Resumatory
Complete Writing Guide

How to Write a ResumeThat Gets You Interviews

Learn to create a professional resume that stands out to employers and passes through Applicant Tracking Systems with our step-by-step guide.

Choose Your Resume Format

Select the format that best showcases your experience and career goals

Chronological Resume

Lists work experience in reverse chronological order

Best for: Traditional career paths with steady employment history

Functional Resume

Focuses on skills and abilities rather than work history

Best for: Career changers, employment gaps, or entry-level candidates

Combination Resume

Blends chronological and functional formats

Best for: Experienced professionals with diverse skill sets

Step-by-Step Resume Writing Guide

Follow our detailed guide to create each section of your resume

Contact Information & Header

5 min

Start with your essential contact details at the top of your resume.

What to Include:

  • Full name (use a larger, professional font)
  • Phone number (professional voicemail greeting)
  • Email address (professional, not cute or funny)
  • City and state (full address not required)
  • LinkedIn profile URL
  • Portfolio or personal website (if relevant)

    • Pro Tips:

  • Use a professional email address (firstname.lastname@email.com)
  • Ensure your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date
  • Include your portfolio link for creative fields
  • Make your name the largest text element on the page
  • Consider using a subtle header design to stand out
    • Examples:
    ✅ john.smith@email.com
    ❌ partyguy2023@email.com
    ✅ linkedin.com/in/johnsmith
    ✅ johnsmith.design (for designers)

    Professional Summary

    10 min

    Write a compelling 2-3 sentence overview of your professional value.

    Structure:

  • Start with your job title or area of expertise
  • Highlight 2-3 key achievements or skills
  • Mention years of experience
  • Include what you can do for the employer

    • Formula:

    [Job Title] with [X years] of experience in [industry/field]. Proven track record of [specific achievement]. Seeking to leverage [relevant skills] to [what you'll do for the company].

    Examples by Experience Level:

  • Entry-level: Focus on education, internships, and transferable skills
  • Mid-level: Emphasize key achievements and specialized skills
  • Senior-level: Highlight leadership experience and major accomplishments
    • Examples:
    Digital Marketing Manager with 5+ years driving 300% ROI improvements through data-driven campaigns.
    Recent Computer Science graduate with internship experience at Fortune 500 companies and expertise in Python, Java, and cloud technologies.
    Senior Software Engineer with 8+ years building scalable applications, leading teams of 10+, and delivering projects 20% ahead of schedule.

    Work Experience

    20 min

    Detail your professional experience using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

    Format for Each Position:

  • Job title, Company name, Location, Dates
  • 3-5 bullet points describing accomplishments
  • Use action verbs to start each bullet point
  • Include quantifiable results whenever possible
  • Focus on achievements, not just duties

    • Action Verbs by Category:

  • Leadership: Led, Managed, Supervised, Coordinated, Directed
  • Achievement: Achieved, Exceeded, Improved, Increased, Reduced
  • Communication: Presented, Negotiated, Collaborated, Facilitated
  • Problem-solving: Solved, Analyzed, Streamlined, Optimized, Implemented

    • Quantify Your Impact:

  • Use numbers, percentages, dollar amounts
  • Show before/after comparisons
  • Mention team sizes, project scopes, timelines
  • Include customer satisfaction scores, efficiency gains
    • Examples:
    • Increased sales revenue by 35% ($2.1M) through implementation of new CRM system and targeted email campaigns
    • Led cross-functional team of 12 developers to deliver mobile app 3 weeks ahead of schedule, resulting in 50K+ downloads
    • Reduced customer service response time by 60% (from 24 hours to 9 hours) by optimizing workflow processes

    Education Section

    5 min

    Include your educational background, focusing on the most relevant information.

    What to Include:

  • Degree type and major
  • Institution name and location
  • Graduation date (month/year)
  • GPA (if 3.5 or higher and you're a recent graduate)
  • Relevant coursework, honors, or activities

    • Education Formatting:

  • Recent graduates: Place education section near the top
  • Experienced professionals: Place after work experience
  • Multiple degrees: List in reverse chronological order
  • Incomplete degrees: Include if you completed significant coursework

    • Additional Education Elements:

  • Certifications and licenses
  • Professional development courses
  • Relevant online courses (Coursera, Udemy, etc.)
  • Industry-specific training programs
  • Study abroad experiences (if relevant to the role)
    • Examples:
    Bachelor of Science in Computer Science University of California, Berkeley | May 2022 GPA: 3.8/4.0 | Dean's List
    Master of Business Administration (MBA) Stanford Graduate School of Business | June 2020 Concentration: Marketing and Strategy
    Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) Community College of Denver | May 2021 Nursing License: RN #123456

    Skills Section

    10 min

    Highlight your relevant technical and soft skills that match the job requirements.

    Types of Skills to Include:

  • Technical skills (software, programming languages, tools)
  • Industry-specific skills
  • Language proficiencies
  • Soft skills (leadership, communication, problem-solving)
  • Certifications and professional qualifications

    • Organization Methods:

  • By category (Technical Skills, Languages, Soft Skills)
  • By proficiency level (Expert, Proficient, Familiar)
  • By relevance to the job posting
  • Combined with years of experience

    • Best Practices:

  • Tailor skills to each job application
  • Use exact keywords from job postings
  • Be honest about proficiency levels
  • Include both hard and soft skills
  • Update regularly as you learn new skills
    • Examples:
    Technical: Python, JavaScript, React, AWS, Docker, Git
    Marketing: Google Analytics, HubSpot, Salesforce, SEO/SEM, A/B Testing
    Languages: English (Native), Spanish (Fluent), French (Conversational)

    Optional Sections

    15 min

    Add relevant optional sections to strengthen your candidacy and show personality.

    Projects Section:

  • Relevant personal, academic, or professional projects
  • Include project title, description, technologies used, and outcomes
  • Link to GitHub repositories or live demos
  • Quantify impact where possible

    • Volunteer Experience:

  • Shows character and community involvement
  • Can demonstrate transferable skills
  • Format similar to work experience
  • Particularly valuable for entry-level candidates

    • Awards and Honors:

  • Professional recognition and achievements
  • Academic honors and scholarships
  • Industry awards and certifications
  • Leadership recognitions

    • Publications and Speaking:

  • Industry publications or blog posts
  • Conference presentations
  • Podcast appearances
  • Research contributions

    • Additional Sections to Consider:

  • Professional memberships
  • Relevant hobbies and interests
  • Patents or intellectual property
  • Military service
  • International experience
    • Examples:
    Personal Finance App | Led 4-person team to develop React Native app with 10K+ downloads and 4.8-star rating
    Habitat for Humanity Volunteer | Coordinated 15-person teams for home building projects, developing leadership and project management skills
    Dean's List, Fall 2021 & Spring 2022 | Top 10% of graduating class

    Common Resume Mistakes to Avoid

    Learn from these frequent errors that can hurt your chances

    ❌ Including irrelevant personal information

    ✅ Solution: Skip age, marital status, photo, and hobbies unless directly relevant to the job

    ❌ Using a generic resume for all applications

    ✅ Solution: Customize your resume for each job by highlighting relevant skills and experience

    ❌ Focusing on duties instead of achievements

    ✅ Solution: Use the STAR method and quantify your accomplishments with numbers and results

    ❌ Poor formatting and design

    ✅ Solution: Use consistent fonts, proper spacing, and a clean, professional layout

    ❌ Including outdated or irrelevant work experience

    ✅ Solution: Focus on the last 10-15 years and most relevant positions to the target role

    ❌ Typos and grammatical errors

    ✅ Solution: Proofread multiple times and have others review before submitting

    Ready to Build Your Professional Resume?

    Use our AI-powered resume builder to create a resume that follows all best practices

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