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• How to Make a Resume:...

How to Make a Resume: Beginner's Writing Guide with Examples

30 min read · Updated on May 22, 2024

Your dream job is one resume away!

Your resume is arguably the most important financial document you'll ever own. And before you think, “Yeah – right” let's consider for a moment. Without a resume, you don't get the job, so you can't pay bills, support a family, go to the big game, have that weekend trip, or plan for retirement. Your resume is the doorway to your future, so let's make sure it's perfect.

Part of making it perfect is remembering that it's a targeted career marketing document – not a chronicle of your life. So, how do you write a resume? In this beginner's writing guide, we'll show you how to make a resume and provide examples of what each section should look like. 

Grab a cup of coffee and strap in, because you're about to learn everything you need to know about how to make a new resume!

Table of contents:

The purpose of a resume

Avoid rejection by the ATS

What is your career target?

Build your personal brand, what should your resume look like, how to make a resume – the layout.

How long does it take to put together a resume?

A major resume no-no: typos

How to make your resume more professional

Theory in practice – resume examples

The most basic purpose of a resume is to sell your skills , achievements , and qualifications to prospective employers. This one document can financially make or break you. Let's take a quick look at what being unemployed costs you per day (assuming a five-day workweek):

If you make $40,000 per year, you lose about $155 every day that you're out of work

If you make $50,000 per year, you lose about $190 every day that you're out of work

If you make $75,000 per year, you lose about $288 every day that you're out of work

If you make $100,000 per year, you lose about $385 every day that you're out of work

Clearly, finding out how to make a resume for a job is critical so that you can properly sell your skills, qualifications, experiences, and achievements to prospective employers. 

The job market is tough and highly competitive; you have to stand out in a sea of qualified candidates by creating a compelling narrative that tells a story of value, keeping in mind that your resume is supposed to do a few things for you:

Introduce you to a new company

Underscore how your experiences and education are relevant

Showcase how your skills and competencies will benefit the new company's team

Win interviews

Avoid rejection by the ATS 

What do you know about applicant tracking systems? Job seeking can be compared to throwing your resume into a black hole. You can go through 100 listings on any job search website and complete the online application with zero results. 

Ever had that happen? It's okay, it happens to everyone at some point or another! 

The problem is that you're probably not putting the correct keywords into your resume. When you hit “Submit” on an online application, it isn't magically emailed to the hiring manager. 

Oh, no! 

It goes through a computer system that scans your resume for specific keywords that can be found in the job description posted by the company. And, just so you know, approximately 90% of companies use ATS scans , including everything from mom-and-pop shops to Fortune 500 companies. 

The companies use these programs because they just don't have time for a human to go through all the resumes they receive. Depending on the job opening, a company can get between  250 and 500 applicants . Can you imagine being the person who has to sift through all those resumes? 

Here is where the ATS steps in. It's designed to weed through candidates to narrow the applicant pool, so that the human hiring manager has a more reasonable resume load to go through. It ranks the remaining candidates in order based on how much of a match they are for the position that's open. 

Being overlooked by the ATS is one of the number one reasons job seekers get ghosted by companies.

Once your resume makes it through the ATS and gets into the hands of a hiring manager, don't think they're going to sit down and read each one. Who has that kind of time? You should expect that the first round of resume sorting will consist of them flipping through the stack to pick the ones that stand out within about 6 seconds of glancing at them. 

PRO TIP: Put your resume on a table, stand up, and look at it from a little distance. Is it eye-catching? Can you tell the position you're seeking just by glancing at it? Set a timer if you have to, but no more than 10 seconds.

Speaking of eye-catching, don't make the same mistake as a lot of your rival job seekers by being too generic with your resume. It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that being non-specific will open doors to more opportunities. The problem is that the hiring manager won't be able to tell exactly where you'll fit within their organization. 

The first step in winning an interview is being sure that your resume actually makes it into the hands of a human being at the company you apply to. Start by defining what you want to do.

So the first, and most important, step in crafting the perfect resume is to narrow down your target career path. The more specific you are with this first step, the more response you'll receive from hiring managers because they'll be able to tell exactly how you fit within their organization. There are four areas to focus on as you begin to chart your career path:

Industry: Do you want to work in private sector, nonprofit, government, or public roles?

Geography: This one is more in-depth than choosing rural vs urban. It also includes whether you want to work in a dynamic or static environment.

Company size: You may not think it, but having an idea about whether you want to work in a small company or one with thousands of employees is important. 

Role: Saving the best for last, you have to know what position you want.

On the surface, it may seem like these things are only important for the job search aspect of landing a new position, but you have to know what voice to write your resume in, too. Part of that is knowing your audience. When you understand your audience, you can build a personal brand that resonates with what they're looking for in a new staff member.

Now that you've gotten your target career path nailed down, the next step is to brand you. Think of yourself as a product and your resume is the packaging. Companies spend a lot of time on their branding and packaging - you have to do the same thing.

The best place to start is with a  career assessment . Taking one of these tests can help you to identify your strengths, what sets you apart from others, and key themes of your professional identity. Just like Nike and Coca-Cola have timeless taglines and catchphrases that succinctly define what they have to offer to consumers, your personal brand has to tell a concise, yet compelling, story. This is where your resume comes in.

Your resume isn't just a piece of paper you give to a hiring manager or upload to a website that says, “I'm interested in this job.” Your resume is a personal marketing tool. You shape that tool with words that describe your experiences and achievements, to impress and grab the attention of the hiring manager. 

Unlike Nike's “Just Do It” phrase, your personal brand isn't something you build and forget. It is fluid and should be revisited and refined as you gain new skills, experiences, and achievements. Weave the elements of your brand into every section of your resume.

There is a common misconception that entry-level resumes look different than executive resumes. The reality is that the only difference is how much content is available to write about. 

Obviously, someone who has little to no experience will have a  short resume  – generally one page. 

When you start to get up to 10 years of experience, then you've earned the second page, so go ahead and use it. 

It's not incremental though

Just because you have 20 years of experience doesn't mean you can have a three-page resume. As you work through how to make a resume, remember that a three-page resume should be avoided, unless you have a lot of career extras like publications, research, patents, publications, or public speaking engagements to talk about. 

Other than the number of pages, your resume should use the same format and layout no matter if you're applying to a job as someone fresh out of college or seeking to be the CEO of a company. 

Chronological resume 

The  reverse-chronological  is the most popular, traditional, and well-known resume format. Its focus is placed on achievements from your career history and is defined by listing your work history starting with your current or most recent job and working backward 10-15 years. 

Employers like this type of resume because it tells them what, when, and where you worked. It's best to use this if your work history is steady and shows growth and development. If you're looking to make a career change, have had frequent job changes, or if you're seeking your first job, this may not be the best format to use.

Pro Tip: You could also get lost in the ATS if your  resume is over-designed . Many resume writers will tell you that you need to stand out in the sea of sameness by adding some personality to your resume through design. While that's true, you need to avoid heavily formatted resumes which are often rejected by computer scanners as being illegible.

Functional resume 

This resume type focuses more on skills and experiences rather than on your work history. It's more of a “what you know and how you apply that knowledge” than a simple list of where you got the knowledge. It plays down gaps in work history and makes frequent job changes less noticeable. If it isn't done properly, though, it can be confusing for the hiring manager to read and understand. There's also a bit of a stigma behind it, because employers know that job seekers use this style to downplay job-hopping. So, the first thing they do when they get a functional resume is check employment dates. If you can avoid using this style, it's best to do so.

Combination resume 

There is another resume format that focuses on skills first and then experience last. It's the combination resume, which is sometimes called a hybrid resume. This is the most complex resume type and the best resume for mid-career professionals who are transitioning into another career or for people who have special skills and a strong track record of accomplishments. These types of resumes do take a long time to read and some hiring managers won't take the time unless they're looking to fill a hard-to-fill position.

Curriculum Vitae

Curriculum Vitae (CV) is Latin and means “course of life.” It's a little different from a resume, but some positions require a CV over a resume. The first thing you would notice is that a CV is significantly longer than a resume.  A resume is a self-branding document meant to portray your experience and achievements in a concise and easy-to-read format. A CV goes much further into the depth of your education and accomplishments (think publications, awards, and honors) and even has a section for you to include "Areas of Interest."

The best way to describe a CV is that it's a career biography. The biggest significant difference is that a CV is arranged chronologically in a way that gives a complete overview of your full working career. It also doesn't change based on the career or position for which you're applying.

Layout 

To make things easier for the hiring manager to digest the content of your resume, it should be laid out in a specific way to ensure that the right information is in the right place. 

Hiring managers don't  READ  resumes. They skim through until they find something that piques their interest and then they stop to read

Contact information

Title 

Professional summary , core competencies, experience , education and credentials , awards, certificates, and volunteer work .

Since the reverse-chronological resume is the one that the majority of people will use to apply for jobs, and because it's the format that hiring managers want to see, we'll focus this article on showing you how to make a resume using that style. 

Current contact information 

Location | Phone | Email | LinkedIn | Portfolio (if applicable)

You can be creative and use bold font in your  contact information  and even put a border under it to separate it from the body of your resume. 

• Name: Be sure to list your name the same across all professional documents (e.g., resume, cover letter, thank you note, LinkedIn profile). Don't get hung up with whether to use your legal name (i.e. the name on your birth certificate or driver's license). Write your name in the manner you want people to address you. Also, if you use any abbreviated credentials after your name (e.g. Jane Smith, MD), remember to include them on all professional documents.  You can also include any shortened versions of your name in quotations (e.g. Christopher "Chris" Smith). Just make sure to list it the same way everywhere you put your name.
• Address: It is no longer customary to include your full address on your resume. There have been instances of discrimination against job seekers based on their address. As far as your address is concerned, all you need is the City, State, and Zip Code. A lot of people leave off the Zip Code; however, hiring managers can query the ATS for all resumes within a radius of a Zip Code. If you exclude the Zip Code or put something like, "Greater New York Metro Area," your resume won't be included in the query.
• Phone and email: Put the telephone number and email address where you can easily be reached. Also, be sure that your email address is professional. Using something like [email protected] just won't cut it. The best idea is to use some form of your name. If you're paranoid about having your name in your email address, then you can use some form of the type of position you seek, like [email protected].
• LinkedIn URL: You don't have to spell out the entire URL on the contact line. You can put the words “LinkedIn URL” and hyperlink those words. Before you include your LinkedIn URL, be sure that your LinkedIn profile is optimized for the career you want - because you can bet if they have access to it, the hiring manager will look at it. 
• Portfolio: If you're applying for a position like Graphic Designer or Software Designer, you may have a portfolio of work that you want to make available to someone reviewing your application for employment. Include a hyperlink to the portfolio in your contact information. 
• Headshot / photo: There is no reason to include a  headshot on your resume . Actually, it's seen as taboo and could be the thing that gets your resume rejected, because the hiring manager might assume you think you can get the job based on your looks. However, there are some exceptions, like if you're applying to be a model or actor. 

Do you want a hiring manager to be able to tell immediately what type of candidate you are? Put a title at the top of your resume. Center the text on the line, put it in bold font, and put a blank space above and below. The white space and the small amount of words will help it to jump off the page and immediately be noticed. It will also be the first step in helping you stand out in the sea of sameness.

Also, be sure the title on your resume mirrors the title on the job description that you're applying to, but add a bit of panache to it so that it's not too boring. For example, instead of writing “Financial Services Associate,” write “Client-Centric Financial Services Associate Dedicated to Customer Engagement and Revenue Growth.” Just remember to keep it on one line. 

The very next thing on the page should always be your Professional Summary. But how do you write a summary for a resume?

It's a three to five-sentence statement about you. Where you've been in your career, where you're going, and how you'll use your experience to get there. 

While the professional summary is sometimes referred to as the resume objective , you must remember that the days of writing a  resume objective are dead . Never, ever include an objective on your resume. They are a waste of space and don't relay any information that markets you as the best candidate for an open position. 

Let's take a look at an example of each:

Sales Representative seeking a challenging position that will use my skills and provide opportunities for growth in a dynamic and rewarding company. 

As you can see, the objective is very inward-facing and only talks about what you want out of your career. It provides no value to the hiring manager and eliminates any possibility for them to be able to tell what you bring to the table for them. 

Professional Summary:

Ambitious sales professional offering 10+ years' experience in customer retention and aggressive revenue growth. Conquers goals and quotas through a keen awareness of the human buying motive that allows for quickly overcoming objections. Used historical data and consumer trends to reach new customers and grow territory by 24%. Innate ability to work independently or as a member of a cross-functional team.

The best use of resume space is to write a summary of your career. The effectiveness of this summary comes from the fusing of three things:

Relevant keywords – customer retention, revenue growth, and quotas 

Hard and soft skills – overcoming objections and working independently

An achievement – 24% territory growth

With this professional summary, the hiring manager will be able to tell in an instant what you have to offer their team. 

Even though the skills section of your resume is small, it packs a powerful punch! The skills you list in this section highlight your key abilities and show potential employers what you bring to the table. 

It should contain approximately 12 ATS-friendly keywords and phrases that align with the keywords in the job description. Meaning, this is a fluid section that will need to be  tailored to every job  that you apply to. Technically speaking, your entire resume should be customized to align with each job description. That's one thing that will help you get past the ATS. 

Be sure to include a good mix of  hard and soft skills  because prospective employers not only want to know that you can perform the tasks related to your job (hard skills), but they also want to gain a clear understanding of how you'll fit within the culture of the company (soft skills). 

Tips for building your Core Competencies section:

Include skills that are relevant to the job that you're applying to

Avoid creating a laundry list of everything you know how to do – be selective so that the section is more impactful

Group similar competencies together using categories – technical skills, soft skills, and languages

Prioritize your top skills based on their relevance to the job you want

Update frequently

Be consistent with the formatting

Here is a sample Core Competencies list that contains both hard and soft skills:

Core Competencies

Project Management | Data Analysis | Cross-Functional Collaboration | Digital Marketing Strategy | Python Programming | Customer Relationship Management (CRM) | Negotiation | Team Leadership | Business Development | Financial Modeling | Articulate Communication

This section is meant to show how your career history lends itself to the skills you have that make you the perfect candidate for a given job. There are some general rules of thumb on how to make a resume with a great professional experience section:

Don't go further back than 10 to 15 years

Use no more than 3 to 5 bullets per work listing

Incorporate at least 5 measurable achievements per 10 years of experience (the more the better)

Use stacking for companies where you held more than one role

10-15 Years

The 10-15 years of experience is the most relevant – you can list more than that, but avoid using bullet points for roles over 10 years old. Begin by listing your most recent position first and work your way backward to your oldest position, within that 10-15-year range. If you have 30 years of experience, you can use achievements or skills you learned during that time as talking points during the interview. Listing those older experiences on your resume will only dilute the content.

As you write out your bullet points, keep two words in mind: “so what?” The hiring manager is going to be thinking it, you might as well be thinking it, too. Every time you write something on your resume, think, “So what? Why am I writing this? What value will it bring to my new employer? Will this be THE THING that lands me an interview?"

Achievements

Remove “Responsible for…” from your resume-writing vocabulary. That's because it's crucial that you talk about what you achieved, instead of just what your responsibilities were. Let's face it, there are a lot of things that people are “responsible for” that never get done. So, be sure to talk about things you actually accomplished, as that will be the proof the hiring manager needs to take the next step and call you for an interview.

1. Use numbers whenever possible

The best way to call attention to your career accomplishments is to use numbers. Numbers add credibility to your claims and provide a clear picture of what you bring to the table. 

Don't write this:

• Conducted cold calls to expand client base

Write this instead:

• Increased sales by 15% by making approximately 20 cold calls per day to expand the client base

The latter makes an unmistakable assertion that you had a positive impact, not only in your role but on the company as a whole. You can take it a step further and talk about things like problem-solving skills and how you addressed challenges to lead to team success. These types of  soft skills are highly valued by employers  and could be the thing that lands you an interview.

PRO TIP: Use the  CAR method  for building achievement statements into your resume.

2. Use action words to convey accomplishment

A lot of people make the mistake of copying bullet points from the job descriptions of the roles they've held. This practice makes you sound detached from achievements and focuses more on responsibilities. Using passive language is too generic and doesn't allow a hiring manager to see what you'll be able to accomplish in the new role. 

It's better to use action language to show that you're an achiever rather than a doer. Here are some examples of action words you can use on your resume: 

Worked with others: Advised, Aided, Assisted, Chaired, Coached, Collaborated with, Consulted with, Helped, Instructed, Interacted with, Mentored, Motivated, Supported

Communicated: Addressed, Advertised, Answered, Briefed, Corresponded with, Debated, Explained, Facilitated, Informed, Interpreted, Interviewed, Persuaded, Responded to

Analyzed data: Assessed, Appraised, Audited, Calculated, Computed, Estimated, Evaluated, Forecast, Inspected, Measured, Researched, Surveyed, Tested

Operated equipment: Installed, Maintained, Programmed, Ran, Serviced, Used

Worked with money or contracts: Administered, Appropriated, Authorized, Balanced, Controlled, Directed, Enforced, Financed, Funded, Governed, Invested, Monitored, Oversaw, Purchased

Organized something: Arranged, Assembled, Catalogued, Compiled, Coordinated, Itemized, Routed, Scheduled, Stocked, Tracked

Created: Composed, Customized, Designed, Directed, Established, Founded, Illustrated, Originated, Shaped

Researched: Analyzed, Collected, Criticized, Detected, Diagnosed, Evaluated, Tested

How to make your professional experience section: The formula

There's a formula for writing your professional experience section in a way that focuses on achievements. You'll start by asking yourself these questions about every job you've had:

What was the name of the company?

What was the title of your role?

What dates were you employed? (*Hint: use the MM/YYYY format for your dates)

What did you do every day? (*Example: Leveraged management skills to direct operations of 5 separate but concurrent projects by delegating tasks to staff based on employee acumen and monitoring / controlling budgets)

What is one thing you did at the company that you're really proud of?

What is another thing you're really proud of?

What is one more thing you did that you're really proud of?

When you put all of that together, it should look like this:

Company Name | MM/YYYY to Present

Position Title

Balanced competing priorities on multiple and concurrent projects and program management initiatives using data-driven strategies in Agile environments. Managed key accounts, onboarded new accounts, and oversaw organizational process adoption for nursing facilities, emergency departments, and pharmacies.

Developed $2M Provider Incentive Program that increased community provider partnerships

Saved $800K by using Six Sigma skills to implement DMAIC approach

Coached and mentored 2 direct reports, creating an open environment of communication that facilitated future-facing decision-making

Many people will create separate sections for education history and certifications. That's not necessary. You can include all of it in one section. You can also include extras like  relevant coursework , projects, and achievements. These extras can be truly beneficial for your application if you have little to no work experience. 

There are some general rules of thumb for the education section: 

Spell out acronyms (BS, MS, PhD) and school abbreviations

It is no longer customary to include graduation dates unless you're still in school or graduated within the last year

Never include high school, unless you're still in high school - listing high school doesn't say “ I finished high school, ” it says, “ I didn't go to college .” 

List your degree first and then your school, unless you've obtained multiple degrees at the same institution. 

Here's what a regular education section looks like:

EDUCATION AND CREDENTIALS

Master of Business Administration (MBA) | ABC University

Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) | XYZ University

Six Sigma Black Belt | Council for Six Sigma Certification

If you don't have a lot of experience and need to include some relevant coursework or major projects to inject relevant keywords into your resume, then this is what that would look like:

Relevant coursework:  Marketing, Operations Management, Accounting, Corporate Finance

Capstone project:  Let a team of 4 to execute a market analysis project to expand the Brooms and Handles company into new regions. Used market and consumer analysis data to identify gaps and achieve a 15% projected revenue increase and a 20% increase in customer satisfaction within the pilot program. 

You can include educational information about a degree program even if it's still in progress. Here's what that would look like:

Expected completion:  05/2024

Capstone project:  Let a team of 4 to execute a market analysis project to expand the Brooms and Handles company into new regions. Used market and consumer analysis data to identify gaps and achieve a 15% projected revenue increase and a 20% increase in customer satisfaction within the pilot program.

It is important to list what you do outside of work and school. It helps to demonstrate that you're a well-rounded person. 

Were you the president of a fraternity or sorority? 

Did you get involved with showing new students around campus? 

Have you headed a sales team that produced top awards? 

Were you an employee of the month? 

Do you speak multiple languages?

Did you volunteer for an organization?

Did you perform some major research that ended up being published?

All of these extras allow prospective employers a sneak peek into your life outside of work. They can also go a long way to breaking the ice during an interview, especially if something you do outside work is important or interesting to the hiring manager. 

Keep in mind to list only those volunteer positions, projects, or affiliations that are related to your career goals. 

How long does it take to make a resume?

If you're going to use the resume wizard that MS Word has, you can slap your information together in a day or two. It will get to employers. The bad thing is that it probably won't get a whole lot of attention. 

The "just right resume" can take weeks, because of how much background work goes into it. You'll write it, rewrite it, and write it again, and may even have multiple versions. Ultimately, the exact amount of time that goes into putting your resume together depends on your level of experience, how complex your history is, and the specificity of the job you're applying to. 

Entry-level resumes take the least amount of time, simply because there's less information to include

Mid-level resumes take a few days because of the amount of detail in your work history

Executive resumes, or those for specialized positions, can take weeks - especially if you have to do some digging to come up with accomplishments from your previous positions

Updating an existing resume that's well-maintained can be done in just a few hours

While the time spent can seem like a lot, if you're truly marketing yourself for that “just right” position, do you want your resume to say “This was thrown together in a couple of hours using a template” OR do you want it to say “I know this document is important and a significant amount of time was spent on it to make it perfect?”

The first and foremost thing that will get your resume tossed in the garbage can are typos. The number of resumes with errors that are turned in every day to employers across the globe is so astounding that it bears discussing. 

You must proofread your resume!

The major problem with typos and grammatical boo-boos is that your eyes will read what you intended to type. So, after you've read through your resume a few times and think it's perfect, get a friend to read it. Make sure the friend is one of those brutally honest types. It's better to get it back marked all over with bright red ink so you can fix it before you send it out, than to send it out and then realize there's a mistake in it.

How to make your resume seem more professional

Lazy words: Do you see words like "etc" or “other duties as required” on your resume? Delete them immediately. If you take shortcuts in the language of your resume, hiring managers will wonder if you'll be taking shortcuts at work. 

Cookie cutter resumes: Your resume has to stand out. Because of that, you should avoid throwing something together that you find a sample of online. Make it yours, make it represent you. Many people rely on the resume wizard that comes loaded with MS Word and, while that is a good tool to use to help you remember the sections to include, it shouldn't be the end-all-and-be-all of your resume design. 

Specificity: You've had three jobs in the last 10 years and you've listed every detail of everything you've done during your tenure at those jobs. That makes you a Jack (or Jackie) of all trades, but a master of nothing. You have to be specific to the job for which you're applying. What value do you bring to that employer for that job? What achievements can you highlight?

Tailoring: Considering the rampant use of ATS by companies big and small, you have to take the time to customize your resume so that it gets past those scanners. Remember to use relevant keywords from the job descriptions throughout your resume. 

PRO TIP: You can check to see how to make your resume better! Have it checked against an ATS and get a free, personalized, and  professional resume review . 

Theory in practice – 10 resume examples

It's one thing to have someone tell you how to make a resume, it's another thing to see an example – proof that all of this information can come together in a practical way that makes sense. 

1. Software Engineer resume example

Click here for an example of a Software Engineer resume.

2. Data Scientist resume example

Click here for an example of a Data Scientist resume.

3. Cybersecurity resume example

Click here for an example of a cybersecurity resume.

4. Digital Marketing Manager resume example

Click here for an example of a Digital Marketing Manager resume.

5. Nurse Practitioner resume example

Click here for an example of a Nurse Practitioner resume. 

6. Finance Director resume example

Click here for an example of a Finance Director resume. 

7. Attorney resume example

Click here for an example of a Attorney resume.

8. Administrative Office Assistant resume example

Click here for an example of an Administrative Office Assistant resume. 

9. Information Technology Expert resume example

Click here for an example of an Information Technology Expert resume. 

10. Chief Executive Officer resume example

Click here for an example of a CEO resume. 

Now you know how to make a resume for your next job!

It may seem like it takes a lot of work to make a good resume, but if you've followed along this far there are a few things that should be ingrained in you that will help you write a professional resume:

Know what you want to do – be specific

Make your resume with the right format 

Use a standard layout, whether you are writing your first resume or 50th

Use action words to make your resume stand out

Quantify your achievements to prove that you have what it takes to succeed in a new role

Tailor your new resume to each job

Double and triple-check for errors, typos, and grammar mistakes

If you're still unsure how to make a perfect resume, TopResume has you covered. Our team of  professional resume writers  has the know-how and experience to write a resume for you that will win interviews.

Recommended reading: 

Resume Tricks That Don't Work

What Does Your Resume Really Say About You?

Bad Resume Advice You Should Completely Ignore

Related Articles:

Do Hiring Managers Actually Read Cover Letters?

How to Create a Resume With No Education

Why You Lose When You Lie on Your Resume: Learning From Mina Chang

See how your resume stacks up.

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How to Write The Perfect Resume in 2024 (With Examples)

The ultimate guide to learn how to quickly create a resume utilizing best practices to help you land your next job.

Introduction to writing a resume

We’ve all been there. You’re ready to apply for a new job or looking for a career change, and you haven’t updated your resume in quite some time. Or it’s your first job, and you’re not sure where to start. Resumes are a standard part of the job application process. Not having one - a good one - makes it very difficult to near impossible to land your dream job.

Unless you have some incredible connections that can help you bypass the interview stage, which is pretty rare, we highly recommend you give your resume a second look (or first!).

Beautiful resume templates to land your dream job

Why do you need a good resume?

Your resume is a way for you to market yourself and promote your career experience. Creating a resume lets hiring managers see how you'll bring value to their company.

It's important to know that your resume doesn't need to present all there is to know about you. It should summarize the most important aspects of your professional experience. As well as your education, interests and activities - when applicable. We recommend you tailor your resume to the position you're seeking. This means highlighting specific accomplishments and skills to the job you're applying for.

In this guide, we'll walk you through the following sections to help you craft the perfect resume:

• Understanding the basics of creating a resume
• Breaking down the resume layout and formats
• Maximizing information on your resume to provide the most value

What tools should you use to build your resume?

Tip: Use an online resume builder . Don't use Microsoft Word. Always use an online resume builder. You'll never have to worry about finding files and you can export your resume as a PDF.

So you’re ready to get started on your resume. The most obvious of choices is to open up Microsoft Word, create a new document and get writing. If you haven’t already done this before, formatting in Microsoft Word is a painful experience.

You'll end up with an ugly resume template that has poor legibility and incorrect margins. Or due to the lack of design options, you’ll end up with a resume that looks standard and boring. In both cases, the chances of potential employers overlooking your resume are pretty high!

Crazy isn’t it? You've spent years building job experience but have to use Microsoft Word to tell that story. And if you can’t navigate around complicated tools, it'll lead to poor results. You might miss the opportunity to land your dream job. That doesn’t sound fair, and it isn’t.

Why should you use a resume builder?

Luckily, there are other options that exist. We’ve created the fastest and easiest resume builder available online. With a variety of pre-existing templates that are professional and field-tested. And there’s no messing around with font sizes, margins or colors. We’ve taken care of all that for you.

The benefits of using an online resume builder like the one we’ve created are much higher. Here are some of the top reasons to use a resume builder:

• Hosting your resume online (in the cloud)
• This means you can access your resume at any time and anywhere. Your resume will always be available through our website. You'll never worry about having the right computer programs installed. Or finding files on a messy desktop.
• Creating unlimited resumes at no cost
• We manage it for you and make finding your resumes super easy, so you never have to worry about things getting lost. Go ahead and create unlimited versions of your resumes!
• High-quality resume designs
• This is where we specialize. Our design team has tested the exact elements required for perfecting resume templates. We sweat the details so you never have to. We’ve spent countless hours choosing the most appropriate font and color combinations. Including ones that pass the stress tests of relentless Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

The other benefits of using Easy Resume’s online resume builder are:

• Download your resume as a PDF. We recommend this file format so your resume always looks consistent.
• Share a direct link to your resume. We’ll even host it for you at no cost.
• Get exclusive access to guides, tutorials, and tips from career and industry professionals.

Understanding the 3 types of resume formats

Let’s break down the different types of resumes that employers generally look for.

• Reverse Chronological
• Combination

Tip: When in doubt, use a reverse chronological resume format. - About 95% of resumes use the reverse chronological format. Hiring managers are used to this as it lets employers see how your career has progressed.

1. Reverse Chronological Format

The most common is the Reverse Chronological format. It’s the most used and formatted to tell the story of your work experience in a chronological way. Employers prefer this format, as it gives them a historical overview of your career. Including the different job titles and responsibilities that you’ve had.

When should you use a reverse chronological resume template?

• You have had a lot of prior work experience. This means either the number of jobs or the amount of work experience you’ve had.
• You want to show how your career has progressed. For example, if you started as an associate and worked your way up to a senior-level position. The reverse-chronological format is a great way of showing your progression.

What if you have gaps between your work experience?

This is a very common question that we often receive. It’s usually in the form of:

“I’ve been out of work for 6-7 years after a certain life situation (i.e. having kids). The last job I had was in 2012, but recently I'm starting to apply for jobs again in 2019. What’s the right resume format for someone like me?”

First of all, no worries. This is a very common situation and happens with many people. As a hiring manager, having a gap like this can lead to questions and uncertainty about your resume. Which is why we recommend that you use a combination format.

2. Functional Format

The second type of resume format is the Functional or Skills-Based resume. This can be common for students and recent graduates starting to apply for their first job.

When should you use a functional / skills-based resume template?

• You’re a student or recent graduate applying for jobs for the first time with no prior work experience.
• You’re looking to make a career change.

Reasons why this is common for students and recent grads is due to their lack of prior experience. Given the fact that they’re starting to enter the workforce and apply for their first job. It’s well understood amongst employers that students won’t have a huge depth of work experience. There are other ways to let them know what you can help bring to the role you’re applying for by showcase the list of skills that you excel at.

It usually depends on the role you’re applying for. But there are some common ones that you can try to focus on like: Communication, Organization, Customer Driven, Effective Listener, Teamwork, etc.

What else can you add to your resume besides skills?

We recommend adding some extra activities for your career. Even if you haven’t attained any professional work experience yet. The few ways you can do that as a student is:

• Find internships
• Help volunteer at student-led or non-profit organizations
• Participate in extracurricular activities
• Take on side-projects

Not only will you have more examples of experience to show on your resume. You can show employers how much initiative and leadership you’ve performed on your own. This helps you stand out much better than a candidate who only lists generic skills.

For example, instead of only listing skills like:

• Communication
• Collaborative

An employer might prefer to move forward with a resume that looks like this:

• Summer Intern at XYZ
• Volunteered for non-profit at XYZ
• Ran student organization for XYZ

What if you’re unable to get any kind of experience?

Fear not, your chances towards landing your first job can still be within grasp. We recommend taking an approach that explains the skills you’ve acquired. And how you’ve applied them in real-world settings.

Here’s an example of adding depth to your skill sets:

• Demonstrated effective teamwork and leadership in various class projects by taking the initiative to organize group’s goals, objectives, and tasks.
• Received consistent praise and admiration from course professors and team members as being highly collaborative, an effective communicator and group leader with clear presentation skills and abilities.
• Organization
• Meticulous about even the smallest of details. Always taking the extra effort towards making sure that filenames, folder hierarchy and labeling are descriptive, versioned, tagged and easily discoverable.
• Received constant praise from past and present team members who were able to jump into any collaborative project and accurately trace back previous versions to see how decisions were made.

Do you see how this can be more effective than listing out a set of skills? Taking this approach will let employers know that you’re not only listing skills. But have also demonstrated how you were able to apply these skills and put them into action.

3. Combination Format

The final type of resume that we mentioned earlier is the Combination or Hybrid format. This combines concepts from both reverse chronological and functional/skills-based formats.

We recommend this format for jobs that expect relevant experience and technical skills. An example might be a Graphic Designer who has experience working in design agencies. As well as necessary skills like Branding, Sketching, Illustration, and Adobe Creative Suite.

Take a look at our in-depth guide on how to select the right resume format .

Choosing the best resume template

Now that we know which software to use and the most common resume formats, let’s break down the actual template. This is the make-or-break deal. Picking the right resume template can be the deciding factor if a hiring manager gives you a call. Or if they skip past your resume and never bother to read it.

Our mission here at Easy Resume is to make sure that never happens to you! We’re working hard to make sure your resume is high quality and presented in a way that will impress recruiters.

When speaking with hiring managers, we found that 78% of the time they skip your resume is because of the design. Again, we don’t think that’s fair.

Here’s a checklist to use for your resume

We always use this checklist whenever creating any new resume template.

Use a clear heading structure

Incorrect : Don’t make all headings and body copy the same size.

Correct: Do use typographic hierarchy by using varying heading sizes and font weights.

Use legible, friendly and professional font combinations

Incorrect : Don’t use quirky and eccentric fonts like comic sans or papyrus.

Correct : Do use professional fonts that are easy to read and familiar. Fonts like Georgia, Helvetica, Calibri, and Cambia.

Use an ample amount of spacing

Incorrect : Don’t go overboard with spacing. Using a lot of white-space might spark joy, but not when your resume becomes three pages long because of it.

Correct: Do keep your margins tight but spaced even enough that your text isn’t hugging the borders of the page.

Incorrect : Don’t try to write your entire life story with every single job responsibility you’ve ever had. Recruiters on average spend about 7-8 seconds skimming through resumes. If it's two pages, the chances of them not spending even more than 2-3 seconds reading the second page is pretty low.

Correct: Do keep your information brief, relevant, and clear. If you REALLY need another page, make sure it’s valuable information. Otherwise, choose the right template that can fit the most words on a single page.

Use bullet points

Incorrect : Don’t write very long paragraphs about your work experience. Remember, your resume is a summary and a brief overview of your career. Your resume is not an autobiography of everything you’ve ever done.

Correct: Do use 3-4 bullet points to briefly describe your responsibilities. Feel free to add more bullet points if you have worked at only one or two jobs to fill up some more space.

Overview for writing a resume

Whew, that was a lot of information. Let's quickly summarize what we've learned.

1) Always use an online resume builder, instead of Microsoft Word

• It’s always better to use an online tool instead of Microsoft Word.
• Creating a resume template on Easy Resume will allow you to access your resume at any time. And access to unlimited resumes and a great selection of professional design templates.

2) There are 3 types of resume formats

• Reverse Chronological -This is the most common. Use it if you have a lot of work experience and want to show your career progression over the years. ‍
• Functional - If you lack work experience, use this format to emphasize your skill set. It’s great for students or recent graduates entering the workforce for the first time. ‍
• Combination - If you have a lot of experience and a diverse skill set that is relevant to your job, use this advanced technique. For example, a web developer who has worked at a few technology startups. And has programming skills in languages like Python, PHP, and Javascript.

3) Follow our resume design guidelines

• Utilize clear heading hierarchy, don’t make all fonts the same size. This will help your resume be easy to parse. Remember, recruiters spend an average of 6 seconds scanning your resume. Highlight the most important sections! ‍
• Use legible fonts that are easy to read . Using professional fonts will make your resume more legible. Choose from fonts like Georgia, Calibri, Garamond, Arial, Helvetica, Cambria, Times New Roman, Verdana, Trebuchet, Gill Sans, and Tahoma
• ‍ Use white-space conservatively . If you rely too much on white-space, you might end up with a 2-3 page resume. Keep your margins tight but spaced evenly to make it easy on the eyes for the reader. ‍
• Use 1 page . As previously mentioned, hiring managers and recruiters spend an average of 6 seconds. They might look at hundreds of resumes and applications every week. The chances of them reading every single page from top to bottom is pretty slim. ‍
• Use limited amount of color depending on your industry. Hiring managers need to notice the right parts of your resume. Using the right amount of color on your resume can help. ‍
• se bullet points . As previously mentioned, hiring managers and recruiters spend an average of 6 seconds. They might look at hundreds of resumes and applications every week. The chances of them reading every single page from top to bottom is pretty slim.

Resume sections and details

Let’s take a closer look at the resume itself now. Resumes are typically broken down into the common sections:

Common sections to add on your resume

Resumes tend to have some common sections that employers are used to seeing. Here's a list of what's generally expected as best practice:

• Heading / Name
• Additional Contact Info
• Your Objective
• Your Education
• York Work Experiences
• Your Skills

Of course not all people are alike. There’s no one-size-fits-all model for resumes. Depending on your job, you might want to include more unique sections. Remember any information you include on your resume should have valuable insight into your experience. Employers want to know why you would be a great hire.

Other sections to include on your resume

If you don't have enough information for the sections described above, you can try to add some of these sections below. Keep in mind that you should only add it if it's relevant to the position you're applying for.

• Volunteering
• Achievements
• Organizations
• Certificates
• Publications

As you can see, there are many sections to add depth to your resume. So don’t be alarmed if you’re lacking skills or experiences, there are other ways to let employers learn of your potential.

Tip: Only add information that’s relevant to the job you’re applying for. As a best practice, always remember that the most valuable details is the information that recruiters are specifically looking for in the job description that you’re applying to.

Let’s break down each of these sections and how to add the most value to them.

Adding contact information

Information about yourself is a critical element for your resume. It provides a brief description of who you are, where you're based and how to get in touch with you.

The most necessary contact information to add on your resume

There are quite a few ways to add your contact details, but here's what's most necessary.

• Your First & Last Name . You may use a preferred name if that's what you'd rather go by. So for example, someone named "Robert" might prefer to go by a nickname like "Bob". You may also optionally include your middle name or initial. ‍
• Your Email Address. Your email address is necessary if employers want to be able to reach you. Email is generally the most common way that recruiters use to get in contact with applicants.

Always use a professional email address.

Incorrect : Don't use an email address that sounds like you're still in grade school. Something like [email protected] will not look professional on your resume.

Correct : If you don't already have one, create a professional email address with your name on a service like Gmail. An email like [email protected] sounds much more professional.

• Your Phone Number. Adding a phone number will let recruiters know that they can also reach you via phone call if that proves to be more convenient for them. If possible, use your work or cellphone number instead of your home number. ‍
• Your Location. Adding your location lets employers know that you'll be able to physically make it to work. It's preferred that you list your city and state. Some people like to add their full mailing address. However, based on our research, we learned that it's not always important to add in your entire street address.

Let employers know where you're based, not your exact address.

Incorrect : Don't list your entire mailing address like 305 Main St, Apt#25. It's not always necessary. If an employer needs to know your mailing address, ask them and only provide if required.

Correct : You can simply list your city state and sometimes zip code, for example: New York, NY 10010. This will let employers know that you live and work in this geographic location. If you need a work visa or are looking to relocate, be sure to call that out.

Secondary contact information to add on your resume

• Your Website or Blog. If you have a website or a blog, feel free to add it on your resume. Having a website can add to the professionalism of your experience.

Unnecessary contact information for your resume

• Your Photo or Headshot. Adding a photo to your resume is a bit of a controversial topic. While it's not always recommended, and most ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) will ignore it - some countries like South Korea may prefer it. However, in most cases, it's not necessary. ‍
• Your Date of Birth. To avoid any kind of age-based discrimination, it's best to leave your birthday out of your resume.

Adding social media profiles

If you have accounts on social networks, you might want to include them depending on how relevant it is. This will let employers know that you're active and knowledgeable about commonly used platforms online.

• Linkedin is the most popular platform for networking amongst professionals. We recommend that you create a Linkedin profile if you don't already have one.
• If you use Twitter for professional reasons, adding your Twitter handle can be a good way to show off your personality and interests for topics that you like to talk about. However, if you use it purely for personal reasons, you shouldn't add it.

Tip: Only add social media profiles if they showcase your professional experience. Normally, you shouldn't add your personal social media profiles on your resume. Unless you're using social media networks like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest to demonstrate your expertise and interests, there's no reason to include them on your resume. For example, if you're a web developer, you might want to include your Github or if you're a designer, you can include a link to your Behance portfolio.

Writing the perfect resume objective

Your resume summary or objective gives employers a very brief overview of your goal and what kind of position you're looking for. It should always be at the very top of the resume. Usually placed directly below your name and contact information. It's always important to leave a great first impression. Remember, hiring managers are spending only 6 seconds scanning your resume.

Here are the key pieces of information that your resume objective should include:

• Your Job Title = e.g. Server
• Your Experience (in years) = e.g. 10+ Years
• Your Achievements = e.g. Managed parties and events upwards of 250+ guests and maintained customer satisfaction rate above 98%
• Your Desired Goal = e.g. Looking for new opportunities to bring expertise to fine-dining establishments
• Your Desired Goal (Personalized) = e.g. Looking to gain new skills and further develop fine-dining expertise at an upscale establishment like Janes Riverside Restaurant

Personalizing your resume objective to the specific company you're applying for can be a great way to make a first impression. We highly recommend tailoring each resume objective to the specific job and company you're applying to.

Follow these tips to write a great resume objective

This checklist will help summarize your experience into a resume objective that leaves a good first impression.

Avoid writing your resume objective in first person.

Incorrect : I am a server and have lots of experience working in various restaurants. I love working with customers.

Correct : Dynamic and engaged server with over 10+ years of experience who loves to provide warm and friendly customer service.

Quantify your achievements.

Incorrect : I worked many catering events and parties, and provided good customer service.

Correct :  Managed parties and events upwards of 250+ guests and maintained customer satisfaction rate above 98%.

Be clear about your desired goal.

Incorrect : I'm looking for a new job to get better at managing people and stores.

Correct : Looking for new opportunities to further develop hospitality and personnel management experience at fine-dining restaurants.

Putting all this together, a bad example of a resume objective might be the following:

Bad example of a Registered Nurse's objective

I am an experienced registered nurse, that has worked at large hospitals with experience taking care of patients and providing medical expertise. I'm looking for a position to help grow my nursing career.

Let's turn that into a better example of a resume objective, based on our guidelines:

Good example of a Registered Nurse's objective

Experienced and veteran RN with 12+ years of experience taking care of patient health. Skilled in providing high quality patient care in ER situations under intense pressure. Hired and trained a staff of 27 nurses and nurse assistants. Looking for a new role to bring empathetic care to the patients at Lincoln Hospital.

Take a look at our guide on how to write a killer resume summary or resume objective to learn more.

Summarizing your job experience

Your resume experience section is the most important aspect of your entire resume. It's a summary of your career experience and progression that outlines your responsibilities and achievements.

This is the section that you'll most likely spend most of your time on. It's good practice to make sure you consistently jot down any new experiences you've had, even if you're not looking for a job.

For example, if you recently landed a $200,000 deal by bringing on a new client at your firm, write that down somewhere you can remember. Over time, you'll have dozens of bullet points you can copy over to your resume when you are ready for a new job.

Here's a simple example of work experience

Server, red lobster.

November 2018 - Present • New York, NY

• Greeted incoming guests and directed them to comfortable seating.
• Memorized and informed guests of daily menu specials.
• Made recommendations about food and beverages as well as other services provided by the restaurant.
• Provided exceptional and friendly customer service by taking food and beverage orders and entering them in our PoS system.
• Job Title = e.g. Server
• Company Name = e.g. Red Lobster
• Start & End Dates = e.g. November 2018 - Present
• Location = e.g. New York, NY
• Responsibilities & Tasks = e.g. Made recommendations and answered questions about our food, beverages and other restaurant functions and services.

This is a simple example, but it can be improved by adding more detail.

Follow these guidelines to really maximize your career experience

These principles will make your resume look more professional, relevant and attractive to hiring managers. This is where most job-seekers have the toughest time when writing their resume.

We highly recommend emphasizing your experience section with these guidelines:

• Focus on achievements and outcomes. Instead of just writing about all of the tasks you did. Try your best to quantify some of the most key and impactful achievements you've made at the company. Using actionable verbs can help. ‍
• Use keywords from the job description. If you're applying to multiple jobs, make sure you tailor each resume to the job description . A great way to tailor your resume is to use keywords from the job description itself. Not only will this feel more relevant to recruiters, but it significantly increases the chances of your resume passing an ATS which scans for common keywords. ‍
• List only key responsibilities. Your experience section isn't meant to be a huge list of every single task you've ever done. Try to narrow your responsibilities to the ones that most relevant ones.

Here's a better example of work experience

• Implemented Happy Hour pre-dinner special that drove an extra $7,500 in weekly revenue.
• Trained and onboarded 6 servers to help increase waitstaff.
• Promoted to Team Lead after receiving exceptional feedback from repeat customers.
• Made food recommendations to customers that helped increase ordering by up to 15% for select items.

Adding skills to your resume

Showcasing skills on your resume lets employers understand the variety of your strengths. While skill sets can vary, the best approach is to use keywords from the job description to show how your skills are relevant.

In general, there are two types of skills you should consider adding to your resume.

• Soft or Transferable Skills
• Hard or Technical Skills

What are soft skills?

Soft skills (sometimes known as "transferable skills") are self-developed skills that will be valuable to employers to many different types of jobs. Some examples of these include communication, teamwork, organization and leadership. Listing soft skills is recommended if you're thinking about a career change where your skills would serve both industries.

For example, there might be a job that requires candidates to be very strong in teamwork skills. If you’ve worked in team settings, and enjoy collaborating with other group members, this is a skill that you might want to call out.

Here's a list of common soft skills:

• Taking Initiative
• Problem Solving
• Attention to Detail
• Collaboration
• Time Management
• Critical Thinking
• Decision Making
• Presentation
• Facilitation

What are hard skills?

Hard skills (also known as "technical skills") are specific skills that are learned to perform a certain task or master a craft. These skills are often completed during your job, and sometimes require specific education or training to learn and master. For example, some technical skills can include computers or hardware for jobs like a Web Developer or an IT person.

Adding technical skills to your resume will let employers know how you can solve different challenges using these skills you've acquired. We recommend using your career experience, as described above, to show real examples of how you applied your hard skills at your job. Make sure to keep them relevant to the job you're applying for.

Here's a list of hard skills for specific roles:

Web Developer

• Ruby on Rails
• HTML & CSS
• Cross Browser Testing

Graphic Designer

• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe InDesign
• Adobe Illustrator
• Wireframing

Data Analyst

• Database Management
• Google Analytics
• Microsoft Excel

We have come up with a list of over 100 skills that you can include on your resume .

Listing your education

The education section of your resume is an important call-out for showing your school experience and the degree(s) you've received. It's important that the education section of your resume is relevant to fit the position you're applying for.

Here's an example of the information you should add for your education.

• School / University Name = e.g. Harvard University
• Degree & Major = e.g. B.F.A in Arts & Literature
• Minor = e.g. Minor in Spanish
• Years Attended = e.g. Fall 2004 to Spring 2008
• GPA ( optional ) = e.g. 3.8/4.0 GPA
• Honors ( optional ) = e.g. Magna Cum Laude

The most important information to include is your degree (multiple if you have more than one), the schools you attended and during which dates. If relevant, providing more specific pieces of information like your major and minor can also help.

Tip: Always be truthful on your resume. It's not worth lying on your resume. Employers will quickly find out whether you're telling the truth or lying during an interview if they ask specific questions that you are unable to answer. Same goes for your Education. Employers can request a transcript to verify that your school information is correct.

You'll notice we also added GPA and Honors as optional. For GPA, it's not necessary nor required, and should be generally avoided unless you have a high GPA (greater than 3.8). Adding honors and achievements is also likely to be ignored by recruiters. Only add it if you have plenty of extra space on your resume. Otherwise save that space for more important and relevant information.

Additional sections for your resume

Now that we've learned about the most important sections to add on your resume, let's explore some other ways to demonstrate your full potential to future employers.

Remember, there's no one-size-fits-all model. Every person, every situation and every job is different. Your resume should be tailored based on a variety of these circumstances.

Here are some sections you can include on your resume:

Keep in mind, that you should only add these sections if 1) you have extra space or 2) it's very relevant to the job you're applying for.

• Hobbies & Interests. This is a great way to show off your individual personality. Employers often care about maintaining company culture. Showcasing your different hobbies and interests can be a great way for them to get to know you, before even meeting you! Our advice on how to include hobbies on your resumes will be helpful.
• Languages. Do you speak multiple languages? This is a skill that can become useful, even if it isn't required for the job. When listing languages, you may also write a proficiency level (native, fluent, basic) to show how skilled you are at communicating in that language. ‍
• Volunteering Experience. If you spend time volunteering at different organizations, this can demonstrate to future employers that you're mission-driven and passionate about solving problems for others. If you're a student, acquiring volunteer experience can be a great way to substitute (with real impact!) for any lack of work experience. ‍
• Certifications & Awards. Have you received any certifications and awards that celebrates achievements you've made in your career? If it's relevant to the job you're applying to, then this could be a great way to level up your expertise and skills. Take a look at our guide on including achievements and awards on your resume as well as including certifications on your resumes.

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How to Make a Resume: 11 Easy Steps for 2024

Step 1: Choose Your Resume Format

Step 2: choose a simple resume template, step 3: decide your resume length.

• Step 4: Include Your Contact Information

Step 5: Describe Your Work Experience

When looking for your dream job, chances are others are, too. That’s why you want to make sure your AI cover letter and resume get noticed.

Starting from scratch is time-consuming and can result in improper formatting that won’t pass the initial ATS, which means your document may never reach a human.

Avoid frustration and know your resume will pass the ATS and grab the eye of a recruiter by using our  AI resume builder . By filling in your information, you’ll have a great resume to showcase your talents in a way that’s appealing to recruiters.

You’ll also save yourself time, potentially up to three hours, over using resume templates for Word or Google Docs . Because relevancy is key to employers when skimming these documents, you’ll need a separate resume for each job you apply for. Our resume maker lets you create multiple resumes quickly. 

While a resume should be a marketing tool to land an interview, it’s hard to know where to start. We’ve boiled it down to 11 steps to make it easier and faster to create the perfect resume for the role you want.

Real Estate Agent Resume

Get started customizing your own resume by clicking on this real estate agent resume below:

Resume format  refers to the way you display pertinent information in your document. You’ll want to include contact information, a job title, work history, skills, education and any other information that will show the potential employer not only how your previous employment qualifies you for the job, but how you will be an asset to their company.

The way you set up this information can make it easier or more difficult for the recruiter. There are multiple ways you can format your resume, but there are three styles that are most common among job seekers.

• Reverse-chronological format  is the preferred style for recruiters as it highlights your most recent relevant employment and accomplishments that relate to the new position. It’s also the best format to pass through ATS.
• Functional format  is good if you have little work experience or employment gaps. It’s great for emphasizing skills for an entry-level position, but it can highlight a lack of actual work experience.
• Hybrid format  is a way to show how your transferable skills relate to the new position, which can be beneficial if you’ve switched fields a time or two over the years.

You may be tempted to choose a resume format based on your experience and the type of job you’re applying for. Just remember that recruiters will only spend about seven seconds skimming your resume before deciding if you deserve additional consideration or if you’ll be passed over without reading further to see if you’re a good fit for the position.

While each format has its pros and cons, nearly anyone can benefit from choosing the reverse-chronological format because it’s well known, and recruiters know exactly where to look for specific information, making their job much easier. When potential employers can see that you’re possibly a good fit in a quick skim, they’re more likely to read further.

Understandably, there are times when you might feel that it’s in your best interest to use one of the other popular resume formats. The other two styles may not pass through ATS, they can be confusing for recruiters who are searching for something in particular, and they definitely raise red flags regarding your work history. If your document passes through ATS and the recruiter can’t find what they’re looking for quickly, you can expect that your resume won’t get a second glance as it makes its way to the circular file. That’s why it’s always a good choice to put yourself in the shoes of the recruiter when formatting your resume.

You don’t want all of your hard work creating the perfect resume to go to waste. Even if you have little or no actual job experience, gaps in your career or various fields of work, the reverse-chronological resume format can be made to work to your advantage. Using a resume builder makes it easier to utilize applicable skills from other areas, such as volunteering, internships, military experience, and even hobbies you pursue on a regular basis.

While format is how you present your information, a resume template is a pre-made guide you can use to input your information in the format you choose. It can be tempting to select a template that uses pictures, diagrams, or complex patterns to portray your unique style, but these features just get in the way and won’t make it past the ATS. It’s best to choose a simple resume template as the words you choose will be what sets you apart from other applicants.

Simple doesn’t mean that your resume will look bland and devoid of character. On the contrary, a resume that’s formatted in a simple layout will pass through ATS with ease and will draw the recruiter’s attention to specific areas of focus for enhanced readability.

Our simple  free resume templates  make it easy for you to add or remove information and manipulate sections for personalization without affecting the overall layout of your resume. If you choose to work with a resume template through a word-processing program, like the creative  Google Docs templates  we just designed, making changes can throw everything off kilter, often causing you to have to start from scratch to correct the problem.

While it’s tempting to include as much of your work-related experience and skills in your resume, keep this information to one page [1] . Knowing this from the start helps you consider only relevant information and decide on ways to keep the information short and sweet. Recruiters have a limited amount of time they can spend reading resumes from quite possibly hundreds of candidates, so a one-page resume is generally the best choice.

A one-page resume

However, if you’ve worked in the same field for more than 10 years, you might find you need to use two pages to show a progression in duties and responsibilities in your field. Additionally, if you’re a high-level executive, scientist or professor, you may need additional room to provide enough information for a potential employer to gain a full understanding of how you’re the best candidate for the position. If you must use two pages, be sure that the second page is full for consistency.

You might notice that some employers ask specifically for a resume, a CV or they use resume and CV interchangeably. Whereas a resume is meant to be short and to the point, a curriculum vitae, or CV, is designed to provide more in-depth information. There are a few  differences between a resume and a CV :

Step 4: Include Your Contact Information in a Header

The contact information section is the easiest part to complete, so its importance is often overlooked.

This is the meat of your resume and the part that’s the most important to potential employers. If you’re wondering what type of information to include in your work history section, a good way to get some ideas is to check out some  resume examples  for your field of expertise and years of experience.

When crafting your document, be sure to include specific information from the job ad but only if you actually have that experience. Because the ATS will automatically search for appropriate keywords and phrases, you can readily find what employers are searching for in other resumes and the ad for the job you’re applying for. Also, look at other ads for similar positions to find industry-specific keyword information to include.

What details should I include about my job?

While recruiters may not take time to read every aspect of your previous work history, there’s some information that’s expected to be included in your resume. As with every other section of your document, make sure the spelling is correct and that there are no errors as this can ruin your chances of getting hired.

What do I write in my job description bullet points?

This is the area in your resume where you can get creative to help you stand apart from other applicants. If you simply list your job duties, your resume will look just like those of everyone else. Additionally, if you’re applying for a position with a similar title, the recruiter already knows the job duties for that position. You want to show the potential employer why you should be chosen for the position. You’ll need to provide specific examples that show a measurable impact.

5 ways to quantify your impact

Numbers represent facts that can’t be denied. When you put numbers on what you’ve accomplished, this stands out in the eyes of recruiters and builds your credibility.

What if I don’t have work experience?

If you don’t have any work experience or have just a little under your belt, don’t worry. You’re not alone. There are many cases where you may not have actual paid work experience. If you’re a student or recent graduate, it’s understood that you’ve likely spent your time and focus on completing your studies rather than dividing your time between school and employment. In the same manner, you may be a homemaker or military personnel who is trying to enter or re-enter the job market, or you may be changing fields.

Volunteer work, freelancing, and odd jobs can be set up just like a paid position in reverse-chronological order along with any work history. Include the company name or use self-employed, the job title, dates of service and location.

Other activities or projects are a little trickier to add to the work experience section, so it’s important to include the appropriate information. Start with the project name, the company or who the activity was completed for and the date of the project. Use the list of bullets to describe the project and the role you played. As with other paid employment, quantifiable information stands out more than generalized statements.

Here are some examples: If you completed a successful project using software such as Java, SQL, or Python, you’ll want to describe this when applying for a technical position. Leadership skills are highly desirable and transferrable, so you’ll want to include any team projects that you spearheaded. If you excelled in a public speaking course, this could be relevant for a position where you’ll have a lot of face-to-face interactions with the public.

Begin by making a master list of your activities and projects. Now choose those that fit in with the job you’re applying for. You’ll go back to the master list to make it easier to find what you need when applying to other positions. Get inspired with more ideas by looking at  resume samples  like the one below that focus on projects and other types of experience.

Projects-based Resume Example

Step 6: Add Your Skills

The skills section lets you showcase the abilities that make you a perfect match for the job. When considering  skills for your resume , only include those hard and soft skills that are relevant to the job position you’re applying for. The posted ad will most likely let you know at least some of the skills that the company is seeking in an applicant, so you can start with those. If there’s not enough information, look at similar job ads from other companies to fill in the gaps. Better yet, call the company and ask directly. Who knows? You may speak with the job recruiter, making a solid first impression through your initiative to do a little sleuth work.

Hard skills include your know-how and experience that are specific and quantifiable. Soft skills, on the other hand, are those you develop yourself through life experiences. Some hard skills you might want to include involve any software or technical skills you may have, such as bookkeeping, scheduling, content management systems, UX/UI design, foreign languages, data analysis, or even your typing speed. Soft skills employers find desirable consist of time management, leadership, active listening, communication, responsibility, and problem-solving.

Only include skills you actually have. For example, if the job ad states you must be proficient in Jira, don’t include this if you’ve only dabbled in it. You may have to complete a skills test as a part of the interview process, or you could be fired if you’re found out.

Rather than stretch the truth, consider taking online courses or refreshers to stay current with the latest trends. If you don’t have enough of the skills the company is seeking in the job posting, it’s probably wise to look for a position requiring more of the talents you possess.

Step 7: Include Your Education and Certifications

Your education and degrees should be listed in reverse-chronological order just like your work history. If you’ve completed higher education, there’s no need to add high school. Begin with the program name or degree obtained, followed by the name of the institution, the city and state where the institution is located, and the dates you attended. Alternatively, you can just use the year you graduated.

You can include your education even if you’re still in school. Follow the graduation date with “expected” or “anticipated” in parentheses. If you didn’t finish your education, whether high school or college, simply list “years attended” followed by the dates. College coursework you’ve completed that’s related to the position can be listed as well if you’re a recent grad.

Optionally, if you’ve recently graduated, you may wish to add a minor, your GPA if it’s 3.2 or higher, honors, achievements, projects, publications, or extracurricular activities if any of this information is relevant to the position or if you don’t have much in the way of work experience. This extra information gives recruiters more information on why they should choose you over other candidates.

Any certifications or licenses you hold should go in this section if they’re relevant to the job. This is a good opportunity to make sure your certifications and licenses are up to date. Because they vary from state to state and even between different companies within the same field, make sure you don’t disqualify yourself from the position by letting your certifications or licenses lapse.

Step 8: Decide Whether to Include an Objective or Summary

The resume objective or summary can either make the recruiter want to continue reading or pass you over for another applicant, so it’s important to capture employers’ eyes quickly with this section.

It’s best to save the objective or summary until after you’ve written your job bullet points, skills, and education sections, so you can draw information from these. Be sure to select appropriate keywords and phrases to use in the introduction to tie everything together into the position you want. Use the job description to decide on the specific wording combined with your expertise to make it easier for recruiters to make a match. Take a look at some  resume objective examples  or  resume summary examples  to inspire you.

Step 9: Decide Whether to Add Other Resume Sections

Now that you’ve completed the bulk of your resume, it’s time to really stand out. There are some additional resume sections you can add to emphasize your qualifications for the position.

You’ll want to include additional sections if you have limited work experience, are currently in school or recently graduated, are applying in a highly competitive field, or need to provide more information to show how you’re qualified for the job. Additionally, other sections can be used as a way to fill up excessive white space for a more balanced appearance for your resume.

While it can be tempting to include as much additional information as possible, you don’t want to stuff your resume with unnecessary information. Not only does this crowd your document and make it look messy, but it also makes it difficult for recruiters to sift through. Carefully work through any additional sections you’re considering when  outlining your resume , so you can be sure you’ll strengthen what you’ve already included in as further proof that you deserve the position.

Step 10: Tailor Your Resume for the Job

It can’t be stated enough: You must tailor your resume to the specific position that you’re applying for. Don’t forget to search the job description for keywords that you can use in your previous employment bullet points, skills section, and resume objective or summary. You may even need to change your wording in the education and additional sections so they fit.

It’s important to write your resume for the position you want as listed in the job posting to make sure you pass through ATS and then draw the recruiter’s attention once the document reaches human eyes. Even if you’re applying for a single position across the board, you’ll need to create a new resume for each different company because they may all have different requirements and keywords. While this may seem like a lot of work, you don’t want it to look like you’re sending out mass-produced documents to just anyone and everyone.

At this point, you’ll also want to consider the type of field you’re in. If you’re applying to a highly professional position, you’ll want to keep your wording in line and focus on your expertise. Choose a traditional layout for your resume. However, if the position is with a casual startup in its early stages of operation, you can likely include more creativity because the recruiter may be looking for someone innovative and imaginative. In this case, choosing a more modern layout can help you stand out above other applicants.

Make sure your resume fits the bill by using our  free resume checker . You’ll get valuable information and tips on how to improve your document to help you stand out.

Takeaway : Create multiple resumes. Since you’ll need a document that’s specifically tailored to get noticed, you’ll want a separate one for each position you’re applying for.

Step 11: Triple-Check for Spelling and Grammar

Your resume is a snapshot of you and your abilities. Make sure there are no errors. Proofread your document; then, do it again. Set it aside for a while or overnight, and come back to it to check for errors a final time. It’s wise to have a friend, coworker, or family member go through it as well. It’s hard to catch your own mistakes, especially after you’ve spent so much time writing and rewriting your document.

If there are errors, recruiters may assume you’ll make even more mistakes on the job. It’s imperative to put yourself in the shoes of hiring personnel. They have to look through potentially hundreds of resumes for each position, perhaps reading the same information over and over again. They’re looking for any reason to say no rather than yes just to reduce their workload. Don’t let spelling or grammatical errors give them that reason.

As an added benefit, you can choose one of our resume templates or use our resume builder to take the guesswork out of the format and layout for your document. You can easily make changes without messing up the appearance of your entire document. Once again, take advantage of our AI-powered  resume tool  to help you make the most of active voice, verb choice, quantifying your impact, and consistency, so you can quickly proofread your material.

How to Write a Resume in 2024

Writing a resume in 2024 is much different than in years past. Instead of creating a single document that you personalize with a cover letter, recruiters want to see that you have what they’re looking for with a quick skim. Additionally, ATS will search for relevant keywords, so it’s vital to tailor your resume to each specific position by looking at the job posting, similar positions, and completed resumes within your field.

Take a look at how to write each section of your resume, and be sure to include all of the necessary information. If anything is lacking, your resume could end up in the recycle bin before it’s even fully read by a recruiter. In the same manner, don’t add irrelevant information because it detracts from what’s important. Keep your resume to a single page.

Do your research. Specific keywords and phrases can determine if you get past the initial scan or not. The actual job posting contains valuable information that you should use to your advantage. Consider your experience that’s not related to paid employment for additional emphasis or if your work history is sparse. Always be honest with your abilities and what you’ve done because recruiters will check.

Find ways to stand out over other applicants with a simple resume design. You can use a premade template, but choose one that’s easy to personalize. To avoid layout blunders when making changes or passing through ATS, our resume builder will keep everything in its place. Finally, proofread your document. Get help from a third party, and use a  resume checker .

[1] The Muse. (2016, August 10). 20 Basic Resume Writing Rules That’ll Put You Ahead of the Competition.  Forbes .

[2] Caine, A., Gal, S. & Akhtar, A. (2020 November 19). We asked a career expert to build the perfect resume. Here’s a template you can use to update your CV and land a dream job.  Business Insider .

[3] Gallo, A. (2014, December 19). How to Write a Resume that Stands Out.  Harvard Business Review .

[4] Sweetwood, M. (2016 April 19). 13 Social Media Power Tips for Getting the Job You Want.  Entrepreneur .

[5] Jackson, A. E. (2018 October 22). 21 Words to Never Include in Your Resume.  Glassdoor .

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Are you looking for the job of your dreams? Do you need some help with how to make a resume? Consider a few resume examples and how job seekers can use them to create the best resume out there.

Keep reading to learn how to make a great resume.

What Is the Purpose of a Resume?

The importance of a resume is to give an overview of your professional experience. Your potential employer can look at your resume and learn where you've worked and what you've achieved in your career, so they can decide if you're a good fit for the position.

Knowing how to make a resume that stands out can help you land your next job. Without a great resume, you will have to search a lot harder to find work.

What You Should or Shouldn't Include on a Resume

When writing a resume, it's sometimes difficult to determine what you should or shouldn't include. You want to highlight your features, but you also want the resume to be short, sweet, and to the point.

For some helpful hints on the do's and don'ts of what to include in a resume, check out the following snippet:

Examples of what to put on a resume include:

• Do include your name and updated contact information
• Do include your prior job experience relative to the job you're applying for
• Do include any honors, awards, or relevant skills to the position
• Do offer a list of references upon request

While your resume should include important details, you don't need to include everything. Leave out the following:

• Don't include irrelevant social media profiles
• Don't include grammar and spelling errors
• Don't include outdated or irrelevant experience
• Don't include income or pay-related information

How to Make a Resume in 13 Simple Steps - 2023 Guide

A good resume guide should include how to write a resume for a job. Whether you want to use a resume creator, resume writing service, or do it yourself, knowing how to do a resume is crucial to success in your job search.

1. Organize Your Information

Before you start to make your own resume, organize your relevant information. Write down everything you want to include, from your contact information to your work experience and awards.

Right Way: Don't worry about the formatting, just list out your information as you think about it.

Wrong Way: Don't format the resume before you know what details you have and how you plan to include them.

Your resume doesn't have to look good right now, but you should get started. Knowing what you can include on your work resume can help you with the next step.

2. Decide on a Format

Next, you need to decide which format you want to use for your resume. Think about the job you're applying for and your experience.

Right Way: Look at your experience and decide if a chronological or functional resume would work better.

Wrong Way: Don't choose a template and just go with it.

Consider the differences between the most popular ways for how to set up a resume.

Chronological

A chronological resume focuses on your experience based on when it occurred. You'll typically list your job experience, education, and other details in order starting with the most recent job or degree.

Using this format shows employers what you've been up to recently, and it allows you to leave out jobs you had years ago. It's a great option for people who are looking to move up in the same industry or recent college graduates who have educational experience.

A functional resume focuses on your skills, rather than when you used them. You can list your experience and education, but you will focus on the most relevant jobs or degrees. Then, you can make sure the employer focuses on relevant experience.

Writing a functional resume is great when you want to make a career change. You don't have to worry about sharing your irrelevant experience, so you may improve your chances of landing the job.

Combination

If you have both skills and experience, a combination resume may be the way to go. You can show off your relevant job experience, and you can include your skills. That can be a great option for landing a more technical job where skills and experience matter equally.

When creating a resume using this format, be sure to include the most important details. That way, you can keep the resume from getting too long.

Expert Tip:

Depending on the job you're applying for, the resume format you choose should be focused on that position. What format should you use?

• Chronological formats are great for people who are looking to advance in a specific career field where they've had plenty of past experience
• Functional formats help you highlight skills that could land you a position in a different field.
• Combination formats are helpful when you're looking to showcase both your experience and your skills. This could be beneficial for a new position, or advancing on your current career path.

By arranging your format to cater to the job you're applying for, you can include all the necessary details without distracting content.

3. Outline the Sections

Once you decide on the perfect resume format, you should create an outline. Here, you don't have to write the resume or use an online resume maker. Instead, you'll create a list of the overall categories for your resume.

Right Way: List the sections you want to include, at least your contact information, training, and experience.

Wrong Way: Don't write out everything you've ever done, especially if something like a job description isn't relevant.

If you want to include more sections, you can. Either way, list the sections so that you can determine how to type up a resume.

Contact Information

Your contact information will go at the top of your resume. This section should include your name, a professional email, and a phone number. That way, employers can contact you if they want to schedule an interview.

You don't need to include your mailing address or all of your phone numbers and email addresses. Be sure to omit any email addresses that aren't professional. If you don't have a professional one, you can create one for free.

Training and Education

The next thing you should cover is your training or education section, which can include traditional degrees or professional certificates. You should list where you received the training, the subject, and when you completed the program.

If you received any honors or a distinction, like cum laude, you can also include that. You may also want to include any relevant minors or secondary certificates.

Work Experience

Relevant work experience can help you land your next job, so your resume needs it, no matter the format. Be sure to include your employer, job title, and where you worked. You'll also want to list a few points from the job description.

If you're new to the field or just out of college, you may not have relevant experience. However, you can include your most recent jobs, and you can include duties that are somewhat relevant to the job you want.

If you have space on your resume, you may want to include a relevant skills section. This can be a great option if you don't have industry job experience. List your skills and start with the most relevant ones so that they can stand out.

Consider including information on where you learned your skills, such as in a class or an extracurricular program. Then, your employer can see you as a more well-rounded candidate.

Awards and Achievements

If you've earned awards or have other relevant achievements, you can use those to make a good resume. List the award or achievement and when and where you earned it. You can also include a description on how it relates to the job you want.

Creating a resume without much industry experience is difficult. Luckily, achievements can help you stand out without having had a relevant job.

If you still have space on your resume, consider including references or other information. You should make sure whatever you add is relevant to the job you want to apply for. However, adding extra details, like your LinkedIn profile, can help you stand out.

When you have a full resume, you don't need to add more. You don't want to make it harder for a potential employer to read through a long work resume.

4. Choose Where to Build a Resume

Next, you should determine how to make a professional resume, specifically where. Using an online resume tool can provide you with the freedom and expertise to make your candidacy stand out amongst the rest.

Word and photoshop may be challenging to work with when trying to enhance a template. Online resume makers like CVmaker simplify this process by providing you with professional templates that you can easily fill in and customize.

Right Way: Consider how you want to format the resume and write it so that you can choose the best option.

Wrong Way: Don't choose the first template or resume builder and hope it works because it may not be right for you.

Writing a resume yourself can be a great option, but it does take time. So compare your options to get the best results.

Resume Creator

You can find an online resume creator that will design and format everything for you. On CVmaker all you need to provide is the information, and the resume generator will do the rest. It can create a file that you can download and use for job applications.

You can choose from an array of templates to generate your own resume, or you can use a resume writing service that helps create a tailor-made resume which will stand out. These resumes include keyword optimization, professional content, and a quick 4 day turnaround time. If you aren't satisfied with your resume, the service includes 3 revisions to perfect your image.

Microsoft Word

If you would prefer resume writing yourself, Microsoft Word is a great option. You can choose from tons of resume templates, or you can build a resume from scratch. That way, the job resume will look exactly how you want it.

While you'll write the resume in a document, you can then export it in a variety of file types. That can come in handy if employers require different file formats for applicant resumes.

Google Docs

Google Docs is an excellent alternative to Microsoft Word because it has similar features. However, it's free to use, and you can access different templates. You'll be able to write the document and then export it as a Word Document or PDF.

Using Google Docs is great for people who don't have Word or don't want to use it. You can still create a personal resume that you can use for many job applications.

Adobe InDesign

Adobe InDesign is a great option for graphic designers and other artists. You can use it to create a unique resume that will stand out from the competition. You'll be able to design the resume from scratch so that you can avoid copying others.

If you want to apply for a more creative position, Adobe InDesign is great. You don't have to settle for a resume template, and you can use a design that will attract your ideal employer.

Though Microsoft, Google, and Adobe resume makers offer great opportunities for resume building, they can be complex and difficult to manage. In addition, you may not be creating content for employers, but focusing more on what you'd like to see.

Resume creators like CVmaker pinpoint exactly what employers are looking for, limiting the risks of creating an irrelevant or undesirable resume.

So, what makes a great resume and what do you really need in order to create one? CVmaker has all the features that will help you stand out from the crowd including:

• Sleek and professional template choices
• Unique presentation of information
• Inputs for relevant and job specific personal information

You may think you know what an employer is looking for when creating a resume on your own, but with the assistance of a resume creator like CVmaker you can be confident that your resume will make a lasting impression

5. Design the Header

Take a look at your name and contact information so that you can input it into the header. Once you choose a template or resume generator, you only need to type this out.

Right Way: Fill out the contact information in place of the example contact that the template gives.

Wrong Way: Don't create an extravagant header that's hard to read or takes up too much space.

Your header should be easy to read, and it should take up just enough space to grab someone's attention. Then, it should lead right into the next section.

6. Write Your Objective

You don't always need to write an objective, but it can be a great addition to your resume. The objective allows you to describe the job you want and why.

Right Way: Include the job title you want and why you're a good fit.

Wrong Way: Don't share your life story here; keep it short.

If you don't have much space, you can leave out the objective, but having one can help give you direction when writing a resume.

7. List Your Job Experience

Your next section can focus on your job experience, and you can list jobs based on the format you choose.

Right Way: Start with your most recent job for a chronological resume or most relevant for a functional resume.

Wrong Way: Don't list every job you've ever had, especially if it was a high school job and not relevant.

Your job experience can show recruiters and managers what you've done and make sure you're a good employee.

8. Outline Your Education

If you have relevant education or training, you can also include that below or above the experience section.

Right Way: Include the degree or certificate, the field of study, where, and when you received it.

Wrong Way: Feel free to exclude any education or training that doesn't help you get the job.

Sharing your education is great if you don't have much professional experience. And it can show you're willing to learn.

9. Include Your Activities

If you have relevant activities, such as clubs or organizations, you may want to add those to your resume.

Right Way: Focus on activities that relate to the job you're applying for and where and when you did them.

Wrong Way: Don't list every activity you've ever done.

Including your activities is a great way to show you have more experience, even if you haven't worked that much.

10. Add Your Awards

Along with activities, you may want to include any awards or achievements as they relate to your job.

Right Way: Share the award title and who gave it to you.

Wrong Way: Don't include irrelevant awards or awards that don't add anything to your resume.

Including awards can be a great way to stand out, but make sure they don't distract from your other experiences.

11. List Your Personal Interests

You may have other interests that you've never received an award for or been in a club with that focus. But you can still incorporate them to make a good resume.

Right Way: Consider interests or hobbies that add to your application like learning languages or knowing about personal finance.

Wrong Way: You don't need to include every hobby you have because some might not help you in the job.

Sharing your personal interests can help humanize you, and it can show there's more to you than your work.

12. Include Your References

If your resume is already a page or longer, you don't need to include references. However, they can be a great option for how to fill out a resume.

Right Way: Get relevant references, such as employers or professors, then add their name, phone, and email.

Wrong Way: Ask all references before you include them, and avoid including relatives as references.

Adding references can be a great way to build a resume, but be sure you ask first.

13. Use Relevant Keywords

As you go through your resume, check to see if you can add any relevant keywords.

Right Way: Think like an employer and use words or terms they might want to look for.

Wrong Way: Don't stuff keywords just anywhere; make sure they do serve a purpose.

Adding keywords to your resume is a great way to catch a recruiter's eye, and it can help make your resume stand out.

What Are the Next Steps After Writing a Resume?

After you finish writing a quick resume, you aren't quite done. You need to make sure you follow a few steps after the writing process. That way, employers will want to read your resume and contact you for an interview.

Format the Resume

If you didn't start with a template, now's the time to proofread and format everything. Make sure your header is slightly bigger than the body text. You can use bullet points when listing job duties or activities to make them easier to read.

Consider bolding the job titles as well so that they're easy to find. If your resume is more than a page or two, you should cut out some things, like activities or personal interests. That way, you can focus on the most important details.

Export as a PDF

Most employers will want to receive a PDF resume when you submit it electronically. Even if you use a word processor, you should export a PDF version so that employers can open it anywhere.

The PDF is also great for printing in case you need to submit a resume by mail or in person. And it will help your potential manager print the resume if they want to.

Use a Unique Save Name

If you will need to email your resume or submit it online, make sure to choose a unique name for the file. While it may be the only resume on your computer, companies can receive dozens or hundreds of them.

Instead of naming the file "Resume" or something similar, include your name. You can also include the job title or date of the file. That way, it will be easier for a hiring manager to find once they download it to their computer.

View the Resume

After you save the file and export it, you should view it to make sure it looks good. Then, you can see if it cuts anything off or if there's an odd page break. If there are any issues, you can correct them and save the new version.

Be sure to check how the resume looks on your computer and after printing it out. That way, you can cover all of your bases.

Some Final Advice:

Before sending off your resume, you'll want to make sure you do the following:

• Read over your content carefully and make sure it is free of any spelling or grammatical errors. These could result in an immediate denial of your application.
• Make sure you are highlighting skills and experience that is relevant to the job you are applying for. Generally, employers will spend less than a minute reviewing a resume, so it's important to quickly hit all of the necessary points.
• Have a close friend or previous employer read over your resume to see what they think. Getting a second opinion could offer a new perspective on your resume and provide an outlook you may not have previously considered.

Key Takeaways on How to Create a Resume

Knowing how to write a good resume is crucial for finding a job in any industry and with any level of experience. Whether you use a resume generator or write it yourself, making a resume that stands out can mean the difference between landing your dream job or not.

If you know how to make a good resume, you won't have to struggle to find a job. Instead, someone may see your resume and know you're the perfect fit.

FAQs on How to Make a Resume for a Job

While you should know how to create a resume step-by-step, you may still have questions about the process. Here are a few common questions job seekers have and their answers.

What Makes a Strong Resume?

A strong resume is one that includes an honest look at your soft and hard skills and experience. It should also grab someone's attention and be easy to scan and read quickly because recruiters don't have much time to go through each one.

Your resume should cover your professional experience, education, and any other relevant details. You may also want to create a unique resume for each job to pair with a unique cover letter so that you can talk about that specific position.

Which Are Red Flags on a Resume?

Even if you know how to type a resume, you may still have to deal with red flags, like gaps in your employment or frequent job changes. Having to leave a job suddenly can also be a red flag for employers, but you can overcome these.

If you can fill the gaps with education or other activities, you may be able to explain the issue. And you can find cover letter templates to help explain.

What's the Best Template for a Resume?

The best resume template depends on you and your goals. If you're new to the workforce, you may want to use a functional resume so that you can focus on education or awards. On the other hand, someone with experience can list their jobs in reverse-chronological order.

Combining the two formats can be an excellent compromise. The top of your resume can stay the same, but you can customize the body to fit each job you apply to.

How Do I Get My Resume Noticed?

Using relevant keywords is a great way to get your resume noticed by companies that use an applicant tracking system. But you should also focus on relevant accomplishments and use action verbs to attract people who read the resume.

Cover your work history or GPA and review any soft skills that you can emphasize, then send it to career experts to get their opinions. That way, you can make sure you don't miss anything.

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Here’s How to Write a Resume for Your Very First Job (Plus, an Example!)

So you’re applying to your first job and you’ve gotten to the portion of the job application that reads, “Upload resume here” or “Email your resume to...” Now what?

Don’t sweat it. Literally every single person who has ever submitted a resume started with a blank page at some point. They likely also had the same questions you might be thinking about right now: What exactly is a resume? How do I make a resume ? What information goes on one? How do I talk about my experience? What if I’ve never had a “real” job before? How long should it be ?

But don’t fret. With a few tips on what information to include (and how) and some simple formatting guidelines, you’ll be well on your way to writing a resume for your first job.

What Is a Resume?

Let’s start by setting the stage. A resume is a document that lists your education, experience, and skills with a focus on what’s important to the job you’re applying for. Your resume is your unique story, a staple in your job search tool kit, and a major component of most job applications you will submit. It’s a living document that continues to grow as your career does.

When it’s done right, your resume clearly and concisely tells a future employer what you can bring to a new role and company. In a job search, a resume is typically the first point of contact between you and the company you want to work for. And your first impression can determine whether or not you move on to the next step in the hiring process—usually an interview —so it’s worth putting in the time to make sure it’s a great one.

While resumes can come in all shapes and sizes—and as a recruiter, believe me, I have seen them all—there’s one thing effective, impactful resumes have in common. They tell your story in a digestible way that grabs the reader’s attention and makes them start to think, “Yes, I could see this person in this role. I'd like to learn more.”

What Goes on a Resume?

While every resume has different content based on your experience, skills, background, and education, most resumes have the same basic parts. Grouping the information on your resume into clearly defined sections helps the reader find the information they need to best assess your potential as a candidate.

Here are the basic sections to help you organize a resume for your first job:

Name and Contact Information

The top of every resume should clearly state your full name and the best contact information for the recruiter or hiring manager to get in touch with you, including an email address and phone number.

Your email should be simple and professional. Stick to your first, middle, and last name or initials and maybe some numbers if you’re having trouble finding a name-initial combo that works or isn’t already taken. Double-check that your voicemail is set up on the phone number you provide and the mailbox isn’t full. Also revisit the outgoing message: Is it clear that whoever calls you has reached the right person? Is the message something you would want your future employer to hear? Both the email and voicemail should be ones you actually check so you can respond to possible employers promptly.

Depending on what experience you have, what jobs you’re applying for, and what you want to share, you can also include your LinkedIn profile or the URL for an online portfolio or personal website in the header as well.

Read More: Here’s Exactly What Should Be Included in Your Resume’s Header

Resume Summary (Optional)

Right under your contact information, you can consider including a resume summary : a few sentences that clearly and concisely describe who you are as a candidate. This is where you can highlight things like your organization skills and drive, your passion for the industry you’re applying to, and some key skills. If you choose to include a resume summary, you should use strong adjectives and descriptors to best paint a picture for the reader.

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

On a resume, education can include high school, college degrees, certificates, and specialized programs. List what school or program you attended, the area of study and/or degree you got or will get, any honors or awards you received, and the year you completed or expect to complete your education.

If your education relates directly to the role you’re applying to, it can also make sense to include some of the courses you completed or a major project that shows you putting what you learned into action. For example, if you’re applying to do construction work, you might want to talk about the projects you completed and skills you learned in a woodshop or similar class.

Education can show up in a few different places on your resume depending on what you studied or are studying, how related it is to what you are applying to, and when it happened. If you’re still in school or have recently graduated, you should consider putting your education section just after your summary or contact information. If you’re more than a few years past completing your education, and it doesn’t directly relate to what you’re applying to, it can be included below your related experience section or sections.

Read More: How to (and How Not to) List Education on Your Resume

Your past experience will take up the bulk of your resume. For most resumes, this means past jobs, so if you’re making a resume for your first “real” job, you might be worried about what to include. But jobs aren’t the only thing that count as experience. The goal of your resume is to include experiences that show your specific and unique perspective, skills, and the value you will bring to the new role—regardless of whether you were paid for them or if you did the work formally as part of an organization.

On your first resume, you should definitely include past jobs if you’ve had them, including things that aren’t in the industry you’re applying to and less formal paid experiences like babysitting or mowing lawns in your neighborhood. But your experience section can also talk about volunteering; school organizations, teams, and clubs; internships; class projects or capstone classes or projects; and any one-off special projects, gigs, or personal pursuits that relate to the types of roles you’re applying for.

For example, if you volunteered to support event planning for the fundraisers at a local nonprofit and you’re applying for a role that includes time management and meeting coordination, you should include that volunteer experience on your resume. Or if you’ve designed your family and friend’s event invitations with InDesign and are applying to a job where graphic design and design program experience is a plus, these experiences belong in this section! If you’re still stuck, think about your student groups, hobbies, and activities you’ve participated in. These likely require skills like organization, time management, and communication in addition to the skills required to participate, and these are experiences you can list on your resume.

If you have different types of experience to share, you can break them up under more than one section heading. Headers can include things like “Work Experience,” “Volunteer Experience,” or “Related Experience,” or be thematic like “Customer Service Experience,” “Event and Program Planning,” or “Leadership Experience.”

Start by figuring out what your most important experiences are for the job you’re applying for. To do this, thoroughly read the job description. Then, identify which of the experiences, skills, and qualities emphasized are ones you already have. It might help to make a resume outline or use a resume worksheet to write out everything in one place before making your actual resume. Then you can easily tailor your resume, or select what matters most, for each job you apply to.

Read More: What It Really Means to “Tailor Your Resume”

That’s what you include in your experience section—now let’s talk about how to include it. For each experience you should list your position, the organization you worked for (if applicable), and when you did the work. Under this, you should describe what you did, usually in bullet-point format.

One mistake I’ve seen from candidates is that they assume others just understand what a job they’ve had entails, which just isn’t the case. Your resume should very clearly spell out your past experience to show why it will make you successful in the role you are applying for. Most of the time that means you have to highlight transferable skills, which are useful in multiple settings and jobs but sometimes need translating to make their value clear. Make sure you’re explaining any jargon or industry-speak to help make the experience more relatable (unless you’re applying for a job in the same industry).

When thinking about how your experience is transferable, break down the nitty-gritty of what you did and how you could use those practices and skills in different settings. For example, don’t assume the hiring manager will guess why babysitting will help you be successful in an office setting. Say that when you were babysitting, you were managing kid’s schedules, coordinating activities, and communicating with other kids’ caretakers to organize transportation. Then you can explain how this translates to being able to navigate multiple priorities, manage calendars, communicate effectively with different people, and anticipate needs.

Make your bullet points impactful by stating actions and results. Actions are what you actually did and how; the results are what you achieved and what actually happened because of your actions. Wherever you can, add numbers and context to best highlight the impact of your experience. Bullet points should also lead with powerful, descriptive action verbs , and avoid first-person language.

For example, you might say:

• Coordinate with up to 10 external vendors to confirm and schedule delivery of supplies (using Calendly)

While your entire resume should show off your skills, you may also want to include a skills section. This can appear as a list or in bullet form and usually includes hard skills, technical skills, and language skills. This section can help when a recruiter is using software to scan your resume for keywords (more on that later) or when someone only has a short amount of time to read your resume and find your most important skills. So don’t be afraid to talk about a skill in your experience, education, or resume summary section and also list it in your skills section.

Hard skills can include things like project management, event planning, graphic design, calendar management, customer service, cashiering, or different driver’s licenses. Which ones are most important depend on the job you’re applying to, so make sure you’re looking at the job descriptions.

Technical skills can overlap with hard skills but generally refer to specific software, tools, systems, and coding languages you have experience with. For example, if you’re experienced in graphic design, you should note which specific programs you’ve used. Again, check the job description to see which technical skills you need for the job. A few examples of technical skills for your first job might include: Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint; G Suite; Slack or any other communication platforms; Asana, Trello, Airtable, or other project management tools; Adobe Photoshop; and Salesforce.

Language skills include any language you can speak, read, and/or write with reasonable fluency. Even if it’s not listed on the job description, noting what languages you speak (other than English) and at what level can be an advantage. For example, if you’re applying to a job where you need to interact with customers in an area where many people speak Spanish and you also speak Spanish, this will help you work more effectively and efficiently.

Even if a skill feels very basic to you, it can still be worth mentioning, especially if it’s in the job description. In my experience, one of the biggest challenges people face in crafting a resume, or in describing why their experience is important, is that they tend to devalue what they do every day because it becomes second nature.

Finally, stay away from listing skills just because they sound good. Instead, list only skills you actually have. If you can describe where you learned a skill and how you’ve used it in the past, you probably have enough experience with it to list on your resume.

How to Format Your Resume

Recruiters read lots of resumes and don’t always have a lot of time to spend on each one. So you want to ensure they can decipher your resume quickly and effectively. The following formatting guidelines and tips will help you achieve this.

Keep It to One Page

Since this is your first (or one of your first) jobs, your resume shouldn’t be more than one page . If your content is spilling onto a second page, ask yourself: Is all of this information important and necessary for the role I’m applying for? Am I describing my education and experience as concisely as possible?

On the flip side, don’t include filler to take up the whole page if you don’t have more experiences that actually add value to your resume.

Focus on Readability

You want to format your resume so it’s quick and easy to read—that using means bullet points, a healthy dose of white space (think how your eyes react to a large block of text), and clear headers to denote resume sections so the reader can scan and identify relevant information.

Design-heavy resumes have become more popular, and while a splash of color or simple design element can make your resume stand out in a stack, too much can be distracting and may not translate well to certain applicant tracking systems (ATS)—databases of job applications that employers can search to find the most promising candidates. This resume-scanning software has trouble finding and reading text on heavily designed documents, and you could lose out on being picked up by a keyword search, which is often the first review of a resume.

Read More: Beat the Robots: How to Get Your Resume Past the System & Into Human Hands

Capitalize on Valuable Real Estate

The top third of your resume is what the recruiter will see first, so you want to make sure the content on this part of the page makes them want to keep reading.

The very top should include your name and contact information. If you’re including a summary, that comes next. Then, you have a choice: You could lead with your education, your skills, or your most recent or most applicable experience. When deciding, think about what will best demonstrate how you’re a great fit for the role you’re applying to: Is your coursework the thing most aligned with the job? Or is it that volunteer work you’ve been doing? Or maybe it’s a combination of skills you’ve picked up in different ways.

Consider the Best Way to Organize Your Resume

The top of your resume is what a hiring manager will see first, but you also want to think about the best way to present your information overall. There are three main formats to consider:

• Chronological : The most common resume format, this is where you list your experience in reverse chronological order, separated by job or position, starting with the most recent (or current). In this format, your skills section would come after your experience.
• Functional : In this format, you would spend the bulk of your resume highlighting your most relevant skills followed by a brief section outlining your experiences. If you don’t have any past jobs, you may want to consider a functional resume since it has less of an emphasis on individual positions.
• Combination : Just like it sounds, this format combines both chronological and functional approach in which you highlight relevant skills at the top of your resume and then list your experience in reverse chronological order. This format can be beneficial if your most recent experience isn’t related to what you’re applying for.

Read More: Your Complete Guide to Resume Formats (and How to Pick the Best One for You!)

Be Consistent With Your Formatting

While there are no hard and fast rules about when to bold or italicize, what size the actual bullet points should be, or how many tabs you use, it is important to stay consistent in whatever you choose. If you decide to bold your job titles, make sure you do so throughout your resume. The same goes for any other formatting decision. This makes your resume more organized and easier to read.

Check Out This Sample Resume

So what does it all look like at the end? Here’s a sample resume to help you visualize how utilizing strong resume formatting for readability, including impactful resume sections, and thoughtfully and strategically describing your experience in concise bullets points can help you create a resume for your first job.

In this example combination resume, the person is applying for front desk coordinator positions in a medical office.

Download resume sample here

Before submitting your resume for your first job, the final step is to make sure you edit and proofread it. Reading your resume out loud and asking for some assistance from a second set of eyes can be helpful.

Now that you’ve made your first resume, it’ll only get easier. Remember that your resume is truly a living document and you’ll want to make a practice out of updating it and tailoring it to every job as your experience and career build. But you don’t have to start with a completely blank page ever again.

How To Start a Resume in 10 Easy Steps [Beginner’s Guide]

Sometimes, there’s nothing scarier than a blank page waiting to be filled - especially when it comes to figuring out how to start a resume. 

For every position that you apply for, you will need to stand out in a pile of applications through your professional experience, achievements, and education, to impress recruiters. 

Just thinking about all this may make starting your resume seem like a Herculean task. 

This is exactly why we’ve compiled this article.

• #1. Create Your Resume Outline
• #2. Fix Up The Formatting
• #3. Pick The Right Resume Format
• #4. Start Your Resume Contents With a Contact Information Section
• #5. Pick Between Resume Objective or Summary
• #6. List Your Past Work Experience
• #7. Move On To The Education Section
• #8. Spice Up Your Resume With Your Skills
• #9. Add These Optional Sections 
• #10. Start Applying 

Step #1. Create Your Resume Outline

So, how to start a resume? 

Deciding what to include and what to leave out when you start to write a resume can be tough, whether you’re a professional or a beginner. 

As a professional, you might struggle to choose among achievements and skills to include in your resume. Whereas as a beginner you might have issues filling up the gaps due to lack of work experience. 

Either way, figuring out what exactly to include when you start your resume isn’t easy.

That’s why we recommend starting your resume by creating a job-winning resume outline . A resume outline will help you by providing a clearly defined structure you can follow when you start to write your resume. 

The resume outline makes the process a lot easier by helping you decide on: 

• What resume format to use
• Which resume sections to include
• What information to select

Each of these elements will help you start your resume exactly according to your profile. For example, a professional with years of work experience would go for the reverse-chronological format, while a recent college graduate could opt for the skills-based resume format. 

Once you have decided on the format, knowing which sections to use and what information to select becomes considerably easier. 

A typical resume’s sections include:

• A contact information section 
• A resume summary or objective 
• Work, and relevant experience 
• Skill and certifications
• And additional sections - if you have space.

We will be going through all the main resume formats, sections, and other relevant information in detail below but first, rejoice - your resume skeleton is ready and you can now start writing your resume! 

Step #2. Fix Up The Formatting 

Before we jump into the technicalities, let’s talk style and appearance! 

Yes, it’s what’s on the inside that counts, but when it comes to resumes, sloppy-looking formatting can put you into a make-it-or-break-it kind of situation. The recruiter won’t be too at fault to think you won’t be suitable for the job if you haven’t taken the effort to adjust the margins or choose the best font for your resume. 

Not gonna lie - using a basic text editor to format your resume can be a hassle. One minor slip-up can make all the hours of hard work you invested in perfectly formatting your resume disappear in the blink of an eye.  

Well, there’s a solution for that too - using resume builders, such as Novorésumé. An online resume builder will completely take care of formatting your resume, thus making the process of starting a resume crazy fast. 

Step #3: Pick The Right Resume Format

There are three types of resume formats to choose from, and your choice will heavily depend on your level of experience and the type of industry you are applying for. 

That’s exactly why this step is particularly important when you start writing the resume. 

The three resume formats are: 

• Reverse Chronological resume format ; this is the most popular format among recruiters and the best fit for those who have a great deal of work experience - especially when it fits the job description you are applying for.
• Functional/skill-based resume format ; you should start writing your resume following this format if you are a student or recent graduate lacking any work experience , or if you are going through a career change and your previous working experiences are not relevant to the position.
• Combination resume format ; Do you have diverse skills or are you applying for a job that requires multi-expertise? The combination resume format is your chance to show that! A position as a Communications Expert, for example, might require you to be skilled in writing, social media, and public relations.

Out of the three, we suggest you choose the reverse-chronological resume format as the most common one among recruiters and HR managers. Nonetheless, what format you choose will eventually come down to your profile and experience. 

Due to its popularity, this article focuses on the reverse-chronological resume format. If you wish to go more in-depth into all three resume formats , follow the link! 

Step #4. Start Your Resume Contents With a Contact Information Section

This section may sound like a no-brainer, but you must get it right. Imagine being one of the HR manager’s top choices and missing out on your chance due to a spelling mistake in your email. 

For this reason, you must double-check that all the contact information you provide is correct and up-to-date. 

Now, the contact information section contains mandatory elements and optional ones. Here’s a snapshot: 

• First name/Last name
• Phone Number
• Email Address
• Professional Title (it can be either your current or desired professional title/position)
• Date of birth (unless it is specifically required)
• Unprofessional email address (you know what we mean...any nicknames, wordplay, or variants that don’t include your first and last name are considered unprofessional and will cost you points in the eyes of the recruiter) 
• Headshot (in USA, UK & Ireland)

Optional elements:  

• LinkedIn Link/ Social Media (if these are up-to-date and add value to your application, there is no harm in including them in your contact information) 

Step #5. Pick Between Resume Objective or Summary

It’s science-backed: your CV has about 7 seconds to get a recruiter’s attention. This means that you better make a good first impression, and you better make it fast. 

This is where the resume summary, or objective, comes in handy. Placed at the top of your resume, close to the contact information section, a well-crafted resume objective/summary can work miracles in grabbing the HR agent’s attention for more than 7 seconds. 

The picture below is a good example:

But where does a resume summary differ from an objective, and when to use each? 

A resume summary is a short (2-3 sentences) overview of your career so far. The summary is used in 90% of resumes, except for students, recent graduates, or those switching careers. Here’s what you would need to mention: 

• Job and years of experience.
• One or two achievements. 
• Goal or passion for choosing this specific position.

And here’s an example of what this would look like on your resume: 

• Sports journalist with +10 years of experience in covering international tournaments. Successfully covered the 2004 Athens Olympics and the UEFA Euro 2016. Looking to expand my knowledge as a sports correspondent by reporting on a wider range of athletic activities.  

A resume objective , on the other hand, represents the goal of your resume. Through the objective, you can explain what motivates you to get into the field, as well as what you can offer. As mentioned above, the resume objective is perfect for those with little work experience or those who are changing careers. To compile it, we suggest using the following formula when you start writing your resume:

• Skill, education, or certification that is relevant to the position.
• Years/months of relevant experience for the position at the company.
• Types of responsibilities you will be able to help with.  

Here’s a concrete example for a recent graduate’s resume: 

• Motivated graduate with a B.A. in Political Science and International Relations from the University of Greenwich seeking an opportunity to engage in academic political research. 1-year internship at the UK Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Public Diplomacy Department. Looking to expand my knowledge of international relations and practically assist with research, at the Centre for Defense and International Security Studies think-tank.

Step #6. List Your Past Work Experience

Listing your work experience is practically the most important part of a resume and mastering this section means you will be able to ‘sell’ yourself - your experiences, responsibilities, and achievements - in the most HR-friendly manner. 

Not sure how to do that? Several practices will help your resume stand out, but first, let’s go over the basics of the work experience section. 

The typical work experience section format goes like this:

• Job Title/Position - it serves the purpose of showing the recruiter evaluating your resume that you have previous experience.
• Company/Location/Description - give information about your previous/current employer, the place where you worked, and potentially a brief description of the company (if it is not well-known).  
• Achievements and Responsibilities - this is your chance to shine by showcasing your strengths and skills. As a rule of thumb, it is better to list achievements over responsibilities.
• Dates Employed - this is the time you spent working for each company. The Applicant Tracking System recognizes the mm/yyyy format, so we advise that you follow it.  

And here’s how that would look like in your resume: 

And remember: work experiences should always be listed in reverse-chronological order; start with the most recent one and go all the way back to the past - well, depending on your level of experience. 

Now that you know the basics, here are some tips on how to take your work experience to the next level in the eyes of the HR manager. 

List Achievements Over Responsibilities

Focus on showing the recruiter your achievements over your responsibilities, whenever you can. Here’s what that means. 

HR managers will probably have a general idea of the responsibilities you had in your past positions. If you were a sales manager, for example, some of your responsibilities probably were: 

• Reach out to potential clients and maintain relations with existing ones
• Track and report on leads on Customer Relationship Manager. 

Thing is, you don’t want your work experience section to look like any other ex-sale manager’s resume, but the fact is the majority of work responsibilities are similar, if not the same. 

So, instead, what you do to impress is list your achievements, which in this case would be to show how you helped the company grow, among others. 

• Generated $25,000 in sales for the company during my first month. 
• Exceeded company sales KPIs by 40% for six consecutive months. 
• Reached out to potential clients by email
• Tracked leads on CRM 

Of course, some jobs don’t provide many ways to distinguish yourself, and so there might not be that many achievements for you to mention. If, say, you worked in a supermarket, your day to day responsibilities probably involved: 

• Categorizing and packing products into shelves 
• Helping customers find products 
• Attaching price tags and description tags 

In cases like this, sticking to your responsibilities is fine. 

Tailor Your Resume to the Job 

So, there’s another thing standing between you and the recruiter - the Applicant Tracking System. The ATS helps companies scan through all the resumes they receive daily. So this is another thing to consider getting out of the way right as you start writing your resume. 

If you’re now thinking there’s no point in perfecting your resume if a software is going to evaluate it, we do have some good news: there are ways to pass the ATS if you tailor your work experience section to the job requirements. 

Let’s cover an example from a job ad as an Operations Assistant at the UN Women Organization, with the following requirements: 

• At least 3 years of experience in administration, finance, procurement, etc. 
• Experience in (MS Word, Excel, etc.)
• Fluency in English 
• Strong IT and web management skills 

If you have the required skills and experience, mention them in your resume and consider your resume tailored for the job. 

How Much Work Experience is Necessary? 

We mentioned this before - knowing what information to keep and what to leave out might be tricky. And considering the work experience section is the most important, getting this right matters. 

Well, the amount of information you mention will go hand in hand with your level of experience. So: 

Entry-level candidates should list all the work experiences up to the point of application. 

Mid-level professionals should only list work experience relevant to the position. 

Senior professionals should list a MAXIMUM of 15 years of relevant work experience. 

Step #7. Move On to the Education Section

Your resume's education section comes second per its importance. 

As with the other steps, let’s go over the basics of formatting and then some tips on how to make the best out of your academic skills. 

• Program Name: E.g. “B.A. in Computer Science”
• University Name: E.g. “University of Colorado”
• Period Attended: E.g. “08/1212 - 05/2016”
• (Optional) GPA: E.g. “3.8 GPA”
• (Optional) Honors: E.g. “Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, Summa Cum Laude
• (Optional) Academic Achievements: E.g. Any publications you may have, or courses you have excelled in. 
• (Optional) Minor: E.g. “Minor in Information Systems” 

Here is an example: 

Step #8. Spice Up Your Resume With Your Skills

The ‘skills’ section is your chance to spice things up by showing the HR manager any additional advantage you may have that makes you perfect for the job. 

There are two types of skills you can list on your resume: 

Hard skills , or measurable abilities. These can range from coding in C++ to being an excellent Italian cuisine chef. 

Soft skills , or personal skills. These can be personality traits and social traits, career attributes, or communication skills. 

How to List Skills in Your Resume 

These are the top three steps to follow when listing skills in your resume : 

Step #1: Hard skills are measured with experience levels, meaning you want to mention your proficiency level for every hard skill you list. They are usually categorized into Beginner , Intermediate , Advanced and Expert levels . 

Step #2: Tailor your skills to your job. As with the work experience, try to tailor your skills in relevance to the position. A way to do this is by checking some of the must-have skills listed in the job ad and make sure to mention each and every skill for which you are qualified, with its relevant proficiency level. 

Step #3: Don’t forget to include some “universal” skills - namely, skills relevant to any kind of job out there. These can include both soft skills (leadership, teamwork, attention to detail) and hard skills (MS Office, Adobe Pack, etc). 

Take a look at how hard and soft skills are listed through the Novoresume online resume builder: 

Step #9. Add These Optional Sections

So far, we have basically covered all resume must-haves. 

The following optional sections won’t be a priority when you start to write your resume, however, they can turn out to be the cherry on top if you have them and if you have the space to list them. 

Here are some of them: 

Languages: The more, the merrier. If you speak two or more languages, don’t fail to put that in your resume. To list them, simply categorize your proficiency level into native , fluent , proficient , intermediate , or basic . 

Hobbies & Interests: Although more personal than the rest of the sections, it doesn’t hurt to show a bit of your personality if you have the additional space in your resume. With a bit of luck, you and the recruiter may even share a hobby .

Volunteering Experience: Studies show that volunteering experience actually raises your chances of getting hired . In addition to showing that you are an individual motivated by more than just money, volunteering experience can be particularly great if you have recently graduated and have otherwise little work experience, or if you have an employment gap. 

Certification & Awards: If you have awards that make you stand out in your field or certifications from experts and if they are relevant to your position, don’t hesitate to show them off! For example, if you’re an architect prized with the Global Award for Development Architecture - well, that’s definitely something you want to include in your resume. 

Step #10. Start Applying!

And just like that, we can officially congratulate you for successfully starting - and finishing - your resume.

Chances are, if you got these tips right, you will land any job you go for. So go ahead and start applying!  

Key Takeaways 

That’s a wrap! Here’s the brief version of what we covered in this article:

• Before starting your resume, create an outline. It will provide you a skeleton to make the process of filling up each section much easier! 
• A typical resume’s sections include a contact information section , a resume summary or objective , work and relevant experience , education , skills , and additional sections - if you have space.
• If possible, use the reverse-chronological order resume format. That is unless you’re a recent graduate or an entry-level professional - in that case, the functional or skill-based formats might be a better fit for you. 
• Your past work experience should also start with your latest job, while the education section with the latest education entry. As a rule of thumb, start with your latest relevant experiences and go back as far as it’s relevant to the recruiter and the position you are applying for! 

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How to Write a Beginner Resume Summary with No Experience [Examples]

Customers Interviewed by:

When you’re diving into the job market with limited experience, writing a strong resume is key to landing your dream job. A well-written resume starts with a resume summary —the elevator pitch that shows the reader your greatest accomplishments, skills, and passions. A beginner summary for your resume is the starting point to wow-ing the hiring team and proving you’re the best candidate for the job.

An entry-level or beginner resume isn’t about listing everything you’ve accomplished or can do. Instead, it’s a strategic dance of weaving together your enthusiasm, soft skills, and unique experience. Then, you connect it to the job description and what the hiring manager is looking for.

• What a resume summary is.
• The critical components of a resume summary.
• Step-by-step instructions on how to write an entry-level or beginner summary for resumes.
• Examples and templates of successful resume summaries.

Understanding the resume summary for beginners

Your resume summary is a snapshot of your professional life—only 3 to 5 sentences—curated with each job description in mind. Job seekers include their professional title, years of experience, skills , and measurable achievements to entice the recruiter to read the rest of the resume.

As you navigate the job search, you’ll see how your resume summary is one of the most valuable sections of your resume.

What is an entry-level resume summary?

When you’re an entry-level applicant, the snapshot summary likely isn’t full of accolades, impactful accomplishments, or advanced skills. Rather, an effective resume summary for a beginning job seeker highlights an eagerness to learn, adaptability, and growth potential.

For entry-level applicants, “It’s not just about bullet points and job titles; it’s about weaving together the threads of your journey, painting a picture of resilience, ambition, and growth,” says Harleny Vasquez , a visionary Career Coach and CEO of yourEVOLVEDmind. “It’s a chance to showcase not just what you’ve done, but who you are and where you’re headed. Each section is a story, each accomplishment a milestone on the path you’ve forged with passion and purpose.”

The purpose of an entry-level summary

A professional summary is the attention-grabbing highlight reel. A successful summary keeps the hiring team reading your resume to learn more about you. In a hot job market where standing out is critical, resume summaries can be a positive differentiator.

Resume summaries provide key context to your resume. It helps the hiring manager frame your candidacy in their mind—they learn why you’re applying, how your skill set translates to the job, and key accomplishments that show you off in the best light. Many other applicants are jumping from the resume headline into the work experience, losing out on the opportunity to capture the hiring team right away.

Want to see examples of resume summaries for any stage of your career? Read 86+ Resume Summary Examples to Inspire You

Resume summary vs. objective

Resume summary and resume objective are often used interchangeably, but the two are very different. They serve different purposes and are used to convey different types of information.

Resume objective

A resume objective states your career goals and the type of position you are seeking. It is forward-looking and focuses on what you want to achieve in your career.

Primarily, it includes your career aspirations and what you aim to contribute to the employer.

For example, a resume objective could say something like:

Seeking a position as a Marketing Coordinator to utilize my skills in digital marketing and content creation in a dynamic, growth-oriented company.

Recruiters and career coaches argue against the resume objective because it’s more focused on the applicant, rather than the company you’re applying to.

Kelli Hrivnak , Founder of the boutique recruitment firm, Knack Digital shares, “I never like to see a resume objective on a resume. An employer is seeking an employee who will solve their problem, as opposed to prioritizing the wants and needs of the applicant.”

Jazlyn Unbedacht , Resume Writer and LinkedIn Optimizer argues we should just get rid of resume objectives altogether. “I’m not sure why they ever were a thing to begin with. Harness expertise from other experiences in your life, like education, volunteer work, hobby pursuits, and more and use that to create a short summary of what you can bring to the table as an employee.”

Resume summary

A resume summary provides a brief overview of your professional background, highlighting your key achievements and skills. It is backward-looking, summarizing what you have already accomplished in your career.

The short paragraph includes your key qualifications, experience, and major achievements. A summary is designed to quickly give employers an idea of your expertise and the value you can bring to their organization.

Many entry-level applicants and those writing beginner summaries for their resumes tend to default to objectives. They worry they have nothing impressive to highlight in their summary.

But Kelli Hrivnak urges you to think outside the box. “For job seekers who don’t have relevant work experience, can you include other experience or skills acquired in your project work instead?”

For example, Kelli suggests writing something like:

Google-certified Marketing graduate with 4 months of experience as an Audience Development intern at a nationally recognized publication firm. Grew audience engagement on Facebook by 30% by developing social strategy and initiatives.

Key pieces of a beginner resume summary

Think of your resume summary like a formula. Just like a math equation has values that you need to solve the problem, your resume summary has critical components that make it impactful to the hiring team.

Follow the formula below to write a standout summary:

Versatile [Your Professional Title] with over [X Years] of experience in [Field/Role]. Skilled in [Skill 1], [Skill 2], and [Skill 3]. Proven success in [Measurable Accomplishment 1] and [Measurable Accomplishment 2].

Tailor your resume summary

You can’t write your resume summary once and use it for every application. Your resume—including the summary—should be tailored to each job description.

To tailor your resume summary, you should read the job description closely and pick out keywords and skills to integrate into your resume. This process can take a few hours per job posting, but you can do it quickly with Jobscan’s resume optimization tools.

If you don’t have a resume and are starting from scratch, the Resume Builder tool can help you create a base resume, then you can move directly into Power Edit to tailor your resume to the job description.

Quantify your achievements

Numbers and percentages showing time or money saved, revenue generated, or team members managed can show the hiring team how you help an organization thrive, rather than telling them what you’ve done.

For example, you can write:

Boosted sales by 30% through innovative product displays and promotions, and successfully managed inventory turnover, reducing excess stock by 20%.

Use Power Words and Action Verbs

Boring word choices make it easy for the hiring team to gloss over your resume. Inspire emotion and paint a picture with the words you use. Ditch common resume words and use more powerful words instead.

Discover the best power words and action verbs to integrate into your resume: 500 Action Verbs to Use on Your Resume Today

Step-by-step guide to writing an entry-level resume summary

Even if you know the resume summary formula, how can you ensure you’re making a successful impact on the hiring team? There are a handful of steps you can follow to knock your resume summary out of the park every time.

Step 1: Do a self-assessment

Before you write your resume summary, you first have to have a firm understanding of your strengths, skill set, and achievements. Take time to think about a few dimensions of your professional journey.

Using education in your resume summary

Consider your degrees or certifications and any projects and coursework. If you’re short on hands-on experience, using experience from school or other learning can show off your experience and professional growth.

Draw on untraditional experience for your resume summary

When you’re writing a beginner summary for your resume, your experience is limited. But you can draw on volunteer work, part-time jobs, clubs, or even hobbies to link to skills the hiring manager is looking for.

Highlight your transferable skills in your summary

At the start of your career, highlight your transferable skills —or soft skills . These skills are interpersonal skills or behavioral traits you bring to every workplace. Unlike hard skills —job-specific technical skills—transferable skills are difficult to measure, but they’re still incredibly valuable at work.

Add metrics to your resume summary

Numbers and figures show concrete impact and quantify your contributions to an organization. You can use time-based metrics, efficiency metrics, growth comparisons, and more. If you’re a new grad or entering employment for the first time, draw on your other experiences of clubs, school, or volunteering to make an impact.

Increased readership by 15% during tenure as Editor-in-Chief of university magazine.

For more insights about adding metrics to your resume, read 67 Resume Accomplishments Examples to Show Your Value

Step 2: Conduct your research

To create an effectively optimized resume, you need to conduct research about the role, company, and industry.

• Dive deep into the job description : The job description always has insights into the responsibilities and qualities of the role. Often, there are details about the company’s values.
• Add the right keywords: By integrating keywords in your resume summary tailored to the company’s mission and values, you can make a powerful impression on the hiring team.
• Familiarize yourself with industry keywords, skills, and tools : Stay up to date on evolving trends and tools in your field to position yourself as the strongest candidate.

Power Edit features AI technology that not only scans your resume for keywords and skills, but provides ideas you can use to integrate them into your resume seamlessly.

Step 3: Draft your entry-level resume summary

Writing your beginner resume summary for an entry-level role can feel daunting, but you have more to offer an employer beyond traditional work experience. Think beyond your past roles and draw on other experiences to show off your value as a candidate.

Remember, you can use the following template to guide your writing:

Start with a strong introduction sentence

The first sentence needs to capture attention, so choose strong power verbs and open with the information you need the hiring manager to know.

Some examples of powerful resume summary openers include:

Recent graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from XYZ University, where I maintained a 3.8 GPA. Proven leadership skills as the President of the Business Club, organizing events attended by over 200 students. Passionate about project management, I completed a capstone project that improved campus event efficiency by 25%. Seeking an entry-level role in business operations.

Enthusiastic computer science graduate with hands-on experience in developing mobile apps as a hobby, resulting in over 10,000 downloads on the Google Play Store. Skilled in Java, Python, and Swift, with a keen interest in UI/UX design. Looking to leverage my self-taught programming skills and creativity in an entry-level software development position.

Dedicated environmental science graduate with a strong background in community service, having volunteered over 300 hours with the Green Earth Initiative. Led a tree-planting campaign that resulted in 1,000 new trees being planted in urban areas. Highly organized and committed to sustainability, seeking to start a career in environmental consulting.

Diligent Marketing graduate with over two years of part-time retail experience at ABC Store, where I consistently exceeded sales targets by 15%. Recognized for excellent customer service and awarded ‘Employee of the Month’ twice. Eager to apply my sales and marketing skills in an entry-level marketing role.

Versatile communications graduate with a strong foundation in public speaking and writing, honed through coursework and as a volunteer tutor at the local literacy center. Part-time experience as a social media coordinator, where I increased engagement by 40% across platforms. Adept at content creation and community engagement, seeking a role in public relations.

Recent graduate with a Bachelor’s in Kinesiology, combining academic excellence with leadership as the captain of the university soccer team. Coordinated training schedules and team-building activities, leading to a 30% improvement in team performance. Passionate about health and fitness, aiming to start a career in sports management.

Ambitious psychology graduate with hands-on research experience, having assisted in a faculty-led study on cognitive behavior that was published in a peer-reviewed journal. Strong analytical and statistical skills, with proficiency in SPSS. Seeking an entry-level research assistant role to further develop my expertise in psychological research.

Integrate keywords from the job description

A keyword-rich resume summary boosts your chances of showing up in ATS search results. The ATS , or applicant tracking system, houses every submitted resume for a job listing. When the hiring team looks for candidates to interview, the ATS helps them rank applicants based on keywords and skills from the job description.

“A professional summary is an amazing resource to optimize your resume with keywords and catch an employer’s attention,” claims Professional Resume Writer, Jazlyn Unbedacht .

Jobscan’s Power Edit can find keywords in the job description and help you find places to naturally integrate keywords. Below you can find an example of a keyword-rich resume summary example for inspiration.

Creative marketing graduate with strong skills in social media management and content creation . Successfully managed a university campaign that boosted social media engagement by 30%. Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite and familiar with SEO strategies . Seeking an entry-level marketing position to leverage creativity and analytical skills to support brand growth.

Avoid keyword stuffing. Adding keywords for the sake of having them can have a negative impact. If your summary isn’t authentic or personal and feels forced, your summary can be difficult to read. Strike a balance by finding other resume sections to integrate keywords.

Highlight your strengths

Your resume summary is the ideal place to humbly brag about your accomplishments . Stay honest and avoid embellishing, but put your best foot forward to make it impossible for the hiring manager not to invite you for an interview.

For example, include projects, assignments, or internships to make your beginner resume summary shine.

Natural leader and recent graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Management, achieving a 3.8 GPA. Led a student project team to complete a market analysis that was presented to local businesses, resulting in increased partnerships. Proficient in project management and team coordination. Seeking an entry-level management position to apply leadership and strategic planning skills to contribute to organizational success.

Use a resume summary generator

Include a resume summary, even when you have writer’s block. The resume summary generator in premium Power Edit can write the perfect resume summary, using content from your resume and keywords from the job description.

Here’s how it works.

If you don’t have a resume summary, you can go into the Editor and click “Generate Summary.” Using AI, the tool will write a customized resume summary highlighting all your key skills and accomplishments for the job. The AI draws on your education, skills, work experience, and certifications to create a tailored resume summary in seconds.

You can use the generated summary, or rephrase the summary until you find the variation you like best.

By the end, you’ll have an optimized resume to impress the hiring team and boost your chances of getting an interview invite.

Generate your resume summary in seconds with Power Edit and create a perfectly tailored resume for each job application.

Beginner summary for resume: Examples

Resume summary based on education

Recent high school graduate with a 3.8 GPA and a passion for technology. Completed a capstone project in computer science, developing an app that improved classroom attendance tracking by 20%. Seeking to apply technical skills and problem-solving abilities in a software development role.

Resume summaries based on volunteering

Enthusiastic volunteer with over 150 hours dedicated to community service at local food banks and shelters. Organized weekly meal distributions, aiding over 500 families. Passionate about social work and eager to contribute to a supportive team environment.

Multilingual individual fluent in English, Spanish, and French, with experience volunteering as a translator at community events. Assisted over 100 individuals in accessing services. Seeking to leverage language skills in a customer service or administrative role.

Community-focused graduate with a 3.9 GPA and extensive volunteer experience at local non-profits. Organized community clean-up events, improving local park conditions by 15%. Eager to bring organizational and community engagement skills to a professional setting.

Resume summaries based on certifications

Certified in Basic First Aid and CPR, with hands-on experience from part-time babysitting jobs. Known for reliability and excellent communication with parents. Managed schedules and provided educational activities for children, seeking to bring caregiving skills to a full-time position.

Certified in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript through online courses. Developed a personal website showcasing photography projects, increasing online portfolio traffic by 40%. Seeking to apply web development skills in a tech-related role.

Resume summary focused on extracurricular activities

Team-oriented individual with leadership experience as captain of the high school soccer team. Led the team to two state championships and organized weekly training sessions. Seeking to leverage leadership and teamwork skills in a dynamic work environment.

Learn how to incorporate extracurricular activities into your resume and read: Top Extracurricular Activities to Add to Your Resume (Samples)

Resume summary based on a mix of experience

Motivated recent graduate with a 4.0 GPA and a strong foundation in customer service from part-time work at a retail store. Volunteered at local animal shelter, managing 2 adoption events per month, increasing adoption rate by 15%. Eager to apply multitasking abilities and customer service skills to a professional role.

Resume summaries based on creative projects

Creative content creator with experience in managing a personal blog, growing its readership to 1,000 monthly visitors. Developed strong writing and content creation skills. Seeking to bring creativity and attention to detail to a marketing or content creation role.

Artistic graduate with experience in graphic design, having completed online courses in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. Designed promotional materials for school events, increasing attendance by 25%. Excited to bring artistic skills to a design or marketing team.

Resume summary based on sports activities

Dedicated and disciplined athlete with experience in competitive swimming. Managed rigorous training schedules while maintaining a 3.8 GPA. Developed time management and resilience, aiming to apply these skills in a professional setting.

Resume summaries based on academics

Recent graduate with honors in Mathematics, achieving top marks in advanced calculus and statistics courses. Participated in math competitions, placing in the top 10 regionally. Seeking to apply analytical and quantitative skills in a data analysis role.

STEM enthusiast with a strong academic background in physics and chemistry. Completed a science fair project on renewable energy, earning first place at the district level. Seeking to apply analytical and research skills in a scientific or engineering role.

Resume summary based on part-time work

Passionate about fitness and health, with part-time experience as a gym assistant. Assisted with client schedules and maintained equipment, enhancing customer satisfaction survey results to a 4.7 star average rating. Looking to bring organizational skills and passion for health to a fitness-related role.

Resume summary based on leadership in clubs

Active member of the debate club with strong public speaking and research skills. Led the team to win regional championships and mentored new members. Looking to utilize leadership and communication skills in a challenging work environment.

A summary statement for a resume is a brief introduction that highlights your key skills, experiences, and what you aim to achieve in your career. For a beginner, this statement should focus on your education, any relevant skills, internships, volunteer work, and a clear career goal. It provides a snapshot of who you are and what you bring to the table, making it easier for hiring managers to quickly see your potential. Example: “Recent Marketing graduate with a strong foundation in social media management, content creation, and data analysis. Proven ability to increase engagement and brand visibility through innovative strategies, increasing social media followers by 30% in six months. Seeking to leverage skills and knowledge to contribute to a dynamic marketing team.”

The beginning of your resume summary should immediately grab the reader’s attention. Start with a strong descriptor followed by your job title, relevant experience, or education. Mention a few key skills or achievements that align with the job you’re applying for. Example: “Highly motivated and results-oriented Computer Science graduate with hands-on experience in software development and database management. Skilled in Java, Python, and SQL, with a passion for developing efficient and scalable solutions. Developed a web application that improved process efficiency by 25%.”

A good resume profile summary is concise, focused, and tailored to the job description. It should clearly state your professional identity, highlight your key strengths and achievements, and convey your career aspirations. Use action words and quantify achievements whenever possible to make a stronger impact. Example: “Certified Project Manager with over 5 years of experience in leading cross-functional teams to deliver complex projects on time and within budget. Expert in Agile methodologies, risk management, and process optimization. Successfully managed a project portfolio worth $2 million, achieving a 95% on-time delivery rate.”

Introducing yourself in a resume summary involves providing a brief yet comprehensive overview of who you are professionally. Start with your current role or recent educational achievement, followed by your most relevant skills and a statement of your career goals. Example: “Enthusiastic and creative Graphic Designer with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and 2 years of experience in creating visually compelling digital and print media. Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite, with a keen eye for detail and a strong commitment to delivering high-quality work. Designed marketing materials that boosted client sales by 15%. Looking to contribute my design expertise to a forward-thinking company.”

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

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ABC13 Who's Hiring Job Fair focuses on trade skill jobs where you can earn while you learn

DEER PARK, Texas (KTRK) -- ABC13 Who's Hiring Job Fair is heading to Deer Park, where you can find a job or break into a career where you can earn while you learn.

A trade skill can offer hands-on experience instead of an office - a lifestyle that Aldo Capristo fell into 40 years ago.

"Frankly, I was pretty sure I wasn't mature enough to go to college," Capristo recalled. "I didn't know what I wanted to do. I had a friend join the Navy and said, 'This is pretty neat.'"

Capristo went from serving the country to serving Texans. He works at the STP Nuclear power plant in Bay City, which provides the state with 5% of its electricity.

"We like you to say at the end of the day, 'Did you make a difference?' Usually, you can walk home and say you sure did," Capristo said.

It's an opportunity they need more people to take. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows the average manufacturer is 44, which is two years older than the average worker.

"You're probably looking at my gray hair out here right now, and it's absolutely essential because not everybody sees the trades as their first path," Capristo said.

The latest state jobs report shows there are openings. Last month, the Houston area added 2,800 construction jobs. Over the last year, 8,400 construction jobs were created.

It's the fourth fastest-growing industry in the area. If you want one of those positions, ABC13's who's hiring job fair is on Thursday from 9 a.m. until noon in Deer Park at the Pipe Fitters local union 211, 1301 W. 13th Street.

To learn more about jobs, visit Workforce Solution's website , and look for the "as seen on ABC13" section. You can also call the ABC13 hotline powered by Workforce Solutions at 713-243-6663.

"Have contractors there that are willing to put people to work immediately," Workforce Solutions' principal industry liaison for building and construction, Lacy Wolf, said. "If you've got some experience and skills, we'll put them to work."

If you don't have experience, you can learn about apprenticeship programs, which can help you break into the welding, electrical, and pipe fitting industries.

"If you enjoy working with your hands," Wolf said. "If you don't mind the environment and elements, being inside and outside and going to different job sites."

It's a reason why some broke into the business decades ago and haven't looked back since.

"It's been a great ride for me, and I love the heck out of it," Capristo said.

If you plan to show up for Thursday's job fair, experts said don't worry about a suit and tie, but do come dressed neatly. Also, stand out by asking questions.

For updates on this story, follow Nick Natario on Facebook , X and Instagram .

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It's wild how many job listings might be fake

• Companies often want to signal they're growing or to let overworked employees think help is coming.
• But three in 10 companies have fake job listings, according to a Resume Builder survey.
• Fake listings can undermine trust — but sometimes lead to real interviews and employment . 

That job you applied for might be a mirage.

Companies often post bogus roles to ease employees' concerns about being overworked and signal that the organization is growing, said Resume Builder, which recently found three in 10 employers have fake job listings.

Resume Builder, which offers résumé templates, surveyed nearly 650 hiring managers in May and found nearly seven in 10 said it was "morally acceptable" to post fake jobs. Hiring managers credited the move with increasing revenue, morale, and how much workers get done.

Yet, Stacie Haller, Resume Builder's chief career advisor, told Business Insider that the practice could — no surprise — undermine confidence among existing and would-be employees.

"The last people you want to be sharing fake information to your staff is the HR people," she said.

The prominence of sham listings highlights the challenges many people, particularly desk workers in industries like tech, face in finding jobs . The overall labor market remains strong, but it's not a game of workers' choice like it was a few years ago when more employers were fighting for people.

Everybody's doing it

Haller said it's long been common for staffing firms to fish for talent with dummy listings. That way, when a client calls needing workers, the agency has people ready to go.

But now, Haller said, companies beyond staffing firms appear to be adopting the practice, which can frustrate job seekers and erode trust with workers.

The listings spanned entry-level positions to executive roles, according to the survey.

The reasons for listing fake jobs included signaling that the employer was willing to hire from outside the organization. Yet about six in 10 respondents also said companies wanted to make overworked employees think help was on the way — and that they could be replaced.

"Some people are saying, 'Well, it increased productivity.' And I'm thinking, 'Well, does it do it out of fear?'" Haller said.

She said it's a stretch to think that ghost listings would do a lot to boost morale among workers by making them believe the organization was growing.

About six in 10 hiring managers said the intent was to scoop up résumés for when a role opens. Haller said there's no issue collecting the information, provided employers are upfront about it.

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"Why not be honest?" she said.

Haller said employers that dangle fake listings risk hurting themselves by undermining their reputations.

One reason is simply that companies often get caught. Two-thirds of hiring managers said those they meant to dupe, including workers, investors, and job seekers, figured out they were being hoodwinked.

Fake listings can lead to real jobs

About seven in 10 of the fake jobs were on a company website or LinkedIn, according to the survey. And, yet, despite all the shenanigans, many fake listings often lead to real interviews — and even employment.

Four in 10 hiring managers said they always contacted workers who applied for made-up jobs. Forty-five percent said they sometimes contacted those job seekers. Among companies that contacted applicants, 85% report interviewing the person.

"A lot of them are getting contacted and interviewed at some point, so it's not necessarily a black box," Haller said.

How you can spot a sham listing

Haller said it's best to try to determine who posted a job. Going to the hiring manager on LinkedIn or to someone you know at the company is often a better route than applying cold, anyway, she said. And look when the job was listed.

"If it was five months ago, and it's still up there, it's fake," she said.

Of course, not every unanswered job submission indicates that a listing isn't real. Sometimes, the problem isn't the worker but the CV, Haller said.

"It's easy to say, 'I sent out 500 résumés and got nothing.' And then I look at the résumé and they have an AOL address, and it's 20 pages, and I have no idea what they want to do. So, 'No, you're not getting a response,'" she said.

Haller lamented fictional aspects to any part of the job equation.

"'People lie on their résumés. So what?' That's horrifying. Hiring managers lie to hire people. 'Oh, we have great benefits, and you'll get promoted.' And it's a lie. None of this is acceptable," she said.

Haller is optimistic that Gen Z workers, who are expected to outnumber full-time boomers in the labor force in 2024, will demand change because surveys indicate many young people share an interest in preserving their mental health and in employers being open with their people.

"The new generation coming up isn't going to stand for this," she said.

That's a good thing, Haller said. "Anytime I see the word 'fake' in any part of the hiring process, it's alarming."

Watch: How scam call centers work, according to a 'scambaiter'

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