basic resume writing tips

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

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

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

What Is a Resume?

What are employers looking for in a resume.

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

What Are Some Examples of a Good Resume?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How Do You Write a Resume?

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

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

1. Pick Your Format

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2. Start With Your Basic Information

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

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

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

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

3. Add in Your Work Experience

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

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

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

For example, you might write:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4. Consider Including Volunteer Work or Other Experience

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

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

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

5. Don’t Forget Your Education

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

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

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

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

6. Top It Off With Some Skills and Interests

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

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

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

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

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

7. Write a Resume Summary Statement (if Relevant)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

9. Edit and Refine It

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Most Popular: A Reverse Chronological Resume

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

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

Download an Example Chronological Resume for a Software Engineer

The Unorthodox Route: A Functional or Skills-Based Resume

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

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

Download an Example Functional Resume for a Project Manager

The Creative Angle: An Infographic Resume or Resume Website

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

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

Download an Example Infographic Resume for a Designer

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

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

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

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

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• Resume and Cover Letter
• Your Guide to Writing a...

Your Guide to Writing a Resume in 2023

29 min read · Updated on December 19, 2023

Use this guide to help you craft the perfect resume and finally land your dream job.

Whether you're sprucing up your outdated resume or starting from scratch, the task can quickly become daunting. Not only do you want to clearly convey your experiences and skills, but you also want to present the information in a way that's easy to read and visually appealing. It's easy to get wrapped up in seeking answers to seemingly straightforward questions: Should you include your mailing address? What skills should you list? Is it OK to use two pages? Should you save it as a PDF or a Word document?

Also, don't forget even the smallest of details — and you definitely need to give your resume at least 20 proofreads.

Before you become completely frazzled, go ahead and bookmark this page; this is your ultimate guide to writing a resume. 

In this guide, you'll learn how to: 

Add your contact information 

Create the perfect professional summary 

Craft your skills section 

Compile your work experience 

List your education and professional development

Remove your references 

Determine page length 

Format your resume 

Master your resume design 

Figure out if you need professional help 

Adding your contact information

Starting from the very top of your resume, let's dive in with your contact information . Yes, this might seem straightforward, but there are some details you'll want to note. Here's what you need to know.

Writing your name on your resume may seem simple, but you might be surprised by some of the questions that arise. Do you have to list your legal name, or is it OK to use your nickname? Should you include your middle name or just your middle initial? What about your academic credentials? Or suffixes, like Jr. or III?

There's not necessarily a right or wrong answer here, but you'll want to think about your personal brand. If your name is Katherine, but everyone calls you Kit, then write Kit. You can also include a nickname in quotes between your first and last name. For example, Elizabeth “Lizzie” Smith. Middle initials and names are often deemed unnecessary, but if you have a common name, like Robert Smith, you can include it so you stand out. You don't want to be mistaken for the other Robert Smith, right? Meanwhile, suffixes are definitely unnecessary. Chances are, no one at work is calling you “John William Henry III.”

If your name proves difficult to pronounce during your job search, you can help a recruiter or hiring manager out by including a pronunciation key. Here's an example: Meixiang (may-shang) Li.

When it comes to listing your academic credentials with your name (think: PhD or MD), only list doctorate-level degrees and highly specialized designations that are relevant to the jobs you're applying for. 

Overall, the best rule of thumb is to think about your personal brand. Keep it consistent; you'll want the name on your resume to match the name you use on your cover letter, the name you use to sign your emails, and the name you use on LinkedIn.

Mailing address

Back in the day, including a mailing address on your resume was a given. After all, you were actually mailing your resume. Today, listing your physical mailing address isn't necessary. In fact, because identity theft has become so rampant, many experts suggest simply listing your city, state, and ZIP code. Employers won't actually need your address until the final stages of a job offer.

Listing your city and state is important for employers filling location-dependent positions. Additionally, some companies only hire locally to avoid relocation expenses so if you live in Tampa, Florida, but apply to a job in Charlotte, North Carolina, an employer might automatically toss your resume. However, if you have plans to relocate, you can write, “Relocating to Charlotte, North Carolina, in August 2020.” If you're seeking and writing a resume for a remote job , you can write “Remote” or “Location independent” next to your city and state, as well.

Phone number and email address

These are arguably two of the most important pieces of information on your resume; this is how an employer will get in touch with you after all. In fact, incorrect or missing contact information is one of the top resume mistakes people make .

For your phone number, list the best way to get in touch with you. This should never be a work number; instead, it'll likely be your cell phone number. Before adding your phone number, make sure your voicemail message is professional and states your name. There are a few ways you can format your phone number on your resume:

555-555-5555

(555) 555-5555

555.555.5555

Like your phone number, you don't want to use a work email address. You also don't want to use that old AOL email address you made back in 1999. Your email address should be professional; it'll often be some variation of your name and/or your specialty or job title. For example, [email protected] would work just fine. Also think about upgrading to a modern email provider, like Gmail, and create this email just for your job-search needs, if you haven't already.

Social media and online portfolio

These days, including your LinkedIn URL or a link to your online website or portfolio is standard. If you want to include your LinkedIn, be sure to create a custom LinkedIn URL . This is super simple, and it'll keep your resume looking clean and your online presence easily searchable. You'll also want to make sure your LinkedIn profile is updated and reflects the information on your resume. Take the necessary steps to make sure your LinkedIn profile stands out from the crowd. If you have an updated website or portfolio, you can link that in your contact information as well.

Crafting the perfect professional summary

Now that you've got your contact information down, it's time to dive into perhaps one of the most difficult parts of your resume: your professional summary. If it's been a while since you updated your resume, you might be wondering what this is — what happened to the resume objective statement? Here's the thing: Objective statements are outdated . In fact, they make professional resume writers absolutely cringe. They're generic, unclear, and typically include overused adjectives to vaguely call out your five-year plan. They don't offer any real insight into who you are and what you can offer a potential employer.

Instead, a good professional summary should highlight your achievements, experience level, value, industry, and immediate career goals. To determine what to include in this section of your resume, ask yourself these questions:

Why am I qualified for this position? (Yes, your professional summary should be tailored to each job application.)

What makes me a good candidate for this role? Think about your experience, education, and skills.

How have I used these qualifications in previous roles to create results and provide value?

Sometimes the best way to write a professional summary is to read a few examples. Use these as inspiration:

“Recent graduate of a top-tier university with experience developing and analyzing cost models, performing quality assurance reviews, and building process solutions to improve forecast accuracy and compliance for internal and external clients…”

“Respected human resources leader with more than 10 years of experience overseeing operations, projects, and staff in healthcare organizations. Proven track record in guiding sizable, cross-functional teams in the design, redesign, and launch of cutting-edge business solutions, driving greater efficiency, engagement, and revenue for national organizations…”

Although your professional summary can be difficult to conquer, it'll feel great to get it down on the page. Plus, it'll help set the tone and focus for the rest of your resume, making the resume-writing process much easier.

Mastering your skills section

When crafting your professional summary, you should also start thinking about your relevant skills so you can tackle the skills section of your resume. The skills section gives you the opportunity to list the hard and soft skills you can't necessarily call out in your work experience. It's also a section that's easily scannable and digestible, giving recruiters and hiring managers a quick glimpse into who you are and what you offer.

Hard skills and soft skills to include (or not include)

First thing's first: When it comes to determining what skills to include on your resume, it's important to understand the difference between hard and soft skills . Hard skills are the more technical skills listed on a resume ; they're applied skills you've learned, and they're more easily measured. A few general examples of hard skills include machine operation, computer programming, and accounting.

Showcasing soft skills on a resume , on the other hand, are interpersonal skills you often use each day. They're tied into your emotional intelligence and often describe your more innate, natural abilities that are more difficult to quantify. A few general examples of soft skills include teamwork, leadership, creative problem solving, and time management.

It's important to include both hard and soft skills on your resume. The best way to start brainstorming your skills is to simply brain-dump: grab a piece of paper and start making a list. Think about the skills you've had since you were a child, the skills you've acquired in school and through training, the skills you've used to succeed at your job, and the skills needed to excel in your industry.

Now that you've got a large list, it's time to narrow it down and pick the strongest of the bunch. Use these resume tips to help make your skills section really stand out:

Don't list skills that are a given: For example, if you're a professional content writer, you don't need to list the generic “strong written and verbal communication skills.”

Stay relevant to the job: Include any relevant technical and soft skills called out in the job description; don't waste space by listing irrelevant skills.

Be specific and clear: If you want to highlight your project-management skills, list specific software programs you have experience using, like Asana, Wrike, or Trello.

Organize your list: Try to create some sort of pattern by listing related skills together. The goal is to keep your list coherent and easy to read. You'll also want to list the most important skills toward the top and work your way down.

Don't forget soft skills: It's easy to get hyper-focused on your technical skills, but companies want to see your soft skills, too. This is a great time to offer some insight into who you are and how you might stand out from other candidates who possess the same technical skills as you.

If you're still struggling, use this general list of the top 10 job skills employers look for as inspiration: 

Time management

Collaboration

Emotional intelligence

Adaptability

Adaptive thinking

Service orientation

Cloud computing

Knowledge of new social and digital media

Artificial intelligence

Again, the more specific and unique your skills list, the better. Additionally, you'll want your skills to match the job listing as much as possible, so you'll probably want to update it for each job application.

The importance of keywords

Notice how much of the advice so far encourages you to use the job listing as a tool when creating your list of skills? There are a few reasons for that. First off (and perhaps most obviously), a recruiter or hiring manager wants to see that you have the skills needed to be good at the job. Second off (and perhaps a little less obviously), listing these skills can help you beat the bots .

Now, we haven't mentioned these resume bots — or, more accurately, applicant tracking systems (ATS) —  so now's a good time to debrief you. Many large companies use applicant tracking systems to collect, sort, scan, and rank job applicants' resumes. It's basically an electronic gatekeeper that helps streamline the recruitment process.

So the question becomes: How do you make sure your resume gets past this system and into the hands of a human? One way is to highlight certain keywords on your resume. That's, in part, how these systems will score you. There's no real science to determining what keywords you should include, but here's a good strategy: Gather three to five job descriptions that are similar to the type of job you're pursuing. Run these descriptions through a free word and phrase frequency tool like Online-Utility.org's  Text Analyzer and see which terms are used most often. The words that are generated are some of the words you'll want to weave into your skills sections, if applicable. You should then sprinkle these terms into your career summary and work experience, as well.

Compiling your work experience and professional history

Now it's time to dive into the heart of your resume: your work experience. Chances are, this will take up the majority of your resume's real estate. If you're struggling to get started, remember you've done a lot of the hard work already; revisit your professional summary and your skills section to help guide you.

When it comes to formatting this section, you have a few options — but we'll get to that later. Right now, let's just focus on crafting the bullet points that'll appear under each job title.

In general, each position should include three-to-four bullet points — and no more than six-to-seven. Additionally, you might get stuck if you've held multiple jobs at the same company. How do you format that? You can either stack positions under the company's name or keep them separate on your resume . Now, let's dive into the meat of this section.

Demonstrating your value: Doer vs. achiever

When it comes to listing your professional experience, you'll want to start thinking through the lens of an achiever — not a doer . But what does that mean? A doer is someone who simply lists day-to-day job responsibilities. Sure, they're doing their job, but they're not looking at the big picture and at what they've actually achieved. An achiever, meanwhile, focuses on their accomplishments and how it affected their job performance and company. Here's an example of a doer vs. an achiever statement on a resume:

A doer: “Developed and delivered sales strategies.”

An achiever: “Doubled annual sales volume in two years, from $5 million in 2017 to $10 million in 2019.”

See how the achiever highlights a more specific accomplishment? This will help you stand out and show your value to a potential employer . If you're struggling to get into the achiever mindset, answer these questions first:

What changed at the company because of my work?

How did my projects impact the bottom-line?

How did my work affect the people around me?

When did I take charge and show initiative?

Additionally, as an achiever, it's important to highlight the data behind your accomplishments and results. This will vary from job-to-job and industry-to-industry, but you might include quantitative details such as the number of social media impressions garnered in an ad campaign, revenue earned, number of new members, or the size of the team you managed. The goal is to show  — not just tell. Whenever possible, format your bullet points as “ result by action .” Here are a few examples:

“Reduced turnaround time 23% by streamlining the budgeting process for the organization's five business units.”

“Generated $1.3 million in new business for the online subscription business by developing an integrated marketing campaign that included online ads, targeted emails, social media initiatives, and TV commercials.”

If you're having trouble describing your job positions, look at the company's website and similar job listings to help you get started. And, once again, you'll want to look at the job postings you're interested in and make sure the experiences you list are relevant.

From here on out, you should also make it a goal to track your professional wins throughout the year. This will make updating your resume a whole lot easier in the future — trust us.

Using powerful verbs and the active voice

To help you maintain that achiever mindset, use this simple tip: Start each bullet point under your experiences with a powerful verb while avoiding reusing the same verbs throughout your resume . The more powerful and descriptive the verb, the better. Here are some examples of strong action verbs that are good for resume writing:

Hypothesized

You'll also want to avoid using the passive voice on your resume as much as possible; these sentences tend to be longer and less punchy. Here's an example of passive versus active voice:

Passive: “The ball was thrown by Lisa.”

Active: “Lisa threw the ball.”

As you can see, the active voice gets straight to the point and is more impactful. Identifying passive voice sentences can be tricky — even for grammar wizards — but this simple trick will help. Ask yourself: Can you add “by you” after the verb? If so, that means you're using passive voice. You can also often spot passive voice with “to be” verbs, like “were,” “has been,” or “being.”

By using strong action verbs and avoiding the passive voice, you'll be able to craft a clear and easy-to-read resume that'll stand out from the rest.

Volunteer experience

Wondering if you should include your volunteer experience on your resume ? It's not necessary, but it can be great if you:

Recently graduated and need more professional experience

Want to fill an employment gap

Are changing careers and want to demonstrate skills you didn't use in a previous job

If you do add volunteer experiences to your resume, think about the skills you used and how they'll help you excel in your next career step. Again, make sure it's relevant and ties back to the jobs you're interested in.

You can list your volunteer positions under your professional experience, or, if you're a recent graduate, you might create a new section titled “Leadership and Volunteer Experience,” where you can list any leadership roles you held in clubs and organizations as well as your volunteer experience.

If you don't have enough room on your resume but want to showcase your philanthropic efforts, you can always highlight them on LinkedIn. Chances are, an employer will check out your profile, especially if you included the URL in your contact information.

Sorting out your education and professional development

Now it's time to tackle the education and professional development section of your resume. If you're out of college, you can go ahead and wipe out any mention of your high school activities. If you've only recently graduated and feel as though your degree (or degrees) can help you land a job, feel free to place your education section at the top of your resume . Otherwise, once you've got some experience under your belt, you can move it to the bottom.

Still have a few questions? Here are some answers to a few frequently asked questions in regards to listing your education on your resume:

If you started college at one place but finished at another, only list the college you earned your degree from.

If you didn't finish college, you have a few options. If the job you're applying for requires a high school degree, list your high school. You can also list any relevant coursework.

If you're still in college, you can simply list your expected graduation date.

If you finished college more than 15 years ago or are wary of age discrimination, older job seekers can delete your graduation date.

If you're a recent grad, you might also feel inclined to include your GPA or even major test scores. However, unless the job description mentions these as a requirement, you can leave them off.

In this section, you can also list any professional development courses, programs, or certifications you've received, as long as they're relevant.

Ditching your references on your resume

When it comes to listing references on your resume , the process is simple: Don't do it. Employers typically don't ask for references until you've at least completed an initial phone screen so you're just wasting valuable resume real estate. 

When the time comes to provide references, you can prepare a simple list of at least three references and include your references' names, titles, relationship to you, and contact information. Before you pass this list along, make sure each person is comfortable being your reference and that you have their best contact information. You should also send them a copy of your resume and explain what type of job you're seeking. Then, they'll be fully prepared to speak on your qualifications.

Determining page length

This is perhaps one of the most common resume questions: How long should your resume be? The advice varies. Some people think you should stick to one page, even if you have 20 years of experience. However, if you have 15 or more years of experience, you shouldn't try to squeeze it all onto one page; this will overwhelm the reader. You also don't want to cut relevant experiences that show your career progression so creating a two-page resume is the way to go. 

Do note that if your resume is going to be two pages, make sure you're using more than just a few lines on the second page. If that's the case, cut a few lines and get it all on one page instead.

If you're struggling to keep your resume to two pages, limit your experience to the past 15 years. Really, employers are mostly focused on your recent work —  they don't really care about the internship you had 20 years ago. If you're worried you'll leave something off, feel free to include a “ Career Note” or “Earlier Career History” section . This is a simple way to summarize your work history without taking away valuable space from your most recent experiences.

On the other hand, if you feel like you don't have enough work experience to fill out your resume, think again. Your resume can include internships, fellowships, and skills-based volunteer experiences. Also, break out of the mindset that your experience can only be paid positions. Consider adding any unpaid internships, college research projects, volunteer experiences, part-time jobs or side gigs, and club leadership positions. Think about the skills you've gained from these experiences and how they'll help you succeed in the workforce.

Whether you've got 20 years of experience or zero years of experience, your goal is to include the most relevant information, so don't get caught up in including every single detail of every single job you've ever had.

Formatting your resume

Now that you've got all your information together, it's time to figure out how you want to format it. You've got a few options:

The chronological resume

The chronological resume format is simple: Just list your work history in reverse chronological order with your most recent experiences up top. This is one of the most common ways to format your resume because it's straightforward and easy to follow. It also allows you to show off your career growth.

The chronological resume tends to be best for professionals who have extensive work experience in the industry they're targeting and few employment gaps.

The functional resume

A functional resume is less common these days, but it can still be helpful in a few scenarios. With a functional resume, instead of listing your work history, the focus lands on your skills. With a functional resume, you'll want to include a professional summary at the top, followed by grouping your skills or qualifications into themes. You'll still include your employment history, but this will go at the bottom of your resume.

Functional resumes can work if you're changing careers or have large gaps in your employment history . However, most resume experts agree this isn't the strongest way to write your resume. Instead, a hybrid, or combination resume, can give you the best of both formats.

The hybrid (or combination) resume 

The hybrid resume , sometimes called the combination resume, is a mix of both the chronological and functional resume. It's often the best way to present your work history alongside your skills. It's also the best way to satisfy the applicant tracking system with the important keywords it wants to see. This format is also easier for recruiters and hiring managers to review; they can quickly see your skills and take inventory of your job history.

Tailoring your resume to each job application

Wait! Before you start moaning and groaning because you don't want to write a new resume for each job you apply for, hit pause. Yes, you should be tailoring your resume to specific jobs, but this won't necessarily require you to write an entirely new resume each time. You can easily customize your professional summary, skills section, and work experience to match each specific job.

The best way to write a targeted resume is to consider the job posting. See what skills and experience the company wants, and consider how you fit the description. Call out your most relevant experiences and qualifications in your professional summary, and integrate those keywords into your skills section and job descriptions.

Proofreading your resume (more than once)

The most common resume mistake (and job deal-breaker) is spelling and/or grammatical errors. Since you're knee-deep in writing your resume, you've probably read the same lines approximately 100 times. This will often cause your brain to auto-fill words so you'll read what you meant to write but haven't actually written.

That's why thoroughly editing and proofreading your resume (more than once) is so important. Here are a few strategies to help you eliminate any spelling or grammatical errors:

Have a friend or family member read your resume. They don't have to be editing wizards, but a second set of eyes can help identify easy-to-spot errors or typos your brain didn't process.

Read each line of your resume aloud. Not only will this help you identify errors, but it'll also help you determine if your resume makes sense and is easy to read. If you're stumbling over words, that's a sign you need to spend more time workshopping your sentences.

Temporarily change the font to something drastically different, like Curlz MT or Comic Sans. This will help you see the text differently enough to slow your brain down and process each line. Just remember to change the font back after you're done!

And if you're tailoring your resume to each job listing, that's great! But just remember you're introducing more opportunities for errors. Before you get too eager and click submit, give your resume a final read.

Consistency is key

While you're proofreading your resume, you'll want to keep an eye out for lapses in consistency. These are small details, but if a company is sorting through dozens — or hundreds — of resumes, this can make a huge difference.

To spot inconsistencies, look at repetitive areas on your resume. For example, listing the location of each job. You don't want to write “Denver, Colorado,” for one job, and “St. Louis, MO,” for another.

Dates are also often inconsistently formatted. For example, you don't want the date to read “Feb. 2016 to Jan. 2020” for one job but “August 2015 – January 2016” for another. Note the “to” versus the hyphen and the abbreviated months versus the spelled-out months. Again, these are small details, but nailing this will show off your attention to detail, which is important for just about every job.

Save as a PDF or Word document?

You might've always been taught to save your resume as a PDF, but that's not best practice since it won't make your resume friendly for the applicant tracking systems . Sure, a PDF will help preserve the design and format of your resume, but applicant tracking systems are less likely to read it correctly. Of course, if the job listing says PDF files are acceptable, then you can submit your PDF. However, if a file type isn't specified, play it safe by submitting a word document, saved as a .doc or .docx file.

Mastering the design (without a degree in graphic design)

So far you've carefully selected each word on your resume, and you've decided on your format. Now it's time to make your resume look good . The reality is, recruiters typically spend less than 10 seconds reviewing each resume they receive, so first impressions matter. Here are some important details you need to keep in mind as you lay out your resume.

Creative designs

When it comes to crafting a strong resume, your best bet is to keep things simple with a clean and modern resume design . Sure, you might feel the need to stand out from the crowd by using creative fonts, fancy borders, and custom logos, but the truth is, that will likely work against you. Many recruiters and hiring managers shuffle through hundreds of resumes, and they'll quickly become impatient when they can't readily find the information they need. The key is to focus on the quality of the content, making sure it's easily scannable and digestible. Additional distractions aren't necessary.

Additionally, you want your resume to be ATS-friendly so avoid including anything that could make it difficult to scan and interpret. Keep reading for more specifics on this.

Don't embed images

In the spirit of keeping things simple, you'll want to avoid embedding images on your resume , as well. That means no headshots, logos, or intricate infographics. Again, this can overwhelm the reader and also trip up an applicant-tracking system.

If you want to use images, include them on your personal website, online portfolio, or LinkedIn profile (all linked at the top of your resume). You can show off your creativity more on those platforms.

Avoid using common resume templates

The internet is full of resume templates. A quick Google search will reveal millions of results, with even Microsoft Word offering resume templates . These can be a great guide, but it's often best to start from scratch. Find examples you like and pull elements from each one into your own resume. This is a great way to customize your resume (do you know how many people use downloadable resume templates?) and leverage the design to your advantage, highlighting the most important — and impressive — aspects of your resume.

The importance of margins and white space

When it comes to resumes, margins are important. You might be tempted to adjust your page margins so you can fit more on your resume, but you don't want to make your margins too small. This will eliminate important white space (the empty space on the page) and make your resume look overly crowded. The reader's eyes will likely glaze over.

You'll also want to use obvious headings to call out your various sections (think: career summary, skills, experience). This will make your resume super scannable and add in even more white space so the reader won't feel overloaded with information.

Choosing font type and size

When it comes to choosing a font, keep it simple. Stick to common fonts, like Times New Roman, Arial, or Cambria, and if you want to get “creative,” you can use two fonts. For example, you might use a sans font (like Arial) for headings, then a serif font for the rest of the copy (Serif fonts have little feet on the ends of the letters, like Times New Roman).

No recruiter — or applicant tracking system — wants to see Curlz MT or Comic Sans. Not only does it look unprofessional, it's more difficult to read. You also don't want to make your font too small or too big. If it's too small, it'll be difficult to read. If it's too big, it'll look like you're just trying to fill up the page.

Again, the key is to keep your resume looking clean, simple, and modern.

When in doubt, ask for professional help

How are you feeling about your resume? If you're feeling confident, awesome! It's time to start searching and applying for jobs . If you still have some questions or can't help but wonder if you're on the right track — or simply want to throw your computer across the room at this point — that's OK, too. It might be time to call in a little reinforcement: a professional resume writer.

Signs your resume needs a professional rewrite

A professional resume writer can help you put your best foot forward, beat those resume bots, and save a ton of time (and frustration). Here are five signs it's time to hire a professional resume writer :

You're not the strongest writer: It's OK! Many people aren't, and a professional can make sure your resume is clear, concise, and free of typos.

You're not sure what to include: Whether you're fresh out of college with zero job experience or you've got 25 years under your belt, it can be difficult to decide what to include in your resume. A resume writer can help you figure out what's the most important pieces to keep and how to present your experiences in the best light.

You're bad at bragging: No, you don't want to just brag all over your resume , but you do need to be able to step back and evaluate your accomplishments and gauge your skills. Sometimes this can be difficult, but a resume writer will offer an outsider's perspective and help you understand your greatest strengths.

You never hear back: If you've applied to dozens of jobs with no response, that's frustrating. A resume writer can help you identify your problem areas and sort out any issues you might not be seeing.

You're in a unique situation: If you find yourself wondering what you should actually include on your resume or how to explain certain situations (like an employment gap or even getting fired), a professional resume writer can help guide you.

Is it worth it? The monetary value of a professional resume

If you're considering hiring a professional resume writer, you might wonder if it'll actually be worth the money. Here's the thing: Investing in a professional resume rewrite can save you a ton of time that you could use to network, find open positions, and more. It can also potentially help you earn more money when it comes to negotiating your salary and benefits .

And there's even data that backs up the benefits of a professionally written resume. In a TopResume, industry-first study , job seekers who used a professional resume writing service reported finding a job at a 32 percent higher rate. Plus, those with a professionally written resume reported that they expected to earn seven percent more than applicants who used the DIY approach.

And, hey, the cost of hiring a professional resume writer equates to 36 grande Caffe Mochas from Starbucks. Sure, caffeine is important, but so is getting your dream job.

Think you could benefit from a professionally written resume? Learn more about TopResume's services today and get started on landing your dream job.

Recommended Reading:

5 Signs It's Time to Hire a Professional Resume Writer

What Is an ATS? How to Write a Resume to Beat the Bots

How to Speed Up the Resume-Writing Process

Related Articles:

Do Hiring Managers Actually Read Cover Letters?

How to Create a Resume With No Education

From Bland to Beautiful: How We Made This Professional's Resume Shine

See how your resume stacks up.

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How to Write a Resume (That’s Good!) in 7 Easy Steps

Looking for a new job is exciting, but all the legwork involved can be a grind. There are so many details to attend to — researching prospective employers, lining up professional references, practicing interviewing skills and checking the salary range for your role. But one of the most important keys to landing the job you want — knowing how to write a great resume — doesn’t always get the attention it deserves. It can be tempting to recycle an old resume and top it off with your newest work experience just to save yourself some time and hassle.

Resist that impulse. If you’re hoping to score an interview for that dream job, you need a freshly polished, customized document that will grab readers’ attention. While applying for different positions may not require building your resume from scratch each time, you will still need to tailor this vital document for every application. It is worth the effort, too, because it can go a long way toward underscoring your interest in a specific job and company.

If you aren’t sure how to write a resume that will stand out, you’ve come to the right place. Here are several recommendations — seven, in fact — for building a resume that can help you increase your chances of landing a job interview. Want more personalized help with finding a job? Learn how recruiters can help !

7 resume writing tips that can set you apart

Every list of resume writing tips will tell you the same thing: Start with your contact information. Your name, phone number, email address and, if applicable, links to your website and LinkedIn profile . Then, list all the jobs you’ve had.

But there’s much more to it than that. If you want hiring managers to give your resume more than a quick scan, you need to hook them from the start — and that brings us to our first tip:

Tip No. 1: Craft a compelling lead

The top of the page is valuable real estate for sharing your job candidate “story.”

Back in the day, resumes had an objective statement just below the contact info that explained what type of job a candidate was seeking. But today, many hiring managers and recruiters expect to see a short, snappy paragraph that’s more like a profile.

Think of these important two or three sentences as your 30-second elevator pitch: They should quickly summarize your experience and training, and highlight your relevant skills for the role you’re seeking.

Expand on your qualifications deeper in your resume — and in your cover letter , too.

When you’re in a job interview, you need to be ready to answer some form of this question: “Why do you want to work here?” See this post for insight on preparing and delivering a solid response.

Tip No. 2: Show your impact

The bulk of your resume should focus on your work experience. List your past jobs in chronological order, from most recent to oldest, and take a results-driven approach to describe your duties and accomplishments. That means including meaningful information about how you added value to a project or the company.

To show how you excelled in the position, use action verbs, give specific examples and add quantifiable results. Don’t simply say, “oversaw project management,” for instance. Instead, give a concise project description and highlight your specific role. For example: “Project manager for a six-person team responsible for launching a new product line on an aggressive timeline.”

Also, include concrete numbers that show your impact. For instance, were you able to help the company reduce costs? Did your work contribute directly to boosting the company’s sales growth? If you don’t have that kind of data, report the solutions your team delivered or other project outcomes. The goal is to explain how you made a difference.

Tip No. 3: Include your soft skills

Remember that interpersonal skills are critical to your career success. Effective writing and verbal communication, critical thinking, time management, creativity, and problem-solving abilities are all highly prized today. It’s important to add them to your resume and cover letter.

But don’t just list these skills. Look for other ways to help them come through in your job application. If you take the time to write a resume and cover letter that are well-organized, free of grammatical and spelling errors (see tip #7) and tailored for the role you’re applying for, those documents will help showcase your writing skills. You can also frame your work history and accomplishments to underscore abilities such as collaboration, adaptability and leadership.

Other soft skills might be more difficult to demonstrate. Few of us can point to a TED talk or other online video or podcast to prove our verbal and presentation skills, for example. But we all have a LinkedIn profile. Ask a handful of your colleagues, former coworkers or others in your professional network to write recommendations that include some mention of your creativity, leadership qualities and other attributes.

Tip No. 4: Highlight your tech skills

Share your software skills and technical knowledge. As an example, job candidates for an administrative assistant position or similar role are expected to have Microsoft Office experience. Savvy candidates would list their proficiency levels with each of the suite’s applications and any training or certification programs completed.

Many jobs will require more advanced tech skills. Using the job description as a guide, discuss your expertise with the software required for the role. Again, you should list relevant certifications and training. Even better, include mention of relevant software in your work history to demonstrate professional experience.

Read this post for more tips on creating a compelling resume skills section .

Tip No. 5: Underscore your unique qualities and experience

This tip on how to write a resume is about highlighting talents relevant to the position or company. Foreign language fluency, for example, could give you an edge in getting an interview if the employer has international operations. Your role as an organizer for a Meetup group related to your industry can show leadership skills.

Whatever your passion, use your unique qualities and experiences to make yourself stand out. Many hiring managers like to gain a fuller picture of potential employees, so don’t be afraid to mention some outside interests. Just don’t go overboard by providing a laundry list of hobbies and personal pursuits. Always keep in mind that your resume is a professional document.

Robert Half has more recommendations for creating a stellar resume. Check out our list of resume do’s and don’ts here .

Tip No. 6: Increase your edge by including keywords

Many companies scan resumes and cover letters for the keywords used in their job postings. Tailor your resume for every job description you reply to — and that means sprinkling the document with some of the specific language that each posting uses.

For example, if an employer is seeking an applicant with experience “maintaining executives’ calendars,” use that same wording in your resume instead of a more casual phrase like “keeping track of schedules.”

Tip No. 7: Proofread your copy

An employer sorting through a dozen or more resumes doesn’t need much reason to remove you from consideration. Meticulously proofread your resume for spelling and grammatical goofs. In addition to running a spell-check, read your document aloud slowly so you can focus on each word. Finally, ask a friend to double-check your work. One simple typo can kill your chances of landing an interview.

Our “ Resumania™ ” archive is full of real and embarrassing examples of errors that crept into job seekers’ resumes. Want to know how to write a resume? Don’t write things like this:

• “Education: Earned a diploma from a very repudiated college.
• “Experience: Academic tudor .”
• “Skills: Excel at working within a tea -oriented culture.”
• “Work history: My last employer fried me for no reason.”
• “Qualifications: I ooze mangnetism .”
• “Salary requirements: Looking for a bass salary of $40,000.”
• “ Referees available by request.”

The last word on building a resume (that’s good !)

Every job, every industry and every candidate will require some adjustments to these resume writing tips. Creative professionals, for instance, will want to include links to their portfolios in their resumes . And new college grads don’t have much work experience to highlight, they can still draw from class projects, labs and seminars to talk up their hard and soft skills.

When you consider how to write a resume that helps you advance your career goals, the takeaway is this: Employers want to hire people who can make an impact. And today, with so many professionals quitting their jobs or planning to leave one soon in search of something different, an employer wants to be sure they are recruiting a candidate who is serious about the opportunity on offer.

Write a tailored resume that shows a results-driven professional who is sincerely interested in the role and ready to add value to the organization, and you may soon find yourself preparing for a job interview.

Looking for a job? Whether you are looking for an opportunity that is on-site or remote, Robert Half’s recruiters can help! Send us your resume or call your local Robert Half recruiter today!

20 Best Resume Writing Tips and Tricks 2024 (with Free Checklist)

Knowing the best ways to write a resume with efficiency and legibility goes a long way. These simple tips and tricks can be the driving factor towards successfully landing a job interview.

Competition in the job market is tougher than ever.

Having the proper skills and know-how for crafting the ideal resume will give you a leg up on the competition.

In this article, we’ve listed 20 resume tips with helpful insights, tricks, and advice for putting together an effective resume that stands out to employers.

Here they are at a glance.

• Keep your resume specific
• Use bullet points
• Have a professional email address
• Include both hard and soft skills
• Tailor your resume to the job description
• Choose a simple and readable font
• Make sure it's always relevant
• Include achievements when appropriate
• Use an active voice
• Use a two-column layout
• Provide quantifiable descriptions
• Always tailor your resume to the job
• Double-check contact information
• Make sure you’re using the right resume format
• Know when to provide references
• Use strong action verbs
• Showcase your job promotions
• List relevant education and certifications
• Create your resume with a template
• Review professional resume examples

Keep reading to see recommended examples and usage for each one of these resume tips.

Beautiful resume templates to land your dream job

Free resume writing checklist

Writing a resume has a lot of different elements that you always need to keep in mind.

However, it might be hard to keep track of it all.

That's why we made this handy checklist that will help you write a more perfect resume .

Feel free to download the resume checklist by right-clicking on the image and clicking Save.

Now you can always have this to refer back to — but let's keep reading to see how start incorporating some of these resume tips.

1. Keep your resume specific

Flowy and intricate writing has a proper time and place…and on your resume is not it. Save it for your memoirs.

When writing out the sections and headings on your resume, it's crucial to keep your wording simple and concise.

Most hiring managers won't read through every single resume they receive. That means, you'll want to keep your resume pretty concise, which makes it easier for recruiters to skim through and find the most important details quickly. 

While you don’t want the language you choose to make your resume sound too boring, the key is to stick to simple sentences with clear explanations. 

For example, when writing job descriptions, be as specific as possible without writing complex sentences. 

☹️ Incorrect: 

• In this position I was responsible for a multitude of important tasks, from training new staff and completing onboarding paperwork to assisting with administrative work and bookkeeping.

The issue with this description is that the sentence is too long and complex, plus it covers too many responsibilities.

To correct this, focus in one particular action or achievement and include the additional achievements in later sentences or bullet points. 

☺️ Correct:

• Trained and on-boarded over 30+ employees on company policy and conduct-code. • Assisted with handling administrative work and bookkeeping every quarter.

See? That's much easier to parse now.

2. Use bullet points

Bullet points go hand-in-hand with being specific.

Plus, they give your resume a clean and organized appearance that is much easier to read through quickly.

Remember, the goal is to get the recruiters attention.

You want to make it easy as possible for someone to read your resume.

Using bullet points is mostly recommended when listing out your work experience history.

To do that, summarize your main responsibilities and achievements at the job in a bulleted list. 

For example, rather than writing a job description as one long paragraph, break it up into specific bullet points that focus on your biggest or most relevant accomplishments.

Shift Lead, Mellow Mushroom January 01, 2018 – June 30, 2020 As the shift lead at this restaurant, I was responsible for opening and closing the restaurant, end-of-the-night bookkeeping, and customer complaint resolutions. 

Shift Lead, Mellow Mushroom January 01, 2018 – June 30, 2020 • Led the opening and closing crews through essential morning and nighttime tasks • Completed end-of-shift bookkeeping and created daily sales reports • Resolved customer complaints with efficiency and professionalism 

Notice how this is much easier to read.

3. Have a professional email address

All of us at one time or another have had a funky email address with some random combination of words, nicknames, and numbers.

But we're no longer teenagers. It's time for a more professional approach.

If your email falls into the category of silliness, it could be off-putting to potential employers.

When including contact information on your resume, ditch the childhood or university email address in exchange for a more professional one.

We'd also recommend using Gmail if you can. It's the most widely used email address .

How to create a professional email address?

When creating a professional email address, generally you will want to avoid numbers. This makes it harder to distinguish and remember.

Instead, try including your name if possible (or initials). Another option is to include keywords having to do with your work, which is great if your name is unavailable.

For instance, let’s say a man named Patrick Smith is applying for a writing position. Here are examples of good and bad email addresses he could use on his resume:

☹️ Incorrect (feels too playful):

[email protected] 

☹️ Also incorrect (not personalized):

[email protected] 

☺️ Correct (using a name):

[email protected]

☺️ Also correct (incorporating a job function):

[email protected] 

The correct examples present you with much more maturity and professionalism.

See the following resume example of a 3D animator , notice how simple and professional the email looks:

‍ 4. Include both hard and soft skills

For those unfamiliar, hard skills are skills that are teachable and quantifiable, while soft skills have more to do with personality traits and people skills. 

It is important to show both hard and soft skills on a resume . Keep in mind that because hard skills are easily quantifiable, they can be written plainly.

Comparatively for soft skills, such as communication, will need to be shown through other means, such as highlighting changes to a teamwork dynamic you initiated. 

Examples of Hard Skills:

• Computer Programming
• Adobe Creative Suite
• Microsoft Office
• Google Suite
• Math Skills
• Copywriting
• CRM Software
• Lead Generation

Examples of Soft Skills:

• Communication
• Time Management
• Detail-Oriented
• Presentation Skills
• Network Skills
• Organization
• Decision-Making
• Adaptability

If you need more help in this section, we've listed over 100+ skills for you to choose from.

5. Tailor your resume to the job description

Job descriptions actually contain a good amount of information that can be useful to you when crafting your resume.

Within a job description will be keywords that reflect the company’s values and the characteristics they are looking for in a candidate. 

Locating those keywords and finding ways to repeat them in your resume is a good way to show hiring managers that you are attentive to detail and took note of what they were specifically looking for.

This also greatly increases your chances of passing an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) screening.

Quick Tip: When searching for keywords within job descriptions, a good place to start looking is in the section that details what the employer is looking for in an ideal candidate.  For instance, if a job description states they are looking for a “natural leader,” proof of your leadership skills and experience would be smart to include.

Curious for more insights on this topic? Take a look at our article on how to tailor your resume to job descriptions .

6. Choose a simple and readable font

Nowadays, there are so many fonts to choose. It's almost too easy (and risky!) for candidates to go a little wild with their font selections.

However, choosing an inappropriate font can actually kill your chances of receiving a callback or invite to an interview. Not fun anymore is it?

The font you use on your resume should be simple and easy to read. Avoid using any intricate embellishments or unusual design elements.

Additionally, the font you select should be kept consistent throughout so don't use a variety of fonts for a single resume. 

The exception to the rule is your resume heading. You can try using a louder heading font to draw attention to your name and summary.

5 good fonts to use on a resume:

• Times New Roman

Types of fonts to avoid on a resume:

• Cursive fonts
• Large, chunky texts that fill up a lot of space
• Fonts with symbols or images

We wrote up a well-detailed guide on choosing readable fonts that you can read here .

7. Make sure it's always relevant

Whether you’re writing about your work experience, education, or any other section, you have to prioritize relevancy . 

For instance, if you are applying for a job as a paramedic , you would want to place greater emphasis on relevant experiences such as prior jobs as a "first responder" or other medically-related positions.

However, don't try to list your work experience out of chronological order too drastically — it can risk making your resume too long. See our guide on how long your resume length should be , but in summary, try to keep it to a single page with only relevant information.

How can we make your resume more relevant?

Let's say you were applying to an HR Manager job that lists in the description that it is " looking for someone with administrative and computer skills ".

You have two prior job experiences that you held simultaneously – 1)  office manager and 2) server .

You wouldn't want to write a summary about your serving experience.

Those skills are not really transferable nor directly relevant to the job being applied to.

Instead, focusing your resume summary and skills as an office manager is much more effective, since those skills are more relevant to the position. 

However, if you have other experiences that are somewhat more relevant, then it would be best to list those instead and leave your server position out entirely.

8. Include achievements when appropriate 

When submitting a resume to a hiring manager, remember that they'll potentially be receiving hundreds of resumes that may all look and sound similar. 

How are you going to stand out from the crowd?

One effective way is to show achievements in your work history.

Including achievements or accomplishments on your resume is a great way to show not only that you have relevant work experience, but that you also have the talent and potential for growth in that specific field. 

Quick tip: When including achievements on your resume, try to first include them under the specific job descriptions within your work experience before making a dedicated accomplishments section. This will make your work experience section more compelling and attention-grabbing. 

To learn more about how to show accomplishments on your resume, check out our guide on listing achievements.

9. Use an active voice

An "active voice" and "passive voice" are the two main types of perspectives you can write in that affect the tone of your work.

When you write a resume, you should use the active voice. It's more commanding and ultimately ends up helping you focus on your talents and accomplishments.

Here is an example of the same statement on a resume written in passive voice vs. active voice:

• Passive Voice: The company’s revenue grew by 40 percent over time through my efforts.
• Active Active: Increased company revenue by 40 percent.

You can pair your active voice with strong action verbs to make for a more impactful statement.

10. Use a two-column layout

Making your resume eye-catching is crucial.

But not only should it be attention-grabbing, it should also contain elements that make it appear more visually organized and easy to read through quickly.

A hiring manager should be able to effortlessly find the information they are looking for without spending too much time on it.

Two column-layouts are great for this because you get to see more at a glance.

Take a look at this two-column resume example for a security guard , you're able to see work experience, resume summary, skill, education and hobbies effectively at a glance.

‍ 11. Provide quantifiable descriptions

When listing out objectives that you accomplished in previous jobs, being specific is highly important as mentioned earlier.

Most hiring managers don’t want to be told what you are capable of doing. They want to be shown examples of that through numbers or statistics. 

Whenever possible, use exact numbers (25,00,000), percents (24%), monetary values ($5,214) and other quantities to describe your achievements within a previous job. 

How can you quantify your experience?

First, you'll want to know how much you've helped improve certain initiatives. But, what are some ways you can find that out?

Let's say you helped to reduce operational costs at a company.

You can ask questions like:

• How much we did we decrease _______ from [x%]?
• How much we did we increase _______ from [x%]?
• How much time we did we save doing ______?
• How much money did we spend acquiring ______?

Once you find that out, here's what it looks like when actually quantifying those operational reductions:

‍ Decreased operational costs while serving in this position.

☺️ Correct: ‍

Decreased operational costs by 15 percent by adopting and implementing a new point-of-sales system.

That feels a lot better.

We wrote up a guide on listing your work experience to write the most effective job descriptions .

12. Always tailor your resume to the job

Like we mentioned above, a hiring manager is going to to be looking through A LOT of resumes.

This might mean they'll see many of the same, cookie-cutter formatted documents that contain basically the same information.

You can stand out by taking the extra time to edit your resume to be tailored specifically for the job your are applying to.

You can do this by using similar keywords from the job descriptions on your resume.

Hiring managers are likely to take notice of this since it'll feel way more relevant to the role.

Need to know more about how to tailor a resume for a specific job? See our 4-step guide on tailoring your resume to any job.

13. Double-check contact information

There’s nothing that will ruin your chances of landing a job or interview more than providing incorrect contact information. Like an e-mail address typo or incorrect phone-number.

Proof-reading your resume is a crucial step that can be easy to skip. But it might save the day if there's any critical errors on your resume.

Quick Tip: After double-checking your personal contact information, it's also a good idea to check the rest of your resume for any grammatical errors. Online tools like Grammarly can be very helpful for finding and correcting mistakes you may have missed!

14. Make sure you’re using the right resume format

Most job applicants use the standard resume format, also known as reverse-chronological format.

‍ It's the most common and often what recruiters expect to see.

However, there are actually additional formats that serve different purposes.

For instance, a standard resume may not be best suited for someone with large employment gaps, making a different format more preferable.

Knowing what formatting options you have is key to ensuring you are using the right one for your own needs.

Overall, are the 3 main resume formats:

1) Reverse-Chronological

This usually the most standard resume format, as it focuses primarily on your work experience. Jobs should be listed with the most recent companies first followed chronologically by other relevant past work experiences.

2) Functional

A functional resume is focused on skills rather than experience. It is a great format for people who are recently graduated with minimal work experience or for those who have large gaps in their employment history.

3) Hybrid (Combination)

For job applicants who may have some work experience but not enough to fill an entire resume, the hybrid format combines elements of both the reverse-chronological and the functional resumes for this very purpose.

There is also a fourth resume format – the Curriculum Vitae, or CV. This is specifically intended as a long-form resume for use by professionals in the fields of academia and science.

Not sure if you’re using the right resume format? Take a look at our guide on choosing the best resume format.

15. Know when to provide references

The general rule-of-thumb is to not provide references unless specially asked to do so .

Most companies have their own hiring methods, but typically reference stages come much later in the process, and way after your resume is reviewed.

So including references ultimately ends up wasting space on your resume that could've been better used for showcasing accomplishments or skills instead.

Quick Tip: If an employer does request references, be sure to know how to format them properly. We recommend creating an entirely separate page dedicated to your references to conserve space on the first page.

16. Use strong action verbs

One of the best ways to ensure you are using an active voice, as mentioned above , in your job descriptions is to utilize action verbs at the start of your sentences. 

Action verbs are also known as dynamic verbs and are used to describe physical or mental actions.

For resume purposes, this can include words like “increased”, “coordinated”, “implemented,” or an array of other verbs that describe an achievement or activity.

For example, let’s say you increased your department’s sales by 25 percent .

You would want to start that description with an action verb in order to place the emphasis on what you specifically accomplished. 

• My department’s sales were increased by 25 percent thanks to my help.

• Increased departmental sales by a 25 percent margin.

Check out our list of 350 action verbs for your resume to brainstorm more action verbs for your own resume. 

‍ 17. Showcase your job promotions

If you worked for a business or company for a long period of time and earned promotions over the course of your employment, this is essential information to provide in a resume. 

Showcasing promotions on your resume lets hiring managers know that you have a strong work ethic and ability for growth that has been previously recognized by former employers. 

When showing promotions on a resume, you should include them within your work experience section.

There are two main ways to list a promotion on a resume:

1) Stacking job promotions

‍ If you held multiple positions in the same company, but the highest position is the most relevant and important, you can stack the different positions within the same job description and describe only the highest and most recent position.

Art Director, Tiny Bee Agency New York, NY • March 2015 – Present ‍ • Promoted to current position of Art Director in 2017.

Art Director, Tiny Bee Agency • June 2017 – Present • New York, NY Associate Art Director , Tiny Bee Agency • March 2015 – 2017 • New York, NY

2) Separate Entries

If you held multiple positions that involved different responsibilities and demonstrate multiple talents, it can be beneficial to separate these positions into individual entries. 

Art Director and Marketing Manager, Tiny Bee Agency New York, NY• March 2015 – Present

Art Director, Tiny Bee Agency New York, NY • June 2017 – Present • Description • Description • Description ‍ Marketing Manager , Tiny Bee Agency New York, NY • March 2015 – 2017 • Description • Description • Description

18. List relevant education and certifications

Education and certifications shows hiring managers your academic credentials that you earned through degree programs, trade school, or other types of training. 

Your resume should always have a short and concise education section that summarizes your academic background and degrees.

Here's the information you should include within the education section of your resume :

• The name of the school — "e.g. Georgia Institute of Technology"
• The location of the school
• Your degree ( high-school diploma, GED, associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, etc. )
• Graduation year ( if applicable )
• Major field or department of study (if applicable )
• Minor field or department of study (if applicable and relevant )
• GPA ( If you're a student or graduates who held lower GPAs, this bit of information may be good to omit unless specifically requested by the employer )

As for certifications, these should only be included if they are relevant to the job.

Depending on how many relevant certifications you have, you can choose whether or not you have enough for their own dedicated section on your resume. See our guide on listing certifications correctly on your resume .

19. Create your resume with a template

If you're new to creating resumes or not quite sure how to structure your existing resume to be more effective, using an online template is a great way to ensure your resume looks good and contains all the required details.

Check out our own resume templates available for editing and download here on Easy Resume.

You can choose from the following types of templates that we have available:

• CV Templates
• Downloadable Resume Templates
• Printable Resume Templates
• PDF Resume Templates
• ATS-Friendly Resume Templates
• One-Column Resume Templates
• Two-Column Resume Templates
• Fresher Resume Templates
• Executive Resume Templates
• Academic Resume Templates
• Clean Resume Templates
• Basic Resume Templates
• Photo Resume Templates
• Unique Resume Templates
• Traditional Resume Templates
• Elegant Resume Templates
• Reverse Chronological Resume Templates
• Combination Resume Templates
• Functional Resume Templates
• One Page Resume Templates
• Minimalist Resume Templates
• Simple Resume Templates
• Modern Resume Templates
• Creative Resume Templates
• Professional Resume Templates

20. Review professional resume examples

Resumes will differ depending on what field or industry the job being applied to resides in. Taking the time to review examples of resumes made by professionals within your own industry or niche is essential for figuring out how to tailor your resume and make it stand out to the hiring manager. 

Here at Easy Resume, we offer a variety of free resume samples to look through.

From 3D animators and accountants to civil engineers and content writers – we’ve got you covered.

Take a look at a few of our resume examples:

• Chef Resume Example
• Barista Resume Example
• Graphic Designer Resume Example
• Mechanical Engineer Resume Example
• Medical Assistant Resume Example
• Account Manager Resume Example
• Software Engineer Resume Example
• IT Specialist Resume Example
• Elementary School Teacher Resume Example
• Marketing Manager Resume Example
• Physician Assistant Resume Example
• Clinic Coordinator Resume Example
• Office Manager Resume Example
• Financial Advisor Resume Example
• Event Planner Resume Example

Final takeaways 

Your resume can be your golden ticket that gets your foot in the door at the job of your dreams. Using the tips discussed here will greatly help you in optimizing your document to be noticed by more hiring managers and land you a spot in the crucial interview process.

Our main takeaways for you are as follows:

• Always be mindful of the relevancy of the information you are sharing.
• Use conciseness and structural elements, such as bullet points and headings, to give your resume visual organization and an easy-to-read flow.
• Always double-check your resume to confirm you have provided the right information.
• Active voice and action verbs will make your resume read with more confidence

Get to writing your perfect resume today, and don’t be shy of checking out our free resources for a bit of help along the way!

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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More From Forbes

20 basic resume writing rules that'll put you ahead of the competition.

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If you’re thinking about taking a new step in your career , your resume’s probably high on your mind. When’s the last time you updated it? How will you transfer the skills from your current job or industry to a new one? How will you set yourself apart from other candidates? How long and horrible will this revision process actually be?

Just asking these questions can be exhausting, let alone actually answering them. And, if you’re not fresh off the job search, the thought of thinking everything through and creating an interview-worthy resume can be exhausted.

Fear not! We’ve come up with the 20 basic rules that will get you that much closer to success.

1. Keep It To One Page

This is a biggie! If a hiring manager’s spending six seconds looking at your resume, he or she might not even get to the second page! Unless you’re applying to be an executive or a partner somewhere, one page will be sufficient and is a widely accepted “best practice.” To cut it down, remember the purpose of it—it’s not to showcase everything you’ve ever done, but rather to show that you have the background, skills and experience for the job at hand.

2. Avoid Spelling Or Grammar Errors

Another biggie. There are some recruiters who will discount your resume the second they see a spelling or grammar error. Although it can be painful, make sure you don’t just read over your resume several times, but also that you have a friend take a peek, too.

3. Watch Your Tenses

This is another common error that can really hurt you in the eyes of hiring managers. As a general rule, if something on your resume is in the past, use the past tense (managed, delivered, organized) and if you are still actively in the role, use the present tense (manage, deliver, organize).

4. Avoid The First Person Pronouns

As a general practice, don’t use words like “I” or “me” or “my.” So, instead of saying “I hit and exceeded company sales quotas 100% of the time” say “Hit and exceeded sales quotas 100% of the time.”

5. Send Your Resume As A PDF

Saving your resume as a PDF (rather than a Word and document) freezes it as an image so that you can be sure hiring managers see the same formatting as you. If you send it any other way, there’s a chance that the styling, format, font and so on, could look different on their computer than yours.

6. Label Your Resume File Correctly

Too many people save this important document with random or generic file names like sgks123.pdf or resume.pdf. Remember that recruiters can see the name of the file that you send them and also remember that they get tons of resumes every day. Make it super clear whose resume they should click on by saving it under a logical name like FirstName_LastName_Resume.pdf.

7. Format In A Logical Structure

Even more important than naming the file in a logical manner is laying out your resume in a logical manner. How you lay it out really depends on where you are in your career path and what you’re looking to do next. While chronological the default, it’s not always the best way to make your case. Muse writer Lily Zhang lays out the other options that might work better for you.

8. Make Sure It’s Easy To Read

You might be tempted to just shrink the text to get your resume to fit on a page. (Which is funny, because remember all those times in school when you made it 12.5 to make it longer? Life!) While you can adjust the size to some degree, never go below 10-point font.

9. Keep It Organized And Visually Appealing

Remember how hiring managers usually spend just six seconds looking at your resume? Help them maximize that time by making your resume super clear and easy-to-read. You want each section bolded (maybe capitalized) and each job title bolded. Make your life easier by using a template .

10. Keep It Consistent

Just like you want your verb tenses to be consistent throughout, it’s also important that the formatting is, too. If one title’s bold, the other titles should be bold. If one bullet point has a period at the end, the other bullet points should have that as well.

11. Include Context

When you list out your experience, be sure to include context. What city, state (or country) did this job take place in. Did you travel and operate in multiple cities? What dates did you have that experience? Was it for five months or five years? Context matters!

12. Quantify As Much As Possible

Anyone can say that he or she excelled at his or her last job. So, you need to prove to the hiring manager that you truly did. Numbers, percentages and supporting facts go a long way in showing that you have a track record of success. For example, rather than saying “successfully hit sales quotas” as a bullet point in your resume you should say “successfully hit sales quotas 100% of the time and exceeded goals by 25% in the last 5 months.” You can even do this if your position doesn’t involve using numbers.

13. Name Drop (And Title Drop) Like You’ve Never Done Before

This is your chance to brag. If you got a promotion or a raise because of your performance, you should mention it. If you worked with the CEO of the company or were a point of contact for a large, corporate customer, mention their names! This goes a long way in showing that you can run with important people. It shows that you’re confident. It shows that you’re capable. (Of course, make sure you’re presenting the facts accurately and not exaggerating.)

14. Don’t Include References

Don’t use any of your precious space to include the names and contact info for your references (or to write things like “references available upon request”). This document’s for recruiters to decide if they want to talk to you, not your references. If they get to the point in the application process where they want to speak to these people, they will reach out to you and ask for those names. Until then, no need to mention.

15. Use Your Judgement When It Comes To Creativity

Some industries are more creative than others. If you’re working in digital media or design or elementary school education, it might make sense for your resume to be creative and colored. If you’re applying for a job in finance, operations or most corporate jobs, you probably want to keep it black and white and structured. Be thoughtful when it comes to your creativity (or lack thereof).

16. Don’t List Everything You’ve Ever Done

There should be a purpose for every word. When you’re writing and editing, ask yourself this question, “Will this sentence help me get the job I want?” If not, you should consider editing that sentence or removing it.

17. Think About The Person Reading Your Resume

It’s important to remember that there’s a real person reading this. And it’s also important to remember that it’s her job to find awesome candidates to interview and present to her boss or team. It’s also not her job to do you any favors. So you should think about her when you’re writing your resume. How can you make her job easier? How can you write your resume in such a way that she gets excited when she sees it, thinks you’re perfect for the job and is willing to put herself out there by presenting you to her team.

18. Think About What Makes You Different

It’s important that you be yourself during the application process (obviously putting your best foot forward). This includes what you write on your application materials. Don’t hesitate to show who you really are, your likes and interests, your personality, what makes you unique and so on. While this definitely requires some judgment calls (for example, expressing personality when applying for a traditional role in a traditional industry might not be the best move) it could ultimately be the thing that sets you apart and gets you hired.

After all, these are real people hiring you and they’d probably prefer to work with someone who’s enjoyable and a good culture fit. And if your personality isn’t a fit for the job, you probably wouldn’t have been happy there any way so it works out for everyone.

19. Think About The Specific Job You’re Applying To

One of my favorite tricks to help communicate that you are the perfect person for a job is to read the job description and list out key phrases. Then, when you’re writing or editing your resume, find ways to incorporate those words and phrases from the desired job description into your resume. This can be super useful when a machine or human recruiter skims it.

20. Think Of This As A Storytelling Document

Many of the tips that I’ve mentioned all point to the general idea that your resume should clearly and concisely tell the story of “you”—helping hiring managers understand why you’re the right person for the job. This is, in fact, the entire purpose. Ultimately, when you re-read and edit it, make sure that it tells the story of your background, the skills you gained along the way, the experiences that you’ve had and makes it crystal clear why you’ve ended up where you are today and why the role that they are hiring for is the perfect next step for you.

Yes, this is a lot. The good news is that you’re not alone in the process. The job search is hard, so make sure you’re reaching out to friends and family for support (or, even just for distractions). Just remember that when you’re feeling overwhelmed—and 20 rules can do that to you—that following these guidelines gives you a huge head start among all the other applicants.

"20 Basic Resume Writing Rules That'll Put You Ahead Of The Competition" was originally published on The Daily Muse .

Jody Porowski manages Coach Connect at The Muse.

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Basic Resume Writing Tips for Students with Examples + Templates

From step-by-step process to formatting and making your resume unique, here are basic resume writing tips for students based on what I learned from my career counselor at Harvard.

Resume writing can be a boring and overwhelming task that many students try to put off until as long as possible. And I was once like that too! The more experienced you become as a professional, the easier your resume writing process will become, too. However, when you’re a student, either when applying a job or for university, resume writing can seem daunting.

If you’re a college student without experience, your first resume may feel empty and unimpressive. It may make you feel like you don’t have any big achievements. But don’t let that demotivate you, since that’s the case with almost everyone!

Importance of Resume Writing for Students

Before we get on with resume writing tips for students, let’s make sure you know why you need a perfect resume. A good resume can is the first step towards starting your professional career . It can help you impress prospective employers, get a good salary and a lot of contacts that will help you throughout your career.

It may seem like an easy way out to just get the format from your classmate/internet and copy it. However, remember that the quickest way is usually the worst. Resume writing may seem like a very time-consuming task, and it definitely is. But all the time is really worth it because a well-crafted resume has the power to get you that job interview and even an offer. Or multiple!

So, from all my experience of resume writing and helping others craft an excellent resume, I’ve created the ultimate guide to resume writing for students. Based on all the tips I learned from my Harvard career counselors who helped me write the perfect resume that got me countless job interviews, here are some resume writing tips that I wish I knew as a student.

Basic Resume Writing Tips for Students

Let’s start with the simple but important tips:

1. Keep your resume short .

One page resume is more than enough for students. This is a tip my Harvard career counselor gave me, “Unless you have 5+ years of experience, your resume has no need to be longer than a page.” A short resume helps busy interviewers go through it quickly and get to the next part – which is the main interview. This is one of the top resume writing tips for students.

2. Keep your resume concise and make it to the point .

The more concise it is, the more efficient you seem to the interviewer.

3. Never repeat facts .

A repetitive resume makes it seem like you’re just in it to waste the interviewer’s time. It can be frustrating for the interviewer. It only highlights the fact that you don’t have enough experience or qualifications.

4. Keep your resume black-and-white only and avoid colors or artwork.

This is one of the top resume writing tips for students of art or design. A simple black and white resume is easy to print and pass around the office. Plus, a simple b/w resume efficiently puts the focus on your qualifications. Just use black color for all the text. Use bold, underline or italics to emphasize things, where necessary.

5. Your photo is not necessary in your resume unless your industry requires it.

6. your resume should be easily printable ..

It should fit on the paper perfectly. This will make it easier for managers to print it out for office discussions after you’ve emailed them. If you’re printing it, make sure the resume is printed well and the words are not faded, etc.

7. Also, your resume should be easy to read .

So make use of bold and underline or italics to highlight different parts of the resume.

8. Use the same format throughout the resume.

And divide your text into columns as required. Keep the titles in a bigger font-size. Stick to the same date format, for example July 2019, or 07-2019.

9. Avoid grammatical or punctuation errors at all costs.

This is one of the most important resume writing tips for students. Nothing is more off-putting than grammatical or spelling errors. They make you seem lazy and unprofessional. Check and recheck your grammar, spelling and punctuation as many times as possible. Attention to detail makes you seem intelligent, and will subconsciously make your employer offer you a higher salary.

10. Avoid mentioning unnecessary details and skills in your resume.

For example Google searching or MS Word. Such skills are really common and it’s taken for granted that everyone knows these nowadays and they’re not worth mentioning in a resume.

11. Don’t miss out on the important details .

For example experience (if any), education details, such as marks/grades, your city, your interests, contact number and email address.

12. Don’t make your resume too empty .

Even if you don’t have a job experience, try to fill it in with experiences or extra-curricular activities. Here are some other things to mention:

• Honors and awards
• Any clubs that you were a member of or in a leadership position
• Your interests or hobbies
• Your skills, software skills or technical skills

Resume Format for Students

I have created three resume templates for students that you can download and use (they are for desktop-use, and don’t open in mobile for some reason).

01 CareerNuts Resume Template

02 CareerNuts Resume Template

03 CareerNuts Resume Template

Other than these, you can find loads of resume templates (not downloadable) here .

What to Include in Your Resume

• Contact Information
• Work Experience
• Extra-Curricular Activities
• Achievements/ Awards

Step-by-Step Resume Writing for Students

Step 1. planning.

The first step of resume writing is to jot down the particulars in your notebook. The first among any resume writing tips for students is thorough planning.

Think of your achievements , interesting experiences or work that you may have done that can be added to your resume. A lot of students forget their own achievements or think of them as too small to be added. Travel, sports, art, at-home projects or helping your parents with their business – all are good ideas to consider. Everyone has some interesting qualifications or achievements to add.

Step 2. Document Format

Start with a Word Document of A4/ standard letter size. Set one-inch margins on all four sides.

You can pick a font (Calibri Regular is good) and a font-size (11 or 12pt). Use a simple font, preferably sans-serif. Choose a good font size, something that’s easily readable. Choose a line height of at least .75 and no more than 1.25.

Then, create your resume header that will contain your contact information. Start with your name, email address, phone number and address. You can center it or keep on on the left side.

Step 3. Create Resume Sections

Start with resume section titles : Resume summary, Work Experience, Education, Skills, Extra-Curricular Activities, Achievements/ Awards, Interests, Languages.

Add an extra line break after each section, and extra space after each section title.

Step 4. Add Particulars

Your summary can be something like, “A Computer Science engineer (B.Tech) with excellent coding skills looking for challenging opportunities that can utilize my technical knowledge.”

Use bullet points or paragraphs to talk about your summer internships or any other work experiences. Mention dates and duration. This is one of the resume writing tips for students that even professionals often forget. For example:

Work Experience SUMMER INTERNSHIP May 2018- Aug 2018 : Worked at Cole, Johnson & Partners as an Intern Architect. FREELANCE PROJECT Feb 2019- June 2019 : Assisted Urban Design Asst. Prof Rick Preston in independent design project.

Mention your academic experience – degrees, grades or marks.

Fill in the rest of the sections. For example: Software Skills: Adobe Premiere, After Effects, Photoshop, Flash AS3, HTML5, CSS.

Step 5. Add Details

Explain all the particulars in your resume, so that your prospective employer understands your skills and roles in better detail. For example, while listing your program of study for masters or bachelors degree, you can mention its details in one line , explain what it is and some of the courses you took.

If you’re mentioning your summer internship, explain it in a line and mention your job responsibility . Mention what projects you handled in your summer internship or group projects in school or college. If you participated in any multi-city or international projects, mention the city and country. For example:

FREELANCE PROJECT

Feb 2019- June 2019 : Assisted Urban Design Asst. Prof Rick Preston in independent project – designing a 2000 sq. ft. residence in Shoreditch, London.

• Responsible for creating presentation plans & facade details for client meetings.
• Collaborated with landscape consultant to create proposal.
• Collaborated with lighting consultant for briefing & plans.
• Created 3D renderings of final design.

If you participated in any event or won an award , list the event name and year or explain its importance.

Step 6: Tailor Your Resume

Modify your resume for the job you are applying to. This is one of the lesser-known resume writing tips for students.

For example, say you’re an engineer are applying for engineering, project manager and marketing positions. Make three separate resumes for each field. Modify your technical skills, software skills, etc. or prioritize the order in which they are presented to suit each position. Look up the job descriptions online for the positions you’re applying to, see what is required and try to include those details in your resume if possible.

Here’s one of the top secret resume writing tips for students. Try to list your most impressive qualification first in the resume.

For example, if you did a summer internship at a prestigious firm, at least that first. If you have a degree from an Ivy League institution or other prestigious college, at least that first. If your job experience includes early promotions, leadership roles, or you worked on great projects there, list that first.

Step 7: Handling the Tricky Sections

A lot of people think that you should mention both your strengths and weaknesses in your resume. However, I don’t believe that listing your weaknesses makes sense and it’s sort of becoming an outdated thing to mention, so you don’t have to include that. Here are some of the strengths you can mention: punctual, energetic, team player, leader ship qualities, proactive, creative or problem solver. These are just some of the examples of course you can think of yourself your personality and see what you should include and what best suits you.

Most students who send job applications in my company, start their resumes with a section called “Objective”. This is the trickiest section and most of the times, it makes me reject the applicant straight away. That’s because a lot of applicants’ objective doesn’t match the position they’re applying for.

So make sure you think about it carefully before sending your application. Either way, the objective section is getting outdated these days to. So in my opinion, you don’t even need to include it in your resume.

Step 8: Let Your Resume Make You Shine

Don’t be too humble, don’t hide your strengths. Don’t be too shy to list your expertise our skill sets.

Step 9: Edit, Edit, Edit

Once your resume is in place, sleep on it. Keep editing it over the next week, and take advice from professionals. Once you’re satisfied with it, print a few copies.

Step 10: Send Out Those Copies!

Don’t fold your resume. Keep it neatly in a folder if you’re going for an interview or a career fair. Also check out the ‘What Next’ section below on how to prepare for job applications.

How Long Does it Take to Make a Resume

Crafting a good resume takes more than a day. First of all, it’s a good idea to just jot down your achievements, etc. on the first day. And then patiently craft your resume over a few days. Show it to your career counselor, parents or mentor and keep improving over the next few weeks. Your resume should be well thought of. Obviously, creating a good resume takes a lot of preparation, which often starts years before even making a resume.

Resume Writing Tips for Students: Dos and Don’ts

• Never lie on a resume.
• Be prepared to answer questions about something that you’ve written in your CV.
• It’s better to not write anything as your ‘mission statement’ or ‘objective’ then write something bad or unrelated to do the job you’re applying to.
• Never be lazy with your resume. Keep improving it as much as you can before every job application or interview.
• If the interviewer asks you something about your resume and you don’t know the answer, or if you feel that a detail worked against you in an interview, change it before your next interview. Use every opportunity to improve your resume.

How to Make a Resume Stand Out

You don’t want to come across as a generic student who graduated out of a generic school. There are plenty of those in any country, and employers find no reason to offer them jobs. Your resume should make you look interesting. Also, it should be a conversation starter. If your resume looks factory made, dull or empty, you may as well not have any! Here are some resume writing tips for students on how to craft a unique CV:

1. Make Your Resume Visually Unique

Firstly, if you are appearing for campus placement or college career fair, think of how your resume will stand out among your classmates with similar experiences or details. Here are some tips:

• Choose a unique format or font.
• Add unique highlights to make you stand out. For example, clubs, extracurricular activities, internships or grades etc.

2. Keep Improving It

Resume making is an ongoing process and you should always keep working towards its improvement. So find new opportunities to fill your resume or add interesting details in it that make you stand out as an applicant.

3. Curate an Impressive Section of Extra-Curriculars

What are your interests: academic or extra/curricular? Think about those and work towards them so you have new achievements to list in the resume. Here are some examples:

• Join student clubs
• Try to get a published in a magazine or college newspaper
• Find leadership positions and clubs or student organizations.
• Try to participate in events so that you can win awards.
• Speak and debates or participate in sports.
• If you’re a designer, take up freelance projects.
• If you’re an artist, put up an exhibition, either in school or outside. Or participate in art competitions.
• If you’re academic, assist your professor on an independent project or on a book. Or become a teaching assistant or research assistant.
• Participate in a competition or do an independent freelance project outside the college.
• Teach a class or give tuition classes to younger children.
• Work at a non-profit organization.

4. Show Why You Should Be Hired Without Saying It

Resume writing tips for students are not just about listing your skills and experiences. Instead of your goals or interests, think about why you should be hired. What will you bring to the table at the workplace? What skills will you contribute to an organization? Furthermore, what unique qualifications you have that a company can benefit from? Structure your resume accordingly.

5. Don’t Think of Learning, Think of Contributing

Lastly, job is not offered to those who love to expand their horizons are those who are in it only to learn. Instead, jobs are offered to those who are in it to contribute to the organization. Learning should be left to college, jobs are for making a contribution.

Resume writing tips for students don’t end just here. Then, you need to be ready for the interview.

1. First of all, be proactive in getting help to improve your resume or applying to more and more jobs.

2. Have an email draft ready for job applications, which you can use as soon as you hear of an opening.

3. Create an email signature listing your name, academic qualifications and website or portfolio. Here’s an example: Shilpa Ahuja MDesS’11, Harvard University Graduate School of Design CareerNuts.com [email protected]

4. Make a proper email address that looks formal and use it to send your job applications, such as [email protected] . Keep it professional. Avoid inappropriate words like cool, badass, girl/boy etc. in it.

5. Also, create a cover letter, which you’ll have to send along with your resume for job applications.

6. Interview preparation is just as important as making a resume. So, practice speaking, talking about yourself, explaining your qualifications, projects, extracurricular activities, ambitions and answering technical questions or questions about your field of study. Here’s a guide on how to dress well for your interview .

Hope all these resume writing tips for students were helpful. Have any questions? Let me know below and I’ll try my best to help out!

How Should a Student Prepare for Campus Placement?

Shilpa Ahuja is the editor of Career Nuts. She has a Masters in Design Studies (MDesS) degree from Harvard University Graduate School of Design, class of 2011. Shilpa is an entrepreneur and founder of Shilpa Ahuja Digital Media, an online publishing company that includes HowtoGetinto-Harvard.com, a Harvard admissions guide and ShilpaAhuja.com, one of India’s most-read digital fashion magazines. She is also the creator of SlubShop, a trend-based online fashion store, and Audrey O., a comic series that represents the lifestyle of millennial women. She also has a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Chandigarh College of Architecture (B.Arch), class of 2007. She has worked in interior project management for The Park hotels and in graphic design and education technologies for Harvard Law School. Originally from Chandigarh, Shilpa enjoys art, creative writing, fashion and travel. Her art has been exhibited at Harvard Graduate School of Design and the Aroma Hotel, Chandigarh. Her work has been published in University of Fashion blog, Jet Airways magazine, Chandigarh Times and Indian Design & Interiors magazine. She is also the author of the book “Designing a Chinese Cultural Center in India”.

7 thoughts on “Basic Resume Writing Tips for Students with Examples + Templates”

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10 tips for writing a resume in English

Writing a resume can be challenging, especially if it’s not your first language! Grammar and spelling should be spot-on, plus cultural formatting preferences vary. For example, in the U.S., resumes never include photos, and are usually limited to a single page. Although style preferences vary, best practices are universal. 

Let’s look at some dos and don’ts for writing a resume in English!

DOs for writing a resume in English

✅ 1. DO use bullet points and incomplete sentences. Incomplete sentences may seem unusual, but not in resumes! For example, an applicant for a lab research assistant might list prior experience as follows:

• Implemented a research project
• Developed a serum

💡 Tip: You can put periods after the bullets or leave them off, as long as you’re consistent.

✅ 2. DO ensure verb tenses are consistent. Resumes follow parallel structure , meaning the starting words are the same part of speech. They can be verb phrases (example 1), or noun phrases (example 2):

• Organized data
• Assisted with administrative tasks
• Implementation of a research project
• Organization of data
• Assistance with administrative tasks

You can use either, as long as it’s consistent and easy to read!

✅ 3. DO only include relevant experience. It’s not necessary to list every experience or skill. You only have one page, but don’t worry, more will be covered in interview questions ! Focus on job listing requirements and highlight your most relevant skills and experience.

Example 1: For the lab assistant position, highlight relevant skills, especially those mentioned in the listing.

• Skills: coding, chemistry, research
• ❌ Don’t include “cooking skills,” even if you have them!

Example 2: For a restaurant job, it would look different!

• Skills: prepping, catering, customer service
• ❌ Don’t include “research skills.”

✅ 4. DO include all language skills, even your native language(s)! Language skills are helpful for ANY job: the more languages you know, the better! You can say you have "excellent written and verbal skills” wherever applicable, as both are incredibly valuable. You may think it’s a given, but it’s not! Employers will be glad to know that you’d never send an email saying “heres the doc 4 u,” or use other unprofessional-sounding language. 

You can also consider listing the CEFR level of your languages or using other standardized measures, like your Duolingo English Test score, and breaking down your proficiency by speaking, reading, writing, and listening , especially if relevant for the position.

✅ 5. DO include commonly relevant skills you have. Think about skills broadly: What are tools and technology you know how to use? What are things you do well, and what do your colleagues come to you for help with? Your skills might include things like software, including Microsoft Excel, Google Docs, and task-management platforms, or your abilities, like time-management skills.

💡 Tip: You can say “proficient” for more than just languages! For example, you can also say “ proficient in Microsoft Excel” to mean that you know how to use it really well. Again, just make sure the list is consistent:

• Microsoft Excel
• Time management
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel
• Excellent at time management

Now that we have the basics for a great resume, let’s highlight common pitfalls.

DON’Ts for writing a resume in English

The “don’t”s for a resume go hand-in-hand with the “do”s:

❌ 1. DON’T use “I.” This is unnecessary, as the employer knows you’re referring to yourself.

• ❌ “I implemented a research project. I formulated a serum.”

❌ 2. DON’T write full sentences for job titles. This takes up room, leaving less space for other experiences and skills.

• ❌ Job title: “I completed an internship at Duolingo Laboratories.” Instead, your title could be “Intern, Duolingo Laboratories."

❌ 3. DON’T use inconsistent tenses. This is easy to miss, and can make a resume look disorganized.

• ❌ Implemented a research project
• ❌ Organization of data
• ❌ Report writer

💡 Tip: Say each bullet point aloud to check for consistency. If you’re using verbs to start each bullet, you can say them as “I” statements to ensure they match: “ I implemented, I organization? Wait, it should be… I implemented, I organized…” Or for noun phrases, try “Implementation of a research project… (is what I did). Organization of data… (is good).”

❌ 4. DON’T use specialized language unless applicable. A recruiter or employer should understand what you’re talking about. You don’t want them to do extra work interpreting your resume, especially when they have a pile to sift through! If there’s specific vocabulary related to your previous experience, list synonyms:

• ❌ Monolingual exercise writer for Duolingo
• ✅ Content writer for Duolingo

❌ 5. DON’T use uncommon abbreviations. While YOU may know what they mean, an employer or recruiter may not. Stick to universal abbreviations and try to avoid jargon :

• ✅ PhD, Feb., CEO
• ❌ L&C, OSI, KR

💡 Tip: Consistency is key on a resume, and this also applies to abbreviations for dates! Don’t write “Feb-Oct” on one line and “July-January” on another.

Now that we’ve reviewed the dos and don’ts, let’s put it all together and see a sample resume section! Here’s how that former research intern might format their experience on their resume, and how they might format their “Skills” section:

Don’t let different formats and styles overwhelm you. Remember two things:

A resume is your potential employer’s first impression of you and your work, and we’re rooting for you! 💪

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