business how to write a resume

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

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

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

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

Well, you’ve come to the right place!

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

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

….and more!

So, let’s dive right in.

How to Make a Resume (The Right Way!)

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

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

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

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

#1. Pick the Right Resume Format

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

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

Start by choosing the right resume format.

There are three types of resume formats out there:

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

So, which one should you go for?

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

Fix Your Resume’s Layout

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

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

Here are some of the best practices you should apply:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#2. Add Your Contact Information

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

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

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

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

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

Must-Have Information

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

Optional Information

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

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

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

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

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

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

This is where the resume headline comes in.

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

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

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

Resume Summary

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

Here’s what your resume summary should include:

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

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

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

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

Resume Objective

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

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

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

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

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

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

#4. Prioritize Your Work Experience

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here’s a real-life example:

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

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

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

Focus on Achievements Whenever Possible

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Your day-to-day responsibilities probably include:

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

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

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

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

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

Tailor Your Resume to the Job

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Include the Right Amount of Work Experience

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

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

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

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

Consider Applicant Tracking System (ATS) Software

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#5. List Your Education

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

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

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

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

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

Resume Education Tips

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

Just follow these expert tips:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

There are a few essential steps you need to follow:

Always List Hard and Soft Skills Separately

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

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

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

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

Methodologies & Tools

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

Soft Skills

• Team Management
• Conflict Resolution
• Negotiation

Tailor Your Skills to the Job

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

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

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

Qualifications:

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

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

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

List Hard Skills with Experience Levels

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

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

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

Include Transferable Skills

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

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

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

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

#7. Leverage Optional Resume Sections

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

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

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

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

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

• Intermediate

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

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

Hobbies and Interests

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

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

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

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

Volunteering Experience

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

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

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

Certifications

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

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

Certifications can also show employers how much expertise you have.

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

Awards and Recognitions

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

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

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

Publications

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Extracurricular Activities

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

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

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

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

11+ Expert Resume Tips

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

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

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

FREE Resume Checklist

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

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

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

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

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

9 Resume Templates for Different Industries

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

#1. Traditional Resume Template

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

#2. Modern Resume Template

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

#3. Creative Resume Template

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

#4. Minimalistic Resume Template

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

#5. IT Resume Template

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

#6. Tech Resume Template

Good for the tech industry and everything it encompasses.

#7. College Resume Template

Good for college students and recent graduates alike.

#8. General Resume Template

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

#9. Executive Resume Template

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

17+ Resumes for Different Jobs

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

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

#1. Nurse Practitioner Resume Example

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

#2. Data Scientist Resume Example

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

#3. Business Analyst Resume Example

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

#4. Digital Marketing Resume Example

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

#5. Software Engineer Resume Example

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

#6. Construction Project Manager Resume Example

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

#7. Customer Service Resume Example

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

#8. High School Resume Example

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

#9. Student Resume Example

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

#10. Server Resume Example

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

#11. Actor Resume Example

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

#12. Web Developer Resume Example

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

#13. Engineering Resume Example

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

#14. Computer Science Resume Example

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

#15. Architect Resume Example 

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

#17. Remote Job Resume Example

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

#18. Sales Associate Resume Example

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

#19. Receptionist Resume Example

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

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

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

Next Steps After Your Resume

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

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

#1. How to Write a Convincing Cover Letter

The companion piece to every resume is the cover letter.

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

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

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

Just follow this structure:

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

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

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

#2. How to Ace Your Next Interview

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

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

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

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

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

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

FAQs on How to Make a Resume

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#5. What kind of resume do employers prefer?

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

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

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

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

You should only include relevant job positions on your resume.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#9. Is a resume a CV?

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

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

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

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

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

#10. Should I write my own resume?

Yes, you should always write your own resume.

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

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

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

#11. Can a resume be two pages?

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

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

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

#12. Is a simple resume okay?

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

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

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

Key Takeaways

And that’s a wrap!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What Is a Resume?

What are employers looking for in a resume.

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

What Are Some Examples of a Good Resume?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How Do You Write a Resume?

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

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

1. Pick Your Format

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2. Start With Your Basic Information

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

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

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

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

3. Add in Your Work Experience

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

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

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

For example, you might write:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4. Consider Including Volunteer Work or Other Experience

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

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

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

5. Don’t Forget Your Education

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

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

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

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

6. Top It Off With Some Skills and Interests

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

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

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

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

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

7. Write a Resume Summary Statement (if Relevant)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

9. Edit and Refine It

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Most Popular: A Reverse Chronological Resume

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

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

Download an Example Chronological Resume for a Software Engineer

The Unorthodox Route: A Functional or Skills-Based Resume

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

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

Download an Example Functional Resume for a Project Manager

The Creative Angle: An Infographic Resume or Resume Website

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

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

Download an Example Infographic Resume for a Designer

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

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

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

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

• Knowledge Base
• Free Resume Templates
• Resume Builder
• Resume Examples
• Free Resume Review

Click here to directly go to the complete business resume sample.

If you are looking for business resume samples as a reference to build your business resume in 2022, you are on the right platform.

We are trying to help every business professional grow better this year with our career-building assistance.

Every year, millions of college graduates earn their degrees and diplomas in respective niches across the USA .

After graduation, most students search for jobs to kickstart their careers. If you are a recent business graduate looking for a job this year, we are helping you bag one with a professional business resume.

Irrespective of your graduation year and work experience, we are helping all business graduates build an impactful business resume by answering the following questions:

• How to make ATS-optimized business resumes from scratch?
• How to perfect each section of your business administration resume?
• How to correctly endorse your business resume skills in your resume?
• Whether to write a business resume objective or a business resume summary?
• How much a business development manager makes in the United States?

What Is a Business Resume & Why Do You Need It?

A business resume is a profile-specific resume for business professionals.

It is a document consisting of important information such as your employment details, internship history, educational background, etc. This information put together paints a complete picture of your professional existence.

If recruiters like what they see in your business development resume, you get shortlisted. And if your resume does not convey what the recruiter looks for in a resume, you don't get shortlisted.

It all boils down to one thing:

Your business development resume should be industry-relevant. Additionally, it should also be ATS-compliant.

Writing an ATS-compliant business development resume is the need of the hour because of the increasing use of the ATS (applicant tracking system) software to simplify their shortlist requirements.

So your goal here is to write an ATS-compliant business development resume , and we are here to help you do it.

How to Write Your Business Resume

Most people complain that writing a business administration resume is too stressful. It takes too much time, yet it fails to meet the perfection standards that a shortlist-worthy resume needs.

Hence, following the right approach to resume-writing helps. It holds the power of helping you write a resume without needing to revisit each section all over again.

Given below is a list of the 3 stages to resume writing that you should follow:

• Stage 1: Master Business Resume
• Stage 2: First Draft of Business Resume
• Stage 2: Final Draft of Business Resume

Master Business Resume

Making a master business resume is the first stage of resume writing.

In this stage, your only job is to compile all your information. Be it your work experience details, educational information, internships, or volunteering experience - collect all your data and dump it in one place.

Doing this helps you in two ways:

Resume writing in the present : The best thing about a master business resume is that it eliminates the need to look for information explicitly. It will help you use all your personal, professional, and educational details effectively without any confusion.

Resume update in the future : The next utility of making a master business resume lies in its capacity to help you in the future as well. Not looking for information means that you don't miss out on any information. Moreover, this ensures that none of your work experience or past activities is overlooked. Your only job is to objectively streamline the information that you need and update your resume - must the need arise.

First Draft of Business Resume

In this stage, you have to add the suitable resume sections that we have mentioned below:

• Personal Information
• Profile Title
• Professional Experience
• Certifications (if any)
• Awards & Recognition (if any)
• Additional Information (if any)

Final Draft of Business Resume

The final draft stage marks the conclusion of your business development resume. In this stage, wrap up your resume by composing the sections we have mentioned below:

• Key Skills Section: To be framed second-last, right before the summary/objective.
• Summary / Objective Section: To be crafted at the end.

Before you compose your business resume summary/business resume objective, conclude the key skills section. The key skills section lists all your specific business resume skills that mark your professional caliber.

After concluding the key skills section, draft a business summary or a business resume objective. Either way, make sure that they sufficiently sum up your entire resume in a 3-5 line paragraph.

Business Resume Sample

Take a look at the below-given business resume sample to know all the essential points of a business resume building process:

• Executed business deals successfully by undertaking in-depth market analysis
• Reported directly to the Manager and successfully closed 10+ deals to accomplish stipulated monthly targets
• Conceptualized & implemented aggressive sales initiatives for effectively diversifying revenue streams & boosting growth
• Directed business promotion /marketing initiatives and efficiently processed customer queries & complaints
• Delivered intricate marketing/sales presentations to key stakeholders & interfaced with senior-level decision-makers
• Analyzed & forged strategic relationships , alliances & partnerships to leverage significant long-term business opportunities
• Rendered Independently secured high-worth & high-profitability accounts with 90% retention & client loyalty levels
• Ensured excellent customer care and efficiently directed resolution of major issues to achieve 100% positive reviews
• Appointed in-charge of maintaining all statistical/financial records & documentation for complying with client specifications
• Fulfilled client requirements & networked with 30+ potential clients demonstrating an interest in company products
• Created and maintained relationships with 100+ clients & key stakeholders to effectively achieve pre-established targets
• Boosted revenues by coordinating with field executives, tracing non-contactable customers & conducting field visits
• Administered ~50 follow up calls daily, in addition to convening and attending meetings for reviewing sales performance
• Discerned & implemented product enhancements , in addition to directing initiatives for New Product Development
• Conducted competition analysis & deployed in-depth knowledge of latest industry-based trends & marketing developments
• Identified business opportunities by examining & analyzing prospects and evaluated their position in the industry
• Spearheaded research initiatives to scrutinize sales options & liaised with channel partners for resolving sale queries
• Bolstered the quality of advances / deposit portfolio by optimizing deliverables as per customer requirements
• Forged robust business relationships with key customers to enhance market position & achieve 100% targets
• Top 3 percentile of the class
• Top 10 percentile of the class
• Digital Marketing | PACE Digital Marketing | New York, NY | Jun ‘17
• Languages : English, Spanish, German
• Hobbies: Human Psychology and reading entrepreneurship books

Business Resume Sections

The rule of ATS compliance demands that your business development resume is impeccably organized and spaced out.

The resume sections helps you categorize your information and allow you systematically communicate information.

We have mentioned a list of the must-have sections for your business development resume:

• Summary/Objective

These sections are the pre-requisites of all resumes. Your business development resume should organize information under these sections.

Make sure that your resume has all this information at a minimum.

You can also use the following sections if you have more information to add to your resume:

Business Resume: Professional Experience

The professional experience section is the star of your business development manager resume.

Being the foundation of extremely crucial work details, this section holds a lot of importance. Having the suitable qualification and the right experience won't make a difference if this information is not presented correctly.

Here are some things you can do to get this section closest to perfection:

• Frame points
• Use the STAR format
• Use Grouping & Highlighting

Framing Points

We will begin with the importance of framing points.

Communicating information using one-liner points makes a world of difference to the readability of your business resumes vis-a-vis paragraphs.

A commonly held consensus is that paragraphs are not suitable for your resume and thus, should not be used.

Mentioned below are two business resume examples to demonstrate this argument:

Business Resume Example 1

"As part of my roles & responsibilities as a business development executive at company X, I was responsible for the critical task of researching the market and studying the competition to analyze potential gaps in our business and come up with relevant solutions. As a result, I was able to come up with meaningful solutions to improve our company's market positioning and suggest changes in our products & services to meet the market standards & beat the competition. By working alongside channel partners, I could find meaningful resolutions to impending sales queries and further scrutinize our sales options. Additionally, I examined prospects and evaluated their industry status and position to identify new business opportunities for the company."

Business Resume Example 2

• Forged business relationships with key customers to improve market position
• Liaised with channel partners to resolve sale queries and scrutinized further sales options
• Identified gaps in our products and services to enhance their overall functionality and effectiveness
• Analyzed the market and studied the competition to determine subsequent step actions
• Examined prospects and evaluated their position in the industry to identify new business opportunities

Framing Points: Analysis

The above-mentioned business resume examples present us with the following observations:

• Business Resume Example 1 uses one lengthy paragraph to communicate the same message as Business Resume Example 2, which uses crisp one-liner points.
• While Business Resume Example 1 is hard to read and comprehend, Business Resume Example 2 succeeds in the readability aspect. It is reader-friendly and easy to understand.
• Moreover, Business Resume Example 2 also uses action verbs to begin each point. The action verbs used here include 'forged', 'liaised', 'identified', 'analyzed', and 'examined.
• Doing this gives your business development manager resume a tone of confidence and professionalism, which makes your roles & responsibilities more attractive to a recruiter inspecting it.
• Our advice? Use one-liner points instead of paragraphs to communicate your roles & responsibilities.

STAR Format

Using one-liner points makes your resume more readable. But just because it is readable doesn't mean that it is effective.

Focusing on the effectiveness of your resume is an excellent resume writing tip.

Using the STAR format creates the desired results and helps enhance the effectiveness of your resume.

If you're curious, the STAR format stands for this:

• S stands for situation : The situation/backdrop/context of your contributions
• T stands for task : The actual job that was assigned to you
• A stands for action : The strategy you used to execute the assigned task
• R stands for result : The result/outcome of your action in the form of an achievement figure

Using the STAR format optimizes each point as it helps you show the reasons behind your actions and the corresponding result/outcome.

By using numbers, you're also able to draw the recruiter's attention to the utility of your professional expertise, thereby enhancing your shortlist chances.

Thus, use one-liner-points and optimize them by using the STAR format.

Grouping & Highlighting

Next up is grouping & highlighting.

Congratulations on coming this far.

Now that you have made your resume more readable, your next task is to enhance its visibility by employing simple tricks. This is where grouping & highlighting can help.

Here are two business resume examples to showcase this point.

• Handled ~50 follow-up calls daily to educate the customers and boost sales
• Conceptualized & implemented workable sales initiatives to boost growth by 60%
• Collaborated with ~3 business executives to close 10+ deals every month
• Coordinated with field executives and led field visits to attain sales targets
• Networked with 30+ potential clients leading to 50% improvement in client acquisition
• Conducted in-depth market analysis to understand the market and launch marketing campaigns
• Forged relationships with potential clients and maintained relations with key stakeholders to ensure business optimization

Sales & Business Development

Networking & Relationship Cultivation

Grouping & Highlighting: Analysis

The business resume examples illustrated above present us with the following conclusions:

• Business Resume Example 1 uses one-liner points, but it doesn't do enough to ensure that the topics are getting read . This gap is covered by Business Resume Example 2, which uses grouping & highlighting to organize these points.
• Grouping is the practice of grouping similar points under unique subheadings, whereas highlighting is the practice of marking your career highlights using bold.
• The combined effort of grouping & highlighting diverts the recruiter's attention to the applicant's essential responsibilities and career highlights without looking for them explicitly.
• Thus, you should use grouping & highlighting alongside one-liner points to showcase your roles & responsibilities in the most impactful manner.

Resume Sample for Professional Experience

Given below is a sample business resume showcasing the ideal professional experience section .

It uses one-liner points, grouping & highlighting, and the STAR format in each moment to enhance the effectiveness of your business development manager resume .

Business Resume: Key Skills

Here's what you can do to optimize the key skills section of your business resume:

Pick your core business resume skills from the professional experience section : Doing this helps you identify your core skills as a business professional and helps you articulate them in your business management resume with perfection. As a rule of thumb, avoid using phrases such as 'experienced in' in this section. Keep it crisp and to the point. Eg: 'Sales & Business Development', 'Key Account Management', and 'Stakeholder'.

Organically incorporate keywords to make this section ATS-optimized : Your business resume skills won't help you if you don't have the skills that a hiring body needs in a new hiree. In other words, you need to optimize this section and give the recruiters what they're looking for. You need to show that you have the right skills to qualify for the job in question. A great way to do this is by identifying the keywords posted in your target job advertisement and replicating the relevant keywords in your resume.

Here's a business development resume sample showcasing the perfect key skills section. In addition, it demonstrates what this section would ideally look like once you incorporate your business resume skills into it.

Business Resume Summary or Business Resume Objective?

A much-heated debate is whether you should use a business resume summary or a business resume objective .

To better understand this, we will first discuss the summary and then move on to the objective.

You should write a business resume summary only if:

• You have over 3 years of work experience.

On the contrary, you should write a business resume objective if:

• You have no work experience.
• You don't have a minimum of 3 years of work experience.

Now that you know what to write, we will now discuss what you should optimize your resume summary/objective:

• The goal of a business resume summary and business resume objective is the same. It needs to communicate your suitability and idealness for the job you're targeting.
• Whether you have enough work experience or not, make sure that you articulate the points that make you the best candidate for your target job.
• To write these sections with objectivity, compose them at the end: Doing this saves you the unnecessary trouble of writing a business resume summary or objective in the beginning to revisit it at the end.
• Moreover, it ensures that you haven't overlooked an important aspect of your qualifications and professional prowess that must feature in this section.
• Make sure that your resume or objective does not exceed 5 lines for maximum effectiveness. Ideally, keep it confined to 3-5 lines.

Attached below is a sample business resume showcasing the ideal resume summary for your resume.

Also Read: How to build a Business Analyst resume in 2022?

Business Resume: Header

Most people make the blunder of writing a "CV" or "Resume" at the extreme top part of their business administration resume . If you're doing this too, it's high time to stop.

Follow the steps that we have mentioned below to give your resume header the much-needed touch of perfection that it fittingly deserves:

• Your full name is the de-facto resume header of your business administration resume. This should feature at the top-most part of your resume.
• Write it in the largest font size of 16-20 font points to guarantee that it's the first thing a recruiter notices when evaluating your resume.
• Doing this tells the recruiter that the resume belongs to you. It also keeps your resume from getting mixed up in a sea full of business resumes that bombards a recruiter's email.
• If you have a middle name, write your first name, followed by the first initial of your middle name in capital letters, followed by your last name. Eg: If your name is Catherine Margaret Scott, your resume header should be "Catherine M. Scott".

Here's a business resume sample illustrating the ideal resume header for your resume.

Business Resume: Personal Information

This section of your business administration resume should communicate contact-centric information about you, such as:

• Updated mobile number
• Professional email ID

Current Location

This section of your resume is the most overlooked section of your business administration resume. However, it is just as important.

Being the hotspot of your contact information , this section should be correctly composed as the smallest of blunders would keep an interested recruiter from getting in touch.

In other words, it can practically cost you a potential job offer!

So make sure that all the components in this section are perfected. We will now dive into each section to tell you the key pointers you should remember while drafting this section:

Updated Mobile Number

Follow the below-listed guidelines:

• Provide only one functional mobile number in this section.
• Use your country’s ISD code as a prefix before your phone number.
• Put a plus sign (+) before the ISD code.
• Eg: +1 37648 21511.

Professional E-mail Address

Follow the guidelines below to write a perfectly composed email ID:

• Make sure that your email looks professional.
• Avoid using childish email IDs such as '[email protected]'.

Here is a list of guidelines you should follow for a perfect location:

• Your location should use the city/state code format for job applications in your country of residence and the city/country code format for job applications in outside countries.
• Avoid putting irrelevant information such as your house number, street number, and your locality as it is unnecessary.

Business Resume Sample for Personal Information

To know what an ideal personal information section should look like, take a look at the business resume example we have mentioned below.

Business Resume: Profile Title

Profile titles are important to your job application process. It communicates the following career-centric information to the recruiter:

• Your current designation, a.k.a job title.
• Your functional industry (finance, tech, fashion, marketing, sales, etc.)
• Your level of seniority.

The information mentioned above dictates if you would be suitable for a given job position and what your compensation should be if selected.

Given its importance, your profile title should be sufficiently highlighted. Here's what you can do to enhance its visibility:

• Write your profile title in the second-largest text in your resume.
• Use the font size of 14-16 points to endorse your profile title.

Meanwhile, get your hands on our AI-powered Resume Review Service to get an in-depth and constructive analysis of your resume within minutes of uploading it on our tool.

Keep an eye out on the bottom-left corner of this page and click on the AI-review button to avail of this service.

Given below is a business resume example showcasing what an ideal profile title should look like:

Business Resume: Education

The education section of your resume is the breeding ground for important education-centric information such as:

• Name of the school/university you have attended.
• Name of the courses you have pursued.
• The location of your school/university.
• Enrolment and graduation dates in month & year format .

Here's a sample business resume showcasing what this section should ideally look like once filled with the above-illustrated points.

Also Read: How to build IT Business Analyst resume in 2022?

Business Resume: Certifications

As a business developer or a business executive, what can you do to project your qualifications for the job?

The answer lies in holding relevant certifications .

So if you have done any relevant certifications, put them down in this section of your business professional resume.

Make sure that this section communicates the following points:

• Certification course name.
• Name of the institute of affiliation.
• Location of the institute of affiliation.
• Enrolment and completion date of the course in month & year format .

Arrange these points in the below format:

{Name of Certification} | {Affiliating Institution} | {Location} | {Date} (month & year format)

Here's a sample business resume showcasing what an ideal certifications section looks like when listed in your business professional resume.

Business Resume: Additional Information

Do you have additional communication points that do not fit into other sections of your resume?

Do you speak multiple languages?

Or have relevant hobbies that might give your job application a much-needed boost?

If you do, compile this information and illustrate them in a separate 'Additional Information' section of your professional business resume.

The sample business resume that we have attached below illustrates this:

Business Development Manager Salary

The average business development manager salary in the United States is $72,553 . However, you will see salary fluctuations in different parts of the country based on various factors, including:

• Size of company
• Location of company
• Work experience
• Educational qualifications

Business Development Manager Salary Difference in Different US Cities

Have a look at the highest paying cities for business development managers in the United States:

Key Takeaways

Building a business resume can consume time and puzzle you up as everyone want to appear better than others in recruitment processes. You can follow these guidelines to create a job-winning business resume in 2022.

• Use the month & year format for all the dates in your business resume.
• Use the city/state code format to showcase the location in your resume for job applications in the country of your residence and the city/country code format for job applications in outside countries.
• Make a separate 'key skills' section to endorse your business resume skills. This will distinguish your skills and help them stand out like fireworks on the fourth of July.
• Make a 'Key Achievements' group at the end of your respective work profile to endorse an outstanding achievement in that specific organization. Doing this will help you show how you proved to be a pivotal part & parcel of the organization you worked with due to your professional expertise.
• Use numbers to quantify your achievements. Doing this helps you pinpoint your professional contributions and how they benefitted the organizations you worked with in the past. This is important as it shows a promise of efficiency.
• Use one-liner points to endorse your roles & responsibilities and begin each point with an action verb. Eg: "directed", 'organized", "boosted", "administered", etc.
• Use action verbs in the past tense for past profiles and present continuous tense for current profiles.
• Write a business resume summary only if your work experience transcends 3 years. If it doesn't, write a business resume objective.

Whether you're writing a business student resume , a business administration resume, or a business development resume, this blog will help you write a stellar resume irrespective of the career stage you are in.

Go to Hiration resume builder where you can get 24/7 professional assistance with all your job & career-related queries and create a professional resume for yourself.

Additionally, reach out to us at [email protected] .

Share this blog

Subscribe to Free Resume Writing Blog by Hiration

Get the latest posts delivered right to your inbox

Stay up to date! Get all the latest & greatest posts delivered straight to your inbox

Is Your Resume ATS Friendly To Get Shortlisted?

Upload your resume for a free expert review.

Privacy preference center

We care about your privacy

When you visit our website, we will use cookies to make sure you enjoy your stay. We respect your privacy and we’ll never share your resumes and cover letters with recruiters or job sites. On the other hand, we’re using several third party tools to help us run our website with all its functionality.

But what exactly are cookies? Cookies are small bits of information which get stored on your computer. This information usually isn’t enough to directly identify you, but it allows us to deliver a page tailored to your particular needs and preferences.

Because we really care about your right to privacy, we give you a lot of control over which cookies we use in your sessions. Click on the different category headings on the left to find out more, and change our default settings.

However, remember that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of our website. Finally, note that we’ll need to use a cookie to remember your cookie preferences.

Without these cookies our website wouldn’t function and they cannot be switched off. We need them to provide services that you’ve asked for.

Want an example? We use these cookies when you sign in to Kickresume. We also use them to remember things you’ve already done, like text you’ve entered into a registration form so it’ll be there when you go back to the page in the same session.

Thanks to these cookies, we can count visits and traffic sources to our pages. This allows us to measure and improve the performance of our website and provide you with content you’ll find interesting.

Performance cookies let us see which pages are the most and least popular, and how you and other visitors move around the site.

All information these cookies collect is aggregated (it’s a statistic) and therefore completely anonymous. If you don’t let us use these cookies, you’ll leave us in the dark a bit, as we won’t be able to give you the content you may like.

We use these cookies to uniquely identify your browser and internet device. Thanks to them, we and our partners can build a profile of your interests, and target you with discounts to our service and specialized content.

On the other hand, these cookies allow some companies target you with advertising on other sites. This is to provide you with advertising that you might find interesting, rather than with a series of irrelevant ads you don’t care about.

Business Resume Examples & Writing Guide for 2024

The business world offers an infinite number of opportunities for success, but you’ll need a well-crafted resume to get your foot in the door. When writing a resume, it’s important to understand the process it goes through.

After a hiring manager receives applications, they’ll skim over each one to look for qualified potential employees, reducing the hiring pool to a handful of candidates for in-person interviews. But fret not! With a great business resume, you'll already be well ahead of your fellow applicants.

Read on to learn how to:

• Craft a compelling business resume summary
• Optimize your work experience section
• List your education properly
• Write an effective skills section
• Find the best job search resources for business professionals

1. Write a compelling business resume summary

When hiring managers look at resumes, they normally have dozens to go through, especially for entry-level business positions. If they thoroughly read every single resume, this process would take hours. Most businesses today usually use programs that automatically scan for keywords they’ve listed in the job listing, like “ work ethic ”, “ qualified ” or “ experienced ”.

After passing the computer test (which greatly reduces the candidate pool), hiring managers will usually go through applicants’ resume summaries to further refine candidates before deciding which candidates will receive an in-person interview. Obviously, your resume summary needs to be strong.

The best way to look at the resume summary is a personalized elevator pitch , a brief statement that explains exactly why you are perfect for the position. Read over the job listing to find some of the key skills and experiences they’re looking for in an employee. For example, if a company says they’re looking for an experienced administrator with exceptional organizational skills, you’ll want to include these terms in your summary.

Also look to include your educational background and experience in this section as well, making sure you don’t exceed three sentences . By including terms used in the job listing, you’ll find that hiring managers won’t be able to resist reading the rest of your resume.

Here's an effective example of a business resume summary

Results-driven business professional with a proven track record of driving revenue growth and improving operational efficiency. Strategic thinker and problem solver with expertise in market analysis, business development, and project management. Led a cross-functional team to successfully launch a new product line, resulting in a 25% increase in annual sales. 

2. Optimize your work experience section

Your work experience shows hiring managers why you’re right for a position, but it’s important to know what hiring managers are looking for. Unfortunately, most people think that they can list off their job responsibilities and call it a day.

Trust us when we say this is the absolute worst thing a job candidate can do, turning off a hiring manager almost instantly.

Hiring managers don’t need to know what you were supposed to do at a job; instead, they want to know exactly what you did and accomplished at your past workplaces.

As someone looking to work in the business field, you likely have a lot of job experience that’s relevant to a position. Tell hiring managers more about your past jobs by providing them with specific measurements. For example, if your department increased revenue by 25% in a single quarter, talk about how you contributed to this increase by pointing out exactly what you contributed to your team.

For each job (start with your most recent position) and include relevant, measurable experiences in 5-6 bullet points to show how what you can bring to a potential employer. 

Here's an example of a great business experience resume section

• Conducted thorough market research and analysis, identifying new market opportunities and consumer trends that led to the successful launch of three new products, contributing to a revenue increase of $2 million annually.
• Led a cross-functional team of 10 members in implementing process improvements, resulting in a 20% reduction in project delivery time and cost savings of $500,000.
• Developed and implemented a customer retention strategy, resulting in a 15% increase in customer retention rate and an additional $1.5 million in recurring revenue.
• Collaborated with the sales team to optimize pricing strategies, resulting in a 10% increase in profit margins and an additional $1 million in annual revenue.
• Conducted financial analysis and forecasting, resulting in the identification of cost-saving opportunities, leading to an annual expense reduction of $300,000.

Try our AI Resume Writer and have your resume ready in minutes!

3. list your educational credentials succintly.

While experience is always important, your business education can open a lot of doors as well. However, a lot of people will list their school, degree, attendance years and GPA. This is a total snooze fest and isn’t going to wow a hiring manager. You’ll want to include what you accomplished in school as well as specific programs you completed that prove you are the best fit for a job.

For example, if you minored in finance and worked as a club’s accountant, you will want to point out both your minor and your experience in your extracurriculars. By relating your educational experiences to the job you’re applying for, you’ll make your educational section stand out as well as show an extra layer of qualifications.

Finally, make sure to limit what you write to a few sentences by selecting experiences that are relevant to the position . No one needs to know that you were a part of the glee club for one semester if you’re applying for a business administrative position.

Here's an effective way to list your educational credentials

Master of Business Administration (MBA), XYZ University, City, State

Specialization in Marketing and Strategy

• Graduated with Distinction\
• Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
• ABC University, City, State

Concentration in Finance

• Dean's List for Academic Excellence
• Certified Business Analyst (CBA)
• International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA

Find out your resume score!

4. Choose the right skills for your business resume

As someone looking to work in the business field, you likely have a lot of skills . From your top-notch organization to your ability to create spreadsheets in a matter of seconds, you have a lot to bring to the table for any business. However, a resume isn’t going to have enough room for you to include every skill that’s relevant to a position.

You need to talk about your skillset that’s relevant to the position you’re applying for (yes, this means you’ll want to examine what you include in your resume for each business you apply to, making edits depending on the job listing).

Instead of listing every skill you have, list out all of your skills in a separate document, organizing them into two categories: soft and hard skills . Soft skills are your internal skills, including time management and work ethic. Hard skills are (usually) what we think of with skills, meaning physical skills like typing speed or writing.

Next, look at what the job listing is looking for. If they want someone with great communication skills, talk about how your leadership and teamwork abilities. Do they need someone who is great with computers, talk about what programs you’re proficient in. Tailor your skills section to the job you’re applying for , limiting this section to about six different skills.

Here's an example of the best business hard skills for your resume

• Financial Analysis : Proficient in analyzing financial statements, conducting financial forecasting, and performing ratio analysis to evaluate company performance and make informed business decisions.
• Market Research : Skilled in conducting market research, competitor analysis, and customer segmentation to identify market trends, customer needs, and opportunities for growth.
• Data Analysis : Proficient in using data analysis tools such as Excel, SQL, and statistical software to extract insights, identify patterns, and make data-driven recommendations.
• Project Management : Experienced in leading cross-functional teams, developing project plans, setting timelines, and ensuring successful project execution within budget and timeline constraints.
• Business Development : Proven ability to identify and pursue new business opportunities, cultivate client relationships, negotiate contracts, and close deals to drive revenue growth.
• Strategic Planning : Skilled in developing and executing strategic plans, conducting SWOT analysis, and identifying key objectives and initiatives to drive business success.

The best soft skills for your business resume

• Leadership : Effective in leading and motivating teams towards achieving common goals, delegating tasks, and providing guidance to foster a collaborative and high-performing work environment.
• Communication : Strong verbal and written communication skills, adept at conveying complex ideas and information to diverse audiences, and fostering positive relationships with stakeholders.
• Problem Solving : Excellent problem-solving and critical-thinking abilities to analyze complex issues, identify root causes, and develop innovative solutions to drive business improvement.
• Adaptability : Ability to thrive in fast-paced environments, embrace change, and quickly adapt to new technologies, processes, and market dynamics.

Getting a job in business can be extremely rewarding, but you need to take the time to perfect your resume. By delivering a resume with a strong summary and relevant work experience, education and skills sections, your resume will definitely appeal to hiring managers .

Tailor your resume to every job you apply for by basing what you submit on the language of the job listing and watch those interview requests start rolling in sooner rather than later.

5. Must-visit job search resources for business professionals

The Internet is vast, but when it comes to landing your dream job, knowing where to look can be just as vital as having a stellar resume. Here are some top-notch platforms to aid your job hunting efforts if you're in the business field:

• LinkedIn :  This platform empowers users with networking capabilities, a robust job listing pool and a profile page that serves as a digital resume. For business professionals, LinkedIn is indispensable.
• Indeed :  Housing millions of job postings from companies across the world, Indeed offers a powerful search engine that allows job seekers to filter results, helping you pinpoint your ideal business role.
• Glassdoor : Apart from accessing numerous job listings, on Glassdoor, you can also gain insights into a company's inner workings, including worker testimonials, salary reports and company reviews.
• Vault :  This is a tremendous platform for those interested in research. Vault provides employer profiles, rankings, internships, and a wealth of career advice resources.
• AngelList :  If you're interested in joining a startup, AngelList has thousands of jobs and can connect you directly with CEOs and hiring managers.

These platforms could be your ticket to securing your dream job in the business field. No matter the site, remember that the key to success is patience, persistence, and a well-polished, up-to-date business resume. Happy job hunting!

Business Resume FAQ

What is the ideal length for a business cover letter.

A good rule of thumb is to keep your cover letter under one page. This usually equates to 3-4 concise paragraphs.

Should I simply list my skills in the cover letter?

While it's important to highlight your skills, don't just list them. Use the cover letter to demonstrate how you've successfully used these skills in past roles.

How personalized should my business cover letter be?

Each cover letter you write should be customized for the specific job you're applying for. It should echo the language of the job posting and show how you're the ideal candidate for that particular role.

Should I include my salary expectations in a business cover letter?

Unless the job posting specifically asks for that information, it's best to avoid discussing salary in your cover letter. This is often better discussed after an offer has been made.

How do I handle gaps in employment in my cover letter?

If you have a noticeable employment gap, your cover letter is a good chance to explain it. Keep the explanation brief and steer the focus back to your qualifications and eagerness for the job.

A documentary photographer and writer. Noel has worked for International publications like Deutsche Welle in Germany to News Deeply in New York. He also co-founded the global multimedia project Women Who Stay and collaborated as a journalist fellow with the University of Southern California . He went from traveling around the world to sitting on a couch thanks to the pandemic, but he gets to help other people actually do things (like find jobs) thanks to Kickresume, so he won't complain.

Subcategories

• Account Manager
• Business Development
• Entrepreneur / Business Owner
• Procurement

All business resume examples

Related business cover letter examples

Resume guides

How to write a professional resume summary [+examples], how to put your education on a resume [+examples], how to describe your work experience on a resume [+examples], let your resume do the work..

Join 5,000,000 job seekers worldwide and get hired faster with your best resume yet.

Build my resume

• Build a better resume in minutes
• Resume examples
• 2,000+ examples that work in 2024
• Resume templates
• Free templates for all levels
• Cover letters
• Cover letter generator
• It's like magic, we promise
• Cover letter examples
• Free downloads in Word & Docs

7 Business Owner Resume Examples That Worked in 2024

Business Owner

Best for careers that encourage creativity

Browsing for creative resume templates? In graphic design, photography, or event planning? Make a statement with this modern resume.

Resume Builder

Like this template? Customize this resume and make it your own with the help of our Al-powered suggestions, accent colors, and modern fonts.

Business Owner Resume

• Business Owner Resumes by Type
• Business Owner Resumes by Industry

Operating your own business is a rewarding experience; you’re passionate about your product or service, and your unique business brings joy to many customers.

If you’re considering traditional employment or stepping into a new venture, it’s probably time to access a quick resume builder . However,  writing your resume  is more complicated than it looks when it comes to summarizing your activities and responsibilities.

Fortunately, we’ve done all the hard work for you!

We’ve researched numerous business owners’ resumes to determine what worked to get an interview in 2024 . We’ve distilled our research into seven free business owner resume samples to inspire your business owner resume. Check out our tips to perfect your resume and land you an interview for the job of your dreams!

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

• Dishing out job-ad-tailored phrases like “secure wholesale merchandise and produce” and “opening lanes and helping customers self check out” is like serving the hiring manager a double espresso shot of your attention grabbers, nudging them to see why you’re the best match for the job.
• One of the things that truly market you well is your skillset. And the point we’re trying to drive home? It’s got to be top-tier— think along the lines of digital marketing, business development, inventory management, and POS systems savviness. However, don’t just drop a bland list of these proficiencies; ensure they take center stage in your work history.
• Yawn-inducing verbs that don’t scream action hardly cut it in resumes. Flip the script and kick off your bullet points with high-energy terms like “Collaborated” and “Developed” and witness your duties and wins get a serious level-up.
• For the pièce de résistance, validate your claims to greatness by quantifying your achievements, strategically accenting strengths like cost-saving skills. Statements like “increasing employee retention by 21%” and “decreasing overhead costs by 27%” make for perfect examples in Mirabel’s piece.

Self-Employed Business Owner Resume

• For event planners, personal parties you’ve organized can fit nicely on your self-employed business owner resume.

Small Business Owner Resume

• You can provide metrics regarding revenue, the number of store locations you opened, the amount of positive performance reviews, customer and employee satisfaction scores, or the amount of awards you won. If you can find numbers for something, include it!
• Start by including relevant skill keywords in your  resume’s skill section . Check your list against the job description so your resume matches their expectations.

Online Business Owner Resume

• We’d recommend putting your online business owner resume in reverse-chronological order, meaning your most recent work experience is listed first.
• Employers will pay the most attention to the top third of your resume, so make sure they see your (likely) most impressive experience first.
• For each job, list three to six bullet points with relevant content. Start each bullet point with an action verb and minimize personal pronouns to keep your resume concise.

Cleaning Business Owner Resume

• This cleaning business owner resume focuses on the duties that come with owning an enterprise, while drawing less attention to the ancillary cleaning position.

Restaurant Business Owner Resume

• If that’s the case, use a  Word resume template  or a  Google Doc resume template  to format your resume correctly, but always download it after you’re done. Sometimes your resume formatting doesn’t translate properly, so do one last check to make sure it looks polished and professional.
• As a business owner with years of experience, your best bet is to place your skills and work experience sections higher on your resume but underneath your contact header. 

Construction Business Owner Resume

• Highlight your marketing capabilities, customer service skills, fiscal responsibility, and management abilities regarding your construction company.
• Pay special attention to your grammar, word choice, and active voice. The goal is to sound professional and competent!

Related resume guides

• Business Development
• Account Manager

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

How to Write a Résumé That Stands Out

Share accomplishments, not responsibilities.

It can be hard to know how to make your resume stand out. Start by accepting that it’s going to take some time and effort. Don’t try to sit down and knock it out in an hour – you’re carefully crafting a marketing document. Open strong with a summary of your expertise. Use an accomplishments section after the opener to link your experience to the job requirements. You don’t want to waste space upfront on irrelevant job experience. It’s okay to be selective about what employment, achievements, and skills you include; after all, you should tailor your resume for each position. Give concrete examples of your expertise, quantifying your accomplishments with numbers where you can. Seek input from a mentor or friend who can review it and give you feedback. Lastly, create a personable LinkedIn profile to complement your resume.

The resume: there are so many conflicting recommendations out there. Should you keep it to one page? Do you put a summary up top? Do you include personal interests and volunteer gigs? And how do you make it stand out, especially when you know the hiring manager is receiving tons of applications? This may be your best chance to make a good first impression, so you’ve got to get it right.

• Amy Gallo is a contributing editor at Harvard Business Review, cohost of the Women at Work podcast , and the author of two books: Getting Along: How to Work with Anyone (Even Difficult People) and the HBR Guide to Dealing with Conflict . She writes and speaks about workplace dynamics. Watch her TEDx talk on conflict and follow her on LinkedIn . amyegallo

Partner Center

• Resume Templates Simple Professional Modern Creative View all
• Resume Examples Nurse Student Internship Teacher Accountant View all
• Resume Builder
• Cover Letter Templates Simple Professional Modern Creative View all
• Cover Letter Examples Nursing Administrative Assistant Internship Graduate Teacher View all
• Cover Letter Builder
• Resume Examples
• Business and management

Business and management resume examples & templates

A great business and management resume will do for your career what many companies are doing in the wake of the pandemic: reinvigorating. By creating a stellar resume, you can streamline your search and land your next great position!

You don’t just want a job, you want the right job. Let Resume.io help you get there. We have powerful tools for job seekers, with resume guides and resume examples for 300+ professions. We also have an easy-to-use resume builder. With our tools and your business sense, you will be on your way to a resume that resonates with hiring managers.

This resume guide, along with the corresponding resume example will cover the following topics:

What does a business and management professional do?

• How to write a business and management resume (tips and tricks)
• The best format for a business and management resume
• Advice on each section of your resume (summary, work history, education, skills)
• Professional resume layout and design hints.

Business and management professionals perform the essential functions of keeping companies running. They do everything from bookkeeping to high-level decision making. Managers run teams of employees, monitor their progress and give them benchmarks for success. A great manager helps workers do their best job and feel good about it. They recognize talent and nurture it.

Businesspeople may be entrepreneurs who turn their ideas into products or services. They may work for megacorporations in one of its many departments. There are hundreds of job titles beginning at the top with the C-Suite. Each company may write a slightly different description for its business and management jobs, so the scope of your position will vary depending on where you work.

Here are some broad categories of business function*. As a business or management professional, you may work in or oversee any of these.

• Administration/management
• Accounting and finance
• Research and development
• Distribution
• Customer service
• Human resources
• Marketing/promotions

*List taken from Founder’s Guide .

Business and management job market and outlook

The market for business and management professionals is dependent both upon the economy as a whole and the vertical and department within the business in which you specialize. Many businesses are reassessing how they operate and whether they need in-person employees. If you can be flexible, the opportunities are there.

The state of the global and U.S. is still questionable as COVID continues to surge, however, global demand for products is increasing  and the Congressional Budget Office predicts that the gross national product will continue to rise as will the number of employed workers. Those factors should allow for an increase in jobs and earnings within business and management careers.

Here are some common management jobs, their predicted rate of growth and median income*.

* Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

If you are not in one of these management positions, you can check out statistics for careers such as accounting and auditing , budget analysis , logistics and market research analysis among others at the BLS site.

How to write a business and management resume

The first step in any process is understanding what goes into the final product. The same is true here. These are the sections your CV must contain:

• The resume header
• The resume summary (aka profile or personal statement)
• The employment history section
• The resume skills section
• The education section

A great business organization understands its mission, can clearly state it and speaks directly to its customers. Use those principles as you take on the challenge of writing your business and management resume.

Research the company you want to work for. Learn about its target market, its competitors and its employees. Dig a little to get the name of the hiring manager and your prospective boss (if possible). Then, use that information to both personalize your resume in general and to try to hook those people in with a common bond, such as the school you attended or a past job at the same company. A personal touch can make all the difference when hiring managers are sifting through dozens of resumes.

Use consistent messaging, tone and style throughout your resume and cover letter. Follow these guidelines to make the most of your business and management CV:

• Write as though you are addressing the company you wish to work for and explaining what your value add is.
• Pay attention to creating a polished visual first impression with a resume template that has a creative edge without distracting from your message.
• Take the ATS algorithms into account by personalizing your skill set and message for each job listing.

Beat the ATS with SEO

Use your business acumen to decipher what your prospective employee really wants. This will help you avoid the Applicant Tracking System filter. Analyze each job listing, taking careful note of the skills, experience and attributes listed. 

Then, insert appropriate keywords and phrases from the job listing into your resume.

This will not only help you avoid being filtered out of the running for the job, but it will show your prospective employer that you know how to target your market.

Choosing the best resume format for business and management 

The goal of your business and management resume is to ensure that recruiters can easily see what you bring to the table. Therefore, it’s in your best interest to use the format they prefer: reverse chronological order.

The functional resume format is mostly used by technical professions and specialists (as well as for some scientific roles) because it expands the skills section to describe important niche or complex skills and competencies rather than your work history. The combination resume format takes the best from both worlds and can be implemented in various ways (niche IT specialists sometimes use this type of document).

Recent marketing graduates or those looking for a career shift can check out the resume formats we suggest as chronological alternatives or hybrids, but for 99% of marketing professionals, reverse chronological order is the way to go.

Resume summary example: your personal business

The summary of your business and management resume offers you the chance to sell yourself. You should be trying to answer two main questions:

• What differentiates you from other candidates for the job?
• Why should we hire you?

You can do that by describing who you are as a professional (don’t be afraid of strong, positive language) and then illustrating that with one or two of your biggest achievements. 

If you have extra space (you have about 4 lines here), add in a more personal statement. Consider telling why you love your work, what inspires you about the company or tell about a hobby or skill that gives you a unique perspective on the work and won’t come out in the rest of your resume.

If you want to take a look at more pointed resume samples for inspiration on compiling your summary, you can click over to one of our business resume example guides such as the senior business analyst or project manager resume samples. For C-suite aspirants, try our CEO resume example. For broader categories, try our manager resume example or our consultant resume example .

You can find a resume example for your summary section below.

Dynamic and driven Business and Management professional adept in overseeing and directing all business management processes. Committed to creative problem solving and implementing best practices to boost business and sales.

Employment history sample: successful business

The employment history section of your business and management resume is where reverse chronological order comes into play. Starting with your most recent position, and going back about 10 years, you need to chronicle the story of your successes and growth as a businessperson.

Since your goal is to convince the hiring manager that you have a lot to offer, you need to show them here what you have already achieved. Instead of listing responsibilities, brainstorm all your accomplishments. Then, choose 3-4 for each job that illustrate that you have what it takes to level up to the job you seek.

To develop your bullet items, start with a strong action word. Then use data and details to give weight to your achievement. For example:

• Forecasted market downturn and recommended reduced production that prevented $10 million in waste.
• Streamlined accounting processes to make monthly revenue data available two weeks sooner.

Below you will find an adaptable employment history resume example.

Director of Business, Gradient, Hartford  Nov 2015 - Aug 2020  

• Worked to continually bring focus and energy to help drive new business.
• Established a business performance evaluation system and regularly followed up on activity and sales.
• Identified and solved key cross-functional business challenges.
• Effectively handled internal and external company communications related to business objectives.
• Developed plans for key initiatives and prepared for the execution of strategic programs.
• Worked to build and lead an energetic and dynamic team.
• Aimed to establish and foster a culture of safety and productivity throughout the business.

Regional Business Director, Action Force, New Haven  Mar 2012 - Aug 2015  

• Effectively led my region to meet and exceed all assigned goals while maintaining compliance with Action Force's Policies.
• Strategically developed the business plans and implemented sales strategies accordingly.
• Successfully allocated and managed the district budget.
• Appropriately leveraged Action Force's resources to achieve business objectives.
• Assessed and contributed to continuous improvement in business planning and strategic efforts.

Business and management CV skills example: think big

Choose the highest level skills you have that match the requirements of the job. Remember the ATS? The skills section of your business and management resume is a great place to add in some of those all-important keywords and phrases.

Try to find a balance between hard skills you learned on the job and soft skills, such as communication and organization, that make you an efficient and sought after manager.

According to the American Management Association , these are the top skills you need to be an effective manager:

• Communication
• Collaboration
• Critical Thinking
• Project Management

Below you will find a skills section resume example.

• Business Development
• Business Strategy
• Ability to Multitask
• Leadership Skills

Business and management education resume example

The education section of your business and management resume is a listing of your academic degrees. Many businesspeople have MBAs, and if that is the case with you, you may leave out your high school experience.

If you're a recent graduate and have a GPA of 3.5 or higher, feel free to list that. Otherwise, leave it off.

This section may also include any awards you have earned or professional affiliations you have. Space allowing (don’t go over two pages), you may create a separate Awards and Affiliations section.

Below you will find an education section resume example as a formatting guide.

• Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester September 2007 - May 2011

Resume layout and design: high expectations

Set the tone of your candidacy with your layout and design. You want recruiters’ first impression of you to be one of professionalism and organization. That means a resume that is easily readable, offers bold headings and highlights your all-important contact information.

Don’t be tempted by flashy color, graphics or elaborate fonts because they may detract from your content. Stick to legible fonts and just a bit of color, if you must. Consider using one of our resume templates to guide you and to take care of the mundane formatting details.

Key takeaways for a business and management resume

• Align the message of your resume with the business goals of the company to which you are applying.
• The business climate is looking up, but flexibility will be key as companies realign in the post-shutdown era.
• Customize your resume to help you solve the ATS problem and to show recruiters you know what the job takes.
• Take advantage of our online resume builder to transform your text and get your job hunt moving!

Beautiful ready-to-use resume templates

Protect your data

This site uses cookies and related technologies for site operation, and analytics as described in our Privacy Policy . You may choose to consent to our use of these technologies, reject non-essential technologies, or further manage your preferences.

• Resume and Cover Letter
• 27 Great Resume Summary...

27 Great Resume Summary Examples to Get Hired

20 min read · Updated on August 06, 2024

Your resume summary is the first impression you make on potential employers, so it's crucial to get it right

In this article, you'll learn how to write the ultimate resume summary that will grab the attention of recruiters and hiring managers. You'll discover what makes a good summary and what to avoid, as well as how to sell yourself effectively to potential employers.

You may be wondering: what exactly is a resume summary and how do I write one? We'll answer these questions and provide examples of professional summaries for various industries.

By the end of this article, you'll have a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to create a standout resume summary that will help you to land your dream job.

What is a resume summary?

To understand a resume summary, it's important to understand the challenge that good summaries are designed to overcome. Employers who are looking for new hires often need to compare many dozens or even hundreds of resumes to find the best candidates for the job. Few hiring personnel have the time needed to thoroughly examine every single resume that they receive.

Instead, employers typically spend no more than five or six seconds scanning any given resume. If a resume manages to capture their interest in those few seconds, they'll take the time to read it in greater detail. 

However, if your resume doesn't grab their attention, it's likely to be rejected without any further examination. So, the challenge is to find a way to quickly earn the reader's interest and inspire them to read the rest of the document.

That's where your resume summary comes into play. As you'll see from our resume summary examples, a good summary is the resume equivalent of a salesperson's elevator pitch. 

This brief statement should highlight your experience and job title, one or two key skills, and a couple of your most prominent achievements. When your summary is crafted well, it will provide the employer with a quick overview of your potential value as a new hire.

Once you've written your summary, you should place it right after your contact information and resume headline , so that it's the first thing employers see. If you've done your job properly, that summary will be compelling enough to make the reader want to learn more about the type of value you can bring to the job.

How should you start a resume summary?

After your headline, you should include a brief opening statement that summarizes who you are. This statement should be concise and compelling, and it should clearly communicate your unique value proposition. Here are some examples of strong opening statements:

Innovative Marketing Manager with over five years of experience in developing and executing successful campaigns for Fortune 500 companies

Results-driven Sales Executive with a proven track record of exceeding revenue targets and building strong client relationships

Skilled Customer Service Representative with expertise in problem-solving, conflict resolution, and communication

Tips for writing a resume summary

To make sure you get your summary spot on, follow our top tips:

Be specific

When writing a resume summary, it's essential to be specific and quantify your achievements wherever possible. Instead of saying, "Experienced marketing professional," try saying, "Experienced marketing professional with expertise in managing successful social media campaigns, resulting in increases of up to 30% in website traffic."

This provides concrete evidence of your skills and demonstrates your value to potential employers.

Reflect on your career

When it comes to writing a strong resume summary, you should engage in some self-reflection. Before putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard), take some time to think about your key skills, experiences, and achievements. This will help you to identify the most important information to include in your summary. Review your past roles, responsibilities, and accomplishments, and think about how they relate to the job you're applying for. Ask yourself:

What have I achieved in my career?

What skills have I developed?

What makes me stand out from other applicants?

Identify your key skills

One of the most important things to include in your resume summary is your key skills. These are the abilities that set you apart from other candidates and demonstrate your value to potential employers. Begin by making a list of your top skills, then prioritize them based on relevance to the job you're applying for.

Highlight your relevant experiences

Next, think about relevant experiences that you can include in your summary. This includes any previous jobs or internships, volunteer work, or extracurricular activities that have given you valuable experience. Consider what you've learned and achieved in each role and how that relates to the job you're applying for.

You should focus on what is most relevant to your target job. Here are some examples:

Proven ability to increase sales revenue by 20% year on year

Expertise in project management and team leadership

Proficient in Adobe Creative Cloud and Microsoft 365

Confident working with a diverse range of clients and stakeholders

Keep it concise

Remember, your resume summary should be concise and to the point. Stick to the most important information and avoid filler words or irrelevant details. A good rule of thumb is to keep your summary to 3-5 sentences.

Use action verbs

When describing your experiences and achievements, use strong action verbs and adverbs to convey a sense of accomplishment and momentum. For example, instead of saying, "Responsible for managing social media accounts," say, "Successfully manages social media accounts."

Quantify your achievements

Wherever possible, use numbers and statistics to quantify your achievements. This provides concrete evidence of your skills and demonstrates your value to potential employers. For example, instead of saying, "Helped to increase sales," say, "Helped to increase sales by 20% in the first year."

Tailor it to the job

Make sure your resume summary is tailored to the job you're applying for. This means highlighting the skills and experiences that are most relevant to the role. Look at the job description and identify the key requirements, and then make sure your summary addresses these points.

Professional resume summary examples

Since there's nothing quite like seeing an example of a great summary, we've compiled twenty-seven great resume summary examples that you can use as inspirational templates for your own perfect resume . Below, you'll find summary examples for a variety of different job roles, including:

Customer Service Representative

Sales Representative

Marketing Manager

Project Manager

Software Developer

Human Resources Manager

Graphic Designer

Registered Nurse

Financial Analyst

Administrative Assistant

Data Entry Clerk 

Business Analyst

Operations Manager 

Mental Health Counselor

High School Teacher

Event Manager

Digital Marketing Manager

Content Marketer

SEO Specialist

Bank Teller

Software Support Specialist

Data Scientist

Dental Assistant

1.     Customer Service Representative resume summary example

"Highly motivated Customer Service Representative with 5 years of experience in delivering service excellence. Skilled in conflict resolution and problem-solving, resulting in a 95% customer satisfaction rate. Proven ability to multitask in fast-paced environments while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail."

Why it works : This summary highlights the candidate's experience and skills while also showcasing their relevant achievements in ensuring customer satisfaction. It mentions how much experience they have and calls out a measurable success.

2.     Sales Representative resume summary example

"Dynamic Sales Representative with a track record of exceeding sales quotas by 20%+. Proficient in consultative sales techniques and relationship building. Exceptional communication and negotiation skills with the ability to close deals."

Why it works : This summary provides a quantifiable achievement to show the candidate's success in their previous sales roles while also highlighting their key skills in relationship building and communication.

3.     Marketing Manager resume summary example

"Strategic Marketing Manager with 7+ years of experience in developing and executing successful marketing campaigns across multiple channels. Skilled in market research and analysis, campaign optimization, and team leadership. Proven track record of driving revenue growth and increasing brand awareness."

Why it works : This summary emphasizes the candidate's experience and leadership skills while also showcasing their ability to drive results through successful marketing campaigns. The candidate has also demonstrated their ability to grow revenues and raise brand awareness.

4.     Project Manager resume summary example

"Accomplished Project Manager, with confidence in leading cross-functional teams and managing project timelines, budgets, and resources. Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to build relationships with stakeholders. Proven track record of delivering projects on time and within budget."

Why it works : This summary highlights the candidate's extensive project management experience and emphasizes their ability to successfully deliver projects while working with multiple stakeholders.

5.     Software Developer resume summary example

"Innovative Software Developer with 5+ years of experience in designing, developing, and implementing complex software applications. Skilled in programming languages including Java, Python, and C++. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in Agile environments to deliver high-quality code on time."

Why it works : This job seeker has taken the time to highlight some of the technical skills they possess, while emphasizing their ability to work in Agile environments. They also call attention to the fact that they can take a software development project from design to implementation.

6.     Human Resources Manager resume summary example

"Experienced Human Resources Manager specializing in talent acquisition, employee relations, and performance management. Skilled in developing and implementing HR policies and procedures that align with business objectives and values. Proven track record of building and managing high-performing teams."

Why it works : This summary highlights the candidate's experience in various HR functions and emphasizes their ability to build and manage teams. It also shows that they can perform managerial functions like developing policies and procedures.

7.     Graphic Designer resume summary example

"Creative Graphic Designer with particular expertise in developing and executing visually stunning designs for print and digital media. Proficient in Adobe Creative Cloud, with a focus on typography and layout. Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously."

Why it works : This summary works well because it showcases their technical skills and experience while also emphasizing creativity and an ability to work collaboratively.

8.     Registered Nurse resume summary example

"Compassionate Registered Nurse with over 10 years' experience in providing high-quality patient care. Skilled at patient assessment, medication administration, and treatment plan development. Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build rapport with patients and their families."

Why it works : This summary emphasizes the candidate's clinical and patient care experience and highlights their key nursing and interpersonal skills.

9.     Financial Analyst resume summary example

“Detail-oriented Financial Analyst with a strong background in financial modeling, data analysis, and forecasting. Combines advanced Excel skills with the ability to create and manage financial reports. Able to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams.”

Why it works : This summary showcases the applicant's specific skills and experience in financial analysis and highlights their proficiency in Excel, a crucial tool for the role.

10.  Administrative Assistant resume summary example

“Skilled Administrative Assistant with 8 years of experience in administrative support and office administration. Resilient, detail-oriented, and able to work under extreme pressure in a team environment. Excellent interpersonal, client management, and interdepartmental liaison skills. Committed to successful management of multiple simultaneous projects, strict adherence to deadline requirements, and accurate maintenance of schedules, meeting obligations, and records.”

Why it works : An Administrative Assistant wears many hats and experiences many challenges. This resume summary covers a lot of ground to demonstrate that the candidate understands those obstacles and knows how to overcome them.

11.  Data Entry Clerk resume summary example

“Task-driven and results-oriented professional with more than 10 years of experience in data entry, project coordination, and customer service. Uses interpersonal skills including effective communication to build rapport and positive relations with customers, gather vital information, and ensure rapid and accurate entry of data into designated software programs.”

Why it works : This resume summary is effective because it gets right to the heart of the job: dealing with customers and entering data into databases. The candidate also emphasizes their results-focused mindset, project skills, and key soft skills.

12.  Business Analyst resume summary example

“Results-driven Business Analyst with a proven record in expanding profitability by 55% in the retail industry.  Confident carrying out data-focused analysis that provides key insights and recommendations for growth strategies. Strong interpersonal and team building skills, innovative approach to problem-solving , and resolute commitment to efficiency and productivity.”

Why it works : Business analysis is all about using data and research to deliver key insights that result in improved operations and greater business success. This summary hits all the right notes as it focuses on key skills, a solutions-oriented mindset, and notable achievements that reflect real value for employers.

13.  Operations Manager resume summary example

“Results-oriented Operations Manager with more than 10 years of supervisory experience in high-level operational environments. Adept at coordinating both large and small teams, outside consultants, and mid-level management personnel. Successfully introduced Lean manufacturing principles that reduced costs by 32% via waste elimination and process revitalization.”

Why it works : This candidate's summary emphasizes key skills that the employer wants to see in any managerial candidate, while also showcasing their knowledge of best operational practices and a commitment to cost reduction.

14.  Mental Health Counselor resume summary example

“Compassionate Mental Health Counselor with more than a decade of experience addressing mental health issues and behavioral concerns. Proven success in both individual and group counseling environments, assisting clients in gaining insight and understanding of their unique conditions. Specialized focus on working with young adults and families, with an emphasis on addressing substance abuse root causes and other social factors involved in mental health.”

Why it works : This resume summary is notable for citing important skills like empathy and compassion. It also focuses attention on the candidate's experience in dealing with common mental health concerns and hints at their preferred approach to assisting patients.

15.  High School Teacher resume summary example

“Dynamic high school teacher with 12 years of experience developing approved curricula for more than 500 students in grades 9-12. Proven track record of helping students to achieve a 98% passing rate in both Western Civilization and World History instruction. Actively engaged in every aspect of education, at the district, local, and parent-teacher level.”

Why it works : This candidate's resume summary highlights their vast experience, while illustrating their success in ensuring that their students learn what they need to know to pass the class. They also demonstrate their commitment to the educational process by highlighting their involvement in every area of education.

16.  Accountant resume summary example

“Diligent and detail-oriented CPA with seven years of experience in accounting, process improvement, and problem-solving. Skilled at identifying inefficiencies and using reporting to offer insights that can guide employers to better practices and greater profitability. At XYZ Corp., identified labor usage inefficiency that motivated management to introduce new scheduling that eliminated $300,000 in labor waste.”

Why it works : In addition to highlighting a wide range of valuable skills, this candidate also focused on a quantifiable achievement that illustrates real value. This type of summary would certainly capture a hiring manager's attention and make them want to read more!

17.  Event Manager resume summary example

“Resilient and creative Event Manager with 6 years of corporate experience. Detail-oriented perfectionist with experience in project management, team leadership, and customer relations. Successfully organized and executed more than 40 major business conferences, hosting thousands of guests. Major clients have included three Fortune 500 firms with multi-million-dollar event budgets.

Why it works : As Event Managers go, this one has certainly made the rounds. That summary of achievements highlights their ability to manage even large-scale events, dealing with every aspect of the project. How could a serious hiring manager not want to learn more about this candidate?

18.  IT Manager resume summary example

“Dedicated IT Manager with significant experience in an innovative and growing tech firm. Skilled leader with experience in systems analysis, database architecture, problem-solving, and troubleshooting. Superior client satisfaction rate of more than 99%. Created and implemented IT troubleshooting process that reduced internal client service time by 30%.”

Why it works : This IT professional focuses attention on their key leadership skills , while also mentioning the hard skills that any hiring manager is likely to be looking for. There's also a nice nod to their history of satisfying clients, as well as a notable and measurable achievement.

19.  Product Designer resume summary example

“Innovative Design Engineer with 5 years of experience in the development of products and packages. Skilled in market research, brand development and alignment, and design elements. Led team of seventeen Designers in the creation of industrial products that yielded $20 million in sales in the first month after launch.”

Why it works : This resume summary uses some important keywords, action verbs, and descriptive language to describe the candidate's key skills and experiences. It also cites an impressive product design achievement, along with real numbers that showcase value.

20.  Content Marketer resume summary example

“Creative marketing professional with 7 years' experience as a Content Marketer. Skilled writer who understands how written communication empowers business growth and expansion. Expertise in development of compelling content that drives activities across multiple media channels. Adaptable , detail-oriented, and focused on a brand-building approach to content strategy that drives real results. Developed a cross-platform content strategy that boosted sales conversion rates by 37%.

Why it works : This Content Marketer focuses on their key skills and keen insights into how content impacts business profitability. They even included a measurable result that demonstrates their focus on adding value to their employer's bottom line.

21.  SEO Specialist resume summary example

“Results-focused SEO expert with 6 years of experience in keyword mastery, the promotion of sustainable content, and growing organic website search engine rankings. Proven track record of SEO success, using content development and link outreach to expand website traffic activity from 10,000 daily visitors to more than 2,000,000 per year.”

Why it works : Many hiring managers may not fully understand SEO, but they will understand the need to get more eyes on their digital content. This candidate speaks to that need by focusing on website rankings, content, and overall web traffic - while including a quantifiable achievement that demonstrates their ability to make things happen.

22.  Copywriter resume summary example

“Website Copywriter with 5 years of experience in developing content that creates real conversions. Cross-channel expertise including website content, advertising, newsletters, press releases, email, and podcast / video scripts. Proven track record of increasing social traffic by 36% and driving a 22% boost in landing page conversions.”

Why it works : This candidate's summary is focused not only on the type of things they write, but how those content pieces directly contribute to the company's online presence and sales conversion rate. This illustrates the writer's understanding of how their work aligns with their employer's business needs and goals.

23.  Bank Teller resume summary example

“Empathetic and personable Bank Teller with more than 4 years of experience in client interactions at First Bank. Detail-oriented customer management approach, focused on superior customer experiences and client retention. Strict adherence to bank policy, including safety deposit guidelines, customer account security, and due diligence. Efficiently and effectively processed more than 200 client account interactions each day.”

Why it works : For a Bank Teller, much of the role's value lies in the employee's ability to serve as the face of the branch. This summary is effective because it showcases the Teller's knowledge of bank procedures, while also highlighting their commitment to creating an excellent customer experience.

24.  Software Support Specialist resume summary example

“Problem-solving Software Support Specialist with 8 years of experience in customer-facing user assistance. Provided key problem resolution services for hundreds of customers, with a focus on maximizing their satisfaction with the company to increase loyalty and retention. Experienced in both customer and B2B interactions, with a specialized talent for explaining technical problems in language that is easily understood by the average layperson.”

Why it works : This resume summary focuses not only on the candidate's specialized skills in solving computer issues, but also highlights their ability to simplify their explanations to customers.

25.  Data Scientist resume summary example

“Committed Data Scientist focused on analytical insights that can drive company growth and development. More than eight years of experience providing data-driven analysis to Fortune 500 executives, based on comprehensive statistical models and detailed historical data patterns. Successfully provided insights and recommendations used to increase company profits by 32% over a two-year period.”

Why it works : Data science may not seem like the most exciting field, but hiring managers are always on the hunt for candidates who understand why data matters. This candidate's focus on providing insights that can translate into real value for the employer is something that is likely to earn a hiring manager's interest.

26.  Dental Assistant resume summary example

“Dental Assistant with 5 years of experience with patient preparation, processing, and administrative support. Keen attention to detail and a commitment to dental health and aesthetics. Skilled in dental impressions, hands-on assistance during procedures, x-rays, and record maintenance. Fully committed to developing rapport with patients that creates a welcoming environment and a joyful experience.”

Why it works : This candidate's resume summary not only highlights key Dental Assistant requirements, but also conveys their personal approach to teamwork and patient care.

27.  Architect resume summary example

“Creative Architect experienced in high-end architectural design and development oversight. Ten years of proven success in creating sustainable designs that earn rave reviews and commendations from clients. Skilled in adapting to new challenges and working under pressure to achieve every client's vision. Consistently produces designs and project plans that come in on time and under budget, at 10%-30% less cost than industry competitors.”

Why it works : In this summary, the candidate highlights key skills that employers will want to see, while also emphasizing quantifiable results that demonstrate competitive value for the employer. They also showcase their ability to not only design architectural structures but to do so with a conscious awareness of critical factors like budgetary concerns, deadlines, sustainability and market competition.

Bonus: how to write a resume summary if you have no experience

Of course, it's also important to know how to write a resume summary if you have no experience. Here's a quick resume summary example that you can adapt if you are just entering the job market:

“Recent Marketing graduate, seeking an entry-level position to kickstart a career in the field. Demonstrated strong leadership and teamwork skills gained through involvement in various extracurricular activities, including volunteering at local events and leading group projects. Proficient in Microsoft 365 and Adobe Creative Cloud. Passionate about using marketing strategies to create engaging content and drive brand awareness.”

Why it works: This summary works because it highlights the candidate's relevant hard and soft skills and qualifications, even though they don't have direct career experience. The use of action words such as "demonstrated" and "proficient" shows the candidate's confidence in their abilities, which can be attractive to potential employers, showcasing the candidate's potential for success in an entry-level marketing role.

Key takeaways

A well-written resume summary can make a significant impact on a job application. A good summary should highlight relevant skills and experiences, use clear and concise language, and avoid unnecessary information. Feel free to customize any of the resume summary examples we've provided to help ensure that your resume captures the attention of potential employers.

We know it can be difficult to condense a whole career full of skills and achievements into a paragraph of only a few sentences. If you're unsure about the document you've crafted, why not send it for a free resume review by our team of expert resume writers? 

Recommended reading:

Ask Amanda: How Are a Resume Objective and a Resume Summary Different?

How to Write a Standout Career Summary

Business Acumen: What It Is and How You Can Showcase It On Your Resume

Related Articles:

Do Hiring Managers Actually Read Cover Letters?

How to Create a Resume With No Education

Why You Lose When You Lie on Your Resume: Learning From Mina Chang

See how your resume stacks up.

Career Advice Newsletter

Our experts gather the best career & resume tips weekly. Delivered weekly, always free.

Thanks! Career advice is on its way.

Share this article:

Let's stay in touch.

Subscribe today to get job tips and career advice that will come in handy.

Your information is secure. Please read our privacy policy for more information.

7 Small Business Owner Resume Examples for 2024

Many job seekers struggle with resumes. This article covers proven resume examples for small business owners and gives strategic advice. Learn to highlight your entrepreneurial skills, leadership, and business achievements effectively.

• 24 Aug 2024 - 5 new sections, including 'Where to place your education', added
• 24 Aug 2024 - 5 new resume templates, including Strategic Business Consultant (Aspiring Small Business Owner with minimal direct experience), added
• 22 Aug 2024 - Article published

  Next update scheduled for 01 Sep 2024

Here's what we see in top small business owner resumes:

Focus On Quantifiable Impact : Good resumes use numbers to show impact. Metrics include revenue growth , cost reduction , customer retention rate , and employee turnover rate .

Match Skills With Job Descriptions : Include skills on your resume that you have and are mentioned on the job description. Some popular ones are financial management , strategic planning , CRM software , market analysis , and inventory control . But don't include all of them, choose the ones you have and are mentioned in the JD.

Emphasize Relevant Experience : Show how your experience applies to the job. Use phrases like led marketing , managed operations , and increased sales .

use this maybe to have a resume upload button widget 1: yellow Here's a short quick tip / warning for people to include. If your symptoms get worse or do not improve after 1 day, go to a lower altitude if you can. Try to go around 300 to 1,000 metres lower.

widget 2: red / but not serious Here's a short quick tip / warning for people to include. If your symptoms get worse or do not improve after 1 day, go to a lower altitude if you can. Try to go around 300 to 1,000 metres lower.

helpful blue / but not serious Here's a short quick tip / warning for people to include. Here's a short quick tip / warning for people to include. Here's a short quick tip / warning for people to include. Here's a short quick tip / warning for people to include. Here's a short quick tip / warning for people to include. Here's a short quick tip / warning for people to include. Here's a short quick tip / warning for people to include.

Small Business Owner Resume Sample

Find out how good your resume is.

ummm here it is

Get your resume scored

Want to know how your resume stacks up for small business owner positions? Our resume scoring tool gives you a clear picture of where you stand. It evaluates your resume based on key criteria that recruiters look for when hiring entrepreneurs and business leaders.

Upload your resume now to get a free, unbiased assessment. You'll receive a score and useful feedback to help you improve your chances of landing your next business opportunity.

Where to place your education

Decide where to put your education on your resume by thinking about your work history. If you have been working for several years, list your experience first. Your knowledge as a business owner is what most hiring managers want to see.

If you recently finished a significant educational program, like an MBA, you should list your education first. This shows that you have fresh knowledge ready to apply to your business tasks.

Remember, if your education is not recent or highly relevant to the work you are seeking, it should not take the front seat on your resume. Always highlight your practical experience and skills gained from running a business first.

Highlight your achievements

Include specific achievements like increasing revenue, expanding customer base, or successful marketing campaigns. Numbers and percentages are effective.

Demonstrate your problem-solving skills by detailing how you resolved issues and improved business operations.

Junior Small Business Owner Resume Sample

Prioritize key information.

You need to prioritize the information that goes on the front page. Hiring managers often skim through the first page, so make sure it counts. List the highlights of your time as a business owner, such as significant growth figures or successful project launches, right at the beginning.

It's better to remove less relevant information than to squeeze everything in using small font or narrow margins. If you have to go beyond one page to include critical details, that is acceptable. However, keep readability in mind so that your strengths and experience are easily seen and understood.

Senior Small Business Owner Resume Sample

Use action verbs.

Start experience bullet points with strong action verbs like 'launched', 'grew', or 'optimized' to show your proactive approach.

Be specific about the actions you took and the results you achieved, this adds clarity and impact to your resume.

Small Business Owner with E-commerce Specialization Resume Sample

Strategic business consultant (aspiring small business owner with minimal direct experience) resume sample.

•   Business Owner Resume Examples
•   Entry Level Product Owner Resume Examples
•   Senior Product Owner Resume Examples
•   Technical Product Owner Resume Examples
•   Digital Product Owner Resume Examples
•   Product Owner Resume Examples
•   Product Marketing Manager Resume Examples
•   Content Writer Resume Examples

Quick links

Small business owner, resume sample #1, resume sample #2, resume sample #3, junior small business owner, resume sample #4, senior small business owner, resume sample #5, small business owner with e-commerce specialization, resume sample #6, strategic business consultant (aspiring small business owner with minimal direct experience), resume sample #7, additional resources, questions get in touch.

Human Resources Generalist Resume Examples and Templates for 2024

Human Resources Generalist Resume Templates and Examples (Download in App)

Most popular human resources generalist resumes.

• Human Resources Assistant
• Human Resources Business Partner
• 15 Human Resources
• Resume Text Examples

How To Write a Human Resources Generalist Resume

• HR Generalist With Three Years of Experience
• Experienced HR Generalist
• HR Generalist With 10 Years of Experience

Human Resources Assistant Resume Example

Human Resources Business Partner Resume Example

15 Human Resources Resume Example

Human Resources Generalist Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples

• HR Generalist Resume With Three Years of Experience
• Experienced HR Generalist Resume
• HR Generalist Resume Example with 10 Years of Experience

Anthony Gentile (123) 456-7890 [email protected] Philadelphia, PA 12345 LinkedIn | Portfolio

An HR generalist with three years of experience specializing in talent acquisition, compensation and benefits administration, and employee engagement. A proven track record of identifying opportunities to enhance daily HR operations and improve employee retention.

Professional Experience

HR Generalist , Corbin Construction Co., Philadelphia, PA | October 2021 – present

• Coordinate all aspects of daily HR operations for a construction firm with 300 employees, including recruiting, benefits administration, payroll management, and employee relations
• Develop sourcing strategies and conduct over 200 interviews to acquire top talent, resulting in a 25% increase in growth over three years
• Create new hire orientation and onboarding programs and successfully reduce average time-to-hire by 15%

HR Generalist , Henderson Residential Inc., Philadelphia, PA | June 2019 – October 2021

• Supported the HR manager in leading a department with 20 personnel, which included managing daily operations, employee compensation, and recruiting
• Identified timely resolutions to complex employee relations issues and collaborated across all levels of the organization to build a forward-thinking work culture, which contributed to a 20% increase in employee retention
• Communication
• Employee relations
• HR administration
• Learning and development
• Talent acquisition

Certifications

• Professional in Human Resources (PHR) HRCI | 2021

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Human Resources Temple University, Philadelphia, PA | 2021

This HR generalist resume is effective because it leverages compelling numbers and data to convey the full scope of the candidate’s achievements. Managing HR operations for midsize companies requires a certain level of expertise, which is further shown by the applicant’s ability to improve hiring processes and retention rates.

Jasmine Brown (123) 456-7890 [email protected] Detroit, MI 12345 LinkedIn | Portfolio

A dynamic HR generalist with seven years of experience leading HR operations for midsize companies with up to 400 employees. A strong history of collaborating with cross-functional groups and leadership teams to develop high-performing organizations.

HR Generalist , Astound Broadband, Detroit, MI | May 2020 – present

• Collaborate with a team of HR business partners to define and implement impactful HR programs and policies for a multinational internet provider with 400 employees
• Align recruitment, employee development, and performance management goals with long-term organizational objectives to facilitate business scaling
• Develop HR policies and procedures to resolve employee relations issues and coordinated with department managers to create employee management plans

HR Generalist , Jensen HVAC Co., Detroit, MI | June 2018 – May 2020

• Defined strategies for workforce planning, business restructuring, compensation, and training and development programs for an HVAC company with 200 employees
• Provided coaching to team managers to enhance performance management and improve employee relations, contributing to a 10% increase in staff retention
• HR operations
• Compensation and benefits
• Training and development
• Program development
• Professional in Human Resources, (PHR) HRCI | 2018

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Human Resources University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI | 2018

In this HR generalist resume example, the applicant highlights their expertise in program management and policy development. These skill sets are integral to any successful business, and featuring these insights helps to demonstrate how the candidate can provide strategic advice to potential employers.

Robert Ortiz (123) 456-7890 [email protected] Nashville, TN 12345 LinkedIn | Portfolio

A results-driven HR generalist with 10 years of experience specializing in operations management, policy development, and employee relations. A proven track record of building and leading dynamic HR teams to drive operational excellence and staff retention.

HR Generalist , Starlight Tech Solutions, Nashville, TN | February 2018 – present

• Act as a strategic partner to executive leadership on all HR matters, including training and development, compensation, people strategy, recruiting, and policy development for a video solutions company with 450 employees
• Coordinate with the HR manager and finance department in administering payroll, employee compensation, and benefits valued at $5.7 million
• Lead the end-to-end recruiting process, including applicant screening, interviewing, sourcing, and offer negotiations

HR Generalist , Alliance Technologies, Nashville, TN | June 2014 – February 2018

• Managed daily HR operations for an e-learning technology company with 250 staff, including talent acquisition, benefits, compensation, and performance management
• Developed and implemented new performance management programs to develop team members and drive employee engagement, resulting in a 20% increase in staff retention
• HR management
• Payroll administration
• Performance management
• Business strategy
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Professional in Human Resources, (PHR) HRCI | 2014

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Human Resources University of Nashville, Knoxville, TN | 2014

This HR generalist resume successfully captures everything the candidate brings to the table. The bullet points include a variety of numbers that stand out with appropriate context for how they were achieved. Also, the document explores the applicant’s leadership capabilities, which could help set them apart from the competition.

To write a great human resources (HR) generalist resume that stands out from the competition, create compelling content that tells your unique story as an HR professional. Think about how your programs, policies, and recruiting initiatives have helped organizations grow throughout your career. Emphasize the true impact of your contributions in terms of business success and employee development. We’ll provide expert tips to help you craft an impactful HR generalist resume.

1. Write a dynamic profile summarizing your qualifications

Leading with a powerful opening summary is a key strategy for any successful job application. As an HR generalist, you understand the intricacies of the hiring process and the importance of making a strong first impression. Leveraging that expertise will allow you to craft a resume profile that encapsulates the most engaging aspects of your HR background.

For example, if a company is looking for a candidate who specializes in talent acquisition and employee relations, emphasize how you acquired top talent and increased staff retention rates. If an employer is seeking an HR generalist with a strong knowledge of Workday, list this skill directly in the first sentence of your summary.

Profile Example #1

An HR generalist with five years of experience specializing in talent acquisition, compensation and benefits administration, and employee engagement. A proven track record of identifying opportunities to enhance daily HR operations and improve employee retention.

Profile Example #2

2. add an accomplishment-driven professional experience section.

Your HR generalist resume needs an accomplishment-driven professional experience section to separate you from other applicants. The key is to craft bullet points that demonstrate the impact of your contributions using hard data. For instance, highlighting the number of employees for the organization establishes a sense of scope for the daily HR operations you’ve managed. You might also draw attention to the number of employees you hired or feature a notable increase in staff retention.

Professional Experience Example #1

HR Generalist, Corbin Construction Co., Philadelphia, PA | October 2021 – present

• Create new hire orientation and onboarding programs and reduce average time-to-hire by 15%

Professional Experience Example #2

HR Generalist, Starlight Tech Solutions, Nashville, TN | February 2018 – present

3. Include relevant education and certifications

The vast majority of HR generalist positions require a bachelor’s degree. In addition to your college education, consider featuring key industry certifications to further demonstrate your comprehensive knowledge of the HR space. Obtaining a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) credential from the HR Certificate Institute could be particularly helpful during the job hunt.

• [Degree Name]
• [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] | [Graduation Year]
• Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Human Resources
• University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI | 2016
• [Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
• Professional in Human Resources (PHR) HRCI | 2019
• Associate Professional in Human Resources (aPHR), HRCI | 2018

4. List pertinent key skills

With experience in recruiting and talent acquisition, you already understand the role of applicant tracking systems (ATS) during the hiring process. To maximize your odds of generating job interviews, be sure to review each individual posting and identify keywords that match the employer’s needs. Incorporating a mix of HR terminology and leadership skills is a great way to emphasize your versatile skill sets to the hiring manager.

How To Pick The Best Human Resources Generalist Resume Template

No one-size-fits-all template caters to every individual hiring manager’s preferences. When selecting your resume template, opt for a format that places your content first. Graphics and colorful designs may seem attractive. But they don’t usually highlight why you’re qualified for the position, which should always be your main focus during the resume-building process.

Frequently Asked Questions: Human Resources Generalist Resume Examples and Advice

What are common action verbs for human resources generalist resumes -.

Diversifying your usage of action verbs can be challenging. In many instances, a limited number of verbs can properly convey your professional experience. That said, it’s particularly important to open each bullet point with a different action verb to avoid redundancy. We’ve compiled a list of action verbs to craft your HR generalist resume.

How do you align your resume with a human resources generalist job description? -

Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that job opportunities for HR generalists are expected to grow by 6% between 2022 and 2032. This equates to over 78,700 new openings each year. Although these growth rates are encouraging, you still need to tailor your resume toward each application to land the most lucrative HR roles.

Say an organization is seeking an HR generalist who excels in performance management. You would emphasize your ability to implement training and development programs that have positively impacted prior organizations. Dig deeper here, illustrating how your efforts improved operational effectiveness and employee retention rates.

What is the best human resources generalist resume format? -

HR generalists should opt for a reverse chronological resume format. This approach ensures that your most relevant and recent work history is featured toward the top of your document. A combination format should only be used if you’re making a career change and want to prioritize certifications and skill sets in lieu of hands-on industry experience.

Craft your perfect resume in minutes

Get 2x more interviews with Resume Builder. Access Pro Plan features for a limited time!

Once you’ve completed your HR generalist resume, consider pairing it with an eye-catching cover letter that expresses why you’re interested in a particular organization. To gain more insights, view our human resources (HR) cover letter guide .

Frank Hackett

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW)

Frank Hackett is a professional resume writer and career consultant with over eight years of experience. As the lead editor at a boutique career consulting firm, Frank developed an innovative approach to resume writing that empowers job seekers to tell their professional stories. His approach involves creating accomplishment-driven documents that balance keyword optimization with personal branding. Frank is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PAWRCC).

Check out Related Examples

Human Resources Assistant Resume Examples and Templates

Human Resources Business Partner Resume Examples and Templates

Human Resources Resume Examples and Templates

Build a Resume to Enhance Your Career

• Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills: List of Best Examples for the Workplace Learn More
• How To Describe Your Current Job Responsibilities Learn More
• How To Show That You Are Detailed-Oriented on Your Resume Learn More

Essential Guides for Your Job Search

• How to Write a Resume Learn More
• How to Write a Cover Letter Learn More
• Thank You Note Examples Learn More
• Resignation Letter Examples Learn More

Ideas / Business / How To Grow a Resume Writing Business

How To Grow a Resume Writing Business

Last modified on: August 20th, 2024

Starting a resume writing business can be a lucrative and fulfilling venture. As more people seek professional assistance in crafting their resumes, there is a growing demand for resume writing services. However, to maximize the potential of your business, it is important to have a strategy for growth. In this article, we will explore various strategies you can employ to grow your resume writing business successfully. Whether you are just starting or have an existing business, these tips will help you take your business to the next level.

Why Should you Grow your Resume Writing Business

Common strategies for growing a resume writing business, faqs about scaling a resume writing business, start growing your resume writing business with hostpapa today.

Before diving into the strategies for growth, let’s examine why it is important to expand your resume writing business. Growing your business allows you to reach a wider audience and increase your revenue potential. By scaling up, you can attract high-profile clients, collaborate with industry experts, and establish your brand as a leader in the resume writing field. Moreover, expanding your business allows you to hire additional staff and delegate tasks, freeing up more time for strategic planning and client acquisition.

Expanding your resume writing business also opens up opportunities for diversification. By offering additional services such as cover letter writing, LinkedIn profile optimization, or career coaching, you can cater to a broader range of client needs and increase your competitive edge in the market. Diversification can also help you weather economic downturns or changes in the job market by having multiple streams of income.

Furthermore, growing your business can lead to increased credibility and recognition within the industry. As your company expands its reach and takes on more high-profile projects, you will naturally attract attention from peers, competitors, and potential clients. This heightened visibility can open doors to speaking engagements, partnerships, and media opportunities, further solidifying your reputation as a go-to expert in the field of resume writing.

Are you a resume writer looking to take your business to the next level? Here are some additional strategies to consider:

6. Attend industry conferences and networking events:  Building relationships with professionals in your industry can open doors to new opportunities. Attend conferences and networking events where you can connect with potential clients and learn about the latest trends in resume writing. Take the time to introduce yourself, share your expertise, and exchange business cards. These connections can lead to referrals and collaborations that can help grow your business.

7. Offer additional career services:  While resume writing is your core service, expanding your offerings to include additional career services can attract a wider range of clients. Consider offering services such as LinkedIn profile optimization, cover letter writing, interview coaching, or job search strategy consultations. By providing a comprehensive suite of services, you can position yourself as a one-stop-shop for all things career-related.

8. Leverage the power of testimonials:  Positive client testimonials can be a powerful marketing tool. Reach out to satisfied clients and ask if they would be willing to provide a testimonial highlighting their positive experience working with you. Display these testimonials prominently on your website and social media platforms to build trust and credibility with potential clients. Testimonials can help potential clients see the value you bring and increase their confidence in your services.

9. Develop strategic partnerships:  Look for opportunities to collaborate with professionals and organizations that complement your services. For example, you could partner with professional development programs, career fairs, or job search platforms. By aligning yourself with reputable organizations, you can gain exposure to a wider audience and establish yourself as a trusted expert in the field.

10. Stay up-to-date with industry trends:  The resume writing industry is constantly evolving, with new trends and technologies emerging. Stay ahead of the curve by investing time in professional development and staying up-to-date with the latest industry trends. This can include attending webinars, participating in online forums, or joining professional associations. By staying informed, you can offer cutting-edge services that set you apart from your competitors.

By implementing these strategies, you can position your resume writing business for growth and success. Remember, consistency and dedication are key. Continuously evaluate and refine your services, adapt to the changing needs of your clients, and always strive to provide exceptional customer service. With the right approach, your business can thrive in the competitive world of resume writing.

Q: How long does it take to scale a resume writing business?

A: Scaling a business is a gradual process that varies depending on various factors such as market conditions, competition, your marketing efforts, and the quality of your services. It is important to have a well-thought-out growth plan and realistic expectations. While some businesses may experience rapid growth, others may take longer to reach their desired level of expansion.

Expanding a resume writing business involves more than just increasing the number of clients. It requires building a strong reputation, developing efficient processes, and nurturing client relationships. By focusing on providing exceptional service and continuously improving your skills, you can create a sustainable path for growth in the competitive resume writing industry.

Q: Should I hire additional staff to scale my business?

A: Hiring additional staff can be a strategic move to handle increased demand and expand your service capabilities. However, it is crucial to assess your finances and workload before making this decision. Consider outsourcing certain tasks or partnering with freelancers to manage workflow fluctuations before committing to permanent hires.

When considering hiring additional staff, think about the specific roles that need to be filled to support your business growth. Look for individuals who not only have the necessary skills but also align with your company culture and values. Building a strong team can enhance productivity and allow you to focus on strategic aspects of scaling your resume writing business.

Q: How can I stand out from competitors?

A: To differentiate yourself from competitors, focus on providing exceptional value and personalized service. Invest in your professional development, stay up-to-date with industry trends, and continually improve your skills. Engage with clients on a personal level, understand their unique needs, and tailor your services accordingly. By continuously delivering high-quality work and going above and beyond, you will build a reputation that sets you apart.

Building a strong brand identity can also help you stand out in a crowded market. Develop a unique selling proposition that highlights what makes your resume writing services different from others. Utilize social media and networking opportunities to showcase your expertise and connect with potential clients. By consistently demonstrating your expertise and commitment to client satisfaction, you can position your business as a top choice in the competitive resume writing industry.

When expanding your resume writing business, having a reliable web hosting provider is crucial. HostPapa offers affordable hosting plans that come with reliable service and excellent customer support. With their easy-to-use website builder, you can quickly create a professional-looking website to showcase your resume writing services. Visit HostPapa today and take the first step towards growing your resume writing business!

Establishing a strong online presence is essential in today’s competitive job market. With HostPapa’s hosting solutions, you can not only create a visually appealing website but also ensure that it is secure and accessible to potential clients 24/7. Their servers are optimized for speed and performance, guaranteeing a seamless browsing experience for visitors to your site. By partnering with HostPapa, you can focus on what you do best – crafting compelling resumes – while they take care of the technical aspects of hosting.

Moreover, HostPapa’s commitment to sustainability sets them apart from other hosting providers. Their data centers are powered by renewable energy sources, reducing the carbon footprint of your website. This eco-friendly approach aligns with the values of many modern consumers, giving you an edge in attracting environmentally conscious clients. Join HostPapa today and join a community of businesses dedicated to both professional success and environmental stewardship.

The HostPapa customer support team is here to help you achieve your online aspirations and your business goals.

Skyrocket your online business with our powerful Shared Hosting

Shared Hosting from HostPapa is suited for all your business needs! No‑risk 30‑day money‑back guarantee. 99.9% uptime guarantee. 24/7 support. Free setup & domain name.†

Related Posts

How to grow a piercing business.

In today’s competitive market, growing your piercing business is essential to staying ahead of the curve. With a saturated market and increasing demand… Continue reading How To Grow a Piercing Business

How To Grow a Pastry Business

Running a successful pastry business can be a fulfilling and rewarding venture. Whether you are just starting out or looking to expand, there… Continue reading How To Grow a Pastry Business

Search form

Make a Gift

Department of Economics

• Undergraduate

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

Get in touch with us

• About Realtyna
• In the Media
• Affiliate Area
• Affiliates – FAQ’s
• Terms & Conditions
• Get a free quote
• Realtyna Privacy Policy

We're thrilled to introduce the latest MLS On The Fly™ technology, setting a new standard for efficiency and innovation in our products moving toward being an API-First company!

• Realtyna - Real Estate Web

How to Write a Real Estate Resume

• No products in the cart.

Your resume serves as your professional calling card. It’s often the first impression you make on potential brokers and clients, so crafting a comprehensive and compelling resume is crucial to your success.

In this guide, you’ll discover the essential elements of a standout real estate agent resume, from highlighting your sales achievements to showcasing your market expertise.

You’ll learn how to effectively present your licensing credentials, outline your professional experience, and demonstrate your unique value proposition.

Whether you’re a seasoned agent or just starting your career, this article will provide you with practical examples and actionable tips to create a resume that sets you apart in the competitive real estate industry .

How to Structure Your Real Estate Agent Resume

The structure is important, you are building your own pyramids and to make it close to Egyptian pyramids, you need to work on the structure first.

Contact Information and Professional Summary

Begin your resume with your full name, phone number, email address, and location. Follow this with a concise professional summary that highlights your key strengths and experiences as a real estate agent. This snapshot should entice hiring managers to read further.

Make sure your email is eye-catching and easy to remember, read real estate email address ideas if you don’t have your own yet.

Work Experience

List your relevant work history in reverse chronological order. For each position, include:

• Job title, company name, and location
• Dates of employment
• 3-5 bullet points describing your key responsibilities and achievements

Quantify your accomplishments whenever possible. For example, “Closed $5 million in residential sales in 2022” or “Increased client base by 30% through effective networking strategies.”

Education and Certifications

Include your educational background, focusing on degrees or coursework related to real estate. List any relevant certifications, such as your real estate license or additional specialized training.

Skills and Expertise

Create a dedicated section to highlight your key skills and areas of expertise. Include both hard skills (e.g., property valuation, contract negotiation) and soft skills (e.g., communication, client relations) that are essential for success as a real estate agent.

Real Estate Agent Resume Examples and Templates

It’s always helpful to review examples and templates tailored to the industry. These resources can provide inspiration and guidance on how to structure your resume effectively.

Sample Resume Sections

When crafting your real estate agent resume, consider including these key sections:

• Professional Summary: A brief overview highlighting your experience, skills, and achievements in real estate.
• Work Experience: Detailed descriptions of your roles, responsibilities, and accomplishments in previous positions.
• Education and Certifications: List relevant degrees, licenses, and certifications.
• Skills: Highlight both hard and soft skills essential for success in real estate.
• Awards and Achievements: Showcase any recognition or notable accomplishments in your career.

Customizable Templates

Template is SUPER IMPORTANT!

Did you choose an ugly template? Done, you will be ignored.

Make sure your resume is Shik and good-looking.

Many online resources offer customizable real estate agent resume templates. These templates often include:

• Traditional formats for established agents
• Modern designs for those seeking to stand out (Recommended)
• ATS-friendly layouts to ensure your resume passes automated screening systems

Tips for Writing an Effective Real Estate Agent Resume

Tailor Your Resume to the Job Description

One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to resumes. Carefully review the job description and customize your resume to align with the specific requirements and preferences of the hiring company. Use relevant keywords and phrases from the job posting to demonstrate that you’re a perfect fit for the position.

Quantify Your Achievements

Numbers speak louder than words in the real estate industry. Instead of simply listing your responsibilities, focus on quantifiable achievements. For example, mention the number of properties you’ve sold, the percentage increase in your sales year-over-year, or the total value of transactions you’ve closed.

Showcase Your Tech-Savviness

In today’s digital age, real estate agents need to be tech-savvy. Highlight your proficiency in industry-specific software, CRM systems, and social media platforms. Demonstrating your ability to leverage technology for marketing properties and managing client relationships can give you a significant edge in your job search.

Common Mistakes to Avoid on Your Real Estate Agent Resume

Humans are mistakable, so real estate agents. As many updates you do to your resume, you will find new weaknesses and strength points.

Be careful about these commons and make sure you avoid these:

Overloading with Irrelevant Information

One of the biggest mistakes real estate agents make is including unnecessary details that don’t directly relate to the job. Remember, hiring managers are primarily interested in your real estate experience, sales achievements, and relevant skills. Avoid listing unrelated jobs or hobbies that don’t showcase your ability to excel in real estate.

Neglecting to Quantify Achievements

Another common error is failing to provide concrete numbers and statistics to back up your accomplishments. Instead of vague statements, use specific figures to highlight your success. For example, “Closed $5 million in sales within the first year” is much more impactful than “Successfully closed multiple deals.”

Overlooking the Importance of Formatting

A cluttered, hard-to-read resume can quickly turn off potential employers. Ensure your resume is well-organized, uses a clean font, and incorporates ample white space. Use bullet points to list key achievements and keep paragraphs short. Remember, a visually appealing resume is more likely to catch and hold a hiring manager’s attention.

That was all, you know know more than before when it comes to real estate resumes.

Now go ahead and prepare your resume, you can use online tools live Canva, this online tool has so many templates and ideas that you can use.

Thanks for reading.

Rate our blogs

Stay Up To Date

Get the knowledge you need delivered straight to your inbox, no comments.

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.

Privacy Overview

Important update:.

We’re thrilled to introduce the latest MLS On The Fly™ technology, setting a new standard for efficiency and innovation in our products moving toward being an API-First company! Starting January 1, 2025, we will exclusively support and update products based on this advanced technology, ensuring you stay ahead with the most cutting-edge tools at your disposal.

Please note, as we embrace this new era, support for the Legacy MLS Add-on, RETS Integrations, and Data Replicator Functions will conclude on December 31, 2024. We encourage you to contact our team to discuss your migration plans, ensuring a smooth transition to the exciting possibilities with MLS On The Fly™.

Got Questions? Need More Info/Demo?

Request a demo.

Already Have An Account?

Want to Get Ahead in Your Real Estate Business?

Stay up to date on all things real estate & real estate tech with our weekly newsletter..