How to write a resume
A good resume is short, easy to scan in 30 seconds, and shows results, not just duties. This guide walks through each part in the order a recruiter reads it. You can fill in the editor as you go.
1. Contact details
Full name, the role you're after, email, phone and city. Skip your full street address, ID numbers, marital status and date of birth: recruiters don't use them to screen, and they can invite bias.
Use an email address with your name in it. If you have LinkedIn or a portfolio, add it under links.
2. Summary
Two or three sentences on who you are, what you do best and what you're looking for. For example: "Marketing analyst with 4 years in e-commerce, focused on paid media and data analysis. Looking for a team lead role in retail."
Avoid filler like "hard-working" and "team player". Replace it with facts.
3. Experience
Most recent first. For each role: title, company, dates and three to five lines on what you did. Start each line with a verb and, whenever you can, a number:
- "Cut cost per sale by 22% by restructuring campaigns."
- "Handled about 40 customers a day with a 4.8 satisfaction score."
- "Trained 6 new hires on the inventory system."
In the editor, start lines with "-" to make a bullet list. Roles older than ten years or unrelated to the job can be shortened or dropped.
4. Education
Degree, school and graduation year (or "in progress"). If you have a degree, you don't need to list high school. Short courses and relevant certifications go here too.
5. Skills and languages
List the tools and knowledge the job asks for: advanced Excel, Photoshop, SQL, customer service. For languages, state your level honestly (basic, intermediate, advanced, fluent); it may be tested in the interview.
Length, photo and format
- Length: one page for up to about 5 years of experience; two at most for everyone else.
- Photo: in the US, UK and Canada, leave it out. In parts of Europe, Latin America and Asia it is common. Use the With photo template when it's expected.
- Format: send a PDF, which keeps the layout on any device. Name the file after yourself, like "jane-doe-resume.pdf".
- ATS: large companies run resumes through software before a person sees them. The single-column Classic template is the safest choice for those systems.
Common mistakes
- Typos. Read it out loud before sending.
- Sending the same resume to every job. Tailor the summary and skills to each one.
- Listing duties with no outcome ("responsible for reports").
- Inflating a language level or a title. It shows in the interview or the background check.