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What Is A Resume? (Definition, Types, Sections, Importance)

August 30, 2024

If you’ve recently started embarking on a job search, you might notice that job listings require a resume. If you’re new to the job hunt or have typically been hired from referrals or connections, you might not be familiar with what a resume is. This post will explain the resume definition, explore the types of resumes you can create, and the importance of creating a resume during the job search process.

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What is a resume?

A resume is a document that lists your contact information, your work history, education credentials, skills, and a resume summary . Those looking for a job will often be required to apply to a job listing with a resume. A hiring manager will accept resumes via their career website, a third-party website, or through social media, in particular LinkedIn.

Types of resumes

1. reverse-chronological resume.

This is the most common resume format to use. And it’s the one hiring managers and recruiters prefer the most. A reverse chronological resume just means you list your work history from the most recent to the oldest. So, your last or current job would be included first. Then, you would include the role before that, and so on. The reason why this resume type is so common is because your accomplishments should be improving as you build your experience. So, naturally, your last job will have the most significant accomplishments on your resume.

2. Functional resume

A functional resume puts less emphasis on your work experience and more on your developed skills. This works best for those with career gaps, career changes, or new grads. It lists skills categories to highlight your abilities and achievements in these skills.

3. Combination resume

A combination resume is a mash-up of both reverse-chronological and functional resumes as the name suggests. You’ll include your most relevant work experience while also devoting a section to your skills. Both your work history and skills section will showcase why you’re qualified for a job. These days combination resumes work well to help you pass ATS-filters through relevant keyword matching while still showcasing that you do have the relevant work history to warrant serious consideration for the position you’re applying to.

Importance of creating a resume

1. you can’t get many jobs without one.

In some cases, you can apply for jobs through your connections, particularly in construction or similar industries. However, for office jobs or for jobs that are highly sought after, you’ll need to write a resume to land a position there. Most jobs do require resumes and some even require cover letters too. Jobs often require a resume so they can learn more about you. It’s hard to know who you are without the context of your work experience and educational credentials. And when it comes to hiring people don’t want to hire just anybody, they want to hire the best. So, naturally, they read over resumes to determine whether or not you’re a good fit for a role.

2. It’s an employer’s first impression of you

A resume is an employer’s first impression of you. Provided that you applied online, you’ll likely have your resume scanned quickly by a hiring manager (usually they scan for only a couple of seconds). So, your resume needs to be impactful and scannable to help you better land your next role. You’ll want to use data like KPIs you achieved or tasks you completed, such as the number of projects you developed. Anything you can add to your resume that’ll make a positive first impression on your accomplishments, work ethic, and what you’re capable of doing will be key to helping you land that next role. So, having a good resume will ensure your employer’s first impression of you is favorable.

3. Helps you stand out in the job search

While it’s true that almost everyone will be handing in a resume when looking for a job, you can use your resume to stand out in the job search. After all, these are your list of greatest work accomplishments . What makes you unique? How are you the best hire for this position? Incorporating these answers into your resume through your big achievements will help you stand out. Instead of listing the duties and responsibilities you did, you share what you achieved in your previous roles. And by doing that you’ll be able to better stand out amongst other job seekers. The content of your resume does get read even if only for a short few seconds. So those accomplishments have to be big.

4. It highlights your skills

The importance of a resume is that it helps highlight your skills. Through your achievements, you demonstrate what you’ve learned and mastered over the years through your job. Your skills get added to your skills section, but they’re also showcased in your resume bullet points too. Showing your accomplishments proves that you’ve really honed in and learned the skills deeply to achieve a goal, huge target, or other accomplishment. Recruiters and hiring managers look through your resume to see if you have the skills required to do the job they’re hiring for. So, not only do you want to list the skills but you want to illustrate how you’ve mastered them.

5. Explains what you’ll offer employers

A resume details what you’ll offer employers. So, what are the skills, accomplishments, and work ethic you’ll be delivering when you start the role. A resume gives people a peek into what you’re capable of. If you have really outstanding accomplishments, employers will imagine the possibilities of hiring you on their team. It allows them to envision a brighter future at the company with you on board. A resume showcases how much effort you’ll put into a job by digging deep into what you’ve done in the past.

6. Can help you land an interview

And ultimately, the goal of a resume is to help you land an interview so you can eventually secure a job. If your resume is impressive to a hiring manager, they’ll call you or email you to let you know they’d like to chat further about your professional experience.

Who needs a resume?

A resume is needed by anyone looking for a job. If you’re planning to apply for a position online, you’ll need a resume to complete the application process. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been working for 25 years or are looking for your first job. You’ll likely need to present a resume to a hiring manager to be considered for a role. If you are looking to land a job by going to the business directly, you’ll likely hand in a resume in person. In general, a resume is the document you’ll need to create to be able to be considered for an interview.

Should you tailor a resume?

Yes, a resume should be tailored for the job. That means, every time you apply for a job you create a unique resume that's designed just for that role. Each job will have it's own qualifications, skills, and accomplishments needed to hire someone. They might have a very specific ask. If you send the same generic resume to everyone, you might miss out on a high-paying role you're qualified to do because you didn't make it obvious enough that you're the ideal fit. Your resume should only be one page in length, so tailoring your resume makes sure you only include the key and relevant details needed. Think creating a tailored resume is too much work? Fortunately, you can use Huntr's resume tailor to tailor your resume for a job. The tool highlights the skills and keywords you need to add to your resume with a little help from AI. It helps provide suggestions to make tweaking your resume for a specific job easy and fast.

Mandatory sections of a resume

The most important part of your resume is the contact section. While it doesn’t share the insights into your career, it does share how to reach you. If you don’t have a valid email address or phone number on your resume, you won’t get any call backs. So, double checking the information for accuracy is key. You’ll want to have a professional email address listed, such as your name with a number or two at the end in case you have a common name.

A resume summary is a one to two sentence summary about yourself and why you’re a great fit for the position. You want to highlight your main value proposition for why you should be considered for the role, although you never explicitly state that. For example, a resume summary might read, “Results-driven sales professional with over 10 years of experience. Proven track record of generating over $30 million in sales. Skilled at relationship building and closing deals through effective product-client fit.”

3. Work experience

Your work experience is the main focus of your resume. This is where you have to best sell yourself as the perfect candidate for a role. You’ll want to include your biggest achievements in all your roles. Focusing on achievements instead of duties will help ensure you showcase why you’re the most qualified candidate for a position. Include between 3-5 bullets per job, and include about three of your most recent and relevant positions. That’ll most likely keep the resume to one page. You don’t want to include your entire work history on your resume. And while one to two pages is standard for a resume, it’s best to keep it to one page.

4. Education

Including your education is crucial to showcase where you first learned the skills. For example, an engineer needs to include proof that they went to school for engineering and are qualified and legally allowed to work as an engineer. A doctor also needs to have graduated from medical school. So, including your education is important. If you’ve been out of school for over 10 years, you can remove your graduation year. Hiring managers do require certain certifications or degrees for certain roles, so having that education can help you land better positions.

While both your education and work experience will show how you developed your skills, it doesn’t hurt to include keywords in your resume. ATS filters resumes for keywords. So, with technology possibly rejecting your resume without anyone looking at it first, it’s crucial to ensure you add the relevant skills or keywords listed in a job listing to better pass the ATS filters so you can inch closer to landing that interview. There are resume tailor tools like Huntr that highlight the keywords in a job listing to allow you to add them to your resume in only a couple of clicks. Adding keywords of skills you’ve developed is a common practice and crucial so you can ensure your resume better aligns with what the hiring manager is looking for.

Optional sections of a resume

1. certifications or licenses.

Some jobs require specialized certifications or licenses to be able to perform required duties. For example, a nurse may be required to be certified in first aid, CPR, and so on. Mechanics often need ASE certifications. Servers and bartenders need certifications to be able to sell alcohol to others. You also need a specialized license to drive a forklift. So, depending on what job you’re applying for, you might need to list your certifications and licenses (and make sure they’re still valid).

2. Languages

In some roles where being multilingual is necessary, you’ll want to list the languages you speak fluently. For example, in Canada some roles require employees to be bilingual in English and French. Alternatively, in some roles, such as Embassy offices, language schools, or community centers for ethnicities, you might be required to speak two languages fluently.

Have you ever won an award for something in your career? If so, you might add awards or honors on your resume to better stand out as a candidate.

4. Volunteer work

In cases where you’ve done relevant volunteer work, you might choose to list your work on your resume. This is more common for students and new grads with little work experience. It’s not as common to be used in working professionals. However, if you want to share some volunteer work on your resume to showcase your qualifications, you can list the achievements you’ve had in your volunteer experiences.

5. Publications

Have you ever had your work published online? If so, you can share links to the publications that either wrote about you or that you wrote for.

How to Format Your Resume

1. consider spacing.

Because everyone knows one-page is the best resume length , people often try to condense their resume to make it fit one page. As a result, they'll make the margins small, decrease the font size, and use a skinny font just to make it fit on one page. If you have to go through all those hoops, it's likely a sign that you've put either irrelevant information on your resume or you're explaining tasks instead of accomplishments. Your resume should only include about three bullet points per role. Ensure you have one inch margins. White space on a resume is a good thing. It's less overwhelming to the human reading it. So, cut out details that don't truly sell you when writing a resume .

2. Choose readable fonts

The fonts you choose for your resume should be easy to read. Most people will stick with fonts like Arial, Times New Roman, Garamond, and so on. You either want a common sans serif font or a highly readable serif font. Avoid using cursive fonts. And definitely don't use Comic Sans. The font needs to be clean and professional. Avoid using narrow fonts to save space or wide fonts to make your resume look more detailed. Focus on adding or removing the relevant content instead.

3. Make it scannable

When you're still learning what a resume is, it's important to follow the common structure of a resume. You want to have clear headings, such as Work Experience, Awards, Education. You also want to have clear bullet points that make the resume scannable. You should aim to have one line per bullet point. Focus on being concise and saying what you need to say in a single line.

Should your resume be online?

Yes, having a LinkedIn profile where you share your work experience is a great practice. You can use Huntr's LinkedIn resume builder to transfer your LinkedIn profile and turn it into a resume. You'll be able to add or remove details with ease. Remember that even an online resume has people looking at it carefully. So be sure to update it regularly. Make tweaks to your profile. And have good online etiquette as hiring managers will be able to see your comments online.

Time to create a resume

Now that you know what a resume is, it’s time to craft your first resume. You can use a resume builder like Huntr to build your resume for the role you’re applying to. Huntr’s AI resume builder helps you craft your resume with step by step guidance and a little help from AI. It also includes a resume checker , which grades your resume to ensure you have all the relevant details needed. If you’re planning to create a resume, sign up for Huntr today !

Nicole Martins Ferreira

Nicole Martins Ferreira, Senior Writer at Huntr, brings a rich background in marketing, tech, and ecommerce to craft insightful content on job search strategies and career advancement. With experience from Super Magic Taste to Shopify, she excels in creating engaging, actionable advice for job seekers. Nicole's expertise in SEO and content marketing, honed across diverse roles, enables her to effectively guide individuals through the complexities of the job market. Her contributions at Huntr are vital, offering readers valuable tips and strategies to navigate their professional journeys successfully, making her work an invaluable resource for job seekers everywhere.

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Resume: Definition, Meaning, Purpose, and Tips

A resume is a document that outlines a person’s education, work experience, skills, and achievements. It is used to market oneself to potential employers and is often the first impression a hiring manager has of a job applicant.

Having a strong resume is crucial in today’s competitive job market. It can mean the difference between getting an interview or being overlooked for a position. A well-crafted resume can showcase your qualifications and make you stand out among other candidates.

Your resume serves as a marketing tool that highlights your skills, experience, and achievements to potential employers. It is a reflection of your professionalism and attention to detail. You want to make sure that your resume is not only well-written but also visually appealing and easy to skim through.

Employers typically spend only a few seconds scanning a resume before deciding whether to read it in more detail or move on to the next applicant. Therefore, it is important to capture their attention quickly and effectively.

A strong resume can help you land your dream job, advance your career, and increase your earning potential. By highlighting your accomplishments and skills, your resume lets potential employers know what you can bring to the table.

In the following sections, we will discuss the meaning and purpose of a resume, as well as provide tips on how to make your resume stand out from the crowd. By the end of this article, you will have a better understanding of how to create a professional and compelling resume that will help you achieve your career goals.

Purpose of a Resume

One of the critical components of a job application process is a resume. A resume serves specific purposes, and job seekers invest considerable time in creating an impressive resume that will help them stand out from other applicants. In this section, we’ll explore why you need a resume and what employers look for in a resume.

Why do you need a resume?

A resume is a crucial document that a job seeker submits to a prospective employer, summarising their skills, experiences, and education. It is a tool for selling oneself to a potential employer and demonstrating suitability for a specific role. A well-prepared resume can help job seekers catch the employer’s attention and increase the chances of getting an interview.

More than that, a resume shows that you are prepared for a job search and care about the job application process. It also shows that you are willing to put in extra time to present yourself professionally to the employer.

What are employers looking for in a resume?

Employers typically receive numerous resumes for a single job opening. A well-prepared resume must capture the employer’s attention without including extra information that may hinder its effectiveness. Here are a few critical elements employers look for when reviewing resumes:

Qualifications and Skills:  Employers want to know whether you have the necessary qualifications and skills needed for the job. It’s crucial to tailor your resume to the job specifications to highlight the required skills and qualifications for the role.

Experience:  Employers look for candidates with experience in the relevant field. Highlighting any relevant work experience, even if it’s not from a job, can be critical.

Achievements:  Employers are interested in understanding what you achieved in your previous roles, such as quantifiable achievements, awards or recognition.

Clarity and Conciseness:  Employers are busy people and do not have time to read through lengthy resumes. A clear, concise, and well-organised resume makes it easier for employers to identify whether you are a good fit for the job.

A resume is critical in job searching, and it’s essential to create an eye-catching resume that accurately showcases your skills, experience, and education. Keep in mind that employers receive numerous resumes for a single job opening, and a well-written resume tailored to the job specifications can help you stand out and increase the chances of getting an interview.

Types of Resumes

As we’ve discussed earlier, resumes are an essential part of the recruitment process. They’re often the first point of contact between job seekers and employers, making it imperative to make a good impression. To best showcase your skills and experience, however, you should know which type of resume to use. Here are three common types of resumes you may choose from:

Chronological Resume

A chronological resume is the most common type that lists your work history in reverse chronological order (meaning from most recent to earliest). This format is best for people who have a strong and consistent employment history as it shows your career progression and highlights your experience. Employers can easily see the industries, roles, and responsibilities you have taken on in the past. It also works well for job seekers seeking career advancement within the same field.

Functional Resume

Functional resumes focus on your skills and abilities, rather than on a chronological work history. This resume format is ideal for job seekers just starting in their career, those who have gaps in their employment history, or those changing careers. With a focus on skills, you can highlight your abilities that are transferable across various job titles and industries.

Combination Resume

A combination résumé is a blend of both functional and chronological resumes, so it presents both your skills and experience. This format is best for job seekers wanting to shift job titles or pursuing a new industry. It allows you to highlight your transferable skills to demonstrate how they align with the job requirements, as well as showcasing your relevant work experience.

Regardless of which resume format you choose, always remember to tailor it according to the job you’re applying for. Ensure that your resume is clear, concise, and error-free to make the right impression on the employer. A well-crafted resume can be the difference between landing your dream job and continuously searching for new opportunities. A strong resume should be concise, clear, and easy for employers to read. Therefore, it is important to understand the key components that make up a winning resume.

• Contact Information

Your contact information should be the first thing on your resume. This should include your full name, email address, phone number, and LinkedIn profile. Ensure that this information is up-to-date and accurate. You don’t want to miss out on a job opportunity because you provided the wrong email address or phone number.

• Professional Summary

Your professional summary is an introduction to who you are and what you can bring to the table. This section should be brief and highlight your relevant skills and experiences. Use this space to showcase your unique selling points and catch the employer’s attention.

• Work Experience

Your work experience is crucial in demonstrating your qualifications for the job you are applying for. When detailing your work experience, try to focus on achievements rather than just listing daily tasks. Quantify your accomplishments and include concrete examples. Don’t forget to include dates of employment, job titles, and company names.

Your education section should include relevant degrees and certifications in reverse chronological order. If you don’t have much work experience, your education can be a key factor in demonstrating your qualifications for the job.

Your skills section is an opportunity to show what you’re capable of. It’s important to highlight both hard and transferable skills that are relevant to the job. Avoid listing overly generic skills (such as “good communication skills”) and instead focus on skills that differentiate you from other candidates.

• Certifications and Awards

If you have any relevant certifications or awards, this is the section to showcase them. Certifications and awards demonstrate your commitment to professional development and help you stand out from other candidates.

How to Format a Resume

When it comes to creating a resume, formatting is key. Here are a few tips to create a clean and professional-looking resume:

Choosing a Font and Font Size

The font you choose for your resume should be easy to read and professional. A few popular choices include Times New Roman, Arial, and Calibri. Keep in mind that some recruiters and hiring managers may prefer a specific font, so make sure to do your research before making a final decision.

In terms of font size, the general rule of thumb is to stick to between 10-12 points to ensure that your resume is legible. You can use a slightly larger font for headings or section headers, but be careful not to go overboard.

Using Bullet Points

Bullet points are a great way to break up your resume and make it easy to read. Use bullet points to highlight your most important accomplishments or responsibilities in your previous roles. Make sure to keep your bullet points concise and impactful.

Creating Clear Section Headers

Clear section headers help to organize your resume and make it easy for hiring managers to find the information they need. Use bold or slightly larger font to make your headers stand out. Some common section headers include “Education,” “Work Experience,” “Skills,” and “Projects.”

Utilizing White Space

Large blocks of text can overwhelm recruiters and make your resume appear cluttered. Utilizing white space can help to balance your resume and make it more visually appealing. Try to keep your margins uniform and use spacing between sections to create a clean and organized look.

By using these formatting tips, your resume will stand out to potential employers and give them a clear understanding of your skills and qualifications.

Tips for Writing a Strong Resume

A well-written resume is essential in landing your dream job. Here are several tips to make your resume stand out from the rest.

Tailoring your Resume to the Job Description

One of the most important aspects of a strong resume is tailoring it to the job you’re applying for. This means that you need to customize your resume to highlight the skills and experiences relevant to the job description. Use the keywords and phrases included in the job posting, and make sure to showcase how your past experiences align with the position’s requirements.

Quantifying your Achievements

Employers want to see results, so it’s important to quantify your achievements on your resume. Use numbers, percentages, and other metrics to showcase your accomplishments. This creates a clear picture of your abilities and demonstrates your value to potential employers.

Using Action Words and Power Phrases

To keep your resume engaging, use action words and power phrases. These words describe your experiences and build excitement around your achievements. Action words like “achieved,” “improved,” and “generated” help focus on the results of your actions, while power phrases like “unmatched expertise” or “outstanding leadership” can help to convey the value you bring to the table.

Keeping your Resume Concise and Relevant

Your resume should be concise and relevant. This means that you should focus on your most valuable experiences and accomplishments, while omitting irrelevant information. Use white space, bullet points, and clear formatting to make your resume easy to read. Keep your resume to one or two pages and remove any fluff or repetitive information.

By following these tips, you can create a strong resume that showcases your skills, experiences, and achievements effectively. Remember to tailor your resume to the job description, quantify your achievements, use action words and power phrases, and keep your resume concise and relevant. Good luck!

Common Resume Mistakes to Avoid

A resume is a powerful tool for landing a job interview, but if it is not executed properly, it can also be the reason for rejection. In this section, we will discuss the common resume mistakes that you should avoid in order to increase your chances of getting hired.

Typos and Grammatical Errors

One of the most frequent mistakes that job seekers make on their resumes is failing to check for typos and grammatical errors. A single mistake can create a negative impression of you and your attention to detail. Take the time to proofread your resume multiple times, and if possible, ask a friend or family member to review it as well.

Lies and Exaggerations

Exaggerating skills, job titles or previous experiences to impress recruiters is never a good idea. Honesty is key, especially when it comes to job applications. Lies can be easily detected by recruiters, and they will ruin your chances of getting hired. Stick to the truth and portray yourself in the most positive light based on your actual accomplishments.

Including Irrelevant Information

Recruiters tend to scan resumes quickly, looking for specific information that meets the requirements of the job. Including irrelevant information will distract them from the characteristics that are essential for the job you are applying for. Only include professional experiences and skills that are relevant to the position you are applying for.

Not Including Keywords

Most companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to quickly filter large volumes of resumes. These systems are programmed to scan resumes for specific keywords and phrases that are relevant to the job advertisement. If you do not include the relevant keywords, your resume will likely be filtered out before it even reaches a human recruiter. Review the job advertisement and include important terms and phrases in your resume.

Avoiding these common mistakes is the key to creating a winning resume, one that catches the attention of recruiters and increases your chances of landing the interview. Your resume is the first connection between yourself and a potential employer, so make it count. Take the time to craft an effective and accurate document, and keep these tips in mind to increase your chances of success.

Resume Example for Beginners

As a beginner, creating a resume can be a daunting task. You may feel overwhelmed by the variety of information you need to include and uncertain about the layout. However, with the right approach and guidance, you can create a compelling resume that showcases your skills and experience.

Basic Layout for a Resume

To begin, let’s review the basic layout of a resume. A standard resume should include the following elements:

Contact Information:  Your full name, phone number, email address, and physical address.

Objective or Summary Statement:  A brief statement that highlights your career goals and summarizes your qualifications.

Education:  Your education background, including your degree(s) or certificate(s), the name of the institution, and the date of graduation.

Work Experience:  Your work history, including your previous job titles, companies, dates of employment, and key responsibilities and achievements.

Skills:  A list of your relevant skills, including technical and soft skills.

Optional Sections:  Additional sections such as honors and awards, certifications, volunteer experience, or professional affiliations.

Sample Resume Content for a Beginner

Now, let’s take a look at a sample resume content for a beginner. Please note that this example is for illustrative purposes only, and you should customize your resume according to your own experience and qualifications.

As you can see, this sample resume follows the basic layout described above, including key sections such as contact information, objective statement, education, work experience, and skills. It also highlights the applicant’s relevant coursework, intern experience, and skills.

Remember, your resume is your chance to make a strong first impression with potential employers. By following these tips and creating a well-crafted resume, you’ll be one step closer to landing your dream job.

Resume Example for Experienced Professionals

Crafting a professional and effective resume is crucial for experienced professionals looking to advance their careers. A well-organized and thoughtfully designed resume can help catch the attention of potential employers and increase the likelihood of securing an interview.

Professional Layout for a Resume

To create a professional and visually appealing resume, it’s important to choose a clear and easy-to-read font, such as Arial or Times New Roman, and maintain consistent formatting throughout the document. Use bullet points to break up large chunks of text and highlight key accomplishments and relevant experience.

A typical professional resume should include the following sections:

• Contact information, including your name, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile (if applicable)
• Professional summary or objective statement, highlighting your experience and career goals
• Work experience, listing your most recent or relevant positions first and detailing your responsibilities and accomplishments
• Education and certifications, including any relevant coursework or training
• Skills, showcasing your relevant technical and soft skills
• References, available upon request

Sample Resume Content for an Experienced Professional

Here’s an example of a professional and effective resume for an experienced individual,:

Contact Information:

• 123 Main Street, Anytown, USA 12345
• 555-123-4567

How to make your Resume Stand Out

In today’s job market, it’s important to make sure your resume stands out from the rest. One way to do this is by showcasing your Unique Selling Points (USPs). These are the qualities, skills, and experiences that make you different from other candidates. To identify your USPs, think about what sets you apart and what you’re particularly good at. Then, highlight these factors in your resume by including them at the top of your document or in a prominent section.

Another way to make your resume stand out is by including your Online Portfolio and Social Media Profiles. An online portfolio is a great way to showcase your work and demonstrate your skills to potential employers. Social media profiles can also be useful, particularly if they showcase your professional accomplishments, expertise, and skills. However, it’s important to ensure that your online presence is consistent with the image you want to present to employers.

Incorporating Outreach and Networking Efforts can also help make your resume stand out. This can include attending events, networking with professionals in your industry, and keeping in touch with former colleagues and employers. These efforts can help you build relationships and make valuable connections that could lead to job opportunities.

There are several ways to make your resume stand out, including showcasing your USPs, including your Online Portfolio and Social Media Profiles, and Incorporating Outreach and Networking Efforts. By highlighting your unique qualities, demonstrating your skills and expertise, and building valuable connections, you can increase your chances of landing your dream job.

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More from ResumeHead

What is a Resume? Definition, Structure, Purpose, Types & Meaning

In This Guide:

Reverse chronological resume format, functional/skills-based resume format, hybrid resume format.

• Resume Templates

Personal Details and Contact Information

Resume introduction, work experience and achievements, education section, additional sections.

You want to get a job and that’s just great! But as you start thinking about it, hundreds of questions pop up in your head.

“How do I write my resume?”, “What is a resume”, “What is a cover letter” and even more and more hanging there. Don’t worry, we are here to help you and get you good and ready to start your journey.

We are going to cover some basic topics like:

• What is a resume
• Resume format and layout

As well as some more advanced ones like:

• Resume structure
• Design and formatting tips
• Dos and Don'ts
• Cover letter

This article is mainly for the basics, so if you want more advanced tips and tricks, you can also learn how to Make Your Resume Stand Out .

But if you are searching for the basics only, that’s the right place!

So let’s dive in.

What is a resume?

The resume is your absolute must if you are looking for a job.

Your resume defines who you are in the eyes of your potential employer and is the most important document in your job application, followed by the cover letter.

But probably you are asking yourself: what is a resume?

In simple words: A resume is a formal document that a job applicant creates to itemize their qualifications for a position. It usually includes work experience, education, skills and any other relevant information you want to share with your future employer.

We need to note the fact that a resume is different from a curriculum vitae (CV).

The CV shows your complete work experience, education, skill set, and anything else you have done, no matter the length of the document, while the resume’s goal is to present anything relevant in a clear and easy-to-read format.

Unlike a CV, a resume should be modified for each and every job position, so that it would be as relevant as possible, and it should not exceed 1-2 pages.

The goal of your resume is to quickly and effectively show your potential employer why you are uniquely qualified for their job opening, based on your relevant experience and skills.

Preparation before writing a resume

As we said earlier, a resume should be kept short and to the point, it should only include relevant information for the job position.

The easiest way to perfect your resume writing is to get started with some preparation.

What you need to do is get a list of:

• Accomplishments from previous jobs
• Your skill set - soft, hard and technical skills
• Details about your previous jobs
• Details about your education
• Certifications, awards and honors
• Anything else that you might want to include in your resume at one point

Don’t worry about the writing, just focus on the relevance to the job position of everything you write down.

Once you are done, step away. Give it a few hours.

And when you are well rested again, come back to it with fresh eyes and perfect your writing.

Format and Layout

Now you have everything you might want to include in your future resumes, all in one place, and that’s great!

But there is just one more thing to do before we start filling each section with information.

And that’s a pretty important step - choosing the format and sticking to a good layout.

Don’t worry, we got you covered, and we will go through the 3 main resume formats.

A reverse chronological resume format is the most popular one out there.

It has the great advantage of being suitable for pretty much every job position.

This format is mostly career-oriented - it lists your work history in order, as the most recent position would be at the top.

It is the ideal format for people with lots of work experience, relevant to the job position they are applying for.

Check out some of our great examples - Reverse Chronological Resume .

But if you don’t feel confident that your work experience is relevant enough, don’t worry, the next resume format would be perfect for you.

As opposed to the reverse chronological resume, the functional resume format is mainly focused on your skill set.

It is the perfect choice for you if you are looking for your first job or career change, or if you are trying to steer away the employer’s focus from a gap in your employment history.

The great thing about the functional resume format is that it groups your skills in categories and presents them in a great and easy-to-read format.

Check out some examples to form a better idea of what the function resume format is - Functional Resume .

You are not convinced that this is your format either? We have one last format for you and it is guaranteed to work!

As its name shows, this resume format combines all the best features of the reverse chronological and the functional resume.

What it includes is both a reverse chronological work history section, and a highly detailed skill section.

It’s mostly used for job positions that require expertise in a variety of fields, and you want to show that you are the right person for the job.

Get a better understanding of the combination resume format with these examples - Hybrid Resume .

Great, you picked your resume format, now let’s focus on one last thing - the layout .

There are a few important points that you need to follow in order to do this part right.

First, keep it short and to the point. One page is what you need. Don’t go for 2 pages, unless you are absolutely sure that it would add some significant value.

Pick the right font and font size:

• Your font should stand out, but not too much, so you can go for Ubuntu, Roboto and Overpass, but don’t ever try Comic Sans.
• Keep your text between 11 and 12pt, so that it would be easy to read
• Pick a heading type (H1, H2…) and stick with it for all sections. Use between 14 and 16pt so that titles would stand out a little more

To ensure that your resume would look good, make sure you have sufficient white space between sections and appropriate margins (at least 0.7 inches)

And last, but not least - save your resume as PDF . It’s going to keep your formatting as it is, no matter what, as opposed to alternatives like Word.

We know that it might be intimidating to process all that information.

But don’t worry, we got you covered.

There are a few main templates that you can stick to, according to the type of resume you are trying to achieve.

The first, and most multifunctional format, is the Basic . You can use it on any occasion, but it is not specifically concentrated on any section, so if you want to focus on something more, keep reading, we’ve got more for you.

If you just graduated from college and don’t have much experience, you might want to focus more on your education and skills, rather than anything else, so you would want to use the College Resume Example .

We mentioned earlier the functional resume format, we have some examples for you to check out: Function Resume Template .

The other resume templates you can check out, according to your goal are:

• Infographic Resume Template
• Minimalist Resume Template
• Modern Resume Template
• Timeline Resume Template
• Traditional Resume Template
• Two-column Resume Template

Check them all and win the resume game.

Resume Structure

Okay, we are doing great so far!

Let’s dive into all the different sections your resume can have .

Believe it or not, this is the most critical section of your resume.

No matter how well you did everything, how skilled and experienced you are, the HR won’t ever call you in for an interview if you misspelled your phone number.

This section should be on the top of your resume and must include your name, email and phone number. The mailing address is mandatory.

Your name should be highly visible with bolder or larger font than the rest of the document.

As you want to look professional in the eyes of your potential employer, make sure your email address sounds professional. Consider creating a new email account if you currently use an outdated email service.

You can also include a portfolio if you are applying for creative positions, or a LinkedIn profile, but make sure you make it a strong one.

If you feel like more tips on the topic would be of use, check out Contact Information on Resume .

And last, as we stated in the beginning of this section - make sure your contact information is correct. You should double-check it, and even triple-check it and make sure everything is correct and up-to-date.

This is a very small part of your overall resume, but it is an extremely important one.

As it is one of the first things a hiring manager would see when looking at your resume, you need to perfect it.

What it actually is, is a short statement in two or three sentences. It’s a description of who you are as a candidate.

A well-written introduction can grab the hiring manager’s attention and multiply your chances of getting the job you applied for.

It’s not a deal-breaker if you skip this section and decide you don’t need it, but that short statement on top of your resume can really be key for getting called for an interview.

The work experience is the heart of your resume.

The first thing the hiring manager would look for are the job titles and the companies you have worked for. Make sure this information is easy to find.

The basics of this section should include:

• Job position
• Location of the Company
• Dates of employment

But no matter how impressive your work experience, compressed in these 4 points, it might not be good enough for the employer.

Employers don’t want only basic information, they are much more interested in the impact you had on the companies you previously worked for.

Results matter and numbers are important.

No matter what were your previous positions, there is always some metric that can show your potential employer you had a significant impact.

Perfect this section by checking out - Work Experience Section .

Having a clear education section is essential for your resume, especially if your work experience is limited, or you have just graduated.

If you don’t have much work experience, but your track record in school is good, consider making your education section highly-detailed and include all your education-related accomplishments .

On the contrary, if you have a few years of work experience, your education section should shrink down to the basics.

In most cases, listing the school name, the attendance years and your degree would be enough.

If you want to go deeper in this section’s topic, check out - Education Section .

Before starting this section, we need to define the difference between the two main types of skills - soft and hard.

Hard Skills

Using simple words, a hard skill is one that can be learned, taught, or measured and is not dependent on your industry.

Examples of such skills are any language or computer skills, or ability to operate heavy machinery.

Soft Skills

A soft skill is a personality trait that is hard to measure but that makes you great at your job.

Examples of such skills are being a team player, being driven to succeed, or having a great attitude.

Now that we have defined both types of skills, it’s pretty much up to you to decide which ones to include on your resume.

The important thing is to list them clearly, so it would be easy for the hiring manager to see them and note them.

If they see right away the skills that they seek, they are much more likely to take your resume under consideration.

As this section is very important, but somewhat complex, we recommend you look into it a little more - Skills Section .

If you have gone this far, you know all the basics you need for your resume.

There are a few more sections that you can add to your resume, if you think they would contribute in some way, or if you consider your resume still incomplete.

Certifications, Awards, & Honors

This section can potentially be very important, but you really need to show something impressive, if you decide to go for it.

If your potential employer needs to see some specific certifications, make sure you know which ones to include in your resume before you send it, because leaving some out could potentially ruin your application by making you seem unqualified.

In any other case, if you feel like some certification, award or honor would be relevant in your resume, feel free to include it.

If you would like to read a little more on the topic - Certifications on Resume .

And feel free to add any other section that you feel would help your hiring process.

Here are a few sections that you can consider:

• Publications
• Volunteering
• Hobbies & Interests

Tailor Your Information to the Job Ad

So far, so good.

Now we need to remember once again that the resume’s purpose is to be fitted for a specific job position.

So don’t forget to make it so, don’t send out the same resume for a variety of different positions, because it just won’t work.

The most important thing to do here is to adjust the keywords, especially in your skills section.

Show the employer that the skill set you have is perfectly fitted to the company’s needs.

You should also consider modifying your work experience and education sections, depending on the job requirements.

But all in all - focus on the keywords for each and every job position you are applying for.

Cover Letter

Okay, you seem to be all done with your resume.

So you might be asking yourself - I have a great resume, do I need a cover letter?

The answer is always - yes, if you have the option.

Cover letters may be crucial in the hiring process because they let you provide context for your resume.

Furthermore, they let you show off your personality and your enthusiasm for the job you are applying for.

A well-written cover letter can really boost your application and be the game-changer in your hiring project, so don’t hesitate to learn How to Tell a Story in a Cover Letter .

We reached the end of our topic, but don’t relax just yet, because this is an important one.

Typos and grammatical errors are the most common mistakes found in resumes.

And quite often they are a dealbreaker for the employer.

So don’t skip out on proofreading and do it right.

Here are some tips to be sure your resume would be mistake-free:

• Try reading your resume backwards (it can help you identify errors by presenting the words in a new order)
• Ask trusted friends, colleagues, professors and family members if they can review your resume (third-party opinions can help reveal new information you might have overlooked)
• Try reading the resume a few times, but at different times of the day (it would clear up your mind and help you identify mistakes, you didn’t see before)

And, of course, don’t forget the layout recommendations we gave you before - check your font and font sizes.

One final thing - if your resume is more than one page, review it once again and try to shorten it to one page.

Takeaways: What is a resume?

We are all done.

Now you know the difference between a Resume and a CV.

You also learned the basics of writing your Resume and modifying it according to the job position.

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

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

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

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

Well, you’ve come to the right place!

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

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

….and more!

So, let’s dive right in.

How to Make a Resume (The Right Way!)

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

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

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

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

#1. Pick the Right Resume Format

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

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

Start by choosing the right resume format.

There are three types of resume formats out there:

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

So, which one should you go for?

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

Fix Your Resume’s Layout

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

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

Here are some of the best practices you should apply:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#2. Add Your Contact Information

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

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

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

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

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

Must-Have Information

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

Optional Information

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

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

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

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

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

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

This is where the resume headline comes in.

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

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

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

Resume Summary

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

Here’s what your resume summary should include:

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

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

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

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

Resume Objective

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

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

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

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

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

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

#4. Prioritize Your Work Experience

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here’s a real-life example:

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

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

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

Focus on Achievements Whenever Possible

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Your day-to-day responsibilities probably include:

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

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

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

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

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

Tailor Your Resume to the Job

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Include the Right Amount of Work Experience

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

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

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

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

Consider Applicant Tracking System (ATS) Software

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#5. List Your Education

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

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

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

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

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

Resume Education Tips

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

Just follow these expert tips:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

There are a few essential steps you need to follow:

Always List Hard and Soft Skills Separately

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

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

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

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

Methodologies & Tools

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

Soft Skills

• Team Management
• Conflict Resolution
• Negotiation

Tailor Your Skills to the Job

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

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

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

Qualifications:

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

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

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

List Hard Skills with Experience Levels

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

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

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

Include Transferable Skills

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

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

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

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

#7. Leverage Optional Resume Sections

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

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

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

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

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

• Intermediate

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

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

Hobbies and Interests

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

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

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

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

Volunteering Experience

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

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

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

Certifications

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

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

Certifications can also show employers how much expertise you have.

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

Awards and Recognitions

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

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

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

Publications

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Extracurricular Activities

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

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

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

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

11+ Expert Resume Tips

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

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

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

FREE Resume Checklist

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

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

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

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

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

9 Resume Templates for Different Industries

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

#1. Traditional Resume Template

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

#2. Modern Resume Template

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

#3. Creative Resume Template

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

#4. Minimalistic Resume Template

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

#5. IT Resume Template

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

#6. Tech Resume Template

Good for the tech industry and everything it encompasses.

#7. College Resume Template

Good for college students and recent graduates alike.

#8. General Resume Template

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

#9. Executive Resume Template

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

17+ Resumes for Different Jobs

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

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

#1. Nurse Practitioner Resume Example

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

#2. Data Scientist Resume Example

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

#3. Business Analyst Resume Example

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

#4. Digital Marketing Resume Example

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

#5. Software Engineer Resume Example

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

#6. Construction Project Manager Resume Example

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

#7. Customer Service Resume Example

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

#8. High School Resume Example

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

#9. Student Resume Example

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

#10. Server Resume Example

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

#11. Actor Resume Example

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

#12. Web Developer Resume Example

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

#13. Engineering Resume Example

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

#14. Computer Science Resume Example

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

#15. Architect Resume Example 

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

#17. Remote Job Resume Example

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

#18. Sales Associate Resume Example

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

#19. Receptionist Resume Example

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

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

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

Next Steps After Your Resume

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

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

#1. How to Write a Convincing Cover Letter

The companion piece to every resume is the cover letter.

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

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

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

Just follow this structure:

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

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

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

#2. How to Ace Your Next Interview

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

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

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

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

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

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

FAQs on How to Make a Resume

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#5. What kind of resume do employers prefer?

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

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

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

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

You should only include relevant job positions on your resume.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#9. Is a resume a CV?

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

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

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

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

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

#10. Should I write my own resume?

Yes, you should always write your own resume.

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

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

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

#11. Can a resume be two pages?

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

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

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

#12. Is a simple resume okay?

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

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

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

Key Takeaways

And that’s a wrap!

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

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

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

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What is a Resume? It's Much More Than You Think

6 min read · Updated on December 08, 2023

What is a resume, really? When created thoughtfully, it's a fantastic personal marketing document that gets employers to notice you in a crowd.

According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, a resume is “a short account of one's career and qualifications.” Investopedia calls it “a document that job applicants use to summarize their work experience, educational background, and special skills.”

A resume provides the first (and sometimes only) chance to make a good impression on a prospective employer or hiring manager and prove that you are a well-qualified and hirable candidate. 

And while these definitions are technically correct, a well-crafted resume is so much more. It's actually a personal marketing document that can be targeted to a specific job/career/industry and provide the most relevant information about your ability to succeed in that unique role.

If you're ready for a new perspective, read on for more answers to “What is a resume?”

It's choosing the right formatting

How you format your resume also plays a role in how well you can market yourself to employers. 

There are four generally accepted resume formats: Chronological, Functional, Combination, and Targeted. Your own personal history and the specific job you want will generally determine which resume format you should use.

Here's a breakdown of each format's pros and cons and the situations in which they work best.

Chronological Resume

This format has a professional summary or introduction at the top followed by your work history starting with your most recent job, which is called reverse-chronological order. It then can move on to special skills, professional affiliations, and educational history .

A chronological resume is probably the most-used format because it's appropriate for many scenarios, including people with various experience and skill levels. 

It's also the format that's most familiar to recruiters and hiring managers so they immediately know where to find details on work history, education, and competencies.

You really can't go wrong using this format.

Functional Resume

If you are changing careers or have some gaps in your work history, this format is a good choice because it's designed to focus attention on your skills and applicable experience rather than your chronological work history.

Sometimes called a hybrid resume, a functional resume leads with a more detailed introduction and is followed by a list of specific skills that show your fit for the position. After that comes a brief overview of your work history with just general details because you want your skills to get all the attention.

It's important to note that this type of resume needs to be done well to make a good impression on a hiring manager, so it might be worth using a professional resume writer who knows how to present any work gaps or career changes in the best possible light.

Combination Resume

This format uses the key aspects of both a chronological and functional resume. 

It's best for anyone with a long work history or a set of specialized skills that deserve attention because both skills and work history are equally highlighted to show the strength of your qualifications for a particular position.

Targeted Resume

As the name implies, this is a resume that's specifically targeted to each job you apply for. 

The first step is to review the job description for the skills and experience that a company wants in a candidate. Next, tailor your resume so it clearly shows off your relevant skills, making you well-qualified for the role. You can use the same structure as a functional resume or stick with the chronological format.

You may want to consider a professional resume writer to help with this format, too, since it can be tricky to get it just right.

Remember that there are other resume formats specifically for people in education, the arts, and even certain technical or business areas, so do your research to be sure you choose the format that will get you the attention you deserve.

It's highlighting your “soft skills”

The information presented thus far is about presenting your “hard skills” which are any skills that you've gained through hands-on experience or an educational process. These are generally what people think of when asked “What is a resume?”

However, you also want to present your soft skills to a potential employer--which can be a little tricky at first.

Soft skills are the traits, qualities, thought-processes, and ideologies that help you put your hard skills into practice. Examples of soft skills can include communication style, leadership abilities, motivational skills, and team-building strategies which are shown by listing specific achievements you've met.

For example, you can highlight motivational skills with a statement such as: Consistently kept my team meeting or beating deadlines through daily, weekly, or monthly rewards and open communication policies.

It's using sections wisely

The following sections should be on every resume, regardless of the format, and should be as tailored to the job as possible no matter what layout you choose.

Contact Information - Name, phone number, email address are standard. You can also add your Linked-In profile and website links if they exist.

Introduction - This can be a professional profile, a job or career objective, a summary of your qualifications for the job, or an overall summary of your resume. Keep it concise!

Skills - Be sure to also include soft skills. Just a list here; you'll highlight them through your achievements.

Achievements - These are actual examples of milestones you've met that have helped the company in some way. Another option is to include these as part of your work history.

Work History - Starting with the most recent job, list your job title, time worked, location, and specific duties, making sure to include what's most relevant to the job application.

Education - List the highest degree you've earned, the school name, and majors/minors if appropriate.

If you don't have a ton of work experience, you can also add a section for volunteer experience or professional associations that might highlight your ability to succeed at a particular job.

It's marketing yourself as a solution

A resume isn't just a document for you to toot your own horn. 

It's a vehicle to show potential employers how you can help them and their organizations to succeed because you're the best qualified person for their role.

So, what is a resume? It's a personal marketing document that, when used effectively, will make you stand out from other candidates in a huge way--and get you hired. 

Do you need a resume? You can get one written by one of TopResume's professional resume writers whether you need an update or a resume written from scratch: Professional Resume Writing Service . 

Recommended Reading:

Resume Examples & Samples for Every Career

Your Guide to Writing a Resume

How Long Should a Resume Be?

Related Articles:

100 + Keywords, Verbs, and Action Words for Your Resume

How to Write a Short Bio? (With Examples)

ISTP Personality Type: Understanding Traits, Strengths, and Career Paths

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What Is a Resume?

Understanding a resume, the resume heading, resume trouble spots, changing times for resumes, what you should not put on a resume, the bottom line.

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What Is a Resume? Its Purpose and What Should Not Be on Yours

Katrina Ávila Munichiello is an experienced editor, writer, fact-checker, and proofreader with more than fourteen years of experience working with print and online publications.

Investopedia / Jiaqi Zhou

A resume is a formal document that a job applicant creates to itemize their qualifications for a position. A resume is usually accompanied by a customized cover letter in which the applicant expresses an interest in a specific job or company and draws attention to the most relevant specifics on the resume.

American job coaches insist that a resume should be only one or two pages in length. British job applicants traditionally are expected to produce a somewhat more detailed document called a CV (curriculum vitae).

Key Takeaways

• Nowadays, resumes are typically sent by email or as part of an online application.
• The traditional one- to two-page limit for a resume stands, but nothing prevents you from attaching a brief video introduction or other illustration if it is relevant and enhances your presentation.
• It's smart to rewrite your resume to tailor it to a specific job you're seeking.

A resume is almost always required for applicants to office jobs. They are the first step taken by corporate recruiters and hiring managers to identify candidates who might be invited to interview for a position.

Successful resumes highlight specific accomplishments applicants have achieved in former positions, such as cutting costs, transcending sales goals, increasing profits, and building out teams. 

There are many formats for resumes, with many variations for particular professions such as investment banking and the fashion trade.

Whatever the format, most resumes include a brief summary of skills and experience, followed by a bullet list of previous jobs in reverse chronological order and a list of degrees earned.

A final section might be added to highlight specific skills, such as fluency in a foreign language, knowledge of computer languages, professionally useful hobbies, professional affiliations, and any honors achieved.

Brevity, a clean layout, and succinct language all are prized. People who have to sort through hundreds of resumes have short attention spans.

The heading on the resume should include not only your name, email address, and mobile phone number but also your address on LinkedIn or another professional community and the address of your website or blog if you have one.

Be aware that any hiring manager will, as a matter of course, enter your name in the Google search field. Do a search on your own and see if you can optimize your own results or at least decently bury any youthful faux pas.

Recruiters examine job histories for significant employment gaps or a pattern of job-hopping. Be prepared to explain either, whether in a cover letter or during an interview. An applicant with a history of short-lived jobs might consider omitting a few of the oldest ones, especially if they aren't relevant to the current job opening.

For example, if you spent years working behind a counter in food service, then went back to school to earn physical therapy credentials, forget some of those early jobs in food service. Flesh out the sections that report your skills , training, and experience in the field that's now your specialty. You can mention those other jobs in the interview while explaining what a reliable professional you are.

The past can be particularly dangerous for applicants to new technology companies seeking to assemble cutting-edge teams. Legacy skills may imply obsolescence. The most powerful resumes underline how an applicant can thrive in the job that's open right now.

It goes without saying that resumes these days are delivered as email attachments or uploaded for an online application, not printed out and mailed.

Although the two-page maximum still stands, many applicants use the web to its full potential when it comes to attachments. Video introductions, charts, graphs, and other illustrations can make you stand out, so long as they're relevant and slickly made.

There is so much talk about what should be in your resume, but there are also some things that ought to be kept off the page. First, and most importantly, are your age, marital status, and the number of children you may have. While a potential employer might be able to deduce this information via a web search, it isn't relevant for a job application.

In addition, do not list your current salary, religion, political beliefs, or any personal details (like your hobbies), unless that information is required for the job in question.

What Are Common Resume Mistakes?

Common resume mistakes include typos, vague details without a lack of specifics, either being too long in detail or too short, grammatical errors, poor verb usage, impertinent information, and not including enough information on skills.

Should I Create More Than One Resume?

This depends on whether you are applying for different types of jobs. For example, if you are applying for an office manager job, you should tailor your resume to outline your leadership and organizational skills. But you might also be interested in applying for a retail position, so creating a second resume that instead highlights any retail experience that you have will put you in a better position to get that job.

What If I Do Not Have Any Work Experience?

You can still create a strong resume even if you do not have any professional work experience. Your resume can include any volunteer work you have done and the responsibilities you had during this time. If you are still in school, you can also list any academic organizations you are a part of and any offices and responsibilities you're holding.

Your resume is what gets you the job interview. It's the first step in getting hired. So you want to spend plenty of time making sure it's professional, represents who you are, is void of mistakes, does not contain superfluous information, and highlights why you would be the best candidate for the job.

Your resume should be recent and contain only the most important information; remove anything else. If you've been working for two decades, employers aren't interested in your high school GPA or any internships you had during college. Keep it concise, interesting, and impressive, and you'll be sure to get a response from companies.

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CV vs. Resume—Here Are the Differences

“Um, what is a CV?” is a question job seekers often find themselves asking. Approach 10 professionals, and odds are high only one or two can tell you the real answer. Good news, you’re about to be one of those few people who know not just what the letters stand for, but how the CV compares to a resume, and whether or not you should have one.

Curriculum Vitae, more commonly referred to by its shorthand abbreviation CV (a Latin term meaning course of life), got tossed around a lot when I was in graduate school. I’m pretty sure I pretended to know what it meant the first time I heard it, only to go home to Google and educate myself before it came up in casual conversation again.

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I quickly learned that dissertation-defending PhDs didn’t have resumes, they had CVs. Unlike the resume, which lists work history and experiences, along with a brief summary of your skills and education, the CV is a far more comprehensive document. It goes above and beyond a mention of education and work experience and often lists—in thoughtful detail—your achievements, awards, honors, and publications, stuff universities care about when they’re hiring teaching staff. Unlike a resume, which is rarely longer than a one-sided single page, the CV can be two, six, or 12 pages—depending on your professional achievements.

Let’s go over some basics of the CV versus resume.

Want to skip ahead? Check out:

What Is a CV?

• Does Anyone Besides Academics Use a CV?

What’s the Difference Between a CV and a Resume?

• How Do I Know When to Use Which?

Should I Have a CV Handy?

As touched upon briefly above, CVs are primarily popular among academics, as graduate students often spend a lot of effort getting their work published during these post-grad years. While higher-education institutions undoubtedly evaluate a potential candidate’s grades and test scores, they’re also eager to see where an applicant’s been published.

“Publish or perish” was a popular sentiment during my two years in graduate school, and it appears not much has changed. I spoke with a couple of my former classmates who went on to obtain doctorate degrees long after I’d left with a master’s degree in hand and an I’ve-had-enough-of-that mindset, and they were quick to reiterate how important getting published is to one’s career, and, of course, the standard academic’s CV.

OK, Anyone Besides Academics?

You’re right, they’re not the only ones who choose the long (sometimes, very long) document over a resume. The website Undercover Recruiter explains that U.S. and Canadian residents need a CV if they’re applying to work abroad, specifically in the U.K., Ireland, and New Zealand. In these countries, “a CV is used in all contexts and resumes aren’t used at all.” Moreover, “The CV prevails in mainland Europe and there is even a European Union CV format available for download,” a super helpful template if you’re confused about how to build one.

Short answer: Length.

Long answer: The CV’s static in that it’s not a document needing to be tailored for different positions in the way that a resume is. Rather, according to UNC Writing Center , the CV’s a “fairly detailed overview of your life’s accomplishments, especially those most relevant to the realm of academia,” hence the variance in length; an early-stage grad student’s CV is going to be a lot shorter than a sixth-year student preparing to write a dissertation.

The document only changes as your accomplishments grow—you publish the findings of a scientific study, or a short story, or you receive an award as a Teaching Assistant—whereas a resume can and should be modified often as you job search and apply to different companies and positions. At The Muse, we highly encourage you to tailor your resume for each and every job you apply to, even if the job descriptions are similar. (It’ll not only help you stand out, but also ensure you get through the ATS .)

But, How Do I Know When to Use Which?

Fortunately, if you’re still confused about where to begin, remember that almost any job you apply to will let you know what you need. It’s not typically a guessing game. When you apply for a job in New York City , or Minneapolis , or Austin , there’ll likely be clear language on what’s required with the application. Begin looking into overseas opportunities, and it’s probable that the application will explicitly state that you need to submit a CV or resume for consideration.

Seriously though, if you’re truly dumbfounded about what’s needed, it’s OK to ask the point of contact directly, “Would you prefer a resume or CV?” (And in America, the answer will almost always be “resume” since we know that recruiters don’t spend more than six seconds looking, anyways.)

Read more: The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Curriculum Vitae

If you don’t currently have one, I’d recommend creating the doc just in case. You don’t have to stop everything you’re doing right this second, but the next time you go to modify your resume (a familiar and somewhat ongoing practice, I hope), start building it out. If nothing else, it’ll serve a dual-purpose: Not only can you have it handy if you do ever need it, but you’ll also have a running list of everything you’ve ever accomplished, a.k.a., a master resume to pull from as you tailor your own for specific positions.

And there you go, everything you ever wanted to know (plus more!) about the differences between a CV and a resume.

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Definition of resume

 (Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

intransitive verb

Definition of résumé  (Entry 2 of 2)

• proceed (with)
• encapsulation
• recapitulation
• run-through
• summarization

Examples of resume in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'resume.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Middle English, from Anglo-French or Latin; Anglo-French resumer , from Latin resumere , from re- + sumere to take up, take — more at consume

French résumé , from past participle of résumer to resume, summarize, from Middle French resumer

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

1782, in the meaning defined at sense 2

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“Resume.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/resume. Accessed 6 Sep. 2024.

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Meaning of resume in English

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• The company expects to resume production of the vehicle again after a two-month hiatus .
• Missile attacks on the capital resumed at dawn .
• Normal service resumes in ten minutes .
• The meeting will resume after lunch .
• After a short break for rain , the match resumed with both players seeking to attack .
• back to square one idiom
• get back to someone
• go back to someone
• recommencement
• reoccurrence
• with the slate wiped clean idiom

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

• a (quick/brisk) trot through something idiom
• brushstroke
• encapsulate
• encapsulation
• executive summary
• recapitulation
• shorthand for something idiom
• sum (something/someone) up
• to cut a long story short idiom

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to delay dealing with something, especially because you want people to forget about it

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