resume writing ideas

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

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

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

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

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

Let’s dive in!

15+ Resume Examples

#1. architect resume example.

Here’s what this architect resume example does right:

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

#2. Business Resume Example

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

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

#3. Computer Science Resume Example

Here’s what this computer science resume does right: 

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

#4. Data Analyst Resume Example

Here’s what this data analyst resume does right: 

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

#5. College Resume Example

Here’s what this college resume example does right: 

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

#6. Customer Service Resume Example

Here’s what this customer service resume does right: 

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

#7. Digital Marketing Resume Example

Here’s what this digital marketing resume does right: 

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

#8. Graduate Resume Example

Here’s what this graduate resume example does right:

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

#9. HR Resume Example

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

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

#10. Medical Assistant Resume Example

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

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

#11. Project Manager Resume Example

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

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

#12. Bar Manager Resume Example

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

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

#13. Supervisor Resume Example

Here’s what this supervisor resume example does right: 

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

#14. Teacher Resume Example

Here’s what this teacher resume example does right:

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

#15. Writer Resume Example

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

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

#16. Web Developer Resume Example

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

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

65+ More Resume Examples and Guides 

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

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

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

5+ Examples of Resume Templates

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

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

#1. Traditional Resume

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

#2. Creative Resume

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

#3. Minimalist Resume

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

#4. Basic Resume

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

#5. IT Resume

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

#6. Modern Resume 

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

#7. General Resume

5+ Resume Examples by Career Level

#1. no experience resume .

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

#2. College Freshman Resume

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

#3. Graduate Resume

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

#4. Career Change Resume

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

#5. Manager Resume

#6. Executive Resume

The Perfect Resume Structure 

Not sure how to structure your resume?

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

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

3 Examples of Resume Formats 

#1. reverse chronological resume format.

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

#2. Functional Resume Format

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

#3. Hybrid Resume Format

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions About Resume Examples

1. Are resume examples helpful?

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

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

2. How were these resume examples created?

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

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

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

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

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

4. What is the best resume format in 2024?

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

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

5. Are these resume examples free? 

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

6. Do you also have cover letter examples?

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

7. Should my resume and cover letter match?

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

Conclusion 

And that’s a wrap!

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

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

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

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Resume Examples

Need help writing a standout resume? Get tips and inspiration from our library of sample resumes. We’ve got example resumes for different industries, jobs, and experience levels. Plus, find advice on exactly what information and skills you should be including on your resume—so you’ll land an interview for the job of your dreams.

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32 Resume Tips & Tricks for 2024

Wondering how to write a resume in 2024? We’ve got you covered with 32 of the best resume writing tips and tricks to take advantage of current hiring trends.

3 years ago   •   12 min read

The past couple of years have seen more changes in the job market than ever before. The result has been more opportunities than ever for many job seekers — and, of course, the need to update your resume to take advantage of them. Luckily, that doesn’t mean you need to start from scratch! In this guide, we’ve compiled a list of 32 actionable resume tips for writing a resume in 2024, including information on up-to-date trends and what hiring managers are really looking for.

Browse this guide for tips on formatting and keywords, navigating a career change, targeting your resume, addressing employment gaps, optimizing your online resume and more.

The trend in 2024: Remote work

As companies continue embrace the move towards working from home , highlighting your experience with remote work can be a major asset to your resume in 2024.

Resume tip: Highlight remote work experience

Working from home offers its own challenges, so companies love to see candidates who already understand the skills required for remote work. When describing your experience in a remote position , list specific remote platforms you worked with, such as Slack, Google Workspace, Microsoft Teams, or Trello, and include these in your hard skills section .

The rise in remote opportunities also means there is a real market for people with remote management experience. If you’re applying for a company that offers remote work, whether your position is in-person or not, make sure to highlight accomplishments related to managing employees or teams remotely.

Here’s a few examples of resume bullet points that highlight remote work accomplishments:

• Managed a remote, 5-member cross-functional team and coordinated with six senior business partners toward the successful launch of an e-commerce platform, using Trello, Slack and Google Workspace
• Identified, assessed and onboarded 12 mid-level remote employees in <6 months
• Led over 12 software sales pilots remotely, generating $500K+ total revenue in license and consulting service fees in 2020-21

The trend in 2024: Applicant Tracking Systems

Applicant Tracking systems (ATS) are here to stay in 2024, with 75% of employers now using ATS to partially automate the hiring process. This means it’s more important than ever to ensure your resume is reader-friendly, whether that reader is a human or a machine.

Resume tip: Make your resume ATS-friendly

To make sure your resume can be easily read by ATS software, don’t use special downloaded fonts or special characters , but stick with traditional fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman instead. Use simple formatting in Word or Google Docs . When creating your resume, stick to a one column format, or download a free ATS-ready resume template . For more detailed tips, read our guide on how to beat ATS .

Resume tip: Use relevant keywords

ATS are programmed to scan your resume for important keywords, so make sure they’re in there! Read the job description carefully to pick out key requirements, browse for common skills and keywords by industry and job title, or use our job description keyword finder to generate competitive keywords based on the job posting.

The trend in 2024: Targeted resumes

Gone are the days when you can send the same resume with every application. Now, the expectation is that you tailor your resume to the specific job so a recruiter can easily see why you are the right candidate for the position.

Resume tip: Tailor your resume content

While your experience remains the same no matter what job you’re applying for, your resume shouldn’t. Writing a targeted resume involves including keywords and skills, listing your accomplishments in order of relevance, and removing previous experience if it’s no longer relevant.

The easiest way to tailor your resume to a specific position is to use our Targeted Resume Tool . This tool analyzes the job description, identifies keywords and skills missing from your resume and provides actionable advice on how your resume can be improved.

Resume tip: Include the specific job title

Ensure the title of the job you are applying for appears at least once on your resume. For example, if you are applying for a Data Analyst position, refer to yourself as a Data Analyst in your resume summary, resume header, or work experience section. Including the exact job title won’t just help you get past ATS, it’ll also signal to a hiring manager that you’re the perfect fit for the role.

Resume tip: Start with a resume summary

Begin your resume with a resume summary . This brief section should include your most significant achievements, essential skills, and career aspirations, as well as your targeted job title, as explained above. While resume summaries aren’t always necessary, they’re great if you’re changing careers , can help you catch a recruiter's attention, and are common for high-level executive resumes.

The trend in 2024: Online resumes

The trend of online resumes continues to grow in 2024, especially in tech-focused and creative industries, with sites like LinkedIn fast becoming many recruiters’ first choice for posting positions and finding suitable candidates.

Resume tip: Embrace online resumes and portfolios

Online resumes and portfolios aren't just for creative professionals anymore. Platforms like LinkedIn and Monster allow applicants to showcase their resumes, include links to previous projects, advertise testimonials from employers, and connect directly with recruiters . Many of these platforms are free and easy to use, and you should be utilizing them for a job search in 2024.

Resume tip: Optimize your LinkedIn profile

LinkedIn remains a crucial platform for online resumes. In fact, many employers today will expect to find a comprehensive LinkedIn profile attached to your application.

Make sure to keep your profile up-to-date and optimized for the platform. Use LinkedIn's features to your advantage – include a professional headshot, craft a compelling headline , use the LinkedIn summary section to express your career aspirations, and fill in all the details of your work experiences. Use our LinkedIn Optimization Tool for further tips and feedback on optimizing your LinkedIn profile.

Resume tip: Include your LinkedIn profile on your regular resume

Include the address of your LinkedIn profile on your regular resume under contact information or in your resume header . You can make this address a clickable link on a PDF or Word document, or as part of your email signature when corresponding with recruiters.

The trend in 2024: Bullet points and power phrases

The key to writing a powerful resume is keeping your statements concise, memorable and to the point. The less a recruiter has to read, the better.

Resume tip: Use bullet points

Whenever possible, use bullet points instead of long paragraphs to keep your resume short and easy to scan. Choose accomplishments from your work history that reflect the duties mentioned in the job description, and use a resume bullet point builder to help construct your bullet points. Aim for 3-6 bullet points for more recent jobs, or 1-2 for older positions.

Resume tip: Start with an action verb

The most reliable way to keep your resume focused on accomplishments is to start every bullet point with an action verb. This keeps the spotlight firmly on what you did and helps frame your achievements in a positive, proactive light.

Use our comprehensive action verb database to choose from 200+ action verbs broken down by category. Vary your word choice by using synonyms of the most common resume power verbs , and remember to use the past tense in your action verbs . For example, use Managed instead of Manage or Manages .

Resume tip: Include metrics

Listing what you accomplished at previous jobs is good, but highlighting the end result or benefit to the company is even better. Using numbers and metrics to quantify your accomplishments makes it easier for recruiters to see what skills you’re bringing to the table and visualize how you’re likely to perform in the new role, bringing you one step closer to getting hired.

Resume tip: Use resume power phrases

Combining a strong action verb with a quantifiable result and metric is known as a power phrase , as they add power to your statements and help make your resume memorable to a recruiter. Use this formula throughout your resume, summary, and work experience to create an impactful resume.

Resume tip: Highlights the right skills

When it comes to listing past experience on your resume, focus on highlighting accomplishments and transferable skills that are relevant to the position you’re applying for.

Find out if your resume includes the right accomplishments and transferable skills by uploading your resume to the tool below . It’ll let you know if you’ve chosen the right skills, used enough numbers or metrics to quantify your accomplishments and also if you’ve chosen strong action verbs.

The trend in 2024: Avoid buzzwords and soft skills

It feels like just yesterday that candidates were encouraged to add buzzwords to their resumes, but in 2024, the verdict is in, and buzzwords are out!

Resume tip: Avoid meaningless buzzwords

Buzzwords are overused, subjective phrases that provide no quantifiable proof of your experience and can actually make a recruiter less likely to read your resume. Examples of buzzwords include hard worker, team player, motivated or goal-orientated. Replace these terms with action verbs and quantified metrics to exemplify your skills and experience in a way that a recruiter can understand.

Resume tip: Emphasize soft skills via your accomplishments

Soft skills are just below buzzwords when it comes to things not to list on your resume. Anyone can claim to be a great leader or have excellent communication skills; the trick is to prove it. The best way to do this is through your work experience bullet points; for example, by detailing the size of the teams you’ve led, or highlighting a conference you presented at or a paper you wrote. To read more, check out our guide on how to include soft skills on your resume .

The trend in 2024: Focus on accomplishments

If you’re still listing duties or responsibilities on your resume in 2024, it’s time to put an end to that. Potential employers want to know what you’re likely to achieve in the job they’re hiring for, and the best way to do that is to look at what you’ve accomplished in similar roles in the past.

Resume tip: List accomplishments over roles and responsibilities

When listing your previous work history, describe achievements, qualifications and accomplishments instead of a list of roles and responsibilities. A potential employer wants to know what you did, not what you were supposed to do.

Resume tip: Focus on hard skills

Focus on the hard skills you gained during your previous employment, and exemplify each skill with a quantifiable accomplishment. This helps show a recruiter the skills you gained in each previous job and how those skills are relevant to their industry and position.

Use the tool below to find out the hard skills and keywords recruiters in your industry look for in a resume.

The trend in 2024: Simple formatting

Recruiters only spend a few minutes scanning your resume, which means that making your resume easy to skim should be one of your top priorities in 2024.

Resume tip: Stick to one page

Try to keep your resume to one to two pages . Any longer, and a reciter will likely stop reading, making any subsequent pages all but useless. To help trim your resume to one page , remember to be concise with your descriptions, cut irrelevant experience, use short power phrases, and focus on recent accomplishments within the last 15 years.

Resume tip: Steer clear of complex formatting

Fancy resume templates may look enticing, but complicated formatting, graphics and images can distort when sent to an employer or saved in a different file format . To be safe, stick to simple layouts and avoid adding graphs, colours or images to your resume. Text-based resumes also look more professional and are easier for ATS software to scan.

Resume tip: Use reverse chronological order

The most common way to list your work experience is in reverse chronological order, with your current or most recent job at the top. This is how modern recruiters will expect your resume to be formatted.

However, if your most recent experience is not your most relevant experience for the job you are applying for, you can separate your work history into a ‘Relevant Experience’ and ‘Other Experience’, but every job should have your job title, company, and dates of employment clearly listed .

Resume tip: List your sections in order of importance

As we have mentioned, many recruiters only scan your resume and stop reading when they lose interest. This means your resume should be formatted in order of importance. Your work experience section should be at the top of your resume, and less important sections (like education, projects, and other information) at the bottom.

There are exceptions to this rule — if you’re a current student or recent graduate, you can list your education section first. If you’re changing careers, you can prioritize relevant experience or more recent qualifications .

Resume tip: Use white space

Ever heard the expression “less is more”? It applies to your resume, too. Instead of filling your resume with as many skills as you can, focus on the quality of the experience you choose to list over quantity, and leave white space (space not filled with words) to give your words room to breathe.

Use standard margins and font sizes, and leave space between the different sections of your resume. This will make your resume easier to skim and help the most important information stand out.

Resume tip: Polish your resume

With so many options for spell-checking your resume, there’s no excuse for typos. Always thoroughly proofread your resume, as even a single mistake could cause a recruiter to move on to another candidate. If you don’t want to leave anything to chance, use a free resume checker to proofread your resume and offer suggestions on areas to improve before you hit Submit.

The trend in 2024: Navigating career changes

Career changes have become more common than ever before due to the global pandemic's effects on various industries. Here's how you can make your resume reflect a successful career pivot and optimize your past experience for applications in new industries.

Resume tip: Highlight transferable skills

The first step when changing careers is to identify which skills from your previous roles are transferable to your new industry. These can include soft skills like leadership and communication or hard skills that can apply across industries, like project management or data analysis.

When you list these skills on your resume, it’s not enough to simply state that you possess them. Instead, include specific examples of when and how you used these skills professionally. Remember, hard skills will be listed in your skills section, while soft skills should be exemplified in your work experience.

Resume tip: Consider gaining new qualifications

In some cases, you might need to go back to school or gain new qualifications to make a career switch. Online learning platforms like Google Career Certificates make this process easy and are a great addition to your resume. Don't be shy about listing relevant courses or certifications on your resume; it demonstrates a commitment to your new field, and you can even include courses you are enrolled in or yet to complete, to show that you are actively improving your skills.

Resume tip: Rebrand your job descriptions

Another strategy for navigating career changes is to revise your past job descriptions and titles . Of course, you should always be truthful on your resume, but you can tweak how you present your past roles to make them more relevant to your new field. Focus on the responsibilities and achievements from your past positions that align with your new career path. This can help prospective employers see how your experience is valuable, even if it’s in a different field.

The trend in 2024: Addressing gaps in your employment history

Having gaps in your employment history is quite common, particularly following the recent pandemic. However, it's important to address these gaps appropriately on your resume.

Resume tip: Be honest but concise

First and foremost, honesty is crucial. Don’t try to hide employment gaps by altering the dates of previous employment. Dishonesty is much more harmful to your application than an employment gap.

That being said, it's not necessary to provide a detailed explanation about the gap in your resume. Your resume should be a concise summary of your professional history, so if you took time off for personal reasons, you can simply note the time period and leave it at that.

Resume tip: Highlight productive activities during the gap

If you took part in education or activities during your employment gap that enhanced your skills or knowledge, mention this on your resume. This can include volunteer work , freelance projects , courses or certifications, or even self-taught learning. For example, if you were unemployed for six months but during that time you completed a project management certification, you can include this in the education or professional development section of your resume.

Resume tip: Employment gaps aren’t that big a deal

You don’t have to go into too much detail about your employment gap on your resume. You can expand on your gap in your cover letter or during an interview, where you can explain the reasons for the gap in a positive light and emphasize how you used the time productively to prepare for your return to the workforce.

Remember, an employment gap does not automatically disqualify you from consideration for a job. Many recruiters understand that life happens, and as long as you can demonstrate that you're ready to jump back into work, they will consider your application seriously.

The trend in 2024: Networking

Okay, so networking isn’t exactly a new trend, but in 2024, it’s more important than ever — here are networking tips for 2024 . Even with hundreds of job boards available at your fingertips , sometimes it’s the personal touch that can really push your application over the edge.

Resume tip: Follow up with the hiring manager

If you haven’t heard back from a job application, it’s time to follow up. Even a quick email can help establish that all-important personal connection and prevent your resume from slipping through the cracks. If you’re unsure exactly how to go about it, check out our guide to following up on a job application , including email templates you can copy and paste.

Related : Banish Boring Subject Lines With These Key Email Tips

The trend in 2024: Modern expectations

Not all resume tips are created equal. Some resume trends haven't been current in years, and some have never aligned with what hiring managers actually want to see.

Resume tip: What trends recruiters don’t want to see

Here's a brief (but non-exhaustive) list of things recruiters don't want to see on your resume:

• A functional resume format: There are better ways to make up for a lack of work history than leaving off dates and job titles. Instead, focus on accomplishments and highlight transferable skills.
• Resume objectives : A resume objective typically focuses on what you're looking for rather than on what you can bring to the role. Switch this section for a targeted resume summary.
• A full street address: Under contact information, list your City, State, and/or Country, instead of a complete street address. Email is a far more common mode of communication, so a street address is no longer needed on a modern resume.
• Career Advice
• Career Changers

Spread the word

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Thank you for the checklist! I realized I was making so many mistakes on my resume that I've now fixed. I'm much more confident in my resume now.

20 Best Resume Writing Tips and Tricks 2024 (with Free Checklist)

Knowing the best ways to write a resume with efficiency and legibility goes a long way. These simple tips and tricks can be the driving factor towards successfully landing a job interview.

Competition in the job market is tougher than ever.

Having the proper skills and know-how for crafting the ideal resume will give you a leg up on the competition.

In this article, we’ve listed 20 resume tips with helpful insights, tricks, and advice for putting together an effective resume that stands out to employers.

Here they are at a glance.

• Keep your resume specific
• Use bullet points
• Have a professional email address
• Include both hard and soft skills
• Tailor your resume to the job description
• Choose a simple and readable font
• Make sure it's always relevant
• Include achievements when appropriate
• Use an active voice
• Use a two-column layout
• Provide quantifiable descriptions
• Always tailor your resume to the job
• Double-check contact information
• Make sure you’re using the right resume format
• Know when to provide references
• Use strong action verbs
• Showcase your job promotions
• List relevant education and certifications
• Create your resume with a template
• Review professional resume examples

Keep reading to see recommended examples and usage for each one of these resume tips.

Beautiful resume templates to land your dream job

Free resume writing checklist

Writing a resume has a lot of different elements that you always need to keep in mind.

However, it might be hard to keep track of it all.

That's why we made this handy checklist that will help you write a more perfect resume .

Feel free to download the resume checklist by right-clicking on the image and clicking Save.

Now you can always have this to refer back to — but let's keep reading to see how start incorporating some of these resume tips.

1. Keep your resume specific

Flowy and intricate writing has a proper time and place…and on your resume is not it. Save it for your memoirs.

When writing out the sections and headings on your resume, it's crucial to keep your wording simple and concise.

Most hiring managers won't read through every single resume they receive. That means, you'll want to keep your resume pretty concise, which makes it easier for recruiters to skim through and find the most important details quickly. 

While you don’t want the language you choose to make your resume sound too boring, the key is to stick to simple sentences with clear explanations. 

For example, when writing job descriptions, be as specific as possible without writing complex sentences. 

☹️ Incorrect: 

• In this position I was responsible for a multitude of important tasks, from training new staff and completing onboarding paperwork to assisting with administrative work and bookkeeping.

The issue with this description is that the sentence is too long and complex, plus it covers too many responsibilities.

To correct this, focus in one particular action or achievement and include the additional achievements in later sentences or bullet points. 

☺️ Correct:

• Trained and on-boarded over 30+ employees on company policy and conduct-code. • Assisted with handling administrative work and bookkeeping every quarter.

See? That's much easier to parse now.

2. Use bullet points

Bullet points go hand-in-hand with being specific.

Plus, they give your resume a clean and organized appearance that is much easier to read through quickly.

Remember, the goal is to get the recruiters attention.

You want to make it easy as possible for someone to read your resume.

Using bullet points is mostly recommended when listing out your work experience history.

To do that, summarize your main responsibilities and achievements at the job in a bulleted list. 

For example, rather than writing a job description as one long paragraph, break it up into specific bullet points that focus on your biggest or most relevant accomplishments.

Shift Lead, Mellow Mushroom January 01, 2018 – June 30, 2020 As the shift lead at this restaurant, I was responsible for opening and closing the restaurant, end-of-the-night bookkeeping, and customer complaint resolutions. 

Shift Lead, Mellow Mushroom January 01, 2018 – June 30, 2020 • Led the opening and closing crews through essential morning and nighttime tasks • Completed end-of-shift bookkeeping and created daily sales reports • Resolved customer complaints with efficiency and professionalism 

Notice how this is much easier to read.

3. Have a professional email address

All of us at one time or another have had a funky email address with some random combination of words, nicknames, and numbers.

But we're no longer teenagers. It's time for a more professional approach.

If your email falls into the category of silliness, it could be off-putting to potential employers.

When including contact information on your resume, ditch the childhood or university email address in exchange for a more professional one.

We'd also recommend using Gmail if you can. It's the most widely used email address .

How to create a professional email address?

When creating a professional email address, generally you will want to avoid numbers. This makes it harder to distinguish and remember.

Instead, try including your name if possible (or initials). Another option is to include keywords having to do with your work, which is great if your name is unavailable.

For instance, let’s say a man named Patrick Smith is applying for a writing position. Here are examples of good and bad email addresses he could use on his resume:

☹️ Incorrect (feels too playful):

[email protected] 

☹️ Also incorrect (not personalized):

[email protected] 

☺️ Correct (using a name):

[email protected]

☺️ Also correct (incorporating a job function):

[email protected] 

The correct examples present you with much more maturity and professionalism.

See the following resume example of a 3D animator , notice how simple and professional the email looks:

‍ 4. Include both hard and soft skills

For those unfamiliar, hard skills are skills that are teachable and quantifiable, while soft skills have more to do with personality traits and people skills. 

It is important to show both hard and soft skills on a resume . Keep in mind that because hard skills are easily quantifiable, they can be written plainly.

Comparatively for soft skills, such as communication, will need to be shown through other means, such as highlighting changes to a teamwork dynamic you initiated. 

Examples of Hard Skills:

• Computer Programming
• Adobe Creative Suite
• Microsoft Office
• Google Suite
• Math Skills
• Copywriting
• CRM Software
• Lead Generation

Examples of Soft Skills:

• Communication
• Time Management
• Detail-Oriented
• Presentation Skills
• Network Skills
• Organization
• Decision-Making
• Adaptability

If you need more help in this section, we've listed over 100+ skills for you to choose from.

5. Tailor your resume to the job description

Job descriptions actually contain a good amount of information that can be useful to you when crafting your resume.

Within a job description will be keywords that reflect the company’s values and the characteristics they are looking for in a candidate. 

Locating those keywords and finding ways to repeat them in your resume is a good way to show hiring managers that you are attentive to detail and took note of what they were specifically looking for.

This also greatly increases your chances of passing an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) screening.

Quick Tip: When searching for keywords within job descriptions, a good place to start looking is in the section that details what the employer is looking for in an ideal candidate.  For instance, if a job description states they are looking for a “natural leader,” proof of your leadership skills and experience would be smart to include.

Curious for more insights on this topic? Take a look at our article on how to tailor your resume to job descriptions .

6. Choose a simple and readable font

Nowadays, there are so many fonts to choose. It's almost too easy (and risky!) for candidates to go a little wild with their font selections.

However, choosing an inappropriate font can actually kill your chances of receiving a callback or invite to an interview. Not fun anymore is it?

The font you use on your resume should be simple and easy to read. Avoid using any intricate embellishments or unusual design elements.

Additionally, the font you select should be kept consistent throughout so don't use a variety of fonts for a single resume. 

The exception to the rule is your resume heading. You can try using a louder heading font to draw attention to your name and summary.

5 good fonts to use on a resume:

• Times New Roman

Types of fonts to avoid on a resume:

• Cursive fonts
• Large, chunky texts that fill up a lot of space
• Fonts with symbols or images

We wrote up a well-detailed guide on choosing readable fonts that you can read here .

7. Make sure it's always relevant

Whether you’re writing about your work experience, education, or any other section, you have to prioritize relevancy . 

For instance, if you are applying for a job as a paramedic , you would want to place greater emphasis on relevant experiences such as prior jobs as a "first responder" or other medically-related positions.

However, don't try to list your work experience out of chronological order too drastically — it can risk making your resume too long. See our guide on how long your resume length should be , but in summary, try to keep it to a single page with only relevant information.

How can we make your resume more relevant?

Let's say you were applying to an HR Manager job that lists in the description that it is " looking for someone with administrative and computer skills ".

You have two prior job experiences that you held simultaneously – 1)  office manager and 2) server .

You wouldn't want to write a summary about your serving experience.

Those skills are not really transferable nor directly relevant to the job being applied to.

Instead, focusing your resume summary and skills as an office manager is much more effective, since those skills are more relevant to the position. 

However, if you have other experiences that are somewhat more relevant, then it would be best to list those instead and leave your server position out entirely.

8. Include achievements when appropriate 

When submitting a resume to a hiring manager, remember that they'll potentially be receiving hundreds of resumes that may all look and sound similar. 

How are you going to stand out from the crowd?

One effective way is to show achievements in your work history.

Including achievements or accomplishments on your resume is a great way to show not only that you have relevant work experience, but that you also have the talent and potential for growth in that specific field. 

Quick tip: When including achievements on your resume, try to first include them under the specific job descriptions within your work experience before making a dedicated accomplishments section. This will make your work experience section more compelling and attention-grabbing. 

To learn more about how to show accomplishments on your resume, check out our guide on listing achievements.

9. Use an active voice

An "active voice" and "passive voice" are the two main types of perspectives you can write in that affect the tone of your work.

When you write a resume, you should use the active voice. It's more commanding and ultimately ends up helping you focus on your talents and accomplishments.

Here is an example of the same statement on a resume written in passive voice vs. active voice:

• Passive Voice: The company’s revenue grew by 40 percent over time through my efforts.
• Active Active: Increased company revenue by 40 percent.

You can pair your active voice with strong action verbs to make for a more impactful statement.

10. Use a two-column layout

Making your resume eye-catching is crucial.

But not only should it be attention-grabbing, it should also contain elements that make it appear more visually organized and easy to read through quickly.

A hiring manager should be able to effortlessly find the information they are looking for without spending too much time on it.

Two column-layouts are great for this because you get to see more at a glance.

Take a look at this two-column resume example for a security guard , you're able to see work experience, resume summary, skill, education and hobbies effectively at a glance.

‍ 11. Provide quantifiable descriptions

When listing out objectives that you accomplished in previous jobs, being specific is highly important as mentioned earlier.

Most hiring managers don’t want to be told what you are capable of doing. They want to be shown examples of that through numbers or statistics. 

Whenever possible, use exact numbers (25,00,000), percents (24%), monetary values ($5,214) and other quantities to describe your achievements within a previous job. 

How can you quantify your experience?

First, you'll want to know how much you've helped improve certain initiatives. But, what are some ways you can find that out?

Let's say you helped to reduce operational costs at a company.

You can ask questions like:

• How much we did we decrease _______ from [x%]?
• How much we did we increase _______ from [x%]?
• How much time we did we save doing ______?
• How much money did we spend acquiring ______?

Once you find that out, here's what it looks like when actually quantifying those operational reductions:

‍ Decreased operational costs while serving in this position.

☺️ Correct: ‍

Decreased operational costs by 15 percent by adopting and implementing a new point-of-sales system.

That feels a lot better.

We wrote up a guide on listing your work experience to write the most effective job descriptions .

12. Always tailor your resume to the job

Like we mentioned above, a hiring manager is going to to be looking through A LOT of resumes.

This might mean they'll see many of the same, cookie-cutter formatted documents that contain basically the same information.

You can stand out by taking the extra time to edit your resume to be tailored specifically for the job your are applying to.

You can do this by using similar keywords from the job descriptions on your resume.

Hiring managers are likely to take notice of this since it'll feel way more relevant to the role.

Need to know more about how to tailor a resume for a specific job? See our 4-step guide on tailoring your resume to any job.

13. Double-check contact information

There’s nothing that will ruin your chances of landing a job or interview more than providing incorrect contact information. Like an e-mail address typo or incorrect phone-number.

Proof-reading your resume is a crucial step that can be easy to skip. But it might save the day if there's any critical errors on your resume.

Quick Tip: After double-checking your personal contact information, it's also a good idea to check the rest of your resume for any grammatical errors. Online tools like Grammarly can be very helpful for finding and correcting mistakes you may have missed!

14. Make sure you’re using the right resume format

Most job applicants use the standard resume format, also known as reverse-chronological format.

‍ It's the most common and often what recruiters expect to see.

However, there are actually additional formats that serve different purposes.

For instance, a standard resume may not be best suited for someone with large employment gaps, making a different format more preferable.

Knowing what formatting options you have is key to ensuring you are using the right one for your own needs.

Overall, are the 3 main resume formats:

1) Reverse-Chronological

This usually the most standard resume format, as it focuses primarily on your work experience. Jobs should be listed with the most recent companies first followed chronologically by other relevant past work experiences.

2) Functional

A functional resume is focused on skills rather than experience. It is a great format for people who are recently graduated with minimal work experience or for those who have large gaps in their employment history.

3) Hybrid (Combination)

For job applicants who may have some work experience but not enough to fill an entire resume, the hybrid format combines elements of both the reverse-chronological and the functional resumes for this very purpose.

There is also a fourth resume format – the Curriculum Vitae, or CV. This is specifically intended as a long-form resume for use by professionals in the fields of academia and science.

Not sure if you’re using the right resume format? Take a look at our guide on choosing the best resume format.

15. Know when to provide references

The general rule-of-thumb is to not provide references unless specially asked to do so .

Most companies have their own hiring methods, but typically reference stages come much later in the process, and way after your resume is reviewed.

So including references ultimately ends up wasting space on your resume that could've been better used for showcasing accomplishments or skills instead.

Quick Tip: If an employer does request references, be sure to know how to format them properly. We recommend creating an entirely separate page dedicated to your references to conserve space on the first page.

16. Use strong action verbs

One of the best ways to ensure you are using an active voice, as mentioned above , in your job descriptions is to utilize action verbs at the start of your sentences. 

Action verbs are also known as dynamic verbs and are used to describe physical or mental actions.

For resume purposes, this can include words like “increased”, “coordinated”, “implemented,” or an array of other verbs that describe an achievement or activity.

For example, let’s say you increased your department’s sales by 25 percent .

You would want to start that description with an action verb in order to place the emphasis on what you specifically accomplished. 

• My department’s sales were increased by 25 percent thanks to my help.

• Increased departmental sales by a 25 percent margin.

Check out our list of 350 action verbs for your resume to brainstorm more action verbs for your own resume. 

‍ 17. Showcase your job promotions

If you worked for a business or company for a long period of time and earned promotions over the course of your employment, this is essential information to provide in a resume. 

Showcasing promotions on your resume lets hiring managers know that you have a strong work ethic and ability for growth that has been previously recognized by former employers. 

When showing promotions on a resume, you should include them within your work experience section.

There are two main ways to list a promotion on a resume:

1) Stacking job promotions

‍ If you held multiple positions in the same company, but the highest position is the most relevant and important, you can stack the different positions within the same job description and describe only the highest and most recent position.

Art Director, Tiny Bee Agency New York, NY • March 2015 – Present ‍ • Promoted to current position of Art Director in 2017.

Art Director, Tiny Bee Agency • June 2017 – Present • New York, NY Associate Art Director , Tiny Bee Agency • March 2015 – 2017 • New York, NY

2) Separate Entries

If you held multiple positions that involved different responsibilities and demonstrate multiple talents, it can be beneficial to separate these positions into individual entries. 

Art Director and Marketing Manager, Tiny Bee Agency New York, NY• March 2015 – Present

Art Director, Tiny Bee Agency New York, NY • June 2017 – Present • Description • Description • Description ‍ Marketing Manager , Tiny Bee Agency New York, NY • March 2015 – 2017 • Description • Description • Description

18. List relevant education and certifications

Education and certifications shows hiring managers your academic credentials that you earned through degree programs, trade school, or other types of training. 

Your resume should always have a short and concise education section that summarizes your academic background and degrees.

Here's the information you should include within the education section of your resume :

• The name of the school — "e.g. Georgia Institute of Technology"
• The location of the school
• Your degree ( high-school diploma, GED, associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, etc. )
• Graduation year ( if applicable )
• Major field or department of study (if applicable )
• Minor field or department of study (if applicable and relevant )
• GPA ( If you're a student or graduates who held lower GPAs, this bit of information may be good to omit unless specifically requested by the employer )

As for certifications, these should only be included if they are relevant to the job.

Depending on how many relevant certifications you have, you can choose whether or not you have enough for their own dedicated section on your resume. See our guide on listing certifications correctly on your resume .

19. Create your resume with a template

If you're new to creating resumes or not quite sure how to structure your existing resume to be more effective, using an online template is a great way to ensure your resume looks good and contains all the required details.

Check out our own resume templates available for editing and download here on Easy Resume.

You can choose from the following types of templates that we have available:

• CV Templates
• Downloadable Resume Templates
• Printable Resume Templates
• PDF Resume Templates
• ATS-Friendly Resume Templates
• One-Column Resume Templates
• Two-Column Resume Templates
• Fresher Resume Templates
• Executive Resume Templates
• Academic Resume Templates
• Clean Resume Templates
• Basic Resume Templates
• Photo Resume Templates
• Unique Resume Templates
• Traditional Resume Templates
• Elegant Resume Templates
• Reverse Chronological Resume Templates
• Combination Resume Templates
• Functional Resume Templates
• One Page Resume Templates
• Minimalist Resume Templates
• Simple Resume Templates
• Modern Resume Templates
• Creative Resume Templates
• Professional Resume Templates

20. Review professional resume examples

Resumes will differ depending on what field or industry the job being applied to resides in. Taking the time to review examples of resumes made by professionals within your own industry or niche is essential for figuring out how to tailor your resume and make it stand out to the hiring manager. 

Here at Easy Resume, we offer a variety of free resume samples to look through.

From 3D animators and accountants to civil engineers and content writers – we’ve got you covered.

Take a look at a few of our resume examples:

• Chef Resume Example
• Barista Resume Example
• Graphic Designer Resume Example
• Mechanical Engineer Resume Example
• Medical Assistant Resume Example
• Account Manager Resume Example
• Software Engineer Resume Example
• IT Specialist Resume Example
• Elementary School Teacher Resume Example
• Marketing Manager Resume Example
• Physician Assistant Resume Example
• Clinic Coordinator Resume Example
• Office Manager Resume Example
• Financial Advisor Resume Example
• Event Planner Resume Example

Final takeaways 

Your resume can be your golden ticket that gets your foot in the door at the job of your dreams. Using the tips discussed here will greatly help you in optimizing your document to be noticed by more hiring managers and land you a spot in the crucial interview process.

Our main takeaways for you are as follows:

• Always be mindful of the relevancy of the information you are sharing.
• Use conciseness and structural elements, such as bullet points and headings, to give your resume visual organization and an easy-to-read flow.
• Always double-check your resume to confirm you have provided the right information.
• Active voice and action verbs will make your resume read with more confidence

Get to writing your perfect resume today, and don’t be shy of checking out our free resources for a bit of help along the way!

Browse more resume templates that fit your role

Ed is a co-founder of Easy Resume. His background in scaling teams at tech startups over the last decade has given him extensive experience and knowledge around how to hire top talent and build successful teams. He enjoys mentoring, coaching, and helping others reach their career goals. When he's not writing about career-related advice, he's playing with his dog, Lilo, or going on long hikes in upstate New York.

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Professional resume templates to help land your next dream job.

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50+ Resume Building Tips (Tricks and Writing Advice)

Writing a resume that helps you get noticed is very important as you embark on your next search for a dream job. In 2022, your resume needs to be easy to review quickly, concise with the most important highlights related to the job you’re pursuing, keyword-friendly for the AI resume bots that may be reviewing it first, and more.

When deciding to update your resume for a new job search in 2022, don’t feel like you must do a complete overhaul when considering the below-mentioned resume -building tips. In most cases, you’ll edit it to reduce the fluff and highlight the things that matter the most . Your number one goal is to get an interview for the particular job you’re applying for; it’s not telling your life story. Many job seekers believe that every little experience they’ve had or project they’ve completed has to be on their resume , and that’s not the case, as you’ll see below.

We advise you to print out your current resume  and the job posting you’re most interested in and have a red pen available as you walk through these tips and tricks for writing a great resume in 2022.

Best Resume Building Tips

Reduce Your Resume to One Page

Decide whether or not to include your mailing address, utilize a straightforward and easy scan format, maximize the use of format spacing, margins, all-caps, and bolded font for readability, remove the fluff by sifting through dated and unnecessary buzzwords, show off your hard and soft skills, scrub your personal info and social media accounts, do not match your resume to your linkedin profile.

When considering these resume -building tips, the first thing to do is reduce it to one page . A single-page resume is a widely held preference for most recruiters and HR leaders. Back in the day, we used to think of a long resume as proof of professionalism, and that’s no longer true. You can still include all the bright moments of your career and many of the different jobs you progressed through. Just try not to elaborate too much, and remember to be concise. If you’re stretching to get your resume to one page, adjust your font to a minimum of 11 for the body, and a max of 14 font sizes for your name.

Below are quick resume writing tips that you should use to highlight relevant skills, your educational background with academic honors , and your work history to reduce a good resume to one page.

• Only include relevant experiences to the job you are applying to
• Cut repetitive bullets for different jobs
• Leave out “references available upon request,” as employers will ask you when they want them
• Make your name smaller, with max 14 font size
• Get rid of your objective and skills section, especially if it’s taking up significant real estate
• Leave out volunteer work if it takes you to two pages unless it’s very relevant to the job to which you’re applying
• Leave out your high school unless you are in college looking for an internship or summer job
• Put information about each position on one line
• Format relevant leadership experience under work experience
• Adjust your spacing but make sure everything is easy to scan
• Put your contact information (city, professional email address, phone) on one line
• Use a smaller font, minimum 11 font-size though
• Don’t feel pressure to put three bullets but make sure they get your points across
• Use bullet points with relevant information that makes you stand out
• Only mention self-explanatory awards that are relevant
• Leave off irrelevant experience
• Submit it as a PDF unless otherwise specified
• Save your resume as “Your Full Name Resume ” and not something like “First Initial Last Name Resume Update 2022 March – The Newest”

Should you put your full address on your resume? Yes, you should add some form of location identifier , but it doesn’t necessarily need to be your complete address. There are different opinions about adding a street address to your resume . Some people find it necessary to have your prospective employer aware of your exact location, while others disagree. The consensus seems to point towards adding some form of location identifiers, such as adding just your city or state, your metropolitan area, or that you work remotely.

Reasons to put your full address on your resume include some employers expect it. It makes your resume ATS (Applicant Tracking System) friendly, makes the hiring process shorter, matches time zone compatibility for remote positions, and puts you in consideration for other jobs.

The reasons against putting your full address on your resume include personal security issues, the risk of employer location bias, unintentional disqualification if an employer sets up a location boundary, an outdated look, and space used.

Your career timeline isn’t as important as what you learned along the way. When updating your resume , even on an entry-level resume , state the milestones of your professional journey chronologically , and explain how they added to your skillset.

Generally speaking, there are four types of resume formats. Recruiters spend only a few seconds on every resume that lands on their desk. It would help if you crafted yours so that the most vital pieces of information are front and center. The good idea is to choose the proper format for your resume to do this. In some cases, resume templates can help get you started.

• Chronological
• Combination

Browse effective resume formats online for inspiration and choose a clearer  and more concise outline than your outdated resume . The aesthetics should first please you, but it should also be straightforward to read without exuberance. Choose a theme that’ll fit the image of your industry and a potential employer.

Below are a few resume formatting tips that may help you stand out and improve your current version.

• Set half-inch margins on the top and bottom and .7-inch margins on the sides
• Pick an 11 or 12-point resume font and stick to it
• Utilize times new roman font for the cleanest, least dramatic look
• Create a proper resume header format for your contact details with your name in a larger font than your address and phone number
• Divide your resume into distinct sections, for example, contact information, work experience, and education (add skills, awards, and summary if room otherwise remove)
• Use  relevant bullet points with action verbs  to talk about your experience
• Be consistent with your resume formatting and stick to the same date format, for example, 1–2023, or January 2023
• Use single spacing for bullets but add white space as necessary for readability
• Add an extra space before and after each section heading
• Don’t use photos on your resume unless the job description specifically asks for them
• Make sure the company, job title, and dates are in all caps, highlighted, or bolded so they stand out and are easy to scan

An average human nowadays has an attention span of a little less than a Goldfish. The short attention span suggests that a three-page resume would seem overwhelmingly long. A busy employer will quickly move on to a briefer document and may miss out on your excellent qualifications.

Let’s remove the following fluff or dated items from your resume .

• An objective or skills section at the top of your resume
• Weird or potentially polarizing interests
• Third-person voice
• An email address from your current employer or an outdated one from Yahoo or Hotmail
• Unnecessarily big words
• Tiny, unimportant jobs from 20 years ago

As you know, resume space is vital, and utilizing unnecessary words and verbose language can backfire. Here are more terms to never include on a resume .

• Team player
• Hardworking or hard worker
• Microsoft Office
• Reference available upon request
• I, she, he, him, her
• Can’t or won’t
• Unnecessary personal information
• I know HTML, photoshop
• Generalizations
• Accomplished
• Stay-at-home Mom
• Responsible for
• Results-oriented

Another great resume writing tip is to describe your current and previous work to frame your best traits. If you’re an expert in your field, write that before anything else. Leadership, conflict resolution, successful negotiation, and effective communication are among the most needed soft skills in the 2020s. Don’t just say that you have these skills, give examples that shed light on your best traits . If you missed it, check out our post on soft skills employers seek in the residential construction industry. Are you learning a new skill while searching for a new job ? Make sure to add it when building your resume .

Believe it or not, there was a time when marital status and the number of kids you had needed to appear on a resume . Familial status is no longer the case; recruiters generally avoid asking about these details. That said, go light on personal information in this uber-professional document, including non-relevant hobbies, and only present relevant social media handles. Lastly, this is an excellent time to remind you to scrub your social media channels that might have the information you don’t want to share with a potential employer.

• Make your accounts private if necessary
• Hide or delete any inappropriate posts
• Deactivate all old or unused accounts
• Add more appropriate photos
• Add a professional bio to your accounts if necessary
• Edit your handles and URLs
• Post-industry-related news, quotes, or articles

Tailor Your Credentials with Pertinent Keywords, the Job Requirements, and the Industry

Lastly, as you consider these resume writing tips, do your best to tailor your credentials to the job requirements to show you’re a good fit. We recommend updating your resume for each job, if different, and focusing  on keywords and notable topics in your industry .

Like the points above, keywords are words or short phrases related to specific job requirements. They are the skills, abilities, credentials, and qualities a prospective hiring manager might look for in a candidate. When a hiring manager looks through a pile of resumes, they scan each resume to find these keywords. Many companies even use automated applicant tracking systems (ATS), or talent management systems, to screen candidates for job openings. An ATS works by eliminating resumes that are missing specific keywords. If the software or the hiring manager does not detect any of the keywords in your resume or cover letter , your application might get thrown out.

Embedding keywords in your resume or cover letter is a great way to demonstrate, at a glance, that you fit the position’s requirements. That said, it’s essential, when updating your resume , that you have many of the crucial keywords specific to your background and the job you are applying to in your resume . We advise referencing the job description for many of the most relevant keywords.

You do not want to make your resume and LinkedIn profile the same. While your job history, dates, and education should match, LinkedIn should be more informal . Hiring managers will go to your LinkedIn profile to learn more about you, which is generally evident in your writing style. There are significant differences between resumes that get you hired and your LinkedIn profile, and it’s important to distinguish the two.

That said, don’t mistake an informal voice for being unprofessional. There are creative ways to make your LinkedIn profile professional and relaxed. Further, recruiters want to see different information, and it could signal to a recruiter that you’re lazy, not creative, or don’t understand what LinkedIn is used for. Generally, an executive resume should talk about business details, while LinkedIn should be more conversational about how you accomplished certain things.

There’s a fine line between crafting the perfect executive resume and writing a solid LinkedIn profile. Many executives use executive resume services to help distinguish the two.

Additional Resume Writing and Interview Tips for 2022

At Matchbuilt, in addition to helping you build a resume , we pride ourselves on supporting our candidates during the interview process. We’re jam-packed with tips regarding evidence-based recruiting practices, how to answer difficult interview questions such as “Why should we hire you?”, preparing for a Skype or Zoom interview , and tips for your LinkedIn profile —getting ready to resign from your current position? Try to leave without burning bridges .

About Mark Matyanowski

As the founder of MatchBuilt, with over 18 years of recruiting and coaching experience and 8+ years in executive roles at a leading Fortune 100 company, I am deeply committed to guiding professionals in their career paths.

Our team at MatchBuilt offers expert support in enhancing resumes, optimizing LinkedIn profiles, and preparing for interviews. Our blog, drawing on our rich experience and industry insights, is a valuable resource for job seekers.

We take pride in successfully guiding job candidates to top-tier company roles while empowering individuals to achieve their career ambitions, irrespective of their background or educational level.

60 Resume Tips to Help You Land Interviews

Here are 60 must-know resume tips from the experts themselves! We talked to resume writers, recruiters, and job coaches to find out what it takes for job seekers to land an interview.

Jobscan has helped land interviews at:

You’d think writing a resume was easy. All you need to do is list your contact information, work experience, and education–and you’re all set! Well, not really.

Nowadays, it’s become too easy to apply for a job. With a few clicks, you can upload an application. While that’s good news for job seekers everywhere, it’s a huge challenge at the same time.

This means that job posts can be flooded with tons of applications in a matter of minutes. And if your resume isn’t built to stand out, it can easily end up in the forgotten pile.

Plus, it’s not just the recruiters that we need to impress. Enter the bots called Applicant Tracking Systems or ATS . Most companies now use ATS to filter candidates and pick those that match their job ads best.

In fact, a survey by Harvard Business School found that more than 90% of employers use an automated system to filter or rank potential middle-skills (94%) candidates.

With that in mind, we’re here to give you effective resume tips to help you not just make it past ATS but also impress recruiters!

1. Include the job title on your resume

ATS are engineered in a way that enables them to highlight resumes that have the exact job titles recruiters are hiring for.

The reason for this is that companies generally prefer applicants with experience in the same or related positions.

To better your chances of making it past the bots and getting recruiters to give you a shot, let them know you have the skills they’re looking for.

To do this, you can simply add the exact job title you’re applying for below your name.

Here’s an example of what it should look like:

Janet Jobscan

Editorial Associate | Seattle, WA 98104 | (555) 555-5555

It’s a brief yet clear introduction to your experience and qualifications.

2. Set clear expectations with a headline or summary

There’s another effective way to include the job title on your resume–by writing a succinct yet impactful headline that includes the job title.

Let’s say a company is hiring for a “Marketing Manager”. You can include that exact job title on your resume’s headline if you have experience in the same position.

An example of a headline for a Marketing Manager position would be:

Seattle, WA 98104 | (555) 555-5555

Marketing Manager with 10 years of experience in highly targeted digital marketing campaigns

Adding a headline like this will improve your resume’s searchability. This way, ATS can put you among the best matches for the job.

Also, since it’s placed just below your name, recruiters can get to know you even without having to skim through the entire document.

If you’re an entry-level applicant or don’t have experience in the position, you can still write a headline. The only difference is that you would be highlighting transferable skills or knowledge in relevant tools.

Here is an example of an entry-level headline for a Graphic Artist position:

Tech-savvy Graphic Artist proficient in Adobe’s creative software

3. Understand how applicant-tracking systems work

To know how to beat the system, you have to understand how it works. Applicant tracking systems can be used by recruiters to gather and parse applicant data to screen for the most qualified candidates.

Different ATS may have some variations, but they all follow a general process that looks like this:

• Collect data, such as contact information, work experience, and education.
• Pre-screen through knockout questions and eligibility parameters.
• Rank or match against job descriptions.

To have a shot at being selected, you need to write a resume that matches the job description and includes keywords that recruiters are looking for in a resume.

You can opt to do this manually. However, you’ll have no way of measuring exactly how well your resume matches the job description or telling whether you’re targeting the right keywords.

A great way to ensure that your resume is a sure hit is by using an automated resume scanner that allows you to compare your resume against the actual job post that you’re applying for.

When using this scanner tool, you’ll get a Match Report that shows you your resume score and breaks down specific metrics that factor into your rating.

To have an idea of what this looks like, here is a sample Match Report for a Senior Product Manager role:

You’ll notice that in this sample report, we got a 76 percent rating, which is a really good score! In fact, this means that our sample resume hits the right marks and is good for sending out.

Still, we can further improve this match rating by fixing the issues indicated in the summary, such as those pertaining to searchability and skills.

4. Aim for the person who will read your resume

There’s no doubt that you’ll have an edge over other applicants when you understand how ATS work. But in the process of doing so, don’t forget that your resume will still end up on the desk of a person.

So write your resume in a way that passes applicant tracking systems, but make sure that it gets a nod of approval from hiring managers and recruiters too!

What does this mean?

• Make your resume understandable. Refrain from just picking out words and key phrases from the job description and using them anywhere you can insert them. Your resume needs to be logical and understandable.
• Let your resume tell a story. Write to impress! Your resume is the key to your much-awaited interview. Make sure that it sets you well apart from other candidates.
• Spark people’s interest. When you know how to optimize a resume for ATS, it’s pretty easy to get past the system. What’s trickier is writing a resume that piques people’s curiosity and gets them to want to know more about you.

You can do this by showing off! Demonstrate both your hard and soft skills so recruiters know you have the right recipe for the perfect candidate.

5. Use the right keywords

Earlier, I mentioned the process that ATS follows when filtering applicants. That process involves scoring or filtering resumes through keyword matching.

Keyword matching is when ATS matches a resume for keywords that recruiters want to see.

Hint: The main keyword is usually the job title! So make sure you mention the exact job title at least once on your resume.

When your resume doesn’t have any of the keywords that recruiters look for, it might automatically get filtered out or not show in their search results.

This is why knowing what keywords to use and how often to use them is crucial to building a solid resume .

You can determine the keywords to use by using Jobscan’s resume keyword optimization tool , which gives valuable insights, such as the following:

• Keywords and phrases that should show up on your resume.
• Recommendations on how to fix keyword issues.
• Other non-crucial keywords you can use to improve your match rate.

To illustrate, take a look at this example:

Here, you can see how a sample resume matches a job description for a Senior Product Manager role.

You’ll notice that one of the hard skills that the recruiter requires, namely “android”, doesn’t show up on the resume, hence the “X”. This means we need to edit our resume and include it to increase our keyword match score.

6. Don’t overuse or cheat on the keywords

Keywords are important. But using them way too much can hurt your chances instead of improving them!

Yup, you may appear in more candidate searches, but hiring managers will know just by skimming your resume that you’re keyword-stuffing to beat ATS. Another way to call this method? Keyword cheating. Yikes!

You don’t want to start your job search by cheating or being dishonest on your application in any way. Nobody wants to work with a cheater.

So just don’t do it.

But then, even if you don’t intend to stuff your resume with keywords, you could still be guilty of doing so! This can happen when you’re targeting too many keywords, are clueless about how many times to include them, or don’t know which ones to focus on.

To avoid this altogether, my suggestion is to use a keyword optimizer that can tell you what to include, what to leave out, and when you’re using keywords too often.

This tool will show you exactly how many times each keyword appears on your resume so you know when you’re overdoing it or not including keywords enough.

7. Work in keywords naturally

Another way to prevent keyword stuffing is by working keywords into your resume naturally. This means your resume should be understandable, logical, and have a natural flow.

Your sentences should not feel forced. Trust me, it’s quite easy to pick up when you’re using a keyword in a sentence just for the sake of it.

This can be easier said than done, though, especially because you need to include keywords and phrases exactly as they appear in the job description. Sometimes, things like tenses and plurals get in the way of writing a natural-sounding sentence.

Here is a comprehensive guide on how you can use keywords exactly as they appear in a job description and still have a resume that makes sense.

8. Optimize your resume to get past the bots

Here’s a foolproof resume tip: Optimize your resume using Jobscan’s resume optimizer to cover all your bases, including keywords, formatting, recruiter tips, and more!

Here’s how this tool works:

Step 1: Upload your resume or paste your resume text.

Step 2: Paste the job description on the text field or use a sample job description and click on the “Scan” button. Here, I opted to use a sample job description for a Content Writer job.

Step 3: View the results. You’ll get a Match Report that shows you how well your resume matches the job description based on metrics such as searchability, skills, recruiter tips, and formatting.

Un-optimized resumes will typically get a match rate of 30 to 50 percent. So if you use this tool and get a low rating, don’t get discouraged. This number is to be expected for resumes that need optimizing–which is exactly what Jobscan’s optimizer is for.

As you’ll see on this sample Match Report, my resume has issues with searchability, recruiter tips, and skills. Thankfully, the report also shows exactly what those issues are and how I can fix them.

When you upload your own resume on this tool, you can simply follow the tips indicated on the Match Report to increase your match rate.

9. Know the sweet spot for optimizing resumes

When using the resume optimization tool , you’d want to increase your match rate, but not too much. A 100 percent match rate is not the goal! Reaching a match rate this high could even hurt your resume.

Over-optimizing your resume could make it sound unnatural, even robotic. So instead, aim for the sweet spot of 65 to 80 percent.

With a rating like this, you can ensure that your resume matches the job description while still allowing your personality to shine through.

Take the resume I scanned earlier for instance. Before optimizing, I got a score of 30 percent. Using Jobscan’s resume scanner, I was able to increase this rating to 72 percent! That’s a huge improvement!

This tells us that my resume is now a great fit for the Content Writer role and should give me a better chance of getting selected for an interview.

10. Impress recruiters with accomplishments

We all want to–and should!–put our best foot forward when writing a resume. But what’s even more impressive than mere claims about our abilities is quantifiable proof that we have the skills we claim to possess.

You can do this by backing up your skills with measurable results and accomplishments .

For example, instead of saying,

“Increased source-to-hire rate.”

You can say,

“Increased source-to-hire rate by 30 percent.”

This gives a better idea of how effective you were and provides an objective basis for recruiters to gauge your skills.

11. Provide context for your accomplishments

But there is still a better way of showcasing measurable results on your resume. This is possible by providing context for your skills and accomplishments.

To demonstrate, let’s go back to the example that we used in #10.

The better sentence, “Increased source-to-hire rating by 30 percent”, can give recruiters a good idea of how effective an HR professional is.

But you can make this more compelling by providing context, which allows recruiters to better appreciate this achievement’s impact.

To do this, you can add further details, such as whether this had been achieved before or how it impacted the team’s productivity.

For example:

“Filled manpower requirements 30 percent faster, doubling our team’s productivity.”

12. Use great storytelling with the CAR and STAR techniques

To keep recruiters interested, present your skills and experience using the CAR and STAR techniques.

CAR stands for:

While STAR is short for:

These are usually used as guides when answering interview questions, but they can also help job seekers make their resumes more compelling.

What you want to do is present a challenge or problem that you provided a solution for, how you overcame it, and what the results were.

You can use this method by expanding on your top skills or when elaborating on your accomplishments.

“Addressed the high turnover rates by conducting regular employee check-ins and monthly team surveys, which improved morale and reduced resignations by 40 percent.”

13. Follow ATS-friendly formatting

How you format your resume matters too. When not done properly, your formatting could hinder your resume from being successfully read and parsed by ATS.

There are three main types of professional resume formats:

• Chronological

You can use these resume templates to make sure that your resume is formatted correctly.

14. Include a skills section

Another important thing to remember when formatting your resume is to include a dedicated skills section. Most people forget to include one!

Your skills section should go near the top of your resume so recruiters can quickly gauge your relevance to the job.

Most recruiters won’t scan the entire document, so even if they don’t get to the rest of the resume (for now), you’ll be able to effectively pique their interest and make them want to get to know you better.

15. Expand your skills list

When listing your key skills, don’t settle for a bare bullet list. A skills section is a great opportunity to show off!

Use this section to provide recruiters ample context for each skill that you mention.

You can do this in two ways:

• Elaborate within the bullet lists. This way, recruiters understand how you gained your skills and see where you successfully used them.
• Expound on your accomplishments. If you don’t want to elaborate on the skills section, you can still do so through your work experience.

16. DON’T use the functional resume format

The functional resume format is ideal for job seekers fresh out of college or without any relevant experience. That’s because, unlike the chronological format, it highlights a person’s skills without providing context on how these skills were gained.

Skills are typically gained through actual job experience or training. When you’re applying for your first job, though, you may not have relevant experience to show.

People also use this format to hide gaps in their employment history.

However, precisely because it hides information that’s critical for hiring, most recruiters think the functional format is suspicious and a waste of time .

Besides, you don’t have to hide employment gaps. Instead, show them and explain why they’re there. Recruiters will most likely wonder anyway, so the best thing you can do is make sure they don’t get the wrong idea!

Here’s an example of how you can effectively explain an employment gap:

Educational leave (June 2020 to March 2022)

Completed a master’s degree in Wildlife Biology to gain a better understanding of wildlife management and relevant conservation measures.

17. Use the hybrid resume format instead

If you are an experienced professional, have relevant experience and skills, and are qualified for the job you’re applying for, you should use the hybrid resume format instead.

The hybrid format is a combination of functional and chronological resume formats.

It allows job seekers to highlight key skills while providing much-needed context for how those skills were gained and in what environment or situations.

Don’t know how to use this format? You can download these ATS resume templates .

18. Mix and match resume sections to show your best experience

Resumes typically have three main sections:

• Contact information
• Work experience

But you don’t have to limit yourself to just these sections. To best showcase important information about yourself, you can include some of these other sections too:

• Resume summary
• Accomplishments or achievements
• Volunteer experience
• Certifications and licenses
• Awards and honors
• Hobbies and interests

19. Know where to place the education section

Where you place your education section tells a lot about you.

On a resume, the most important information goes at the top. In most cases, you should want to highlight skills and experience. But if you’re a fresh grad or don’t have experience, you can place your education section below your contact information.

Some companies also screen for educational attainment, so if that’s the primary qualification, you’d want to bring that up to the top.

If you’re using the hybrid format, it may go below your skills section too.

20. Be consistent with formatting

Whatever resume format or style you decide to use, make sure to be consistent with it.

The way you present your information gives recruiters a big clue not just about your personality but even the way you work and your attention to detail.

Here are key areas to look at to ensure your formatting is consistent:

• Heading styles
• Indentations

21. Use creative formatting for creative industries

Most resumes will benefit from a clean, minimalist look. That’s because it puts a spotlight on the information on the document, not the resume’s design.

But when a job calls for it, you can show off those design skills by using a creative format for your resume.

Graphic artists, for instance, may benefit from adding a dash of personality into their resume format, as it’s often a big factor in creative industries.

BUT if you’re trying to make it into a large company, this might not be the best resume tip to follow. Most Fortune 500 companies use ATS to screen applicants, which means a custom resume won’t be readable or accurately parsed.

In this case, a creative format may not be the best option .

Instead, check out these editable Google Docs resume templates that you can use to build your own.

22. Make your resume skimmable

According to an eye-tracking study, the average time that recruiters spend reading one resume is 7.4 seconds . Yep. That’s all the time that the resume you worked hard to write gets.

So to succeed at getting a foot in the door, you need to grab their attention in that amount of time. You can do this by making sure your resume is skimmable.

Here’s how:

• Protect your white spaces. A cluttered resume is not only intimidating to read through. It can even be annoying! Make it easy to scan the whole document by providing plenty of space for recruiters to rest their eyes.
• Use section headings. Draw their eye down the page by providing headings that break content into easily digestible nuggets and create a natural flow.
• Don’t stuff your resume with keywords. It’s hard to keep reading a resume that’s all keywords and no substance!

23. Write ATS-friendly headings

Section headings are great for making a resume readable. But the way you write those headings matters as well, especially for ATS.

To allow ATS to correctly analyze your resume, keep your section headings standard. Headings like “Work Experience” and “Education” are ideal because ATS read them accurately.

It’s best to avoid custom headings, such as “Where I’ve Worked” or “Where I’ve Been” because ATS can’t correctly analyze them as the intended section headings.

24. Avoid using columns and tables

Applicant tracking systems CAN’T correctly read your resume if you include tables and columns . So keep your resumes free of those!

When ATS read a resume with two columns, it merges the information on the two columns. It then ends up with a document that’s not only no longer logical but also contains information in the wrong headings.

By the time the parsed resume gets to a recruiter, it no longer makes sense.

Also, because some keyword phrases may be broken up, industry-specific keywords may no longer be searchable.

25. Work your soft skills into your resume

Soft skills are just as necessary as hard skills on your resume . These refer to your character traits, talents, and attitudes that impact how well you suit a role.

However, since they are abstract, it’s best not to write soft skills like “communication” or “leadership” outright on your resume.

The better way to demonstrate soft skills is to prove that you have them through measurable results and achievements.

However, It’s not only trickier to target soft skills on a resume. It can also be challenging to determine which soft skills match a job.

To make things easier, you can analyze your resume with Jobscan to know exactly what soft skills to highlight.

26. Put a spotlight on your most relevant experience

When listing your work experience, don’t simply list them in chronological order. The better way is to show the most relevant experience first.

If you have had plenty of work experience, you can even leave out the ones that aren’t relevant to the job.

27. Highlight transferable skills when changing careers

Want to shift careers ? Why not! You can write a career change resume for that.

When you’re applying for work in a different industry, however, you have to overcome the hurdle of irrelevant work experience.

A good way to do that is to highlight transferable skills . These can be either hard or soft skills that can be applied to any job, such as “digital skills” or “communication”.

Highlight transferable skills that you gained from your previous work experience to show that you have what it takes to excel in the job you’re applying for.

Read more : How to Make a Career Change at 50

28. Be honest

An oft-unmentioned resume tip is this: Be honest . We all want to stand out and impress when writing our resumes. And we should!

But in the pursuit of getting that YES from recruiters, don’t include skills, experience, or any details that aren’t true for the sake of making your resume THE one to choose.

Come your interview schedule and you’re asked about the skills that you claimed to have (but don’t), your limited knowledge and skills will show.

29. Show that you fit their values and culture

How well you fit into a company’s culture and align with its values matters.

Recruiters want to hire people with the same principles because otherwise, it can be a source of unnecessary conflict.

To align yourself with a company’s culture and values, do your research on what they’re like as a company. Go to their website, read their company blog, and check out their social media pages.

Simply saying, “I’m passionate about seeing the world” when trying to get into a travel-oriented company may not be the most effective way to do this.

Instead, you can include volunteer experiences and part-time engagements that are related to things that the company believes in.

For example, when applying to a company that values the environment and a sustainable lifestyle, you might want to include volunteer work with environmental groups.

30. Demonstrate your edge over younger candidates

If you’re looking for a job and you’re over 40, the sad reality is that you may experience discrimination due to your age .

The good news is you can show recruiters that you may not be the youngest of the bunch, but you’re an excellent pick!

• Stay updated. The biggest downside to hiring older applicants usually is their lack of tech know-how. Show that you’re up-to-date on technology, AI , current events, and business practices by highlighting these in your skills and experience.
• Have a niche and be really good at it. Being a jack of all trades may not be the best thing nowadays. What companies need more of today are specialists and experts. Everyone can know a little about everything. But not everyone can be an expert at something.
• Be active on LinkedIn.This is the Facebook of the professional world. It’s where recruiters source candidates and check out applicants. So make sure your profile exudes energy and personality.

31. Show that you’re always learning

Have you been upgrading your skills, learning new techniques, or expanding your knowledge of your industry? Show it off! Recruiters love candidates that are eager to learn.

You don’t even have to pursue higher education to do this. There are countless free certifications online that you can use to upskill. Highlight these on your resume for that added edge.

32. Don’t hesitate to leave off jobs from your resume

You can exclude certain work experiences from your resume.

Just as you would exclude skills that are irrelevant to the job you’re applying for, you can leave off jobs that hurt your chances of showing you’re a good fit.

These are work experiences you don’t have to include:

• Jobs over a decade old. You can exclude work experience 10 years old or older. This way, you can avoid ageism, especially if you’re applying for a tech-related role.
• Odd jobs. These could be gigs like dog walking that you took on purely to augment your income. They typically don’t require key skills and will only take the focus off your relevant work experience.
• Jobs where you had bad experiences. If you would rather not talk about it in the interview, it’s best not to mention it.

33. Include side hustles to fill employment gaps

Not everyone’s employment journey is the same. And it’s normal to have employment gaps here and there. However, gaps in employment history often make recruiters suspicious.

The solution is to fill those gaps with side hustles. Make sure to highlight skills and achievements during these periods, especially those that are relevant to your application.

34. Resist the temptation to include a headshot

According to one recruiter interviewed by Jobscan, including headshots in resumes “ opens the door to recruiter discrimination .” In fact, some simply reject resumes with headshots on them to avoid the problem altogether.

Anyone who tells you to add a headshot to your resume is simply giving you bad resume writing advice .

35. Include the months in your employment dates

Leaving out the months from your employment dates may seem suspicious to some recruiters because you can’t accurately tell how long the engagement was.

Adding the months shows recruiters that you’re transparent about your work history. Coincidentally, ATS also needs employment months to parse dates correctly.

Your employment dates should look like this to be analyzed correctly:

“June 2015-December 2019”

36. Use easy-to-read fonts

Make it easy for recruiters to scan your resume by using fonts that look professional and are easy to read .

These fonts include:

• Times New Roman

Using these fonts also ensures that ATS is able to correctly read your resume. Unconventional fonts may cause errors in resume parsing.

37. Make room for white space

Large blocks of text are intimidating to the eye. They also make it hard for recruiters to give your resume a quick scan.

To make your resume skimmable, protect your white space by doing the following:

• Keep your sentences short.
• Include only relevant, important information.
• Provide ample spacing between sentences, lists, and sections.

38. Don’t restrict your resume to one page

You must have heard this resume tip: Resumes should be one-page long max. However, this may actually hurt your resume, especially if you have lots of information to include.

Forcing a lengthy resume to fit on one page can make it look cramped and hard to read.

39. Refrain from hyperlinking important details

When providing important details like contact information, it’s best to provide the complete URLs instead of hyperlinking them.

Many recruiters print out a hard copy of your resume, which means they won’t be able to access your details.

Adding information this way also makes sure that ATS is able to read your information correctly.

40. Take entering info into text fields seriously

Some online applications will ask for you to upload your resume and then re-enter your resume information into a separate text field.

It’s important to take re-entering resume information seriously.

DO NOT just say “Please refer to the attached resume.” ATS analyzes the information inputted in these text fields just as much as the information on your resume.

Yes, it’s pretty tiring to have to write the same information again. But companies actually require this step for the applicants’ benefit . When resumes aren’t formatted correctly or cause parsing issues, inputting the same information on text fields ensures that information isn’t lost.

So make sure to enter your information carefully. The easier way is to copy the text on your resume and paste it onto the text fields.

41. Use searchable file formats when uploading your resume

When uploading your resume, always use a searchable file format. Uploading your resume as a static image, such as in .jpg or .png, will cause errors and most likely prevent recruiters and ATS from locating it.

Only upload your resume in a Microsoft Word format, such as .docx, or as a .pdf file.

42. Use a professional resume file name

How you name your resume matters too. A resume file name like “Princess.Jossaine.docx” may be searchable to ATS, but it will get disapproving looks from recruiters who see it.

Remember that the way you name your resume file says a lot about your personality, professionalism, and attention to detail. So best keep resume file names professional. A standard file name that contains your first and last name is best.

Resume-Jossaine-Nunez.pdf

Also, limit your file name to letters, numbers, dashes, and underscores. Special characters may cause errors in some ATS.

43. Use the active voice

Keep your sentences clear, compelling, and brief. A great way to do that is to use an active voice throughout your resume.

It also keeps your sentences direct and communicates an active role in the accomplishments that you mention.

“Tasked to improve the Human Resource protocol to bring down high turnover rates.”

“Reduced high turnover rates by 30 percent by conducting regular employee surveys and tightening Human Resource protocols.”

44. Don’t use “was”

Another way to strengthen your resume is to use power verbs instead of the weak helping verb “was”.

Power verbs or action words effectively communicate actively. Combinations like “Was in charge of…” fail to convey that you actively pursued a task or achievement.

“Was in charge of creating a Human Resource Handbook.”

“Created a Human Resource Handbook that streamlined HR-related systems and protocols, improving our employee satisfaction rating by 20 percent.”

45. Tighten up your language

A resume is typically one to two pages long. That’s not a lot of space for you to showcase your best qualities, skills, and experience.

Make the most of this space by only including words that effectively communicate your suitability for the job.

This means lazy words like “etc.” and “so on” should have no place on your resume.

Instead of using these words, employ clear, no-fluff storytelling using bullet points, short sentences, and strong action words.

46. Avoid being repetitive

Let’s say you’re applying for a Content Writer position. The tendency is to mention the word “write” or “wrote” over and over again, especially when detailing your work history and skills.

It’s only natural, though, because that’s what you should highlight on your resume! Besides, “writer” and its variations are most likely the top keywords to target.

However, repeating the same words too many times can make your resume sound unnatural.

The solution is to use strong synonyms, employ them throughout your resume, and give the document a thorough read to check how it sounds.

47. Check your spelling and grammar

Remember the last time you sent an important email, only to find a glaring spelling mistake after sending it? Horrible, right? You definitely don’t want that experience when submitting an application.

Always check your resume for spelling and grammar before sending it out. You can use Grammarly or Google Docs’ spelling and grammar tools to make this easier.

48. You’re better off NOT using buzzwords and cliches

Itching to use cliches like “results-driven” or “self-motivated”? Don’t. Recruiters are tired of buzzwords, cliches, and empty jargon.

Anyone can claim that they’re “detail-oriented”–which only means mentioning cliches like this does absolutely nothing to impress recruiters. In fact, recruiters even find these descriptions cringe-worthy!

Other cliches, jargon, and buzzwords are:

• Best-of-breed
• Think outside of the box

These are all desirable traits. It’s understandable why so many people use them.

The more impactful way, though, is to show, instead of tell. Highlight your accomplishments, how you achieved them, and what challenges you overcame.

49. Make it easy for recruiters to find you

Don’t just rely on online submissions for your chance of getting invited for an interview. Create profiles on several job sites, like LinkedIn and Indeed–and let recruiters find you!

Recruiters often scout for suitable talents on job websites, so the more out there you are, the better your chances of getting spotted.

50. Include your LinkedIn URL

Even if you don’t include your LinkedIn profile , recruiters will most likely look you up. Why not make it easier for them? By including your LinkedIn profile, you convey transparency and confidence. It shows that you have nothing to hide.

You can easily find your URL by clicking on Me in the top right corner of any LinkedIn window and then clicking on View Profile. Your URL will show in the address bar.

51. Take advantage of LinkedIn’s full potential

Many job seekers look at LinkedIn as just their online resume. But it’s more than that. There are so many things you can do on this platform.

As long as you know how to use it to your advantage, you will be able to land jobs faster. Some opportunities may even come to you!

Here are some ways you can maximize your LinkedIn account :

• Expand your network.LinkedIn offers a great opportunity for you to add people to your network, as well as interact with like-minded professionals and decision-makers. The bigger your network, the better your chances of recruiters finding you.
• Elaborate on your work experience. Each profile section has plenty of space for you to detail your experience and qualifications. Talk about as many accomplishments as possible while still using clear, compelling language.
• Show off your personality. Don’t be afraid to let your humor, energy, and drive shine through your profile. You can do this by writing a witty headline or telling your career story.

52. Ensure that your resume matches your LinkedIn profile

Eliminate confusion by making sure that your LinkedIn profile matches your resume.

This might be tricky when you tailored your resume for a specific job or left irrelevant experience out. But don’t worry. A few differences are okay, as long as important details on your resume match what’s on your profile.

You might want to check employment dates, company names, skills, and figures mentioned in accomplishments.

53. Optimize your LinkedIn profile

A good LinkedIn profile is not enough. Most companies don’t manually scout for candidates on job sites anymore. They use ATS to do this.

Tailor your profile in a way that will match what ATS picks up by optimizing your LinkedIn profile . This will make you a match for roles that you’re qualified for, even those that you may not even have considered.

54. Link to appropriate social media profiles

Like with your LinkedIn profile, recruiters will most likely look you up on social media. That’s not because they just want to see where you went last weekend.

Personal social media profiles actually give recruiters insights into your personality, passions, beliefs, and interests. Basically, they want to know who you are outside your resume.

Linking to appropriate social media profiles exudes confidence. It shows recruiters that you’re proud of your online activity and believe that it can only improve your chances of getting selected.

Of course, clean up your social media activity before doing this! The goal is to show that you’re not only a great asset professionally, but that you also have a vibrant personality and a great life outside your profession.

55. Keep a master resume

You should tailor your resume to fit a specific job. But that doesn’t mean your main resume file should keep changing as well.

Keeping a master resume that contains all your information will help keep your details accurate.

So the next time you need to submit an application, all you need to do is make a copy of this master file and leave out details that are irrelevant.

56. You don’t need to indicate your references

Don’t waste precious space on references. Recruiters already know that you have them and will likely ask you about them if they need to. The only exception to this is if a references section is required when submitting an application.

57. Use a professional email address

Your email address is often the first thing that recruiters will see about you. Even before they open your resume, your address will be right there in their inbox. And you’d want to use it to make a great impression.

So if your email address is anything like my teenage account, “[email protected]”, you should create a professional-sounding email ASAP!

A good format to use is “[email protected]”.

Outdated email providers, like Hotmail and AOL, are also a no-no. Nowadays, a Gmail address is the way to go.

58. Be reachable

Your resume should have your complete contact information. Check your details for errors to make sure recruiters can contact you.

59. Let your personality shine through

Give a glimpse into your personality through your resume. Recruiters don’t just pick candidates with the best qualifications. They also want to hire people whose personality fits their culture and make them pleasant to work with.

Here are ways to do that:

• Let your social media activity show it for you. Allow recruiters to see what you love, how you spend your free time, and how you have fun.
• Use a conversational tone. Keep your resume brief, but maintain a conversational tone. Make recruiters feel like you’re telling them your career story.
• Format your resume to reflect your personality. The fonts you use, the way you convey information, and the amount of white space on your resume tells a lot about you.

60. Proofread your resume

When you’re confident that you’ve just written a knockout resume, don’t forget to proofread it! Keep it free of errors and inconsistencies, so recruiters can focus on what’s important: You.

How long should a resume be?

A resume can be one to two pages long. You don’t have to restrict your resume to only one page, especially if you have plenty of information to share.

What’s more important is having ample white space and a clean, organized look.

How many references should I have on my resume?

It’s better to NOT include a references section on your resume unless it’s required.

How many jobs should you include on your resume?

You should list as many jobs as you can on your resume. However, you should exclude those that are 10 years old or older or are irrelevant to the job you’re applying for.

What not to include on a resume

Some things that you should NOT include on your resume are:

• Empty or outdated jargon
• Incorrect or false information

Jobscan’s resume optimizer can give you a detailed list of words to avoid to make sure your resume is a perfect match.

55 resume tips to help you land the job

• Use Jobscan’s resume scanner to tailor your resume keywords to the job description.
• Use a resume skills section to include top skills if you’re not sure how to incorporate resume keywords.
• Choose common resume fonts like Cambria, Garamond, Palatino, Calibri, and Helvetica.
• Use the exact job title from the job description on your resume if possible. If you haven’t had the exact title, you can do this by tweaking a previous job title that had the same functions or using an introductory statement.
• Opt for a career summary when including an introductory statement.
• Include months and years in your work history (e.g. 11/2017, November 2017, Nov 2017).
• List accomplishments on your resume instead of only job duties. Using measurable results in percentages, time, and dollars prove your value.
• Use abbreviations and acronyms to account for all ATS searches [e.g., Certified Public Accountant (CPA)].
• Save your resume with a professional file name. Your first name, last name, and the position works great.
• Use the same generic resume for every job.
• Include a “References Upon Request” section.
• Include a headshot on your resume.
• Waste space on a resume objective statement .
• Overuse keywords in an unnatural way just to get noticed by the ATS. This is called “ resume keyword stuffing ” and hiring managers are trained to notice it.
• Copy and paste the entire job description in white text to your resume to make it “ATS-optimized.” This is easily noticed.
• Add skills you don’t actually have to your resume.
• Rely on variations or different tenses of keywords found in the job description. Use exact matches when possible.
• Get too creative with design (i.e., fancy fonts, tables, formats).
• Submit your resume before spell-checking or having someone else review it.

Scan your resume to see how closely it matches the job you’re applying for. Get custom tips on how to optimize your resume.

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18 Résumé Writing Tips to Help You Stand Out

By  Allison Pohle

Updated May 11, 2021 2:15 pm ET

• A résumé isn’t just a list of every job you’ve ever had. It should demonstrate your accomplishments.
• Mirror language used in the job posting so your résumé isn’t discarded by an applicant tracking system.
• Use a clean and simple format. 

Companies increasingly  rely on software  to sort through applicants, which is why it is essential to tailor your résumé to ensure it makes the cut. Applicant tracking systems sort, scan and rank applicants by looking for keywords in applications. Although these programs can save time and money for employers, about 60% said such tools cause them to miss some qualified candidates, according to a 2016 survey of 1,200 job seekers and managers by CareerArc, a human-resources technology company, and Future Workplace, a research firm. Here’s how to make your résumé stand out to robots and humans alike. 

1. Highlight your achievements in your résumé. 

A common mistake job seekers make is believing a résumé is a recap of your career, when in reality, it should convey what you have accomplished, says Christy Noel, a career expert and author of “Your Personal Career Coach.” 

“I always say, spend less of your real estate describing your job, and more time describing your results,” says Ms. Noel.  

2. Customize your résumé.

Read over the job posting, and think about the work experience you have had that is most directly relevant to the position you are pursuing. You can leave out some past jobs and internships if the experience you had wasn’t related. Whatever you do: Don’t submit a generic résumé to dozens of postings. “Even if you have the best experience, if your résumé isn’t speaking directly to the position in which you are applying, there is a strong chance you’ll never even get an interview,” says Demisha Jennings, a certified professional résumé writer and founder and owner of She Assists LLC.  

The same applies to your cover letter. It is your chance to provide more detail on how your experience will help you succeed in the job.  Read our cover letter guide  for how to write one that makes you stand out.

3. Decide how to format your résumé.

Most of the time, a chronological résumé will work well for communicating your past experience. But, in some cases, a functional or hybrid résumé might be more appropriate.  Read more about résumé formats here.

4. Make your contact information easy to find.

Include your name, phone number, email address, city and state. It may also be appropriate to include the URL to your LinkedIn profile. You want it to be easy for hiring managers to reach out.

In addition to making it easy to connect with you, it is important to your job search that you grow your network.  Read our networking guide  for tips on how to do so.

5. Consider adding a summary. 

Many résumé templates leave space for an objective statement, outlining career goals, but that approach is outdated, says Ms. Jennings. Instead, consider a carefully worded summary. The summary is often the first place a hiring manager will look, and gives you an opportunity to introduce your skills high up on the page. You can also work in relevant keywords from the job description. “Recruiters are looking for what you can bring to the table and what you’ve done, rather than you saying, ‘I’m seeking a position,’” Ms. Jennings says. 

6. Great résumés should stand out to skim readers.

Most recruiters spend just a few seconds skimming through a résumé—with an average in one study of  7.4 seconds.  

To have the best chance of making an impression, ensure your job titles, company names and dates of employment are easy to read. The sections of your résumé should be adequately spaced, too, says Dana Leavy-Detrick, founder and director of Brooklyn Resume Studio. 

For additional ways to make a good impression on recruiters and headhunters, read  our guide on how to work with headhunters .

7. Make your résumé robot-friendly. 

Structure your résumé to meet the requirements of an applicant tracking system to give yourself the best chance of having it reach an actual human. Ms. Leavy-Detrick suggests the following:

• Optimize keywords.  Use the same words and language that are in the job description. For example, three different companies might describe the same role as “programmer,” “developer” or “software engineer.” 
• Use a straightforward format.  Avoid tables and text-based graphics, which might not get picked up by a scan of the résumé. Sans-serif fonts such as Arial or Helvetica are also best to ensure readability.
• Think about order.  When formatting each line item of work experience, list the company name first, followed by the job location (city, state), your job title, and your start and end dates. Some résumés can get lost if the dates are listed before the job title. 

8. Prioritize relevant keywords. 

Tailoring your skills to include language from the job posting is an important way to let both the applicant tracking system and, eventually, a hiring manager, see how your prior qualifications tie into the job requirements. But just because you have a résumé full of keywords doesn’t mean you’ll automatically get an interview. “The ATS isn’t there to help the job seeker, it is there to help the employer review your skills against their most important qualifications,” says Ashley Watkins, a career coach and résumé writer with Write Step Résumés LLC. 

9. Craft compelling and concise bullet points.

The goal of a résumé is to list your accomplishments, rather than every duty you performed in the role. Résumé-writing experts recommend including no more than five bullet points per prior job listed. 

• Don’t focus on tasks.  Many job seekers describe what they did every day, such as answering phones or creating marketing materials, Ms. Watkins says. “Simply copying and pasting the job description doesn’t account for the things you did great, that you did above and beyond your peers,” she says.
• Instead, explain what those tasks achieved.  Emphasize your results. Ms. Watkins suggests asking yourself “Did I save [the employer] money? Did I save time? Did I improve a process? Did I build a relationship?” These will help you format your bullet points.
• Use metrics.  Say what you achieved, then contextualize it—with figures if possible. You might not be able to put a monetary value on every accomplishment, but you can frame it by sharing details like the time it took or how many people were involved. “If you raised sales 50% in two months, that means a whole lot more than ‘I’m in charge of sales,’” Ms. Watkins says. 
• Don’t omit accomplishments that aren’t quantifiable.  Not every achievement will have metrics to show success. If there are figures, you might not always have access to them. But that shouldn’t stop you from including them, says Ms. Leavy-Detrick. Perhaps you had a positive impact on the culture of an organization, or improved a struggling relationship with a client. These efforts could help to demonstrate your  soft skills.

10. Focus on transferable skills if you lack experience.

If you are applying for a job in a new field or you are an entry-level applicant and don’t have much direct experience, don’t worry. Highlight transferable skills you have developed in the past that will serve you well in the position, says Ms. Leavy-Detrick. For example, you could play up leadership skills you developed participating in an extracurricular activity or time-management skills you learned in a prior job.

11. Go beyond your work history, and include all relevant experience.

If you are new to the workforce, or are job-hunting after being laid off, you could also include related experience that was outside of a traditional full-time job, says Ms. Watkins. For example, you can highlight volunteer work, consulting projects or educational training, all as part of making the case for your unique value, she says.

12. Don’t worry too much about gaps in your résumé.

The Covid-19 pandemic economy resulted in many people being laid off or furloughed. Ms. Watkins says the 2020 job market reminds her of 2008, when she worked as a recruiter. The expectation at that time, she says, was that candidates would have  gaps  on their résumés or list more short-term positions. While it isn’t necessary to directly address the gaps in your résumé, you should be  prepared to talk about them in an interview . “The focus should not be centered on the fact that you were furloughed or laid off, it should be focused on you and your skills and what you do that impacts the company’s bottom line in a positive way,” Ms. Watkins says.

While it is common to list the months and years you started and ended positions in the job history section, you could just use years. This will draw less attention to a six- or eight-month gap, says Ms. Leavy-Detrick. 

13. Highlight relevant skills.

It is common to  add a skills section to your résumé , outlining expertise relevant to the position. You can include languages you speak, technical skills or courses you have done. If you lack experience, you can also complete some trainings, which you can find on LinkedIn and elsewhere, related to the job you are applying for and add the courses in this section, says Ms. Jennings.

14. Prioritize work experience over education.

The professional experience you have had is often more relevant to the position than your education history, which is why the work experience should be listed first. In the “Education” section, you should list where you attended college, if applicable, or the highest level of education you have attained. If you graduated with honors, you can flag that, but it isn’t necessary to list your GPA.

15. If you are early on in your career, a key résumé tip is to limit it to one page. 

If you are early on in your career, you should limit your résumé to one page. It is OK to start spilling onto a second page after you have eight to 10 years of experience, says Ms. Leavy-Detrick. 

16. Add some color for a stylish résumé that sets you apart. 

Your résumé should look clean and professional and you should keep applicant tracking systems in mind when formatting the document. But, if it is appropriate, you can add subtle accents of color in the section headings or in bars that separate sections as a way to differentiate your résumé. Ms. Leavy-Detrick doesn’t overstress the need for good design with her clients. “But it can definitely help,” she says. “When I say design, I don’t mean crazy graphic design. I mean having a polished application,” she says. “Think of it the same way you would coming dressed to an interview, it is part of your presentation, and so many people overlook this on the résumé.”

It may be appropriate to incorporate a more creative and graphic-based layout depending on the field in which you work and where you are applying. If you are applying for a position in a creative field, and you are emailing your résumé directly to a hiring manager, then it can be appropriate to use more designs, says Ms. Jennings. But if you are applying to a large company that uses an applicant tracking system or job portal, she says it is best to avoid using graphics unless you are working with a résumé writer who can help you get your resume through the system.

17. Proofread and double-check the formatting.

You may be eager to send your résumé or submit your application, but you should take the time to first check for typos and grammatical errors. You could also have a friend or family member look over it. When you are checking for errors, be sure to double-check the formatting. Sometimes the spacing can get thrown off when you save the file, so check how it looks as a saved document and, if you can, save it as a PDF before sending. 

18. Make sure the saved file name includes your name. 

Make less work for the hiring manager by including your full name in the file name of the résumé document.

What to read next

• How to Prepare for a Job Interview
• What Questions to Ask During a Job Interview
• Common Job Interview Questions and How to Answer Them
• How to Dress for a Job Interview
• How to Write a Thank-You Email After a Job Interview  
• How to Negotiate and Counter a Job Offer
• How to Negotiate Salary for a New Job: The Do’s and Don’ts
• Severance Pay: What It Is and Why You Should Negotiate a Package Before Accepting a Job

Corrections & Amplifications Ashley Watkins is a résumé writer with Write Step Résumés LLC. An earlier version of this article incorrectly said Write Steps LLC. (Corrected on Nov. 20)

Copyright ©2024 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

Appeared in the November 23, 2020, print edition as '11 Résumé Tips to Help You Get Noticed

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Writing Your Resume After Age 50: A Guide for Older Adults

A growing number of older adults are delaying retirement in favor of working longer. In 1985, just 10% of those over age 65 were either actively working or searching for a job. As of 2019, that percentage has doubled. 1 This trend is expected to continue as more older Americans look to improve their financial security and stay active and engaged in their communities.

Having a strong resume is important for older job seekers

Compared to their younger counterparts, older adults can face more barriers to finding gainful employment. Ageism is one of them. While you may know you have what it takes to perform a job, some employers still believe mature workers are “overqualified” or lacking contemporary skills. Combating these stereotypes starts with having a thoughtfully crafted, up-to-date resume.

Throughout the hiring process, employers rely on your resume to learn more about you and determine whether you’re a good fit for their organization. It’s a golden opportunity to highlight your qualifications, attributes, and relevant experience. A professional resume should always include these key pieces of information:

• Full name and contact information (phone and email)
• Professional summary (formerly known as the “objective”)
• Work experience and history
• Applicable skills
• Educational background

Wondering how to write a resume at 50+ years old? Use the strategies below to create one that increases your odds of landing a job interview .

9 resume tips for mature workers

1. Choose the right resume format.

What is the best resume format for older workers? There are three main types:

• Chronological: This format focuses on your work history, which is presented in chronological order with your most recent employment at the top.
• Functional: This option focuses more on your relevant skills versus your work history.
• Hybrid: This approach combines certain elements of the chronological and functional resume formats to create the ideal professional profile.

In most cases, older workers should stick to the tried-and-true chronological format. This allows you to display your years of experience—your leg-up over younger candidates. However, if you've been out of the workforce for a long time, a functional resume will allow you to keep the focus on your skills rather than any gaps in your work history.

No matter which format you go with, try to keep your resume to one or two pages . Browse this library of resume examples across different industries to get started.

2. Limit your work history to 10 to 15 years.

As an older job seeker, there's no need to share your entire work history. Include only those positions most meaningful to the job you're applying for, held during the last 10 to 15 years. If there are major achievements you want to highlight that extend beyond that timeframe, Indeed.com recommends adding an " Early Career " section. This section should not feature specific dates of employment.

3. Don’t include graduation dates.

In the same token, leave graduation dates out of your education section. List only the degrees you hold (with the most advanced degrees first), schools you attended, and any recent training or certifications. This can help reduce the chances of age discrimination while still playing up your credentials.

4. Make the most of your professional summary.

Once called the “objective,” the professional summary is an introductory paragraph on your resume that highlights your biggest skills and achievements. If you have a solid work history, this is your chance to shine! Be sure to include any industry credentials you have and what essential skills, experience, and attributes you bring to the table. Avoid industry jargon that may not resonate with younger hiring managers. And don’t include specifics related to your years of experience (for example, "25 years").

5. Emphasize your technology skills.

A common misconception about older adults is that they haven't kept in step with technological advancements. You can remedy this by adding a section to your resume that highlights your experience and comfort with modern software and platforms (such as Microsoft Excel or PowerPoint). If a job you're applying to mentions a technology you're proficient in, make sure you include it in the experience or skills section of your resume. Steer clear of listing any outdated technologies.

6. Use a modern font (typeface style).

Using certain fonts on your resume can instantly tip off employers that you're an older job seeker. Stay away from serif fonts such as Times New Roman—these do not translate well to a computer screen and are rarely used in business today. Plus, serif fonts are difficult for applicant tracking systems to read, which means your resume may never land on the desk of a real person. Instead, stick to smoother, sans-serif fonts such as Arial and Geneva. A size 12 font is the standard size and will make your resume easy to read.

7. Include a healthy dose of action verbs.

Using action verbs can help you create a more compelling resume that stands out to potential employers. They're especially valuable when describing your work experiences and accomplishments. Examples of resume-boosting action verbs include:

• Collaborated

8. Tailor your resume to each new job opportunity.

Keep in mind you’ll want to modify your resume for each job listing. Why is this important for older job seekers? It gives you a chance to highlight the skills most relevant to the role you're applying to. You can also feature keywords that make your resume stand out to hiring managers who have specific skills on their wish list. Constantly tweaking your resume can be labor-intensive, but it’s well-worth the time and effort.

9. Show you’re connected by sharing your LinkedIn profile.

As an older worker, you want to show employers you're current with the latest communication technologies. One way to do this is by including a link to your new or updated LinkedIn profile on your resume. LinkedIn is a powerful platform for creating and promoting your "personal brand." Think of it as your online resume. The guidelines above still apply—but here are some additional suggestions for age-proofing your digital calling card:

• Use a recent photo for your profile: Avoid using an outdated photograph where you look younger; it’s better to be transparent about your age. Use a professional headshot if possible, but otherwise, a DIY headshot is fine (remember to smile!). Avoid distracting backgrounds—such as a messy home office—and wear interview-appropriate attire .
• Include keywords in your headline: Use language pulled directly from the job descriptions you're responding to. Be sure to stick with current terms (for example, "proficiency in Microsoft Word" versus "word processing skills").
• Use first-person language in your summary (“About” section): This simple practice can help modernize your LinkedIn profile and create a more personal connection with the people who view it.
• Include volunteer leadership positions and other accomplishments: These are areas where your age can be a true asset. Don't be shy about noting any high-level volunteer roles, awards, or honors that relate to the type of position you seek.
• Collect recommendations: LinkedIn recommendations are written testimonials from other members who know your professional worth firsthand (such as a former colleague or supervisor). You can get recommendations simply by requesting them from your LinkedIn connections. Giving recommendations to others can often encourage them to return the favor.

New to LinkedIn? Here’s a simple tutorial to help you sign up and create your profile.

Are you an older worker who needs help finding a job?

Searching for a new job? Or returning to work after a break? NCOA recently launched its new employment tool,  Job Skills CheckUp , to help older adults get tips on how to succeed as a mature worker.  All you have to do is tell us about your goals, describe your current employment situation, and the Job Skills CheckUp will create a personalized plan to help you find job openings, build a professional network, prepare for job interviews, and more.

In addition,  the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) is here to help. Created in 1965, SCSEP is America’s oldest program to help older adults with low income find work. It matches eligible applicants (age 55+) with paid, part-time training assignments for nonprofit organizations.

To apply, find your local SCSEP office and complete an application. If you’re eligible for the program and there is no waiting list, you will be enrolled to train at a non-profit organization in your community.

1. Older Americans in the Workforce, United Income. Found on the internet at http://www.advancingstates.org/sites/nasuad/files/United_Income_Older_Americans_in_the_Workforce.pdf

Funding for This Program Made Possible By Our Partner

Get Help to Land the Job You Love

Searching for a new job? Or returning to work after a break? Get tips on how to succeed in your career and make a plan to get there with NCOA's Job Skills CheckUp.

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Unlocking the Power of AI to Enhance Your Resume Writing

A strong resume plays a crucial role in job applications. Employers often use resumes as the first impression of candidates. Technology continues to evolve, transforming how individuals approach resume writing. Innovative tools now assist in crafting compelling documents. AI tools, such as an ai resume content generator , can significantly enhance this process. These tools help tailor resumes to specific job descriptions, increasing the chances of standing out to hiring managers.

Understanding AI in Resume Writing

What is ai, definition and key concepts.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to computer systems that simulate human intelligence. These systems can perform tasks such as learning, reasoning, and problem-solving. AI utilizes algorithms to analyze data and make decisions based on that analysis. Understanding these concepts helps job seekers leverage AI effectively in resume writing.

Types of AI relevant to resume writing

Several types of AI can enhance resume writing. Natural Language Processing (NLP) allows machines to understand and generate human language. This technology plays a crucial role in creating resumes that resonate with hiring managers. Machine Learning (ML) enables systems to learn from data patterns. This learning can improve the effectiveness of resumes over time.

The Benefits of Using AI for Resumes

Time efficiency.

Using AI tools saves significant time during the resume writing process. Job seekers can quickly generate tailored content using an ai resume content generator . Instead of spending hours crafting each section, individuals can focus on their unique experiences and skills. AI streamlines the process, allowing users to create polished resumes in a fraction of the time.

Enhanced personalization

AI tools offer enhanced personalization for resumes. These systems analyze job descriptions and suggest relevant achievements and skills. Customizing resumes becomes easier with AI assistance. Job seekers can input their information, and AI generates content that aligns with specific job requirements. This tailored approach increases the chances of catching a recruiter’s attention.

Improved keyword optimization

Keyword optimization plays a vital role in modern resume writing. Many employers use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to filter resumes. AI tools help identify and incorporate industry-specific keywords into resumes. This optimization ensures that resumes meet ATS criteria. Research shows that AI feedback significantly improves the quality and effectiveness of resumes by providing formatting suggestions, grammar corrections, and content organization.

Utilizing AI in resume writing offers job seekers a competitive edge . Embracing these technologies can lead to better opportunities and increased visibility in the job market.

Tools and Technologies for AI-Enhanced Resumes

Overview of popular ai tools, tool 1: kickresume.

Kickresume stands out with its variety of resume templates . Professional typographers and recruiters design these templates. Users can customize design aspects like fonts and colors. This flexibility allows job seekers to create visually appealing resumes that capture attention.

Tool 2: VMock

VMock offers a unique approach by analyzing existing resumes . This tool provides feedback and suggestions based on industry standards. Users receive actionable insights to improve their resumes. VMock helps ensure that resumes meet the expectations of hiring managers.

Tool 3: Enhancv

Enhancv utilizes ChatGPT to enhance resume writing. This tool offers templates and content suggestions tailored to specific job roles. ATS optimization ensures that resumes pass through automated filters. Feedback on resume quality helps users refine their documents further.

How to Choose the Right AI Tool

Assessing your needs.

Identifying personal requirements is crucial when selecting an AI tool. Consider the type of job applications and industries targeted. Determine whether customization or feedback is more important. Understanding these needs leads to better tool selection.

Comparing features and pricing

Evaluating features and pricing helps narrow down options. Look for tools that offer essential functionalities like keyword optimization and template variety. Compare costs to find a solution that fits within budget constraints. Making informed decisions ensures effective use of resources.

Practical Tips for Implementing AI in Your Resume Writing

Crafting your resume with ai assistance, step-by-step guide to using ai tools.

Start by selecting an AI resume content generator that fits personal needs. Many tools offer user-friendly interfaces. Input relevant information like job history, skills, and achievements. The AI will analyze this data and generate tailored content. Review the generated sections carefully. Make adjustments to ensure the resume reflects unique experiences.

Next, focus on formatting. Choose a layout that is clean and professional. Use bullet points for clarity. Highlight key accomplishments to grab attention. After finalizing the content, proofread the document. AI tools can assist in catching grammatical errors.

Common pitfalls to avoid

Avoid relying solely on AI-generated content. Personal touch remains crucial in resume writing. Ensure the final product showcases individual personality and style. Do not overlook the importance of keywords. Many employers use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to filter resumes. Incorporate industry-specific terms to enhance visibility.

Steer clear of overly complex language. Simplicity often resonates better with hiring managers. Avoid using jargon that may confuse readers. Keep sentences concise and straightforward. Lastly, do not forget to customize resumes for each application. Tailoring content increases the chances of standing out.

Enhancing Your Resume Post-AI Review

Final touches and human input.

After using an AI resume content generator , add final touches. Personalize the introduction and summary sections. These areas provide an opportunity to express enthusiasm for the desired role. Ensure the tone aligns with the job's culture.

Human input plays a vital role in refining resumes. Seek feedback from trusted peers or mentors. Fresh eyes can catch overlooked errors or suggest improvements. Consider their insights seriously. Incorporating constructive criticism can elevate the overall quality of the resume.

Seeking feedback from peers or professionals

Feedback from professionals in the field can be invaluable. Many hiring managers appreciate when candidates show willingness to improve. Utilize networking opportunities to connect with industry insiders. Ask for advice on resume structure and content.

Surveys indicate that *70% of candidates using AI tools received more positive reviews*. Furthermore, 78% reported receiving interview invitations . These statistics highlight the effectiveness of combining AI assistance with human feedback.

Incorporating both AI tools and personal insights creates a powerful resume. Job seekers can significantly enhance their chances of landing interviews by following these practical tips.

Utilizing an AI Resume Content Generator

What is an ai resume content generator, definition and functionality.

An AI resume content generator creates tailored resumes quickly. This tool uses algorithms to analyze job descriptions and personal information. Users input details like work history, skills, and achievements. The generator then produces customized content that aligns with specific job requirements.

How it differs from traditional methods

Traditional resume writing often involves manual effort. Job seekers spend hours crafting each section. An AI resume content generator streamlines this process. Instead of starting from scratch, users receive instant suggestions. This approach saves time and reduces frustration.

Benefits of Using an AI Resume Content Generator

Streamlining the writing process.

Using an AI resume content generator simplifies resume creation. Individuals can generate content in minutes. This efficiency allows job seekers to focus on other aspects of their job search. Many find that using AI tools leads to a more organized approach.

Generating tailored content quickly

Tailored content increases the chances of getting noticed by hiring managers. An AI resume content generator analyzes job postings. It identifies key skills and experiences relevant to each position. This targeted approach enhances the overall quality of resumes.

Case Studies :

• AI Resume Builders Test : Individuals using AI to write resumes and cover letters ended up getting hired for the positions they applied for. This outcome illustrates the effectiveness of AI resume content generators.
• Many job seekers report receiving more interview invitations after utilizing AI tools.

By embracing these technologies, job seekers can significantly improve their chances of success in the competitive job market.

AI tools transform resume writing. These technologies enhance personalization, improve keyword optimization, and save time. Job seekers should explore various AI tools to find the best fit. Utilizing an ai resume content generator can streamline the writing process.

The future of resume writing looks promising. AI will continue evolving, offering deeper insights into candidates' skills. Embracing these advancements positions individuals as top contenders in the job market.

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