How to Write a Resume: A Step-by-Step Guide for Job Seekers

Writing a resume can be an intimidating task, especially if you're unsure of where to start. With the proper knowledge and advice, crafting a resume can be an achievable endeavor for any job seeker. This article will provide an overview of how to craft a resume that catches the eye of recruiters, from job descriptions and formats to highlighting your skills and making sure your resume stands out. With these tips in hand, writing a compelling resume is within reach for any job seeker.

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How to Build the Perfect Resume

Writing or improving your resume might seem like a daunting task, so we recommend breaking it down into individual steps and doing each one at a time. Done correctly, you can usually fix up your resume in an hour or less. Here are the key steps:

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1. Understand the job description. Make sure you understand what the company (or types of companies) you are applying for are looking for. Your resume should feel unique and targeted from the experience you list to the skills or keywords you include.
2. Choose the right resume format. We typically recommend a chronological format. Don't worry, we have a template you can copy and use!
3. Include only important contact information. A hiring manager should be able to contact you or view quick links to your Linkedin profile.
4. Nail your resume summary or objective. This is your opportunity to make a powerful first impression while enticing the recruiter to read further.
5. Write about your relevant work experience. Sharing past work experiences is the best way to convince a hiring manager that you have the skills needed to do the job. Stand out by avoiding what you did and instead sharing the impact you had in prior roles.
6. Add relevant educational experience. Only include your highest educational level and keep this section short unless you are a recent graduate with a high GPA you want to show off.
7. Highlight (hard) skills that are relevant to the job. Avoid generic skills like "hard-working" or "team-player" in favor of hard skills that help you stand out.
8. Make your resume stand out. While remaining professional, make sure your personality shines through in your resume. If you have any unique or quirky skills or interests, add them as a way to catch the eye of a recruiter!

There you have it. Quick and easy. Before going through each step below, pull up your existing resume or use our standard template here to make updates as you go.

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Understand the Job Description

When writing a resume, it's not enough to just list your qualifications; you must tailor your resume to fit the position. Doing so will show employers that you have what it takes for the role and make you stand out from other applicants.

Start by reading through the job descriptions of a few companies you're interested in applying to, taking notes on key points such as required skills, experience, and education level. Note any special qualifications or certifications needed for this role - these can help set you apart from other candidates with similar resumes. Look for things like:

• Required certifications
• Years of experience required
• Degrees required
• Specific skills listed

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Here is an extreme example from a job description for a Director-Level position at Visa.

After reading through this description, you know that your resume needs to make the following things clear:

• You ideally have 15+ years of experience (or more advanced degrees with less experience)
• You have experience with payment systems
• You are a strong communicator with leadership experience within large organizations

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Next, look at how your current skillset matches up with what is required in the job posting. Think about which of your accomplishments could be relevant to this particular role and include them in your resume accordingly. Be sure to highlight any awards or recognition received while performing those tasks as well – they can give potential employers an idea of how well-rounded you are as a candidate.

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Finally, consider ways that you could demonstrate soft skills like communication or teamwork throughout the application process. Though not always stated in job descriptions, employers often prioritize soft skills such as communication and teamwork. Showing off some of these abilities during an interview or on a cover letter can help give hiring managers an even better impression of who you are as a professional and why they should hire you over another applicant.

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Choose a Resume Format

When choosing a resume format, it is essential to consider how your qualifications and background match the desired job. The most important factor is how your skills and experience match the job you’re applying for. Depending on what type of position you’re looking for, there are three main types of resumes that can help you stand out from the competition: chronological, functional, and combination.

• Chronological Resumes focus on presenting work history in reverse-chronological order with the most recent position listed first. This is an ideal choice if you have a consistent work history or education background relevant to the job opening. It also makes it easy for recruiters to quickly skim through your accomplishments and qualifications without getting lost in too many details about each role or project.
• Functional Resumes emphasize particular competencies and accomplishments as opposed to simply detailing every job role in reverse chronological order. This type of format is ideal for those with gaps in their work history or looking to emphasize special abilities that make them an appropriate pick for the position, such as problem-solving ability, team leadership aptitude, etc. Functional resumes also give applicants more freedom with formatting since there's no need to adhere strictly to dates/timeframes associated with past positions; this can be beneficial if someone wants their resume tailored towards certain industry keywords.
• Combination Resumes present an overview of your key skill sets followed by a timeline detailing all relevant past positions held. This approach gives employers a better sense of who you are professionally and provides insight into where exactly you have worked previously so they can determine whether your experiences align with what's being asked from this new opportunity (e.g., prior retail sales experience may be advantageous when applying for a store manager position). A Combination Resume is becoming increasingly popular among advanced level professionals due to its ability to show off their talents in the most efficient way possible while still giving recruiters enough information about their history that it won't get lost in translation. Plus, using industry-specific keywords helps boost searchability and visibility as well.

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While it's helpful to know the different types of resumes out there, we typically recommend the chronological format for most candidates. If you want to utilize our standard recommended template, you can find it here.

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Simplify the Resume Layout

When it comes to resumes, the layout is just as important as the content.

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You want your resume to pass the “glance, skim and read” test – that is, you want a recruiter to be able to quickly glance at it and get an idea of who you are; then skim through it for more details; and finally read every word if they’re interested in learning more about you.

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To make sure this happens, here are some tips on how to simplify your resume layout:

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We also recommend the following:

• Have clear section headers and dividers between content and allow for plenty of white space around the margins.
• Use short and sweet bullet points instead of long paragraphs when possible. Avoid 'hanging words' where there are only 3-4 words that go onto the next line.
• Always save your resume as a PDF before submitting! A PDF will ensure your resume maintains its formatting.

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Finally, try not to exceed five lines per section with fewer words being better than more in each case. After all, recruiters don't have time for flowery language - they're looking for concise information that gets straight to the point!

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By following these simple guidelines, you'll be well on your way towards creating a resume that passes the “glance-skim-read” test with flying colors!

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Include Contact Information

It's important to include your contact information on your resume. Your name, address, phone number and email address should be at the top of the page. Including your contact details in a CV makes it easier for prospective employers to reach out and discuss potential job opportunities.

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We recommend including the following information at the top of your resume:

• First and Last Name
• Email address -- avoid using nicknames or other unprofessional names for this purpose
• Phone number
• Current address -- including both city and state (tip -- if you're planning to move somehwere, add that city / state instead of where you are currently. It will help with companies looking to hire locally)
• Linkedin URL
• Optional: any additional references like a portfolio website, blog, or other professional items

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Including your contact information is an essential part of creating a successful resume. Potential employers should have no difficulty reaching out to you when they are ready to extend an offer, thanks to your contact details being included on the resume. Next, let's look at crafting a synopsis or purpose statement to incorporate into your resume which will give further understanding of yourself and why you would be an ideal selection for the position.

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Write a Summary or Objective

Remember the "glance, skim, read" test from earlier? Crafting a succinct, clear summary or goal declaration for your resume is an essential step in passing that test. It's your chance to make a great first impression and show employers why you are the right person for the job. A well-crafted summary or objective statement should be concise, clear, and focused on what you bring to the table as a professional.

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A good summary typically follows a format like this:

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First, summarize who you are in one sentence. Something like:

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Or

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Next, reference any significant accomplishments or relevant skills that would benefit this particular position—this could include technical abilities such as coding languages or software programs; soft skills like communication and problem solving; and industry-specific knowledge that sets you apart from other applicants. If you can, try to quantify your accomplishments. For example:

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Or

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Finally, end your summary or objective statement with an explanation of why this particular role appeals to you personally. Keep it brief but sincere here – no need for flowery language – just explain why this opportunity stands out above others and makes sense for both parties involved if hired successfully. For example:

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If you're struggling to start on your summary, try brainstorming any accomplishments that demonstrate how effective you have been at previous jobs: awards won, successful projects completed, etc. Showing tangible evidence of success helps employers visualize how hiring you could benefit their organization in terms of results achieved rather than just tasks completed day-to-day.

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Describe Your Work Experience

Sharing your prior work experience (or related experience) is arguable THE most important section of your resume. It also tends to be the hardest thing to get right. We recommend tackling your work experience based on how much experience you have an how relevant it is.

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If you have significant experience (5+ years):

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Start by including your current or most recent position first and then go back in time from there. Be sure to include the company name, location, title of role and dates of employment for each position you list (you just need MM/YYYY, not the exact day).

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Next add only your past experiences that directly relate to the position you are applying for. For example, if you are applying to be a product manager and have worked as one for the last 5 years, you can safely remove your experience working as a retail store cashier 6 years ago. Remember: your resume is not a life story. A recruiter will only care about experiences you list that help prove you would make a great hire.

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If you are entry-level or have limited experience:

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Now is the time to reflect on those job descriptions. Ask yourself: are there any work-adjacent experiences I have had that apply to the skills needed for the job I'm applying to? For example, let's say you are applying to an entry level social media manager job. Maybe you were the Vice President of Social Media for a school club or other organization. Or maybe you had a babysitting job where you had to create flyers and market yourself in your neighborhood. You can write about those experiences and relate them back to the job you're applying for.

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It may be possible that you truly don't have the experience or skills required, and that's ok. If that is the case, you need to seek out experiences that will give you those experiences or skills -- things like online courses or certifications, internships, or even networking in the industry to learn more. Return to your resume writing once you have those experiences.

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Whether you have limited experience or many years of experience, you want to write bullets about your experience in the same way.

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Here are our top tips on how to write effective experience bullets:

• Utilize the task, action, result framework. Explain what you were supposed to do, how you did it, and what the impact or results were of your actions.
• Always begin your sentences with action verbs. Things like "managed", "organized", "developed", or "led".
• Quantify your impact wherever possible. Don't just say you "completed sales calls". Instead say you "boosted sales by 20%". Sharing numbers of how much you grew, improved, or impacted your job help recruiters tangibly understand the value you provided.
• Contextualize all experience to the job description. Don't include everything you did at a prior job, only the things that are relevant to the one you're applying for. If you got coffee for your boss every day, unless your new role is going to involve frequent coffee run, you can leave that off.
• Trim the fat. Along with contextualizing your experience, limit each work section to only three bullets if you can.

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When sharing experiences you should be direct, to the point, and prove the value you have provided in the past to organizations or teams.

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List Your Education

Including any educational qualifications, certifications or achievements attained is helpful when crafting a resume to provide a recruiter quick context into your educational background.

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Start by including all relevant post-secondary degrees and certificates in reverse chronological order. Be sure to list the degree title, school name, location (city/state) and graduation year for each entry. If applicable, also include any honors or awards that were associated with your degree program such as dean’s list recognition or scholarship awards.

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Many candidates ask what to do about their GPA. Our rule of thumb is to include it if it is very good (above a 3.5) and exclude if it is below that.

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Generally speaking, your education should include more information and be featured more prominently if you are a recent grad looking for their first job out of school. In that case, you should place your education section at the top of your resume above work / relevant experience and include things like study abroad programs, relevant coursework, and other information. After you have at least 1 year of relevant work experience, you should then move the section below and start reducing the amount of information included over time.

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Be sure to explain any gaps in your education, such as taking time off for personal reasons like travel or raising children, with a brief description on the resume itself. Additionally, don't forget about professional development courses completed during employment that are relevant to the position being applied for; these should be listed separately from traditional academic credentials but still included under "Education" section of the document. Highlight this knowledge by using keywords and idioms specific to your field while demonstrating advanced level expertise through proper grammar and spelling without overusing exclamation points.

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Including your educational background on your CV is an essential component of presenting a professional profile. Now it's time to highlight the skills that you have acquired through this education and any other experiences.

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Highlight Your Skills and Interests

We recommend including a section at the bottom of your resume to highlight any special skills or abilities that make you stand out from other applicants. By showcasing your unique talents and abilities, you can demonstrate to employers why they should choose you over other applicants.

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It's important to note that you should use this section to emphasize skills that you discovered during your job research and focus more on hard skills than soft skills here. For example, listing your skills as "hard-working, team player, good communicator, organized" sounds great, but ultimately will mean nothing to a recruiter because they are so generic. Remember, you are trying to stand out -- any good candidate is going to be hard-working right?

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Instead, include hard skills that might be required in the role. And no, we don't mean "proficient in Microsoft Office". That might as well scream "I'm just filling up this section". As an example, if you're applying for a sales position you might reference experience with Linkedin Sales Navigator, ZoomInfo, or Outreach (these are sales platforms that an entry level sales employee will need to know how to use).

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If you have them, include any certifications or awards that demonstrate expertise in a certain area. If possible, list specific accomplishments related to these certifications or awards and provide evidence of how they helped improve processes at past companies where applicable. Additionally, it may be beneficial to include instances of tasks that were successfully completed along with pertinent software and resources related to the job.

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Demonstrating your proficiencies is a must to prove to recruiters that you are the top pick for a role. Make sure your resume stands out by utilizing creative design, powerful language, and relevant keywords to make it memorable.

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Make Sure Your Resume Stands Out

So you have a well-formatted resume organized with relevant work experience, your educational background, and specific skills proving you're the best person for the job. The last step we recommend is to do a final run through and ask yourself -- how can I make this resume more ME?

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You can do this by including some personal interests on your resume as well. These could range from volunteer work or hobbies like painting or photography which demonstrate a wide range of skills such as creativity and problem-solving abilities which employers find attractive in potential employees. In addition, these pursuits can offer hiring managers an insight into who you are beyond the professional sphere, potentially revealing if your personality is compatible with their organization's atmosphere.

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If you can, try and choose something that you're genuinely interested / excited by that might be different or unique. For example: maybe you are a recreational juggler (don't choose that one, pick something that is unique to YOU). Now that's kind of random and unique right? There are two reason to do this. First, keep in mind that a recruiter might be looking at hundreds of resumes every single day. A random, unique, interesting fact about you might be just the thing to interrupt their monotonous process and get your resume an extra look. Second, remember that if you DO get past the resume screen stage, you will have an actual interview! And guess what the first thing you and your interviewer will discuss? That's right, your resume. A unique fact will be a great conversation starter. It's certainly not more important that nailing the rest of your resume, but any extra advantage goes a long way.

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Finally, make sure your resume stands out by completing a final review. Ensure it looks neat and presentable with no spelling mistakes or typos throughout it; these small errors can really put off potential employers when looking through resumes so make sure everything is perfect before sending it off. Verifying that all data featured in the resume is current and precise should be done before submitting it; any discrepancies or changes must be double-checked to guarantee its accuracy. With these tips in mind, there is no doubt that yours will stand out amongst other applicants.

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Conclusion

Creating a resume that stands out from the crowd can be daunting, but it doesn't have to be. By following these steps and keeping in mind your job description, you'll find yourself with an impressive document ready for submission. Remember to keep it simple and tailored towards what employers are looking for when they write a resume - this will ensure you make the best impression possible.

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Take the next step in your career and equip yourself with the knowledge to write a compelling resume. Learn how to create an effective cover letter, build your LinkedIn profile, prepare for interviews, and develop essential skills that will set you apart from other job seekers.