Essential tips and sections for building a competitive resume in today's job market.
Crafting a standout resume is key to catching the eye of hiring managers. This guide will walk you through the essential sections and best practices for creating a resume that highlights your strengths and aligns with job requirements.
Before you begin
How to write a resume
To create a standout resume, strategically tailor its structure to showcase your strongest qualifications front and center, depending on your career stage and the job's demands. Maintain a clean, ATS-friendly format with a professional font like Arial or Times New Roman, size 10-12. Start with a compelling header, followed by a customized summary using precise action verbs. Detail your experience in reverse chronological order, using bullet points to highlight impactful achievements. For recent graduates or those with less experience, emphasize education and include relevant projects or coursework. Address potential red flags, like employment gaps or career shifts, by succinctly explaining these in a positive light within your cover letter or summary. Include skills and optional sections like languages or professional affiliations as per their relevance to the job. Lastly, ensure your resume is error-free and aesthetically pleasing, which reflects attention to detail and professionalism.
Header
Contact Information
Include your full name, phone number, professional email address, and LinkedIn profile. If relevant, add a link to your personal website or online portfolio.
Professional Title
Right under your name, specify your professional title or the role you're targeting, which helps to set the context of your resume immediately.
Professional Summary
Summary Statement
A brief, impactful statement that summarizes your professional background, key skills, and career goals, tailored to the specific job you're applying for.
Work Experience
Job Descriptions
List your past roles in reverse chronological order, focusing on accomplishments rather than duties. Use bullet points to describe your achievements and quantify them with data when possible.
Education
Academic Background
Detail your degrees, relevant courses, and any academic honors. For recent graduates, this section may appear before the work experience.
Skills
Relevant Skills
Highlight technical and soft skills that are directly relevant to the job. Organize this section into a clean, easy-to-read format, possibly using bullet points.
Additional Sections
Certifications and Publications
Include any certifications, licenses, or publications that are relevant to the job. This can also include professional affiliations and conferences.
Languages and Interests
Optional section where languages can be a key asset depending on the job, and interests can be included if they add depth to your profile or relate to the job.
Tailoring Your Resume
Customization for Each Application
Adapt your resume for each job application by mirroring the language and keywords found in the job description, which helps pass ATS scans and aligns your resume more closely with job expectations.
Final Touches
Professional Formatting
Use a clean layout with a professional font and consistent formatting to ensure readability. Pay careful attention to detail by thoroughly proofreading for any errors.