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TOP 8 Tips on How to Write a Resume in 2022

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Posted On 03 Dec 2021

Resume writing is far from a static or two-dimensional practice. In fact, like a true art form, it evolves with the times, so trends may work in the past may no longer be effective in today’s job market environment. If your resume fails to keep up with the times, you could soon find your application filed away in favor of another candidate. If you want to get hired quickly next year, here are eight “worth it” tips on how to write a resume in 2022.

1. Include a LinkedIn profile

Potential employers will want to know more about you beyond your resume. Make the research easier for them by including a link to your LinkedIn profile in your resume. As the social media platform of choice for professionals, LinkedIn has become an essential component in how to write a resume. By linking your LinkedIn account, you allow interested recruiters to learn more about you and make it easier to confirm that you are a good fit for the company. So make sure your LinkedIn profile is polished and professional, then attach a working link to your resume heading.

2. Write a compelling summary

Yes, you’re supposed to showcase your accomplishments in your resume summary, but you don’t want to sound too arrogant, otherwise, your resume will only serve to annoy rather than impress. It’s all about mastering how to ‘humblebrag’, a method of how to write a resume wherein you communicate your achievements in a confident instead of a conceited manner.

3. How to write an objective for a resume

Writing a summary objective is one of the most challenging aspects of resume writing. To make your summary compelling, it has to provide three key pieces of information:

• The challenges you resolved

• The skills you used

• The results you achieved

Focus on answering these before you start developing your resume summary objective. If you find it difficult how to write an objective for your resume relating to your qualifications and achievements, an expert resume writer like the ones we have here at Resumeble can help you develop the right words to say this coming 2022.

4. Quantify your achievements

One effective way to humblebrag is to let numbers do the talking for you. Good numbers immediately tell potential employers how effective you’ve been at your previous roles and responsibilities. Use percentages, statistics, and ratios to help them understand your work performance better. For instance, instead of simply saying that you “managed a team,” you can say something like “led a team of five in planning and executing skills monthly training seminars that boosted employee retention by 45 percent and profits by 25 percent.”

Here are further examples of how to quantify your achievements this 2022.

• Developed and launched a Mathematics curriculum that resulted in a 92 percent passing rate for students, while helping them achieve a 4.5 average on AP testing.

• Oversaw five-man HR staff responsible for upholding the relationships, retention and production of 450 employees.

• Introduced innovative policies that yielded a 20 percent year-on-year profitability improvement for the company.

5. Make it two pages long

Though the one-page resume is still the widely accepted format, more and more recruiters and hiring managers are preferring application papers to be two pages long , with a prominent career expert calling it “the new norm.” Not only that, recruiters today are more inclined to read resumes that are two pages in length, study showed.

Especially if you have plenty of relevant work experience, a two-page resume should provide you with enough space to expound on your skills and experience and provide concrete, quantifiable examples. Of course, not everyone will benefit from a two-page resume—recent graduates, those with lengthy employment gaps, and career changers will still be better off limiting their resume to just one page.

6. Use modern font and formatting

Are you still using the Times New Roman font for your resume? You could very well be killing your chances of getting interviewed or hired. This 2022, using modern fonts and formatting not only gives your application a youthful vibe, it also tells the reader that you are excited about your career. Some of the best modern fonts to use on your resume include Avenir, Garamond, Avant Garde, and of course, Calibri.

With regards to format, the safe bet is to list your work experience in reverse chronological order, beginning with your latest job role. Try to strike a good balance between print and white space to give your resume a neat and orderly appearance, and practice proper use of sections to effectively sort out details and information.

7. Use similar keywords as the job posting

Now more than ever, it’s important to write prominent words and phrases in your resume exactly as they appear in the job posting. Today’s businesses are increasingly relying on automated applicant tracking systems (ATS) to shortlist resume applications, which rely mainly on keywords. Unless these systems detect specific terms in your resume, they will think that you don’t have the qualifications sought after by the company, and your application will end up getting rejected.

To avoid this particular problem on how to write a resume, comb over the job posting thoroughly for important keywords, and use them “as is” in your resume. Of course, you shouldn’t include skills and experience that you don’t have. Ultimately, you want every piece of info to be honest and accurate as possible.

8. Tailor for the job

Sending out a generic resume will only hurt your chances of getting hired. You need to make sure your resume is customized solely for the job and company you’re applying to. And once again, to customize your resume successfully, you’ll have to thoroughly research the job requirements, making sure to only include information that is relevant to the job in question. Additionally, make an effort to use words that clearly describe and define your expertise, qualifications, and skills. This will help get your resume over the hurdle of getting shortlisted as the HR people assess the value of your resume.

Want more resume writing tips for next year?

As a leading professional resume writing service, Resumeble has plenty of other articles and blog posts filled with tips to make your application stand out in 2022. Feel free to browse through our website for more articles relating to resume writing tips including how to write references on a resume, how to write skills on a resume, how to write a resume summary, how to write an objective for a resume, and more.

Better yet, you can have us write your resume 2022 for you. Just send us your current resume for a free, no obligation evaluation and let’s get you started on your way to getting landing your dream job next year.

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

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8 Resume Writing Tips for 2022

Are you sitting down to write your resume for a 2022 job search and you’re not quite sure where to start? No worries—I can help. Every year I put together a list of my top resume writing tips. It includes the tips, strategies, techniques, and trends that will be most effective in helping you in your job search in the coming year. This year’s list includes eight different practical strategies with examples and lots of actionable advice that you can implement right away. I’ve included strategies for writing better accomplishment bullets and giving your resume more “wow” and impact, and I’ve also pointed out lots of things you definitely want to avoid. My favorite is the list of 10 cringeworthy words that repel recruiters. Check out this year’s list of eight resume writing tips for 2022.

2022 Resume Writing Tip #1: Answer These 5 Questions Before You Start

Before sitting down to update your resume, ask yourself the following five questions. They’ll help you to zero in on what matters as you write about your accomplishments and focus on the future role you’re targeting.

What role am I targeting?

Your resume needs to be geared towards one specific position. Employers want to hire specialists, not generalists. 

What companies am I targeting?

Knowing the type of company you are targeting helps to narrow down your research and be more specific in your writing. You can speak to the company’s pain points when you’ve researched them and know what they need.

What challenges are they facing?

Write resume bullets that show you’ve faced and overcome similar challenges. Include the results.

What skills are critical to success?

The answer to this question tells you exactly what keywords and hard skills you need to include on your resume. If you don’t know where to look, start by searching for the position on LinkedIn. LinkedIn will give you the top 15 skills/keywords needed for the role.

How do I add value?

Your resume must show how you can add value in a way that means something to the employer. Focus on accomplishments that will resonate with the company you’re targeting and meet their needs.

2022 Resume Writing Tip #2: Write to the Future

Before updating your resume, make sure you’re positioning yourself correctly for the job you’re targeting. That’s why the above questions are so critical to your success. 

Your experience, achievements, and qualifications are all a part of your resume but equally important is what information you include, how, where, and why—all of which are based on your goals for your next career move. 

When you write your resume, you’re not just writing about your past. You’re writing to the future. You’re positioning yourself for your next career move. 

A resume is not a historical career narrative. It’s a marketing tool. The content on your resume needs to point to where you want to be, not simply where you are right now. 

To do this:

• Review job postings to gather data and insights. Where do you have related skills, experiences, or educational qualifications?
• Identify your top skills that match the opportunities that you’re interested in. 
• Reweight your skills and accomplishments. Put the emphasis on the professional, technical, and academic skills that align with your goal for your next career move. 
• When you write about your accomplishments, give a prominent position to those that are relevant to the role you’re targeting now. 
• Integrate critical keywords, specifically the professional, technical, and academic hard skills that are essential to the role you’re targeting. 
• Do not be vague in your objective. I don’t even recommend including an objective on your resume. Instead put the target position title at the top of your resume in bold. It’s specific and leaves no question about the role you want.

2022 Resume Writing Tip #3: Avoid Cringeworthy Words

One of the quickest ways you can improve your resume is to replace passive language with active language. This top-ten list of cringeworthy words and phrases includes mostly passive phrases or terms that don’t show the employer the value and contribution you can make, thereby lessening the impact of your resume on hiring managers. If you want your resume to make a good first impression, swap out these useless words with more meaningful alternatives.

• Demonstrated success in . . .
• Proven results . . .
• Successful/success
• Results-driven/results-oriented
• Excellent communication skills
• Responsible for . . .
• Duties included
• Accomplished
• Worked with / served as

And lastly, I strongly advise that you use this term with caution: team player. Studies have shown that including the phrase—or its synonyms—once in your resume is okay, but to use it or similar phrases more than once can actually give employers a negative impression.

What Words and Phrases to Use Instead

Instead of “demonstrated success in” or “proven results ,” show the employer the results using data, numbers, and metrics. You can do this by writing bulleted statements about your accomplishments using the CAR formula. 

CAR stands for Challenge, Action, Result. 

Share the challenge that you faced, the action you took to address the challenge, and the data/numbers that go with the result. This provides proof to the employer of the value you can add and is much more specific than saying you have proven results. 

The same goes for using the term successful, success, results-oriented, or results-driven. Instead of using these vague terms, simply tell the story of the results you’ve achieved using the CAR formula. 

Replace the phrases “excellent communication skills” and “team player” with examples of how you’ve used your communication skills and how you’ve been a team player. Words that can help you lead into these examples might be “influenced,” “empowered,” “negotiated,” “advocated,” “advised,”  or “enabled.” You always want to show—not tell. Paint a picture for the employer of what you’ve achieved in the past by giving them examples just like you would in an interview.

Instead of the phrases “responsible for” and “duties included,” focus on sharing accomplishments. Look at the job description you’re applying to. What are the main requirements of the role? Contract negotiation? Budget management? 

Replace “responsible for budget management” with “managed $3M annual budget.” That way you’re showing the employer not just what you can do, but you’re giving them concrete examples of what you have done. 

“Seasoned” and “accomplished” are two very overused resume phrases that are often interpreted negatively. These terms can be construed as over-experienced, out-of-date, or worse, implicit age bias takes over and the candidate is assumed to be too old. I’m not condoning this, and I rather abhor that it even exists, but I bring it up because it’s out there, it happens, and I see it way too often. So, until things change and companies come up with progressive ways to guard against bias in the hiring process, safeguard your resume by avoiding these terms.

It’s more effective to discuss the areas you’re experienced in, listing industries, hard skills, functions of the role, professional or technical skills, academic credentials, etc. These terms are specific and communicate with more clarity than a general statement like seasoned sales executive or accomplished professional. Both of which I see on a great deal of resumes but which tell me little about who you are or what you’re capable of doing. 

I’m also not a fan of “worked with” or “served as.” Both are passive terms. If you collaborated on a project or headed the budget committee, be specific about who you worked with and what you accomplished as part of your work with them. 

Improve Your Resume with Action Verbs

Action verbs are one of the quickest and easiest ways you can improve your resume. Starting each bullet with an action verb not only communicates achievement, action, etc., but it also opens the sentence to lead right into the challenge you faced and the result you achieved. It’s hard to start a sentence with “transformed,” “increased,” or “achieved” without following it up with something specific, measurable, and relevant. 

You can download a complete list of 170+ action verbs and high-impact phrases for your resume here . It’s a free PDF that I created to help you sharpen your resume, remove overused phrases, and convey your performance and achievements to potential employers. 

2022 Resume Writing Tip #4: Write Better Accomplishment Bullets

The number one challenge I hear from job seekers when it comes to writing their resumes is how much they struggle to write about their accomplishments. 

Being able to tell your story to potential employers in a way that conveys what you’re capable of achieving is not easy. 

Most people struggle to write about themselves. To help you make the process of writing about accomplishments easier, there’s a formula that I encourage you to use (and that I mentioned in the above tip as well). It’s called the CAR formula and it stands for Challenge, Action, Result. 

• Start with an action verb that describes the steps you took to resolve a specific problem or challenge. (For a downloadable list of 170+ action verbs and high-impact phrases you can use visit this page. )
• Describe the challenge you faced using industry-specific keywords. Think professional, technical, and academic hard skills. 
• Share the quantifiable or measurable results of the action you took to resolve the problem that you faced. 

If you’re struggling to find quantifiable data that you can use, try comparing and contrasting past and present performance—either your own, a competitor’s, or the company’s previous numbers.

Ask yourself questions like how much, how many, when, before/after, to what end . . . these questions will help you discover data you can use. 

2022 Resume Writing Tip #5: Give the Reader Context

Providing the reader with background information will help them to understand and appreciate your accomplishments. It simply makes your achievements even more impressive. 

You could say that you increased annual revenue 32% but when you give the situation context:

Increased annual revenue 32%, in spite of the 2020 economic downturn. 

Now, the reader can understand the depth of the accomplishment and how truly impactful it was.

It’s also a good idea to let them know if you were recruited into a role for a specific reason. Perhaps you were recruited into the role to reverse declining sales, improve company culture, or revamp the operational processes. Add meaning and impact to your resume by sharing the context of the situation that existed when you were brought on board. 

2022 Resume Writing Tip #6: Give Your Resume More Wow

We’ve all been there . . . the place where you want employers to read your resume and say “Wow.” But what exactly is a wow factor and how do you give your resume a striking wow factor ? Your wow factor is the most important, impressive, and valuable information about you as a candidate. It’s the top two or three things you want the employer to immediately know about you so they’ll be impressed and keen to learn more.

Your wow factor is part of your personal brand. It’s what distinguishes you from other similarly qualified candidates. It must be prominent throughout your resume, especially at the top so that it won’t be missed and will instantly put your best foot forward. 

Your wow factor or personal brand statement must include a few specific elements to ensure it’s memorable and impressive. 

It must be specific. Your wow factor must tell about what you’ve achieved, not what you were responsible for or might have done. Include quantifiable or measurable data, if possible. 

Here’s an example of a vague statement:

• Responsible for contract closings and revenue growth.

Here’s an example of a specific statement:

• Grew contract closings 68% and increased gross revenue 40% for 2019.

It needs to show action. The easiest way to do this is to replace passive language like “responsible for” and “duties included” with action verbs like “grew,” “developed,” “pioneered,” or “transformed.” 

You can download a list of 170+ resume action verbs to help you craft better resume bullets here. 

Where to Include Your Wow Factor

You can include wow content throughout your resume. It can go anywhere, but here are a few specific places to include it:

Resume Summary

I’ve never been a big fan of a bland, generic resume summary. I’m a huge proponent of what I call a career snapshot. It’s basically a snapshot of two to three of your wow statements. The most impressive and noteworthy information about you as a candidate. It gives readers a quick glance at what you’ve accomplished. 

I recommend limiting it to two to three wow statements for your summary. You don’t want to overdo it, but you also want to grab the reader’s attention and impress them. Alternatively, you can include one wow statement at the top of your resume as part of your personal branding statement and then add one or two into your summary. That way you’re giving them three memorable pieces of data about the value you can create. 

When writing your wow statements, be concise. It’s easy to be verbose, it’s harder to say what you mean in the fewest words possible. However, fewer words make a bigger impact. You’re giving them a quick snapshot of content—you’re not giving them the full story quite yet. You can go into the details further down in the work experience section of your resume. 

Don’t forget to incorporate hard skills. These are the industry-specific keywords that hiring managers will be scanning your resume for, and including them in your wow statements is a great way to capture attention. 

Here are three examples of wow statements we used on a client’s resume who was a CEO, board member, and chairman.

✓ Transformed the MRC Companies’ operating model into a technology-enabled global contact services company with 30 locations in 7 countries. 

✓ Defined the strategies to grow revenue from $20M to $400M+ and EBITDA from $500K to $42M+. 

✓ Co-founded and built a dedicated customer service business model that reached 3K employees in 3 years.

Experience Section

Instead of listing out the responsibilities for the role, jump straight into your top accomplishment in the position. You’re immediately conveying success in the role when you start with your top achievement. 

I recommend including at least two to three major wins under each role. If you’re struggling to come up with impressive content for a certain role, ask yourself when you have been first or best in relation to the role. You can also think about the number one thing you achieved in the position. Make these answers to these two questions your first two to three bullets.

Here are examples of bullets from the same CEO client’s resume under the experience section:

• Established a value-added board of directions that were fully aligned with the mission and vision of the organization and primed to take the business into the future. 
• Produced consistent gains across NPS and customer service, sales conversion, and quality with a largely Fortune 500 client base. 
• Navigated the sale of the organization to a private equity group—creating a successful exit for investors with a return of 3.5x investment. 

Education, Honors, Awards

I recommend including honors and awards at the top of your resume if they’re relevant to the role you’re targeting. We’ve worked with many sales executives who were recognized in President’s Club but had never included this at the forefront of their resume. Prominently position your honors and awards. If you have a collection of accolades, create a section to show them off. It can be a powerful wow factor to impress hiring managers. Employers love hiring winners. 

If you’re seeking a role that requires an MBA or certain type of degree or certification, don’t bury the information at the bottom of your resume. Reference it at the top of your resume, then give the details in the education section at the end of your resume or in a separate technical skills section if you’re in a tech-related field. 

Additional Wow Information to Consider

Other content that might be relevant to include on your resume that would be impressive for hiring managers to see:

• Media mentions
• High-profile clients
• Publications
• Board positions
• Public speaking engagements
• Special affiliations

If you’re struggling to uncover content for your wow statements here are some questions to help you get started:

• When have I contributed to a business’s success? What were the results?
• How have I been publicly recognized? What do people come to me for?
• Which of my accomplishments have quantifiable data?
• Have I turned around a difficult situation or made a failure into a success?
• What am I most proud of in this role?
• What am I most proud of in my career?

For examples of resumes written with personal branding and wow factor statements, head over to our resume samples page on our website. There you’ll find examples of client resumes that we’ve created that include wow statements.

2022 Resume Writing Tip #7: Be Specific

It’s really easy to use the words “accomplished” and “proven track record.” The problem is that these overused words are generalities that do not provide credible or distinctive information to a prospective employer.

Here’s an example of bullets that are specific:

• Boosted employee satisfaction 15% despite headcount reductions—transformed the team culture with renewed focus on training and professional development while breaking down barriers and silos.
• Produced $4M in annual cost savings—deep dived into cost and risk assessment to balance the area’s cost and risk profile and devise forward-action strategies.

This resume is for an accomplished vice president of operations, but now we have a clearer picture of what she’s accomplished and how. Two things that will distinguish her from other candidates. 

When you’re tempted to use phrases like “accomplished,” “results-driven,” or “proven track record,” instead, stop and gather the data about your accomplishments, results, and track record and share that information instead. It will have more meaning and impact on hiring managers—which means you’ll get more interviews.

2022 Resume Writing Tip #8: Avoid Common Pitfalls

Before I wrap up this post, I want to touch on a few common resume mistakes that I see repeated on far too many resumes. 

Write in first person without the use of “I” statements. Resume writing is a form of concise writing. It’s written in implied first person. You get the personal tone without the “I” statements. So instead of writing “I directed the hiring practices for three major Fortune 500 companies,” you would say “Directed hiring practices for three Fortune 500 companies.” It’s an abbreviated form of writing. 

Proofread your resume. Use Grammarly and get a wordsmith friend to review your resume or—even better—hire a professional copyeditor to proof your documents. You do not want to send off a resume that includes grammar or spelling errors. 

I’ve talked a lot about overused phrases in this post. That’s because it’s serious and a resume killer. Avoid overused terms and opt for high-impact phrases instead. 

Leave out objective statements. They’re outdated and useless. A generic objective will not tell the hiring manager why they should interview you over another candidate. Instead, show them what you’re able to accomplish.

Don’t use the phrase “team player” more than once. It’s overkill and recent studies have shown it can have a detrimental effect on your chances for an interview. Most employers want to hire team players. Instead use an accomplishment statement to show them you’re a team player vs. using the phrase “team player.”

Soft skills are important so don’t forget to include them. I’m not advising you to list excellent communication skills front and center on your resume. However, employers are finally catching on to how critical EI is in the workplace. Share the soft skill within the context of an accomplishment. Then you’re knocking out two birds with one stone.  If you incorporate each of these strategies into your resume, you’ll have a strong and effective marketing tool for your job search.

Thanks for reading! Want more job search and resume tips? Check out these 6 free resources on my website that have helped more than 25,000 job seekers land their next job.

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About the author

Jessica hernandez, president, ceo & founder of great resumes fast.

Hi, I’m Jessica. I started this company back in 2008 after more than a decade directing hiring practices at Fortune 500 companies.

What started as a side hustle (before that was even a word!) helping friends of friends with their resumes has now grown into a company that serves hundreds of happy clients a year. But the personal touch? I’ve kept that.

You might have seen me featured as a resume expert in publications like Forbes, Fast Company, and Fortune. And in 2020, I was honored to be named as a LinkedIn Top Voice of the year!

I’m so glad you’re here, and I can’t wait to help you find your next perfect-fit position!

Great advice! As a Career Coach, I constantly seek out the latest and greatest information regarding resume writing. Much gratitude for your experienced suggestions. Best regards.

Thank you for more information about the tips of resume……..

Thank you for pointing out that it’s a good idea to be specific when writing up your resume. I’ve been thinking it’s time to update my resume. It’s been a while and I don’t really know where to start, so I’ll be sure to use your advice.

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How to Write The Perfect Resume in 2021 (With Examples)

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

Introduction to writing a resume

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

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

Beautiful resume templates to land your dream job

Why do you need a good resume?

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

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

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

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

What tools should you use to build your resume?

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

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

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

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

Why should you use a resume builder?

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

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

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

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

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

Understanding the 3 types of resume formats

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

• Reverse Chronological
• Combination

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

1. Reverse Chronological Format

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

When should you use a reverse chronological resume template?

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

What if you have gaps between your work experience?

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

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

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

2. Functional Format

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

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

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

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

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

What else can you add to your resume besides skills?

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

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

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

For example, instead of only listing skills like:

• Communication
• Collaborative

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3. Combination Format

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

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

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

Choosing the best resume template

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

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

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

Here’s a checklist to use for your resume

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

Use a clear heading structure

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

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

Use legible, friendly and professional font combinations

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

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

Use an ample amount of spacing

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

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

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

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

Use bullet points

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

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

Overview for writing a resume

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

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

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

2) There are 3 types of resume formats

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

3) Follow our resume design guidelines

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

Resume sections and details

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

Common sections to add on your resume

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

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

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

Other sections to include on your resume

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

• Volunteering
• Achievements
• Organizations
• Certificates
• Publications

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

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

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

Adding contact information

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

The most necessary contact information to add on your resume

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

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

Always use a professional email address.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Secondary contact information to add on your resume

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

Unnecessary contact information for your resume

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

Adding social media profiles

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

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

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

Writing the perfect resume objective

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

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

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

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

Follow these tips to write a great resume objective

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

Avoid writing your resume objective in first person.

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

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

Quantify your achievements.

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

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

Be clear about your desired goal.

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

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

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

Bad example of a Registered Nurse's objective

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

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

Good example of a Registered Nurse's objective

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

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

Summarizing your job experience

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

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

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

Here's a simple example of work experience

Server, red lobster.

November 2018 - Present • New York, NY

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

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

Follow these guidelines to really maximize your career experience

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

We highly recommend emphasizing your experience section with these guidelines:

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

Here's a better example of work experience

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

Adding skills to your resume

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

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

• Soft or Transferable Skills
• Hard or Technical Skills

What are soft skills?

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

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

Here's a list of common soft skills:

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

What are hard skills?

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

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

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

Web Developer

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

Graphic Designer

• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe InDesign
• Adobe Illustrator
• Wireframing

Data Analyst

• Database Management
• Google Analytics
• Microsoft Excel

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

Listing your education

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

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

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

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

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

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

Additional sections for your resume

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

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

Here are some sections you can include on your resume:

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

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

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

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

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

Looking for resume best practices in 2022?

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

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

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

Resume Headers & Contact Information

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

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

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

Resume Objective or Summary?

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

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

Resume Headers and Subheaders

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

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

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

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

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

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

Professional Experience

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here’s an example:

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

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

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

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

Education & Additional Information

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

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

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

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

Use Common Sense & Think Like a Recruiter

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

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

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Best Resume Writing Services for 2024

Whether you need to build a new resume from scratch or want some professional advice, we’ve curated the best websites, apps and services to make you stand out.

Our Experts

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Writing a resume can often feel like a tedious and time-consuming process. It can also feel a little intimidating if this is your first official resume or if you’ve been away from the job market for a while. When writing, you’ll have to figure out the right formatting, pick the best terms to describe your experience and try to strike just the right tone. Since having an up-to-date resume is always a good idea, we’ve researched to find the best resume writing services to help ease the pressure.

Some of what you'll need to include in your resume will depend on the industry you want to work in. While it can vary, employers will likely look at your education, work history and skills. We’ve combed through dozens of resume services looking at the most helpful features across a variety of needs. We looked especially closely at the number of custom templates, the amount of guidance the service offered, the ease of navigation and the robustness of the service's privacy policy. Each of these templates and professional writing services will help you create a complete resume that best reflects your skills and experience at an affordable price.

What’s the best resume builder website?

The best resume template and builder should give you a variety of options to customize your resume. Resume.com has many options and customization features that make it a useful tool for almost any candidate applying to any job. You can upload and edit an existing resume, customize an available template from its collection or let the service guide you through creating one from scratch. Resume.com also offers helpful guidance throughout your resume creation process, making sure you include and optimize all your content. Once you’re happy with your resume, you can download it for free in multiple formats.

Depending on where you’re at in the job application process, you might need more guidance than a template. These professional writing services will pair you with experienced writers and coaches to help you craft and perfect resumes, LinkedIn profiles, cover letters and more. These services include more personalized coaching and features, but they tend to be more expensive. We’ve collected a range of options for your budget and needs. Because your resume likely includes your contact information and some personal information, we've also included information about each service's privacy policy.

Best resume templates and builders of 2024

A well-constructed resume can help you stand out during a job search.

• Can create new resume or customize templates
• Many free features, guidance while writing
• Integrated with Indeed job search site
• Difficulty unsubscribing from paid services

Best free resume builder

Resume.com is a free resume writer offering dozens of templates for creating your resume or cover letter, as well as job boards and career advice. You have the option to upload and edit an existing resume, create a new one, or customize one of the sample resumes offered on the site. It's intuitive and easy to use, and it creates a professional-looking final product.

When starting from scratch, you'll go section by section, entering your education, employment history, hobbies and interests, professional skills, languages and references. Resume.com provides question prompts and tips for guidance, as well as career-specific examples you can add if you're struggling to find the right words. You can also choose to forgo any of these sections, rearrange sections and add custom ones depending on what you need. As you update and save each section, you can see how it will appear on the page on your resume preview to the right. You can also change the template, font style and size, or spacing at any time and see it update in real-time in the preview. 

Once you're done, you can download your new resume (in PDF, DocX, RTF or TXT format), create a custom URL or print it out. You also have the option to upload it to Indeed, a job search site that partners with Resume.com . The account you make will work with both Indeed and Resume.com . On the privacy side, the site does collect user information. If you want to delete your account, simply click your profile icon and then Account . Clicking Close My Account deletes your account and your data. If you didn't make an account, you can still choose Delete Guest Data . You can also request your data, and the company will send you an email with what it has collected. 

On the review site Trustpilot , Resume.com only has 32 reviews, but of those, 63% of them awarded the site four or five stars. Some negative reviews speak of difficulty unsubscribing from paid services, so read carefully as you use the free aspects of this service. 

• Guided help writing work experience descriptions
• Cover letter and CV help
• Easy to change layout and color styles
• Must pay to download resume

Best option for your first resume

Resume genius.

The website Resume Genius says you can "make a professional resume in 12 minutes." We tested it out and indeed had a solid first draft of an easy resume completed in about 10 minutes. Resume Genius takes you step-by-step through the process, prompting you with questions about your education and work experience to help you fill out the applicable sections. Resume Genius is particularly helpful because you can search for a job and see prewritten text for the description that you can add or edit. When finished, you can easily toggle between different templates to see what looks best for the final product. You also have the option to directly share your resume with Indeed or Resume Library. 

The site can also help you build cover letters and curriculum vitae. After you input all your information, you can choose different layout styles and colors. It's easy to move through, but you have to do it in order and fill in all the information before continuing. Resume Genius also offers examples of resumes, CVs and cover letters for specific jobs, as well as recommended jobs near you. You can download the resume you create for $3 (which starts a 14-day trial for Resume Genius Pro), or $8 (which kicks off a monthly subscription plan). If you fail to cancel your trial before the 14 days are up, you'll be billed $25 every four weeks ($95 annually), according to the site. 

On Trustpilot at the time of this publication, the site has 4.8 out of 5 stars based on more than 38,000 reviews. Note that if you register on the site, Resume Genius does collect personally identifiable information and may share it with third parties for advertising and other purposes, according to its privacy policy. The account deletion process is buried in the Terms of Service . According to Resume Genius, complete data erasure can take up to 30 days, but they may retain "certain information in accordance with privacy laws."

• Easy to customize
• Free downloads
• Optional paid extra assistance with Indeed professionals
• Unclear how to delete personal information

Easiest resume builder to use

Indeed resume builder.

It's free to create a resume or post your current resume on Indeed. If you're building a new one, you can choose between eight templates. The resume sections are highlighted and when you click, each section expands specific text fields. You can swap templates at any time without losing your work, as well. There are also options for toggling sections on and off, in addition to rearranging them. When you're finished, you can download a free PDF of your work history.

Indeed Resume Builder also offers optional professional advice for your new resume. After you download the resume you created, you'll get a prompt and can click Get Resume Help From a Real Person. Fill out a short questionnaire about what type of help you want and upload your resume (it's OK if you haven't built one). This service usually costs $89 unless you've applied to at least 10 jobs using your Indeed resume. According to Indeed, if you haven't received an interview request within 60 days of receiving your new resume, you can request a one-time rewrite. 

For $19, you can take a quiz and get feedback from a professional to get you started. You can also use Indeed's automated instant report system for free. The system returns quick tips to improve your resume. 

Indeed's privacy policy says that it does collect and share user data with third-party providers to connect job seekers with employers and improve services. According to Indeed's privacy policy, you can request an account or personal data deletion and request that your data not be shared while your account is active. CNET reached out to Indeed for more information and we'll update when we hear back.

• Guides resume creation
• Free resume downloads
• Paid tier offers interview advice and cover letter builder
• Have to pay for additional downloads

Most affordable paid resume builder

Cv engineer.

CV Engineer is an easy-to-use smartphone app that creates a professional-looking resume. With 16 templates to choose from, you can tap to enter information into all of the usual sections and add custom ones. When you tap on each section, you can tap through the bottom toolbar to get advice on what type of information to add, as well as view resume examples to show you how the section could look. 

CV Engineer lets you send or download your first completed resume for free, but upgrading to CV Engineer Pro for a one-time payment of $6 gives you access to unlimited downloads. A Scan My CV feature is also included, which can detect common mistakes and suggest improvements, such as places where you can add more information. The Pro version also offers interview advice and a cover letter builder. 

You can download CV Engineer from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store . CV Engineer does collect personal information and can share it with Google Play Services and Firebase Analytics, according to its privacy policy. The app is free to download and ad-free.

• Strong privacy policy
• Example resumes available
• Only one layout available
• Little guidance during creation

Best free iOS resume builder

Resume star 2: pro cv designer.

Resume Star 2 isn't the most visually stunning resume design app for iOS, but it gets the job done. To use, tap each section of the resume, fill in your information and it will fill in a traditional template (you only get one layout). The app offers some example resumes you can start with and edit as needed, including job-specific ones for a: cashier, dental hygienist, receptionist, waitress, mechanic and senior manager.

You can add or delete any sections you like without needing to hit save every time you add information, and you can see your resume update as you go. The autosave feature makes it easy to toggle quickly between the different sections as well. At the end, you'll have a basic resume ready to go. The app's interface doesn't offer as much guidance about how to write your resume or what types of information to include. If you need extra help, tap the information icon in the bottom left and choose the Resume Writing Guide. This will open up a crash course on resume writing in your mobile browser. It also includes a job search feature. 

The app collects payment via donations after you use the service -- you don’t have to pay if you don’t want to. The app connects to iCloud, and you can export your resume as a PDF to any location on your device(s). If you are happy with the service, you can choose the $6 "helped a bit" tier, a standard donation of $10, or the "really helped me" tier for $25. 

Resume Star 2 has a 4.8 out of 5 rating, and more than 1,800 ratings in the App Store . The first version, Resume Star: Pro CV Maker, which is the same except for the iCloud connection, had a 4.9-star rating and more than 16,000 reviews. The site does not collect personally identifiable information without user consent, which seems to make it one of the more secure options available.

• 42 templates to choose from
• Easily customizable
• Little to no guidance during creation

Best free Android resume writing service

Resume builder app.

Intelligent CV's Resume Builder App offers 42 resume templates and allows you to change font colors. Each resume section appears on a list, and you can move through sections in whichever order you choose, save and go on to another. You also have the option to add, delete or rearrange sections such as education, experience and skills. There’s a Help icon in each section for a little bit of extra guidance. Once you're finished, you can download your document for free as a PDF, which you can then save on your device or send via email or text. 

On the downside, the app is ad-supported and ads for other resume creators do pop up, which can get confusing. The app also offers less guidance than some of the other services, which means it's not a great option if you're new to resumes.

Resume Builder App has one of the strongest privacy policies of the bunch. The app does not collect personally identifiable information , though third-party services (including Google Play services and analytics firms) may collect information. The app has 4.7 out of 5 stars and more than 361,000 Google Play Store ratings and is free to download.

• Easy-to-use interface
• Inclusive premium package

Best range of professional tools

VisualCV has an easy-to-use interface that lets you build your resume in the way that works best for you. After signing up, you can upload an existing resume, begin with a prewritten sample or start entirely from scratch. You can use the basic editor to input information in a list form, the visual editor to edit directly on the resume and preview mode to see changes made on either version in real time. Revision history is also available. 

The free basic edition allows you to select from over a dozen professional templates to create, edit and download one resume as a PDF. You can also create one free cover letter and apply to jobs through its job search feature.

To download or share additional resumes, you’ll need to buy VisualCV Pro for $15 a month. Upgrading unlocks more templates, unlimited creations, downloading, career tracking and the ability to build a personal resume website. The website URL goes through VisualCV but can be shared online. 

In terms of privacy, VisualCV's policy says that it does not sell, trade, rent or license personal information to third parties. As of publication, VisualCV has 4 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot but only 131 reviews.

Best professional resume writing services of 2024

Depending on where you’re at in the job application process, you might need more guidance than a template. These professional writing services will pair you with experienced writers and coaches to help you craft and perfect resumes, LinkedIn profiles, cover letters and more. 

As these services include more personalized coaching and features, they tend to be more expensive. We’ve collected a range of options depending on your budget and needs. Best professional resume writing services of 2024.

• Resume writing and career coaching
• Builds your resume from the ground up
• Quick turnaround
• More expensive options

A premium option for a tailored resume

Resumespice.

Suppose you're totally lost and are willing to invest several hundred dollars into your job search. In that case, ResumeSpice is a resume writing and career coach service created by recruiters that connects you with a "resume expert" to build your CV from scratch. 

Once you choose, you'll fill out a short questionnaire and schedule a phone consultation with a resume expert to discuss your experience, job search and career goals. The expert will take that information and turn around a personalized resume draft within two business days. You can review the draft and request any changes, and you'll get the final version in PDF and Word formats. 

An entry-level resume costs $479, a professional resume costs $589 and an executive resume costs $699. In addition to these packages, you can also add a cover letter, LinkedIn profile, interview coaching or other services to help you be more competitive in the job market.

• 60 day interview guarantee
• Industry-specific advice
• Variety of packages
• Limited non-resume add-ons

A 60-day interview guarantee

Resumewriters.com.

ResumeWriters.com offers a guarantee: If you don't get a job interview with a potential employer within two months of getting your new resume, they'll rewrite it for free. The service claims that in the 20 years and tens of thousands of resumes completed under this guarantee, it averages fewer than five requests for rewrites per year. 

To use the resume writing service, submit your current resume or career information on the site, and an experienced resume writer will contact you to assess your materials and plan out what you need. You'll get a first draft back within 72 hours and can work with the writer on revisions until you're satisfied with the result. 

ResumeWriters offers student, professional, executive and career-change resume services, as well as CV services for those conducting their job search in fields specific to the military, IT and research. The resume services cost $170 for students and $200 for the professional level, with a cover letter, one-on-one consultation and LinkedIn profile. The career change level ($250) is a comprehensive package that includes everything plus a post-interview follow-up letter, and the highest tier is the executive package that guarantees applicants its most experienced writers for $300.

• ATS screening
• Unlimited revisions
• Longer turnaround time (3-7 business days)

A fast pass through HR screening software

Zipjob’s professional resume writers optimize your resume to get through the applicant tracking system (ATS) software used by the majority of employers to automatically scan and sort resumes. An expert writes your resume and scans it through the ATS to ensure it will make it through to the hiring manager's desk. 

To use the service, upload your resume or fill out a form to start from scratch. You'll be matched with a professional resume writer who will work with you to improve it and will then scan the final product to make sure it passes through the screening algorithms. Depending on which package you choose, your resume will be ready in three to seven days. 

You can choose from three packages: Launch (resume writing and unlimited revisions for $139), Fast Track (adds a cover letter and a 60-day interview guarantee for $189) or Premium (adds a top resume writer, LinkedIn profile optimization, future resume updates and expedited delivery for $299).

• Career coaching
• Industry-specific feedback
• Ability to customize packages
• Longer turnaround time (3-5 business days)

An executive resume solution

Find my profession.

Find My Profession offers professional resume writing services as well as career coaching. Every resume gets reviewed by two different consultants. 

You'll find packages that include entry-level, professional, C-level and executive resume writer services, as well as IT, engineering and federal options. In each, you can choose a base, premium or VIP package depending on your needs. For example, the professional resume package starts at $595 for a resume compatible with automated systems. You can also add help with a cover letter for an additional $119 or a LinkedIn profile for $399. 

You'll get the first draft of your resume within three to five business days after you consult with a writer. Or, upgrade to a priority service for another $149 to get it within 48 hours.

How we tested resume sites and services

When we evaluated the different resume templates and builders, we looked at how each site or app allowed you to create new resumes, browse templates or upload and edit existing resumes. We also looked at how easy or hard it would be to customize different templates and sections, how much guidance was available, how user-friendly it was to navigate, plus reading and understanding each company’s privacy policies.

Some of our picks are free, some enlist the help of professional writers and some require a subscription or one-time payment. When it comes to premium or paid services, we evaluated how inclusive its packages were compared to basic or free versions. In many cases for the professional writing services, these paid tiers included more guidance and additional job search support like a cover letter and LinkedIn editing, suggested jobs to apply to and interview coaching.

Factors to consider when choosing a resume writing service

This was a key factor when compiling this list. Whether you’re looking for a free service to boost your current resume or interested in professional editing services, there’s something for everyone’s price range.

Ease of use

When looking at each website, we looked at how easy it was to navigate, browse templates and add, edit or remove different sections. We also considered whether you can download and share your resume for free and in what format.

Customization options

Customization options were essential, as everyone’s resume is going to look different. Having easy user control over your resume helps you create a resume that meets your industry’s standards and showcases your professional experiences.

Privacy policies

Privacy policies were the final important factor to consider, as many of these are websites and apps that can collect and store your personal information. All of the services and websites included on this list have decent privacy settings, and we noted which ones have exceptionally clear use cases and account deletion policies.

Resume writing FAQs

What is a resume builder.

A resume builder is a company that has a website or app that helps you create and customize your resume. You can use pre-existing templates or create your own from scratch.

What is a resume writing service?

A resume writing service is a company that pairs you with a coach or writer to work with you to create, perfect and tailor your resume, cover letters and other job application materials. These tend to be more inclusive packages and therefore more expensive than simple resume template websites.

What is the best resume format to use?

The best format for your resume is going to depend on the job you are applying to, along with your work experience. Resume templates can help you format and include all the necessary information like your education, work experience, skills and contact information.

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Resume Templates

/ 0 - 5 years of experience

Resumes Student/Intermediate

Cover Letters All levels of experience

Pick from 8+ [Free] Resume Templates

Pick one of our free resume templates, fill it out, and land that dream job! Create and download your professional resume in less than 5 minutes.

Traditional

Professional

Skill-Based

See what our customers think

Why Novorésumé?

Free AND Premium

We offer both free and premium resume templates, so whatever your budget might be, you can still take advantage of our resume builder.

Creative & Professional Resume Templates

Whether you’re a creative advertiser looking for an outside-the-box creative resume template, or a banker seeking a more professional resume template, we’ve got a template for you!

NO Hidden Fees

If you’ve tried other resume builders, you’ve probably experienced this: You spend hours creating a resume, and when you click “download,” you get hit with a paywall asking you to subscribe.

At Novorésumé, we don’t do that . We have NO hidden fees - upgrade to Premium ONLY if you LOVE our resumes!

ATS Friendly

All Novorésumé resume templates are built with the most popular Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) in mind. What this means for YOU is that whichever job you apply for, the CV filtering software they use will be able to read your resume (and NOT automatically discard it).

Expert Reviews

Oana Vintila

Career Counselor

For over 10 years now, I've been on both sides of the fence, career counseling, and recruitment, and let me tell you, the writer's block hits hard when it comes to drafting your resume.

Novorésumé not only offers you a smart and modern template for you to fill in, but their team has also crafted a winning combo of aesthetics and functionality that will inspire you to apply for the job you thought was out of your league. Give it a try!

Biron Clark

Former Executive Recruiter

Novorésumé is one of the few resume builders that I recommend online. Their resume templates are modern and eye-catching, and will grab an employer's attention. As a former Recruiter, if a candidate sent me a resume built with one of these templates, I would take notice and be impressed.

The software also makes it easy to enter your info and handles all of the formatting for you, so you can get your resume ready to send out as quickly as possible. I recommend these templates whether you're a recent graduate or experienced candidate.

Gabriela Tardea

Career Strategist, Coach & Trainer

When I consult people on resume writing, the most common question that I am asked it is about the content and what components to add or avoid, when they have less than 5 years of work experience.

On this platform, you not only have access to many options, but you get guidance on what to choose and why. When the work experience is less than 5 years, the other components such as languages, projects, volunteering experiences, hobbies etc, make a huge difference.

Resume Resources

What is a resume.

A resume is a brief summary of personal and professional experiences, skills, and education history. Its main purpose is to show off your best self to potential employers.

When applying for a job, you’re (in most cases) going to be asked for a resume accompanied by a cover letter.

If you manage to create a “good” resume, you’re going to 2x your chances of getting hired . Want to learn how? Check out our complete guide on how to make a resume .

How to Write a Resume for Your First Job?

The process of writing a resume might seem super scary to you. After all, most resume examples you see on the web are 80% about work experience. So, what the heck can you include in your resume if you have none?

Well, here’s some good news. If you’re applying for an entry-level job or an internship, no one expects you to have ANY work experience.

Instead, you should focus on what you DO have: education, projects, volunteering experience, hobbies & interests.

For a complete guide on how to make a resume with no work experience stand out, check out our article.

What to Put on a Resume?

The most common sections on a resume are:

Contact information

Resume summary or objective

Work experience

If you want to personalize your resume a bit more, you can also include the following sections:

Volunteering experience

Hobbies & interests

For more information on how to place these sections on your resume, check out our article on what to put on a resume .

How to Format a Resume?

There are 3 typical resume formats:

Reverse-Chronological Resume

Functional Resume

Combination Resume

In 99% of the cases, you’ll want to go with the Reverse Chronological resume format. That’s the format most resumes you’ve seen follow - its main focus is your work experience, written down in reverse-chronological order.

Unless you’re looking to create a career change resume , we’d recommend sticking with this format.

If you want to learn more about resume formats , check out our comparison guide.

How Long Should a Resume Be?

Ah, the most popular resume question in the world: “how long should your resume be?”

Short answer: one page. If you have a lot of work experience (10 years +), sometimes it makes sense to make it 2 pages MAX if everything you mention is super relevant for the position you’re applying for.

Long answer: check out our guide on how long should a resume be .

P.S. all of our templates are one-page resume templates, so you shouldn’t have a lot of trouble sticking to the one-page limit!

How to Write a Resume Summary?

Your resume summary is a “hook” that goes on top of your resume. Think of it as an introduction to the rest of your resume. It should, in 2-4 sentences, explain what your background is, and why it’s relevant for the position you’re applying for.

Want your resume summary to stand out? Use this proven formula:

“Professional [job title] with X+ years of work experience in [job responsibility] . In the past Y years, I have [your top 1-2 achivements] . Seeking a position of [job title] at [company name] ”

To learn more about how to create a resume summary that excels, check out our guide.

On the other hand, if you’re a student or just don’t have a lot of work experience, read our article on how to create a resume objective instead.

How to List Work Experience on a Resume

Work experience on a resume is one of those things that’s easy to learn, hard to master.

Each work experience entry should contain the following:

Position title

Company name/description/location

Achievements or responsibilities

Dates employed

Now, if you want to create a work experience section that stands out , you want to focus on quantifiable achievements. What this means is, instead of creating an entry like:

“Carried out sales operations”

You list an achievement:

“Hit and exceeded monthly sales KPIs for 5 months in a row.”

This shows the employer that you’re not just a random candidate, you’re an A-player! To learn more about how to list achievements in your work experience (and land the job), check out our article.

How to List Skills on a Resume?

Simply create a ”skills” section on your Novorésumé resume template, and list your top skills. We usually recommend going for a mix of hard and soft skills.

Not sure what skills to include in your resume? Check out these 101 essential skills for any resume .

How to Make a Cover Letter For a Resume?

Every job application asks for a cover letter (in addition to your resume). Here are some of our tips on how to do this right:

Customize your cover letter to the employer. The more personalized it is, the more likely it is for the recruiter to like you

Outline your general background (work experience, profession, etc.) and mention your top 2-3 achievements to show off your skills

If you really want to stand out, create a cover letter that matches your resume template. To do this, you can use one of our cover letter templates here.

If you want to learn more about how to write a convincing cover letter , check out our comprehensive guide.

What is the Best Resume Template?

There’s no such thing as “the best resume template” - every recruiter/employer has their own personal preference. Our general recommendation is to do your research on the company and what their values are.

For example, if you’re applying for a position at a bank, you’d want a more professional resume template. On the other hand, if you want a job in a startup where they value innovation more, you should stick to a creative resume template .

Finally, if you’re still not sure which type of template is right for the job you’re applying for, you can just use a simple resume template just to be safe.

Get Inspired with Our Resume Examples

Resume templates faq, how to make a resume with novorésumé.

Follow these simple steps:

Choose one of our top resume templates above

Follow the tips & tricks built-in our resume builder

Fill in your work history and other experiences

Hit download and start applying to jobs!

What If I Am a Student?

All of our resume samples are student-friendly! If you’re looking for something a bit more tailored, we’d recommend picking the “college resume template”

Or, if you want to learn how to create a convincing student resume , check out our guide.

Are These Resume Templates Free?

Yep, all of the templates listed above are free resume templates.

However, our resume builder comes with a ton of premium features. So if you want to personalize your resume and make it truly yours, you can upgrade!

Who Created These Resume Samples?

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Allstate could resume issuing new home insurance policies in CA

A llstate, one of California's biggest home insurers, could resume writing new homeowner policies if the department of insurance approves rule changes.

The company stopped writing new homeowner policies in late 2022 because of wildfire risk and the cost of rebuilding homes.

Lenny Higgins of Santa Rosa lost his home in Coffey Park in the Tubbs Fire .

Higgins had been living there for 14 years when the wildfire destroyed his neighborhood.

"It wiped out Coffey Park. Everything was incinerated," said Higgins.

MORE: State Farm not renewing 30K homeowners insurances in CA, including in high fire risk areas

Higgins rebuilt his home with help from insurance.

However, some homeowners and business owners in California have struggled to find coverage because companies have stopped writing new homeowner policies.

In March, state farm announced it would not renew 72,000 property owner policies in California .

Three insurers covering 40% of California homes have either paused new policies or set strict caps.

"They have reduced all of us down to a number -- a risk. It's getting easier for them to pick and choose the customers they want and don't want," said Amy Bach, a consumer advocate and executive director of United Policyholders.

MORE: State's wildfire insurance crisis is so bad, even CAL FIRE stations are struggling to get coverage

Now, Allstate says it could start issuing homeowner policies again, if the state of California implements some changes.

Insurance companies want to be allowed to use computer programs to estimate future risks when seeking price increases.

Representative's claim that will allow them to plan for threats based on climate change.

Allstate issued a statement saying:

"We're working with the California Department of Insurance to improve insurance availability in the state. Once home insurance rates fully reflect the cost of providing protection to consumers, we'll be able to offer home insurance policies to more Californians with timely rate approvals, the use of our advanced wildfire modeling and reinsurance costs. We continue to offer auto insurance policies through allstate.com and local agents."

MORE: What's California doing to address the insurance crisis? The possible solutions and changes needed

Higgins thinks it could be a good idea.

'If they are doing something that will allow people to stay on the books," said Higgins.

"If insurers get what they want, the ability to basically use a fancy crystal ball, look ahead a little bit and guess what is going to happen in the future, as opposed to go on what has already happened, what we know has happened, then we want to make sure we are keeping an eye on their assumptions," said Bach.

Consumer Watchdog Harvey Rosenfield doesn't believe the regulation changes by Allstate and other companies will benefit homeowners.

"If Allstate and other companies for the first time in California, are permitted to use computer models that are secret - that are black box models that cannot be assessed by the public... If this proposal goes into the effect people's rates will go through the roof," said Rosenfield.

MORE: Insurance on most California homes doesn't cover flooding, mudslides

We asked the California Department of Insurance about that claim. It issued a statement saying:

"California is battling a 21st century insurance crisis with 20th century rules. With climate change affecting every aspect of our lives, just relying on what we did in the past won't improve insurance choices for homeowners and businesses. California's insurance crisis is decades in the making and we are staying on track to implement all changes this year so insurance companies start writing more policies in all areas. We are balancing the urgent needs of homeowners with a need for transparency. We will review all public comments as we move forward with bringing companies back to California.

"Our goal is to safeguard the integrity of the insurance market to benefit consumers. Not kowtow to the whims of entrenched interests that have secretly benefited from a dysfunctional marketplace for decades. Availability is the first step toward affordability. We will continue moving forward to benefit, consumers, homeowners and business owners."

Meanwhile, Congressmen Mike Thomas and Jared Huffman on Thursday addressed the state's growing property insurance crisis.

They talked about new federal legislation designed to support homeowners dealing with wildfires and other risks.