how to make a resume paper

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

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

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

What Is a Resume?

What are employers looking for in a resume.

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

What Are Some Examples of a Good Resume?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How Do You Write a Resume?

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

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

1. Pick Your Format

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2. Start With Your Basic Information

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

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

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

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

3. Add in Your Work Experience

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

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

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

For example, you might write:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4. Consider Including Volunteer Work or Other Experience

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

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

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

5. Don’t Forget Your Education

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

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

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

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

6. Top It Off With Some Skills and Interests

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

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

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

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

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

7. Write a Resume Summary Statement (if Relevant)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

9. Edit and Refine It

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Most Popular: A Reverse Chronological Resume

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

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

Download an Example Chronological Resume for a Software Engineer

The Unorthodox Route: A Functional or Skills-Based Resume

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

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

Download an Example Functional Resume for a Project Manager

The Creative Angle: An Infographic Resume or Resume Website

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

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

Download an Example Infographic Resume for a Designer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Well, you’ve come to the right place!

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

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

….and more!

So, let’s dive right in.

How to Make a Resume (The Right Way!)

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

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

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

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

#1. Pick the Right Resume Format

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

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

Start by choosing the right resume format.

There are three types of resume formats out there:

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

So, which one should you go for?

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

Fix Your Resume’s Layout

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

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

Here are some of the best practices you should apply:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#2. Add Your Contact Information

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

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

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

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

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

Must-Have Information

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

Optional Information

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

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

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

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

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

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

This is where the resume headline comes in.

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

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

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

Resume Summary

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

Here’s what your resume summary should include:

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

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

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

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

Resume Objective

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

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

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

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

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

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

#4. Prioritize Your Work Experience

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here’s a real-life example:

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

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

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

Focus on Achievements Whenever Possible

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Your day-to-day responsibilities probably include:

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

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

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

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

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

Tailor Your Resume to the Job

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Include the Right Amount of Work Experience

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

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

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

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

Consider Applicant Tracking System (ATS) Software

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#5. List Your Education

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

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

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

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

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

Resume Education Tips

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

Just follow these expert tips:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

There are a few essential steps you need to follow:

Always List Hard and Soft Skills Separately

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

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

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

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

Methodologies & Tools

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

Soft Skills

• Team Management
• Conflict Resolution
• Negotiation

Tailor Your Skills to the Job

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

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

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

Qualifications:

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

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

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

List Hard Skills with Experience Levels

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

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

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

Include Transferable Skills

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

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

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

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

#7. Leverage Optional Resume Sections

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

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

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

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

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

• Intermediate

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

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

Hobbies and Interests

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

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

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

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

Volunteering Experience

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

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

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

Certifications

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

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

Certifications can also show employers how much expertise you have.

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

Awards and Recognitions

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

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

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

Publications

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Extracurricular Activities

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

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

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

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

11+ Expert Resume Tips

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

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

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

FREE Resume Checklist

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

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

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

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

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

9 Resume Templates for Different Industries

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

#1. Traditional Resume Template

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

#2. Modern Resume Template

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

#3. Creative Resume Template

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

#4. Minimalistic Resume Template

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

#5. IT Resume Template

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

#6. Tech Resume Template

Good for the tech industry and everything it encompasses.

#7. College Resume Template

Good for college students and recent graduates alike.

#8. General Resume Template

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

#9. Executive Resume Template

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

17+ Resumes for Different Jobs

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

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

#1. Nurse Practitioner Resume Example

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

#2. Data Scientist Resume Example

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

#3. Business Analyst Resume Example

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

#4. Digital Marketing Resume Example

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

#5. Software Engineer Resume Example

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

#6. Construction Project Manager Resume Example

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

#7. Customer Service Resume Example

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

#8. High School Resume Example

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

#9. Student Resume Example

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

#10. Server Resume Example

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

#11. Actor Resume Example

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

#12. Web Developer Resume Example

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

#13. Engineering Resume Example

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

#14. Computer Science Resume Example

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

#15. Architect Resume Example 

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

#17. Remote Job Resume Example

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

#18. Sales Associate Resume Example

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

#19. Receptionist Resume Example

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

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

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

Next Steps After Your Resume

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

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

#1. How to Write a Convincing Cover Letter

The companion piece to every resume is the cover letter.

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

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

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

Just follow this structure:

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

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

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

#2. How to Ace Your Next Interview

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

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

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

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

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

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

FAQs on How to Make a Resume

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#5. What kind of resume do employers prefer?

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

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

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

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

You should only include relevant job positions on your resume.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#9. Is a resume a CV?

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

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

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

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

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

#10. Should I write my own resume?

Yes, you should always write your own resume.

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

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

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

#11. Can a resume be two pages?

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

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

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

#12. Is a simple resume okay?

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

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

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

Key Takeaways

And that’s a wrap!

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

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

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

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How to choose the best resume paper

Is resume paper still a thing? The answer is yes — resume paper is a relevant subject today for the same reasons it was in the pre-digital age, even if printed hard copies are needed far less often. In fact, the number of considerations for making informed choices about resume printing paper may surprise you, both on the practical and esthetic side. 

That the overall quality of resume paper is better than ordinary printer paper is fairly obvious. Typically, it feels heavier and looks noticeably nicer than regular printer paper. But with so many different types of resume paper available, comparisons among them are less straightforward. In the following guide, we will be covering: 

• What resume paper is
• The best color, weight, material and texture of resume paper
• Expert tips and insights on how to choose the right paper.

What is resume paper?

It’s easy to explain what resume paper is not . Except for the letter-size dimensions, resume paper is not the same as ordinary printer paper (sometimes called “copy” paper — as in office copier). Resume paper is designed specifically for printing resumes and cover letters, and may also be used as stationery for a wide variety of other specialty purposes. 

One size does fit all Your only choice for resume paper should be the letter-size standard — 8.5 by 11 inches in the U.S. or A4 in other parts of the world — the same as ordinary printing paper.

What do you need resume paper for?

Of course, the content of an outstanding resume should always be worth more than the paper it’s printed on. But there’s no question the document’s look and feel when placed on a desk or in someone’s hands can make a critical difference, for better or worse. 

So when exactly does this matter? With online job applications being the norm nowadays, how likely is it that anyone in the hiring organization is going to print your resume on special paper, if they even print it at all? Shouldn’t the PDF version be your only preoccupation when it comes to resume design elements?

There are three modern-day situations where job seekers need printed copies of their resume, on the best quality resume paper they can afford:

• Mailing or hand-delivering your resume to an employer.
• Handing out during a face-to-face job interview — either your resume alone or prefacing a portfolio of work samples.
• Leaving your resume with recruiters at a job fair.

Your choice of resume paper will affect the overall impact on those who first notice the printed copy you’ve provided and hold it in their hands while reading. What do you want recruiters to see and feel? Optimizing the way your printed resume will be “experienced” by the target employer is the goal of selecting the best resume paper. 

What is the best paper for your resume?

As a key takeaway from our occupation-specific writing guides and resume examples , we emphasize the importance of tailoring every version of your resume to the specific job you are applying for, along with the employer and industry. Then take the same customized approach a step further in choosing a resume design template with cohesive formatting elements, perhaps harmonizing with the employer’s visual identity. 

Resume paper options add one more layer of compatibility considerations. Take cues from your resume design template in finding the best resume paper fit. Just as financial or legal professionals are well served by a meticulously buttoned-down resume design template, a resume paper that emits minimalist, premium-quality vibes would do justice to their printed resume document. 

Resume paper for a management or executive job application should convey a polished sophistication that reflects attention to detail. An understatedly simple look on paper — without sacrificing quality — would be just fine for most entry-level job applicants. There’s more leeway in creative and artistic fields to consider less conventional resume paper colors and textures. Other resume papers lend themselves to manufacturing or high-tech job markets.

So how do you choose which paper to print your resume on?

Choosing the best resume paper is largely a matter of personal preference — not just your own, but also your best guess about those on the receiving end of your resume. HR research data can be somewhat helpful in determining which printing paper is your safest bet or could land your resume in the reject pile without being read. But it still comes down to subjective assessments when people are asked to pick this or that favorite. 

The good news is that each of the following decisions you make about the perfect resume paper need not be complicated. We’re going to keep it simple as possible so overthinking doesn’t bog you down. 

While HR research has yielded no conclusive verdict on any overall “best” choice of resume paper, the consensus on these two characteristics is solid.

• Weight: 32lb.
• Material: Cotton content should be at least 75%, and ideally 100%

Resume paper color: one or the other

White or ivory? Seldom should a passing thought be given to any other resume paper color… and then pretty much only in special creative circumstances when you’re certain the employer would be enthused. Notwithstanding the dozens, or even hundreds, of different white and ivory shade variations, your paper color can be narrowed down to this “either-or” choice. 

But not so fast … because the white-versus-ivory question is often not simple or obvious at all. It may require a tougher judgment call than any other resume paper consideration. 

Deciding whether your resume looks better on a white or ivory background depends on the resume design template you’ve chosen, alongside the image you want to project. Experimenting with both paper colors is the only way to be sure. 

New York resume template

Our New York template is monochromatically clean and refined with elegant graphic touches. You could never go wrong with white or ivory paper, but ivory might give you a distinctively worthy edge.

Sydney resume template

Sydney makes a vibrantly modern statement by adding a side column of transparent text and graphics against a solid dark-colored fill. White or ivory paper are equally effective, but ivory shows more originality. Be sure your printer is up to the task of producing color true and deep enough for high-quality results. 

Amsterdam resume template

Our Amsterdam resume template also features a side column with a solid background fill. But instead of a 100% dark color, it’s a light shade of grey that does not show up as well on the ivory paper. So in this case, white resume paper is a better choice.  

With leading job search experts yet to rule unanimously on a verdict favoring white or ivory resume paper across the board, we can only offer these general areas of consensus.

Resume paper weight: worth your weight in words

This may actually be your least weighty decision about the best resume paper for printing. Paper weight refers to thickness and density characteristics affecting the printed appearance, as well as the feel and durability. Thinner, lighter-bodied sheets of paper are more transparent and less crumple-proof.

Increases in paper weight come with improved product quality and professionalism — real and perceived. A resume that looks and feels firmer and less flimsy will stand out in the stack with good reason, psychologically lending solidness to the job application.

Printing paper weight is measured in pounds per “ream” — equal to a package of 500 sheets. With 20 lb. being the standard printing paper weight, resume paper is generally also available in two heavier weight options: 24 lb. and 32 lb.. 

Of the three resume paper weight options typically available — 20 lb., 24 lb. and 32 lb. — you’ll never regret splurging on 32 lb.

Resume paper material: the content you write on, not about

Resume content takes on a whole new tangible meaning when we talk about what the paper itself is composed of. Paper material is a key quality indicator of your printed resume document, sometimes relevant to the weight and texture.

The most significant make-or-break impact of resume paper material comes from the percentage of cotton content. From 0% to 100% in relation to standard wood pulp composition, the higher the cotton content in your resume paper the better the quality and durability. With less light reflection, cotton enhances the richness and depth of ink color. It contributes both softness and crispness to the paper feel. 

As a preferred resume paper material, cotton scores extra marks for eco-friendliness. Other environmentally sustainable materials include bamboo and linen, the latter appreciated for its lovely resemblance to the woven cloth made from the same flax plant source. 

Not sure which resume paper to pick? Feel it an see! 

Often, when you're ordering things online, you don't see (and feel) them until they arrive. However, if you're stuck choosing between different types of resume paper, it may help to touch the options. Head to a retailer and test out the different varieties.

Resume paper texture: the full finish

We’ve saved resume paper texture until last to address here, but by no means is it the least important. Resume paper “finish” — in both visual and tactile senses of the word — can make the biggest difference in achieving the finished product you desire.

Again, your decision should reflect your resume design template, particularly graphic elements whether it incorporates colors other than black. Experiment with a variety of paper textures to assess which one will achieve the desired effect.

Plain resume paper is self-explanatory in terms of the texture it lacks, as opposed to having any distinctive finish. Its plainness is familiar to everyone as a staple in every office. It’s a failsafe choice for showcasing your printed text and graphic elements without detracting or sacrificing legibility.

But by no means is plain paper synonymous with bland. As discussed in the previous section, the higher the percentage of cotton composition, the more striking the impact.

The unmistakable resemblance of linen to a finely stitched canvas or woven tablecloth is what makes it such a popular choice of paper texture. The look and feel of linen imparts a sense of premium quality, lending itself to virtually any resume template. 

In this context of resume paper finish, bear in mind that the paper material need not be linen (see previous section). In fact, the subtly embossed crosshatch pattern is often achieved using 100% cotton paper. 

The vintage elegance that makes parchment paper an obvious choice for official documents, diplomas, formal invitations and special event programs makes it an iffy option for resumes. Employers could very well be impressed — but not always in a good way. In the eyes of some beholders, parchment imparts formality and class. Others are turned off by what they perceive as trying too hard, if not pretentious.

The marbled effect of parchment-textured paper makes it unreliable for resume design templates with non-black text and graphic elements, which can be obscured. Beware also that some parchment paper colors may have greyish or greenish overtones.

Resume paper with a granite finish can be the best of both worlds for a look that’s refined and understatedly original. There’s a sense of style and substance in the appearance and touch. The quality of printed text and graphics on the smooth, fleck-patterned surface is generally good. One possible drawback is that the paper shade may be darker overall.

Resume paper with a laid finish replicates the Old World look of paper when the manufacturing process was first invented. The embossed “chain line” pattern is similar to the impressions made by antique machinery.

The main drawback of laid paper for resumes is the very thing that makes it unique and sophisticated. Those texture-defining raised lines can interfere with printing quality, and even cause missed spots. Laid paper is not recommended if your resume contains many solid dark areas.  Access to a high-caliber printer is vitally important. 

Where to buy resume paper

Once you’ve decided which type of resume paper to use, shopping for it should not be too difficult. You can either head to the stores and find the resume paper you need, or shop for it online. Here's a quick breakdown of where you can get he best resume paper:

• Local retailers like CVS, Walmart, Target or Walgreens should have a decent selection of basic resume paper.
• For a much wider variety of paper colors, weights and finishes, visit your nearest office supply store such as Staples, Office Depot or FedEx Office.

Heading to a stationery retailer? Don't miss this trick. 

Consider printing your resume at one of these locations while you are at it, even if you have a printer at home. An office supply retailer can be a convenient, affordable and dependable option for professional-quality results.

• The Paper Mill Store
• Goulet Pens
• Office Depot

Key takeaways

• The predominance of online job applications has not rendered resume paper obsolete. Printed resumes are still needed for mailing or hand-delivery to an employer, in-person job interviews and job fairs.
• Resume paper quality can make or break the recruiter’s first impression of a job applicant’s professionalism and attention to detail.
• Besides affecting the overall impact of your resume, the paper color, weight, material and texture can influence the appearance of text and graphic graphic elements, for better or for worse.
• With resume paper choices largely subjective, there are no hard and fast rules, only general guidelines. Strive for compatibility with your resume design template, which should already be a good fit with the occupation, employer and industry.

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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 Choose the Right Resume Paper

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What is resume paper?

How to choose the best resume paper, resume paper weight, resume paper color, resume paper format, resume paper size.

One key aspect for creating a good impression for a job application is your choice of resume paper. When you apply for a job, it’s important to submit a quality resume since it is essentially a formal representation of yourself. This article explains how to choose the best resume paper to communicate your professionalism and personality.

Resume paper is the material chosen for a candidate’s resume. It’s made from various materials such as parchment, cotton, bamboo and more. Making the right selection of resume paper can have the potential to improve your chances of getting hired over other applicants. Big companies receive a large number of resumes daily. Therefore, it’s important to choose a good, high-quality paper that will not only avoid the automatic rejection of your application but also stand out among the stacks of resumes from other applicants.

A common practice is to use a 32lb high cotton content paper for your resume. Another is to use a white-colored paper with plain texture to keep yourself in the acceptable list. Ultimately, using a high-quality paper over one that’s easily tearable and low-quality provides a professional backdrop to your resume’s content.

You may also use a different approach to your resume paper to create a more distinct impression than other applicants. One way is to use recycled paper for your resume to show your support for eco-friendly practices, a concept widely followed and promoted by most organizations worldwide. Another way of forming the same impression is by using paper made from environmentally friendly material, such as bamboo. Some people prefer a paper with a textured background for a vivid impression.

Paper weight is vital in determining how well the printed copy of your resume looks. Keep in mind that a heavyweight paper may prevent optimal print quality. If you select a very lightweight resume paper, however, the edges of your resume may turn during the printing. The paper may also tear and result in a wrong impression. 

The suggested paper weight for your resume is any of the three standard ones: 20lb, 24lb and 32lb. You can use 20lb paper if you want to use the paper with an at-home printer, while 24lb and 32lb paper are best known for providing higher opacity and thickness.

You may use the 24lb paper to print on both sides. This paper weight is suitable to prevent leaking of printer ink. It is also different enough from the 20lb paper to create an impression on the potential employer. Using a paper weight greater than 32lb can result in print distortion.

The paper color of your resume affects its readability and the general impression it leaves on an employer. Generally, it is preferable to use white-colored paper because it is easier to read from a white background. The white background also makes the resume look neat and clean. However, you may select between different variations of white colors, such as off-white or ivory color. 

Examples for resume paper color by appearance:

The appearance of your resume also plays an essential part in deciding the color of your resume paper. For example, if your resume uses a dark red and black font with a textured background, using a white-colored paper will be more suitable. This will make it easier for the recruiter to read the printed content. 

However, if you are using a blue and orange combination for font colors, using an ivory-colored paper for your resume will create a better impression. Your resume appearance should create a formal and positive impression. You may use a paper with gradient colors if it suits your resume’s content.

Examples for resume paper color by job type:

The type of job you are applying to is also crucial in deciding the paper color of your resume. If you are applying for the position of a writer for a female magazine that follows a pink color scheme, you may choose pink-colored paper for your resume. This choice will show your consideration of the employer’s brand, thus improving your chances of employment.

Examples for general trends:

Resume color also depends on the trends in the industry or company. Some firms may require you to follow a specific resume pattern. You must use the resume color prescribed by the firm in such cases.

Here are some things to keep in mind when selecting a suitable resume paper format:

Most people use either serif or a sans-serif font for their resume. If you are opting for a serif font, use Times New Roman. If you choose a sans-serif font, opt for Arial, Calibri or Verdana.

You can be specific about font size as well. Size 10 and 12 are better. Your final choice depends on the style of your resume. Most experts recommend font size 11 for its readability and outlook.

The standard one-inch margins are more suitable for the resume. You may opt for a different margin size, depending on your format. Although most people use 0.5-inch margins, yet, 1-inch margins are preferred to reduce reader fatigue. For alignment, use left, as it works in most contexts. You may use center or justified alignment to match a particular design for your resume. If your resume is in a right-to-left language, you may use the right alignment.

Requirements

Some recruiters have a specific resume pattern. You must follow the guidelines on the recruiter’s website. These specifications may include narrower margins or specific font sizes.

It is generally preferable to use the 8.5 in x 11 in paper size for your resume. This size looks professional and suits the general business environment of most workplaces. Still, using a larger or smaller size may be suitable according to the requirements of the vacancy. 

For example, if you are applying for a graphic designer job for a banner designing company, you may use a larger sized paper to create an impression on the recruiter regarding your banner designing skills. A resume for a calligraphy job may need stylish papers with a variety of sizes. Refer to the job you’re applying to and select a size that best matches what you’d be doing in the role.

• Resume Writing
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• Try Kickresume

Resume Paper: Why You Still Need It and How to Pick the Best

• Klara Cervenanska , 
• Updated November 10, 2023 9 min read

Resume paper is a special type of paper to print a physical copy of your resume on. 

Do resume papers still matter in our digitalised world? Short answer, yes. They are not completely retired yet, and you are better off using one. Sure, it is very niche — but why not increase your chances of standing out and being hired?

Why can't I simply print my resume and go about my day, you ask? Because everything that you do or don't do during a job interview, says something about you. Yes, even the resume paper you are turning in. In other words, first impressions matter — a good resume paper is only going to help you.

Wait, so there are multiple types of resume paper? Well, yes. But don't panic. You will find everything you need to know, useful tips, recommendations and quick links here. We know time is money so let's get to it.

It's not just a piece of paper.

Express your personality with a standout resume.

• When will you need a hard copy of your resume?

Today, most job applications only require a PDF version of your resume, which means that a hard copy isn’t always necessary. Still, there are scenarios when a physical copy (or copies) of your resume can come handy.

It is especially in those situations when you come into personal contact with recruiters or hiring managers:

• Career and networking fairs. Your resume is the most important item you should bring with you. Make sure to print at least 20-40 copies (depending on the size of the event and the number of companies that you’d like to meet with).
• Job interviews.  It isn’t always expected. And yes, they've already read your resume. But it’s good to remind them of your credentials by giving them a copy to have in front of them throughout your conversation. Moreover, it makes you look prepared for anything. Ideally, you should bring about 3 copies of your resume.

They may also ask you to  mail a physical copy  of your resume before you’re invited for  your interview . 

If you want to make a great first impression in all the situations above, using professional resume paper is a way to go.

Table of Contents

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Best resume paper - our choice

Color, weight, material, size, texture — often depends on the job, where to buy resume paper, where to print your resume.

As you can learn in the following paragraphs, there are many types of resume paper — some of them will suit a certain type of job better than other. This is why it is ultimately up to you to choose from.

In any case, we did the research so that you don't have to.  This is our winner:

Best resume paper: Kickresume’s choice

• Color: ivory
• Weight: 32lb
• Size: US letter — 8.5 × 11 inches (US, Canada, SA), A4 — 8.3 × 11.7 inches (everywhere else)
• Material: 100% cotton
• Texture: plain

And why do we think it's the best?

Color: Ivory — immediately stands out in a pile of white resumes

Weight : 32 lb — firm, durable, will not crease, not see-through

Size: 8.5 by 11 inches in the US, Canada, South America (A4 everywhere else)

Material: 100% cotton — does not reflect light, great color pay-off

Texture: Plain — professional, safe and classy

You can buy it on Amazon .

There are a few parameters which you should consider before choosing your resume paper: color, weight, material, size, texture.

Even though choosing the best resume paper is subjective to your own personal preference, some jobs requires a specific type of resume paper.

Resume paper color

Generally, you should stick to neutrals . Especially different shades of white. White is logically the most used paper color —  text is easily readable, colorful infographics stick out and it's easy to get a hold of.

But since it's the standard color, it may seem a bit boring — everyone naturally goes with white paper.

Remember, the whole resume paper "science" is about you making an impression and standing out. This is why going for a slightly different shade can help.

We recommend off-white and ivory as go-to colors. Using these instead of white will make your resume immediately stand out in a pile of basic white paper sheets.

If you used colored elements in your resume, bear in mind that colors show best on white. Because of that, try to go with the most subtle shade — this will keep it elegant and ensure good color pay-off.

Other colors such as grey, pastel blue or pink may seem even better at catching the eye. Nevertheless, there is a thin line between standing out and seeming unprofessional.

Colored resume paper can, however, work for people who need to show their creativity (such as designers or people in the arts).

Resume paper weight

We mean thickness but it's called weight because it refers to how much 500 sheets of paper weigh.

With weight it is pretty straight forward. A very thin resume paper is going to seem flimsy. Try going for 32 lb paper, which is slightly thicker than your usual paper.

It will not crease in the pile of resumes, it is durable and it is not see-through. In the hands of your potential employer it will feel professional and firm.

A slightly thinner option is 24 lb. This is still heavier and firmer than your regular printing paper. This is a pretty decent, more affordable option.

Resume paper material

Cotton with the content of 75% or higher . The advantages of high cotton paper include: overall durability, extreme smoothness while having a subtle texture, it does not reflect light. Most importantly colors look great on these!

Some rather unconventional choices are linen and parchment. One word — overkill. I mean c'mon... Imagine someone walking in with a parchment resume.

An interesting choice for someone working in Sustainable Development or Environmental and Conservation Sector is recycled resume paper. This eco-friendly choice is never a mistake.

Resume paper size

If you're applying for a job in the North and South America, use a  US Letter-sized paper (8.5 by 11 inches) .

However, if you're applying for a job anywhere else —   A4 is the standard and we recommend using it. Yes, yes standing out from the crowd and all... But having a different size than A4 will probably just make everybody's lives more difficult.

Do not experiment with paper sizes, unless your potential employer explicitly requires a different size resume paper.

Resume paper texture

Here we have several acceptable choices. However, in our opinion only one of them is safe (yet classy).  Go with plain cotton resume paper texture.

Here's why: it's a conventional safe choice and it won't feel weird to any potential employer, plus there's zero risk of faulty printing.

Other options are somewhat unconventional, but that does not mean that they can't work for some people.

Linen paper bears resemblance to woven fabric. The quality of linen paper ranges from a very subtle finish to a more pronounced one. This type of texture could work for someone who wants to be really extra and is looking for an extra job. Other than that it's just unnecessary.

Laid paper can look quite elegant thanks to the symmetrical horizontal chain line pattern. However, it's prone to ink smudging and bleeding. We do not recommend taking the risk of ruining your resume.

Granite paper is usually made of recycled material and is, therefore, an attractive and environmentally sound choice. Again, if you work in Sustainable Development this is going to make a very good first impression.

Usually you should be able to find resume paper at any office supply or stationary retailers such as Office Depot, Costco and Target, or Staples and Ryman (if you shop in the UK).

However, shopping online saves a lot of time and often you have a wider choice of products:

Southworth is a very high quality resume paper brand recognised by the National Resume Writers Association . But keep in mind that most of their papers are watermarked. On the other hand, some people may take that as an opportunity to show off a little.

Southworth offers a variety of different resume papers — cotton, linen, granite, laid and even ... parchment. All in either white or ivory, and either 24lb or 32lb version (go with 32).

Shop for Southworth resume papers on Amazon or Walmart

• 100% Cotton, Ivory, 32 lb, Plain paper —  Amazon link
• 100% Cotton, Ivory, 24 lb, Plain paper (a cheaper option) —  Amazon link , Walmart link
• Recycled, Granite, 24 lb resume paper (an environmetally conscious choice) —  Walmart link , Amazon link

The most convenient and affordable option for printing on your own resume paper is probably your own printer.

However, be mindful about printing on different textures! Laid and linen textures can make your printer ink bleed — and you don't want your resume ruined.

If you don't own a printer — try one in your university campus or your local library . Bear in mind that it can be tricky to print on your own paper on public printers.

Other options include:

• FedEx Office
• Staples Cloud Printing
• OfficeDepot

If you want to support local businesses — try finding a Copy and Print shop near you by typing: "copy print shop [zip code]"

Christy's word of advice

There are times when a printed resume is needed or at least strongly recommended. It’s a good idea to take a copy with you to an interview, in case you need to refer to a specific point, or the recruiter doesn’t have a copy. Or if a company asks you to drop off your resume in person or by post. In these cases, clean white A4 paper will always come across as professional. On the other hand, if you’re in a creative field where visual design skills are important, feel free to channel your inner Warhol and go with something that matches your professional personality (at a company I used to work at, a graphic designer presented theirs in an A6 pack-of-cards format. Brilliant, original, and still memorable many years later!).

Christy Morgan, Resident HR Expert

Key takeaways

It may seem like a waste of time and money to speculate about resume paper nowadays.

But the truth is, we live in a very competitive environment. Even if you're extremely competent, there's probably someone just as competent as you.

This is why you should increase your chances of being hired in any way possible. A high quality resume paper can help you stand out and make a good impression — it shows that you put in the little extra work.

Anyway, just to summarize, our recommendation is stick to neutral colors (ivory, off-white) or go for a more unconventional color if you work in a creative field. Try a heavier 32 lb paper for a firm grip, or go for slightly thinner and more affordable 24 lb version.

When it comes to textures and material — moderation is key. The 100% cotton material and plain texture ensures high quality printing. You can also try recycled paper if it's relevant to the job you're applying for.

Concluding thought — all things covered in this article are irrelevant if the actual content of your CV isn't as exciting as the resume paper.

We have got you covered. Check out these related articles to help you amp up your resume game:

• A Step-by-Step Guide: How to Write a Professional Resume in 2020
• Resume Format: How to Pick the Best and Get Hired in 2020
• How to Prepare Your Resume for Job Search During the Coronavirus Outbreak
• 7 Quick Tips to Prepare Your Resume for World with Coronavirus [Infographic]
• 7 Quick Tips on How to Find a Job After College in Under 30 Days

Ivory, white, textured?

No matter which you choose, your resume will always stand out.

Gear up to make a digital impact! Convert your LinkedIn profile into a standout resume using our user-friendly tool and be ready for any application process, paper or digital.

Klara graduated from the University of St Andrews in Scotland. After having written resumes for many of her fellow students, she began writing full-time for Kickresume. Klara is our go-to person for all things related to student or 'no experience resumes'. At the same time, she has written some of the most popular resume advice articles on this blog. Her pieces were featured in multiple CNBC articles. When she's not writing, you'll probably find her chasing dogs or people-watching while sipping on a cup of coffee.

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What Is Resume Paper? (And How To Choose The Best Kind)

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• Resume Paper To Use
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There’s so much to consider when creating the perfect resume . When writing one, you have to think about every little detail – wondering if you have chosen the right font size, the correct spacing, and if the template you have chosen is appealing enough. You even have to think about the paper you choose, whether it is the right weight or color.

Many are under the impression that there is no need to have a hard copy of your resume because everything is done online . Even if this is the case, keep in mind that many interviews take place in person. When getting ready for an interview , you have to ensure that you are well prepared, meaning you will need a printed copy of your resume.

Here you will learn more about what a resume paper is and how to choose the best one for your resume.

Key Takeaways:

When creating your resume , the two main colors that you should consider the paper being are white and ivory.

When choosing the right resume paper make sure you consider your resume template and your printer type, research the company, and buy multiple kinds to test which works best.

Always keep your primary goal in mind, which is making sure your resume looks presentable and well organized .

What Is Resume Paper?

Different types of resume paper, how to choose the best resume paper, resume paper brands you can use and where to buy them, why choosing the right resume template is important, final thoughts.

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A resume paper is a paper that is specifically designed for candidates to print hard copies that break down a person’s work experiences . It comes in different kinds of materials such as cotton, linen, recycled paper, parchment, bamboo, etc.

It might be hard to believe something as simple as choosing the right type of paper can increase your chances of getting hired. The reason for that is this paper will help your resume stand out amongst the hundreds of different applicants.

Using high-quality paper can show prospective employers how serious you are about the job and demonstrate that you are willing to go the extra mile to do what’s needed.

Make sure that when you print your resume, you keep it in a folder . Nothing screams unprofessionalism like a wrinkled page . One of the advantages of using a resume paper is its durability. Typically, resume paper is more durable and less susceptible to wrinkling or creasing.

As mentioned above, there are many different types of resume paper. These papers can vary in color, material, texture, and weight.

Color. Even though resume paper comes in a variety of colors, tread lightly. Choosing the wrong shade of paper can come off as unprofessional. When selecting a paper color, however, you also need to consider the industry you choose. Some companies or organizations have specific expectations when it comes to resume papers. One of the safest choices for a resume paper is natural colors.

White. If you plan on using colors other than black for graphics or text, white will make sure that is is easily read and will make those colors stand out.

Ivory. Many employers recommend that candidates use off-white colored paper, such as ivory. This works well if you have minimal colors and graphics on your resume. Using ivory instead of white can give your resume a classic, professional look.

Other colors. Using colors can be seen as unprofessional in certain industries but some jobs such as design positions are more accepting of colors. Colors such as light blue, brown, green, or yellow paper can work if you are looking to put a little flair to your resume.

If you are looking to add color to your resume, try including in in shaded columns, colored borders or backgrounds. What ever colors you chose will affect the color of the paper you should choose..

Material. The material you choose is just as vital as anything else. It is something that will help set your resume apart from every other candidate.

Cotton is one of the most recommended materials – not only does it give your resume an overall clean look, but it is also more environmentally sustainable.

Linen is another great material to use for your resume. This material gives your resume a clean look and has an excellent texture, which makes it look very professional.

Parchment is fine paper that goes through a chemical process to look older and more classic.

Recycled has started to become more in demand with the increased focus on the environment. If you chose to use recycled paper, try eco-friendly bamboo paper.

Texture. Using textured paper will give your resume an elegance and professionalism than plain copy paper can never do. Textured paper comes in different finishes such as satin, woven, matte, linen, etc.

Using textured can display elegance and can help make your resume more memorable to the hiring manager .

Weight. Though the weight of the paper you use is not something you have ever considered before, now would be the best time to start. The weight of the paper often refers to the thickness. Having thicker paper will decrease the chances of your resume getting wrinkled or creased. Most professionals would recommend using:

24-pound paper. This is the most common choice for resumes. It is slightly heavier than the standard paper and helps it appear thicker and stand out among regular resumes.

32-pound paper. This weight is better at handling the printing of graphics and saturated colors. The heavier weight makes your resume mees more professional. It also stands out from all the other resumes since it thicker and heavier.

Size. Keep in mind that the size of the paper is also something to consider. If you pick a paper that is too big or too small, it can be taken the wrong way. The ideal size for a resume paper is 8.5 x 11 inches.

Now that you have a better understanding of what resume paper is and the different kind there is, your next step is to choose the paper that will best serve you in the long run. Remember that choosing the right paper will help you stand out among hundreds of other applicants.

Consider your template. Before you decide what paper you are going to use, know what template you want to use. Some templates will look better on white paper and some will look better on ivory. If you just have a standard black text going on your resume, then go with an ivory colored paper. But if you need graphics and lots of color, try a white paper or even a colored paper.

Buy multiple styles of paper. To know which would be the right paper for your resume, you might want to consider buying multiple reams of papers to test which one will serve you better. Print your resume out, trying each one of the papers you have purchased. That way, you will know with certainty which one will work.

Research the company. Before you start printing your resume, remember to do your research correctly, gather as much information as you can about the company or organization you are applying to. Perhaps this is an entirely green company. They might have a preference for recycled paper.

Know your printer. Remember that you should also use the high-quality setting on your printer when you are printing your resume. Keep in mind that if you do not change this setting, the quality of the paper you have chosen will not do much if your resume looks blurry. This will use a significant amount of ink. However, it will guarantee a more professional-looking resume .

If you do not have a place to print out your resume by chance, you can always go to a printing service store, a Staples, Office Depot, FedEx, or perhaps your local library. Remember to properly format your document in either a Microsoft Word Document format or a PDF.

Now that you know which things you will need to take into consideration when choosing a resume paper. Here is a list of paper brands you can consider when picking a ream of paper:

Southworth specialty paper. Created for special occasions, this high-quality paper would be an excellent choice for you to use for your resume. This paper’s brand comes in a variety of materials, such a parchment, linen, and granite.

Magnum opus. Designed to help you make a great first impression , this high-quality paper comes in a whole array of colors. The Magnum Opus resume paper weighs 28 pounds typically.

HP printer paper premium24. Because of this paper’s quality, you will be able to print brighter, more vivid colors. Another excellent quality of this paper is how affordable it is compared to other reams of paper.

Mohawk 54301 copier 100% recycled paper. Known as one of the ultimate recycled papers, this paper will guarantee a quick, efficient, and high-quality copy of your resume that is 100% recyclable.

You should know that you do not need to go to a specific paper store to purchase your ream of resume paper. You can either buy the resume paper online or at a run-of-the-mill retail store such as:

Office Depot

Once you have gone through all the motions of choosing the right resume paper, the next thing you will need to do is choose the best template for your resume. Your resume says a lot about you. It is a document where you print a breakdown of a person’s work experiences.

Picking out the right template can show how organized your resume will look and ultimately help you land a job .

When creating your resume, be sure that you have done your research correctly. Make sure that the resume is specially tailored to the job you are applying for. For example, if you are applying to become a paper processor , you will need to list your experiences closer to this position, like being a receptionist or a logistics processor.

Remember to keep things simple. Many people make the mistake of trying to make their resume sound overly sophisticated. This can actually work against you making it seem unprofessional and wordy.

Another thing you need to keep in mind when writing your resume is the language that you use. Many companies use what is known as a tracking system . This program picks up on specific words and forwards it on to the hiring manager.

You should also take the readability of your resume into account. Though you might be tempted to choose an elaborate and fancy font, try to remember that it is essential for the hiring manager to be able to read your resume. Most employers recommend that you use Arial, Calibri, and Times New Roman for your fonts – it should also be between sizes 10 and 12.

In the end, when you are deciding how to write and format your resume , you need to keep an eye on every single detail . This means you will need to choose the adequate paper, font, and template to help you stand out amongst the other applicants.

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

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Writing a resume is not easy.

You have to take care of every detail, such as using a professional font, current font size, line-spacing, keywords, and many other things.

But have you ever thought about which resume paper to use in printing your resume?

Since the inception of the internet, many people assume that you no longer need a physical copy of a resume.

However, the truth is that most interviews nowadays happen face-to-face, and the recruiters expect you to bring a hard copy of your resume during the interviews.

While providing a hard copy of your resume to the recruiter, you must remember that it should look presentable.

The paper should be of high quality, without bends or wrinkles. It would surprise you to see how a high-quality resume paper makes you more presentable and likable in the eyes of a recruiter.

This article will tell you everything you need to know about resume papers in 2022.

• What is a resume paper?
• Is a resume paper necessary?
• What are the different types of resume papers?
• Tips for choosing the best resume paper?

What is a Resume Paper?

Resume paper is designed to print resumes and cover letters. It's more durable than regular copy paper but not as heavy as card stock.

If you're looking to print your resume or cover letter, resume paper is a good choice because it is sturdy enough to stand up multiple copies without tearing or smudging.

It's also important because it makes your first impression extremely good in front of the recruiter or an employer.

Poor quality resume paper can get wrinkled or bent, and it may make you look slouchy and schlumpy.

**Also Read: ** What are the 14 Best Fonts For Resumes in 2022?

Difference Between Resume Paper & Regular Paper

A resume paper is thicker, more durable, and more high-quality than a regular paper. Depending on your requirements, it also comes in different sizes, features, and colors.

Many people think resumes and regular papers are the same, which is incorrect.

Is Resume Paper Necessary?

The resume paper is unnecessary if you are applying virtually and giving the interviews virtually.

However, there are some situations where a resume paper is necessary. Such as:

• When you're attending an in-person interview
• If you are applying for a job at a job fair
• If you're physically mailing a copy of your resume to a company

In these particular cases, you need a resume paper if you want to look professional.

A high-quality resume paper makes your resume stand out and leaves a great first impression on the hiring manager,

**Also Read: ** What are The 10+ Best Resume Formats in 2022?

What are the Different Types of Resume Paper?

There are multiple types of resume papers in the market. Different resumes can have different colors, textures, materials, weights, and sizes for different jobs, industries, and companies.

Resume papers can come in various colors. It's your responsibility to choose the right shade of color when picking a resume paper. A wrong choice of color can make you look unprofessional.

Here are some standard colors to use in a resume:

This is the standard color of a resume paper. And the safest option. If you have no idea what color to choose for a resume paper, ‌go with a white resume paper with your eyes closed.

Ivory is also a popular color choice for resume papers. It has a slightly toned off-white look. It can work well if you follow the material or minimal design for your resume. Ivory color can give your resume a classic professional look.

3. Other Colors:

It's not recommended to use other colors in your resume paper. However, you can use colorful resume papers to showcase your talent and skill for some creative jobs such as graphic designer, UI-UX designer, etc.

However, the choice of color, variety of colors, and the template you use should be complementary to one another and should not look out of place.

Always print the colored resume on paper, and see if the hard copy looks better or not before sending it to recruiters.

Also, when selecting a resume color, you need to consider the industry you're applying for.

Some companies may require a formal application. For these types of industries and companies, it's best to use white color resume paper.

Deep colors such as blue, brown, green, and yellow do not look good on hard copies .

There are three main types of resume papers:

Cotton is the most popular choice and expensive for resume paper material, as it's made with cotton fibers woven together to create a smooth surface for printing on.

2. Recycled Paper:

Recycled paper has become popular because of the current focus on the environment. These have similar properties to Cotton since it's made with recycled cotton papers.

3. Parchment:

Parchment papers look and feel vintage and classic. So, if you want a classic vibe in your resume, you can choose a parchment resume paper.

A textured paper gives the paper a classic feel. Depending on your choice, it can be rough, semi-rough, or smooth. Here are some of the popular textured papers for your consideration:

1. Linen Resume Paper:

Linen is a premium-quality textured paper. You can choose a variety of linen finishes to get the perfect feel you want.

Laid is also a premium texture, which gives the paper a sophisticated look. However, you need to test and review the final print of your resume to ensure the pattern in the resume paper doesn't affect the print quality.

3. Granite:

Granite textured papers are made with recycled paper. And the color of these papers is on the darker side than regular paper. This dark speckled look gives the paper a unique look, and if you can use it in the right context, it can draw the recruiter's attention extremely well.

Resume Paper Weight

The weight of the paper also plays an essential role in the look and feel of a resume paper.

The weight of the paper comes from the paper's thickness. The thicker the resume paper, the more difficult it is to bend or wrinkle the resume. So, most professionals will tell you to use a 24-pound or 32-pound resume paper.

Resume Paper Size

The size of the resume paper also matters. The size shouldn't be too small that, you can’t fit all your content on one page. It shouldn't be too big either. The ideal size for the resume paper is 8.5 * 11 inches.

**Also Read: ** What is The Best Resume Layout in 2022?

Tips For Choosing The Best Paper For Resume

Here are five tips to choose the best resume paper:

1. Consider Your Resume Template

You may decide on different resume papers based on the different resume formats. For example, the functional resume format and chronological resume format look good on ivory papers.

Combination resumes and creative resumes stand out more on white paper.

2. Purchase Multiple Styles of Paper

If you're unsure which type of resume paper will work best for you, consider purchasing multiple types and testing them on your printer before printing hundreds of copies.

3. Use High-quality Paper For Management And Executive Positions

If you're applying for management or executive positions, consider using high-quality resume paper such as linen or cotton that feels nice in the hands when reading through applications at high-end companies like Google or Apple Inc. It also shows that you are a detail-oriented person.

4. Compare Your Resume Paper to Your Industry

When it comes to choosing the perfect resume paper for your industry, there are many factors at play.

For example, if you're applying for an executive position in finance or insurance, you might want to use a heavier weight of paper with more texture — because these industries tend to use heavier stock than other industries.

On the other hand, if you're applying for an accounting position in an investment bank, it's probably best to stick with regular-weight paper because those companies usually prefer something lighter that can easily be filed away in a folder or file cabinet without weighing down the folder too much.

5. Create a Unique Experience for Recruiters

To get your resume noticed by the recruiter, you need to create a unique experience for them. So, send the resume in a nicely chosen 24 or 32-pound resume paper. Recruiters will notice the weight difference among other resumes and surely will pick your resume.

**Also Read: ** What are the top 5 Essential Resume Sections in 2022?

Key Takeaways

We bet you didn't know that a resume paper has so much influence on the recruitment process.

Here are some of the key information we can revisit from the blog:

• Always bring 3-4 copies of your resume during job interviews
• Use ivory, 32lb 100% cotton resume papers to give the resume to interviewers
• You can use a 24lb or 28lb paper if you can't find a 32lb paper

Visit Hiration's 360 Degree Career Platform to create your professional resume and cover letter. Download it in PDF and Word format to print and send to recruiters.

If you have any questions, reach out to us at [email protected] . We provide 24/7 online chat assistance for our AI-powered tool.

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What’s the Actual Standard of Resume Paper

Posted on 15 sep 2020.

When creating a resume, people often focus more on the content, and less on the resume paper that the content is printed on.

Presentation is key to producing a powerful and appealing resume, and so choosing the right paper for resume is just as important a consideration as font, format, and style. Even in today’s digital age where a large percentage of resumes are sent via email, one’s choice of paper still matters. Based on our extensive experience in resume writing service , we know for a fact that many recruiters and hiring managers still prefer to read physical resumes over scrolling through a screen.

Needless to say, aside from sending your resume through email, you also have to print it out on paper and send it out to the appropriate person. But you shouldn’t just use any type of paper for your resume—you need to use resume paper.

What is a resume paper?

As the name suggests, resume paper refers to a type of paper used for resume writing. It is thicker, weightier, and more opaque than regular 20-lbs copy paper that people use for printing office documents. Resume paper can come in different materials, colors, and textures as well.

Though you can always use any type of paper for your resume, rule of thumb dictates that you must use quality paper that prints better, is made of high-grade material, and looks professional, and resume paper checks all these boxes. It goes without saying that if you want your resume to be taken seriously by recruiters and hiring managers who read it, then you absolutely need to use resume paper.

Of course, there’s more than one type of resume paper that you can use. Below are some of the considerations and options you have when choosing the right resume paper for your needs.

The material you choose for your resume is crucial, as it immediately conveys whether the paper is of high quality or not. Some of the best options for resume paper material include cotton, linen, and granite. Cotton is the more widely accepted material, as its crisp and clean appearance instantly makes it a great professional-looking paper choice. Cotton is also an environmentally sustainable material, making it the best paper for resume for many.

Linen, on the other hand, adds a nice texture while retaining an all-important professional appearance. Granite comes with dark speckles, which lend a unique quality to a resume without sacrificing a formal tone.

The choice for resume paper weight often falls between 24 lbs. or 32 lbs. Many consider the standard 20-lbs. paper unacceptable for resume writing, as it is far too bland and common, and makes a resume look cheap and sloppy. 24 lbs. paper is the most common choice, as it can adequately handle frequent handling and prints. Most of the formal papers sold in the market come in 24 lbs. weight. However, many believe that 32 lbs. the paper gives a resume better ‘gravitas,’ which helps make the paper feel more important. Proponents of the use of 32 lbs. paper for resume writing cites the official appearance of diplomas and certifications—which use weightier paper—as good reasons.

You might think that white is your best resume paper color choice, and you’d be wrong. Though white works for most occasions, you’ll want to take into consideration the industry you want to work in, and if some artistic merit is warranted. Subtle shades of blue, brown, green or yellow can work for more creative positions, such as web designers or graphic illustrators. Likewise, an off-white or ivory paper will still appear formal while giving your resume a distinguishing factor that helps you stand out from the rest of the candidates.

Although you have many choices in terms of material, weight, and color, you only have one resume paper size option: 8.5 x 11 inches. Go smaller or larger, and you risk your resume getting looked at unfavorably. Leave the best impression by sticking to the tried-and-true 8.5 x 11-inch resume paper size.

Professional paper comes in two general textures, coated and uncoated. Examples of the coated paper include matte, dull, satin, and glass, while uncoated paper types include wove and laid. Although any of these will work for your resume, you don’t want your paper’s texture to be too distracting. Regardless of the texture of the paper, you decide on using, make sure to check the final printed product before sending it out. If the texture takes the focus off your resume’s content, replace it with something subtler.

Printing considerations

Your choice of high-quality resume paper will be for nothing if you don’t print your resume using an equally high-quality printer. If you plan on printing your resume at home, make sure to use an inkjet photo printer for best results. And do consult your printer’s manual if it supports the thickness of your preferred paper for resume, and if there are any special steps you must take to ensure your resume prints correctly.

If your home printer is not up to standards, you can visit an office supply store, printing service store, or your local public library to have your resume printed. Don’t forget to bring with you your flash drive containing your resume. And save your resume in different file formats including *.doc, *.docx, and *.pdf if you’re not sure which ones the printing service will accept.

Don’t compromise on quality

Your resume represents you, that’s why your choice of resume paper has a major impact on how recruiters and hiring managers will view you. A high-quality resume paper serves as the proper background for a well-written, well-structured resume. Keep the considerations above in mind when choosing the right resume paper for your needs.

Let Resumeble work on your resume’s content

Match your high-quality resume paper with resume content that not only catches the attention of recruiters but also sustains it. Resumeble’s professional resume writing service comes with a 60-day interview guarantee after finalizing your resume. Give yourself a better chance of getting your foot in the door. Have us write your resume today.

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

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Resume Writing Guide

A resume is typically an employer’s first introduction to you. First impressions are crucial to establish yourself as professional, capable, and motivated. A strong resume demonstrates your transferrable skills, communication abilities, and achievements. A consistent, detailed, and concise resume can help your resume get noticed by recruiters. By formatting your resume professionally, you increase your chances of earning the interview.

Resume Components

Contact information, phone number.

Use a phone number you can answer readily, such as your cell phone. If you have a voice mail set-up, make sure it sounds professional with your name and the best times to contact you.

Your e-mail address should be professional. While you are enrolled at UMass Amherst, your UMass e-mail will work well. After graduation, consider creating a new e-mail address that contains your name. 

Always include phone and email, but consider if listing your address is helpful or harmful. Employers may give preference to people who are closer geographically - if you are applying from far away, they may be unsure whether you are serious about moving.

Additionally, while your city and state are helpful to list, you do not necessarily need to include your street address. Employers will need it to hire you, but it is not required to provide during the job application process.

Objective/Summary

This section is most useful when you hand your paper resume out at a career or networking event - unless you have something specific to highlight, consider leaving it off your resume. A cover letter will do a better job conveying your why, as well as your key abilities. When you submit electronically, many Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) will often skip the summary section and look for those key words to be in the body of your document instead.

For currently enrolled students, you will list your current degree first, and then work backwards in reverse chronological order. During your first few years of college, consider including your high school until you run out of space.

In addition to your college education, you may also highlight   study abroad or domestic exchange programs . When discussing these programs, think about including the following experiences to highlight your transferable skills: 

Class projects

Volunteering/internships/research applicable to your field

Independent travel

Learning to work with a more diverse group of people than you had previously been exposed to

Resolving conflicts based on misunderstandings of cultural differences

Learn new activities, languages, hobbies, or skills

Education Section Example 

University of Massachusetts, Amherst (Fall 2024 - Present)

Bachelor of Arts, Major: English

GPA (if over 3.0 and you feel comfortable sharing)

Relevant Coursework: 3-5 courses max

Awards (when including awards, include the reason for receiving it. Example: "21st Century Leadership Award for high academic achievement in first year")

Senior Project: (optional)

Portfolio of work (optional)

There are many types of experiences: volunteer, paid, unpaid, work study. If the experience is relevant and taught you transferrable skills, find a way to include it.

• For each experience, include name of organization, your title or role, location, and dates
• Action verbs (samples below) to help you write accomplishment statements, which prove you have the skills you say by leaning into outcomes and successes
• Consider using multiple experience headings, such as: research experience, industry experience, or relevant experience. This can be a good way to move more relevant experiences up higher on your resume, even if they happened further in the past.
• Quantifying your work can demonstrate your aptitude. Answering questions such as "How many?",   "How much?", and "How often?" will help recruiters understand the extent of your skills.  
• Avoid “responsibilities included" and writing in a passive voice - using action verbs will make this easier.

Experience Example

Leverage, Incorporated: Boston, MA (September 2025 - Present)

Computer Science Intern

• Developed an algorithm that identified patterns in white collar crime in the financial industries across the United States. Implementation of this program reduced company losses by 17% compared to the previous quarter.
• Collaborated with supply chain division to design new packaging based on reduction of carbon footprint, leading to increased production distribution while reducing energy usage.
• Established a training program to help connect interns with mentors at the organization and was awarded the Innovative Intern of Quarter for these efforts

This section is typically for "hard" skills, which are skills that can easily be measured. Soft skills (such as interpersonal skills) are better described in bullet points of your experience section so they can have the context they require. For a skills section, depending on your targeted field, you may add computer, language, laboratory skills, or performances. For languages, put your level of fluency (e.g., proficient, advanced, fluent, native).

Skills Example

Computer: Microsoft Office (Word, Excel), Adobe Suite (Photoshop, InDesign), Data Analysis (R-Studio, SPSS)

Resume Formatting and Layout

The average reading only spends 20 seconds reading a resume. Before that, an applicant tracking system may be utilized to select which resumes get reviewed by a human being.  Make sure your resume is easy to read and stands out. 

No single format works for everyone: the only rule is that you need to be honest, factual, and relevant

One page is ideal (especially for internships) and for students ages 18-25

Keep a longer master resume for future opportunities

List everything in reserve chronological order; start with your most recent experience work backwards

Use a legible sans serif  font size, keep it readable, 11 is a good place to start

1 column is better than 2; when you have two columns the reader may jump around and miss key information

No icons or images as they cannot be read by applicant tracking software

How Many Resume Versions Do I Need?

There is a big difference between customizing your resume for a specific position/industry versus creating different documents for each application.

• If you are applying to jobs in drastically different industries, you will want to customize resumes for each industry. For example, a psychology major applying to jobs in Human Services as well as Human Resources will want to highlight different experiences and skills for each, and potentially format their resumes different as a business setting holds different expectations for job criteria compared to a mental health setting.
• If you're pursuing a few different roles, but they're all related to one discipline or field, then you will not need multiple versions of your resume. However, you will still want to tweak each resume you send out based on the specific job description. 

Specialized Resumes/Sections

While resumes may follow the same general format, depending on your experience and industry, there may be other considerations to help your resume stand out.

Design Resumes

Design resumes can differ from traditional resumes in several tangible ways, reflecting the unique skills and creative nature of design professions.

Your document is an indication of your style aesthetic and may not need to conform to the same rules and standards as other professions.

Visual Layout

Design resumes often incorporate creative layouts that display the designer's skills in typography, layout, and visual communication.

• Infographics: Use of icons, graphs, and other visual elements can represent skills, experience, and achievements.
• Color and Typography: Thoughtful use of color and font choices creates an aesthetically pleasing document that aligns with your personal brand.

Content Presentation and Customization

Direct links to online portfolios or examples of work, are often included as part of the resume. Incorporation of personal logos, custom icons, and other branding elements that reflect a designer's style may be added here.

File Format and Compatibility

Designers create their resumes in online spaces varying from Latec to Adobe to Canva. While many resumes are shared as PDFs, design resumes especially should be shared in this format to preserve visual integrity across different devices.

Unique Layouts

Non-traditional formats such as infographics, timelines, or modular layouts may be acceptable.

Interactivity

For digital resumes, elements of interactivity can be incorporated, such as clickable links, hover effects, and embedded multimedia.

The most important rules still apply to ALL resumes; clean neat formatting, with consistency in where the reader will access key information continues to be your driving force.

Designers should contact their career centers to discuss what resume style might best suit their professional goals.

Digital Resumes

A digital resume is an electronic version of a traditional resume that highlights an individual's professional experience, skills, and achievements using digital formats.

Either shared as a PDF or hosted on a personal website, this format allows for enhanced interactivity and multimedia integration. Digital resumes often feature creative layouts, embedded links to portfolios, and interactive elements such as hover effects or animations.

They enable candidates to visually demonstrate their technical and design skills, making them particularly popular in creative and tech industries. The goal of a digital resume is to highlight qualifications, but also provide a dynamic and engaging avenue for potential employers to assess a candidate’s capabilities.

Student Athletes

As a UMass athlete, you learn incredible transferable skills in areas such as communication, leadership, and teamwork. You also spend more time at your activity than most, so make sure they see all your greatness in action.

“Effectively managed communications between 24 team members, served as liaison connecting team and coaching staff, and effectively resolved intra-group conflicts.”

“Excellent time management skills. Balanced a 30+ hour practice, training, competition, and travel schedule while balancing full academic course load.

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