resume writing best practices 2022

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How to Write a Resume That Stands Out

• Paige Cohen

It takes hiring managers less than 10 seconds to decide if you’re qualified.

• PC Paige Cohen (they/them) is a senior editor at Ascend.

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8 Resume Writing Tips for 2022

Are you sitting down to write your resume for a 2022 job search and you’re not quite sure where to start? No worries—I can help. Every year I put together a list of my top resume writing tips. It includes the tips, strategies, techniques, and trends that will be most effective in helping you in your job search in the coming year. This year’s list includes eight different practical strategies with examples and lots of actionable advice that you can implement right away. I’ve included strategies for writing better accomplishment bullets and giving your resume more “wow” and impact, and I’ve also pointed out lots of things you definitely want to avoid. My favorite is the list of 10 cringeworthy words that repel recruiters. Check out this year’s list of eight resume writing tips for 2022.

2022 Resume Writing Tip #1: Answer These 5 Questions Before You Start

Before sitting down to update your resume, ask yourself the following five questions. They’ll help you to zero in on what matters as you write about your accomplishments and focus on the future role you’re targeting.

What role am I targeting?

Your resume needs to be geared towards one specific position. Employers want to hire specialists, not generalists. 

What companies am I targeting?

Knowing the type of company you are targeting helps to narrow down your research and be more specific in your writing. You can speak to the company’s pain points when you’ve researched them and know what they need.

What challenges are they facing?

Write resume bullets that show you’ve faced and overcome similar challenges. Include the results.

What skills are critical to success?

The answer to this question tells you exactly what keywords and hard skills you need to include on your resume. If you don’t know where to look, start by searching for the position on LinkedIn. LinkedIn will give you the top 15 skills/keywords needed for the role.

How do I add value?

Your resume must show how you can add value in a way that means something to the employer. Focus on accomplishments that will resonate with the company you’re targeting and meet their needs.

2022 Resume Writing Tip #2: Write to the Future

Before updating your resume, make sure you’re positioning yourself correctly for the job you’re targeting. That’s why the above questions are so critical to your success. 

Your experience, achievements, and qualifications are all a part of your resume but equally important is what information you include, how, where, and why—all of which are based on your goals for your next career move. 

When you write your resume, you’re not just writing about your past. You’re writing to the future. You’re positioning yourself for your next career move. 

A resume is not a historical career narrative. It’s a marketing tool. The content on your resume needs to point to where you want to be, not simply where you are right now. 

To do this:

• Review job postings to gather data and insights. Where do you have related skills, experiences, or educational qualifications?
• Identify your top skills that match the opportunities that you’re interested in. 
• Reweight your skills and accomplishments. Put the emphasis on the professional, technical, and academic skills that align with your goal for your next career move. 
• When you write about your accomplishments, give a prominent position to those that are relevant to the role you’re targeting now. 
• Integrate critical keywords, specifically the professional, technical, and academic hard skills that are essential to the role you’re targeting. 
• Do not be vague in your objective. I don’t even recommend including an objective on your resume. Instead put the target position title at the top of your resume in bold. It’s specific and leaves no question about the role you want.

2022 Resume Writing Tip #3: Avoid Cringeworthy Words

One of the quickest ways you can improve your resume is to replace passive language with active language. This top-ten list of cringeworthy words and phrases includes mostly passive phrases or terms that don’t show the employer the value and contribution you can make, thereby lessening the impact of your resume on hiring managers. If you want your resume to make a good first impression, swap out these useless words with more meaningful alternatives.

• Demonstrated success in . . .
• Proven results . . .
• Successful/success
• Results-driven/results-oriented
• Excellent communication skills
• Responsible for . . .
• Duties included
• Accomplished
• Worked with / served as

And lastly, I strongly advise that you use this term with caution: team player. Studies have shown that including the phrase—or its synonyms—once in your resume is okay, but to use it or similar phrases more than once can actually give employers a negative impression.

What Words and Phrases to Use Instead

Instead of “demonstrated success in” or “proven results ,” show the employer the results using data, numbers, and metrics. You can do this by writing bulleted statements about your accomplishments using the CAR formula. 

CAR stands for Challenge, Action, Result. 

Share the challenge that you faced, the action you took to address the challenge, and the data/numbers that go with the result. This provides proof to the employer of the value you can add and is much more specific than saying you have proven results. 

The same goes for using the term successful, success, results-oriented, or results-driven. Instead of using these vague terms, simply tell the story of the results you’ve achieved using the CAR formula. 

Replace the phrases “excellent communication skills” and “team player” with examples of how you’ve used your communication skills and how you’ve been a team player. Words that can help you lead into these examples might be “influenced,” “empowered,” “negotiated,” “advocated,” “advised,”  or “enabled.” You always want to show—not tell. Paint a picture for the employer of what you’ve achieved in the past by giving them examples just like you would in an interview.

Instead of the phrases “responsible for” and “duties included,” focus on sharing accomplishments. Look at the job description you’re applying to. What are the main requirements of the role? Contract negotiation? Budget management? 

Replace “responsible for budget management” with “managed $3M annual budget.” That way you’re showing the employer not just what you can do, but you’re giving them concrete examples of what you have done. 

“Seasoned” and “accomplished” are two very overused resume phrases that are often interpreted negatively. These terms can be construed as over-experienced, out-of-date, or worse, implicit age bias takes over and the candidate is assumed to be too old. I’m not condoning this, and I rather abhor that it even exists, but I bring it up because it’s out there, it happens, and I see it way too often. So, until things change and companies come up with progressive ways to guard against bias in the hiring process, safeguard your resume by avoiding these terms.

It’s more effective to discuss the areas you’re experienced in, listing industries, hard skills, functions of the role, professional or technical skills, academic credentials, etc. These terms are specific and communicate with more clarity than a general statement like seasoned sales executive or accomplished professional. Both of which I see on a great deal of resumes but which tell me little about who you are or what you’re capable of doing. 

I’m also not a fan of “worked with” or “served as.” Both are passive terms. If you collaborated on a project or headed the budget committee, be specific about who you worked with and what you accomplished as part of your work with them. 

Improve Your Resume with Action Verbs

Action verbs are one of the quickest and easiest ways you can improve your resume. Starting each bullet with an action verb not only communicates achievement, action, etc., but it also opens the sentence to lead right into the challenge you faced and the result you achieved. It’s hard to start a sentence with “transformed,” “increased,” or “achieved” without following it up with something specific, measurable, and relevant. 

You can download a complete list of 170+ action verbs and high-impact phrases for your resume here . It’s a free PDF that I created to help you sharpen your resume, remove overused phrases, and convey your performance and achievements to potential employers. 

2022 Resume Writing Tip #4: Write Better Accomplishment Bullets

The number one challenge I hear from job seekers when it comes to writing their resumes is how much they struggle to write about their accomplishments. 

Being able to tell your story to potential employers in a way that conveys what you’re capable of achieving is not easy. 

Most people struggle to write about themselves. To help you make the process of writing about accomplishments easier, there’s a formula that I encourage you to use (and that I mentioned in the above tip as well). It’s called the CAR formula and it stands for Challenge, Action, Result. 

• Start with an action verb that describes the steps you took to resolve a specific problem or challenge. (For a downloadable list of 170+ action verbs and high-impact phrases you can use visit this page. )
• Describe the challenge you faced using industry-specific keywords. Think professional, technical, and academic hard skills. 
• Share the quantifiable or measurable results of the action you took to resolve the problem that you faced. 

If you’re struggling to find quantifiable data that you can use, try comparing and contrasting past and present performance—either your own, a competitor’s, or the company’s previous numbers.

Ask yourself questions like how much, how many, when, before/after, to what end . . . these questions will help you discover data you can use. 

2022 Resume Writing Tip #5: Give the Reader Context

Providing the reader with background information will help them to understand and appreciate your accomplishments. It simply makes your achievements even more impressive. 

You could say that you increased annual revenue 32% but when you give the situation context:

Increased annual revenue 32%, in spite of the 2020 economic downturn. 

Now, the reader can understand the depth of the accomplishment and how truly impactful it was.

It’s also a good idea to let them know if you were recruited into a role for a specific reason. Perhaps you were recruited into the role to reverse declining sales, improve company culture, or revamp the operational processes. Add meaning and impact to your resume by sharing the context of the situation that existed when you were brought on board. 

2022 Resume Writing Tip #6: Give Your Resume More Wow

We’ve all been there . . . the place where you want employers to read your resume and say “Wow.” But what exactly is a wow factor and how do you give your resume a striking wow factor ? Your wow factor is the most important, impressive, and valuable information about you as a candidate. It’s the top two or three things you want the employer to immediately know about you so they’ll be impressed and keen to learn more.

Your wow factor is part of your personal brand. It’s what distinguishes you from other similarly qualified candidates. It must be prominent throughout your resume, especially at the top so that it won’t be missed and will instantly put your best foot forward. 

Your wow factor or personal brand statement must include a few specific elements to ensure it’s memorable and impressive. 

It must be specific. Your wow factor must tell about what you’ve achieved, not what you were responsible for or might have done. Include quantifiable or measurable data, if possible. 

Here’s an example of a vague statement:

• Responsible for contract closings and revenue growth.

Here’s an example of a specific statement:

• Grew contract closings 68% and increased gross revenue 40% for 2019.

It needs to show action. The easiest way to do this is to replace passive language like “responsible for” and “duties included” with action verbs like “grew,” “developed,” “pioneered,” or “transformed.” 

You can download a list of 170+ resume action verbs to help you craft better resume bullets here. 

Where to Include Your Wow Factor

You can include wow content throughout your resume. It can go anywhere, but here are a few specific places to include it:

Resume Summary

I’ve never been a big fan of a bland, generic resume summary. I’m a huge proponent of what I call a career snapshot. It’s basically a snapshot of two to three of your wow statements. The most impressive and noteworthy information about you as a candidate. It gives readers a quick glance at what you’ve accomplished. 

I recommend limiting it to two to three wow statements for your summary. You don’t want to overdo it, but you also want to grab the reader’s attention and impress them. Alternatively, you can include one wow statement at the top of your resume as part of your personal branding statement and then add one or two into your summary. That way you’re giving them three memorable pieces of data about the value you can create. 

When writing your wow statements, be concise. It’s easy to be verbose, it’s harder to say what you mean in the fewest words possible. However, fewer words make a bigger impact. You’re giving them a quick snapshot of content—you’re not giving them the full story quite yet. You can go into the details further down in the work experience section of your resume. 

Don’t forget to incorporate hard skills. These are the industry-specific keywords that hiring managers will be scanning your resume for, and including them in your wow statements is a great way to capture attention. 

Here are three examples of wow statements we used on a client’s resume who was a CEO, board member, and chairman.

✓ Transformed the MRC Companies’ operating model into a technology-enabled global contact services company with 30 locations in 7 countries. 

✓ Defined the strategies to grow revenue from $20M to $400M+ and EBITDA from $500K to $42M+. 

✓ Co-founded and built a dedicated customer service business model that reached 3K employees in 3 years.

Experience Section

Instead of listing out the responsibilities for the role, jump straight into your top accomplishment in the position. You’re immediately conveying success in the role when you start with your top achievement. 

I recommend including at least two to three major wins under each role. If you’re struggling to come up with impressive content for a certain role, ask yourself when you have been first or best in relation to the role. You can also think about the number one thing you achieved in the position. Make these answers to these two questions your first two to three bullets.

Here are examples of bullets from the same CEO client’s resume under the experience section:

• Established a value-added board of directions that were fully aligned with the mission and vision of the organization and primed to take the business into the future. 
• Produced consistent gains across NPS and customer service, sales conversion, and quality with a largely Fortune 500 client base. 
• Navigated the sale of the organization to a private equity group—creating a successful exit for investors with a return of 3.5x investment. 

Education, Honors, Awards

I recommend including honors and awards at the top of your resume if they’re relevant to the role you’re targeting. We’ve worked with many sales executives who were recognized in President’s Club but had never included this at the forefront of their resume. Prominently position your honors and awards. If you have a collection of accolades, create a section to show them off. It can be a powerful wow factor to impress hiring managers. Employers love hiring winners. 

If you’re seeking a role that requires an MBA or certain type of degree or certification, don’t bury the information at the bottom of your resume. Reference it at the top of your resume, then give the details in the education section at the end of your resume or in a separate technical skills section if you’re in a tech-related field. 

Additional Wow Information to Consider

Other content that might be relevant to include on your resume that would be impressive for hiring managers to see:

• Media mentions
• High-profile clients
• Publications
• Board positions
• Public speaking engagements
• Special affiliations

If you’re struggling to uncover content for your wow statements here are some questions to help you get started:

• When have I contributed to a business’s success? What were the results?
• How have I been publicly recognized? What do people come to me for?
• Which of my accomplishments have quantifiable data?
• Have I turned around a difficult situation or made a failure into a success?
• What am I most proud of in this role?
• What am I most proud of in my career?

For examples of resumes written with personal branding and wow factor statements, head over to our resume samples page on our website. There you’ll find examples of client resumes that we’ve created that include wow statements.

2022 Resume Writing Tip #7: Be Specific

It’s really easy to use the words “accomplished” and “proven track record.” The problem is that these overused words are generalities that do not provide credible or distinctive information to a prospective employer.

Here’s an example of bullets that are specific:

• Boosted employee satisfaction 15% despite headcount reductions—transformed the team culture with renewed focus on training and professional development while breaking down barriers and silos.
• Produced $4M in annual cost savings—deep dived into cost and risk assessment to balance the area’s cost and risk profile and devise forward-action strategies.

This resume is for an accomplished vice president of operations, but now we have a clearer picture of what she’s accomplished and how. Two things that will distinguish her from other candidates. 

When you’re tempted to use phrases like “accomplished,” “results-driven,” or “proven track record,” instead, stop and gather the data about your accomplishments, results, and track record and share that information instead. It will have more meaning and impact on hiring managers—which means you’ll get more interviews.

2022 Resume Writing Tip #8: Avoid Common Pitfalls

Before I wrap up this post, I want to touch on a few common resume mistakes that I see repeated on far too many resumes. 

Write in first person without the use of “I” statements. Resume writing is a form of concise writing. It’s written in implied first person. You get the personal tone without the “I” statements. So instead of writing “I directed the hiring practices for three major Fortune 500 companies,” you would say “Directed hiring practices for three Fortune 500 companies.” It’s an abbreviated form of writing. 

Proofread your resume. Use Grammarly and get a wordsmith friend to review your resume or—even better—hire a professional copyeditor to proof your documents. You do not want to send off a resume that includes grammar or spelling errors. 

I’ve talked a lot about overused phrases in this post. That’s because it’s serious and a resume killer. Avoid overused terms and opt for high-impact phrases instead. 

Leave out objective statements. They’re outdated and useless. A generic objective will not tell the hiring manager why they should interview you over another candidate. Instead, show them what you’re able to accomplish.

Don’t use the phrase “team player” more than once. It’s overkill and recent studies have shown it can have a detrimental effect on your chances for an interview. Most employers want to hire team players. Instead use an accomplishment statement to show them you’re a team player vs. using the phrase “team player.”

Soft skills are important so don’t forget to include them. I’m not advising you to list excellent communication skills front and center on your resume. However, employers are finally catching on to how critical EI is in the workplace. Share the soft skill within the context of an accomplishment. Then you’re knocking out two birds with one stone.  If you incorporate each of these strategies into your resume, you’ll have a strong and effective marketing tool for your job search.

Thanks for reading! Want more job search and resume tips? Check out these 6 free resources on my website that have helped more than 25,000 job seekers land their next job.

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About the author

Jessica hernandez, president, ceo & founder of great resumes fast.

Hi, I’m Jessica. I started this company back in 2008 after more than a decade directing hiring practices at Fortune 500 companies.

What started as a side hustle (before that was even a word!) helping friends of friends with their resumes has now grown into a company that serves hundreds of happy clients a year. But the personal touch? I’ve kept that.

You might have seen me featured as a resume expert in publications like Forbes, Fast Company, and Fortune. And in 2020, I was honored to be named as a LinkedIn Top Voice of the year!

I’m so glad you’re here, and I can’t wait to help you find your next perfect-fit position!

Great advice! As a Career Coach, I constantly seek out the latest and greatest information regarding resume writing. Much gratitude for your experienced suggestions. Best regards.

Thank you for more information about the tips of resume……..

Thank you for pointing out that it’s a good idea to be specific when writing up your resume. I’ve been thinking it’s time to update my resume. It’s been a while and I don’t really know where to start, so I’ll be sure to use your advice.

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10+ Resume Best Practices: A Complete Guide For Every Section

3 key takeaways

• The basics of resume best practices
• 10+ resume writing best practices for 2024
• How the free guidance in the Teal AI Resume Builder can help you implement these resume tips

Your resume offers potential employers a snapshot of your professional experience. But, the rapid evolution of the job market means what was once considered the ideal resume format may no longer be effective or adequate for job seekers like you.

Staying up to date on resume best practices is crucial in presenting your qualifications, experiences, and value in a clear, curated, and compelling way—maximizing your chances of standing out and paving the way for success.

Resume best practices: The basics

Your resume offers an overview of your professional journey. It highlights your career history, experiences, skills, and the subsequent impact of those elements—giving hiring managers, recruiters, and prospective employers insight into the top 10% out of your 100% that is relevant to the role you're applying to.

Yes, you read that correctly— just the top 10% that's relevant to the position.

The relevant 10% resume rule

It seems like such a small glimpse, right? Just 10%. But the 10% guideline doesn't undervalue the remaining 90% of your experience. 

Every role you've had, project you've tackled, skill you've cultivated—it all matters. 

But in the fast-paced world of hiring, relevance is crucial. And the way you showcase relevance with your top 10% will grab attention—landing you the interview. (And in that interview is your opportunity to delve into the other 90%, explaining your comprehensive experience and showcasing the depth of your skills.)

Essential elements of a resume

Every section of your resume plays an important role in highlighting your relevant experience. 

Clarity and compatibility are the secrets to a great resume. The sharper your resume organization and the closer your experiences align with a role, the stronger your first impression.

Here are the sections you need:

• Contact Information
• Target Title
• Professional Summary 
• Work Experience
• Certifications
• Optional – Projects – Awards and Scholarships – Volunteering and Leadership – Publications

Best practices for every resume section

Knowing what to include in every section of your resume is vital to your job search and application process. Let's explore the best practices for each one.

Section 1: Contact Information

Position your contact information at the top of your resume. Keeping this information front and center ensures hiring managers and recruiters can contact you easily.

Your "Contact Information" section should have the following: 

• Professional email address
• Full Linkedin URL
• Portfolio link or URL

But before you move on, a few important notes:

You no longer need to include your street address in your "Contact Information" section.

Your resume is circulating throughout your job search—you're likely submitting this information to multiple hiring managers, recruiters, and companies—and you don't want to share that level of private information publicly. (It can also lead to bias in the hiring process.) Be mindful that city and state are essential, as some companies can only hire in specific locations.

Also, when including your full LinkedIn and portfolio or website URLs, make sure these relevant links are short and professional.

For example:

linkedin.com/in/tina-miller-nyc vs. linkedin.com/in/2hgai3tyg8_89675aHr297.

While hyperlinking is recommended, having the complete URLs allows for easy copying and pasting should the links fail when scanned by an applicant tracking system (ATS). (And remember to double-check that they work!) 

Use Teal's AI Resume Builder to plug in the appropriate contact information.

Section 2: Target Title

The importance of tailoring your resume to each application begins with your target title. Did you know a target title can be different from the job title of a role you've held previously? 

While your target title and any professional title you've held should have some commonalities in the responsibilities or skills required, your target title should align with what a recruiter or hiring manager has listed in the job posting. 

For example, a visual designer might also be called a graphic artist, design specialist, or visual content creator in a job ad. 

But be mindful that adding a target title alone isn't enough—you need to ensure the rest of your resume supports that experience. (For example, if you're an account manager, and you use "Influencer Marketing Manager" as your target title, this doesn't suddenly make the rest of your resume "tailored."

Section 3: Professional Summary

Your professional summary statement, or short professional bio , is where the top 10% that's relevant to the role you're applying for starts to take effect.

Think of your professional summary as the trailer of a movie. You have just a few seconds to grab attention and briefly explain who you are as a professional to draw the reader in—encouraging them to dig deeper into your resume. This is your opportunity to talk about your career in aggregate and speak to the highlights. 

Rather than an outdated resume objective—which addresses your career goals—a summary statement aligns with the job requirements to demonstrate you understand what the role entails and that you'll succeed because of your experience and impact in previous positions.

Your summary should: 

• Be tailored to the job you're applying to
• Include a time-based statement, for example: "In the last 4 years…"  
• Incorporate at least two relevant skills and their corresponding impact 
• Be between 3-5 sentences
• Use the first-person voice 

So if a job description had a requirement like:

"Research and identify relevant and on-brand influencers and creators that match our target audiences."

A good professional summary that aligns might look something like this:

​"Digital marketer with 5+ years of experience specializing in influencer identification and relationship management. With a keen ability to leverage advanced analytics and using tools like impact.com, I've consistently analyzed engagement data, resulting in a 25% increase in campaign ROI, and aligned creators with brand campaigns to boost brand awareness by 10%.

For more samples, check out these resume summary examples . 

Section 4: Work Experience

Your career history is the cornerstone of your resume. And this is where your relevant experience connects to all that you're capable of in a new job. 

A breakdown of each experience

In a chronological resume format, which is the most common and popular layout, list your resume work experience after your professional summary. Start with your most recent role and proceed in reverse chronological order. 

Each company you list should include the following information: 

Company name

Clearly state the name of each company you worked for. If you've worked for a smaller company, including a brief description of what they are can help tailor your experience by incorporating keywords from the job description of the role you're applying for. 

Your job title or position clarifies your level of responsibility.

Include the company's city and state. Adding "Remote" to this information can also be valuable if you are or were a remote employee.

Dates of employment 

List the duration of your employment for each role. Include the start and end dates with the month and year. Just including the year can look like you're trying to obscure information or hide something, even if you're not. (Don't minimize or exaggerate this information, as it's likely easy for a hiring manager to find.)

3-5 work experience achievements per role

Structured as bullet points, your achievements provide tangible evidence of your success by showcasing your impact, contributions, and value.

@teal_hq If your resume bullets are only you listing your responsibilities from your job you NEED to be adding more context. Hiring managers and recruiters want to see the impact you made in your job. How do you add that? Well, make sure your responsibilities are also showing results with metrics and strategy attached to then. What you’re really going for is less of a “task” and more of an “achievement”. Whether you're looking for an entry level job, changing careers or something else utilize all the tools at your disposal. #resumetips #resumetiktok #resumetok #resumebullets #resumebuilder #jobsearchtips #entrylevel ♬ POPSTAR (Instrumental) - DJB

How to write relevant achievements 

Rather than a list of your job duties, your "Work Experience" section should highlight your achievements with results and impact. 

Think of these results and the subsequent impact as proof you have a skill or experience (that aligns with keywords in the job description) in something specific.

So how do you do it? Using this formula (or a slight variation):

Success Verb + Noun + Metric + [Strategy Optional] + Outcome = 1 bulleted achievement 

Let's take a look at a few examples.

"Implemented new payroll and tax accounting systems, saving firm $2 million over 5 years."

Verb : Implemented

Noun : New payroll and tax accounting systems

Metric : $2 million

Outcome : $2 million saved over 5 years

"Reduced load times by 30% through optimized database queries, resulting in improved user experience and a 20% boost in platform efficiency."

Verb: Reduced

Noun : Load times

Metric : 30%

Strategy : Optimization of database queries

Outcome(s) : Improved user experience and a 20% boost in platform efficiency

"Generated pipeline of $2.6 million by reviewing customer data and conducting a comprehensive content analysis, subsequently establishing and implementing an in-house copywriting service."

Verb: Generated

Noun: Pipeline

Metric: $2.6 million

Strategy: Reviewing customer data and conducting a comprehensive content analysis

Outcome: Establishing and implementing an in-house copywriting service

Work experience resume writing tips

• Do use metrics, data, and numbers. Numbers draw the eye visually, quantify your impact, and show that you think strategically about the business.
• Do use strong action verbs like generated, implemented, reduced, and saved
• Do list your strongest achievements at the top of each work experience.
• Do showcase at least two skills and how they influenced impact
• Do include keywords from the job description for every application
• Don't include achievements for work experience older than ten years, if possible. 
• Don't include more than five bullets for your most recent role or three for older, less relevant jobs

Generate your bullet points with Teal

Write strong, metric-focused resume achievements with Teal's AI Resume Builder. Craft bullet points that make your work experiences stand out to prospective employers.

Section 5: Education

Your "Education" section is straightforward. If you find that you're running out of precious resume real estate, limit this section to your highest level of education.

Here's how you should list your educational background on your resume:

• Degree earned
• Institution's name
• Completion date

If you're a recent graduate (but only a recent grad), consider adding your GPA (if it's above 3.0) and any relevant coursework, clubs, or activities.

Section 6: Certifications

Certifications help you further align your credentials to the qualifications prospective employers are looking for. They also illustrate your expertise and commitment to professional development. 

Keeping any certifications relevant to the role you're applying for is key to including them on your resume. (And yes, this means, unfortunately, your certificate in floral design isn't really relevant to your project management application.)

If you have relevant certifications, this is what you should include.

• The name of the certification and, in parentheses, any common acronyms or abbreviations it may be known by (like CPA, CFA, or CISSP)
• The certifying agency with the complete business, institution, or organization name
• The start date and end date, or date of completion, using a consistent format

With all of that information, a "Certification" section for a devops engineer could look something like this example: 

• Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) | Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) | June 2023
• AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional | Amazon Web Services| October 2022
• Certified Jenkins Engineer | CloudBees, Inc. | August 2021
• Docker Certified Associate (DCA) | Docker, Inc. | March 2022

Section 7: Skills

Your hard and soft skills are the foundation of how you drive impact. 

Best practices for a resume highlight integrating your key skills throughout various sections of your resume.

But if space permits, you can add a dedicated "Skills" section to highlight hard skills mentioned in the job description. While you can include soft (or transferable) skills in this dedicated section, keep in mind these are more challenging to measure objectively, and you should demonstrate them alongside complementary hard skills and impact.

Expert Tech Recruiter Leah Dillon says,

"If you're going to include a list of skills on your resume, make sure they're relevant to the job. Are they specifically listed in the job description? Without impact or relevance, your skills are just words. Listing hard skills, such as programs you've used, can be helpful as a quick reference. But soft skills have far less meaning without results. These should be incorporated into your summary and achievements rather than on a skills list as often as possible." 

Pro Tip: The Teal AI Resume Builder offers free step-by-step guidance for each section as you build a resume. 

Sign up for Teal and try it yourself !  

Optional resume sections for other experience 

If you have unconventional work experience, it might seem like presenting your top 10% that's relevant to a role is impossible. But effectively showcasing other experiences can distinguish you in a way that's still impactful and relevant.

Some less traditional resume sections might apply to you if:

• You're a student
• You've recently graduated
• You're transitioning careers
• You have career gaps
• Your employment history is unconventional (like freelance or part-time work)

Projects offer tangible evidence of your skills while adding depth to your resume beyond traditional work or educational experience. 

If the skills you used during a project are relevant to the role you're applying to, create a dedicated "Projects" section that resembles a traditional "Work Experience" section for added value. Whether your project is academic, freelance, personal, team, or something different, it would look something like this on your resume: 

Pro Tip: A one-sentence overview of the project can help tailor your experience by incorporating keywords from the job description of the role you're applying for. 

Awards and Scholarships

Awards and scholarships are tangible testimonials that speak to your skills, dedication, and exceptional performance—setting you apart from the other applicants. 

Adding awards and scholarships is about showcasing substance and strength. Don't just create an exhaustive list; strategically select and present those that support your career story and the job you're targeting.

Here's how to list an award or scholarship on your resume:

Section title: Awards and Scholarships

Name of the award or scholarship: Marketing Excellence Award

Organization: Adweek

Date: July 2023

Volunteering and Leadership

Volunteering and leadership roles speak volumes about your character, drive, and the values you bring to an organization. 

Highlighting skills you've developed and used—by incorporating keywords from the job description—will align these experiences with the role you're applying for. 

For instance, if you're applying for a managerial position, emphasize leadership roles where you've showcased team coordination, project management, or strategic planning. If a job calls for community engagement or public relations skills, your time volunteering in local community outreach and coordinating public park events is a prime opportunity to illustrate how your involvement directly correlates to the listed qualifications.

To list your volunteering and leadership experience on your resume, you should include: 

• The organization
• Your involvement or role
• City and State
• Dates of experience
• Your achievements 

Publications

Publications demonstrate your passion and provide proof or evidence of your specific expertise and skills. 

Whether you're the listed author or featured as an expert, publications relevant to the industry or role you're applying for bolster your credibility to help make your resume stand out.

When including publications, make sure to add:

• Publication Name

If you're stuck trying to connect your unconventional experiences to the job you're applying for, use the guidance in the Teal AI Resume Builder to make sure you're highlighting the right details with the most relevance.

Resume writing best practices

An impressive resume that grabs the attention of hiring managers, recruiters, and prospective employers takes these best practices into account.

Use action verbs

Using strong action verbs in your resume demonstrates a sense of movement—giving it power and energy. Instead of just stating impact, action verbs dynamically convey contributions.

Quantify achievements

As often as possible, it's vital to quantify your achievements. Numbers, metrics, and data provide concrete evidence of your accomplishments and give employers a clear picture of your contributions.

Tailor your resume to each job description

Every job is unique, and so your resume should be, too. By tailoring your resume , your relevant experiences (that top 10%) will better align with the hiring manager's requirements and qualifications.  

Use consistent formatting

Consistent formatting style (in terms of fonts, bullets, and headings) gives your resume a professional look. Inconsistencies can distract the reader and make the content hard to follow.

Include white space

Don't clutter your resume. Having appropriate spacing makes your resume more scannable and visually appealing.

Keep your resume between 1-2 pages

New graduates and those with ten years or less of experience should aim for a one-page resume. Those with over ten years of experience can consider two pages. Always prioritize quality over quantity.

Teal Founder and CEO Dave Fano says,

"If your resume is more than one page, the first page needs to be compelling enough to get someone to keep reading. The job of each word is to get the hiring manager or recruiter to read the next word. And then, if you extend that, the role of each sentence on the page is to get them to read the next sentence. So, really, at the end of the day, the length on its own doesn't matter as much as the fact that the writing needs to keep the reader compelled to learn about you and increasingly believe that you're the right person for the job they're trying to hire for."

Common resume mistakes to avoid

You know the resume tips to create a stand-out document, but what are some good resume rules for what you should avoid?

Typos and grammatical errors

Oversights like poor spelling, grammar, and incorrect punctuation can make you appear careless.

Always proofread your content before you submit it to a hiring manager or recruiter. 

Irrelevant information

Don't clutter your resume with outdated or unrelated job experience.

Stay focused on the top 10% of your experience that is relevant to the specific job that you want. Remember, your resume should be tailored and include only relevant information.

Graphics or pictures

Many companies use applicant tracking software to organize and streamline the hiring process.

The ATS are not designed to scan graphics or images. If you include elements like a headshot, bubble chart, graph, or other graphics, a human hiring manager might be unable to view your resume because it didn't scan correctly into the system.

Note: The headshot guideline is US-specific and may vary from country to country. For US residents, you should also exclude them to eliminate bias where possible.

Poor formatting

A chaotic or inconsistent layout can quickly deter hiring managers.

Stick to a clear structure, use a professional font, and maintain consistent styling throughout (e.g., bullet points, headings)—elevating your resume's readability and impact.

Keeping up with resume trends 

Keeping up with current resume trends is important. It ensures your application is relevant, maximizes your chances of grabbing a prospective employer's attention, and demonstrates your awareness of current professional standards.

Even deeper—your awareness reflects adaptability in a continually evolving market.

But staying updated can be a challenge. Whether you're actively applying for jobs, have been off the market for a while, or just getting started with resume writing, investing time in researching the latest resume trends can be demanding.

To stay up to date without doing hours of independent research or trying to discern what resume advice is accurate, give Teal a try .

Teal is a dynamic tool—it's regularly updated based on the job market, trends, and the needs of job seekers like you.

Not only does each section of the Resume Builder offer guidance aligned with best resume practices, but the Resume Analysis feature offers deeper insight and expert tips on specific improvements you can make to your resume.

Implement these resume best practices today

A great resume isn't just about listing your qualifications; it's about strategically highlighting the top 10% of your experience that's relevant to the role you're applying for.

In today's dynamic job market, adhering to resume best practices ensures you present your qualifications and experience in the best light to increase your odds of landing an interview.

And while the process might seem daunting, Teal's AI Resume Builder is here to streamline your efforts. The step-by-step guidance will walk you through each section of your resume with detailed directions, enhancing the quality and relevance of your content.

Sign up for Teal's free AI Resume Builder today —your modern, compelling resume is just a few clicks away. Why wait?

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 5 p's of a resume.

The 5 P's of a resume emphasize its important aspects:  Purpose, Presentation, Precision, Proofreading, and Personalization . These elements focus on the resume's goal, its visual layout, accuracy in details, error-free content, and tailoring for the job applied for.

What are 5 tips for building a great resume?

For building a great resume, consider these 5 tips:

• Tailor your resume to the job description
• Use keywords relevant to the job
• Highlight accomplishments instead of responsibilities
• Use a clean and professional format easily parsed by the ATS
• Always ensure your contact information is up-to-date

What are the 7 steps that must be included in a resume?

A resume typically includes these 7 essential sections (plus some additional optional ones): 

Optional sections are: Projects, Awards and Scholarships,Volunteering and Leadership, and Publications

These sections help to present your qualifications and suitability for the position in a holistic way.

Kayte Grady

Related articles.

What Is a Statement of Qualifications? (+ How to Write One)

How Ashleigh Went From Zero to 11 Job Interviews With Teal

How to List Publications on Your Resume (+ Examples)

How to Email a Resume to an Employer [Template + Examples]

We help you find the career dream..

How to Write a Resume in 2022 – Resume Suggestions to Help You Stand Out

Creating an effective resume for todays job search can be daunting. Even more so if you’ve been at the same company or role for a while. It’s challenging to write about yourself! Plus, as a job seeker exploring this challenging job market, you need to figure out what information to keep, how far to go […]

Creating an effective resume for todays job search can be daunting. Even more so if you’ve been at the same company or role for a while. It’s challenging to write about yourself! Plus, as a job seeker exploring this challenging job market, you need to figure out what information to keep, how far to go back, what resume format to use, what keywords to use. Even picking a font can be downright overwhelming! Do I need to change my resume for every job application? What resume template should I use?

Looking for resume best practices in 2022?

As a professional resume writer who has written thousands for everyone from teachers to plumbers to project managers and CEOs, I understand how hard it can be succinctly summarize your work history in a way that is compelling, concise, and relevant to the job you are targeting. The hiring process is complex, but at the end of the day, you’ll need to show transferrable skills and provide proof of them!

One of the biggest mistakes job seekers make is writing their resumes for the job they have, not that job they want. If you go into the process of writing your resume without a clear job target or goal in mind, this is a great place to start. Once you’ve identified the position or types of positions you’d like to target, identify 3-5 job descriptions you can use to help you build your resume.

In this article, I’ll outline tips, tricks, and commonly asked questions about how to write a resume, focusing on each section of from your header and summary to the skills, work experience, and education section.

Resume Headers & Contact Information

While it may seem like a no-brainer, there are some considerations that should be made when it comes to your contact information. Many of my clients ask about nicknames or middle names/initials. If your full name is Elizabeth and you prefer to be called Beth, feel free to use Beth on your resume. If you go by your middle name, you can absolutely use it on your resume.

Your resume is different than a job application, which asks for your legal name. The rule of thumb I always use is to include the name you would like to be called by a recruiter when they call to set up an interview.

Below your name is where your contact information goes. Always include a professional email address without numbers of your birth year or any cute nicknames. I recommend using City, State and Zip Code, just City and State, or a metro area instead of a full address. With the amount of information publicly available online, including your full address can be a privacy or security concern. Only use one phone number, preferably your cell. Finally, include links to your LinkedIn profile and any other relevant professional pages, such as portfolios or social media sites.

Resume Objective or Summary?

This is one of the most commonly asked questions on the topic of how to write a resume. Do I need an objective on my resume? And if not, what do I use instead?

Resumes are user-centric documents, which means you are writing it to convey your value to a potential hiring manager. If you think of your resume as a highlight reel instead of a biography, it becomes easier to identify the right words to use and information to keep. An objective is outdated and focused inward, on what you want, rather than clearly articulating your value to a potential hiring manager.

Resume Headers and Subheaders

Your resume summary has two jobs: quickly grab attention with an impactful overview of your career brand and clearly articulate what roles you are targeting. A great way of doing that is by adding your target job on the top as a headline, right underneath your name and address. Underneath that, you can add three keywords as a subheader that highlight your top-3 job-related strengths, like this:

Rebecca Henninger Montville, NJ 07045 | [email protected] | 973.270.1777 www.linkedin.com/in/rhenningercprwresumewriting | www.rhresumes.com

Senior Marketing Manager Integrated Campaign Planning | Social Media Management | Segmentation & Targeting

After the header, include a 3-4 line summary that outlines your value at a high-level. Don’t make the mistake of using boring, overused, fluffy adjectives. Instead of calling yourself a team player, include hard, quantified details. Remain focused on your goal of differentiating your value instead of using lines that could be on anyone’s resume. For example:

Marketing strategist with experience building and leading high-performing teams of 10+ that consistently drive double-digit increases in user engagement, inbound leads, and brand sentiment in B2B marketing environments.

Include  a skills section that showcases both soft skills, personal qualities that enable you to thrive in your role, and hard skills, job-related knowledge and abilities needed to perform the job. This is a great way to increase your keyword alignment with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). It also boosts impact on a quick scan when hiring managers are reviewing your resume.

Professional Experience

The most important part of any lesson on how to write a resume is the professional experience or work experience section. This is where you showcase all the work you’ve done and give hiring managers confidence in your ability to execute on the job.

There are a few general guidelines to follow here. To optimize ATS readability create an entry for each job using this format:

COMPANY, INC ., City, State (Date – Date)

Under each role, start with a scope paragraph that outlines your onboarding environment (the challenge or result you were hired to address). This area should give a high-level snapshot of what you were accountable for, who you reported to, and what you accomplished. Include budgets managed, team size, departments you oversee, and any other information that will help paint a picture of the role.

The scope paragraph should be 3-5 lines max. After that include bullet points that highlight your achievements. In your achievement bullets , aim to lead with the result and use action verbs that describe your accomplishment. Using the following formula is a great way to amplify impact of your resume:

{Action verb} {result} by {action} in {environment or additional info}.

Here’s an example:

• Boosted revenue 20% YoY without adding staff or capacity by operationalizing drop-ship program that now represents 30% of total business.

One thing to avoid when creating your professional experience sections is what I call death by bullets. Endless lists of bullets can get skimmed over. Instead, organize and condense the information so that truly giving hiring managers your highlight reel.

Avoid using job description language that does nothing to differentiate you. It is not necessary to include a generic play-by-play of everything you do during the day. Instead, aim for a carefully curated list of achievements that help hiring managers see how you would benefit their organization.

List jobs in reverse chronological order, most recent first, and aim to go into detail for jobs in the last 10 years. While it is ok to include older jobs, you don’t need to go in-depth as everything has a shelf life, including experience. The technology, methodologies, and working practices have changed. I believe it is important to provide some background as context on your resume but advise going back at most 20 years and to be careful with dates pre-1990.

Education & Additional Information

Your education section should go last or next to last, unless you are a new graduate or in a field where education and certifications typically go right under your summary, such as teaching.

When listing your education, include the highest degree first with the year you completed it. You can also feel free to leave the year off. If you have a masters degree, that should go first, then your bachelors. I don’t recommend including associates degrees unless you received the degree in a field that is relevant to your target and different from your bachelors. If you don’t have a degree but have some school, you can include the years attended (from-to) or area of concentration. I don’t recommend including high school as it’s assumed that you graduated and including it without a college degree only exemplifies the lack.

Include all relevant certifications and licensure. These can go in the education section or in a separate section titled as such. If your licenses are not active, but it would be relevant for a hiring manager to know you had them at one point, include (Inactive) or (Expired) to indicate that.

Volunteer experience and hobbies are always a nice touch to show you have interests outside of work, particularly if they provide additional information in support of your brand.

Use Common Sense & Think Like a Recruiter

Recruiters are extremely busy and their jobs are to source and screen candidates. If you are struggling with how to write your resume, always ask yourself whether this information will help a recruiter make the decision to call you for the job you want. Sometimes this means leaving off projects you enjoyed or things you have done, even if they are important to you, because they would just be noise on your resume.

For more information on resume best practices and how to write a resume that gets interviews, follow me on @TheJobGirl on Instagram or TikTok and subscribe to my blog at www.rhresumes.com/blog .

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TOP 8 Tips on How to Write a Resume in 2022

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Posted On 03 Dec 2021

Resume writing is far from a static or two-dimensional practice. In fact, like a true art form, it evolves with the times, so trends may work in the past may no longer be effective in today’s job market environment. If your resume fails to keep up with the times, you could soon find your application filed away in favor of another candidate. If you want to get hired quickly next year, here are eight “worth it” tips on how to write a resume in 2022.

1. Include a LinkedIn profile

Potential employers will want to know more about you beyond your resume. Make the research easier for them by including a link to your LinkedIn profile in your resume. As the social media platform of choice for professionals, LinkedIn has become an essential component in how to write a resume. By linking your LinkedIn account, you allow interested recruiters to learn more about you and make it easier to confirm that you are a good fit for the company. So make sure your LinkedIn profile is polished and professional, then attach a working link to your resume heading.

2. Write a compelling summary

Yes, you’re supposed to showcase your accomplishments in your resume summary, but you don’t want to sound too arrogant, otherwise, your resume will only serve to annoy rather than impress. It’s all about mastering how to ‘humblebrag’, a method of how to write a resume wherein you communicate your achievements in a confident instead of a conceited manner.

3. How to write an objective for a resume

Writing a summary objective is one of the most challenging aspects of resume writing. To make your summary compelling, it has to provide three key pieces of information:

• The challenges you resolved

• The skills you used

• The results you achieved

Focus on answering these before you start developing your resume summary objective. If you find it difficult how to write an objective for your resume relating to your qualifications and achievements, an expert resume writer like the ones we have here at Resumeble can help you develop the right words to say this coming 2022.

4. Quantify your achievements

One effective way to humblebrag is to let numbers do the talking for you. Good numbers immediately tell potential employers how effective you’ve been at your previous roles and responsibilities. Use percentages, statistics, and ratios to help them understand your work performance better. For instance, instead of simply saying that you “managed a team,” you can say something like “led a team of five in planning and executing skills monthly training seminars that boosted employee retention by 45 percent and profits by 25 percent.”

Here are further examples of how to quantify your achievements this 2022.

• Developed and launched a Mathematics curriculum that resulted in a 92 percent passing rate for students, while helping them achieve a 4.5 average on AP testing.

• Oversaw five-man HR staff responsible for upholding the relationships, retention and production of 450 employees.

• Introduced innovative policies that yielded a 20 percent year-on-year profitability improvement for the company.

5. Make it two pages long

Though the one-page resume is still the widely accepted format, more and more recruiters and hiring managers are preferring application papers to be two pages long , with a prominent career expert calling it “the new norm.” Not only that, recruiters today are more inclined to read resumes that are two pages in length, study showed.

Especially if you have plenty of relevant work experience, a two-page resume should provide you with enough space to expound on your skills and experience and provide concrete, quantifiable examples. Of course, not everyone will benefit from a two-page resume—recent graduates, those with lengthy employment gaps, and career changers will still be better off limiting their resume to just one page.

6. Use modern font and formatting

Are you still using the Times New Roman font for your resume? You could very well be killing your chances of getting interviewed or hired. This 2022, using modern fonts and formatting not only gives your application a youthful vibe, it also tells the reader that you are excited about your career. Some of the best modern fonts to use on your resume include Avenir, Garamond, Avant Garde, and of course, Calibri.

With regards to format, the safe bet is to list your work experience in reverse chronological order, beginning with your latest job role. Try to strike a good balance between print and white space to give your resume a neat and orderly appearance, and practice proper use of sections to effectively sort out details and information.

7. Use similar keywords as the job posting

Now more than ever, it’s important to write prominent words and phrases in your resume exactly as they appear in the job posting. Today’s businesses are increasingly relying on automated applicant tracking systems (ATS) to shortlist resume applications, which rely mainly on keywords. Unless these systems detect specific terms in your resume, they will think that you don’t have the qualifications sought after by the company, and your application will end up getting rejected.

To avoid this particular problem on how to write a resume, comb over the job posting thoroughly for important keywords, and use them “as is” in your resume. Of course, you shouldn’t include skills and experience that you don’t have. Ultimately, you want every piece of info to be honest and accurate as possible.

8. Tailor for the job

Sending out a generic resume will only hurt your chances of getting hired. You need to make sure your resume is customized solely for the job and company you’re applying to. And once again, to customize your resume successfully, you’ll have to thoroughly research the job requirements, making sure to only include information that is relevant to the job in question. Additionally, make an effort to use words that clearly describe and define your expertise, qualifications, and skills. This will help get your resume over the hurdle of getting shortlisted as the HR people assess the value of your resume.

Want more resume writing tips for next year?

As a leading professional resume writing service, Resumeble has plenty of other articles and blog posts filled with tips to make your application stand out in 2022. Feel free to browse through our website for more articles relating to resume writing tips including how to write references on a resume, how to write skills on a resume, how to write a resume summary, how to write an objective for a resume, and more.

Better yet, you can have us write your resume 2022 for you. Just send us your current resume for a free, no obligation evaluation and let’s get you started on your way to getting landing your dream job next year.

• 7 seconds: this is how long your resume has either to impress or be ignored by the recruiter 
• 300+: average number of applications one corporate job opening posted online receives 
• 3%: number of sent resumes that result in interviews 

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Experts warn never put this on your résumé—regardless of what job you’re applying for

It’s hard to find a workplace norm the pandemic hasn’t upended. It’s increasingly rare for white-collar workers to go into the office five days a week. The definition of “workwear” is up for debate. Job-hopping no longer sets off alarm bells. And, as of right now, it’s decidedly a job seeker’s market . 

But while change is everywhere in the workplace, there’s one holdout that hasn’t been updated during these unprecedented times: the résumé. 

There’s no shortage of advice and services to help people condense—or in some cases expand—their work experience into a single document. Googling “how to write a résumé” yields 3.98 billion results. Even pre-pandemic, it was difficult to write a résumé. It can be hard to know where to start, and that question may feel more urgent for recent college graduates , whose relevant work experience might be short—or nonexistent.

New grads shouldn’t worry too much, says Jim Beirne, a career center adviser at Washington University in St. Louis: “The students have had such strange experiences over the past couple years, they can’t really appreciate [the strong job market].” A lack of in-person experience isn’t going to stop employers from snapping up fresh talent. But a bad résumé might.

Back to basics

The good news for entry-level employees: Résumé best practices are pretty straightforward, regardless of what kind of job you’re applying for. 

Marc Cenedella, founder of Leet Résumés , a résumé writing service, gives every young person he works with three tips for putting together a résumé. 

1. The simpler, the better

No matter how artistically inclined you are, you shouldn’t opt for a busy, complicated format. Stick with one column; avoid photos (including headshots), colors, or bar charts; and use a default font like Arial or Times New Roman, Cenedella advises. A résumé is not the place to show off your creativity.

2. Spare the details

Don’t include lots of information that’s irrelevant to the job you’re applying for. “Sure, you’ve got hobbies, interests, languages, favorite bands, and ambitions,” Cenedella says. “But keep the information that doesn’t address your ability to be responsible, accountable, and a hard worker to a reasonable level.”

3. Be honest.

Don’t fudge your college major or minor, any of your certifications or degrees, or relevant work experience. “One of the few things employers check is to confirm the name and date of your degree,” he says. 

Cenedella references one famous example: In 2012, Scott Thompson stepped down as CEO of Yahoo after just four months when it was uncovered that he lied about majoring in computer science in college, when he actually majored in accounting. 

“The résumé is no place for wishful thinking,” Cenedella says.

The most frequent mistakes

While résumés are fairly straightforward documents, it’s still easy to screw them up.

Beth Hendler-Grunt, founder of the career coaching service Next Great Step , can rattle off a list of errors she sees new grads make time and again. You don’t need to include totally irrelevant high school experiences. Don’t forget to include your email at the top—and it better be professional, with your first and last name. This is not the place for your BTSforever55@ or RaiderzFan74@. 

Some of Hendler-Grunt’s best practices are more granular. She advises against saying “responsible for” at the beginning of each sentence—as in, “I’m responsible for the office filing system.” Instead, use past-tense action verbs, like “built,” “created,” or “developed,” like, “I developed a filing system that streamlined the office organizational flow.”

Don’t forget to triple-check grammar and spelling. And when listing out education—particularly if you don’t have much work experience—flesh out what you accomplished in your classes, and how they’ve prepared you for the working world. 

If you didn’t have any internships, Hendler-Grunt says, focus on what you did do. “Many people don’t have internships, but you had to have done something,” she says. “Was it a club, babysitting, a class project, or just something to fill your time? Find the story behind the skills you have.” 

That said, leave most of the storytelling to the cover letter. “Your résumé and cover letter shouldn’t look the same; that’s pointless,” Christine Cruzvergara, chief education strategy officer at Handshake , a career network for recent grads, tells Fortune. “Your résumé should show your breadth of experience while your cover letter shows depth.”

While the exact line-by-line format can vary, Cruzvergara sets some ground rules. “Your résumé should very clearly highlight your education and work experience, and then experiences that are relevant to whatever industry you’re trying to break into,” she says. “It’s OK if that experience is just from volunteering or a class project. What’s important is using action verbs to show what you accomplished.”

The students Cruzvergara work with often underplay their non-job experiences. “They think they’ve only worked in retail or babysat,” she says. “But the reality is, those experiences have so many transferable skills.”

Finding advice on social media

Companies might be hiring more new grads this year , but college students and recent grads still may be feeling equal parts directionless and restless. 

“I think they’re just confused and following what their friends do,” Hendler-Grunt says. “That’s the challenge of this demographic. They don’t want to listen to their parents. And why should they? Often their parents are too far out of the game.”

Hendler-Grunt has found success reaching a younger audience where they are: on TikTok. She regularly posts videos like “3 Reasons Why Your Résumé Isn’t Getting Noticed” and “4 Tips to Prepare for a Virtual Interview,” in an effort to connect with young people and set the record straight about the most effective ways to find a job. 

@next_great_step Resume Revamp: The 3 reasons your resume is not getting noticed! #resumetips #resumehelp #resume #resumerevamp #careercoach #nextgreatstep ♬ original sound – Jobs/internships for grads

Hendler-Grunt is still getting used to TikTok, where she has to truncate her detailed thoughts and recommendations to fit the form. But she hopes the videos keep her viewers from submitting a garish, out-of-touch résumé—whether or not they ever click follow.  

The job market might be hot, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t competition for the top jobs. Sure, it’s a little old-fashioned that hiring managers are still relying on these one-sheets when deciding whether to set up an interview with a potential candidate (and some companies are trying to do away with them altogether ). But a good résumé can help you get your foot in the door. Next step will be nailing that video interview.

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What’s the Best Resume Format in 2022?

Mass remote work. All-digital hiring processes. Advances in upskilling and reskilling. So much about the workforce ecosystem has been in flux for the past year-plus, is it any surprise that resume best practices are evolving as well?

To help you understand what's new, what isn't—and stand out from the competition—we've broken down the three highest-impact resume formats for 2022:

• Reverse-Chronological Resumes
• Functional Resumes
• Combined Resumes

Actionable guidance. Downloadable templates. Tips to help you optimize for the latest hiring tech. This is the definitive resume playbook for 2022.

1. Reverse-Chronological Resumes

The most widely used resume format among job seekers today, reverse-chronological resumes are also probably the easiest for recruiters and hiring managers to understand at a glance—which is itself an advantage. What's more, starting with your most recent experience, then working backward in time, helps frame your career within a narrative of growth and progression.

In other words, don't be put off by the fact that this resume format is so common, because it can be used to present your candidacy as anything but.

Structurally, these resumes consist of three parts, enumerated in the following image. You should also download our reverse-chronological resume template if you're looking for more detailed, hands-on guidance.

1. Start with your name and contact information (which should be pretty straightforward), type in the role you're applying for (make it an H1) and move on to the candidate statement. This is where you should try to connect your experience, interests and areas of expertise to the role in question. Keep it succinct (two or three sentences).

2. Next, summarize—two or three sentences max—your day-to-day responsibilities in the role, keeping the details at a fairly high level and saving specific accomplishments for the bullet points below. Try to make the tone and voice consistent with what you wrote earlier in your candidate statement.

3. Finally, wrap up. This section is where you should provide a quick summary of relevant details around education, certification or training you have received.

2. Functional Resumes

Less common than reverse-chronological resumes, functional resumes offer something else entirely: a more narrowly focused and curated window into your professional experience. By dialing down the gestalt and dialing up the details, this resume format not only highlights skills and proficiencies but connects them to outcomes and applications.

In a nutshell, a functional resume announces, "This is what I do best, and this is exactly where and how l'll contribute value."

So that's the upside.

The downside is that there are other things functional resumes don't do especially well. For example, when did you take on additional responsibilities at work? At what point were you rewarded with a promotion? Details like these get lost on a purely functional resume, since there's no overarching, high-level view of your career.

In other words, while this is definitely the best resume format for some candidates, it's important to recognize that it come with strengths as well as weaknesses. To make that more concrete, let's zoom in and look at this resume format in more detail.

1. Again, jotting down your name and contact information is the first piece of the puzzle. Next, write the name of the job you're applying for, followed by a short candidate statement, which answers the vital "why" questions: Namely, why should you be called up for an interview? Why are you the right candidate for this job?

2. This is where you can break down your most directly relevant work experience for the job at hand. Emphasize dollars-and-cents value, or quantitative benefits you've delivered in the past, as much as possible. You want your skills to stand out.

3. Close with relevant information about certifications, education or training you have received.

3. Combined Resumes

Some candidates will decide on a third course, the combined resume, a hybrid of the two resume formats we've covered so far. It's a way of laying out your overall career trajectory while also foregrounding your most relevant skills and areas of expertise. The former gives recruiters and hiring managers a sense of where you're coming from (and where you might be a good culture fit for the organization); the latter highlights how you'll contribute value.

Given the rise of agile workforce—and an increased reliance on contractors for project-based work in general—it stands to reason that this resume format going to become more popular in the future. So if you think this is the right format for you, good! Just be sure to adequately document your previous work experience. For example, including names of companies, dates worked, titles held and other details matters a lot. Otherwise, those omissions could look suspect in the eyes of a prospective employer.

1. Note that this one looks a lot like a functional resume, but with one notable addition (see number three). As before, start with your name, the job you're applying for and your candidate statement.

2. Call out projects, skills and experiences that are relevant to the job you're applying for, doing your best to quantify deliverables—for example, the budget, timeline for completion or number of stakeholders involved—wherever possible.

3. Document your work history, adhering to the organizational principles of a reverse-chronological resume—that is, starting with your most recent work experience and working backward in time from there. Be sure to include dates. Keep this as succinct as possible.

4. Finally, be sure to include information around certifications, education or training that you have received.

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Resume Best Practices (According to 97 Certified Professional Resume Writers)

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Resume Best Practices (According to 97 Certified Professional Resume Writers) was originally published on Vault .

We've all been there:

Scratching our heads about what is ultimately essential to add to a resume to make it stand out.

Should you include hobbies? References? How about self-grading your skills, which so many resume builders now let you do? Similarly, how many bullet points should one list for each position?

Without a doubt, the whole process can be very jarring and intimidating, to say the least. We thought so too and decided to get to the bottom of it once and for all.

ResumeLab  polled almost 100 certified professional resume writers (CPRW) to find out concrete answers to the above questions and more.

For starters, we wanted to ask career experts about must-have resume sections. After all, it's common knowledge that most recruiters spend around seven and a half seconds on one resume .

If you fail to get the basics right, you'll likely get passed over.

So—below are the resume sections and entries you must include, according to career experts:

• Contact information (with a link to your LinkedIn profile.)
• Resume summary or objective (depending on your experience level.)
• Work history
• Education (add a GPA if you're an entry-level candidate.)
• Skills (ensure to place them in a separate section.)

What not to add to a resume? Resume experts recommend you don't:

• Mention your hobbies or interests if you have more than five years of professional experience (because it's an ancient practice.)
• Write about your references or mention “References available upon request.”
• Add a GPA if you have more than five years of work experience under your belt.

Lastly, in addition to the core resume sections listed above, it’s good practice to include some extra details on your application, such as links to your portfolio, publications, or a separate section for projects, courses, and extra training, as 87% of our respondents recommend. 

It'll help improve your chances of getting the callback.

How Much Detail Is Too Much Detail?

But—sometimes, including too much detail can backfire, according to certified professional resume writers.

Let's start with the work experience section, which is often regarded as the most crucial part of your resume .

Generally, most resume pros recommend limiting yourself to listing up to 15 years of relevant professional experience. Otherwise, you run the risk of making your work section unnecessarily lengthy and somewhat irrelevant.

Now—when it comes to describing your core responsibilities and career accomplishments in the work section, it's best to stick to up to six bullet points per position.

Keep in mind that every resume you send out needs to customer-tailored to each and every job you're targeting. The rationale being, if you send out an all-purpose resume for all job applications, recruiters might never see your resume. That's because most companies today use applicant tracking systems that wade through resumes, extract keywords, and compare them against the job description. If there isn't a solid match, your resume will likely get automatically labeled as “unqualified.”

Lastly, 73% of resume pros claim you should explain your career gaps. If you don't, the recruiter might imagine the worst possible scenarios, which could be detrimental to your chances of getting hired.

Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover

But—the vast majority of recruiters are particular about resume format, design, and layout. In fact, 84% of resume writers discourage candidates from writing creative resumes (e.g., based on infographics, non-standard layouts, or too many visual elements).

On top of that, recruits expect job candidates to submit a one-page resume unless you have five years of professional experience, according to 82% of career experts.

What about the resume format?

As a general rule of thumb, you should submit your resume as a PDF file, unless of course, the job description says otherwise.

Lastly, it's best to stick to one of the standard fonts, as suggested by resume writers:

• Calibri: 44%
• Times New Roman: 13%
• Helvetica: 8%
• Garamond: 6%

Max Woolf is a writer at ResumeLab . He’s passionate about helping people land their dream jobs through expert career industry coverage. In his spare time, Max enjoys biking and traveling to European countries. You can hit him up on LinkedIn .

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The 8 Resume Best Practices You Want To Know

Posted January 4th, 2023

It is a well-known fact that recruiters are inundated with a deluge of resumes to such an extent that they are increasingly reliant on applicant tracking software .

While the fundamentals of writing a resume have remained –  it is imperative to craft a resume that complies with advancements in technology.

The best resume practices include pertinent contact details, a LinkedIn profile, career summary, work experience, education, and transferrable skills. An easy-to-read, consistent Word file format, standard font, bulleted paragraphs with quantifiable facts, limited to 2 pages.

While crafting a resume that will pass the AI bots and get you noticed by hiring managers might sound straightforward, there are several pertinent factors to consider.

So, I have compiled a candid guide with my eight best resume practices to catapult your career to new heights.

Chronological resume formats

Functional resume formats, combination/hybrid resume formats, 2. what should my resume look like, 3. five things to avoid if you want the best resume, 6. what must i include in my resume.

• 7. The ideal length for a resume
• 8. What should not be included in my resume?

How must I describe my work experience on a resume?

What should i do before i submit my new resume, 1. the best resume format to use in 2021.

It is well-known that 98 % of Fortune 500 companies use AI-based software to review the deluge of applications in a highly competitive US job market. Therefore, 75% of submitted resumes are never seen by hiring managers.

To “beat the bots,” there are several factors to consider, so let’s start with the basics first: your chosen format.

While all resumes should include contact details, a summary statement, skills, professional experience, education, and other relevant information, the format might differ.

Before you decide on a resume format, consider your professional background , including the type of position you would like to apply for.  When deciding how to craft the perfect resume the three predominant formats are:

• A reversed-chronological order resume that starts with your most recent position
• Perfect if you have a steady career history
• Not ideal if you have several employment gaps or want to move into another industry
• Focused on transferable skills and achievements that apply to a specific role.
• Perfect if you have several employment breaks in your resumes or want to change careers
• This format is a combination of the functional and chronological resume styles.
• It highlights both your professional experience and transferable skills.

Now that you have hopefully chosen a suitable format, it’s time to have a more in-depth look at how to craft your perfect resume.

Choose a standard font – while choosing your font is a personal choice, stick to the standard, AI-friendly font like Calibri, Arial, Times New Roman, Garamond, or Helvetica in size 11.

Consistency is key – ensure that you stick to the same format throughout your resume. E.g., all bullet points should either have a period in the end or not if you prefer.

Quantify excessively – back up your achievements with quantifiable supportive data that is number or percentage-based. So instead of saying: “I reduced operational expenditure year on year, say: reduced operational expenditure with 60% year on year.

Brag a little – if you received a performance bonus for a job well done or worked closely with a well-known senior executive, include that in your resume.

Creativity –the level of creativity should be dependent on the industry that you work in. While creative resume outlays are great for designers, they are not suitable for more traditional roles. Furthermore, they are not AI-compliant resumes.

Job requirements – if you are preparing your resume for many job applications, focus on your transferrable skills or scrutinize a job description and include the keywords or relevant phrases in your resume.

There are a few critical things to keep in mind when you start to compile your resume.

The top 5 resume mistakes to avoid:

• Spelling and grammatical errors – numerous recruiters will not consider resumes with spelling or grammatical errors. So,  use your grammar or spell checker  or ask a friend to proofread it. Alternatively, you can also use a plain language to avoid mistakes.
• Past/future tense – if you refer to a previous job, use the past tense (directed, organized, managed). For a current role, use the present tense (directing, organizing, managing).
• First-person pronouns – avoid using words like me or I at all costs. Instead of saying: “I directed a team of 500 consultants”, say: “directed a team of 500 consultants.”
• Avoid elaborate formatting – applicant tracking software cannot read the following: photos, colored words, bold text, underlining, charts, tables, or custom bullets (circular/square bullets are acceptable).
• Headers and footers – AI bots cannot read the information in headers or footers, so list important contact information in the body of your resume.

All effective resumes are organized in the same way, making them more accessible for recruiters to navigate.

The following information must always be included :

• Contact details
• A LinkedIn profile link
• A profile/job summary
• Your work history
• Transferrable key skills

Include additional information:

• A professional development section for courses, projects, or business coaching information.
• Publications,
• Portfolio links

7. The ideal length for a resume

There has been much debate about the ideal length, but it is not a straightforward matter.

• Less than five years : a one-pager will suffice if it contains all your relevant information.
• Seasoned professionals: use a 2-page resume that provides a brief, high-level career overview.

8. What should not be included in my resume?

Refrain from including all the work you have done in your resume if it is not relevant to the job or industry in which you would like to work.

Avoid using your precious resume “retail space” to list your references unless a recruiter specifically requests that you include them in your resume at the beginning of a hiring process.

The most imperative component of your resume is the work experience section, as most recruiters focus on that.

• Experienced : if you are a seasoned professional, reduce your work experience section to the last 10-15 years . The only caveat to that unspoken rule pertains to senior executives if a longer resume illustrates their wealth of experience.
• Bullets: to ensure that your resume is concise, restrict the number of respective work experience descriptive bullet points down to 6 per engagement.
• Career gaps: most notably, include a brief explanation in your work experience section if you have any extended career gaps.

Your resume should look great by now!  However, before submitting your resume to a hiring manager, follow my step-by-step guide to ensure success.

Step 1: Proofread your resume backward from the last page to the first for spelling and grammatical errors (a tried and tested proofreading tip).

Step 2: Ensure that your resume is AI Bot compliant by saving a version of your resume in a plain text file format to see what it would look like.

Step 3: While PDF formats are ideal for retaining the layout of your resume, instead use a Word file format if you are applying to a Fortune 500 company. However, if you may submit your resume in a PDF format – go for it!

Step 4: Always name your submitted resume with the following format: Name, Surname, Resume, and Date.

While the job market has become more competitive, and AI can determine our fate in the recruitment process – adhering to resume best practices is vital to your future success.

As one of the leading  renewable energy recruitment agencies , we help job seekers find jobs in engineering, design, and IT. Contact us about our Engineering recruiting services or  IT staffing services

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Advice from Apollo

Resume Best Practices in 2022

Use a professional summary instead of an objective, ats software- optimize your document for artificial intelligence.

• Use a good number of keywords on the page
• Avoid spelling and grammar mistakes
• Don’t clutter the document with custom graphics and fonts
• Submit your document in the right file format (word or pdf)

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10 Best Resume Builders to Create A Great Resume – 2024 Guide

A re you exhausted from investing endless hours into creating an impeccable CV? This article introduces the top resume builders that will revolutionize your job application approach. Bid farewell to monotonous formatting and greet a remarkable resume that distinguishes itself from the rivalry. Prepare yourself to secure your dream job with self-assurance effortlessly!

>> Unlock Your Career Potential With Super Star Resume

10 Best Resume Writing Services

• Super Star Resume - Best overall
• ZipJob - Best for guarantees
• Resumeble - Best with custom bundles
• Let’s Eat, Grandma - Best for range of career service
• ResumeSpice - Best for job seekers of any level
• TopResume - Best customer service
• Resume Writing Services - Best for affordability
• Craft Resumes - Best for quick turnaround
• Resume Companion - Best value resume writing service
• Resume.com - Best free service

When creating this compilation, we considered different elements such as affordability, ease of use, accessibility, the privacy policies of the companies involved, and more. The highest-rated services offer advice, templates, and tools and allow you to consult with experts who can help you craft an impressive resume highlighting your strengths to potential employers.

Our collection comprises free services and those that make use of professional writers’ skills. Some options require a subscription or one-time payment.

>> Secure Your Dream Job With Super Star Resume

Super Star Resume - Best Resume Builder Overall

Star Rating: 4.9/5

Super Star Resume is an innovative resume builder that completely transforms creating professional resumes. By offering a user-friendly interface and a range of powerful features, Super Star Resume enables individuals to produce exceptional resumes that effectively showcase their abilities, accomplishments, and work history.

• Skilled and seasoned writers
• Customized strategy aligned with unique career objectives
• Timely delivery of resumes
• More significant expense compared to certain other resume writing services
• Restricted selection of additional services
• Availability may be restricted depending on demand and geographic location
• Intuitive resume builder: An intuitive interface that simplifies the resume creation process, offering modern templates for a professional look.
• Customization choices: Users can personalize their resumes by selecting from various font styles, colors, layouts, and sections to align with their unique style.
• Comprehensive content suggestions: Access to a collection of expertly curated bullet points, action verbs, and industry-specific phrases to craft impactful resume content.
• Real-time previews and editing: Real-time previewing and editing capabilities ensure a visually appealing and error-free final resume.
• Integration with professional networking platforms: Integration with LinkedIn allows users to maintain consistency between their online presence and resume.
• Tailored resumes for different job applications: The duplication feature facilitates the creation of multiple resume versions, each customized for specific job applications or industries.
• Resume analytics and tracking: Users can monitor the views and downloads of their resumes, gaining valuable insights to optimize their job search strategies.
• Professional Resume : $169
• Resume With Cover Letter : $199
• All-Included : $199

>> Use Super Star Resume to Secure Your Dream Job

ZipJob - Best Resume Builder for Guarantees

Star Rating: 4.7/5

ZipJob is widely regarded as an excellent option for resume creation, especially for those who value guarantees. Their impressive 60-day assurance ensures that individuals searching for employment will experience a surge in interview invitations within this period.

If this desired outcome cannot materialize, ZipJob proactively offers a complimentary review and revision of your resume. This guarantee highlights their commitment to client contentment and showcases their unwavering belief in the superior quality of their resume writing services.

• The starting package is cost-effective
• Complimentary ATS check included
• 60-day interview assurance with higher-tier packages
• The design and layout made it challenging to read the resume
• The summary section was overly lengthy and filled with clichés
• The formatting of the education and training sections was subpar
• Expert resume writers: ZipJob provides access to a team of expert resume writers with the skills and knowledge to review, evaluate, and optimize your resume for compatibility with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and hiring managers.
• ATS optimization: Meaning they ensure your resume is structured and formatted to navigate and succeed in ATS filters effectively. Employers commonly use these filters to assess and rank resumes during the initial screening process.
• Keyword optimization: The resume builder online offered by ZipJob assists you in identifying and integrating pertinent keywords and industry-specific terminology. This practice heightens the visibility of your resume, making it more likely to capture the attention of hiring managers.
• Job-specific content suggestions: ZipJob provides valuable advice regarding the most relevant and influential content to include in your resume for different job titles and industries. This guidance is invaluable in customizing your resume for specific roles.
• Cover letter writing assistance: ZipJob supports the creation of impactful cover letters that complement your resume, strengthening your overall job application.
• Unlimited revisions: One noteworthy feature of ZipJob is the option for unlimited revisions and updates to your resume. This ensures that your resume not only meets but continues to meet your specific requirements and mirrors your professional growth.
• Collaboration with resume writers: the platform facilitates direct collaboration with the resume writers, enabling you to share additional information, discuss specific requirements, and seek clarifications at any stage of the resume creation process.
• Launch Package: $139 (or $48/mo)
• Fast Track Package: $189 (or $65/mo)
• Premium Package: $299 (or $27/mo)

>> Use ZipJob to Secure Your Dream Job

Resumeble - Best Resume Builder With Custom Bundles

Star Rating: 4.3/5

Resumeble is a highly efficient and user-friendly resume builder that empowers individuals to create professional and compelling resumes. With Resumeble, crafting a standout resume becomes a streamlined process thanks to its intuitive interface and extensive range of customizable templates.

Whether you’re a recent graduate, a seasoned professional, or someone looking to change careers, Resumeble caters to all needs and skill sets. It offers helpful suggestions and expert advice to ensure your resume showcases your unique qualifications and achievements in the best possible light.

• A 60-day interview guarantee is included
• Budget-friendly package deals are available
• It’s more established than some other websites
• Keyword optimization: This feature helps optimize your resume by suggesting relevant keywords aligned with your target industry or job, enhancing your visibility to Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and recruiters.
• Content import: Resumeble allows you to import your existing resume or LinkedIn profile, saving you the time and effort of manual data entry.
• Real-time editing: You have the convenience of editing and modifying your resume in real time, providing the flexibility to experiment with various formats, sections, and content.
• ATS compatibility: Resumeble ensures your resume is ATS-compatible, essential for better visibility and a higher chance of being shortlisted by employers using Applicant Tracking Systems.
• Download options: The platform offers various download formats, including PDF, Word, and plain text, ensuring compatibility with diverse application processes.
• Cover letter builder: Resumeble features an integrated cover letter builder, streamlining the creation of professional and personalized cover letters that complement your resume.
• Career Pro Package : $159.00
• Professional Package : $299.00
• Premium Package : $399.00

>> Use Resumeble to Secure Your Dream Job

Let’s Eat, Grandma - Best Resume Builder for Range of Career Service

Star Rating: 4/5

Let’s Eat, Grandma is an inventive and progressive tool for creating impressive resumes. The platform streamlines the resume-building process, making it easier for job seekers to craft exceptional resumes. With Let’s Eat, Grandma, individuals can create unique resumes that catch the eye of employers and set them apart from the competition.

This user-friendly platform offers a range of customizable templates that allow users to tailor their resumes to showcase their specific skills and experiences. Let’s Eat, Grandma also provides expert advice and recommendations to help ensure that your qualifications and achievements are effectively highlighted in your resume.

• Complimentary resume evaluation
• Choices available for individuals from entry-level to executive-level positions
• Extensive collaboration opportunities
• Not specialized in academic CVs or federal resumes
• Relatively higher pricing compared to some other services
• Potential for a longer turnaround time compared to competing services
• Expert choice: You can save your resume in multiple formats (PDF, Word, plain text) or easily share it with potential employers via email or a link, simplifying the distribution of your resume.
• Error highlighting: The builder can identify potential errors, inconsistencies, or missing information within your resume and provide suggestions or alerts for improvement.
• Section prompts: Pre-written prompts for various resume sections (e.g., work experience, education, skills) can help you structure your resume effectively and ensure you include essential details in each area.
• Customizable sections: You can add, remove, or rearrange sections to tailor your resume to emphasize your strengths and relevant experiences.
• Keyword optimization: The resume builder can recommend industry-specific keywords based on the job description, enhancing your resume’s chances of passing through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and grabbing the attention of hiring managers.
• Starter Package : Priced at $439, but there is an anti-inflation sale price of $389.
• Accelerated Package : $549.
• The premium Package : $689, but the anti-inflation sale price is $614.
• Executive Concierge Service : $1,899 or as low as $119/month.

>> Use Let’s Eat, Grandma to Secure Your Dream Job

ResumeSpice - Best Resume Builder for Job Seekers of Any Level

Star Rating: 3.8/5

ResumeSpice , a renowned online resume builder, streamlines crafting professional resumes. This platform provides job seekers with a user-friendly interface and a wide selection of templates, enabling them to create impressive resumes that align with their career objectives.

With ResumeSpice’s seamless experience, users are guided through each resume section effortlessly while receiving valuable tips throughout the process. From personal details and work history to skills and accomplishments, this platform ensures that all crucial aspects of a resume are comprehensively addressed.

• Additional assistance
• Timely service
• ATS optimization
• Guaranteed interviews
• Restricted revisions
• Insufficient customization options
• Restricted refund policy
• User-friendly interface: ResumeSpice boasts an intuitive and user-friendly platform, simplifying the resume creation process and offering a seamless experience to users.
• Extensive template library: The platform offers a vast selection of professionally designed templates tailored to various industries and job positions. Users can explore different styles and layouts to find the perfect match for their needs.
• Import and export options: ResumeSpice enables users to import their existing resumes in formats like PDF or Word for easy editing and updates. Users can conveniently export their finalized resumes in multiple formats, facilitating sharing with employers or uploading to job portals.
• Mobile-friendly design: ResumeSpice is optimized for mobile devices, allowing users to create and modify their resumes using smartphones or tablets.
• Cloud storage: The platform provides secure cloud storage for users’ resumes, ensuring accessibility and updates from any device with an internet connection.
• Resume tracking: ResumeSpice includes tools for tracking the performance of submitted resumes, such as monitoring views, downloads, and application outcomes. These features empower users to evaluate their progress and make data-driven enhancements to their job search strategies.
• Entry Level Resume : $479
• Professional Resume : $589
• Executive Resume : $699

>> Use ResumeSpice to Secure Your Dream Job

TopResume - Best Resume Builder for Customer Service

Star Rating: 3.6/5

TopResume is an outstanding resume builder explicitly tailored for customer service professionals. It offers a seamless and user-friendly experience, enabling users to create exceptional resumes effortlessly. The platform goes beyond just providing a basic resume template, offering valuable suggestions and tips to optimize the content.

This ensures that each resume created on TopResume is unique and attention-grabbing in the highly competitive job market.

Besides its user-friendly interface, TopResume provides expert review services. These services allow skilled professionals to provide personalized feedback on resumes, helping enhance their overall quality further. By leveraging this feedback and incorporating attention to detail, customer service professionals can create compelling resumes that effectively capture the attention of potential employers.

• Streamlined registration process
• Well-designed and formatted one-page resume
• The summary and Job Scope sections were overly extended
• The training section needed to have prominence
• Skill-based sections: The resume builder features dedicated sections highlighting essential customer service skills, including communication, problem-solving, conflict resolution, and relationship building.
• Expert review services: TopResume provides expert review services where experienced professionals offer personalized feedback and recommendations to enhance the overall quality of your resume.
• ATS compatibility: The platform ensures that the resumes created are compatible with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), which employers commonly use for scanning and filtering resumes.
• Download and sharing options: Users can download their resumes in various formats, such as PDF or Word, and easily share them with potential employers or upload them to job portals.
• Industry-Specific Tips: TopResume offers industry-specific tips and guidance to assist users in tailoring their resumes to the customer service field, helping them stand out among competitors.
• Cover letter builder: Besides resume building, TopResume provides a builder that empowers users to craft professional and compelling cover letters customized for customer service roles.
• Mobile accessibility: The platform is mobile-friendly, allowing users to create, edit, and update their resumes while on the go, using their smartphones or tablets.
• Entry level : Up to 200$.
• Professional level : Up to 200$-400$.
• Executive level : Up to $350-$700.

>> Use TopResume to Secure Your Dream Job

Resume Writing Services - Best Resume Builder for Affordability

Star Rating: 3.3/5

While Resumewritingservices.org may be a different size than its competitors, it stands out due to its team of talented and experienced resume writers. The website is user-friendly and provides exceptional service. However, this service’s true strength lies in its writers’ expertise.

Resumewritingservices.org sets itself apart by offering a comprehensive consultation process and goes beyond expectations by providing unlimited calls with its resume writers. This personalized approach distinguishes them from other companies and guarantees each client receives individual attention and support.

• Experienced resume writers of the highest caliber
• Unlimited phone consultations and revisions
• More expensive than rival services
• A limited range of products
• Skilled and experienced resume writers: Resumewritingservices.org takes pride in its team of highly trained and professional resume writers who possess a deep understanding of crafting effective resumes.
• Personalized service: Resumewritingservices.org offers a personal touch by providing unlimited calls with their resume writers. This unique feature allows clients to engage in direct communication and close collaboration with the writers throughout the resume creation process.
• Competitive job market expertise: The writers at Resumewritingservices.org have knowledge of current job market trends. This ensures that the resumes they create are optimized to excel in today’s fiercely competitive job market.
• Quality Assurance: The service maintains a rigorous quality assurance process to guarantee that the resumes delivered to clients meet the highest standards and align with their expectations.
• Timely delivery: Resumewritingservices.org is committed to delivering resumes within the agreed-upon timeframe, ensuring clients receive their documents promptly.
• Client satisfaction guarantee: Resumewritingservices.org offers a client satisfaction guarantee, assuring clients are fully content with the final resume. The service is ready to provide revisions if necessary.
• Affordable pricing: Resumewritingservices.org provides pricing options that are competitive and transparent, making professional resume writing accessible to a wide range of job seekers.

Resumewritingservices.org employs a pricing system that is clear and easy to understand for their resume-building services. The initial package begins at $270 , including a comprehensive consultation with a skilled resume writer and developing an individualized resume.

They offer extra options that enable customers to personalize their packages based on their unique preferences. This adaptable pricing strategy guarantees that clients can choose the services that align with their requirements and financial constraints.

>> Use Resume Writing Services to Secure Your Dream Job

Craft Resumes - Best Resume Builder for Quick-Turnaround

Star Rating: 3/5

Craft Resumes stand out as a well-established writing and editing service known for its ability to deliver effective outcomes. Our dedication to providing a 24-hour turnaround guarantees you’ll receive the initial version of your resume promptly.

Navigating our user-friendly website is effortless, making it easy to use our services. At Craft Resumes, we specialize in crafting customized resumes to match your skills, qualifications, and aspirations for your career.

• Speedy completion
• Customized CVs
• Intuitive site
• Insufficient details
• Absence of assurances
• Quick turnaround: Craft Resumes commits to delivering the initial draft of your resume within 24 hours, ensuring a speedy and efficient service.
• Expert Writers: Craft Resumes prides itself on its team of experienced writers who possess expertise across various industries and stay up-to-date with current hiring trends. They’re dedicated to making your resume stand out and catch the attention of potential employers.
• Unlimited revisions: We provide unlimited revisions to guarantee your complete satisfaction. If you have specific changes or additions in mind, our team will collaborate with you closely to implement the modifications.
• Confidentiality and Privacy: At Craft Resumes, we prioritize the confidentiality and privacy of your personal information. You can trust that your data will be handled securely and with the utmost discretion.
• Tailored resumes: We specialize in tailoring resumes to align with your career objectives, industry, and job requirements. Each resume is personalized to accentuate your unique strengths and qualifications.
• Resume Writing : $229.00
• Basic : $279.99
• Optimal : $339.99
• All-In-One : $499.99

>> Use Craft Resumes to Secure Your Dream Job

Resume Companion - Best Value Resume Builder

Star Rating: 2.8/5

Resume Companion is a virtual platform and service that specializes in aiding individuals in creating resumes that are professional and impactful. It offers an array of resources and tools to assist job seekers in crafting interesting resumes that effectively showcase their skills, experiences, and qualifications.

A prominent feature of Resume Companion is its user-friendly resume builder. This tool allows users to select from various professionally designed templates and personalize them based on their specific requirements.

Users can effortlessly incorporate their personal information, employment history, educational background, skill set, and other pertinent details to produce a customized resume tailored to their needs.

• Intuitive user interface
• High-quality templates
• Efficiency-boosting functions
• Cost-effective choice
• Restricted editing features without subscription
• Absence of extensive customization options
• Limited availability of extra services
• Cover letter builder: Resume Companion goes beyond resumes and provides users with a tool for crafting customized cover letters tailored to specific job applications. This feature guides users through the process, helping them effectively present their qualifications and make a compelling case to prospective employers.
• ATS optimization: In today’s job market, many companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to screen resumes. Resume Companion helps users ensure their resumes are ATS-friendly. The platform offers valuable tips and insights on incorporating relevant keywords, formatting the document correctly, and increasing the likelihood of passing through the ATS screening process.
• Educational resources: Resume Companion extends its services by offering an informative blog and educational materials that cover various aspects of resume writing, job search strategies, interview techniques, and career development guidance. These resources provide users with valuable insights and advice to help them create impressive resumes and enhance their job search efforts.
• Download and sharing options: Upon completing their resumes, users can conveniently download their documents in multiple formats, including PDF and Word. Resume Companion also makes it easy for users to share their resumes online or print them offline.
• Customer support: Resume Companion values user satisfaction and offers customer support to assist with users’ questions or concerns while utilizing the platform. Users can access support through email or the platform’s contact form.

Resume Companion provides a cost-effective solution for individuals seeking an all-inclusive service. It’s vital to remember subscription renewal is required to access future editing services. In summary, Resume Companion offers a wallet-friendly option for those who desire a user-friendly resume-building experience without needing advanced writing abilities.

>> Use Resume Companion to Secure Your Dream Job

Our Ranking Methodology for Best Resume Writing Services

To comprehensively and objectively rank the top resume writing services, it is essential to have a thorough methodology. The first step in this process was conducting extensive research and analysis. This involved gathering a comprehensive list of reputable resume-writing services from multiple sources such as online searches, customer reviews, industry directories, and personal recommendations.

• Feature analysis: Evaluate the functionalities provided by each resume builder, considering elements like template variety and quality, customization flexibility, user-friendly editing and formatting options, import/export capabilities, spell check and grammar tools, and integration with job search platforms and professional networks.
• Template collection: Examine the assortment and quality of templates. Look for a wide range that suits various industries, job levels, and design preferences, considering these templates’ aesthetics, readability, and contemporary design.
• Editing and customization: Scrutinize the adaptability and user-friendliness of the editing and customization tools each resume builder provides. Assess the capacity to add or modify sections, reorganize content, and tailor resumes to specific job requirements.
• User interface and experience: Analyze the user interface and the overall user experience each resume builder offers. Evaluate the ease of navigation, instruction clarity, guidance or prompts, and the platform’s responsiveness.
• Integration with job search platforms: Determine whether resume builders offer seamless integration with popular job search platforms and professional networks like LinkedIn or ATS systems. Consider how well the resumes can be transferred and their compatibility with these platforms.
• Additional resources: Evaluate if the resume builders provide extra resources such as sample resumes, tools for creating cover letters, interview tips, or career advice. Consider the breadth and practicality of these supplementary resources.
• Mobile-friendliness: Gauge the mobile-friendliness and responsiveness of the resume builders, recognizing the growing trend of mobile job searching and application processes.
• Customer support: Reflect on the accessibility and quality of customer support services, encompassing options like live chat, email support, or knowledge bases. Assess the responsiveness and helpfulness of the support team.
• Pricing and value for money: Appraise the pricing plans presented by the resume builders in terms of the value they offer based on features, usability, and overall service quality.
• Industry reputation: Consider the standing and trustworthiness of the resume builders, considering factors such as awards, recognition, partnerships, and user feedback from reputable sources.

Buyer’s Guide: Why Use a Resume Builder?

Crafting a well-crafted CV comes naturally to particular job seekers. However, even the most seasoned experts may need help in resume writing. If you find yourself in need of help with creating a compelling resume, here are several ways in which the best online resume builder can be beneficial:

Resume builders provide users with pre-designed templates and helpful tips, streamlining the process of writing a resume and alleviating stress.

Offers Writing Tips

Promoting oneself requires considerable effort. Only some people possess writing skills, even if they enjoy self-promotion. To showcase one’s experience and knowledge effectively, a resume builder can help select the most appropriate words and phrases.

Improves Design

In every field, there are unique standards for an impressive resume. If you need to gain knowledge in design or the tools, resume builders can provide free templates to enhance your resume’s visual appeal and quality.

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)

Recruiters often use ATS systems to scan resumes. A good resume builder will help with formatting to ensure that your resume is easy for these systems to read.

What’s the Best Resume Builder?

The ideal resume builder for each individual may differ according to their specific requirements. If you prefer a tool that offers step-by-step guidance in creating your resume, we suggest using a builder that provides helpful tips and recommendations. If you prefer a resume builder that auto-generates a summary, we recommend using a tool that extracts information from your LinkedIn profile.

For those who enjoy having creative control over their resumes, we suggest using a platform with features. By selecting the resume builder that aligns with your needs and suits your industry and personal style, you’ll significantly increase your chances of capturing the attention of hiring managers.

Resume Builder vs. Resume Writing Service: What Matters for You

When it comes to crafting a resume, there are three options available. You can opt to create it independently, use a resume builder tool, or enlist the services of a professional resume writer. Your best choice will depend on your writing abilities, available time, and financial resources.

Do-It-Yourself

You have the choice to construct a resume entirely by yourself. The benefit of this option is that it costs nothing but requires a significant amount of effort. Along with composing all the information, you must possess graphic design skills.

This approach works well if you have these abilities, but with them, your options for creating a resume are unlimited. To overcome this limitation, you can use a resume builder or enlist the help of a resume writing service.

Resume Builder

A tool for creating resumes allows you to input your details into a template, resulting in an original appearance and layout with no design work. The top resume building tools also offer suggestions on enhancing your resume and tailoring it to match the specific job you are applying for.

While you are still responsible for writing the content, once it is written, you can quickly transfer that information into any other template with just a few simple clicks. Some of these services are free and many like to promote themselves as such, but most require a small payment to download your finished resume.

Professional Resume Writing Service

Professional resume writing services are expensive, but they offer the convenience of handling all the work for you. An experienced writer will gather relevant information about your background and transform it into a unique and engaging resume.

The process typically takes a few days, and the level of originality in the outcome largely relies on your choice of company and writer. However, we will not delve into these services further in this guide.

Are Resume Builders Worth It?

Definitely, without a doubt. An effective resume creator will guarantee that your CV is formatted correctly to navigate Applicant Tracking Systems and ultimately reach the hands of recruiters.

Is It Unprofessional to Use a Microsoft Word Resume Template?

Relying on a template will not set you apart, and there is a high likelihood that your application will be dismissed because your resume is identical to those of other job seekers.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right resume builder is crucial in today’s competitive job market. Creating a professional and impactful resume that stands out from the crowd can significantly impact your job search. With the right tool, you can save time, improve your chances of landing an interview, and ultimately secure your dream job.

When selecting a resume builder, consider your specific needs and priorities. Look for features like customizable templates, industry-specific examples, and the ability to export your resume in different formats. Consider user reviews and ratings to ensure you choose a reputable and reliable platform.

Remember, an exceptional tool for crafting resumes should give you the power to present your skills, experience, and accomplishments effectively. It should simplify and expedite creating a resume without hassle. Investing in a reliable resume builder is investing in your professional future.

Therefore, explore the different options available for resume builders. Test out their free trials or demos and choose the best fit for your objectives. Our top recommendation is Super Star Resume . This meticulously designed resume can open doors to exciting career prospects and be a dependable companion on your journey toward success.

Ahad Waseem is a business, blockchain, and cybersecurity writer who often takes on art, politics, and economics too. As a linguistic engineer who writes to solve problems, he’s written for various tech and business publications. When he’s not writing, he’s probably on horseback, caring for his houseplants, or training Bonsai trees. He can be reached at [email protected] . McClatchy’s newsrooms were not involved in the creation of this content. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase through one of our links.

©2023 Miami Herald. Visit miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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