’re going to need one at some point in your career—they’re not anywhere close to going out of style. So it’s best to always have one at the ready should an opportunity pop up.

And although LinkedIn has plenty of benefits, a resume has one clear advantage: While your LinkedIn is usually a broader picture of your career trajectory, your resume gives you the opportunity to tailor your career story to a specific role or company (more on that later).

Oh, and you’ve probably heard of something called a CV? It’s slightly different from a resume , and usually more common with academics and job seekers outside the U.S.

Hiring managers look for three things on your resume, “What did you do? Why did you do it? And what was the result?” says Muse career coach Martin McGovern , owner of Career Therapy. “If you can answer all three of these questions in...your resume bullet points, you’re going to be on the right track.”

Clear, easy-to-understand language is key. “The truth is that most resumes make no sense. They are stuffed with jargon, they are too technical, and they are filled with redundancies. Try to read a resume that isn’t yours and you will quickly realize that it feels like an alien wrote it,” McGovern adds. Put yourself in the shoes of a recruiter who has no idea how your role works—how can you make your resume accessible to them?

The hiring manager also cares about more than just you and you alone—they care about you in relation to them. “Hiring managers want to see if a candidate matches the requirements” of the role they’re hiring for, Yurovsky explains. “Your resume should paint this picture so the hiring manager not only knows what day-to-day responsibilities you can handle, but why you, above other[s], bring value to their organization.”

How Do You Write a Resume?

Whether you’re someone who’s never written a resume in your life, or you need a nice, thorough refresher on the process of creating one, follow these steps to go from a blank page to a complete—and dare I say beautiful—document.

Related: This Free Worksheet Makes It Easy to Create (or Update) Your Resume

1. Pick Your Format

Before you start typing one single thing, you have to decide what you want the overall resume to look like.

Resume builders can be helpful for this step—they’ll take all your basic information and organize it for you, eliminating some of the legwork. You can also use a pre-made outline, such as one of these free Google Docs templates .

But it’s often safest to start with a clean slate all on your own and eventually upgrade to a more advanced layout. (If you'd still like a place to write all the relevant information before you get started, check out our resume outline .) This allows you to course correct, edit and re-edit, and choose a resume format that best fits your particular situation (after all, not everyone has a career trajectory that’s easy to compartmentalize).

In general, you’re most likely to cover and/or include sections on the following:

• Your work experience
• Your non-work experience, including professional organizations, community involvement, or side projects
• Your education and certifications
• Your skills (specifically hard skills) and interests

So how do you format and organize all of that information?

By far the most common (and safest, if you’re not sure which route to take) option is reverse chronological order . This means you organize your experiences from most recent to least recent. So your work experiences would go above your education, and your current role would go above previous roles you’ve held. This of course has its exceptions—maybe you went back to grad school between jobs, or your most recent role is irrelevant to the job you’re applying for. So the whole page may not be exactly in reverse chronological order depending on your situation. It’s just a guideline.

There’s also something called a functional or skills-based resume . This is used pretty rarely, mainly with career changers and those with limited or complicated work histories. It gets its name because it’s primarily about listing your skills rather than experiences, and showcases them above your work history and education.

You can also opt for a combination resume , which is a mix between a reverse chronological resume and skills-based resume. It highlights your skills at the top, but allows just as much room below to cover your job and school experience.

Use caution when choosing these two formats: “Combo and skills-based [resumes] can be hard to follow, because [they force] the reader to hunt for connections between your skills and experience, and [don’t] provide the full context of your work,” says Muse Career Coach Angela Smith , founder of Loft Consulting. “I’ve also heard a lot of recruiters say that they automatically discount skill-based resumes because they feel the candidate is trying to hide something. I don’t necessarily believe that, but I think it’s important for job-seekers to know that perception is out there.”

2. Start With Your Basic Information

Your contact information should always go at the top of your resume. In this header you’ll want to include anything that could be helpful for a recruiter to get in touch with you. Usually, this means adding in:

• Your full name (preferably the name you use across the web)
• Your phone number
• Your personal email address

You might also choose to include other basic information, such as your LinkedIn or personal website URL, your GitHub (for technical roles), your social media profiles (if relevant to the job), or your address. If you’re looking to move for a job, you may choose to leave out your address or write “open to relocating” to better your chances of getting an interview.

The key is to make this part as clear as possible. If a hiring manager can’t reach you, there’s no point in perfecting the rest of your resume.

3. Add in Your Work Experience

This section will most likely be the bulk of your resume. Even if you’re changing careers, employers still want to see where you’ve worked, what you’ve done, and the impact of that work to get a sense of your background and expertise.

Your “Work Experience” might be one entire category, or you might choose to break it up into “Relevant Experience” and “Additional Experience” to highlight the jobs that are most important for hiring managers to focus on. Either way, you’ll almost always want to have your most recent experience at the top and your older experience down below.

Within your work experience, you’ll want to include each official job title, the company (and possibly its location), and the years you worked there. Below that, you’ll add in two to four bullet points explaining what you did in that job, the skills you built and exercised, the tools you used, and the results of what you did. If you accomplished a lot during your time there, focus on the responsibilities that made the most impact or you’re the most proud of, as well as the ones that best align you with the job you’re applying for (more on that in the following sections). It’s key here to list, if relevant, quantitative as well as qualitative accomplishments.

For example, you might write:

Associate Accountant, Finances and Co., Ann Arbor, MI September 2017 – Present

• Manage billing and invoicing for more than 50 clients, ensuring the deadlines and needs of our enterprise partners, including Big Company and Super Star Org, are met
• Collaborate closely with sales, account management, and project management teams on project setup, maintenance, and invoice management
• Assist in the streamlining of invoicing guidelines and procedures through documentation and the implementation of new software, resulting in an average two-week decrease in total time spent per client

Your resume bullets should be in past tense if you’re referring to past jobs and present tense if you’re talking about your current roles. In addition, your bullets should always start with a strong action verb that best describes what you did. And if you have examples of your work, consider hyperlinking them here as well.

If you have a ton of experience and this category is starting to run long (read: over one page), consider kicking out your oldest jobs unless they’re super relevant to the job you’re applying for, or extra impressive for your field.

Not sure where to start? “It’s helpful to do a brain dump and create a document that has everything and anything you consider as experience or an achievement,” says Yurovsky. From there, she explains, you can start to whittle down what is and isn’t important. And you can refer to this document later if you ever decide to update your resume for a specific role.

Need more specific advice on listing your work experience on your resume? Check out these additional resources:

• When you’ve held multiple jobs at the same company: 2 Jobs, 1 Company: How to Show Multiple Positions on Your Resume
• When you’re not sure what your accomplishments are or how to explain them: Resume Revamp: How to Turn Your Duties Into Accomplishments
• When you want to spruce up a boring or insignificant job: How to Make Your Most Boring Jobs Sound More Interesting on Your Resume
• When you’re considering fudging a job title: The Answer to “Can I Change My Job Title on My Resume to Make It More Accurate?”
• When you’ve had a bunch of short-term gigs: How to List Temporary Jobs on Your Resume

4. Consider Including Volunteer Work or Other Experience

Anything you’ve done that’s not work experience—your side gig, volunteer work, special projects—can be hosted under clearly-labeled sections (“Volunteer Experience” or “Activities,” for example). Depending on how robust your work experience is, these things may be worth including, particularly if they’ve helped you level up your skill set or better align you with your dream job. Plus, they make you look that much more well-rounded, passionate, and hardworking.

If you’re a recent grad, you might also build out a section for on-campus activities, such as clubs, organizations, or leadership experience. This can be a great supplement if you’re lacking in the jobs department. You can frame these just as you would professional jobs—including your title, the organization’s name, and bullets describing what your role was and what you accomplished.

Read More: This Is Exactly How to List Volunteer Work on Your Resume

5. Don’t Forget Your Education

If you’re still in school or just graduated, your education can go at the top of your resume, but for pretty much everyone else, this goes near the bottom. Most people include their school, graduation year (for folks less up to about a decade out of school), major, and degree. Brand-new grads might also write in their GPA, honors and awards, study abroad, thesis, or other notable achievements. But keep this section super simple, as you don’t want it to take up too much space over your work experience.

It’s possible you have unique education experience, such as taking an online course or certification. If you did this specifically as a way to boost yourself within your industry, definitely include it. Again, list everything more or less reverse chronologically—so a grad school degree would go above an undergrad degree, and a more recent relevant online course would go above that.

Learn more about the ins and outs of listing your education on your resume:

• How to (and How Not to) List Education on Your Resume
• How to List Online Courses on Your Resume the Right Way (Because Yes, There Is a Wrong Way)

6. Top It Off With Some Skills and Interests

The skills section of a resume gets a bad rap, but it’s just as important as the rest of the stuff you include. It’s a quick list a recruiter can scan to see if your skill set aligns with what they’re hiring for. And it’s super ATS-friendly (ATS stands for “applicant tracking system,” the robot that in some cases reads your resume before a human does) because it allows you to add in keywords the machine is scanning for.

Usually this section goes at the bottom of your resume, but in special cases—such as a skills-based resume or when someone’s switching fields—you may place it further up.

What exactly do you throw in here? You’ll want to list any hard skills and applications you’re familiar with (Photoshop, SEO, JavaScript, to name a few examples), and, if relevant, your level of expertise. Avoid including soft skills here, like time management or public speaking—save those for your bullet points instead.

Be strategic when filling in your skills. Don’t list things you actually couldn’t do at a high competence level (I’m looking at those of you who say you’re “great” at Excel), and maybe nix skills that are completely irrelevant to the job you want. For example, you may not even need to include Excel if you’re applying for say, a design position, unless it’s listed as a job requirement.

Maybe you’re thinking, I’m a really good volleyball player, but that’s not a “skill,” right? No, it’s not, but it is a hobby. Adding in a hobby section at the bottom of your resume is underrated, and frequently a smart choice. It can be a great conversation starter with a hiring manager, and it can show that you’re a good culture fit—or a culture add—for the company. Also, it’s just a nice way to add in some of your personality. So tack on a bullet point listing out some of your interests, such as hiking, rowing, or crafting (no more than five to seven work-appropriate verbs), and you’re all set here.

7. Write a Resume Summary Statement (if Relevant)

You may have heard of a resume summary statement . They’re not super common, but they can be useful to include near the top of your resume if you’re looking to add clarity or context to your resume. If you’re a career changer, you might find a summary statement helpful in explaining your leap and tying your experience to your new path. Or if you’re a more experienced professional, you can use a summary statement to highlight a theme that brings your career trajectory together.

Overall, you probably won’t need a summary statement if your career is pretty linear and your bullet points do a great job of emphasizing what you have to offer in terms of skills and experience. But if you think it makes sense to include one, “Take the time to think about what the person reading your summary wants to know before you write it,” says McGovern. “Good summaries explain why you do what you do and how it can help. For instance: Merging a background in ABC, I help companies improve XYZ through 123. Summaries shouldn’t be any more complicated than that.”

So, taking McGovern’s example, you might say:

Merging a background in social media marketing and PR with seven years in the consumer tech space, I help companies improve their internal and external communication and brand awareness through data-driven, quality content and strategies that align with the modern trends of the space.

Yurovsky adds that “you don’t want your summary statement to be a dense paragraph with too much information. You want it to be easy to read, concise, and memorable. Almost like a tagline.”

Read More: 3 Resume Summary Examples That’ll Make Writing Your Own Easier

8. Tailor It to the Job (and the ATS)

Once you have your resume written out—you’ve broken down your work experience, tagged on some activities and additional experiences, and listed out your skills—it’s important to go back to the job description (or multiple job descriptions, if you’re applying to several similar jobs) and make sure that what your resume says matches up with the kind of candidate the employers are looking for. In other words, tailor it .

Let’s explain further. You’ll want to begin by tackling the ATS . This means combing the job description to see if individual words and phrases line up. What skills are they asking for, and have you listed them (so long as you actually have them)? What words are they using to describe their ideal hire, and do you use similar language in your resume?

Next, take a bird’s-eye view. If you were the hiring manager for the role, where on your resume would your eyes be drawn to? And what would you be looking for? Whatever you think will be most important for the recruiter, make sure it’s near the top of your resume, or otherwise emphasized.

Finally, dig into the role and responsibilities of the job. Does your resume reflect similar experience? If not, is there a way you can spin it so that it’s clear you’re capable of doing the job (and doing it well)?

These articles can help you if the word “tailoring” makes you start to sweat:

• What It Really Means to “Tailor Your Resume”
• Your Guide to Making Unrelated Experience Look Relevant on Your Resume
• A Cool Trick: How to Spin 1 Resume Bullet 5 Different Ways

9. Edit and Refine It

Please, please don’t just write your resume and shoot it out without giving it a second glance. Hiring managers may not spend hours browsing it, but if there’s one thing that sticks out more than anything else it’s a glaring typo.

The best approach? Write a rough draft, then leave and come back to it later with fresh eyes to give it an edit.

Cover the basics: Is your contact information correct and updated? Are you using the right verb tenses? Does everything look consistent and accurate in terms of spelling and grammar?

Then do some cutting if your resume’s quite long. It’s no longer a hard-and-fast rule that all resumes must be only one page—but consider it a smart guideline for most applicants, especially if you've got less than 10 years work experience. The exception is if you’re very senior or very established in your career; in this scenario, a two-page resume isn’t completely out of the question. Everyone else, read this article for advice on how to cut your resume down.

Formatting-wise, it’s key to consider a couple things. First, what font are you using , and is it legible (for a human and a robot)? When in doubt, go with one of these simple, but sleek, options: Arial, Arial Narrow, Calibri, Cambria, Garamond, or Helvetica.

Second, are you going to save it as a Word document or PDF ? Neither option is wrong, although a PDF helps ensure that your formatting is maintained, no matter what type of computer the hiring manager uses to open the document.

Third, is your resume formatted in a way that it’s skimmable? If it’s feeling crowded or overrun with words, read this: 12 Tiny Changes That Make Your Resume Easy for Recruiters to Skim .

Once you’ve given it a few good looks, it may be worth sending it to a friend or colleague (or even a career coach ) to get a second opinion. Don’t just have them edit it for spelling and grammar—they should dig into your bullets and offer feedback on whether or not your resume is showing you in the best possible light (it’s smart to also send them the job description for something to compare it to).

Here’s the thing: Your resume won’t ever look exactly like someone else’s, nor should it. How you choose to format it, organize your information, and talk about specific experiences depends not just on your career path, but on your field, the job you’re applying for, the company that job is at, and more.

So there isn’t a universal way to do a resume. But there are common themes. To give you some context as to how yours might turn out, here are three examples of different kinds of resumes.

The Most Popular: A Reverse Chronological Resume

As previously mentioned, a reverse chronological resume is preferred by many coaches and HR experts, mainly because it’s super readable. When everything’s in a clear order, it’s easy to skim and even easier to draw lines between experiences.

Who it’s good for: Just about everyone—from students applying to internships all the way up to senior-level executives (with an optional resume summary statement)

Download an Example Chronological Resume for a Software Engineer

The Unorthodox Route: A Functional or Skills-Based Resume

Rather than listing out your experience in reverse chronological order, a functional or skills-based resume has bullet points that reflect how each of your skills is demonstrated by the work you’ve done over the course of your career. At the bottom, you’ll include everything else, such as your education, job history, professional achievements, community involvement, and other technical skills. This is a good option if you have a somewhat all-over-the-place work history and want to tie everything together neatly.

Who it’s good for: Career changers whose work experiences may not appear to be relevant and people with an abundance of temporary jobs or gaps in their work histories.

Download an Example Functional Resume for a Project Manager

The Creative Angle: An Infographic Resume or Resume Website

This resume type is characterized by how it’s formatted visually. You may choose a reverse chronological order or skills-based style to organize your information, but also use graphics, colors, unique fonts, and even multimedia elements to help that information pop. Keep in mind that any creative resume is still likely subject to an ATS—and certain elements may be unreadable by a robot. So consider going this route only if you know a human will be reading your resume (and that said human might enjoy it).

Who it’s good for: People applying to creative roles (designers, editors, writers, marketers, video producers, for example), startups, or fun companies, or to jobs where a creative resume is encouraged, if not required.

Download an Example Infographic Resume for a Designer

Not a designer but want your resume to look just as pretty as this example? Check out these articles:

• 5 Sites to Create an Awesome Infographic Resume (Even if You’re the Least Creative Person Ever)
• How to Build a Resume Website That Will Impress Every Hiring Manager Who Sees It
• 5 Digital Tools That Will Make Your Resume Infinitely More Beautiful

Your resume is a living, breathing document. So while you won’t go through this whole process every time you apply for a job, you should be thinking about all these things as you go to update your resume for your next career step. You might decide later on to switch up the order, or remove or add things, or even get creative and try out a whole new format. If you’re not getting the calls back you expect, you may decide to scrap it and start over —and that’s totally OK.

Regardless of where this piece of paper goes and how it grows, when you give it the care and attention it deserves, you set yourself up for success. And you’ll make it that much more likely that you’ll land an interview and get the chance to prove to the hiring manager—over the phone or in person—what you’ve got to offer.

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The 16 best resume builders for every situation

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What makes a great resume?

What’s a resume builder, the 16 best resume builders, choosing a resume builder: 5 tips, prepare for your dream job.

A resume is often a potential employer’s first impression of you. But unlike a face-to-face meet and greet, this document has to hype you up almost immediately.

On average, recruiters spend seven seconds deciding whether a resume goes in the “Yes” or “No” pile. The perfect resume quickly tells a hiring manager what they need to know to make this decision.

An excellent way to ensure your resume catches a recruiter's attention is with an effective design that isn’t too crowded. If you’re not a graphic design whiz, a resume-building platform is the best way to create this document fast. 

Here’s more about the qualities of a great resume and some of the best resume builders so you can choose the right one for you.

A great resume summarizes your skills, education, and experience. It’s a straightforward document that’s easy to follow and gives readers a good first impression of your background. 

A cluttered resume reflects poorly on important traits such as attention to detail , organizational skills , and communication skills . That may cost you an interview, and it also increases the chance that applicant tracking systems (ATS) can’t understand or analyze your resume effectively. 

When you upload a resume, most companies use an ATS to filter applicants based on details like specific soft or hard skills or keywords like “communicative” or “ ambitious .” If this document isn’t clear, concise, and organized, the tracker might dismiss your qualified application. 

Hiring managers also often sort through hundreds of candidates, so being as clear and concise as possible is essential. A resume differs from a curriculum vitae (CV) , which is a detailed explanation of your career and academic history. Instead, a resume should focus on the highlights most relevant to the job you’re applying for. Keep this in mind when prioritizing clarity and consistency. 

Certain qualities are worth including to make a resume stand out. Your resume should also be up-to-date, descriptive, and specific. You may have to demonstrate those skill proficiencies or career accomplishments in an interview , so always include accurate information.

An online resume builder is an interactive platform that allows you to build from resume templates. Most online resume makers offer several customization options and professional templates to guide you through the writing process and follow key dos and don’ts .

Depending on the platform’s interactive features, pricing ranges from free resume templates for basic documents to paid services for more customizable features. Before you choose one, decide what you’re looking for and what you want to prioritize. If you’re a graphic designer looking to show off your creativity, more detailed or colorful templates might be a key selling point for you.

Job seekers have a variety of resume builders at their disposal. Here are six of our favorites, with pros and cons to help you decide which is best for you:

Zety offers 18 professional resume templates highlighting different color palettes, types of resumes such as chronological and functional resumes , and bar graphs and infographics to give your skills a visual element.

The platform is excellent for people without an existing resume or who want to start from scratch. The site walks you through the entire process, prompting you to include essential information in every section with tips to write more effectively. There are also cover letter and CV templates so you can finish every document in the same place.

Pros: Zety has intuitive ease of use, with plenty of helpful tips to write compelling job descriptions and optimize your skills and experience.

Cons: Zety’s free plan only allows you to download your resume in a TXT file and charges for different file types. Some templates also use graphics or colors incompatible with ATS.

2. My Perfect Resume

My Perfect Resume is excellent for more experienced resume writers. While it offers dozens of resume formats with different styles, you can also start from scratch with a blank template or edit an existing resume. There’s also a feature that suggests ATS-optimized language for work experience and skills to help you get through automated resume-reading programs. And if you’re stuck, you can work with one of My Perfect Resume’s experts to perfect your writing.

Pros: It’s easy to use and has a responsive chat feature to walk you through the process. The platform also has additional resume sections like certifications, social media, or public speaking experiences that benefit entry-level workers with less background.

Cons: The free version lets you download your resume in a TXT file. To download a DOCX or PDF, you must sign up for a 14-day trial.

Canva has a free resume builder feature with hundreds of templates from graphic designers with a flair for the creative. Although this platform is meant for people in any industry, it's ideal for those looking to express themselves through visual design.

Pros: It’s infinitely customizable with an expansive library of fonts, text sizes, and colors, and includes photo editing capabilities to crop and add filters. Canva also allows you to edit and save multiple versions to build new resumes for different jobs.

Cons: Canva doesn’t offer the option to upload your resume, so you must start from scratch. Many fonts and templates also aren’t ATS-friendly.

4. Resume.io

Resume.io offers 18 classic resume templates emphasizing clean and simple design. Job seekers going after more senior positions or in more corporate or formal industries, like law, accounting, or engineering, might find Resume.io to be a great option.

Pros: The platform is easy to use, intuitive, and has hundreds of examples to give you ideas for your resume. It also suggests action verbs and phrases that vary based on your job title and includes a built-in grammar checker.

Cons: You can’t modify the templates. The free version of Resume.io allows you to download your resume in a TXT file. To download a DOCX or PDF, you have to sign up for a seven-day trial.

5. LiveCareer

LiveCareer has a selection of around 30 resume templates that professional job recruiters have screened and approved. The platform's templates emphasize clean organization and straightforward design, and you can customize the colors to make them a little more personal.

LiveCareer is designed for social media sites, and you can upload your resume directly to your LinkedIn profile .

Pros: This resume builder software allows you to import your own resume to edit directly, so you don't have to re-enter all your information to use the platform's tools.

Cons : LiveCareer requires you to sign up for a trial package to download your document.

6. Resume Genius

Resume Genius is a free resume builder with a selection of conventional-looking templates. The platform is easy to use and ideal for job seekers applying for more senior, corporate, or specialized positions.

Pros: Resume Genius has 50,000 pre-written bullet points for every industry, making it easier to sell your skills — like active listening or trustworthy leadership — when you lack inspiration . You can also download DOCX or PDF files.

Cons: Resume Genius has limited visual components.

7. Resume.com

Resume.com has several straightforward templates, all of which are free. The platform is user-friendly, with resume examples from various industries and job levels to guide your design. 

Pros: The platform partners with Indeed, which is one of the top job sites in the world . You can access both services with a single account, allowing you to upload your resume to Indeed’s website easily.

Cons: While the platform boasts specialized templates for different job markets, free templates have a basic design and little variation. For creatives, the basic layouts may not stand out from other candidates.

8. Kick Resume

Kick Resume stands out from other resume builder sites for its AI-powered system that helps you string together the right words. The platform simplifies the process by providing a first draft, letting you quickly create a competitive resume. 

Pros: It has more than 400 job-specific resume and cover letter examples from human resource and design experts. A resume checker service, designed by recruiters, compares your resume to successful job seekers’. 

Cons: The platform's most advanced features require a monthly membership. 

Jobscan is a job-hunting service that doubles as a resume builder focused on optimizing your resume and cover letters to past ATS. It shows you exactly how searchable and accessible your resume is, giving unique insight into how recruiters might react.

Pros: This resume checker lets you analyze your resume against your target job application and how it’ll perform on an ATS. 

Cons: JobScan isn’t a comprehensive resume builder. It’s best for optimizing your existing resume. Be sure to take word suggestions with a grain of salt to avoid creating a resume full of relevant keywords but lacking cohesive writing. 

10. CakeResume

Cake Resume stands out from other resume builders for its free online portfolio builder , ideal for creatives who need eye-catching design across materials. The platform has an extensive library of career advice articles and step-by-step tutorials to perfect your writing, like how to build a 3D artist portfolio, write a career objective , or include teamwork skills . 

Pros: The resume builder is highly customizable without sacrificing usability. 

Cons: The free plan only includes a single resume. Active job seekers will need to sign up for a quarterly subscription to tailor resumes to different job postings. 

11. Adobe Express

You might know Adobe for its creative design platforms like Photoshop, Illustrator, and Lightroom. But Adobe Express’ resume builder allows you to add the same eye for design without being an expert in traditional design programs. 

Pros: The resume builder has a wide selection of fonts, colors, and templates to capture your personal brand within a one-page resume.

Cons: Job seekers in less creative industries may find the service overwhelming and unnecessary. 

12. NovoRésumé

NovoRésumé’s customizable templates are excellent for resume writing novices or non-tech-savvy job seekers who want to create unique, design-forward resumes. Despite its many customization options, the platform is intuitive. 

Pros: Customizations like resume icons, spacing, and color create dynamic resumes that can still get through an ATS. Live feedback walks you through a step-by-step process to help you avoid writer’s block. 

Cons: Novo Résumé only offers a downloadable PDF. Double-check the hiring manager’s preferences (like a Microsoft Word format) to ensure compatibility.

13. VisualCV

VisualCV is the world’s top resume and CV builder , with more than 4 million users. It’s a straightforward, user-friendly platform with ready-made templates and analytic tools to help you craft a competitive resume. 

Pros: The platform allows you to build your own resume or CV from scratch or import an existing one to edit. You can also share it on social media quickly and manage several resumes for different job applications. 

Cons: The best features, like building several resumes and accessing analytics, are only available with a premium account.

14. Do You Buzz

Do You Buzz is an excellent choice for resume-writing beginners. It breaks the writing process down into clear section-by-section instructions. With a $4.90 monthly premium subscription, you can join live video workshops to get the best out of your resume. 

Pros: The live resume writing service helps you make the most out of the platform. 

Cons: Do You Buzz offers 15 templates, meaning there’s little variation in style and design.

It makes sense that Indeed, the world’s largest job site, has its own resume builder . If you use Indeed for job searching, this is a convenient way to upload your resume to your existing account. 

Pros: The platform is free and easy to use with simple formatting. 

Cons: There are just sight templates with no options to customize different sections. For example, the education section doesn’t allow you to differentiate between types of degrees like a BS or BA.

16. Resume Now

Resume Now has over 900 real resume examples reviewed by professional resume writers. Once you find the industry-relevant option that inspires you, the platform customizes it to your needs.

Pros: Thousands of pre-written phrases help you find the right words to catch a hiring manager’s eye. Extra features like corrections from a human resume reviewer can help you craft the perfect resume. 

Cons: What is and isn’t included in free and paid plans may confuse some users, according to reviews .  

The right resume for you depends on what types of jobs you’re applying for and what you want to highlight — whether skills, experiences, or professional accomplishments. Consider the following when picking a platform:

• Price: If you’re looking for a free online resume builder, pay careful attention to the fine print. Many free services only offer downloads in file types that recruiters don't want — like plain TXT files. Check the pricing for other options before spending hours designing a resume.
• Functionality: A great resume fits the job you’re applying for. Choose a platform that allows you to easily edit and download various resumes. 
• Design: A digital designer will likely want a different template than a recent law graduate. Based on your industry or the company you’re applying to, decide whether you want a clean and straightforward resume design or a template with more visual embellishments. Choose a site with templates most suitable to those needs.
• Consistency: Most resume-building services provide cover letter builders and CV templates. If your job search requires all three, choose a platform where the aesthetic is consistent for each document.
• Customization : If you’re an entry-level job seeker, look for resume builders that allow you to customize different sections like certifications, honors and awards , or professional skills to bolster your resume.

You’ve got the experience, demeanor, and skills necessary to handle the job. The best resume builders can help you deliver this information effectively. Tailor this document to company values and the job description, using a more visually creative or basic resume design when applicable. This will help your resume stand out from the crowd, increasing your chances of getting an interview. That means you’re one step closer to applying for — and hopefully starting — your dream job.

Ace your job search

Explore effective job search techniques, interview strategies, and ways to overcome job-related challenges. Our coaches specialize in helping you land your dream job.

Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

How to create a resume with ChatGPT

Resume best practices: how far back should a resume go, resume dos and don’ts: 29 tips for writing your best resume, best work accomplishments to list on your resume (with examples), how to write a resume summary that works + examples, unique skills for resumes to attract attention, how to put babysitting on a resume: 6 skills to highlight, cv versus resume demystify the differences once and for all, a quick guide on how to list references on a resume, how to create a video resume to land your dream job, clearing a personalized path to emotional permanence, all eyes on it: how to make a page-turning portfolio, 7 tips to make your resume stand out and get that job, 20 marketing skills professionals should have in 2023, 10 best job posting sites for employers with high-quality candidates, discover the 6 best places to look for jobs online, chatgpt cover letters: how to use this tool the right way, stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..

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How to Write a Perfect Resume in 2021 | A Complete Guide

Having the knowledge to write a resume is one of the most important career skills you could have in 2021.

But most people don’t know how to do it.

Most people think of a resume as a document that lists their “experiences” and summarizes their skills. That’s why recruiters toss them after reviewing them for an average of six seconds.

Recommended links:

• Our collection of 500+ professional resume examples .
• Our gallery of 20+ downloadable resume templates .

Researchers conducted a scientific “eye tracking” study that analyzed how long various professional recruiters reviewed candidate profiles and resumes, and what those recruiters focused on. They found that recruiters look for how long candidates stay at jobs, whether or not they hit minimum education requirements, and how they’re progressing in their career, and more.

And the “decision” is made in a matter of seconds.

If you’re in the job market, it’s extremely important to make those seconds count. Otherwise, you’ll lose the hiring manager’s attention and you won’t hear from them again.

Especially because employers receive up to 250 applications per job, on average .

At the core of it, your resume is an advertisement. Its purpose is to “sell” you to the company you’re trying to work for. When you’re writing your resume your goal should be to get hiring managers to buy into what you’re selling, which would ultimately result in an interview.

In this guide, we’ll talk about how to craft a standout resume that gets the attention of hiring managers:

• 1. Focus on Storytelling: The Key to a Standout Resume

The best way to sell is through a story.

If you’re able to create a narrative in your resume similar to a fascinating, memorable story, you’ll command the attention of virtually any recruiter or hiring manager looking at your resume.

And most importantly -- it’ll set you apart from the hundreds of other candidates who think that a resume is just a place to talk about their skills and experience.

If you craft a story around your career path in your own, authentic style, you’ll paint a much more vivid picture of yourself through your resume, and entice recruiters and hiring managers to reach out to you to learn more.

Here are some tips on weaving a resume into a story:

Keep your target audience in mind

When you’re selling a product, you have to have a clear picture of who you’re selling to. If you try to sell something to everyone, you’ll end up with no customers.

Same thing applies to the job search process.

When you’re looking for a job, you shouldn’t try to appeal to every single employer. Most candidates are afraid of “closing too many doors” “pigeonholing” themselves.

But the truth is, the more you narrow your focus and get clear on what type of employers you’re trying to target, the more you’ll attract the kind of jobs you want and repel the ones you don’t.

This “targeting” goes deeper than just figuring out who you want to work for. You need to get clear on the type of job, the industries you want to work in, the level of job you want to go after, style of company culture, other factors that you might value.

From there, put yourself in the shoes of a hiring manager at that type of company.

What kind of concerns would they have about hiring someone? What would they be looking for? What red flags would they look for?

If you’re not sure, you can always talk to someone at the types of companies you might want to work for and do informational interviews .

Weave in “story elements” into your resume

Here are some story elements you could weave into your resume:

Characters: You’re the “main character” in your story. Other characters could be previous managers, colleagues you worked with, etc.

Setting: Your story’s setting could be companies you worked with or departments you worked in.

Plot: The plot of any good story follows some kind of narrative “arc.” Usually, these arcs take one of four patterns:

1. David vs Goliath:

In this type of story, you’re the “little guy” with the odds stacked against you (whether they’re time constraints, resource constraints, lack of buy-in, etc) but you still went on to achieve great things.

2. Rags to Riches:

Stories like this have the character starting off at the “bottom” and then ascending to the top. This might be the case if you landed some promotions at your last job, or accomplished something that’s supposed to be outside (or above) your role.

3. Transformation:

People also love stories of transformation. This might be your go-to narrative if you dealt with problems at your previous job that you faced - like managing an underperforming employee or customer conflicts.

Describe the challenge

Accomplishments are great to include on your resume, but they hold little meaning without context.

To provide that context, make sure you create a description around your challenges and what obstacles you faced before your success.

For example:

A challenge related to an organization: Perhaps the one you work in, but it could also relate to your competitors

A non-human related challenge: For example, if you’re a programmer, you might have the challenge of fixing up an algorithm.

A challenge related to a problematic situation: For example, you might be in a situation where you’re facing declining sales at a company, and your responsibility is to help turn it around.

A challenge related to a person: You might have have to take over a team with underperforming employees.

The resolution is where you talk about your results.

What sort of key metrics did you increase?

Wherever possible, be sure to add actual numbers to your accomplishments. You’ll make them sound more convincing, as well as make yourself sound more appealing as a candidate. How did all of your efforts come together to solve the big picture problem that you’re trying to impact?

Find the “throughline” in your stories and accomplishments

Your story “throughline” is the common thread that weaves your stories together. You’ll almost certainly have throughlines in your stories if you look hard enough. If you look carefully at these underlying themes, you’ll get a better sense of your overall value proposition as an employee, and what you actually bring to the table.

Your stories will also help provide some backing to the rest of the accomplishments in your resume. It’ll set the tone for your “brand”, and the overall tone for your resume.

If you don’t have a story to tie everything together, your resume will just be a series of accomplishments one after the other.

Without storytelling, a resume can look like a bland, statement of facts about yourself. Storytelling can help remove that vibe from your resume, and make it an overall engaging piece.

• 2. Include strategic resume power words

Power words are words that capture the hiring manager’s attention as they quickly go through resumes and cover letters.

When you submit a resume online or through a referral, you only have a handful of seconds before the hiring managers discard your resume for another one.

When you use power words, you capture the attention of whoever’s reading your resume quickly. They quickly show the hiring manager that you have the skills and qualifications to get a job done.

Power words can also help differentiate your resume from everyone else’s in the pile. The truth is, many resumes will be filled with long, verbose sentences filled with fluff. If you can sprinkle power words in your resume in appropriate spots, you’ll separate yourself past everyone else.

These power words can also be useful when a company evaluates resumes using an Applicant Tracking System (or ATS). Any applicant tracking system or software tool that evaluates resumes will be screening for words that it believes would make candidates a good fit for a job.

In many cases, the software tool will do that by eliminating people that might not be a good fit for the role given the words used on their resume.

Action Verbs

One type of power word is an action verb. This kind of verb shows your ability to succeed. These words demonstrate the skills you have used in previous jobs to achieve success.

Examples of action verbs include "accomplished," "designed," "initiated," and "supervised."

Company Values

To demonstrate that you are a good fit for the company, use key terms that the company uses to describe itself. You might find this language on the company’s “About Us” web page, or in the job listing.

For example, if the company identifies itself as “innovative,” one power word you might incorporate into your resume is “innovate” or “innovative.”

Popular Skill Words

There are certain skills and qualities that almost every employer is looking for in a job candidate. For example, employers always want an employee who is responsible, passionate, and a strong leader.

Try to use this kind of language to demonstrate you have these essential skills.

Keywords are words from the job listing that relate to particular skills or other requirements for the job. By embedding them in your resume or cover letter, you will demonstrate, at a glance, that you fit the requirements of the position. Keywords might be “analyzed,” “quantified,” “planned,” “programmed,” “designed,” “taught,” or “trained.”

Industry Buzzwords and Jargon

Each industry has certain keywords that are important. Knowing and accurately using those words demonstrates that you have the necessary hard skills. Sprinkle the appropriate buzzwords into your resume and cover letter to demonstrate that you are a part of the industry.

Some common buzzwords might be "facilitated", "launched," or "demonstrated."

• 3. Pay attention to formatting

Here are all the parts to take into consideration:

Your Name and Contact Information

Start your resume off with your name. You don’t need to put unnecessary details (like titling your resume, “resume” - the employer already knows what they’re looking at).

After your name, include your contact information in case they want to get in touch with you. Make sure to include your phone number, your email, and city. Your email doesn’t have to be under a personal domain necessarily, as long as it’s a professional sounding email (and not one you made when you were 13).

Following that, you can also list your social media handles (such as your LinkedIn or even your Twitter) since more and more employers are asking for those nowadays.

As long as your social media handles represent you well and don’t make managers question your character or abilities, you should be okay.

Make sure that your URLs are short links (so you don’t have long, unsightly URL links on your resume).

Your Professional Summary

An overview of your career to date, you should include high level accomplishments or success stories at the top of your CV. You’ll either pull in the reader immediately, or end up at the bottom of the pile.

Not every CV needs a summary, but if your career journey has been long or complicated it can really bring your story together.

Take the time to match your summary to the role you’re applying for. Talk about how your skills and attitude support the duties listed in the job description. Explicitly mention the company and job title if it makes sense to do so.

This is your chance to make a huge first impression.

If you’re a recent grad or don’t have much experience in your field, you can summarize the skills and experience you gained during internships or when volunteering, and emphasize how you’ll bring value to the company.

Your Relevant Work Experience

Most hiring managers and recruiters will focus primarily on your previous work experience. Highlight this after your summary. A standard CV covers the information most important to the employer, which means your work history should include your most recent experience and descriptions of key projects or responsibilities in each role.

List your experience in reverse chronological order, with the most recent first. Keep this in mind: how did your work set you apart from others in a similar role, or from your colleagues?

Break up paragraphs with bullet points. Shorter sentences are easier to read, especially for someone who might only have time to scan your CV during the initial screening. Long, convoluted sentences won’t make you sound more intelligent or more professional. They’ll only slow down the reader and make you harder to understand.

Be consistent from one section to the next. Every job and description should follow the same format. If you include a title, employer, date and description in that order, make sure you do it this way throughout your CV.

Here’s a typical employment history structure for a reverse-chronological or combination CV:

• YOUR TITLE - THE COMPANY - DATES WORKED
• Responsibilities
• Accomplishments
• Skills gained

Use facts and figures when possible. Did you help the company increase their sales by 46% in three months? Did you solve 1000+ database issues and improve team efficiency by 20%? Were you responsible for bringing in an additional $50,000 from an email campaign? It’s easy to say you were successful in your previous role, but if you can quantify this success, you have a better chance of impressing the employer.

If you’ve been in the workforce for a while and want to keep your CV short and strong, only include relevant experience. Take out extraneous roles, especially if they’re over 10 years old. The only exception is if it’s with a recognizable brand (for example, working at Google says a lot about your skills and personality).

If you’re worried about a super-long CV but you want to offer additional information, you can always create a simple one-page website and link to it. However, designing a professional-looking site takes skill and time, so unless you’re feeling extra confident, your best bet is to link to your up-to-date LinkedIn profile.

Your Education

Hiring managers want to see how your education supports your application, especially if it’s for a role where you’re working with numbers, money or safety. A standard CV should include your educational background in reverse-chronological order (where you mention your most recent studies first).

This includes courses (online or offline), certificates, and degrees relevant to your ideal position and industry. If your education is in a different field, highlight how it supports what you do now.

Many career coaches and industry experts recommend carefully reviewing the job posting and customizing your CV to mirror the language and keywords the employer uses, as well as the requirements of the position.

Are you fluent in other languages? Highlight those and be honest about your speaking level: basic, intermediate, advanced, or native.

Some people also include a line about their hobbies and passions, which gives the employer a more holistic idea of who you are. An accountant who goes skydiving every weekend? That’s definitely a way to break the ice during an interview.

• Tying it all together

Here are some examples of resumes from different industries that tie in some of these concepts:

If you want “done for you” templates that put all of these things in place for you, sign up for VisualCV's free resume builder .

Raghav Haran

Raghav Haran is a copywriter and marketer.

It's natural to feel stuck in your job search when interview requests have slowed down to a trickle or stopped completely. Here's how to improve your resume in 6 simple steps.

March 27, 2019

Co-Founder & Director

With these 8 simple tips you will have all the steps you need to get a great job.

October 7, 2015

Figuring out how to design a resume isn't easy. Here are 10 great resume examples to inspire you.

April 9, 2015

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How to write the perfect résumé.

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MBA Engineer, Career Coach, Speaker, #1 Best-Selling Author, 3x Gold Medalist & World-Class Athlete. Connect w/  Wasim the Dream .

When it comes to job-hunting, having a good résumé gives you an opportunity to stand out even before getting an interview. Your résumé should be an extension of yourself; it is the first impression you make, so it is arguably just as important as any other part of the job-hunting experience. This article aims to explain the different strategies and ideas behind writing the perfect résumé.

Before we begin with the actual résumé, let's talk about something called an applicant tracking system (ATS). An ATS is a software that automates a lot of the recruiting and hiring processes. Over 75% of companies use an ATS to find job candidates. The old-school days of hiring managers printing out and reading your résumé are over; it's now almost all automated. This software aims to search and contact all candidates who it deems relevant to the position it is looking to fill. The most notable part of this software is that it is also used to select the most qualified candidates from the list of applicants.

The main goal is to understand how this software works and what we can do to make the software pick us as an ideal candidate. Since we know that an ATS is capable of selecting the ideal candidates, tailor your résumé to fit the description. There are many resources online that scan your résumé with a job description you provide; the results will show you missing skills, formatting issues, questionable phrases, grammar issues and all sorts of points that will help you reformat your résumé.

We will go through the four résumé building sections:

1. Finding jobs you like 

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2. Structure 

3. Putting it all together and leveraging the ATS

4. Leveraging job boards to boost your visibility

1. Finding Jobs You Like 

In order to write a résumé, you first need to understand what jobs you are interested in. For example, if you are interested in being a software developer and also a project manager, having one résumé won’t be sufficient as they are two very different positions. In this case, it would be beneficial to have two separate résumés, one for software developer positions and another for project manager positions. This way, you can configure each résumé to be consistent with the positions you are interested in.

The point is that you should know exactly what you are looking for when writing a résumé so that you can write your résumé specifically for that position. Go on LinkedIn or job boards and find three to five jobs that you are interested in (without applying, initially).

Now that we know about applicant tracking systems, and you found three to five jobs you like, let’s discuss résumé structure. The way you structure your résumé can make a difference with how your résumé is initially perceived. Résumé structure also helps with readability and aesthetics — you don’t want an ugly résumé.

The basic structure for a résumé is a header, summary, skills, education and professional experience. The header should include your full name, email, phone number and location. The summary should be a short one-paragraph explanation of your skills, qualifications and experience. Your skills section should include the most notable skills that you have; make sure you tailor this section to the jobs that you are interested in. Your education section should also include any certifications. Finally, your professional experience should contain quantitative information; recruiters are not interested in what your responsibilities were; they are interested in what you accomplished for the company.

For example, saying, “responsible for leading a team of engineers to accomplish client requirements” is too vague. Instead, you should say, “successfully led a team of eight engineers to satisfy project requirements while also cutting capital expenses by $1 million.” Points like this create much more room for conversation and interest when being interviewed. Here are some examples .

3. Putting It All Together And Leveraging The ATS

Now you have the list of jobs you like and a draft with the format that we talked about. The next step is to optimize it using the ATS. My favorite free tool is Jobscan; you simply upload your résumé and copy-paste the job description for the jobs that you like. The software will give you a detailed ATS evaluation and what you need to add to score high in the software. There is also a LinkedIn optimization tool that I recommend. Now you can format your résumé according to the specific jobs that you like. This will put you way ahead of the game.

Finally, another free tool is the Linkedin Career premium version. When you are looking at jobs, it shows you the top skills that you have or are missing; this all goes back to the ATS. Now, after you have your résumé ATS-optimized, copy and paste all of the info into your LinkedIn profile. That way the ATS will also find your résumé faster. 

4. Leveraging Job Boards To Boost Your Visibility

Once you have your résumé and LinkedIn profile ATS-optimized, you're ready to rock and roll. The final step is to go on the relevant job boards and upload your new résumé and make it public. Here is a list of the top five job boards:

3. ZipRecruiter

4. LinkedIn (you can upload your résumé on your profile)

5. Careerbuilder

Go to these websites, create a profile (it’s fast because often you can upload your LinkedIn profile) and then upload your new résumé and make it public so that everyone can see it. 

Now when you have your résumé on all of these websites it makes it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to find you. As an example, if they are looking for a Python developer, your name will appear higher on the search results because you have your résumé in multiple places. This will also increase the number of hiring managers and recruiters who visit your LinkedIn profile, email you and contact you for potential jobs.

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How to Write The Perfect Resume in 2024 (With Examples)

The ultimate guide to learn how to quickly create a resume utilizing best practices to help you land your next job.

Introduction to writing a resume

We’ve all been there. You’re ready to apply for a new job or looking for a career change, and you haven’t updated your resume in quite some time. Or it’s your first job, and you’re not sure where to start. Resumes are a standard part of the job application process. Not having one - a good one - makes it very difficult to near impossible to land your dream job.

Unless you have some incredible connections that can help you bypass the interview stage, which is pretty rare, we highly recommend you give your resume a second look (or first!).

Beautiful resume templates to land your dream job

Why do you need a good resume?

Your resume is a way for you to market yourself and promote your career experience. Creating a resume lets hiring managers see how you'll bring value to their company.

It's important to know that your resume doesn't need to present all there is to know about you. It should summarize the most important aspects of your professional experience. As well as your education, interests and activities - when applicable. We recommend you tailor your resume to the position you're seeking. This means highlighting specific accomplishments and skills to the job you're applying for.

In this guide, we'll walk you through the following sections to help you craft the perfect resume:

• Understanding the basics of creating a resume
• Breaking down the resume layout and formats
• Maximizing information on your resume to provide the most value

What tools should you use to build your resume?

Tip: Use an online resume builder . Don't use Microsoft Word. Always use an online resume builder. You'll never have to worry about finding files and you can export your resume as a PDF.

So you’re ready to get started on your resume. The most obvious of choices is to open up Microsoft Word, create a new document and get writing. If you haven’t already done this before, formatting in Microsoft Word is a painful experience.

You'll end up with an ugly resume template that has poor legibility and incorrect margins. Or due to the lack of design options, you’ll end up with a resume that looks standard and boring. In both cases, the chances of potential employers overlooking your resume are pretty high!

Crazy isn’t it? You've spent years building job experience but have to use Microsoft Word to tell that story. And if you can’t navigate around complicated tools, it'll lead to poor results. You might miss the opportunity to land your dream job. That doesn’t sound fair, and it isn’t.

Why should you use a resume builder?

Luckily, there are other options that exist. We’ve created the fastest and easiest resume builder available online. With a variety of pre-existing templates that are professional and field-tested. And there’s no messing around with font sizes, margins or colors. We’ve taken care of all that for you.

The benefits of using an online resume builder like the one we’ve created are much higher. Here are some of the top reasons to use a resume builder:

• Hosting your resume online (in the cloud)
• This means you can access your resume at any time and anywhere. Your resume will always be available through our website. You'll never worry about having the right computer programs installed. Or finding files on a messy desktop.
• Creating unlimited resumes at no cost
• We manage it for you and make finding your resumes super easy, so you never have to worry about things getting lost. Go ahead and create unlimited versions of your resumes!
• High-quality resume designs
• This is where we specialize. Our design team has tested the exact elements required for perfecting resume templates. We sweat the details so you never have to. We’ve spent countless hours choosing the most appropriate font and color combinations. Including ones that pass the stress tests of relentless Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

The other benefits of using Easy Resume’s online resume builder are:

• Download your resume as a PDF. We recommend this file format so your resume always looks consistent.
• Share a direct link to your resume. We’ll even host it for you at no cost.
• Get exclusive access to guides, tutorials, and tips from career and industry professionals.

Understanding the 3 types of resume formats

Let’s break down the different types of resumes that employers generally look for.

• Reverse Chronological
• Combination

Tip: When in doubt, use a reverse chronological resume format. - About 95% of resumes use the reverse chronological format. Hiring managers are used to this as it lets employers see how your career has progressed.

1. Reverse Chronological Format

The most common is the Reverse Chronological format. It’s the most used and formatted to tell the story of your work experience in a chronological way. Employers prefer this format, as it gives them a historical overview of your career. Including the different job titles and responsibilities that you’ve had.

When should you use a reverse chronological resume template?

• You have had a lot of prior work experience. This means either the number of jobs or the amount of work experience you’ve had.
• You want to show how your career has progressed. For example, if you started as an associate and worked your way up to a senior-level position. The reverse-chronological format is a great way of showing your progression.

What if you have gaps between your work experience?

This is a very common question that we often receive. It’s usually in the form of:

“I’ve been out of work for 6-7 years after a certain life situation (i.e. having kids). The last job I had was in 2012, but recently I'm starting to apply for jobs again in 2019. What’s the right resume format for someone like me?”

First of all, no worries. This is a very common situation and happens with many people. As a hiring manager, having a gap like this can lead to questions and uncertainty about your resume. Which is why we recommend that you use a combination format.

2. Functional Format

The second type of resume format is the Functional or Skills-Based resume. This can be common for students and recent graduates starting to apply for their first job.

When should you use a functional / skills-based resume template?

• You’re a student or recent graduate applying for jobs for the first time with no prior work experience.
• You’re looking to make a career change.

Reasons why this is common for students and recent grads is due to their lack of prior experience. Given the fact that they’re starting to enter the workforce and apply for their first job. It’s well understood amongst employers that students won’t have a huge depth of work experience. There are other ways to let them know what you can help bring to the role you’re applying for by showcase the list of skills that you excel at.

It usually depends on the role you’re applying for. But there are some common ones that you can try to focus on like: Communication, Organization, Customer Driven, Effective Listener, Teamwork, etc.

What else can you add to your resume besides skills?

We recommend adding some extra activities for your career. Even if you haven’t attained any professional work experience yet. The few ways you can do that as a student is:

• Find internships
• Help volunteer at student-led or non-profit organizations
• Participate in extracurricular activities
• Take on side-projects

Not only will you have more examples of experience to show on your resume. You can show employers how much initiative and leadership you’ve performed on your own. This helps you stand out much better than a candidate who only lists generic skills.

For example, instead of only listing skills like:

• Communication
• Collaborative

An employer might prefer to move forward with a resume that looks like this:

• Summer Intern at XYZ
• Volunteered for non-profit at XYZ
• Ran student organization for XYZ

What if you’re unable to get any kind of experience?

Fear not, your chances towards landing your first job can still be within grasp. We recommend taking an approach that explains the skills you’ve acquired. And how you’ve applied them in real-world settings.

Here’s an example of adding depth to your skill sets:

• Demonstrated effective teamwork and leadership in various class projects by taking the initiative to organize group’s goals, objectives, and tasks.
• Received consistent praise and admiration from course professors and team members as being highly collaborative, an effective communicator and group leader with clear presentation skills and abilities.
• Organization
• Meticulous about even the smallest of details. Always taking the extra effort towards making sure that filenames, folder hierarchy and labeling are descriptive, versioned, tagged and easily discoverable.
• Received constant praise from past and present team members who were able to jump into any collaborative project and accurately trace back previous versions to see how decisions were made.

Do you see how this can be more effective than listing out a set of skills? Taking this approach will let employers know that you’re not only listing skills. But have also demonstrated how you were able to apply these skills and put them into action.

3. Combination Format

The final type of resume that we mentioned earlier is the Combination or Hybrid format. This combines concepts from both reverse chronological and functional/skills-based formats.

We recommend this format for jobs that expect relevant experience and technical skills. An example might be a Graphic Designer who has experience working in design agencies. As well as necessary skills like Branding, Sketching, Illustration, and Adobe Creative Suite.

Take a look at our in-depth guide on how to select the right resume format .

Choosing the best resume template

Now that we know which software to use and the most common resume formats, let’s break down the actual template. This is the make-or-break deal. Picking the right resume template can be the deciding factor if a hiring manager gives you a call. Or if they skip past your resume and never bother to read it.

Our mission here at Easy Resume is to make sure that never happens to you! We’re working hard to make sure your resume is high quality and presented in a way that will impress recruiters.

When speaking with hiring managers, we found that 78% of the time they skip your resume is because of the design. Again, we don’t think that’s fair.

Here’s a checklist to use for your resume

We always use this checklist whenever creating any new resume template.

Use a clear heading structure

Incorrect : Don’t make all headings and body copy the same size.

Correct: Do use typographic hierarchy by using varying heading sizes and font weights.

Use legible, friendly and professional font combinations

Incorrect : Don’t use quirky and eccentric fonts like comic sans or papyrus.

Correct : Do use professional fonts that are easy to read and familiar. Fonts like Georgia, Helvetica, Calibri, and Cambia.

Use an ample amount of spacing

Incorrect : Don’t go overboard with spacing. Using a lot of white-space might spark joy, but not when your resume becomes three pages long because of it.

Correct: Do keep your margins tight but spaced even enough that your text isn’t hugging the borders of the page.

Incorrect : Don’t try to write your entire life story with every single job responsibility you’ve ever had. Recruiters on average spend about 7-8 seconds skimming through resumes. If it's two pages, the chances of them not spending even more than 2-3 seconds reading the second page is pretty low.

Correct: Do keep your information brief, relevant, and clear. If you REALLY need another page, make sure it’s valuable information. Otherwise, choose the right template that can fit the most words on a single page.

Use bullet points

Incorrect : Don’t write very long paragraphs about your work experience. Remember, your resume is a summary and a brief overview of your career. Your resume is not an autobiography of everything you’ve ever done.

Correct: Do use 3-4 bullet points to briefly describe your responsibilities. Feel free to add more bullet points if you have worked at only one or two jobs to fill up some more space.

Overview for writing a resume

Whew, that was a lot of information. Let's quickly summarize what we've learned.

1) Always use an online resume builder, instead of Microsoft Word

• It’s always better to use an online tool instead of Microsoft Word.
• Creating a resume template on Easy Resume will allow you to access your resume at any time. And access to unlimited resumes and a great selection of professional design templates.

2) There are 3 types of resume formats

• Reverse Chronological -This is the most common. Use it if you have a lot of work experience and want to show your career progression over the years. ‍
• Functional - If you lack work experience, use this format to emphasize your skill set. It’s great for students or recent graduates entering the workforce for the first time. ‍
• Combination - If you have a lot of experience and a diverse skill set that is relevant to your job, use this advanced technique. For example, a web developer who has worked at a few technology startups. And has programming skills in languages like Python, PHP, and Javascript.

3) Follow our resume design guidelines

• Utilize clear heading hierarchy, don’t make all fonts the same size. This will help your resume be easy to parse. Remember, recruiters spend an average of 6 seconds scanning your resume. Highlight the most important sections! ‍
• Use legible fonts that are easy to read . Using professional fonts will make your resume more legible. Choose from fonts like Georgia, Calibri, Garamond, Arial, Helvetica, Cambria, Times New Roman, Verdana, Trebuchet, Gill Sans, and Tahoma
• ‍ Use white-space conservatively . If you rely too much on white-space, you might end up with a 2-3 page resume. Keep your margins tight but spaced evenly to make it easy on the eyes for the reader. ‍
• Use 1 page . As previously mentioned, hiring managers and recruiters spend an average of 6 seconds. They might look at hundreds of resumes and applications every week. The chances of them reading every single page from top to bottom is pretty slim. ‍
• Use limited amount of color depending on your industry. Hiring managers need to notice the right parts of your resume. Using the right amount of color on your resume can help. ‍
• se bullet points . As previously mentioned, hiring managers and recruiters spend an average of 6 seconds. They might look at hundreds of resumes and applications every week. The chances of them reading every single page from top to bottom is pretty slim.

Resume sections and details

Let’s take a closer look at the resume itself now. Resumes are typically broken down into the common sections:

Common sections to add on your resume

Resumes tend to have some common sections that employers are used to seeing. Here's a list of what's generally expected as best practice:

• Heading / Name
• Additional Contact Info
• Your Objective
• Your Education
• York Work Experiences
• Your Skills

Of course not all people are alike. There’s no one-size-fits-all model for resumes. Depending on your job, you might want to include more unique sections. Remember any information you include on your resume should have valuable insight into your experience. Employers want to know why you would be a great hire.

Other sections to include on your resume

If you don't have enough information for the sections described above, you can try to add some of these sections below. Keep in mind that you should only add it if it's relevant to the position you're applying for.

• Volunteering
• Achievements
• Organizations
• Certificates
• Publications

As you can see, there are many sections to add depth to your resume. So don’t be alarmed if you’re lacking skills or experiences, there are other ways to let employers learn of your potential.

Tip: Only add information that’s relevant to the job you’re applying for. As a best practice, always remember that the most valuable details is the information that recruiters are specifically looking for in the job description that you’re applying to.

Let’s break down each of these sections and how to add the most value to them.

Adding contact information

Information about yourself is a critical element for your resume. It provides a brief description of who you are, where you're based and how to get in touch with you.

The most necessary contact information to add on your resume

There are quite a few ways to add your contact details, but here's what's most necessary.

• Your First & Last Name . You may use a preferred name if that's what you'd rather go by. So for example, someone named "Robert" might prefer to go by a nickname like "Bob". You may also optionally include your middle name or initial. ‍
• Your Email Address. Your email address is necessary if employers want to be able to reach you. Email is generally the most common way that recruiters use to get in contact with applicants.

Always use a professional email address.

Incorrect : Don't use an email address that sounds like you're still in grade school. Something like [email protected] will not look professional on your resume.

Correct : If you don't already have one, create a professional email address with your name on a service like Gmail. An email like [email protected] sounds much more professional.

• Your Phone Number. Adding a phone number will let recruiters know that they can also reach you via phone call if that proves to be more convenient for them. If possible, use your work or cellphone number instead of your home number. ‍
• Your Location. Adding your location lets employers know that you'll be able to physically make it to work. It's preferred that you list your city and state. Some people like to add their full mailing address. However, based on our research, we learned that it's not always important to add in your entire street address.

Let employers know where you're based, not your exact address.

Incorrect : Don't list your entire mailing address like 305 Main St, Apt#25. It's not always necessary. If an employer needs to know your mailing address, ask them and only provide if required.

Correct : You can simply list your city state and sometimes zip code, for example: New York, NY 10010. This will let employers know that you live and work in this geographic location. If you need a work visa or are looking to relocate, be sure to call that out.

Secondary contact information to add on your resume

• Your Website or Blog. If you have a website or a blog, feel free to add it on your resume. Having a website can add to the professionalism of your experience.

Unnecessary contact information for your resume

• Your Photo or Headshot. Adding a photo to your resume is a bit of a controversial topic. While it's not always recommended, and most ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) will ignore it - some countries like South Korea may prefer it. However, in most cases, it's not necessary. ‍
• Your Date of Birth. To avoid any kind of age-based discrimination, it's best to leave your birthday out of your resume.

Adding social media profiles

If you have accounts on social networks, you might want to include them depending on how relevant it is. This will let employers know that you're active and knowledgeable about commonly used platforms online.

• Linkedin is the most popular platform for networking amongst professionals. We recommend that you create a Linkedin profile if you don't already have one.
• If you use Twitter for professional reasons, adding your Twitter handle can be a good way to show off your personality and interests for topics that you like to talk about. However, if you use it purely for personal reasons, you shouldn't add it.

Tip: Only add social media profiles if they showcase your professional experience. Normally, you shouldn't add your personal social media profiles on your resume. Unless you're using social media networks like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest to demonstrate your expertise and interests, there's no reason to include them on your resume. For example, if you're a web developer, you might want to include your Github or if you're a designer, you can include a link to your Behance portfolio.

Writing the perfect resume objective

Your resume summary or objective gives employers a very brief overview of your goal and what kind of position you're looking for. It should always be at the very top of the resume. Usually placed directly below your name and contact information. It's always important to leave a great first impression. Remember, hiring managers are spending only 6 seconds scanning your resume.

Here are the key pieces of information that your resume objective should include:

• Your Job Title = e.g. Server
• Your Experience (in years) = e.g. 10+ Years
• Your Achievements = e.g. Managed parties and events upwards of 250+ guests and maintained customer satisfaction rate above 98%
• Your Desired Goal = e.g. Looking for new opportunities to bring expertise to fine-dining establishments
• Your Desired Goal (Personalized) = e.g. Looking to gain new skills and further develop fine-dining expertise at an upscale establishment like Janes Riverside Restaurant

Personalizing your resume objective to the specific company you're applying for can be a great way to make a first impression. We highly recommend tailoring each resume objective to the specific job and company you're applying to.

Follow these tips to write a great resume objective

This checklist will help summarize your experience into a resume objective that leaves a good first impression.

Avoid writing your resume objective in first person.

Incorrect : I am a server and have lots of experience working in various restaurants. I love working with customers.

Correct : Dynamic and engaged server with over 10+ years of experience who loves to provide warm and friendly customer service.

Quantify your achievements.

Incorrect : I worked many catering events and parties, and provided good customer service.

Correct :  Managed parties and events upwards of 250+ guests and maintained customer satisfaction rate above 98%.

Be clear about your desired goal.

Incorrect : I'm looking for a new job to get better at managing people and stores.

Correct : Looking for new opportunities to further develop hospitality and personnel management experience at fine-dining restaurants.

Putting all this together, a bad example of a resume objective might be the following:

Bad example of a Registered Nurse's objective

I am an experienced registered nurse, that has worked at large hospitals with experience taking care of patients and providing medical expertise. I'm looking for a position to help grow my nursing career.

Let's turn that into a better example of a resume objective, based on our guidelines:

Good example of a Registered Nurse's objective

Experienced and veteran RN with 12+ years of experience taking care of patient health. Skilled in providing high quality patient care in ER situations under intense pressure. Hired and trained a staff of 27 nurses and nurse assistants. Looking for a new role to bring empathetic care to the patients at Lincoln Hospital.

Take a look at our guide on how to write a killer resume summary or resume objective to learn more.

Summarizing your job experience

Your resume experience section is the most important aspect of your entire resume. It's a summary of your career experience and progression that outlines your responsibilities and achievements.

This is the section that you'll most likely spend most of your time on. It's good practice to make sure you consistently jot down any new experiences you've had, even if you're not looking for a job.

For example, if you recently landed a $200,000 deal by bringing on a new client at your firm, write that down somewhere you can remember. Over time, you'll have dozens of bullet points you can copy over to your resume when you are ready for a new job.

Here's a simple example of work experience

Server, red lobster.

November 2018 - Present • New York, NY

• Greeted incoming guests and directed them to comfortable seating.
• Memorized and informed guests of daily menu specials.
• Made recommendations about food and beverages as well as other services provided by the restaurant.
• Provided exceptional and friendly customer service by taking food and beverage orders and entering them in our PoS system.
• Job Title = e.g. Server
• Company Name = e.g. Red Lobster
• Start & End Dates = e.g. November 2018 - Present
• Location = e.g. New York, NY
• Responsibilities & Tasks = e.g. Made recommendations and answered questions about our food, beverages and other restaurant functions and services.

This is a simple example, but it can be improved by adding more detail.

Follow these guidelines to really maximize your career experience

These principles will make your resume look more professional, relevant and attractive to hiring managers. This is where most job-seekers have the toughest time when writing their resume.

We highly recommend emphasizing your experience section with these guidelines:

• Focus on achievements and outcomes. Instead of just writing about all of the tasks you did. Try your best to quantify some of the most key and impactful achievements you've made at the company. Using actionable verbs can help. ‍
• Use keywords from the job description. If you're applying to multiple jobs, make sure you tailor each resume to the job description . A great way to tailor your resume is to use keywords from the job description itself. Not only will this feel more relevant to recruiters, but it significantly increases the chances of your resume passing an ATS which scans for common keywords. ‍
• List only key responsibilities. Your experience section isn't meant to be a huge list of every single task you've ever done. Try to narrow your responsibilities to the ones that most relevant ones.

Here's a better example of work experience

• Implemented Happy Hour pre-dinner special that drove an extra $7,500 in weekly revenue.
• Trained and onboarded 6 servers to help increase waitstaff.
• Promoted to Team Lead after receiving exceptional feedback from repeat customers.
• Made food recommendations to customers that helped increase ordering by up to 15% for select items.

Adding skills to your resume

Showcasing skills on your resume lets employers understand the variety of your strengths. While skill sets can vary, the best approach is to use keywords from the job description to show how your skills are relevant.

In general, there are two types of skills you should consider adding to your resume.

• Soft or Transferable Skills
• Hard or Technical Skills

What are soft skills?

Soft skills (sometimes known as "transferable skills") are self-developed skills that will be valuable to employers to many different types of jobs. Some examples of these include communication, teamwork, organization and leadership. Listing soft skills is recommended if you're thinking about a career change where your skills would serve both industries.

For example, there might be a job that requires candidates to be very strong in teamwork skills. If you’ve worked in team settings, and enjoy collaborating with other group members, this is a skill that you might want to call out.

Here's a list of common soft skills:

• Taking Initiative
• Problem Solving
• Attention to Detail
• Collaboration
• Time Management
• Critical Thinking
• Decision Making
• Presentation
• Facilitation

What are hard skills?

Hard skills (also known as "technical skills") are specific skills that are learned to perform a certain task or master a craft. These skills are often completed during your job, and sometimes require specific education or training to learn and master. For example, some technical skills can include computers or hardware for jobs like a Web Developer or an IT person.

Adding technical skills to your resume will let employers know how you can solve different challenges using these skills you've acquired. We recommend using your career experience, as described above, to show real examples of how you applied your hard skills at your job. Make sure to keep them relevant to the job you're applying for.

Here's a list of hard skills for specific roles:

Web Developer

• Ruby on Rails
• HTML & CSS
• Cross Browser Testing

Graphic Designer

• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe InDesign
• Adobe Illustrator
• Wireframing

Data Analyst

• Database Management
• Google Analytics
• Microsoft Excel

We have come up with a list of over 100 skills that you can include on your resume .

Listing your education

The education section of your resume is an important call-out for showing your school experience and the degree(s) you've received. It's important that the education section of your resume is relevant to fit the position you're applying for.

Here's an example of the information you should add for your education.

• School / University Name = e.g. Harvard University
• Degree & Major = e.g. B.F.A in Arts & Literature
• Minor = e.g. Minor in Spanish
• Years Attended = e.g. Fall 2004 to Spring 2008
• GPA ( optional ) = e.g. 3.8/4.0 GPA
• Honors ( optional ) = e.g. Magna Cum Laude

The most important information to include is your degree (multiple if you have more than one), the schools you attended and during which dates. If relevant, providing more specific pieces of information like your major and minor can also help.

Tip: Always be truthful on your resume. It's not worth lying on your resume. Employers will quickly find out whether you're telling the truth or lying during an interview if they ask specific questions that you are unable to answer. Same goes for your Education. Employers can request a transcript to verify that your school information is correct.

You'll notice we also added GPA and Honors as optional. For GPA, it's not necessary nor required, and should be generally avoided unless you have a high GPA (greater than 3.8). Adding honors and achievements is also likely to be ignored by recruiters. Only add it if you have plenty of extra space on your resume. Otherwise save that space for more important and relevant information.

Additional sections for your resume

Now that we've learned about the most important sections to add on your resume, let's explore some other ways to demonstrate your full potential to future employers.

Remember, there's no one-size-fits-all model. Every person, every situation and every job is different. Your resume should be tailored based on a variety of these circumstances.

Here are some sections you can include on your resume:

Keep in mind, that you should only add these sections if 1) you have extra space or 2) it's very relevant to the job you're applying for.

• Hobbies & Interests. This is a great way to show off your individual personality. Employers often care about maintaining company culture. Showcasing your different hobbies and interests can be a great way for them to get to know you, before even meeting you! Our advice on how to include hobbies on your resumes will be helpful.
• Languages. Do you speak multiple languages? This is a skill that can become useful, even if it isn't required for the job. When listing languages, you may also write a proficiency level (native, fluent, basic) to show how skilled you are at communicating in that language. ‍
• Volunteering Experience. If you spend time volunteering at different organizations, this can demonstrate to future employers that you're mission-driven and passionate about solving problems for others. If you're a student, acquiring volunteer experience can be a great way to substitute (with real impact!) for any lack of work experience. ‍
• Certifications & Awards. Have you received any certifications and awards that celebrates achievements you've made in your career? If it's relevant to the job you're applying to, then this could be a great way to level up your expertise and skills. Take a look at our guide on including achievements and awards on your resume as well as including certifications on your resumes.

Browse more resume templates that fit your role

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