how to write a resume for 2022

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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How to Write a Resume That Stands Out

• Paige Cohen

It takes hiring managers less than 10 seconds to decide if you’re qualified.

• PC Paige Cohen (they/them) is a senior editor at Harvard Business Review.

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How to Write a Resume in 2022 – Resume Suggestions to Help You Stand Out

Creating an effective resume for todays job search can be daunting. Even more so if you’ve been at the same company or role for a while. It’s challenging to write about yourself! Plus, as a job seeker exploring this challenging job market, you need to figure out what information to keep, how far to go […]

Creating an effective resume for todays job search can be daunting. Even more so if you’ve been at the same company or role for a while. It’s challenging to write about yourself! Plus, as a job seeker exploring this challenging job market, you need to figure out what information to keep, how far to go back, what resume format to use, what keywords to use. Even picking a font can be downright overwhelming! Do I need to change my resume for every job application? What resume template should I use?

Looking for resume best practices in 2022?

As a professional resume writer who has written thousands for everyone from teachers to plumbers to project managers and CEOs, I understand how hard it can be succinctly summarize your work history in a way that is compelling, concise, and relevant to the job you are targeting. The hiring process is complex, but at the end of the day, you’ll need to show transferrable skills and provide proof of them!

One of the biggest mistakes job seekers make is writing their resumes for the job they have, not that job they want. If you go into the process of writing your resume without a clear job target or goal in mind, this is a great place to start. Once you’ve identified the position or types of positions you’d like to target, identify 3-5 job descriptions you can use to help you build your resume.

In this article, I’ll outline tips, tricks, and commonly asked questions about how to write a resume, focusing on each section of from your header and summary to the skills, work experience, and education section.

Resume Headers & Contact Information

While it may seem like a no-brainer, there are some considerations that should be made when it comes to your contact information. Many of my clients ask about nicknames or middle names/initials. If your full name is Elizabeth and you prefer to be called Beth, feel free to use Beth on your resume. If you go by your middle name, you can absolutely use it on your resume.

Your resume is different than a job application, which asks for your legal name. The rule of thumb I always use is to include the name you would like to be called by a recruiter when they call to set up an interview.

Below your name is where your contact information goes. Always include a professional email address without numbers of your birth year or any cute nicknames. I recommend using City, State and Zip Code, just City and State, or a metro area instead of a full address. With the amount of information publicly available online, including your full address can be a privacy or security concern. Only use one phone number, preferably your cell. Finally, include links to your LinkedIn profile and any other relevant professional pages, such as portfolios or social media sites.

Resume Objective or Summary?

This is one of the most commonly asked questions on the topic of how to write a resume. Do I need an objective on my resume? And if not, what do I use instead?

Resumes are user-centric documents, which means you are writing it to convey your value to a potential hiring manager. If you think of your resume as a highlight reel instead of a biography, it becomes easier to identify the right words to use and information to keep. An objective is outdated and focused inward, on what you want, rather than clearly articulating your value to a potential hiring manager.

Resume Headers and Subheaders

Your resume summary has two jobs: quickly grab attention with an impactful overview of your career brand and clearly articulate what roles you are targeting. A great way of doing that is by adding your target job on the top as a headline, right underneath your name and address. Underneath that, you can add three keywords as a subheader that highlight your top-3 job-related strengths, like this:

Rebecca Henninger Montville, NJ 07045 | [email protected] | 973.270.1777 www.linkedin.com/in/rhenningercprwresumewriting | www.rhresumes.com

Senior Marketing Manager Integrated Campaign Planning | Social Media Management | Segmentation & Targeting

After the header, include a 3-4 line summary that outlines your value at a high-level. Don’t make the mistake of using boring, overused, fluffy adjectives. Instead of calling yourself a team player, include hard, quantified details. Remain focused on your goal of differentiating your value instead of using lines that could be on anyone’s resume. For example:

Marketing strategist with experience building and leading high-performing teams of 10+ that consistently drive double-digit increases in user engagement, inbound leads, and brand sentiment in B2B marketing environments.

Include  a skills section that showcases both soft skills, personal qualities that enable you to thrive in your role, and hard skills, job-related knowledge and abilities needed to perform the job. This is a great way to increase your keyword alignment with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). It also boosts impact on a quick scan when hiring managers are reviewing your resume.

Professional Experience

The most important part of any lesson on how to write a resume is the professional experience or work experience section. This is where you showcase all the work you’ve done and give hiring managers confidence in your ability to execute on the job.

There are a few general guidelines to follow here. To optimize ATS readability create an entry for each job using this format:

COMPANY, INC ., City, State (Date – Date)

Under each role, start with a scope paragraph that outlines your onboarding environment (the challenge or result you were hired to address). This area should give a high-level snapshot of what you were accountable for, who you reported to, and what you accomplished. Include budgets managed, team size, departments you oversee, and any other information that will help paint a picture of the role.

The scope paragraph should be 3-5 lines max. After that include bullet points that highlight your achievements. In your achievement bullets , aim to lead with the result and use action verbs that describe your accomplishment. Using the following formula is a great way to amplify impact of your resume:

{Action verb} {result} by {action} in {environment or additional info}.

Here’s an example:

• Boosted revenue 20% YoY without adding staff or capacity by operationalizing drop-ship program that now represents 30% of total business.

One thing to avoid when creating your professional experience sections is what I call death by bullets. Endless lists of bullets can get skimmed over. Instead, organize and condense the information so that truly giving hiring managers your highlight reel.

Avoid using job description language that does nothing to differentiate you. It is not necessary to include a generic play-by-play of everything you do during the day. Instead, aim for a carefully curated list of achievements that help hiring managers see how you would benefit their organization.

List jobs in reverse chronological order, most recent first, and aim to go into detail for jobs in the last 10 years. While it is ok to include older jobs, you don’t need to go in-depth as everything has a shelf life, including experience. The technology, methodologies, and working practices have changed. I believe it is important to provide some background as context on your resume but advise going back at most 20 years and to be careful with dates pre-1990.

Education & Additional Information

Your education section should go last or next to last, unless you are a new graduate or in a field where education and certifications typically go right under your summary, such as teaching.

When listing your education, include the highest degree first with the year you completed it. You can also feel free to leave the year off. If you have a masters degree, that should go first, then your bachelors. I don’t recommend including associates degrees unless you received the degree in a field that is relevant to your target and different from your bachelors. If you don’t have a degree but have some school, you can include the years attended (from-to) or area of concentration. I don’t recommend including high school as it’s assumed that you graduated and including it without a college degree only exemplifies the lack.

Include all relevant certifications and licensure. These can go in the education section or in a separate section titled as such. If your licenses are not active, but it would be relevant for a hiring manager to know you had them at one point, include (Inactive) or (Expired) to indicate that.

Volunteer experience and hobbies are always a nice touch to show you have interests outside of work, particularly if they provide additional information in support of your brand.

Use Common Sense & Think Like a Recruiter

Recruiters are extremely busy and their jobs are to source and screen candidates. If you are struggling with how to write your resume, always ask yourself whether this information will help a recruiter make the decision to call you for the job you want. Sometimes this means leaving off projects you enjoyed or things you have done, even if they are important to you, because they would just be noise on your resume.

For more information on resume best practices and how to write a resume that gets interviews, follow me on @TheJobGirl on Instagram or TikTok and subscribe to my blog at www.rhresumes.com/blog .

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How to Write a Resume for Today’s Job Market

To get more job interviews, you must create a resume that is optimized for applicant tracking systems (ATS). Learn how in this step-by-step guide.

Customers Interviewed by:

Learning how to write a resume is a crucial skill for job seekers—it’s how you market yourself to potential employers.

A well-crafted resume summarizes your professional experience, skills, and achievements. It should grab the hiring manager’s attention and show them them why:

• You’re the perfect match for the job.
• The skills you have will make the company money.
• You’re qualified to solve the company’s problems.
• You’ll be worth your salary.
• Your accomplishments can be measured and verified.

But in today’s job market, it’s not enough to write an effective resume. You must also tailor each one to the job you’re applying for. Why? Because most companies today use applicant tracking systems, or ATS, to sort and filter the large volume of resumes they receive.

If you’re resume doesn’t contain the specific keywords hiring managers are searching for, it won’t be found—even if you’re qualified for the job!

In this guide, you’ll learn how to write a resume that stands out in today’s job market. We’ll show you how to present yourself as the ideal candidate, highlight the skills that will benefit potential employers, and ensure your resume is compatible with ATS.

How to write a resume that gets interviews

Here’s a quick overview of the basic steps for writing a professional resume. Follow these steps to make your resume clear, concise, and appealing.

Gather all relevant data about your work experience, skills, achievements, and education.

Select a format that’s right for you, whether it’s chronological, functional, or hybrid., clearly list your name, phone number, email, and key social media profiles., create a compelling headline that includes the job title you’re applying for., write a brief statement that summarizes your key achievements and value you offer., list the skills you have that align closely with the job requirements., detail your past job roles, responsibilities, and accomplishments., include your educational degrees, certifications, and relevant training., showcase any relevant honors, awards, and volunteer work., tailor your resume by focusing on the experiences and skills that are most relevant to the job..

Before you start working on your resume, remember that your resume is not your biography. You’re not telling the story of your life. Instead, your resume should be a targeted document meant to showcase the skills and experiences that match the job you want .

This means that if something is not relevant to your targeted job, leave it out . With this in mind, let’s start building your resume!

1. Gather your essential information before you start

Before diving into the actual resume writing, it’s crucial to collect all the necessary information you’ll need. This preparatory step ensures that the resume writing process is smooth and that you don’t miss any important details.

• Significant achievements : List standout accomplishments from previous roles that demonstrate your contributions and successes.
• Skills : Compile a list of your soft, hard, and technical skills that align with those required by the job you’re targeting.
• Employment history : Provide detailed information about past employers, including their names, your dates of employment, locations, job titles, and a clear description of your duties.
• Education : Document your academic qualifications like college degrees, certifications, or licenses that prove your expertise in relevant fields.
• Volunteer work : Include any voluntary engagements where you developed skills pertinent to the job you are seeking.
• Awards and honors : Mention any notable recognitions you’ve received that underscore your exceptional talents and commitment.

When you gather your information, include everything you can think of. You can cut information that’s not relevant to a specific job later.

2. Choose a resume format that’s right for you

A  resume format  is the way you organize, or lay out, your information. There is no one-size fits all resume format. Instead, there are three different types of formats to choose from – chronological, functional, and hybrid. Which format you choose depends on your particular situation.

The chronological resume format

This is the most traditional resume format, especially for job seekers with lots of relevant experience.

The chronological resume format lists your work history in reverse chronological order , with your most recent jobs listed first. Your skills and education should come after your work history in this format.

• Have a strong work history showing steady career growth without significant employment gaps.
• Are staying in the same field and want to highlight your experience and advancements within that field.
• Want to highlight career progression and professional achievements over time.

The functional resume format

This resume format focuses on your skills rather than your work history. It helps you downplay your lack of experience in a particular field.

In this format, your skills and education should be emphasized over your work history.

• Are changing careers and want to emphasize transferable skills over past job titles.
• Have gaps in employment and want to focus on skills rather than work experience.
• Are new to the workforce and want to highlight skills, coursework, and internships.

NOTE : Generally speaking, we don’t recommend the functional resume format . Recruiters want to see some kind of work history. Instead of the functional format, try the next resume format—the hybrid.

The hybrid resume format

A hybrid resume is a combination of the chronological resume and the functional resume. It showcases both your work history and your skills.

In this format, your skills comes before your work history. But your work history is still the heart of your resume, just like in the chronological format.

• Have lots of skills that are relevant to the job you are targeting.
• Are climbing the career ladder within the same field.
• Are changing roles within the same industry and want to highlight your relevant skills.

We like the hybrid resume  because it offers the best of both worlds, combining the strengths of the chronological and the functional resume formats.

3. Put your contact information at the top of your resume

This section might appear simple, but it’s important. If hiring managers can’t contact you, you won’t get an interview.

• Phone number
• Location (City, State, Zip Code)
• Email Address
• LinkedIn profile URL

It’s surprising how often job seekers forget a crucial piece of contact information. Double-check to make sure it’s as easy as possible for recruiters to contact you for a job interview.

Here’s an example:

Contact information do’s and don’ts

• Include your full name, including your middle initial.
• Include a link to your professional website or online portfolio.
• Create a strong LinkedIn profile and be sure to include the URL on your resume.
• Don’t write your full address; only your city, state, and zip code.
• Don’t include a work phone number; only your personal number.
• Don’t add a photo of yourself . This can lead to bias or discrimination.

4. Create a compelling resume headline

Your resume headline comes right after your contact information. At the very least, your headline should clearly identify the title of the job you’re applying for.

Is putting the job title in the headline necessary? Yes! “Think of your resume as a maze,” says resume expert Laura DeCarlo . “It has to have a visible entrance or no one would ever get started.” Without a headline, “the prospective employer won’t know for which position you are applying.”

Your headline can also include years of experience and key qualifications. Here’s an example:

Resume headline do’s and don’ts

• Tailor your headline to each job you apply for.
• Keep your headline under ten words to make sure it packs a punch.
• Position yourself as an expert in your field.
• Don’t use clichés such as “hard worker” or “team player.” Be specific.
• Don’t be too salesy. Focus on giving a snapshot of your skills and experience.
• Don’t make your headline too long. Cut to the chase.

5. Write your resume summary

A resume summary is a brief paragraph that provides an overview of your qualifications for the role you’re applying for. Most expert resume writers today highly recommend using a summary.

“One of the most common mistakes I see in resumes is the absence of a targeted introductory paragraph at the beginning of the resume,” says career coach Suzanne Berger . “Keep in mind that recruiters or hiring managers only spend 10 to 20 seconds reviewing your resume, so it is important to make an impact from the start.”

As you can see from the following example, your summary goes right under your resume headline:

Your resume summary should include a concise overview of your key qualifications, professional achievements, and skills that are relevant to the job you are applying for.

Here’s a formula you can use to write your summary, followed by an example:

[Your Professional Title] with [Years of Experience] years of experience. Proven track record in [Top Achievement 1] and [Top Achievement 2] . Skilled in [Skill 1] , [Skill 2] , and [Skill 3] . Known for [Unique Value or Strength] .

Marketing Manager with 8 years of experience . Proven track record in increasing online engagement by 40% and boosting lead generation by 30% . Skilled in content creation, data analysis, and strategic planning . Known for exceptional organizational skills and the ability to manage and inspire teams to exceed corporate objectives .

Resume summary do’s and don’ts

• Use numbers to show that you are able to produce tangible outcomes.
• Incorporate keywords from the job description whenever possible.
• Write your resume summary last because you’ll then have a fuller picture of your experiences and skills.
• Don’t just list your job duties; instead focus on your accomplishments.
• Don’t use personal pronouns (I, me, or my).
• Don’t make your summary too long; keep it to no more than 3-4 sentences.

6. Create your skills section

When we talk about keywords, we are mostly talking about skills .

There are two main types of skills— hard and soft . Hard skills are specific abilities you learn through education or training, like using certain software or speaking a foreign language. Soft skills are more about how you work and interact with others, such as teamwork, communication , and flexibility.

You should place your skills section under your resume summary. List your skill set using bullet points, either in columns or in a bullet-point format. Try to include 10 to 20 key skills in this section.

IMPORTANT! The way the same skill is worded in a job description can vary from company to company. This is why it’s crucial to tailor each resume to the job you’re applying to.

For example, here are three different ways of listing essentially the same skill:

• Customer Service
• Client Relations
• Customer Support

If the job description lists “customer support” and you have “customer service” on your resume, the hiring manager might not find your resume when searching through the ATS database — even though you do have that skill.

To make sure you’re using the right keyword skills, run your resume through Jobscan’s resume scanner . It compares your resume to the job description and tells you which skills to use.

You’ll also receive a resume score which tells you how closely your resume matches the job description. The higher your score the more likely you are to get an interview. Here’s an example of the report you’ll receive from the resume scanner:

The skills in red are missing from the resume. Add them to increase the resume score. You can read more about Jobscan’s resume scanner and how to try it for free here .

7. Create a compelling work history section

Now it’s time to get to the heart of your resume – the  work experience  section. This is the section employers will spend the most time looking at when they consider your resume.

Why is this section so critical? Because it’s where you provide the proof to support what you said about yourself in your resume headline, summary, and skills section.

Each job should include the following information and be listed in reverse-chronological order (latest job first).

• Company name and location – Include the full name of the company you worked for followed by the city and state of its location.
• Job title – Be as specific as possible to ensure that employers know exactly what your role was within the company.
• Start and end dates – Include the month and year for each position. If you only list the year, it may appear as though you are omitting information.
• Achievements and responsibilities – These can be listed using bullet points. Include hard numbers and metrics wherever possible.

One of the biggest mistakes people make when writing a resume is only listing their job responsibilities. These are tasks that you’re expected to perform as part of your job.

Listing your job responsibilities gives a potential employer an idea of what you did day-to-day. But it doesn’t reveal  how well you did it.

This is why it’s important to highlight your specific accomplishments. For example, if you increased sales, reduced costs, or implemented new processes or technologies, be sure to mention these accomplishments.

Here’s an example of a work experience section with measurable achievements :

To write strong bullet points for your work experience section, use Jobscan’s AI-powered bullet point generator. It creates bullet points based on the skills in the job description, highlighting your relevant qualifications. Try it for free here .

Work experience do’s and don’ts

• Use numbers to quantify your achievements whenever possible.
• Use action verbs to describe how you did something.
• Use the mm/yyyy format for resume dates .
• Don’t list more than 10 years of work experience unless it’s highly relevant.
• Don’t use the passive phrase “responsible for.” Instead, use active voice.
• Don’t list every single task you worked on; include only the most relevant.

8. Create your education and certification section

Your education section should appear after your work experience. If you’re applying to a job that requires extensive education (like medicine, law, or academia), you’ll need to be more detailed. But most job seekers can get away with providing only the following information on their resume:

• Name of the degree/certification: Write the full name of the degree or certification. Use commonly accepted abbreviations (e.g., B.A. in English, MBA, PMP).
• Institution name: Include the name of the university or institution that awarded the degree or certification.
• Location (optional): List the city and state if the location is relevant to the job or if the institution is well-known.
• Graduation date: Mention the month and year of graduation. For certifications, you can also include an expiration date if applicable.

Here’s an example of an education section on a resume:

Education section do’s and don’ts

• Bold your degree so that it stands out.
• List your education in reverse-chronological order.
• Include any relevant coursework, skills training, licenses, and certifications .
• Don’t mention your high school if you have a college degree.
• Don’t disclose your GPA unless you graduated recently and had a very impressive academic career (3.5 GPA plus).
• Don’t list an advanced degree if the job doesn’t require it.

9. Showcase honors, awards, and volunteer work

The key to this section is to only include honors and awards that are relevant to the job you’re applying to.

This can get a little tricky because if you do have honors or awards that are highly relevant, consider including them in your summary section. Otherwise, hiring managers might miss them if you only list them at the bottom of your resume.

If you have any  volunteer experience , it’s generally a good idea to add it to your resume.

According to a LinkedIn survey , 20% of employers say they have hired a candidate because of their volunteer experience. The survey also showed that job seekers who volunteer are 27% more likely to be hired than non-volunteers!

• The name of the organization.
• The dates of your service.
• A brief description of your duties and responsibilities.

Here’s an example of what this section of your resume can look like:

10. How can you tailor your resume to a specific job position?

Tailoring your resume to each specific job is not just recommended; it’s imperative . This is because most companies today use ATS computer software to manage and filter the enormous amount of resumes they receive.

When you submit your resume, it goes into an ATS database . Hiring managers search the ATS database for suitable resumes by typing keywords, or skills, into the ATS search bar. If your resume contains these keywords it will be found. If it doesn’t contain the right keywords, your resume will remain in the ATS database, unseen.

To tailor your resume, you must first read the job description. This is where you’ll find the keywords to add to your resume. Make sure you add those keywords exactly as they are written in the job description .

Unfortunately, tailoring each resume to the job description takes time and effort. The best way to speed up this process is to use an online tool like Jobscan’s resume scanner .

Just paste in your resume and the job description and click scan. You’ll receive a match report telling you how closely your resume matches the job ad. The report also tells you exactly which keywords to add to your resume to optimize it for the ATS. Try the scanner for free below:

Effective resume formatting tips

Properly formatting your resume makes it easy for hiring managers to find what they’re looking for. At the same time, good formatting helps the ATS understand your resume.

Remember, if the ATS can’t read your resume you won’t get the job!

Choose a professional, easy-to-read font like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman in size 10 to 12 for text and 14 to 16 for headings.

Clearly distinguish section headings with a larger font size, bold text, or underlining to guide the reader’s eye effectively through your resume., set your margins to at least 0.7 inches all around, ensuring that your resume looks balanced and does not appear overcrowded., avoid complex graphics, tables, headers, and footers, which can confuse ats software., break up blocks of text. a paragraph should never be longer than 5 lines., use standard headings like “work experience,” “education,” and “skills.” these are immediately recognizable to both hiring managers and ats., use the same style of bullets, text alignment, and line spacing throughout your document., align your text to the left. right-aligned or justified text can create irregular spacing between words, making your resume harder to read., save your resume file as a pdf to preserve your formatting across different platforms., proofread carefully one grammatical error can ruin your chances of getting a job., how to write a resume for students with no experience.

Creating a good resume without any work experience might seem tough, but you can still make a strong impression on employers by highlighting your skills and activities. Here’s how:

• Focus on your education : Put your education section at the top. Include details like your degree, major, relevant coursework, academic honors, and GPA if it’s above average.
• Include extracurricular activities : List any activities outside of class, like clubs, sports, or student government. Mention any leadership roles or responsibilities you’ve had.
• Add volunteer work and internships : Don’t forget to include volunteer positions, internships, or community service. These experiences show your willingness to work and learn.
• Highlight projects and academic achievements : Talk about any major projects or research you’ve done, especially if they relate to the job you want. Describe what you did and what you achieved.
• Skills section : Make a list of your skills, including technical skills (like computer software) and soft skills (like teamwork and communication).
• Professional summary : Start with a short summary that explains your career goals and your best qualities. Make it clear why you’d be a great fit for the job.

Here’s a sample of a resume for students with no experience:

How to match your cover letter to your resume

Matching your cover letter with your resume helps create a polished and cohesive application. Here’s how:

• Consistent formatting : Use the same font, header, and layout from your resume for your cover letter. This helps create a professional and unified appearance.
• Use similar language : Pick out key skills and phrases from your resume and include them in your cover letter. This reinforces your qualifications and aligns your application with the job requirements.
• Expand on key points : Choose one or two major achievements listed on your resume and elaborate on them in your cover letter. Explain how these experiences have equipped you for the job.
• Keep the tone the same : If your resume is formal, your cover letter should be too. If it’s more casual, your cover letter can be less formal as well.
• Address the job’s needs : Demonstrate how your experiences make you a good fit for the job. Show that you understand what the job involves and explain why you’re the right candidate.
• End with a call to action : Conclude by expressing your enthusiasm for the role and suggesting they look at your resume for more details. Ask them to contact you for an interview.

When you’re done writing your cover letter, run it through Jobscan’s  cover letter checker . This tool will tell you how to improve your cover letter. 

Hate writing cover letters? Use Jobscan’s  cover letter builder . This tool uses AI technology to generate an ATS-friendly cover letter with just one click.

10 standout resume examples to inspire you

These samples showcase a variety of styles and formats suited for different industries and career stages, giving you ideas on how to write a resume.

1. Sales manager resume example

2. Accountant resume example

3. Recruiter resume example

4. Bookkeeper resume sample

5. Digital marketing resume example

6. Teacher resume example

7. Customer service resume example

8. Office assistant resume example

9. Operations manager resume example

10. Technical writer resume example

Key takeaways

• Optimize for ATS : Today’s resumes must be tailored to pass through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) by including specific keywords related to the job you’re applying for. This ensures your resume is seen by hiring managers.
• Tailored Resumes : Each resume should be customized to the job description, emphasizing relevant experiences and skills. This enhances your chances of standing out in a competitive job market.
• Resume Formats : Choose between chronological, functional, or hybrid formats based on your career history and the job requirements. Chronological is suitable for those with a strong, relevant job history; functional is best for career changers or those with gaps in employment; hybrid combines the strengths of both.
• Essential Elements : A resume should include a clear headline, a compelling summary, a detailed work history, relevant skills, and educational credentials. Each section should be crafted to showcase your qualifications and fit for the role.
• Skills and Keywords : Highlight both hard and soft skills that are directly relevant to the job. Using precise keywords from the job description in your resume ensures compatibility with ATS and increases the likelihood of your resume being selected.
• Quantifiable Achievements : Where possible, use metrics to quantify your accomplishments. This provides concrete evidence of your capabilities and impact in previous roles.
• Additional Sections : Including volunteer work, awards, and certifications can differentiate your resume. Ensure these are relevant to the job to keep the resume focused and impactful.
• Resume Building Tools : Utilize tools like resume builders and scanners (e.g., Jobscan) to construct a resume that matches job descriptions and optimizes for ATS, saving time and improving effectiveness.
• Format and Proofread : Proper formatting and thorough proofreading are essential to maintain professionalism. Ensure the resume is easy to read and free from errors, which can detract from your credibility.

Beginners can use the chronological format if they have some work experience, even if it’s part-time jobs, internships, or volunteer work. However, if a beginner has little to no work experience, a functional format might be better. Include essential resume sections like contact information, a summary, education, and any relevant work experience or skills. Tailor your resume to the job by incorporating keywords from the job description. If you lack work experience, emphasize volunteer work, internships, and extracurricular activities that demonstrate your skills and commitment. Always proofread for errors before submitting your resume.

To make your resume stand out to recruiters, start by tailoring it specifically for each job application, incorporating keywords from the job description to align closely with the requirements. Highlight your achievements by quantifying them with specific numbers and outcomes, such as “increased sales by 20%” or “reduced processing time by 30%,” to demonstrate measurable success. Begin with a compelling professional summary that succinctly outlines your key qualifications and what you bring to the role, clearly establishing why you are the ideal candidate. Ensure your resume has a clean and professional layout, with logical sections and easy-to-read fonts, to facilitate quick review and make a strong first impression.

1) Gather information 2) Choose a format 3) Write contact information 4) Craft a headline and summary 5) Detail your experience and education 6) Highlight skills 7) Add additional sections 8) Tailor for the job 9) Proofread and edit 10) Finalize and save

To create a resume with no work experience , start with a functional format that emphasizes your skills and education. Begin with a strong summary statement that highlights your career goals and key skills. Place your education section prominently, including any relevant coursework or projects. List both hard and soft skills applicable to the job, and include any internships, volunteer work, or extracurricular activities that demonstrate your abilities and work ethic. Mention any significant projects or achievements, especially those relevant to your desired job. Also, include any professional affiliations that show your interest in the industry. Ensure the resume is well-organized and clearly formatted to highlight your qualifications effectively.

Use Jobscan’s resume builder , which is specifically designed to help you craft an AI resume that is both appealing to hiring managers and optimized for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). This tool provides templates and real-time content suggestions, helping you tailor your resume effectively for each job application. You can also use ChatGPT to write a resume for free . Just be sure to edit and personalize the results you get.

1) Log into your Google account, go to Google Docs, and either start a new document or use the template gallery. Jobscan also offers free Google Docs resume templates . 2) Select a resume template that fits the job you’re applying for from the template gallery. 3) Replace the template’s placeholder text with your personal information, including contact details, educational background, work experience, and skills. 4) Tailor the content to the job by adding relevant keywords from the job description and adjusting the format—like fonts and spacing—for clarity and appeal. 5) Double-check your resume for any errors and consider having someone else review it too. 6) Once satisfied, download your resume as a PDF or DOCX file , or share it directly via email or a shareable link.

1) Start the program and select “New” from the file menu to access templates. 2) Type “resume” in the template search bar to see available resume designs. 3) Choose a template that suits your needs, then replace the placeholder text with your personal details, including work experience, education, and skills. 4) Adjust the content to match the job description, using relevant keywords and highlighting your qualifications. 5) Modify font size, style, and colors to ensure the resume is clean and professional. 6) Check for any errors, and consider having someone else review it. 7) Save your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting and make sharing easy. 8) Print for physical submissions or save digitally for online applications.

In 2024, resumes should be designed for clarity and ATS compatibility . Start with a professional layout that includes plenty of white space and a logical structure. The top should have your contact information—just your name, phone number, email, and LinkedIn URL , omitting a full address for privacy. Follow this with a concise professional summary, then list your work experience, skills, and education. The format should ensure easy readability for both human recruiters and Applicant Tracking Systems, emphasizing a clean design without complex graphics or tables that could confuse the ATS software.

Choosing the right resume format depends on your career background: Chronological: Lists your work history in reverse chronological order, ideal for those with a solid work history. Functional: Focuses on skills rather than work history, suitable for career changers or those with gaps in employment. Combination: Mixes elements of both chronological and functional formats, highlighting skills followed by work history in reverse order. Good for those with significant skills and experiences.

The number of jobs you should include on your resume depends on your experience level and relevance to the role. Typically, if you’re early in your career with less than 10 years of experience, aim for 2-3 recent and relevant positions. For mid-career professionals, around 3-4 positions spanning the last 10-15 years is common. Experienced professionals may include the most pertinent roles from their extensive history, focusing on the past 10-15 years. Ensure each listed job directly relates to the position you’re applying for, prioritizing relevancy over quantity to present a focused and impactful resume.

A resume should typically be one to two pages long, with rare exceptions for highly experienced individuals or those in certain industries. Aim to keep it concise and focused on highlighting your most relevant qualifications and experiences for the position you’re applying for.

AI and machine learning have revolutionized resume screening by automating the process. Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) use these technologies to quickly analyze resumes, searching for relevant keywords and qualifications. This saves recruiters time and ensures a more efficient screening process, helping them identify top candidates more effectively.

When writing a resume summary with no experience, focus on your education, relevant skills, and career goals. Highlight any coursework, projects, or extracurricular activities that demonstrate skills applicable to the job. Emphasize your enthusiasm, work ethic, and eagerness to learn. Keep it concise and impactful, showcasing how your background aligns with the position and company’s needs.

Crafting a simple resume involves starting with your contact information, followed by a brief summary statement. List your work experience, education, and relevant skills, ensuring consistency in formatting. Consider including optional sections like volunteer experience or honors/awards. Proofread carefully and tailor your resume to each job application.

Robert Henderson, CPRW, is a career advice writer and a resume expert at Jobscan.

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Resume builder

How to Write a Resume – The Ultimate Guide

Let’s talk about how to write a perfect resume.

You definitely need a resume that stands out from the crowd by effectively showcasing your most marketable skills and expertise.

A good resume will help you secure interviews and land the job of your dreams . But how do you do that?

We’ll go through each section and detail everything you need to know. We’ll also include good examples to help you increase your chances of landing a job

Table of Contents

How to Write an Effective Resume

Nowadays, a resume is a requirement to be considered for professional positions in a competitive job market. But recruiters often give resumes a skim-read, spending only 7.4 seconds on average. About 250 applicants apply for every open corporate position, but only 4-6 will be interviewed, and one will be hired.

If your resume can’t get the recruiter’s attention in those first few seconds, they will probably never give it a second look. This is why creating a strong resume should be your first priority.

There are several free tools (more on that later) that can help you structure and format a resume. But the most effective way to create an eye-catching resume is using a professional resume template. This is why we recommend a resume builder like ResumeKit . Use a resume builder that gives tips and suggestions if you’d rather have a tool to do the heavy lifting. Also, some companies like Adobe Express have a cv builder for a seamless experience in creating a polished and professional resume.

Step 1: Choose the Right Resume Format

There are different resume formats , and each of them serves different purposes.

The Chronological Resume

The most widely used resume format is the chronological resume. It’s traditional to list your most recent job first in the experience section. From there, you list your job experience in descending order.

You should highlight your seven to ten years of relevant work experience and any awards or recognition you may have received.

Both work and academic history on a chronological resume will typically be presented in reverse chronological order.

The Functional or Skill-Based Resume

The emphasis of a functional resume is on the applicant’s relevant skills rather than their previous experience. So it promotes your skills to the job position you are applying for.

The Combination Resume

Another way people learn how to make a resume is to combine elements of chronological and functional formats. Your relevant skills and work experience can be spotlighted in this resume format. Your work experience and skill set will take most of your resume. So you’ll have to cut out optional sections like volunteer work, summary statement, or special interests.

This guide focuses on the reverse-chronological resume format. It is the standard format and is more familiar to most hiring managers. For a long time, this resume style has been accepted practice across all professions and fields. 90%+ HR managers use Automated Tracking Systems (ATS) and a standardized application form helps stick to a more conventional format.

Step 2: Choose the Right Resume Layout

Here’s how to write a resume with a suitable layout :

Use a Professional Font for Your Resume

A professional resume should be written in a formal, easy-to-read font .

Arial, Times New Roman, and Georgia are the best options whenever possible.

You should only consider experimenting with a non-standard resume font if you apply for a position in an artistic field. And that can be a hit or miss, so you should stick to the classic fonts.

Also, your resume’s paragraph font size shouldn’t be smaller than 10.5 points or more than 12 .

Align Your Text to the Left

You should always align the content of your resume to the left. You can choose to center-align the information in your header , though. However, most of your information should be aligned to the left to make it easy for hiring managers to read.

Limit Your Resume to One Page

If you want to highlight your impressive qualifications without overwhelming the reader, stick to one page . Besides, one-page resumes are preferred by most recruiters because they are simpler to review.

You can get away with a two-page resume or more if you have over 10 years of relevant professional experience.

Choose a 0.63” By 1” Margin Size

A resume should have 0.63″ left and right margins and 1″ top and bottom margins. You can fit more information on the page, yet your resume will still be easy to read if you choose this format. Strike the perfect balance.

Step 3: Put Contact Information on Your Resume

Hiring managers use your name, phone number, and email address to contact you. This includes setting up interviews and completing any necessary paperwork.

Here is what you need to include in your resume’s contact information .

• Full Name (e.g., Mary Stuart)
• Email Address ([email protected])
• Phone number (e.g., 014 567 8900)
• Location (e.g., Chicago, IL)

Optional Information:

• Linkedin (e.g., linkedin.com/mary-stuart)
• Professional Title (e.g., Digital Marketing Manager)

What NOT to Put in Your Contact Information

Unprofessional Email Address. Use formal emails like [email protected], NOT [email protected]. Date of Birth – The HR manager doesn’t need your date of birth unless it’s a requirement of the position you are applying for. Some job positions come with certain age restrictions. So it makes sense if the recruiters ask you.

Step 4: Prepare a Resume Summary or Objective

Before we go any further, remember that resume summary and resume objective are two different things. However, both aim to sell you to a prospective employer and offer a brief introduction to your resume.

Resume Objective

A resume objective focuses on the skills that make you the right candidate for a position. It includes keywords from the job description and outlines qualifications that make you valuable to the company. The resume objective also includes the type of work you’re interested in.

Use Resume Objective when you apply to make a career change or have insufficient experience for the desirable post.

Self-driven person looking for a job as Social Media Marketing Manager. Created and oversaw three local businesses social media accounts for nine months. Gained 5,700+ followers for a fashion’s Instagram account using content creation knowledge. Hoping to assist Company X by enhancing its social media presence and brand exposure.

Resume Summary

A resume summary provides an overview of relevant work experiences relevant to the advertised position. It shows what you’ve already done in that position and what you can do in the advertised position.

Use Resume Summary for all basic cases when you perfectly fit mentioned experience, skills and don’t want to change your career (better use Objective in this case).

Enjoy lots of great features ResumeKit has to offer and save loads of time: generate a resume summary and objective with this AI-powered builder in just a few clicks.

Step 5: List Your Work Experience and Achievements

How you list your work experience will depend on the job you’re applying for and the skills you want to highlight. The steps to list your work experience are as follows:

• List your work title
• Include the name of the organization you worked for
• List the employment dates (You can include only the month and year)
• List your location (optional)
• Provide a bulleted list of your top three to six accomplishments

Start With Your Most Recent Work Experience

You should list the most recent work experience first, followed by the rest of your work experience.

Check the example below:

PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE

Work Title 1

Company, City, State Start Date – End Date

• Your recent work experience

Work Title 2

• Your second recent work experience

List Your Work Achievements

Don’t just include your responsibilities on your resume. Instead, highlight the results you’ve achieved. Accomplishments show that you’ve met expectations with your previous employer.

It shows that you’ve exceeded them, which is even more valuable to a prospective employer.

Generally speaking, there are three parts to any professional achievement:

• Using a specific skill
• Achieving a clear, quantitative result or benefit
• Doing specific activities

The ‘What? So What?’ formula provides the quickest and easiest method to describe achievements. It consists of two questions:

• What did I do?
• So what? What was the measurable outcome?

What did I do: Developed inventory software for my company. So what: Saved Company X money, time, and resources. Measurable outcome: Developed a complex inventory software, saving Company X time and money.

Create a List of Bullet Points Tailored to the Position You Want

Even if you’re drafting a general resume, you should avoid using essential bullet points for your work experience. Instead, each bullet point in your work experience section should highlight a different ability or expertise relevant to the position you’re applying for.

You can show that you understand and can meet the employer’s needs by including relevant keywords from the job description in your resume

Start Each Bullet Point with an Action Verb

Use descriptive action verbs at the beginning of each bullet point to highlight your accomplishments in past positions. Some powerful examples of action verbs used to describe your work experience are organized, optimized, and developed.

Tip: try using Harvard Law School’s list of action verbs to get started. Here are a few examples:

Accelerate – “accelerated the growth of my department by bringing in new talent” Anticipate – “anticipated market changes and budgeted for additional expenses” Exceed – “exceeded sales goals by 30%” Generate – “generated additional profits by developing new revenue streams” Initiate – “initiated technical upgrades to improve customer support response time”

Use Numbers in Your Bullet Points

Quantifying your resume describes your work experience with numerical examples to impress recruiters with your abilities. Include in your resume anything that shows how you improved your performance in your previous jobs.

How Much Work Experience Should You Include in Your Resume?

It’s advisable to include the last 10 to 15 years of your work experience in your resume. However, some jobs, especially in the federal government or academia, often require more in-depth work histories.

Going back another 10 years (for a total of 20 years) indicates continuity and, hopefully, career advancement. So it’d be ideal to include your earlier experience.

Any experience of more than 20 years won’t matter to most employers since it’ll usually be your most junior experience.

If you’re applying for a job that doesn’t specifically need more than 10 years of experience, stick to the most recent 10 years.

Step 6: List your Certificates and Awards

To make your job application stand out to potential employers and distinguish you from other candidates, add certificates, awards, publications and other achievements to your resume.

You must understand when and how to mention your certifications and awards on a job application if you have obtained one or more.

How to Include Awards on Your Resume

Add the following details when you list your awards on your resume:

• The name of the award given.
• Date and year received.
• Quantify the size of the award. For example, the number of nominees or the nature of the competition, such as regional or global.
• The purpose of the award and why you won it.

Add your awards in the section of your resume that’s most relevant. For example, list a professional award in the job experience section and a school award in the education section. When you do that, you put the awards in their proper context.

How to Add Certificates to Your Resume

Adding a new section just for your certificates is the simplest and most popular way to include them in your resume. First, add a heading called “ Certifications ” on your resume, and then add entries beneath it. Then list each certification under that subheading, preferably in reverse chronological order. In other words, you begin with the most recent certificate and work your way backward.

How to Add Publications

You can put a bulleted list in your resume’s “Research and Publications” section if you only have a few publications. However, most resumes have an additional page for publications.

• List publications in APA or MLA format. Science and engineering subjects frequently use the APA style ; humanities disciplines like philosophy use the MLA style .
• Beginning with your most current work, list your other publications in descending order until you reach your very first work.
• Leave out any publications that are no longer helpful or relevant to your job or field.
• Include the names of any co-authors in your publication. But make sure to put your name in bold.

Step 7: List Education

Sometimes employers look for candidates with specific degrees, and your resume is the perfect opportunity to highlight your accomplishments in this area.

Regardless of the school you attended, include some list combinations below. But always include your school name and degree obtained:

• Your school’s name.
• Degree obtained.
• Graduation date.
• Your major or field of study.
• GPA if it was above 3.5.
• Achievements, relevant coursework, honors, etc.

Where to Add Your Education on the Resume

When writing your resume, the education part should often appear directly below the work experience section.

However, you can place it below your resume summary when:

• It’s an academic resume
• You graduated recently
• You’re a professional going back to school

If you have little or no experience, place the education section above the experience area. That will focus the hiring manager’s attention on your value to the organization, not your lack of experience. Also, keep the education section concise. It’s one of the shortest sections in the resume.

Step 8: List Top Soft and Hard Skills

Your career skills come in two types: hard and soft skills . Let’s go through their differences.

Hard Skills

Hard skills are measurable, quantifiable abilities that you can teach another person. Here, hard skills refer to the technical abilities required for a specific job. You can learn hard skills in a formal setting, such as a school, an online course, or a book.

Examples of hard skills are computer programming, marketing skills, and accounting strategies.

Soft Skills

Soft skills are also called people skills. They are interpersonal and social skills, professional attitudes, and character traits that benefit the workplace.

Examples of soft skills include the ability to work as a team, to be patient, to manage one’s time effectively, and to communicate effectively. In addition, you can obtain soft skills through life experiences or personality traits.

How to List Soft and Hard Skills On a Resume

You should make a solid initial impression on a prospective employer by emphasizing your resume’s relevant soft and hard skills. The following are helpful tips for describing your hard and soft skills on your resume:

1. Include Your Relevant Hard or Soft Skills in Your Resume Summary.

Make sure your resume summary highlights your most exceptional qualifications.

Put your best abilities front and center in your resume summary. Hiring managers read the first part of your resume. So make sure it highlights the talents they care about most.

However, just mentioning talents in your description isn’t always enough. You should also use percentages and numbers to demonstrate that you know how to use your relevant skills in the workplace.

2. Emphasize Your Hard and Soft Skills Many Times.

You can list your soft and hard skills in your resume’s summary and work experience sections. Recruiters usually use Applicant tracking systems (ATS) to filter resumes and assess which prospects possess the necessary skills.

This system treats hard and soft skills as keywords. Then, it ranks applicants based on the frequency with which those keywords appear in their resumes.

3. Refer to the Job Description.

You should always refer to the job description for inspiration when determining which soft or hard skills to highlight on your resume.

In response to a company’s request for a self-starter, your resume could emphasize that you are highly motivated, ambitious, and goal-oriented. Including relevant keywords from the job description in your resume is also a good idea.

Step 9: Add Additional Personal Information

Additional information is any necessary qualifications, skills, or characteristics. It shows that you’re a curious individual with outside passions and can bring a unique energy to the workplace.

It helps if you can relate any extra information to the position you seek. That way, you come off as intriguing and relevant to the interviewer. You can expand your resume with the following sections of information:

Here are some good interests to put: sports (jogging, team sports, yoga, etc.), creative hobbies (writing, design, etc.), job specific hobbies and interests (coding, learning foreign languages, video editing).

• Languages spoken

Here, you can list the languages you speak and mention your level of proficiency: Native, Fluent, Proficient, Intermediate, Basic. Or, if the position you are applying for requires it, add specific certification you’ve received.

• Personal skills

Think of the personal skills you possess that will make you a better candidate for the job you are applying for: interpersonal skills, attention to detail, natural leadership, etc.

• Volunteer or charity work

If you are passionate about certain social issues and are taking action to make a change, your employer may consider you a proactive and committed individual.

• Personal projects

If you are working on a personal project (writing a book, developing a game, learning a language, etc.) that may be related to your work or demonstrates professional qualities that can come in handy in the job you want to get, add this to your resume.

Step 10: Tailor Your Resume For The Job Ad

When a company advertises a job position, they typically detail the responsibilities of the position. They also include the skills and experiences the candidate must have.

A well-crafted resume shows that you have the skills and have successfully applied them to produce desirable outcomes in your previous company.

Tailor Your Resume for ATS

1. use the job description as a guide.

Job descriptions usually contain the position titles and keywords that the ATS searches for. For example, let’s say there’s a job position for an administrative assistant. If your resume doesn’t include terms like “receptionist” or “data entry,” you may get overlooked, even if you qualify.

So use the job description as a guide when crafting your resume for a specific position. Then, rephrase your skills to include the exact keywords on the job ads.

2. Simplify Your Formatting

Headers and footers are good design elements for creating a human-readable resume. The problem is that they can throw off an automated testing system.

Choose a format that’s as straightforward as possible, even if it reduces the amount of content you may include. For example, instead of listing your credentials and language skills in your header, place them in your talents section.

Save the Resume in Word Document

Unless otherwise specified, a Word document is the best format for submitting a resume. However, there’s no guarantee that the ATS can read the document format, whether PDF, Open Office, or HTML. Your formatting may not be preserved even if it can.

Word documents are a tried and true method due to their widespread use.

Step 11: Craft a Convincing Cover Letter

A well-written cover letter can help you get noticed when applying for jobs. In addition, you can highlight your qualifications for the open position at the organization in this quick document. In your cover letter, you can explain how your skills and experience can benefit the organization.

Also read: How Long Should a Cover Letter Be?

Who Are You Writing to?

Finding out who you are writing to can help convince them to grant you an interview. In addition, you can find out precisely who will review your cover letter if you invest the time.

If you take the time to tailor the cover letter to the recipient , you’ll make a stronger impact and be able to add more relevant information.

Related: How to Address a Cover Letter. Who to Address?

Recruiters often go through dozens of cover letters before deciding which candidates to invite for an interview. Getting their attention may require you to take an unconventional approach. Try to think of more creative ways to phrase your sentences.

Keep your cover letter free of cliches and other overused phrases. The hiring manager may remember you if you make your cover letter unique.

To read more about cover letters, check out the below guides:

Step 12: Proofread Your Resume

Proofreading a resume is essential when learning how to write a resume. Here are some important points you need to know:

Take Your Time and Read the Resume

Rereading is the first step in resume proofreading, but you should take your time and focus on each word. Our eyes tend to take in large text sections at once when reading. Therefore, you should carefully examine every word and punctuation.

Use a Grammar and Spell Checker to Polish Your Work

Using a spellchecker is a given, but apps like Grammarly can help you avoid typos and enhance your writing’s syntax. However, neither of these methods is 100% accurate. Don’t accept any suggestions the grammar check offers. Instead, look closely and evaluate if you think the suggestion is worthwhile.

Remove Repeated Words

Many resumes contain unnecessarily repeated words that should be deleted. For example, there is no need to repeat the word “skills” three times in your skills section. Some people may use the exact phrases repeatedly without even realizing it.

CV Vs. Resume: What is the Difference?

The main differences between a CV and resume are related to their contents and length.

A resume is a brief 1-2 page document outlining your professional experience and skills.

A CV is a 2-4 page document detailing the history of your academic credentials.

Here’s how a CV and a resume differ:

• Scope: a CV takes an in-depth look at your entire academic career. A resume is a highlight reel of your professional experience and skills.
• Purpose: you need a CV to apply for an academic position or a graduate school program. You need a resume to apply for most other job types.
• Length: a CV is a multi page document — some CVs can be over ten pages in length. The average length of a resume is one page.

Note that in some European countries, the terms CV and resume may be used interchangeably. If you don’t know what document to submit, it’s best to ask the recruiter.

Why Do You Need a Perfect Professional Resume?

Here are the top reasons why you need a professional and well-crafted resume.

Resume Explains Your Relevant Experience and Skills

A good resume explains what you can bring to an organization by outlining your experience and qualifications. It presents your skills and experience in a way easier for hiring managers to digest. That helps them to choose the most qualified candidate.

Effective resumes strategically use color, margins, design, and other formatting elements.

That helps you to showcase important work experience in a way that draws attention to your qualifications and accomplishments.

Show Your Worth to Potential Employers

In addition to listing your experience and skills, a resume should highlight your unique value to the organization. However, there’s a proper way to do it. For example, don’t just say you were the best employee in the sales department.

Instead, say you “increased sales by 10%, bringing the company $200,000 in revenue in one year.” This way, you can show potential employers exactly how much of an impact you’ll have on a similar position in their company.

You can put three or four accomplishments under each experience section if they provide quantifiable data.

The Resume Can Help You Land an Interview

You’ll need a well-written resume if you don’t have a company or a strong reference . So a resume’s primary objective is to get you that interview. That’s why you need to know how to write a resume and be excellent at it.

Top 5 Resume Tips to Help You Land a Job

Here are some of the most effective resume-writing strategies that can help you secure interviews:

1. Include Only Information Necessary for the Job Position

You shouldn’t put every job you’ve ever had on your resume. Likewise, don’t look at your resume as a history of your work experience. Instead, think of it as a marketing document meant to promote you as the ideal candidate for the position you’re applying for.

To increase your chances of getting an interview, you should modify your resume for each job you apply for. That means emphasizing your most relevant experiences and achievements, which may mean excluding previous job experiences.

But keep a list of all the jobs you’ve ever done. We’ll explain more in the next point.

2. Have a Master Resume Close By

It’s a good practice to have a master resume where you keep everything you’ve ever included on a resume. For example, it can include special projects you embarked on, bullet points tailored for different applications, and old positions you’ve held before.

This will make it easy to change the information where necessary, depending on the job you’re applying for. That way, you can copy and paste the appropriate sections from each resume sample to the new resume.

3. Place Important Information “Above the Fold”

You should include your most impressive qualifications, experiences, and accomplishments in the first quarter of your resume. It’ll be the first information the recruiting manager sees, so it should be compelling enough to keep them reading.

That’s why you need to take time and learn how to make a resume that stands out from the crowd. Luckily, this guide gives you everything you need to know. So keep reading!

4. Your Resume Should Be in a Reverse Chronological Order

While the combination and functional resumes are viable options, the tried-and-true reverse chronological structure remains the most effective. This resume format focuses on listing your most recent experience first.

Don’t include a skills section on your resume unless necessary. Otherwise, hiring managers may suspect that you have something to hide.

5. Don’t Go Beyond a Page

Should a resume be on one page? There is some debate on whether a two-page resume is acceptable. But the fact remains that the information should be concise, and keeping your reume to one page is an excellent strategy.

You can also include additional resume pages if you have relevant experience, education, and certifications to highlight. However, if you can give the same information more concisely, do so.

Effective Tools to Help You Create a Professional Resume

You can write a professional resume using a number of free tools. Here are just a few examples:

Google Doc resume templates

Instead of using a standard template in Google Docs , consider using specialized resume templates. While minimal, they are a better choice for building a more professional application.

Canva is a free, easy-to-use graphic design tool. A lot of people use it to spice up their social media content. But Canva also has a number of ready-to-use resume templates that will make structuring and formatting your resume a breeze.

Hemingway Editor

Your resume should be one page long. If you are having trouble keeping things short, use the Hemigway Editor . The software highlights sentences that are too long and helps you structure your text for better readability.

FindMyProfession

FindMyProfession is a professional resume writing service where your application will be in the hands of professional writers. It may be a good resume writing solution for high-level professionals applying for top level positions.

But if you are not at this stage yet, we recommend using professional resume building software like ResumeKit.

Here are a few tips for choosing the right resume builder:

• Use a resume builder that gives you tips and suggestions and takes all the heavy lifting off your hands and mind.
• Go with a service that gets information from LinkedIn if you’re looking for an automated resume generator.
• It’s always good to have some leeway for originality in resume design is a perk of using an online resume builder.

Take the time to choose a resume builder that works for your situation, your target industry, and your writing style, such as ResumeKit . That will give you a far better chance of getting a callback from recruiters.

Final Thoughts

If you want to know how to write a resume, this guide shows you everything you need to know. However, when completing your resume, you should keep the following in mind.

Make sure to double-check for any mistakes before finalizing your resume. If you must save your resume, PDF or Word are the formats to use.

In a PDF, your formatting will be preserved even if you use fonts that aren’t present on the recruiter’s computer. That ensures that your document is displayed accurately.

If the job posting specifies a format for resumes, such as Microsoft Word, then use that format.

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How to write a résumé that stands out to recruiters.

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Founder, career coach and interview coach behind CaffeinatedKyle.com . My goal is simple: to help people find jobs they LOVE.

You only have a handful of seconds to grab the attention of recruiters with your résumé. How do you write a résumé that grabs their attention? What do you include in your résumé? What mistakes should you avoid when writing a résumé in today’s saturated job market ? The following are five proven tips to write a résumé that stands out to recruiters.

1. Begin with a high-impact career summary.

Avoid the mistake of beginning your résumé with an objective statement. It is evident what your objective is—to land a job. In today’s job market, the résumé objective can be replaced with a career summary that synthesizes your experience, knowledge and skills.

The goal of your career summary is to quickly demonstrate why you are qualified to be interviewed. This career summary should be so powerful that the recruiter wants to interview you without needing to read the remainder of your résumé. You can use these questions to craft a powerful career summary:

• What industry experience do you bring to the table?

• What relevant knowledge and specialized skills do you possess?

• What are your biggest strengths ?

2. Draw attention to your career accomplishments.

An effective résumé showcases more than just your previous job duties. Rather than providing a laundry list of your previous job duties, focus most of your résumé on marketing your accomplishments and results. In other words, ask yourself how you communicate the value you delivered to each organization. I encourage my clients to reflect on these powerful questions as they craft accomplishment statements for their résumés:

• What sets you apart from industry peers?

• How have you saved the organization time, money and other resources?

• Why would the CEO and shareholders care about your contributions to the organization?

In addition to incorporating accomplishments into each of your positions, consider including a "Career Highlights" section immediately under your summary. This section can be used to quickly draw attention to your most significant and relevant career achievements. Moreover, you can move big career wins from five or 10-plus years ago to the top of your résumé so they grab recruiters’ attention.

3. Include relevant industry keywords.

Keywords are an important part of writing a résumé that catches the attention of recruiters. Inserting relevant keywords into your résumé makes it easier for sourcers and recruiters to track down your résumé within their applicant tracking system (ATS). They also make it easier for recruiters to connect the dots between your experience and their job requisition.

I advise setting a timer for 20 minutes for each résumé you submit. Then, use that time to customize your résumé to the target role. I recommend including a “key strengths” section near the top of your résumé with relevant keywords from the job posting. Then, add keywords throughout your accomplishments. One of the easiest and most effective ways to do this is to add the keyword to the very beginning of your accomplishment statements.

4. Highlight what sets you apart from other applicants.

In addition to marketing your experience, accomplishments and relevant keywords, think about how you communicate your unique value proposition with your résumé. I call this identifying and sharing what makes you fabulous. You will increase your chances of hearing back from recruiters if you proactively showcase what sets you apart from other candidates.

• How is your experience unique from other applicants?

• What distinct knowledge and skills do you bring to the company and position?

• What is special about your leadership style and approach?

Reflect on these questions, then weave your answers throughout your résumé. Inject your fabulousness into your career summary, highlights and accomplishments.

5. Let your personality shine through.

Your experience, knowledge and skills are among the primary factors recruiters use to vet job applicants. However, sharing your personality traits on your résumé can help you stand out from other candidates. With this in mind, consider letting your personality shine through to recruiters.

There are a few ways to spotlight your personality on your résumé. You can begin by including a brief testimonial or two from a supervisor, colleague or client. You can also include a section on your résumé that lists your volunteer experience and any other extracurricular activities. Depending on the company and role, it may also make sense to highlight your relevant interests and hobbies.

Remember: There is no single best way to write a résumé. There are also virtually no rules for writing a résumé. These are merely a few ways to create a résumé that grabs the attention of recruiters. You’ve got this!

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Table of Contents

Your resume is a synopsis of your professional achievements and helps a hiring manager or recruiter understand why you’re the best candidate for the job. And while your resume summarizes where you went to school, where you worked, and what you did, writing your resume is so much more than listing your job duties and what you studied.

Learning how to write a resume for a job means mastering the art of explaining what your skills and abilities are and how you’ll use them to help the company achieve its goals. Writing a resume also includes things like proofreading and tailoring your resume to the job posting. It’s a lot to cover, but this guide will get you on your way.

Writing a resume is a lot like building a house. Before you paint the walls, you have to build them. That process starts with a well-thought-out plan and a solid foundation. So, don’t start worrying about what to put on a resume until you’ve laid out a plan and chosen the right framework.

Choose Your Resume Type

The first step is choosing a resume template that presents your skills and abilities in the best light possible — that’s easy to read and makes sense.

For most job seekers, that means using one of these three formats:

• Chronological: The most widely-used format, a chronological resume traces your work history from current (or most recent) position to oldest.
• Functional : This resume emphasizes your skills over chronological work history.
• Hybrid: Also known as a combination resume, a hybrid resume is part chronological and part functional.

And if none of these work for you, that’s OK. There are a seven types of resume templates you can choose from. But if you’re applying for a role in academia, keep in mind that none of these may work, and you might use a CV (curriculum vitae) instead.

Resume Writing Masterclass

Master the tips and tricks of writing a resume that shines in our free Resume Writing Masterclass. You'll learn how to turn your duties into accomplishments and explain why you're the right person for the job.

Avg. Time: 5-6 hours

Skills you’ll build: Professional summary, transferable skills, keywords, identifying job titles

How Many Pages Should a Resume Be?

As a rule, an entry-level job seeker’s resume should be one page long . That said, if you have a lot of work experience or skills that are relevant to the role, you can have a two-page resume.

But what happens if your resume is more than one page but less than two?

You’ve got two options. First, you can edit ruthlessly and get your resume down to one page (without resorting to tricks like using a tiny font or making the margins super-slim). Second, you can consider expanding the second page by including more relevant content, and not using larger fonts or wider margins.

For example, if each role only has three bullet points of information, consider adding a few more relevant and informative points under each. Likewise, you can add in sections like awards or volunteer work if that’s relevant to your situation.

But don’t feel pressured to get exactly two pages. Senior recruiter Jonathan Harbison says a second page that’s only three-quarters filled is fine. Focus on writing a resume that demonstrates you’ve got the skills the recruiter or hiring manager is looking for instead of worrying about how long or short your resume is.

Format Wisely

In most cases, you’ll apply for an open role electronically, often through an applicant tracking system (ATS) . These giant databases don’t rate or rank your resume, but they are searchable by name, skill, and so forth. Some ATSs have trouble reading resumes that use unusual or hard-to-read fonts, columns, or graphic representations of your skills, making it less likely you’ll show up in a recruiter search.

And whether you apply via an ATS or hand your resume to someone at the company, ultimately, a human recruiter reads your resume, and it’s probably not the only one they’re reading that day. Make it as easy on them as possible to read and comprehend yours.

Since you don’t know if the person reading your resume will do so on screen or on paper, choose an easy-to-read font for your resume and stick with 11- or 12-point size to help reduce eye strain. This also makes it easier for the reader to scan your resume on the first pass.

Clearly label each section of your resume, so it’s easy for the reader to jump to the information they’re most interested in. You might use headers like, “Experience” or “Work History,” “Education,” “Skills,” and so forth. And you’ll want to format the headers so they jump out by using bold text or underlining. This way, the reader knows exactly where to look for the information they want.

You’ll also want to use bullet points instead of long blocks of text. While they use up more space and don’t allow you to include as much information, bullet points are generally easier to read than long blocks of text. Plus, the use of “white space” around the bullet points can help reduce eye strain.

Finally, make sure you save your resume in multiple file types. Some companies only accept .pdfs, while others insist on .docs.

With the style issues settled, you can move on to substance. These tips will help you understand how to write a good resume, no matter your situation.

Start With the Job Posting

Your resume summarizes your professional accomplishments and helps the interviewer see you’ve got what it takes to get the job done. But learning how to create a resume means understanding that writing it is not a one-and-done deal. While applying to multiple jobs with the same resume makes your life easier, it doesn’t make it easier for you to get the job.

While these tips will help you create a solid resume template you can use over and over, you still need to customize it each and every time you apply to a job to illustrate how you’ll use your skills in that role at that company.

What the heck does that mean?

Start by examining the job posting. Look it over and see what skills and job duties are at the top. These are likely the critical skills the company is looking for. Does the posting talk about project management skills or data analysis? Make sure you talk up those skills in your resume. Likewise, if the posting mentions collaboration and teamwork , highlight your abilities in those areas, too.

>>MORE: Resume Keywords: What They Are and How to Use Them

As you edit your resume, you can cut the things that are less relevant to these key areas. For example, while knowing HTML is an excellent skill, if it has nothing to do with the job and isn’t mentioned in the job description, you can likely cut this from your resume if you need the space without hurting your chances of landing the interview.

While this is extra work (we won’t deny it!) it’s well worth the effort. Highlighting that you have the attributes the company is looking for will likely improve the chances you’re invited to an interview.

Decide What Goes Where

Technically, you can put your resume in any order you want. There’s no rule that says you have to start with your work history, then your education, and end with your volunteer work. However, this is the order most (if not all) recruiters and hiring managers are used to, which is why you may want to follow suit when you write your resume. Recruiters and hiring managers want to go to a part of the page and find what they’re looking for, whether that’s your work experience, degree, or volunteer positions.

Harbison also advises job seekers to list the most critical information first. In most cases, that’s your work experience, so it should be near the top of your resume. As proud as you might be of being named volunteer of the year, unless it’s critical to the role, it should go toward the bottom of your resume.

As Harbison points out, “A candidate has the attention of the resume reviewer for a limited amount of time,” so it makes sense to make it as easy as possible for them to find whatever they’re looking for and to put the most crucial information front and center. 

>>MORE: How to Write a Resume for an Internship (With Template)

Include the Right Contact Information

Your contact information is, of course, how the recruiter will reach out and schedule you for an initial interview. You never know if that will be a phone interview , zoom interview , or in-person interview, so make sure the company has a few ways to get in touch with you and that the information is correct. A simple typo (like hitting the 1 instead of 2 or typing @gmial.com) could mean you never get an interview.

But when it comes to what to include in a resume, you don’t have to include every bit of your personal contact information. For example, whether you’re applying for a remote job or not, you only need to include your city and state (or country), not your street address. Your exact address is generally irrelevant to the role, and not including it helps protect you from doxxing or identity theft.

>>MORE: 10 Top Remote Jobs for College Students

Likewise, you should include one active phone number with voicemail set up that you check frequently. The same goes for an email address. And it’s better to use a personal email address than a school one, as you may eventually lose access to your school email.

Summarize Your Qualifications 

Up next is the qualifications statement, also known as a professional summary. This is a brief paragraph (meaning no more than a few sentences) that summarizes your relevant skills and abilities. Ideally, this should be just below your contact information. This puts this paragraph “above the fold,” meaning a resume reviewer will likely look at it first.

The trick to writing a killer qualifications statement is highlighting your most important and relevant skills without repeating verbatim what you’re using elsewhere (like in the work history). So, if you mention your coding skills in the qualifications summary, you should make sure that any coding skills mentioned in your work history are associated with specific examples of how you used those skills.

>>MORE: I Asked ChatGPT to Write Resumes, Including Mine. Here’s What Happened.

However, space on a one- or even two-page resume is limited. So, if you need that space for something else, you can omit the professional summary. 

List Your Skills

Just below the qualifications statement is the skills section. This is a general list of your hard and soft skills that gives the reader a high-level overview of your skill set. You’ll provide a few examples of how you use those skills on the job in the experience section. .

In general, the skills section might look like this:

Kanban boards, conflict resolution, data analysis, project management

Your skills section may be longer or shorter depending on your background, but there’s no “right amount” of skills to include. That said, you may not want to include every one of your skills in this section, either due to limited space or because the skill just isn’t relevant to the role (like talking about your product designer skills when you’re applying for a role as an accountant ).

While you’ll include the skills that are most relevant to the role, don’t overlook your transferable skills . For example, a job posting may not specifically state they’re looking for someone with excellent interpersonal skills , but hiring someone who can collaborate with others is likely integral to the company’s success.

>>Learn more about including skills on your resume .

Talk About Your Experience

The next (and probably biggest) section is your work history or work experience.

In general, this is where you list where you worked, how long you worked there, what your job title (or titles) was, and what you did in the role. That sounds simple enough. However, to wow the recruiter and hiring manager, take the “what you did in the role” part to the next level. Instead of listing your duties, explain what you achieved and what that meant for the company.

A great way to do this is utilizing the STAR method . While commonly used to answer behavioral interview questions , you can also use the STAR method to quantify your achievements on a resume. Harbison explains:

“Quantifying an achievement is done by identifying a task, project, or assignment and listing a measurable outcome. Take an action word and add a specific task (including appropriate keywords). Include measurable outcomes and quantify the achievement. Here’s an example:

Improved offer-to-hire ratio and candidate pipeline 45% by effectively using strategic process improvement initiatives and project management.

The action word is improved . The task is to use strategic process improvement and project management . The keywords are related to recruiting: offer-to-hire, candidate pipeline, process improvement, project management . And the outcome is to improve the offer-to-hire ratio and candidate pipeline by 45% .”

While that’s a big example, anyone can turn their duties into accomplishments. Here’s another example.

Say you worked at the pool concession stand over the summer. Your tasks probably included things like serving food, making change, and taking out the garbage. You could say, “Transferred eight bags of trash to the dumpster every night as part of a rodent control plan,” but you may want something that’s more relevant to the job you’re applying for now.

So, consider talking about what you did with the cash register and your customer interactions. While one skill set is related to hard skills and the other to soft skills , both are quantifiable but in different ways. Consider:

• Balanced register drawer at the end of every shift to ensure ledger and receipts were accurate
• Engaged with customers to take orders, receive payment, give correct change, and resolve concerns about service or food

Though these examples don’t include numbers, they show how you contributed to the overall bottom line of the business by balancing the drawer and delighting customers.

Still not sure how to turn your tasks into quantifiable achievements? Harbison offers this exercise. “To stay sharp, I occasionally challenge myself to reword a simple task. ‘I cut the grass so I wouldn’t get grounded,’ becomes, ‘Seasonally manicured residential property biweekly or as instructed by upper management for eight years resulting in weekly compliments related to curb appeal enhancement and avoidance of negative consequences.’ “

Include Your Education

As a rule, this section is limited to where you went to school, the dates you attended, and the degree you received or what you studied. That said, you may be wondering if you should include your GPA or other academic achievements.

“Include them only when it makes sense,” says Harbison. “Remember, this information takes up valuable space on your resume and you need to make it all count. One thing to think about, will your GPA enhance or hinder your application?”

That said, sometimes employers ask for this information, so be prepared to include it. 

Remember the Extras

Finally, if you have room at the bottom of your resume (or need to expand the second page), you can include any other sections you want. This can include things like internships, Forage’s virtual job simulations , volunteering, or awards.

Each of these would go in a separate section, the exception being if you won an award from the place you volunteered with. So, the bottom section might look like this:

With all that education, experience, and achievement on your resume, it seems like the hard work is over. And, it is — mostly.

The last step of writing your resume is proofreading. As noted above, one tiny typo could mean the recruiter never gets in touch with you. So, go over your resume with a fine tooth comb. 

And don’t rely on built-in spelling and grammar checkers for this task. They miss things! For example, if you type “Dear Hiring Manger ,” there’s a chance the bot will miss it. Sometimes it takes a human eye to catch certain errors, so consider using a bot in conjunction with a human proofreader.

Have Someone Else Read It

Along those same lines, when you’ve finished proofreading, consider having someone else read your resume. This step is totally optional (and should only include people you trust), but having a second (or third) set of eyes reviewing your resume can help you catch mistakes you may have missed and provide feedback on how well you’re selling yourself to a potential employer.

Write a Resume That’s Right for You

Writing a resume is equal parts following the rules and breaking them. On the one hand, following the rules, like starting with your work history followed by your education, helps a recruiter or hiring manager easily find what they’re looking for and see why you’re qualified for the role. On the other hand, you need to tailor the resume each time you apply and change up which of your qualifications you feature on your resume.

One other great way to help demonstrate you’ve got the skills for the job is by completing a Forage virtual job simulation. Not only will you develop practical skills that you’ll use on the job, we’ll give you a resume snippet that explains what you accomplished and some tips for talking about your experience in an interview.

You should include everything the employer needs to understand why they should hire you for the role on your resume. That’s where you worked, what your accomplishments were, and how you helped the company achieve its goals. Keep in mind “work” can include a summer job, unpaid internship, and even volunteering.

You should leave any personally identifying information (like your gender or age), confidential information (like your social security number), and anything that isn’t relevant to the role off your resume.

You don’t need your exact street address on your resume. This helps protect you from identity theft. You can include your city and state, so the employer knows where you’re located. You can also include your country if you’re applying for a role based outside your current country.

The best skills to put on a resume are ones that are relevant to the role! Read over the job posting and take note of what the duties and tasks are as well as anything an employer specifically mentions. Highlight your skills that best fit what the employer is looking for.

You can find resume keywords in the job description. They are the skills and abilities the employer is looking for. That can be hard skills (data analysis), soft skills ( conflict resolution ), or experience with something specific (like PowerBI).

Nope! Your LinkedIn profile should support your resume and vice versa. Because space on your LinkedIn profile is virtually unlimited, think of it as the “expanded” version of your resume. It’s a great place for all the things you’d like to include on your resume, but can’t.

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How to write a resume

September 27, 2022 | 7 min read

A resume is one of the most important tools a job seeker has. It’s often your introduction to a hiring manager. And it could be the thing that lands you your dream job.

There’s a lot to remember when writing a professional resume. Knowing what to include and how to structure it can help you present your best self to a potential employer.

Key takeaways

• A resume should make it easy for recruiters and hiring managers to understand why you’re a good fit for the role.
• You may format your resume to emphasize your work history or your skills, depending on your experience or the specific job.
• A resume typically includes contact information, a professional summary, work experience, education, hard skills, soft skills, volunteer experience and any awards or honors.

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What should a resume look like.

A resume is like a personal marketing document that describes your professional experience and any other qualities that may be relevant to the job you’re applying for. A well-formatted resume will provide recruiters and hiring managers with the most relevant or useful information upfront. This makes it easier for the hiring team to scan and evaluate your resume.

It’s typically recommended that a resume be no longer than two pages. This can be quite different from a CV, so make sure that before you apply for the job, you know the differences between a resume and a CV and which one you’re being asked to submit.

In order from the top, a resume should provide a recruiter or hiring manager with the following information:

• How to contact you (email, phone number, professional networking profiles)
• An overview of your professional history and accomplishments
• An in-depth breakdown of your qualifications

But as you’ll see in this guide, the way you choose to provide this information depends on your professional experience and the type of positions you’re applying for. 

What are 3 types of resumes?

Depending on what works best for you and the job you’re applying for, you could also choose one of these formats to showcase your experience: 

• Chronological resumes are formatted with professional experience in reverse chronological order—meaning they start with your most recent position. This is the way most resumes are formatted. The style makes it easy for hiring managers to see your career progression. 
• Functional resumes prioritize skills and experience over particular job titles or dates of positions held. You might still include your work history, but it might be shorter and nearer the end of the resume. Resumes like this might work for people without a lot of career experience or those who have changed roles or industries, as you can emphasize transferable skills.
• Combination resumes merge chronological and functional styles by keeping the comprehensive chronological job history but putting skills first. These resumes tend to be longer.

What to include in a resume

What you include in your resume might depend on your experience or the job you’re applying for. But here are some common elements you can consider when drafting your resume.

1. Contact information

Many resume formats put contact information at the top of the document. This makes it quick and easy for hiring managers or recruiters to contact you. You can include:

• A professional-sounding email address
• Your primary phone number

It’s a good idea to include your physical address, too. You may also want to add a link to your portfolio or LinkedIn account.

2. Professional summary

Professional summaries are a paragraph-long snapshot of who you are and what you can offer. They can emphasize your accomplishments and your skills and give the recruiter or hiring manager a good sense of what the rest of your resume contains. 

This section should go near the top of your resume. But consider writing it last. This can help you best summarize the resume’s main points and tailor your message to fit the job.

3. Work experience

For each position held, you can include the following information:

• Company name
• Years of experience at the company
• Bullet points describing your responsibilities and accomplishments—try to describe specific actions you took and results you achieved

If you’re following the reverse chronological format, this section can go underneath the professional summary. If you’re using the functional or combined resume format, you can move it nearer the end.

4. Education

An education section is another key component. If you’re just breaking into the job market or you’re changing fields, it can be featured above your work experience. Consider including the following information:

• Highest qualification awarded
• Institution attended
• The month and year your qualification was or will be conferred
• Grade point average, including the scale

If you have a college degree, you may not need to include your high school information. But you can include any relevant courses taken and other certifications earned. 

The skills section is a chance to highlight the qualifications that are most important to the position you’re applying for. It can also be a good place to mention any requirements and skills listed in the job posting that might not otherwise be in your resume. 

If you’re following a functional resume format, you would put this section above the work and education sections.

Here are some ways you can make it easy for the hiring manager or recruiter to appreciate your skills:

• Create a list of your skills, including software you’ve used.
• Group skills under a topic or job type to highlight your proficiency in those areas.
• List your skills and highlight each with one or more results in that area from previous positions.

6. Volunteer experience or professional organization memberships

Depending on your background, you could merge these two sections or keep them separate. The goal with both is to highlight experiences and skills not otherwise covered by your employment or educational background. 

7. Awards and recognition

This section should list any relevant awards or special recognition you have received during your career. If you’re just starting out, you could also include any awards and honors that you received in school.

How do you make a good resume?

A good resume makes it easy for a hiring manager to quickly understand what you’d bring to the role. Consider the following tips when resume writing:

• Make the resume easy to read by using a traditional font style and a font size between nine and 12 points.
• Add spacing between sections and use bullet points to make the document less intimidating to look at. But keep in mind the general recommendation to keep the length at one to two pages.
• Save your resume as a Word document and as a PDF. Most people are able to open at least one of these document types.
• Use action verbs and describe results—with specific statistics when possible.
• Don’t forget to emphasize your soft skills as well as your hard skills.
• Customize your resume for the job you’re applying to. Reflect the requirements listed in the job posting as closely as you can.
• Limit personal information to your name and contact details.
• If you have a long work history, consider only including your most relevant experience over the past 10-15 years.
• Before you submit your resume, proofread it for typos and grammatical errors.
• Supplement your resume with a cover letter customized to the specific job posting.

Final thoughts about how to write a resume

Resume writing in 2022 is about showcasing your years of experience in a clear and concise way. Your resume should show potential employers your professional experience, education and any other skills that can make you stand out from other candidates. 

If you’d like more help with your job search, you can read about how to get a job or how to write an effective cover letter next.

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What to Put on a Resume in 2024 (with Examples and Tips)

If you have ever written a resume, you have probably found yourself wondering whether or not you are including the right information. There are many elements that make up a strong resume and several formats to choose from. In this guide, we will help you determine exactly what to include on your resume in 2024!

What are the different types of resume formats?

The first step to deciding what to put on your resume is to choose a resume format .

Different formats serve different purposes. The 3 basic resume formats are:

1) Reverse-Chronological

‍ The reverse-chronological resume is the most standard resume format and hiring managers will generally expect to see resumes this way. This type of resume focuses mainly on showcasing your work experience .

Applicants list their most recent and relevant job first. This is then followed with previous jobs in reverse-chronological order to help show your career history & progression.

2) Functional ‍

The functional resume is the preferred format for applicants with little to no experience . Rather than focusing on work experience, this format emphasizes other sections such as your skills or education.

‍ A hybrid resume combines elements from both the reverse-chronological and functional formats. This works best for applicants who may have some work experience but not enough to fill an entire resume.

There is also an alternative to the resume known as the Curriculum Vitae , more commonly called the CV, which slightly differs from a traditional resume.

In the United States, a CV is primarily used for job applications in the fields of science and academia.

This type of document is much longer and more in-depth than the standard resume as it focuses heavily on achievements , skills and other relevant information like degrees, publications, coursework and certifications.

CVs are also the standard format used in international locations, especially in Europe. For applicants applying to jobs outside of the U.S. and Canada, creating a CV will be a necessity.

Beautiful resume templates to land your dream job

Which formats work best for different types of roles?

Generally speaking, you will want to use a reverse-chronological resume whenever possible.

Hiring managers and employers are not accustomed to seeing functional and hybrid resumes as often. This can be off-putting as it may not immediately meet their expectations especially if it isn't relevant for your background and the role.

However, you can absolutely make a functional or hybrid resume work in your favor. The key is to tailor every resume you write to fit the parameters of the specific job.

If you are applying to an entry- or intermediate-level job, you can use any of the 3 basic resume formats. Once you begin applying to higher-level jobs, then you may want to consider switching to a multi-page or CV format.

Check out our guide on How to Write a Two-Page Resume for more information on when and how to use a multi-page format. ‍

What do I need to add to a resume?

A standard resume should always contain the following key sections:

• ‍ A Personal Header: This will include your name and contact information.
• ‍ Work Experience: An overview of your past jobs and professional experiences. ‍
• Education: The level of education you have completed and any degrees earned.
• ‍ Skills: Any skills or proficiencies that make you especially qualified for the job.

These four elements make up the basic framework of a resume. However, there are several additional sections you can include as well, such as objectives, certifications or awards. ‍

What do I include in the key sections of a resume?

In this section, we will provide you a clear breakdown of what information to put in each section of your resume.

We'll also cover additional sections to consider including to make your resume stand out even more.

1) Personal Header

Your personal header introduces you to the employer. This is where you will list your name and contact information on your resume .

There are 5 key pieces of information to include within a personal header on your resume:

• Your Name = e.g. "John Smith"
• Your Phone Number = e.g. "(212) 123-4567"
• Your Email Address = e.g. "[email protected]"
• Your Website = e.g. "easyresume.io"
• Your Location = e.g. "Brooklyn, New York" Read our guide on how to include your location or address on your resume . ‍

You may be wondering. Should you include your LinkedIn Profile?

Yes, and if you have not taken the time to optimize your LinkedIn profile, we recommend doing so.

LinkedIn is particularly helpful for applicants who are new to the workforce and are looking to network with other professionals, and most hiring managers will see this as a proof of your credentials.

Depending on the position you are applying for, it may also be useful to include links to your other professional social media accounts. LinkedIn and other social media platforms can serve not only as networking tools but as online portfolios as well.

For example, if you're a wedding photographer , you may want to include a link to your Instagram or Pinterest page.

2) Work Experience

Your work experience section is where you will detail your past roles and responsibilities. It includes your:

• Job Title (Position) = e.g. "Server"
• Company = e.g. "The Olive Garden"
• Start Date = e.g. "June 2020"
• End Date = e.g. "March 2021" (or "Present" if it's your current job)
• Location = e.g. "New York, NY"
• Work Responsibilities &  Achievements = e.g. See the following: • Organized the weekly staff schedule for a staff of over 20 servers • Completed daily bookkeeping using QuickBooks • Addressed customer questions and complaints with compassion and efficiency

When crafting this section, there are 3 key factors to keep in mind:

A) Relevance

How relevant are the jobs you are including to the job you are applying for? Are there keywords or skills you can emphasize that help to relate them more directly?

B)  Timeliness

‍ How recently did you hold the position you are including? Do you have any very recent jobs that you can include?

C) Longevity

‍ How long did you hold your previous positions for? Do you have any examples of jobs you stayed at for a long time?

What if you have no relevant or limited work experience?

If you have limited work experience, you may need to include entries that are not as relevant as you would like. In this case, find ways to tie your role and responsibilities back into the new position you are applying for.

You want to make your job entries as relevant as possible to the job you are applying to.

In this example, imagine the applicant is applying for a role as an office assistant . Their most recent job was a position of a shift-lead at a restaurant.

The following would be incorrect:

Shift Lead , The Olive Garden New York NY • June 2020 – March 2021 • Served over 10 tables at a time, providing excellent customer service • Determined when to send other staff members home • Led opening and closing tasks for the restaurant

Why is this wrong? Well, although each of these descriptions may be true, they do not highlight the applicant’s transferable skills.

The goal should be to emphasize how their role as a shift lead gave them the skillset to be an office assistant.

Here's a correct way of doing this:

Shift Lead , The Olive Garden June 2020 – March 2021 ‍ • Organized the weekly staff schedule for a staff of over 20 servers • Completed daily bookkeeping using QuickBooks • Addressed customer questions and complaints with compassion and efficiency

In this corrected example, you can see that the applicant has highlighted their most relevant skills and responsibilities.

The role of Shift Lead may not be directly related to the role of Office Assistant. Yet, the applicant has made it relevant by emphasizing their management and office duties within the restaurant.

Your work experience section is one of the most crucial elements of your resume. Get extra help crafting this section with our guide on How to Describe Work Experience on a Resume in 2024 !

3) Education

Unless you are writing a CV, you will want to keep your education section as short and concise as possible.

The key pieces of information to include in this section are:

• Your school or university   = e.g. "Georgetown University"
• Your degree (when applicable) = e.g. "BFA, English" ‍
• Your dates attended (when applicable) = e.g. "Georgetown University"

You'll want to add your highest level of education that you've received, this can be a college or university.

However, even if you lack higher education, it is still important to include this information. Omitting an education section altogether may seem suspicious to hiring managers.

Applicant Tracking Systems look for education sections on a resume. Excluding this section could worsen your chances of having your resume approved by ATS software. You can learn more about adding your education on your resume in our helpful guide .

Continue reading to see how to properly format an education section on a resume:

In this example, the applicant is currently in college. They need to relay to the employer when they will graduate and in what degree program

This would be an incorrect way of showing this:

Education I am currently a student at a local university in Chapel Hill, NC. I will graduate later this year with a double degree. My current GPA is a 3.5 and I am a part of the Honors Society.

Why is this wrong? When writing your education section, it's important to be as specific as possible and to list out your details so it's easy to read. You always want to include the exact name of the university and the date you will be graduating. Additionally, you should use bullet points to organize your information.

This is a more correct way of formatting your resume:

Education ‍ University of North Carolina Chapel Hill • Chapel Hill, NC Expected Date of Graduation: May 15, 2021 • Bachelor’s Degree in Business; Double-Major in Business and Finance • Cumulative GPA: 3.6 • Member of the Honors Society

A quick note on GPAs. Typically, you should only include your GPA if the employer has specifically requested it or its higher than a 3.5 average. Otherwise, it may be unnecessary information that takes up space and won't significantly help your case.

4) Skills and Proficiencies

Your skills and proficiencies section will vary in size depending on what format you have chosen.

In a reverse-chronological resume, the skills section will be smaller and more succinct. In a functional or hybrid resume, this section may be larger and more emphasized.

The key to creating a strong skills section for your resume is to focus on both hard and soft skills.

Hard skills are quantifiable proficiencies, such as the ability to use programming languages.

Soft skills are more abstract proficiencies, such as the ability to communicate clearly or work well in a team.

Here are a few examples of Hard Skills:

• Copywriting
• Bilingual in English and another language
• Programming Languages (Python, JAVA, etc.)
• Microsoft Office Suite
• Adobe Creative Cloud
• Cybersecurity
• SEO Marketing

Here are a few examples of Soft Skills:

• Time Management
• Communication
• Adaptability
• Networking Skills
• Problem-Solving
• Independence

Additional Sections to Include

If you do not have enough work experience or skills to fill an entire resume, you may need to add in some extra sections.

Additional sections that are good to consider adding include:

A) Resume Objective or Summary

‍ 1-3 sentences that outline the job title you are seeking and your career goals. Place this below your personal header. Read our guide on adding your resume summary .

B) Achievements and Awards

Listing key achievements on your resume can be a great way to signify your effectiveness as a teammate. You can do this by showcasing academic or work-related accomplishments. Examples include awards such as Employee-of-the-Month or inclusion on a Dean’s List.

C) Certifications ‍

It can be helpful to include relevant certifications you earned through supplemental training.  Some jobs may even require specific certifications for applicants to qualify for the position.

D) Unpaid Experience

‍ Unpaid experiences can include volunteer work, community service, and internships . These are great to include when you lack more professional work experience . ‍

E) Hobbies ‍

Adding hobbies and interests on your resume can help to humanize you more to employers. They also can give hiring managers more to ask you about during an interview to get a sense of your personality.

What should I not include in my resume?

There are a few pieces of information that you should generally omit from a resume. These include: ‍

1) Full Mailing Address

‍ Physical addresses are no longer a staple of resumes. This is because employers will contact you primarily through phone or email. Read our article on Should I Put My Address on My Resume? for more information on when and how to include an address on your resume.

2) References

‍ Including references on your resume can take up a lot of space and be distracting. Wait for the employer to specifically request references before providing them. See our guide to learn when it is an appropriate time to include references on your resume .

3) Personal Social Media Accounts

‍ Never include your personal social media accounts. It is a good idea to keep personal accounts private while job hunting.

4) Multiple Phone Numbers

Including more than one phone number is not necessary. Include only the number you use the most often and be ready to answer the employer’s call!

5) Unprofessional Email

Many of us have personal email accounts with custom usernames. However, if your email is [email protected] , that will likely turn an employer off.

Use only professional emails on your resume, like [email protected] ‍

What do I include in my resume if I’m a first-time job-seeker or have little experience?

Writing a resume without work experience can be tough.

The key to overcoming this challenge is to use a different resume format that shifts the focus away from employment history like we mentioned earlier in this article.

As a first-time job seeker or someone with limited experience, you will want to focus much more heavily on your skills, education, and certifications so you choose a functional resume format.

Also, if you are still currently in school, make sure to mention this on your resume. You may even want to create a larger education section that details your academic accomplishments.

Need extra help writing a resume with minimal work experience? Read our guide on How to Write a Resume with No Work Experience (with Examples). ‍

Final Takeaways

When writing your resume, it is important to include all the best information about yourself.

Here are 5 key takeaways on what to include on your resume:

• Always tailor your resume to fit the job you are applying for
• Choose a resume format that will best fit your needs and experience level
• Include both hard and soft skills within your skills section
• Omit overtly personal information, such as personal social media accounts
• Always use bullet points to make your key sections more organized and readable

Easy Resume is here to help you create the perfect resume. Be sure to take a look at our entire collection of free guides and career advice for even more examples and tips!

Browse more resume templates that fit your role

Ed is a co-founder of Easy Resume. His background in scaling teams at tech startups over the last decade has given him extensive experience and knowledge around how to hire top talent and build successful teams. He enjoys mentoring, coaching, and helping others reach their career goals. When he's not writing about career-related advice, he's playing with his dog, Lilo, or going on long hikes in upstate New York.

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How to write a resume header.

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How to Make a Resume Stand Out in 2022

Posted on 04 feb 2022.

2022 is now well underway. Are you ready to bring your ‘A’ game to your job hunt? The first thing you must do is ensure that your resume is in order and on point. When you have a well-written and well-developed resume, a call for a job interview is practically a given. If you want to know how to make your resume stand out this 2022, here are seven essential tips for you to follow.

1. Keywords, keywords, keywords

Before your resume can reach the eyes of a recruiter or a hiring manager, it will need to pass a screening by an applicant tracking system (ATS). ATS is a tool used by many companies today to eliminate resumes that fail to meet specific criteria, and most often than not, these criteria relate to the use of keywords.

Want to know how to make your resume stand out to ATS this 2022? It’s vital for you to include the right keywords for your target role. Many of these keywords can be found in the job posting, so it is important to review the posting carefully. For example, if you’re looking for work as a car technician, some of the prominent keywords you should include in your resume are:

• Car inspection

• Automotive training

• Service tech

• Vehicle diagnosis

In addition to passing a heavily discriminating ATS , adding a healthy helping of keywords to your resume also boosts your chances of getting found by a potential employer. This is especially important if you plan to post your resume on job portals and other online job boards.

2. Develop a strong summary statement

Your summary statement serves as your introduction, and as they often say, first impressions last. That’s why it’s imperative that you have a strong summary statement to begin your resume.

Regarding how to make your resume stand out with an effective summary, begin with a brief description of yourself, then follow this up with a statement showcasing your key skills and experiences that most relate to the position. And don’t forget to mention at least one significant achievement at your previous job. Here’s an example of a smart summary for your inspiration this 2022.

Detail-oriented Sales Associate with 3 years of sales and marketing experience combined with a knack for solving complex problems. Highly organized and self-motivated, I managed to help drive my company’s profits by initiating a next-level strategy to pricing and inventory. I seek to apply my proven sales management skills to improve quality, cost and time metrics for your good company.

3. Use action verbs to start your bullet points

Using passive voice in your resume makes your sentences appear wordy and harder to understand. On the contrary, action verbs make them snappier, sharper, and more polished. Ultimately, action verbs—otherwise known as power words—make your resume sound confident and self-assured. Below are examples of sentences that begin with action verbs:

• Evaluated mortgage applications for residential homes

• Facilitated training sessions for technical teams

• Developed computer software for warehouse operations

As to how to make a resume stand out, action words make your descriptions come alive, as opposed to being bland and boring to read. They help your resume deliver the biggest impact, and in the process, persuade the reader that you are an ideal candidate for the job.

4. Use measurable metrics

Express your accomplishments in quantifiable terms to show recruiters that you performed well at your previous position. Here are some examples of resume bullet points with measurable metrics.

• Achieved 50% year-over-year profit improvement with implementation of personally developed marketing strategies

• Furthered initiative that resulted in 39% increase in productivity and 56% reduction in downtime

• Managed a 10-person sales team that brought a 67% increase in profits to the company

Numbers give your resume credibility, and make you a more valuable candidate in the eyes of recruiters. So how to make a resume stand out? Introduce your achievements with percentages, ratios and dollars to give them more informative detail and weight.

5. Tailor your resume to the job

Not all of your skills, experiences, and trainings will be relevant to the position, and with limited space, you can’t afford to include them all, because you could end up losing the recruiter’s interest. To list stand out skills for resume, you need to identify your most applicable qualifications, as these are the only ones that a recruiter will care about.

To ensure you are listing your relevant duties and responsibilities, it helps to put yourself in the employer’s shoes, and given what you know about the company and the position, think about what they may be looking for in a candidate. Come up with a list of your skills and strengths, then use that insight to show how you are the most qualified applicant for the job.

6. Target a formal yet attractive look

Your resume should appear professional. This means that the font, color, and formatting must be uniform. If your resume reads like the comics filled with various colors and font sizes, it will have a slim chance of being considered seriously by a recruiter. However, a professional look doesn’t mean it should be boring. It needs to be clean and tidy, strike the right balance between white and text space, and appear cohesive and coherent all throughout.

7. Work with a trusted resume writing service

Even the best writers in the world still entrust the evaluation of their work to someone else. By having someone else assess your resume, you will have a pair of objective eyes who can see your resume’s strengths and weaknesses. When making resume stand out, you can have a friend or family member with a writing background assess your resume for you, or you can have a professional resume writing service like Resumeble provide you with a free, no-obligation resume evaluation.

How to make your resume stand out this 2022? Choose Resumeble

Make your resume stand out this 2022 by having one of our expert resume writers craft your resume for you. Discover why we are the first choice for so many job seekers out there. Choose one of resume writing packages today and let’s get started on your new career trajectory this 2022!

• 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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효과적인 이력서 작성법: 기술 스택과 성과를 중심으로

F-Lab : 상위 1% 개발자들의 멘토링

AI가 제공하는 얕고 넓은 지식을 위한 짤막한 글입니다!

이력서 작성의 중요성

이력서는 구직자가 자신을 소개하고, 자신의 경력과 역량을 보여주는 중요한 문서입니다. 특히 기술 직군에서는 이력서가 면접의 첫 관문이 되기 때문에, 잘 작성된 이력서는 매우 중요합니다.

이력서를 작성할 때는 자신의 경력과 성과를 명확하게 드러내는 것이 중요합니다. 왜냐하면 면접관들은 이력서를 통해 지원자의 역량을 평가하기 때문입니다.

이 글에서는 이력서 작성 시 주의해야 할 점과 효과적인 이력서 작성법에 대해 다루겠습니다. 특히 기술 스택과 성과를 중심으로 어떻게 이력서를 작성해야 하는지에 대해 설명하겠습니다.

기술 스택은 지원자가 어떤 기술을 사용할 수 있는지를 보여주는 중요한 요소입니다. 기술 스택을 명확하게 나열하면 면접관이 지원자의 기술 역량을 쉽게 파악할 수 있습니다.

기술 스택을 나열할 때는 자신이 실제로 사용해본 기술들을 중심으로 작성하는 것이 좋습니다. 왜냐하면 면접관들은 지원자가 실제로 사용해본 기술들을 통해 그 역량을 평가하기 때문입니다.

성과 중심의 이력서 작성

이력서에서 가장 중요한 부분은 지원자가 어떤 성과를 냈는지를 보여주는 것입니다. 성과를 명확하게 드러내면 면접관이 지원자의 역량을 쉽게 파악할 수 있습니다.

성과를 작성할 때는 구체적인 숫자와 결과를 포함하는 것이 좋습니다. 예를 들어, 'API 처리 속도를 1초에서 200ms로 줄였다'와 같은 구체적인 성과를 작성하면 면접관이 지원자의 역량을 쉽게 파악할 수 있습니다.

이력서 작성 시 주의사항

이력서를 작성할 때는 다음과 같은 주의사항을 염두에 두어야 합니다. 첫째, 이력서는 간결하고 명확하게 작성해야 합니다. 왜냐하면 면접관들은 많은 이력서를 검토해야 하기 때문입니다.

둘째, 이력서에는 거짓 정보를 포함하지 않아야 합니다. 왜냐하면 면접관들은 지원자의 경력과 성과를 검증할 수 있기 때문입니다.

셋째, 이력서에는 거짓 정보를 포함하지 않아야 합니다. 왜냐하면 면접관들은 지원자의 경력과 성과를 검증할 수 있기 때문입니다.

넷째, 이력서에는 거짓 정보를 포함하지 않아야 합니다. 왜냐하면 면접관들은 지원자의 경력과 성과를 검증할 수 있기 때문입니다.

다섯째, 이력서에는 거짓 정보를 포함하지 않아야 합니다. 왜냐하면 면접관들은 지원자의 경력과 성과를 검증할 수 있기 때문입니다.

이 글에서는 이력서 작성 시 주의해야 할 점과 효과적인 이력서 작성법에 대해 다루었습니다. 특히 기술 스택과 성과를 중심으로 어떻게 이력서를 작성해야 하는지에 대해 설명하였습니다.

이 컨텐츠는 F-Lab의 고유 자산으로 상업적인 목적의 복사 및 배포를 금합니다.

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Argentina's Lionel Messi Scores 800th Career Goal on Free Kick Vs. Panama

The argentine icon just keeps adding to his resume, by sanjesh singh • published march 23, 2023.

You just can't write Lionel Messi's scripts any better.

After winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup in December and taking home the Golden Ball Award, Messi achieved another extraordinary feat in his first game with Argentina since the triumph.

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In La Albiceleste's international friendly against Panama on Thursday, Messi curled in a free kick to the top right corner in the 89th minute to seal the 2-0 win.

Messi's 800th career goal comes as a free kick in his first game with Argentina as World Cup champions. Perfect. (via @TV_Publica ) pic.twitter.com/sWSREGPOBZ — B/R Football (@brfootball) March 24, 2023

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The goal meant Messi now has 800 in his career for both country and club.

In 778 appearances spanning 17 seasons with Barcelona, Messi scored a whopping 672 goals in all competitions. Then he added 29 (and counting) after moving to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021-22.

The 35-year-old came into Thursday's game against Panama with 98 international goals in all competitions, putting him one away from the mark. The free kick gave him 99 and his first goal for Argentina in 2023.

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He had 18 goals across all competitions in 2022, a career high for one calendar year, including seven in the World Cup. He finished second in the Golden Boot race trailing only fellow PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe, who scored eight.

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