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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 August 06, 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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Resume Examples for 2024 & Guides for Any Job [90+ Examples]

In today’s competitive job market, having an impactful resume is more essential than ever. 

However, many job seekers struggle to craft a resume that effectively highlights their skills and experience and, in turn, misses out on potential job opportunities. 

This is where our extensive library of resume examples comes in. 

By looking at examples of resumes for different industries and professions, you can gain great insight into what works and what doesn’t, get inspired to present your own qualifications, and stand out from the competition.

Let’s dive in!

15+ Resume Examples

#1. architect resume example.

Here’s what this architect resume example does right:

• Lists related experience. This resume highlights the relevant professional experience the candidate gained in the field during their internship.
• Mentions achievements and responsibilities. The candidate backs up their claims by going into detail about their achievements and responsibilities. 
• Focus on personal projects. By dedicating a section to their personal projects, this candidate makes up for their lack of work experience and shows off their dedication to the industry. 

#2. Business Resume Example

Here’s what this business-related resume example does right:

• Prioritizes work experience. The work experience section is arguably the most important section in every resume, which is why this candidate has given it a priority by giving it enough resume space and going into detail about their previous positions. 
• Highlights accomplishments. To make their professional experience even more impactful, this candidate has supported all their claims with quantifiable achievements. 
• Lists the right optional sections . The candidate adds more value to their resume by including the organizations, honors, and conferences as optional sections.

#3. Computer Science Resume Example

Here’s what this computer science resume does right: 

• Prioritizes technical skills. Technical skills are essential when it comes to IT-related roles, which is why this candidate has prioritized them over soft skills.
• Keeps the education section concise. With such extensive professional experience in the field, the candidate has opted to keep their education section short.
• Lists relevant social media profiles. Listing websites like GitHub and LinkedIn is a great way to provide recruiters with additional information about your skills.

#4. Data Analyst Resume Example

Here’s what this data analyst resume does right: 

• Includes a strong resume summary . This candidate showcases their key skills and qualifications from the get-go, which is much more likely to get recruiters to read their resumes from start to finish.
• Highlights technical skills. Data analysts work with “big data,” so this candidate prioritizes their quantitative and technical skills over other resume sections.
• Lists relevant professional certifications . The resume lists the candidate’s most noteworthy professional certificates.

#5. College Resume Example

Here’s what this college resume example does right: 

• Lists relevant social media profiles. By including their Medium and LinkedIn accounts, this candidate gives the hiring manager a chance to know them more professionally. 
• Highlights achievements . Although they lack work experience, the candidate has listed everything they’ve achieved during their academic career, thus showing they’re a promising candidate. 
• Mentions the right optional sections. Adding hobbies and interests and foreign languages to a resume is a huge plus for a candidate with no work experience.

#6. Customer Service Resume Example

Here’s what this customer service resume does right: 

• Includes both soft and hard skills . Customer service roles require a mix of soft and hard skills, so this candidate has listed both. 
• Mentions quantifiable achievements. To make their achievements more impressive, the candidate has backed up their work achievements with data and numbers. 
• Lists foreign language skills. Foreign languages are a huge plus when you’re working in customer service and this resume does a good job highlighting the candidate’s foreign language skills. 

#7. Digital Marketing Resume Example

Here’s what this digital marketing resume does right: 

• Follows the reverse chronological format . This format is the most popular one worldwide and is easily the safest choice.
• Grabs attention with a resume summary. In a single glance, the recruiter can tell that the candidate is a digital marketing professional with the right amount of experience.
• Lists relevant skills. The digital marketing specialist resume above lists in-demand marketing skills like Google Ads, SEO, and others.

#8. Graduate Resume Example

Here’s what this graduate resume example does right:

• Starts off with a well-written resume objective . The resume objective does a great job of showing off the candidate’s promise and industry-related experience. 
• Includes work experience. The candidate has gained professional experience while they were a student and they’ve made sure to include that in their resume. 
• Takes advantage of optional sections. Sections like volunteer experience, and personal projects and achievements can help make up for the lack of extensive experience in the industry. 

#9. HR Resume Example

Here’s what this human resources resume example does right: 

• Follows the right format. The reverse chronological format lists the candidate’s latest experience and achievements first, which is exactly what recruiters want to see. 
• Highlights professional experience. With so many years in the industry, this candidate has dedicated the biggest part of their resume to their work history. 
• Includes courses and certificates. To make their achievements even more impressive, the candidate has included all their courses and certifications. 

#10. Medical Assistant Resume Example

Here’s what this medical assistant resume example does right: 

• Starts off with a memorable resume summary. The candidate lists their years of experience, skills, and passion for the industry, making it more likely for the hiring manager to read the rest of their resume. 
• Lists the candidate’s certificates. There are many certifications one can obtain in the medical field, and this candidate proves how professional they are by listing theirs. 
• Highlights the candidate’s extensive work experience. Experience speaks louder than a thousand words, which is why this resume example provides the work experience section its due space. 

#11. Project Manager Resume Example

Here’s what this project manager resume example does right: 

• Uses bullet points. The candidate uses bullet points to organize and present the information which makes this project manager resume example look neat and structured.
• Keeps their education section relevant. The candidate only includes their key education details, such as their Bachelor’s degree and a field-related minor.
• Takes advantage of additional sections. The candidate takes advantage of the extra space on their project manager resume by including relevant additional sections, such as their industry-related certifications and academic achievements

#12. Bar Manager Resume Example

Here’s what this bar manager resume example does right:

• Includes relevant social media profiles. Details such as your LinkedIn profile or Instagram handle make you look more professional (as long as they’re work-related). 
• Mentions industry-related skills. Instead of listing a bunch of unrelated skills, the bar manager resume example above only lists industry-relevant skills.
• Quantifiable achievements. This applicant quantifies their achievements as much as possible, showing the bar owner how they stand out amongst other candidates.

#13. Supervisor Resume Example

Here’s what this supervisor resume example does right: 

• Lists relevant contact details . The supervisor resume example above leaves out redundancies like marital status or age and includes relevant information, like a LinkedIn URL. 
• Features as many accomplishments as possible. To really highlight their candidate’s professional experience, the supervisor example lists achievements over responsibilities. 
• Lists the right kind of skills. This supervisor's resume example doesn’t list every skill under the sun. Instead, they keep the section relevant by only listing skills required from a supervisor. 

#14. Teacher Resume Example

Here’s what this teacher resume example does right:

• Mentions industry-relevant skills. The candidate lists all the soft and hard skills a teacher should have. 
• Includes hobbies and interests . By including hobbies and interests, the hiring manager will see the candidate as more than just a resume. 
• Lists volunteer experience. The candidate reinforces their teaching experience by including their teaching volunteer gigs and experience. 

#15. Writer Resume Example

Here’s just what this writer resume example does right: 

• Impressive resume summary. The resume includes a brief but effective resume summary that highlights the candidate’s skills and top achievements.
• Relevant contact details. This writer resume example contains relevant contact information, including the candidate’s name and surname, email address, phone number, location, professional website URL, and LinkedIn URL. 
• Short education section. A writer’s skills and experience matter more than their education. For this reason, this candidate kept their writer resume’s education section short and sweet. 

#16. Web Developer Resume Example

Here’s what this web developer resume example does right: 

• Focuses on technical skills. Technical skills are essential for web development, which is why this candidate has prioritized theirs.
• Grabs attention with their work experience. Their rich work experience, listed in reverse chronological order, shows the candidate is a promising professional.
• Keeps their education section minimal. With such extensive work experience and training, the candidate has kept their education section concise.

65+ More Resume Examples and Guides 

Couldn’t find a resume example for your field? Worry not!

Below you can find a number of other resume examples for different fields and industries:

• Accountant Resume
• Administrative Assistant Resume
• AI Engineer Resume
• Animator Resume
• Babysitter Resume
• Banking Resume
• Bank Teller Resume
• Barbie's Resume
• Barista Resume
• Bartender Resume
• Bookkeeper Resume
• Business Analyst Resume
• Career Change Resume
• Caregiver Resume
• Cashier Resume
• College Application Resume
• College Freshman Resume
• Consultant Resume
• Construction Project Manager
• Creative Resume Examples
• Data Entry Specialist Resume
• Data Scientist Resume
• Dentist Resume
• DevOps Engineer Resume
• Digital Marketing Manager Resume
• Editor Resume
• Electrical Engineer Resume
• Elon Musk's One-Page Resume
• Engineering Resume
• Esthetician Resume
• Europass CV
• Event Planner Resume
• Executive Assistant Resume
• Federal Resume
• Financial Analyst Resume
• Flight Attendant Resume
• Fresher Resume
• Game Designer Resume 
• Graphic Designer Resume
• High School Resume
• Illustrator Resume 
• Interior Designer Resume
• Internship Resume
• Java Developer Resume
• Military to Civilian Resume
• Marketing Executive Resume
• Minimalistic Resume Examples
• Nanny Resume Example
• Nurse Resume
• Office Assistant Resume
• Office Manager Resume
• Operations Manager Resume
• Paralegal Resume
• Pharmacist Resume
• Photographer Resume
• Program Manager Resume
• Real Estate Agent Resume
• Receptionist Resume
• Recruiter Resume
• Research Assistant Resume
• Restaurant Manager Resume
• Retail Manager Resume
• Richard Branson's One-Page Resume
• Sales Resume
• Sales Associate Resume
• Satya Nadella's One-Page Resume
• Server Resume
• Social Worker Resume
• Software Engineer Resume
• Stay-at-home Mom Resume
• Student Resume
• Student Resume Templates
• Taylor Swift Resume
• Video Editor Resume
• Volunteer Resume
• Waiter/Waitress Resume
• Warehouse Worker Resume
• Web Developer Resume
• Welder Resume

5+ Examples of Resume Templates

Your resume template can play an important role in helping you make a great first impression on the hiring manager. 

Specifically, your industry, work experience, or skills all impact how your resume should look, so make sure to choose the right template when making your resume: 

#1. Traditional Resume

A straightforward format that gives equal importance to all resume sections , emphasizing skills and work experience.

#2. Creative Resume

Land your dream job in the creative industry by using this creative resume template. 

#3. Minimalist Resume

A simple and easy-to-follow resume template. Perfect for more conservative industries which prefer less flashy templates.

#4. Basic Resume

This easy-to-personalize basic resume layout can be ready in under ten minutes through our resume builder .

#5. IT Resume

One of the best resume layouts to choose when you wish to showcase your IT expertise.

#6. Modern Resume 

It can be hard to stand out from the crowd, but this modern resume sample will take care of this.

#7. General Resume

5+ Resume Examples by Career Level

#1. no experience resume .

Are you a student with no experience ? Learn how to write a compelling resume with our guide! 

#2. College Freshman Resume

Learn how to ace your college freshman resume with our comprehensive guide! 

#3. Graduate Resume

Fresh out of college? Write an impactful graduate resume to land your first gig after college. 

#4. Career Change Resume

Going through a career change? Perfect your career change resume to make the transition as smooth as possible. 

#5. Manager Resume

#6. Executive Resume

The Perfect Resume Structure 

Not sure how to structure your resume?

Here’s our tried-and-tested resume layout :

• Choose the right resume format or pick a template. If you’re formatting your resume yourself, follow the reverse-chronological format and make sure to follow the right layout rules. Alternatively, you can use one of our premade resume templates and not have to worry about formatting your resume one bit. 
• Add relevant contact details and make sure they’re mistake-free. You shouldn’t be missing information such as your full name and job title, e-mail address, and where you’re based. Optionally, you can also include some relevant social media profiles, such as your LinkedIn.
• Include a resume summary or a resume objective. Done right, a resume summary will show the hiring manager you’re a relevant candidate from the get-go and have them read the rest of your resume.
• List your work experience, placing special focus on your achievements. Your work experience becomes more meaningful if you include your achievements in your past roles and manage to make them quantifiable.
• Mention your top soft and hard skills. List any skills you have that are relevant to the job you’re applying for in a seperate section. 
• Keep your education section short and concise. Unless you’re an entry-level candidate with little-to-no work experience, keep your education section short and to the point. 
• Leverage optional sections like “Languages,” “Certifications,” or “Hobbies and Interests.” Fill up the rest of your resume space with optional sections that can highlight your strengths and qualifications as a candidate (e.g. foreign languages you speak, certifications you’ve obtained over the years, or your hobbies and interests).

3 Examples of Resume Formats 

#1. reverse chronological resume format.

This resume format highlights your experience and key professional achievements by listing your latest position and acquired skills first. It’s the most popular resume format among recruiters and the one we advise job seekers to use in 99% of cases. 

#2. Functional Resume Format

A functional resume , also known as the skill-based resume, is a resume format that focuses on your professional skill test as opposed to work experience. You’re better off using a functional resume if you’re a recent graduate with no work experience, if you’re switching careers, or if you have a long employment gap . 

#3. Hybrid Resume Format

A combination resume combines the two traditional resume formats: the reverse-chronological resume and the functional resume.

As such, this format places emphasis on a candidate’s skills and work experience. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Resume Examples

1. Are resume examples helpful?

Resume examples are helpful for several reasons. For starters, they can inspire you to write an A+ resume that meets the industry’s requirements. 

Also, resume examples can show you the best practices for listing your work experience and achievements, can guide you through your resume formatting and can help you understand exactly what the end result should look like.

2. How were these resume examples created?

All our resume examples and resume templates were created in full collaboration with industry-leading HR professionals.

This means that they meet all job market requirements, are modern and impactful, and meet recruiters’ standards worldwide.

3. What if I can’t find a resume example for my job?

While we’ve tried to list as many resume examples as possible for different jobs across several industries, it might happen that you can’t find the resume example that perfectly matches your needs. 

If that’s the case, you can check out our guide on how to write a resume , and learn to create an effective resume regardless of industry.

4. What is the best resume format in 2024?

The reverse-chronological format is still the best resume format in 2024. It remains the most widely used and preferred format by employers and recruiters alike. In this format, you list your work experience in reverse chronological format, starting with your most recent position and working backward.

This format showcases our most recent and relevant experience, making it easier for employers to see our career progression and accomplishments. 

5. Are these resume examples free? 

Yes, most of these resume examples can be used for free in the Basic account, while there is also a selection of templates included in the Premium account. All of them though can be tested for free in our editor. 

6. Do you also have cover letter examples?

Yes, we have an entire article dedicated to cover letter examples for different fields and jobs. Not just that, but you can also find tips on how to write a great cover letter and an FAQ section to answer any question you may have. 

7. Should my resume and cover letter match?

Yes, having a cover letter that’s consistent with your resume in terms of style, tone, and content can be a plus for your overall job application. In a nutshell, a matching resume and cover letter can increase your chances of getting an interview by demonstrating your professionalism, attention to detail, and suitability for the role. 

Conclusion 

And that’s a wrap!

We hope the examples and guides provided in this article can help you create a powerful and effective resume that highlights your unique qualifications and experiences. 

Whether you're a recent graduate, a mid-career employee, or a seasoned professional, there are tips and templates here to help you create a compelling resume for any job.

For more career advice, make sure to check out our career blog . 

To provide a safer experience, the best content and great communication, we use cookies. Learn how we use them for non-authenticated users.

How to Write a Resume for Today’s Job Market

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

Customers Interviewed by:

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to write a resume that gets interviews

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

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

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

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

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

1. Gather your essential information before you start

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

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

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

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

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

The chronological resume format

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

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

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

The functional resume format

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

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

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

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

The hybrid resume format

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here’s an example:

Contact information do’s and don’ts

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

4. Create a compelling resume headline

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

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

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

Resume headline do’s and don’ts

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

5. Write your resume summary

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Resume summary do’s and don’ts

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

6. Create your skills section

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

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

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

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

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

• Customer Service
• Client Relations
• Customer Support

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

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

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

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

7. Create a compelling work history section

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Work experience do’s and don’ts

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

8. Create your education and certification section

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

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

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

Education section do’s and don’ts

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

9. Showcase honors, awards, and volunteer work

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Effective resume formatting tips

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to match your cover letter to your resume

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

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

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

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

10 standout resume examples to inspire you

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

1. Sales manager resume example

2. Accountant resume example

3. Recruiter resume example

4. Bookkeeper resume sample

5. Digital marketing resume example

6. Teacher resume example

7. Customer service resume example

8. Office assistant resume example

9. Operations manager resume example

10. Technical writer resume example

Key takeaways

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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How To Make A Resume 101 (Examples Included)

Mike Simpson 0 Comments

By Mike Simpson

If you are reading this article, I think it is safe to say that we can call you a “job seeker”, correct?

But what kind of job seeker are you?

Are you looking for a change of pace from your everyday job?

Are you just starting out in the workforce?

Maybe you’re a seasoned veteran trying to make the leap up the chain of command?

Or perhaps you’re just fed up with the way things are going (or not going) with your career and it’s time for a change?

Well, no matter what stage you are in your career, you’re going to need to know how to write a good resume for a job interview … and we are going to show you how! So start by downloading our Free “Perfect Resume” Checklist that will help you overhaul your resume and will get you more interviews.  Click here to get the “perfect resume” checklist

What Is a Resume?

Don’t laugh.

Believe it or not, some people (especially those who are completely new to the workforce) have never seen a resume before, let alone written one.

If you’re one of those people, this section is for you!

So what is a resume?

A resume   is a document used by job seekers to help  provide a summary of their  skills , abilities and accomplishments .

In other words,  a resume is typically a short and quick way for a job seeker to introduce themselves to a potential employer. (In North America a resume should not be confused with a CV . Check out our blog post on the difference between a CV and a resume if you’re interested.)

Resumes are normally submitted to hiring managers along with a cover letter (Need help writing a cover letter? Check out our article How To Write a Cover Letter 101 ), usually via email or on online job posting.

Sounds pretty easy, right? Just take a piece of paper and put some basic info on it and “wham, bam, thank you, ma’am, I’m right for the job and can start tomorrow,” right?

Unfortunately (or fortunately, which I’ll explain later) it’s not that easy.

In fact, writing a bad resume is much easier than writing a good one…and trust me, there are lots of bad ones out there…which is why you want to make sure you have good one…no wait, a GREAT one so when employers look at it, they say, “Heck yes, bring this kid in for an interview!”

Why Do I Need a Resume?

I know the (company CEO, boss, hiring manager, owner’s dog walker who works on Tuesday’s and they’ve totally promised me a job no matter what.)

If that’s true, then hey, you probably don’t need a resume…you’re essentially guaranteed the job already… but what about when that job ends?

Betcha no matter how great your hookups are right now, at some point in your career, you’re gonna need a killer resume, and luckily we’re here to tell you how to create a resume.

And not just any resume… a professional resume .

For those of us who don’t have direct connections to killer jobs, a resume is essential to getting your foot in the door.

Employers use resumes as a way to quickly screen potential applicants , selecting only the individuals they feel are right for the position, so making sure your resume is in tip-top shape is absolutely vital.

Here, let me walk you through a quick little scenario and we’ll see just how important those little pieces of paper actually are:

Imagine you’re a hiring manager and it’s your job to find the perfect candidate for an open position with your company.

You’ve trolled the usual job listing sites and posted what you’re looking for and the response has been…overwhelming.

Your desk is COVERED with resumes. Pile after pile. Stack after stack.

All you need is that one qualified person, but as you look through the piles of paperwork, you feel your stomach starting to knot up. These resumes are a mess. Most of them are sloppy, with spelling errors, confusing headings, and lists of qualifications that have absolutely NOTHING to do with the job at all. You need an IT specialist and a third of these resumes have things like ‘underwater basket weaving specialist,’ and ‘professional poodle groomer’ listed under relevant skills. How is that relevant?

You call maintenance and ask them to empty your trash can, again. It’s filling up too quickly with all these rejected candidates.

You continue to slog through the pile of papers, your eyes growing heavy with each rejection. You’re sleepy, you’re bored, and you’re frustrated. Does NOBODY really qualify for this job?

And then you see it. A single resume that’s clean, crisp and clearly written. The font is professional, the layout is well organized and thoughtful and the qualifications are…gasp…actually on target! You smile as you read it, your heavy eyes suddenly snapping open in excitement as you realize you’ve got someone here who might actually be able to do the job!

You carefully set that resume to the side, a bright yellow note stuck on top of it: “ Interview THIS one. ”

Then you turn back to your unending mountain of resumes. Back to the slog.

Okay. Story time is over…back to reality. How would you like to be that hiring manager?

No fun, eh? Absolutely not!

Unfortunately, odds are, your current resume is probably buried in that mountain of not quite right resumes…or worse yet, in the trash waiting to go out with the next trash run.

Wouldn’t you rather be the one with the yellow “Interview THIS one” sticky?

Okay, then… it’s time to give you all the resume help you need! That’s why we created this fantastic (and free) Resume Checklist for you to use to make sure your resume stand out against your competition.  Click here to get the “perfect resume” checklist .

In this article, we’ll show you SECTION 1 , “How to Build a Resume” or proper resume format and SECTION 2 , “How to Write a Resume.”

Section 1 – How To Make a Resume (or Proper Resume Format)

Good resume writing (and proper resume format) is an art form and can make the difference between getting lost in the pile and being invited in for an interview.

(Here’s the good news. We’ve dedicated an entire blog article just to resume format and the best practices for 2017 and beyond! Click here to head over to that article now! )

The problem is, a lot of people don’t see it as an art form…rather an obligation. Most people look at writing a resume as just something you have to do to get a job.

There’s no time put into it. No thought. And certainly no enthusiasm.

Just a bunch of stuff thrown on a page with the expectation that if the company really want to hire you, they should be able to look at that mess and pull what they need out of it and bring you in based off of that.

Reality check!

Research has proven that hiring managers only bring in about 1 person per 200 resumes received .

Those are some pretty miserable odds!

Time to step up your game and go from one of the 200 to that one out of 200!

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)

Okay, so we just finished telling you that writing a resume is an art form and that you need to stand out. BUT (there’s always a “but” isn’t there?) this doesn’t mean that you should paint your resume in water colors or build a resume diorama out of Play-Doh and Legos.

In fact, you should know that a lot of companies today are using Applicant Tracking Systems to help them screen resumes and find the best candidates.

How does this work exactly?

Well, a piece of software analyzes your resume for certain keywords and gives you a score based how well your resume matches a predetermined list of keywords chosen by the company you’re interviewing with.

There are a few things you can do to ensure your resume gets past the software and into the hands of hiring managers, which Lifehacker does a nice job of outlining here .

In the meantime, here are our best practices to follow when it comes to formatting your resume.

Resume Fonts

Of course you want your resume to stand out, but for the right reasons…and you have to understand that it starts with the very first second someone looks at it.

Your resume is a marketing tool to sell you to an employer and that means making sure it clearly represents you in a professional manner.

Notice the word professional. That’s what this is. PROFESSIONAL .

This isn’t a time for artistic expression or a place to make a personal statement using gimmicks or tricks..and that means say goodbye to cartoon fonts.

No. Comic. Sans.

I repeat. DO NOT EVER USE COMIC SANS.

Look at it. It’s ridiculous.

Who is ever going to take that font seriously? Nobody. That’s who.

You get, on average, 10 to 20 seconds to make a first impression with your resume… so make it count!

If your resume is sloppy or has unprofessional font, odds are those 20 seconds are going to end with you in the trash.

For anyone with a basic word processing program, it’s easy to see there are hundreds of fonts out there to choose from and picking the right one can be difficult. We’ve already discussed Comic Sans (no) but what fonts are good ones to use?

There are two categories of font. Serif and San-serif .

Serif fonts are stylized fonts with tails and other (subtle) decorative markings. Examples of serif fonts include Times New Roman . They are perceived as being reliable, authoritative, and traditional.

Other serif fonts include: Bell MT , Bodoni MT , Bookman Old Style , Cambria , Goudy Old Style , Calibri , Garamond, and Georgia .

San-serif fonts are also often used and are characterized as being simpler and no-frills. San-serif fonts include Helvetica and Arial and are associated with being clean, universal, modern, objective and stable.

Examples of san-serif fonts include: Verdana , Trebuchet MS , Century Gothic , Gill Sans MT , Lucida Sans , and Tahoma .

No matter which font you use, the biggest consideration you have to keep in mind is legibility .

You need to make sure that your typeface is easy on the eyes and shows up well both in print and on screen, regardless of formatting or size.

Another consideration to keep in mind is that not everyone has the same operating system on their computer so unique or gimmicky fonts that look great on one computer system might show up as absolute nonsense on another.

Also, remember in today’s increasing digital age that most resumes are first scanned by an automated applicant tracking software program and any form that can’t be read will be automatically discarded!

Which one is right for you? It’s up to you really, but if you really want a recommendation then I suggest keeping it simple and going with  Helvetica . It’s the perfect combination of style and clarity.

Mike's Tip:

Resume layout & formatting.

Okay, now that you’ve got your font picked out, it’s time to focus on your resume formats (or layouts).  Don’t worry if you can’t remember all of this stuff, because we summarize it all on our “Perfect Resume” Checklist we made for you.  Simply click here to get your copy .

The first rule of layout is, keep it clean and clear. You want a resume that’s easy to read and easy to follow.

Again, remember, you get 10-20 seconds to catch a hiring manager’s eye so handing in something that’s messy, unorganized or confusing is going to end up in the trash.

Margins – Keep your margins to ½ to 1 inch on all sides of the paper, especially if you’re sending your resume to anyone you think might print it out. The last thing you want is to have a printer crop your resume and leave off important information!

Font Size – With the exception of your name which can be larger, you want to keep your font size at between 10 and 12 point. Keep in mind that some fonts are larger and/or smaller than others so an Arial 12 is larger than a Times New Roman 12. Ideally you want your resume to be a single page so feel free to tweak your font size a bit to make it fit (some programs allow you to adjust sizes by half points) but remember, keep it readable! Don’t sacrifice legibility in order to get everything on the page .

Spacing – Generally single spacing works the best, with a blank line between each section of content.

Paper – If you’re printing out your resume make sure to use a laser printer or inkjet printer that produces high-quality results. Use off-white , ivory or bright white paper and always stick to the standard 8 ½ X 11 paper in the highest quality you can afford. Make sure if there is a watermark on the paper that it’s facing the correct way and whatever you do, keep it readable. Don’t cram so much on the page that it’s crowded or confusing!

Resume Categories

Resumes are really nothing more than a bunch of specific categories that quickly outline who you are and what you’ve done and can do. Making sure your categories are well organized is a quick way to help put you in the “yes” pile and keep you out of the “trash” pile.

One of the biggest problems with many resumes is they lack focus and clarity. Double check yours and make sure your categories are well defined and organized.

Header – Start your resume off with the most important information first: your personal information! Include your full name, phone number, email and personal branding website if you have one . It’s also appropriate to include your permanent mailing address, but this can be optional.

Objective or Resume Summary – Depending on what sort of job seeker you are and what job you’re applying for, you will have to choose between an objective statement (what your employment goals are with the company you’re applying to) or a resume summary (a quick recap of your skills and experiences that highlight your value to a potential employer.) Regardless of whether you include an objective or a summary, keep this short and sweet (no more than a sentence or two.)

• For our in-depth article on how to write a resume objective, click here .
• For our in-depth article on how to write a resume summary statement, click here .

Experience/Qualifications – This part is all about your work history and should not only include who you worked for but what you did and how long you did it. Include the title you held and a quick bulleted list of responsibilities and/or duties. This is listed in reverse chronological order with your most recent job first .

Skills & Abilities – This section is a quick outline of the skills to put on a resume that relate to the position/career you’re applying to. These can include things like computer skills , technical skills , language skills , anything that can help make you the perfect candidate!

References – Including references is no longer a requirement. It’s a good idea to have references, but the days of listing them at the bottom of your resume is a thing of the past. Instead, have them as a separate list, and if requested, you’ll be able to provide it. Check out our article on professional reference letters if you need more info. (If you need a character reference, check out our article .)

Interests – This category is a tough one. Not every resume should include an interests section…this isn’t Facebook and your potential IT employer probably doesn’t need to know you spend your weekends dressing up as a troll warlord and reenacting great battles… Interests and hobbies can be a double-edged sword and listing something that has nothing to do with the job you’re applying for can not only waste valuable resume space but can also make you seem unfocused or scattered. HOWEVER…there are times when including interests can help you out…especially if they’re related to the job you’re applying for and show interest outside of the office, such as volunteering for an organization you know the corporation is already involved in (do you research first)! This category should be carefully considered before you add it. Weigh the pros and cons very seriously.

Types of Resumes (And 3 Resume Samples)

There are three major types of resumes: chronological, functional and combination (sometimes called targeted or hybrid), and we’ve included a description of each below along with some good resume examples.

Chronological Resume

Chronological resumes are the most commonly used layout and is exactly what it sounds like, a chronological listing of all your work history with your most recent positions listed first.

Employers tend to really like this type of a resume because it’s easy for them to quickly see what jobs you’ve held and how long you’ve held them. It also often includes an objective or career summary as well as education, certifications, and special skills.

For job seekers with a strong working background, this is a great way to showcase what you’ve done!

Here is a great chronological sample resume:

Source: Vault.com

Functional Resume

Functional resumes focus more on skills and experiences rather than on chronological work history and are perfect for people who are changing careers or have a gap in their work history as they focus attention on specific skills and capabilities.

Rather than displaying a timeline of your work history, the functional resume focuses on the actual skills you possess and highlights what you know rather than when you did it.

If you’re applying for a job with specific skills or clearly defined requirements and/or traits, this is the one you want to choose!

Here is a great functional sample resume:

Combination Resume

Combination resumes are exactly that, a combination of chronological and functional. A combination resume lists both your skills and experiences as well as your employment history in chronological order.

The idea is to not only highlight the skills you have that are relevant to the job you’re applying to, but also provide your potential employer with a chronological record of the jobs you’ve held in the past.

Because this type of resume is essentially two different types mashed together, it’s typically broken into two parts. The first part is your functional resume section and highlights your skills, achievements and qualifications and the second part is your timeline of work experience.

Although more complicated to pull together and keep cohesive and clear, this type of format is effective when used by an applicant who wants to show off the most relevant skills while still documenting work history. It’s also a great way to explain gaps in work history as well as career changes.

Here is a great combination sample resume:

So How Long Should A Resume Be?

Once upon a time the fast and hard rule was keep your resume to one-page MAX! Job seekers who found their resumes exceeding the one page limit were forced to either cut out valuable information or tweak their formatting, font sizes and/or margins to make it work, often resulting in either difficult formatting or incomplete histories.

Nowadays the rules are a little more relaxed and the new rule is: Your resume should be long enough to entice the hiring manager to call you in for an interview.

Confused? Don’t be.

First off, your resume is an introduction to who you are…give them enough information to get them comfortable, but brief enough that they’re left wanting more (and call you in for an interview!)

This isn’t a novel. It isn’t a 10-page dissertation on who you are or a 20-page essay on everything you’ve done from your first moments on earth to the moment you sent it to the company.

It’s a career marketing tool and should be used exactly like any good advertising is used…to build excitement, pique curiosity, and encourage the viewer to ask “ Okay, I like this so far…what else? ”

Remember our hiring manager from story time at the beginning of this article? Remember, they’re looking through hundreds, if not thousands of resumes and the last thing you want to do is to hand them a long document they’ll have to pour over to get the info they need.

Be concise . Be brief . Be clear . Be professional .

The best way to determine how long your resume should be is to follow these simple rules:

If you have less than 10 years of experience, are in the middle of a career change, or held multiple positions with one single employer, keep your resume to one page.

If you have more than 10 years of experience, your field is technical or engineering related and you need space to list all your skills and qualifications then two pages is appropriate.

And only in the most rare of situations, usually scientific or academic fields where extensive lists of publications, speaking engagements, professional courses, licenses or patents are normal, can you have a resume three or more pages long…

Okay, got all that? Ready to move onto Section 2 – “How to Write a Resume?”

If you haven’t already, now would be a good time to get your free Resume Checklist. It will help to have it open as you go through the next section!  Click here to get it now .

Section 2 – How To Write a Resume

Now that we have a general idea of what a resume should include, let’s look at how to write one that helps you stand out from the crowd.

Again, let’s go back to our poor beleaguered hiring manger toiling away over mountains of unfocused resumes…and while we’re there, I’m going to let you in on a little secret.

Out of all of those resumes, there are hundreds of qualified candidates…people who would probably do an amazing job and would be great additions to any company.

Sure, there are those in that pile who have NO business applying for the job…but I guarantee there’s a big chunk of applicants who are qualified and would be great hires…problem is, their resumes…well…suck.

Luckily yours…doesn’t. In fact, yours is brilliant and you are the perfect candidate! You’re the answer to the hiring manager’s prayers. You’re the reason they post jobs and slog through piles of paper poo and when they finally stumble on your little nugget of job history gold, jump to their feet in excitement and yell “Bring this one IN!”

Or at least, if you follow these guidelines and rules, you will be!

Tailoring Your Resume

No, we don’t mean tailoring like getting a nice suit and having it professionally fitted to you (not a bad idea for interview wear, but that’s a different post for a different time.) but tailoring as in making your resume absolutely perfect for the job you’re applying for.

Job hunting is exactly that, hunting…and if you’ve ever done any sort of hunting, you know each and every animal requires different skills. And before you get all upset and tell me “Hey, I’ve never hunted an animal and I never plan on doing it and your analogy is horrible,” let me TAILOR this even further down.

Have you ever tried to get an animal to come to you?

Have a cat? Have a dog? Have a bird? Even a fish?

Each one requires a different approach and what works for one won’t work for another.

Ever tried to entice a horse to come to you with a juicy steak? How about tossing some hay to a tiger and wondering why it isn’t eating? Of course not! That’s because you tailor what you’re doing to the situation you’re in.

Give the steak to the tiger and the hay to the horse!

Cats typically respond well to string and lasers. Dogs love to chase balls. And job hunting is exactly the same!

If you’re sending out the exact same resume to 500 job listings, then you’re not doing it right.

Odds are, you’re not getting many interviews either, and you’re probably wondering what’s wrong with all those hiring managers.

Is it possible all 500 are idiots and can’t tell how amazing you are and how you’re incredible and they’re totally missing out by not hiring you?

Possibly, but I doubt it.

Tailoring means making sure that every resume is unique and specifically written to appeal to the hiring manager for the job you’re applying to. That means if you send out 500 resumes for 500 job listings, each and every one of those 500 resumes will be different.

Exhausting? Hell yes.

Worth it? When you get the job of your dreams…you bet!

The problem is, each job is different and what each hiring manager is looking for is different. There is no physical way to satisfy each and every employer’s individual hiring requirements using just one blanket resume.

If you want to catch the attention of the hiring manager, you have to give them what they want. You need to invest the time into each application and ensure that your resume is tailored to each employer and the job you’re applying to.

Of course, we’re not saying you have to write 500 resumes from the ground up…it IS okay to start with a basic resume that lists your skills and qualifications…but you have to make sure you customize it for each job you apply for.

Let’s start with our categories from the previous section, shall we?

Header – Again, this is your basic personal information. It’s your name and contact info and really shouldn’t change.

Objective or Resume Summary – Again, you need to decide which one will work for you…an objective statement or a resume summary . We recapped the difference between both in the above section. The key here is be concise and clear. One to two sentences MAX.

Experience/Qualifications – This is where WORK EXPERIENCES go. Include anything you’ve done for which you’ve been paid. This includes full-time and part-time work as well as anything you did that qualifies for self-employed work.

Make sure for each job you list:

• The name of the company or organization where you were employed.
• The city and state for that company or organization.
• Your last position and/or title you held while there.
• Your employment period for each job in Month/Date format
• A brief description of your duties and responsibilities in a short, bulleted list

The hardest part about writing this section is making sure that you list your contributions to the company while still being concise and clear, as well as accurate.

Highlight the relevant information that relates directly to the job you’re now applying for and cut out any clutter that might add unnecessary length to your resume.

Speaking of length, keep your bullets short and sweet.

Wrong : “Daily I worked hand in hand with the company’s most important clients assisting them with problem-solving and ensuring that they were happy and satisfied with our work.

Right : Worked daily with high profile clients to solve problems.

Do not include unpaid , volunteer or charitable work in this section. If you feel you have an unpaid experience or volunteer job that a hiring manager would find valuable, consider creating a new category labelled “Relevant Experience” or “Other Experience” and be sure to include the same identifying information you include for your “Experience/Qualifications” lists.

Skills/Abilities – Every employer is looking for specific resume skills and abilities for the job they’re trying to fill. Your job (while you’re trying to get a job) is to make sure you fit what they’re looking for. These are the job specific skills and should be tailored (there’s that word again!) for each application you submit. But did you know there are skills to put on a resume  that are almost universally valued by potential employers???? Those skills go HERE in this section.

Skills like:

Communication (listening, verbal and written) – This is the number one skill mentioned by employers when asked what they valued in an applicant.

Computer/Technical Literacy Skills – Almost every job these days requires some level of computer proficiency including basic word processing, spreadsheets, and emails.

Interpersonal Skills – Basically how well you work in a team and your ability to relate to co-workers.

Planning/Organization Skills – How well you can design, plan, organize and execute projects and tasks within a specific time frame. Can also apply to goal setting and achievement.

This is just a small sampling of what can go in this section. For a more in-depth look at what to put in this section, check out our previous blog all about it here!

Education – This one, much like your personal information, is pretty straight forward. You want to list your education in reverse chronological order (degrees or licenses first followed by certificates and advanced training).

If you include your college information, list only the school, your major and distinctions and or awards you’ve won. If you’re still in college or a very recent grad , include your GPA ONLY if it’s over a 3.4.

Dropped out or had to leave school because of extenuating circumstances but still want to include the fact that you went? No worries! List the field you were studying, then the school and then the dates that you attended.

If you’re listing just schooling, keep the title of this section “Education.” If you’ve graduated, are including other training, and or other certifications, try to include that in the title. Examples can include “Education and Training,” or “Education and Licenses.” Make the title fit what you’re listing…

Awards – This section is NOT for school-related awards. Include those in your education section. Rather, this section is for awards received, commendations or praise from senior sources. Make sure to mention what the award was for if you can.

Affiliations – If you are affiliated with an organization, guild or club that is relevant to the job you are applying for, the go ahead and include it. Include leadership roles if appropriate. It’s also a great idea to include any sort of affiliation or membership to any organization that might increase your appeal as a prospective employee to an employer.

For almost anything you want to include on a resume, there is a category to help organize it. We’ve listed the most popular above but feel free to do your own research online, especially if what you’re trying to include is unique or hard to categorize.

Action Verbs and Power Words

Speaking of unique, the primary goal of your resume is to make you stand out from the rest of the people applying for the same job and another way to make that happen is to use action verbs and power words (also referred to as “resume verbs”).

Action verbs and power words are exactly that…they’re words that help catch a hiring manager’s eye and give you an edge. After reading hundreds of resumes, many using the same words and phrases, it’s nice to have one that stands out and one of the best ways to do that is by incorporating action verbs and power words!

You’re not exaggerating and you’re certainly not lying, you’re just swapping out old and tired words for ones that are a bit more…dynamic and exciting!

When listing skills , accomplishments, or job described, try using the most impressive words you can think of (without overstating what you actually did).

Were you a leader of a project ? Instead of saying “Led,” use one of these words:

Chaired, controlled, coordinated, executed, headed, operated, orchestrated, organized, oversaw, planned, produced, programmed.

Did you pull a project from conception all the way to completion? Instead of saying “developed, created, or introduced,” try:

Administered, built, chartered, designed, devised, founded, engineered, constructed, established, formalized, formed, formulated, implemented, spearheaded, incorporated, initiated, instituted, introduced, launched, pioneered.

Are you an organizing wizard? Are you increasing productivity ? Sales ? Efficiency? Use these words to really hit home how dynamic you are:

Accelerated, achieved, advanced, amplified, boosted, capitalized, delivered, enhanced, expanded, expedited, furthered, gained, generated, improved, lifted, maximized, outpaced, stimulated, sustained.

Did you achieve something ? Did you hit your goals? Try these words:

Attained, awarded, completed, demonstrated, earned, exceeded, outperformed, reached, showcased, succeeded, surpassed, targeted.

This is just a small selection of action verbs and words you can use to spice up your resume and help you stand out in the crowd. (Need more? Head over to our blog article “68 Dynamic Action Verbs to Enhance Your Resume.” )

Grab your thesaurus and go through your resume…find words that are common and pedestrian and swap them out!

Wow, that’s a ton of information…can you just distill all this epic awesomeness down into a top ten list of tips for creating a resume??

Drum roll, please…

Here Are Our Top 10 Resume Tips

If you’re one of those people who likes to skim through an article or if you plan on coming back for a quick review before your interview, here are our best resume writing tips.

1) Tailored

You’re bringing steak to the tigers with your resume. The employer can look at it and know immediately that not only are you qualified but that you’ve done your research into what the job is and what they’re looking for in an employee. Your goal s are clear as are your skills , areas of expertise and or body of experience .

2) Aesthetically Pleasing

Remember what we said about a resume being a work of art? It should be clean, concise and have a simple structure that invites a reader to glance at it and immediately know what they’re looking at. It’s balanced and flows between sections smoothly. It’s not crowded, the margins are clean, and the font is professional. It’s also devoid of ANY ERRORS . No missing periods, no misspelled words, no grammar issues. It’s also correct and the information included is current and accurate.

3) Complete

That means everything you need to include is included, including (but not limited to) your name, current phone number and accurate email address, a listing of all the jobs you’ve held (in reverse chronological order), educational degrees (including any certifications and the highest degree achieved – again in reverse chronological order) and any targeted information that will help a hiring manager realize you are the perfect candidate.

The easiest way to make sure you remember all of this is to keep track using the “Perfect Resume” Checklist we made for you. You can simply check off the boxes as you complete them. Click here to your “perfect resume” checklist .

4) Accurate

Jobs listed also include your title, the name of the company or organization you worked with, the city and state where you worked and the years you were employed. The bulleted lists are summarized in a clear way that highlights the key ideas without taking up too much space.

And PLEASE! No fibs. Hiring Managers can easily verify anything you put on your resume, and getting busted lying isn’t exactly a winning formula for getting job offers.

The hiring manager can look at your resume and immediately know what you’re applying for and what you bring in value to the company. It’s clear and concise. There’s no confusion as to what your profession is and what you can do.

One page to two pages max, depending on your field, level of experience and skill set. Don’t bore people with details, keep them wanting more…but also learn the balance between not saying enough to saying just enough.

7) Relevant

Never include anything on a resume that might turn off an employer including political or religious affiliations, anything controversial, or that could be taken in a negative light.

8) Professional

This includes font, layout, and paper as well as content. Again, this is for a job and should be used as such. This isn’t a platform for personal statements or a novel detailing every job you’ve ever had since birth to present. It’s printed on high-quality paper in an appropriate color and is clean of any smudges, tears or wrinkles.

Every time you apply for a new job, check your resume to ensure that it’s not only targeted, but also current. Make sure your dates are correct and that you include the most up to date information (this is especially important if you’ve changed your phone number or contact email!)

10) It Is YOURS

That’s right…it might seem strange to say this, but the number one thing you have to remember when applying for any job is to be honest! Use action verbs and power words to give your resume life, but don’t let yourself get carried away and overstate your skills, positions, or abilities. Remember, they’re hiring you …and the last thing you want is to get a job you can’t do.

11) BONUS TIP – Your Resume Contains A Link To Your Personal Website

We’ve been seeing an interesting trend in 2017. Job seekers who add a link to a personal branding website are getting more job interviews and in turn getting more job offers. The fact is, having a simple personal website that highlights your skills and more importantly your personality go a long way to creating a three dimensional persona for the hiring manager . A personal website makes you stand out when compared to all the other candidates who just hand in a resume and cover letter. To find out more check out this blog post .

What Not To Put On Your Resume

Don’t title your resume “resume.” The hiring manager should know what it is just by looking at it. If they don’t, then it’s not a resume and you should re-read this article.

Don’t “fluff” your sentences with unnecessary words. Remember, short and sweet.

Don’t include salary requirements or information. For more info on how to discuss your salary and when and how to bring it up, check out our blog on “When to bring up Salary.”

Don’t list why you left your last job or jobs…and on that same topic, don’t trash former employers…ever…

Don’t include personal information beyond your name and contact. They don’t need your age, race, marital status, sexual orientation or hobbies.

Don’t include a photo of yourself. Unless you’re an actor and applying for a role…otherwise, it’s just creepy.

Don’t get sloppy. Double-check for errors. Then check again.

Resume Templates

Now, we imagined that you’d like some resume templates to help you build a resume, so we combed the internet for some job-specific free resume templates that you can use as a guiding tool.

Customer Service Resume

Administrative Assistant Resume

Teacher Resume

Nursing Resume

Receptionist Resume

Medical Assistant Resume

Project Manager Resume

Cashier Resume

NOTE : These are templates, meaning they are a good place for you to start. But keep in mind that other applicants will also have access to these templates so you don’t want to copy them exactly. Don’t forget you want to stand out among the other applicants, not blend in!

Putting It All Together

So there you have it! How to make a resume …or better yet, how to make an AWESOME resume! Just remember that no single resume is right for every job…make sure to keep it short, sweet, and relevant.

Now re-read this article, but as you do, go through your old resume and see where you can make improvements . Clean it up , pare it down , punch up your action verbs and make it the best possible resume you can…

And above all…good luck!

FREE : "Perfect Resume" PDF Checklist

Ok the next thing you should do is download our handy "Perfect Resume" Checklist PDF ".

In it you'll get a 38 point checklist that will let you overhaul your resume and make sure you aren't missing any critical components.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE "PERFECT RESUME" CHECKLIST

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com.

His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others.

Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

About The Author

Mike simpson.

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com. His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others. Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

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Switching Careers? Here’s How to Write a Strong Resume.

by Benjamin Laker , Vijay Pereira , Abhishek Behl and Zaheer Khan

Summary .   

When you’re switching career paths, there’s one essential thing you need to focus on: updating your resume. Crafting a smart resume is key to showing your potential employer why you wish to make a change. While there’s no one right format to write a resume, here are some tips you can follow:

• Begin the resume with a personal statement. This is a short description about who you are, your reasons for changing your career, your new goals, how your previous experience can be transferred to the new industry, and why you’re perfect for the job.
• Next, instead of highlighting your work experience first, showcase the skills you’ve learned throughout your career. That’s because when changing careers, the hiring managers reviewing your application may not always be familiar with the roles and responsibilities of a different industry.
• Below your skills, you can include a more traditional description of your relevant work history. You don’t need to include every job you’ve ever had, especially if you’ve held a number of positions that don’t highlight any essential skills required for this role.
• Finally, end with a chronological list of your educational qualifications. You can also include details about any certifications or courses that you may be undertaking that may be relevant to the position you’re interested in.

Switching career paths and trying something completely new can open you up to exciting opportunities, help you learn new things, and even earn you more money. But it’s not always easy — especially if you’re looking to move into an entirely different field. Apart from doing your research and unearthing opportunities, there’s one essential thing you need to focus on before you make the leap: updating your resume.

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How to Perfect your Résumé

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Are you a student looking to find a career and make a BILLION DOLLARS? The first step is to have a standout and phenomenal résumé. However, when most résumés are only reviewed by employers for under 30 seconds, creating a résumé can feel like a daunting task.  You are in luck, however; here at the Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills, we have a plethora of resources to ensure your résumé displays the best of you as succinctly as possible 

If you do not already have a résumé, that is okay! On our website (career.uconn.edu), on the “ write a résumé ” tab, you can find templates to use to start your résumé, as well as articles and videos that offer extra tips and tricks on getting started.  

Now that you have your base résumé, the next step is getting it on your employer’s desk. One way that employers filter qualified candidates from a pool of applicants is through Applicant Tracking Systems. The Center has recently established a partnership with Quinncia , which is a platform that uses AI to review and critique your résumé in relation to how successful it will be moving through these systems. All you must do is upload your current résumé, and Quinncia will score it and offer improvements all within 2 minutes. Thanks to our partnership, current UConn students have free access to the service – make sure to take advantage! 

Once you have finished with your Quinncia critique, if you are looking to specialize your résumé for a specific job opportunity, feel free to schedule a career coaching appointment! Our career coaches can help target your skillsets in your résumé to match what it is your dream employer is searching for. 

Office Hours: 8AM – 5PM Career Coaching Hours: 8AM – 5PM * Evening appointments vary by semester. * If you require an accommodation to utilize any resource or to participate in any event, please contact our office.

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Effective ways to start a resume: a step-by-step guide

When a hiring manager reads your resume, the first thing they’ll see is your introduction. Clearly, it’s important that you write a good one, as this is what will catch the hiring manager’s attention and convince them that the rest of the document is worth reading. Learn how to start a resume with a concise yet exciting introduction that spotlights your relevant skills, experience, and career goals.

Types of resume introductions

When it comes to resume introductions, the good news is you have a few choices. There are four main types of resume introductions, each with its own unique characteristics. Additionally, each one serves a different purpose and is suitable for a specific type of candidate. 

The first type of introduction is a resume objective. Though many resume articles will tell you that you shouldn’t use these, they are quite helpful for entry-level candidates without much experience. (1) In one short statement, you’ll tell the hiring manager what you want to accomplish and what you have to offer that makes you a good fit for the role.

Once you have at least five years of experience under your belt and are moving into your mid-career years, you should consider using a resume profile as your introduction. You can format it with bullet points or as a paragraph. Either way, it should highlight how much experience you have, one or two things you’re best at, and what you’ve achieved in your career.

If you’re a career changer, it’s a good idea to use a summary of qualifications for your introduction. Instead of telling the hiring manager about what you need, you’ll highlight your transferable skills to show them how your past experience in a different industry has prepared you for a job in a new field. This introduction usually comes in the form of a short bulleted list of your relevant skills, personal traits, and accomplishments.

If you’re highly experienced in one industry, the resume summary is likely the best choice for an introduction. Your resume will contain a lot of information, and a hiring manager will appreciate having the highlights at the very beginning. You can include the number of years of experience you have, followed by a summary of your best accomplishments and any industry-specific certifications you hold.

Crafting a compelling resume introduction

Resume introductions allow you just a few lines of text to fully — and quickly — communicate your value as a candidate. Consider the following suggestions to ensure your introduction is succinct and highly relevant to the role you’re applying for. 

Tailor it to the job description

A resume that is tailored to the job description paints a clear picture of your potential value to the company.

One of the best ways to customize your introduction for the position is to comb the job description for keywords related to skills and responsibilities and incorporate them into your resume introduction. This also helps you get your document through applicant tracking systems that may filter resumes based on certain phrases and keywords.

Highlight relevant skills

Though your resume format most likely allows for a dedicated skills section, you should also highlight your soft and technical skills — as well as your certifications — in your introduction. These should be aligned with the job description and relevant to the industry you want to work in. 

This will help you keep your introduction succinct and highlight why you should be hired for this specific role. Provide examples of your accomplishments and use impactful action verbs to make an impression.

Expert Tip:

You don’t have to save concrete examples of your accomplishments for your work history section. Quantify your achievements in the introduction using numbers and percentages (e.g., improved customer retention by 46%) to show how your skills contribute to positive business outcomes.

Writing your resume introduction

Your introduction has the power to make or break your job-hunting experience. It can help you land the interview or it can cause you to miss a chance at your dream job. 

Here’s how to start a resume in a way that highlights your strengths, experience, and passion (in no more than one to three sentences) to show a hiring manager why you’re the perfect person for the role. 

Resume introduction examples

Reading resume examples of different types of introductions can help you craft one that grabs the hiring manager’s attention and makes them want to know more. Here are several models that you can use as a starting point for your own application materials.

Resume objective example

Marketing assistant with 2+ years of experience working in an agency setting, including market research, campaign monitoring, content creation, and administrative support. Familiar with major CRMs, marketing automation tools, and project management platforms. Aiming to use my proven skills in a new role to contribute to productivity goals and ensure high-quality deliverables.

Resume profile example

Meticulous marketing manager with 8+ years of experience in both large and independent agency settings. Highly skilled in market research using varied resources for comprehensive data collection and in-depth analysis; trained a team of 25+ associates on the effective construction of customer surveys. Consistently achieve double-digit increases in client retention rates.

Summary of qualifications example

• Led client retention initiative to pivot from one-size-fits-all packages to customized a-la-carte style service offerings, resulting in a 43% increase in repeat business
• Detail-oriented personality that helps drive high productivity and accurate data analysis while remaining friendly and flexible at all times
• Fluent in three languages to serve customers from different parts of the city

Resume summary example

OMCP-certified director of marketing with 17+ years of experience leading large-scale corporate projects. Provides leadership to 200+ marketing associates and 10 marketing coordinators, managing a high six-figure budget and overseeing annual plans and marketing strategy. Consistently achieves a 10% conversion rate or better across marketing campaigns; obtained a Kellogg School of Management digital marketing certificate.

Tips when writing your introduction

Figuring out how to start a resume isn’t easy and requires a bit of thought. The following tips can help you streamline the process:

• Talk about your personal traits in addition to your technical skills
• Discuss any special skills or certifications that enhance your performance
• Use numbers to showcase the positive business impact of your work
• Highlight skills that hiring managers want to see, such as leadership, initiative, safety, teamwork, and cost savings
• Use resume and cover letter templates to get a sense of what an attention-grabbing introduction sounds like

Your introduction is a powerful tool, so keep these suggestions in mind to help you write a compelling one.

"Your introduction has the power to make or break your job-hunting experience. It can help you land the interview or it can cause you to miss a chance at your dream job."

Best practices for resume introductions

Your resume introduction is the first chance you get to make an impression on a recruiter or hiring manager. Here are a few best practices to help you make the most of this opportunity:

• Choose the right introduction type for your experience level
• Ensure your introduction is succinct by keeping it to one to three sentences
• Use a standard format so your resume looks and feels professional
• Avoid saving important accomplishments for the cover letter — include them in your resume introduction
• Get feedback from others in your industry to ensure your introduction is compelling
• Use keywords from the job description to keep your resume relevant and help it pass through applicant tracking systems

Putting these best practices to use in learning how to start a cover letter or resume will make your application polished and professional.

The right introduction can be the key that unlocks your dream job

A great resume introduction is crucial to ensuring the hiring manager sees you as a valuable candidate. Learning how to start a resume off the right way is all about choosing the best introduction format for your career stage. In one to three sentences, highlight your relevant personal traits and showcase quantifiable results and business impact.

As you think about what you want to include in your introduction, consider using a few resume and cover letter examples as your starting point. You can use this sample material as a baseline to help you craft a professional resume introduction that hiring managers can’t ignore.

(1) Inc. Magazine: Your Resume Is Probably Embarrassing You. Here’s What to Fix Right Now

Get ahead of the competition

Make your job applications stand-out from other candidates.

Hard Skills: Definition & Examples for Resumes

How To Handle Employment Gaps On Your Resume

Best Transferable Skills for Resumes

How to Write a Resume Job Description (Examples Included!)

Hiring managers receive anywhere from dozens to even thousands of resumes and job applications daily. That's why a well-crafted resume is crucial to helping you stand out from the competition. And your experience section in particular—where your resume job descriptions live—really needs to shine.

This section highlights your previous experiences—whether in a formal job, internship , volunteer work , or other roles—demonstrating your achievements and capabilities.

To make an impact, you need to strategically tailor your experiences and skills to align with the job you’re applying for, showing recruiters that you’re a perfect fit for the role.

Below, you'll find key tips on how to write job descriptions for resumes and examples to guide you through it.

Get that resume out there! Browse open jobs on The Muse and find your dream job »

Job descriptions for resumes: Why does it matter?

When you apply for jobs , you'll see a description of the role and what the company is looking for. To really stand out, your resume should match those requirements as closely as possible. That’s where the job description section comes in handy. It’s your chance to highlight past experiences and make sure they align with the job you’re aiming for.

Your resume job description should include:

• Company name
• Date of employment
• Responsibilities and achievements

Of course, this section alone won't land you a job—your whole resume should be written to impress the recruiters. However, when you're an experienced professional, even if you're not a senior in your position yet, well-written job descriptions can at least guarantee you some interviews .

How to write a resume job description in 4 steps

The following tips will give you some insights into what this section of your resume should look like—and what hiring managers are looking for in candidates' resumes.

1. Start with a clear heading

If you're not new to resume building, you probably know that each section of the file should have a heading . It should be clear and concise, telling the recruiter exactly what they're going to read next.

Here are some examples:

Work Experience

• Professional Experience

2. Lay out basic info about your role

Next step is filling out the experience section —or whatever you decide to name it—with your professional background. You'll always start with basic information from each job (or internship, volunteer work, and such), like your title, the company name, location, and date of employment.

For example:

Sales associate

Orlando, FL

July 2022-August 2024

You can change the order as you see fit—for instance, putting the company name first and your title second. However, it's important to keep the same formatting throughout the resume, so be sure your choice works well for every experience.

There's no set amount of experiences you should include in your resume. But keep in mind that, ideally, it should only have relevant and recent experience, listed in reverse chronological order (from the most recent to the least recent). Additionally, most recruiters prefer a one- to two-page resume , max.

3. List achievements instead of tasks

Now, it's time to write the actual job descriptions. It's typically ideal to use bullet points and one to two sentences for each. As a standard, most resume templates have three to four bullet points for each experience, but you can use more (or less) as long as the information is relevant and you're not simply trying to fill out the page.

In describing your role, avoid falling into the trap of only listing job responsibilities. Muse career coach Andrea Gerson says that candidates should expand task-focused language into action-driven, accomplishment-oriented information.

For example, instead of writing “Performed X, Y, and Z,” try “Performed X, Y, and Z, which led to [achievements].” “This information showcases your capabilities—which is exactly what employers want to see,” Gerson says.

A commonly used formula to describe accomplishments within your roles is the context-scope-outcome strategy. You start with action verbs , show how you fulfilled each responsibility, and finish with an achievement that resulted from those actions. If possible, present your achievement with a quantifier , meaning metrics or numerical data that illustrates the impact of your work.

If you have a hard time identifying your impactful actions and accomplishments within your job responsibilities, Gerson suggests asking yourself these contextual questions:

• What was the setting I was working in?
• Was it a fast-paced pizzeria? If so, how many customers were served on a daily/weekly basis?
• If it's a smaller company that's not very well-known, what products or services did they provide?
• What was their scope of operations? Local, regional, global?
• Who was their target customer base?

4. Describe the company in the first bullet point

Your resume job description could also benefit from including some relevant context about the companies you previously worked for, such industry, size, or differentiating factors. You can add this info within the first bullet of a position—which is called an introductory bullet.

“These introductory bullets should highlight your most impressive or transferable responsibilities in the context of the company that you were working for,” Gerson says. The following job responsibilities templates show examples of introductory bullets you can adjust for your resume:

• “Contributed to [ achievement, outcome ] on behalf of [ company ]”
• “Managed key aspects of [ project responsibilities ] for [ company ]”
• “Assisted in [ a project ] on for [ company ]”

Here are examples of how these templates would look like filled out:

• “Billed 50 clients on behalf of the company's national and international enterprise clients ”
• “Managed key aspects of product development and management on for the national launching a hair care brand ”
• “Assisted in the development of the rebranding and repositioning of a dating app with 5+ million users for a international tech company ”

Bonus tip: Use keywords from the open job description

These days, most hiring managers use application tracking systems (ATSs) to segment and quickly scan resumes to select the best based on their similarity to the open job description. This similarity is determined by keywords .

Keywords are specific phrases or terms within a job description precisely used to describe or explain responsibilities, skills, abilities, and knowledge the employer is looking for. These terms usually repeat throughout the job listing, signaling their importance for that specific role.

For this reason, you should do your best to incorporate keywords from the open job description on your resume, wherever it accurately reflects your prior work experience. “It not only makes your resume stronger but encourages you to think deeply about what the position is asking for and how your skills match,” says Muse career coach Lauren Wethers .

Review the job description you want to apply for and segment phrases that explain the specific duties or skills required for the role, which could be technical skills or transferable skills. For example:

If the company's job description for an account manager says:

The employee responsibilities are:

• Creating a market specific sales plan that meets set sales goals
• Educate the community on the company's values
• Meeting regularly with sales market's customers to understand their needs
• Identifying local marketing needs to enhance presence and grow sales

You could write your job description like this:

• Created a market specific sales plan to meet company's set sales goals for a skincare brand
• Educated the community on the company's value by meeting regularly with customers to understand their needs
• Enhanced presence and sales by 20% by identifying local marketing needs and implementing a new sales strategy

Be sure to use the exact same language as is used in the open job description, because the ATS machine might not understand synonyms. “The computer doesn't know the difference between ‘coached’ and ‘advised’ on your resume—it's looking for one over the other,” Wethers says.

Resume job description: Examples

Here are some examples of job descriptions for resumes for different roles you can adapt for yourself:

Example #1: Cashier job description for resume

Head Cashier

Star Market

Oct 2021 - Jan 2024

• Streamlined checkout and return transactions on behalf of a multinational chain with 10+ locations in Florida working simultaneously
• Supervised and trained front-end cashiers for two consecutive years, enhancing 15% crew performance in PoS transactions and reducing shrink
• Provided excellent customer service and assistance to customers, processing 155+ transactions per shift while identifying selling opportunities for cross and up-sells
• Balanced cash drawers with a 98% monthly accuracy, handling $119,000 of annual revenue

Example #2: Server job description for resume

Restaurant Server & Crew Member

Blu Trattoria

Jan 2022 - February 2023

• Performed table management on behalf of a family-owned, award-winning Italian restaurant from downtown Denver
• Picked up and delivered patrons' orders from the bar and kitchen, satisfying +75 patrons per shift
• Collaborated with Head Chef to streamline order communication processes, inventory shortages, and event assistance, reducing 25% of overall waiting time
• Provided excellent customer service with a 96% NPS while calculating multiple patron’s accounts & payments through cash, PoS, and e-wallets

Example #3: Customer service job description for resume

Customer service representative

May 2017 - July 2022

• Responded to thousands of calls each month on behalf of one of the fastest-growing CMS companies worldwide, generating 15% in revenue or serving 5.000 customers each year
• Worked closely with the IT division to address and resolve a high volume of customer issues pertaining to software functionality and technical issues, achieving a 97% NPS score
• Contributed to the development and implementation of upselling and cross-selling strategies which led to over $35,000 in new annual revenue
• Leveraged CRM tools to improve response times by nearly 25%, impacting nearly 1.000 customers/accounts

Example #4: Sales associate job description for resume

Sales Associate

Blake Auto Co.

Portland, OR

Jun 2018 - April 2024

• Managed sales initiatives on behalf of Fortune 500 manufacturing companies generating over $12M in annual revenue, specializing in car sales
• Achieved 35% increase in lead conversion rates, working to qualify over 500 customers each month
• Negotiated contracts valued at up to $1 million, interfacing with 35+ major accounts

Example #5: Caregiver job description for resume

Senior Caregiver

Rainfall Care Nursing Center

Oct 2015 - March 2019

• Worked with over 50 adults on behalf of a specialized health center, focusing on cardiac patients
• Worked closely with patients and family members to ensure high quality of life, providing weekly reports on the patient's health status
• Contributed to 45% reduction in emergency room visits during tenure, closely monitoring patient conditions throughout short-term and long-term stays

Example #6: Housekeeping job description for resume

Apartment Housekeeper

Fresh Clean Agency

Raleigh, NC

Feb 2013 - Sep 2016

• Provided monthly housekeeping services on behalf of a specialized cleaning agency for apartments and small houses
• Cleaned over 150 apartments and houses resulting in a satisfaction rate of 97%
• Achieved a 95% rate of returning clients by performing cleaning and maintenance tasks, along with preferred requests solicited by clients
• Assured high-standard quality cleaning process on each property, decreasing by 15% the agency’s average apartment turnaround time

Bottom line

Writing resume job descriptions can seem difficult at first, but the key is going beyond responsibilities to list accomplishments , starting with a strong action verb (e.g. “implemented,” “created,” “managed”) and following up with quantifiable results. Remember to only include experiences that are relevant for the position you're applying for, use keywords from the job listing, and use a simple and clean formatting to make your resume ATS-friendly. That’s all there is to it—now go out there and get that dream job !