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Resume Trends To Follow in 2024

Some resume advice is timeless … but not all of it. Here’s a list of the current resume trends worth following, including our top resume tips for 2024 and beyond.

a year ago   •   7 min read

The job market is changing more rapidly than ever, which means that resume trends seem to be coming (and going) faster than ever. So, which trends are worth following — and which ones are better off ignored?

We’ve analyzed the current resume trends and landed on 12 resume trends for 2024 that aren’t going anywhere. These are all based on data and backed by recruiters, which means you can bypass the fads and skip straight to the resume tips that’ll actually help you land a job.

Wondering what the best resume tips are for 2024? Here’s a quick overview.

Top 12 resume trends in 2024

In 2024, look out for:

• Sticking with a classic resume format
• Keeping it brief
• Having multiple resumes
• Optimizing your resume with keywords
• Integrating soft skills
• Quantifying your impact with numbers
• Embracing of remote work
• Using AI to help your job search
• ... And leaning into AI-specific skillsets
• Highlighting technical skills
• Addressing the market
• Linking to social media

Let’s take a more in-depth look at each of these trends, including what they mean for you and how to stay ahead of the curve.

Top resume trends for 2024

1. use a simple chronological resume format.

In 2024, we’ve seen a lot of resume trends come and go. Infographics, functional resumes, and online resume builders have all come … and gone. What’s here to stay is the classic, easy to read chronological resume.

When writing a resume, there’s no need to get creative with fonts , images, graphs, tables, or fancy layouts. Instead:

Download a simple ATS-ready resume template

• Stick to default formatting in Google Docs or Microsoft Word
• List your experience in order from most recent to least recent
• Always include your dates of employment
• Use bold, underline, and italics if you need text to stand out
• Export your resume as a PDF to keep your formatting intact

2. Keep your resume short and skimmable

Sometimes, less is more — and that includes on your resume. Most resumes only need to be one page long and include:

• Contact details
• Work experience
• A short section for relevant skills and other information

Most of that should be in bullet point format, too, which means recruiters can quickly skim your resume — and important information is more likely to stand out.

Related: How Long Should a Resume Be?

3. Have multiple versions of your resume

Think you can write a single, perfect resume that you can use to apply to any job? Think again!

One of the best ways to land a job is to tailor your resume, which means you’ll end up having at least a few different variations of the same resume. This could be as simple as adding a resume title or as in-depth as curating which jobs you list when applying for roles in different industries. You can also get help from tools like Targeted Resume , which will check your resume against the target job description and identify specific ways to tailor your resume to that position.

Related: How To Tailor Your Resume To a Job

4. Bypass ATS with resume keywords

If you’re currently applying for jobs, you’ve probably heard of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). These are automated scanners that companies use to screen resumes before they hit the desk of a hiring manager.

ATS search your resume for a set list of keywords, which means they’re pretty easy to bypass. The key is to not overdo it — after all, you don’t want a resume so stuffed full of keywords that it gets rejected by the first person to read it. Instead, use a tool like our skills and keywords finder to search for relevant keywords and scatter them naturally throughout your resume.

Related: How To Beat Applicant Tracking Systems in a Few Easy Steps

5. Highlight transferable skills

These days, nobody expects to stay in the same job for their whole career — the average tenure of a new job is less than five years , which means that the average person will hold around 12 jobs in their lifetime. With that in mind, it makes sense to build your resume around skills that you can take with you — in other words, transferable (or soft) skills.

According to a recent breakdown of job listing, the top soft skills recruiters are looking for include:

• Communication
• Customer service
• Time management and scheduling
• Project management
• Analytical thinking
• Working independently
• Interpersonal skills and collaboration
• Flexibility
• Attention to detail and accuracy
• Multitasking

Related: Here's How To Include Soft Skills on Your Resume

6. Quantify your impact with concrete metrics

The easiest way to show the actual impact you had in a role is to use numbers in your bullet points . This allows hiring managers to get a better feel for how you’re likely to perform in the new role. It’s also a good way to stand out in a sea of applicants, as the vast majority of resumes don’t fully quantify their accomplishments.

Here’s an okay bullet point:

Hired, coached and led sales team.

By adding more details, we can make it better:

Hired, coached and led sales team of five to make sales calls, make client visits and close deals.

And by using metrics to show results, we create an impactful, measurable accomplishment :

Hired, coached and led sales team of five to make sales calls, make client visits and close deals; generated $10M in sales contracts.

Related: How To Quantify Your Resume

7. Get on board with remote work

You don’t have to be looking for remote work to know that it’s everywhere — and you shouldn’t expect this to go away in 2024. Job boards like FlexJobs and Remote OK cater specifically to people looking for remote work, while even the larger job boards have hundreds of thousands of remote jobs listed.

Even if you aren’t working remotely, you’re likely to be dealing with people who are, which means that highlighting experience managing remote workers or your ability to use remote tools like Slack and Zoom is always a plus.

Related: The Complete Guide To Listing Remote Work on a Resume

8. Use AI to your advantage

In 2024, it seems like Artificial Intelligence is everywhere. Employers are obviously using it — but so can job seekers.

AI-powered tools like Score My Resume work in a similar way to ATS, by analyzing your resume and providing actionable steps to improve it . Think of it kind of like a Grammarly for resumes — instead of just fixing your spelling and grammar, it can check for job-specific keywords, resume and bullet point length , inconsistencies, word choice, and any filler or buzzwords you can safely eliminate.

9. Learn to work with AI, too

If you believe the naysayers, AI is about to take over and automate just about every job imaginable. Which may be true ... but in that case, who runs the AI?

The answer is: People do. If AI has started invading your industry, look at expanding your skillset to include AI-specific skills, like AI-assisted coding or ChatGPT prompt writing .

10. Prove that you’re competent with technology

The technology trend doesn't stop with AI. Even in low-tech fields, a little tech savvy goes a long way. Being able to troubleshoot problems and use common technologies can make the difference between hitting the ground running and struggling to keep up.

Looking to make the next move in your career — or to change fields entirely? 2024 is an excellent time to start developing in-demand skills like:

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• Software as a Service (SaaS)
• Cybersecurity
• Data analysis
• Cloud computing
• Artificial intelligence and machine learning
• Augmented reality and virtual reality (AR and VR)
• Digital marketing
• User interface and user experience design (UI and UX)
• Programming languages like HTML, CSS, Java, and SQL

11. Write a market-driven resume

This may sound gimmicky, but all it really means is a) keeping up-to-date with trends in hiring in general and your field in particular, and b) tweaking your resume to address these trends.

If that sounds calculated or impersonal, remember this: Your resume isn't about you, it's about the job you want. Instead of trying to include a complete history of who you are and what you've done, create a resume with a purpose — one that addresses specific needs in your industry or company and explains how you can fill those needs.

12. Update and link your LinkedIn

Whether you’re always on social media or not a huge fan, there’s no doubt that it’s become an important part of job searching. LinkedIn alone is home to over 800 million users, including over 58 million registered companies.

Add a link to your LinkedIn profile, GitHub, or portfolio to the top of your resume (next to your contact details).

A trend we're seeing in 2024: Companies are recruiting more and more via LinkedIn so ATS now provide LinkedIn integrations, where experience can be imported via LinkedIn. So, keep your profile up to date and make sure it reflects skills on your resume.

If your LinkedIn needs a little revamp — or a complete overhaul — LinkedIn Review can provide personalized tips on how to optimize your profile and generate up to five times as many leads.

By the way, it's worth mentioning — keep your other social profiles, like Instagram or Facebook, on private when you're recruiting if you have any content you don't want recruiters seeing.

Related: How To Make Your LinkedIn Stand Out

Resume trends to avoid

Not all trends are created equal — so which ones should you avoid? Here's a list of gimmicks to steer clear of:

• Functional resumes. These are often touted as a way to hide a spotty work history or lack of experience, but in reality, they do the opposite — not listing dates on your resume or using a skills-based format just makes recruiters wonder what you're trying to hide.
• Infographics. These had their moment, but arguably were never a great idea in the first place (for a start, ATS can't read images). Skip the fancy graphics and stick to a classic, text-based resume.
• Resume objectives. This one's so old that some people are trying to make it new again. Resume summaries are different and can actually be useful, but an objective adds nothing to your candidacy. Skip it.
• Gimmicky resumes. It might sound fun to have your resume printed on a beer label, a t-shirt, or a QR code , but the people actually making hiring decisions aren't looking for fun — they're looking for a simple document clearly listing your work experience, skills, and education.

Remember that trends aren't everything — the most important thing when it comes to writing a resume is clearly communicating information. Anything that gets in the way of that is an instant "no."

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Resume skill levels: what being proficient really means (and how to prove it), how to put doordash or uber eats on your resume, keep reading, how to name drop in a cover letter (without sounding pretentious), how to show bilingualism on your resume (with examples), why the job you interviewed for was reposted: the complete 2024 guide, subscribe to our newsletter.

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Whether you’re a college graduate looking for a break or a seasoned professional - you need to create your resume the right way to get your desired job.

It's an open secret that recruiters spend on an average 7.4 seconds to review a resume. So it needs to be strong and eye-catching to capture the attention of the recruiter and help you get called for an interview.

In this guide we will tell you everything you need to know to write a stellar resume in 2023.

What is a Resume?

Simply put, a resume is a formal and official presentation of an applicant's work experience and education, and his/her definite skills. A resume is therefore a one or two-page document to summarize your qualifications for your target job profile.

A resume purposely provides a summary of your skills, abilities and accomplishments. It is a brief of who you are with respect to your interests and experiences. A good resume gets you an interview.

Since your resume is a primary tool in your job search, it needs to be carefully written and critiqued. This article is designed to guide you through the process.

What is The Difference Between a Resume and CV?

The three major differences between CVs and resumes are:

• the length,
• the purpose, and

A resume is a brief summary of your skills and experience over one or two pages, a CV is more detailed and can stretch well beyond two pages. The resume will be tailored to each position whereas the CV will stay put and any changes will be in the cover letter.

A CV has a clear chronological order listing the whole career of the individual whereas a resume’s information can be shuffled around to best suit the applicant.

The main difference between a resume and a CV is that a CV is intended to be a full record of your career history and a resume is a brief, targeted list of skills and achievements.

Check out our article on differences between a CV and a Resume for a better understanding of the differences between the two.

Sections in a Resume

Broadly speaking, the content in your resume is spread across the following sections:

• Contact information
• Resume Header
• Professional Summary /Resume Objective
• Professional Experience
• Certifications
• Additional Sections - Volunteer Experience, Extra-curricular Experience Training, etc.

Also Read: What are the different sections to add to a resume? .

How to Pick the Correct Resume Format in 2023?

The first step in creating a resume is to decide which format to use.

There are three types of resume formats:

• Reverse-chronological format
• Functional format
• Combination format

The choice depends on the type of job you are applying for and your level of experience.

1. Reverse Chronological Resume Format

This is the most common type of resume format. It lists your work experience in reverse chronological order – with your most recent job first and your oldest job last.

This type of resume works well for applicants who have been working for many years in the same field, as it provides a clear history of their career progression over time.

2. Functional/Skills-Based Resume Format

The functional/skills-based resume is similar to the chronological format except that it focuses on your skills rather than work history.

This type of resume should be used by candidates who have gaps in their employment history, or who are making a career change into an unrelated field.

With this type of CV template, you would simply list all relevant skills at the top instead of past jobs or education history.

3. Combination Resume Format

The combination resume format combines elements of both chronological and functional formats. It might include a brief section highlighting relevant skills and experience, followed by a chronological list of previous positions.

Also Read: What format to use in a resume in 2023? .

Best Resume Design Tips

The first thing a recruiter notices is your resume design .

So, if it's boring, it may get rejected.

Here are best resume design tips for you:

• Make sure to keep the resume length in 1 page. If you have extensive experience, then only you can go for 2-page resume. But never go more than 2 page.
• Make sure to keep the font size between 10-12 points
• Use professional fonts such as "Ariel", "Times New Roman", or "Calibri" to write the resume.
• Use Ample white-space on the resume to keep it readable.
• Keep 1-inch margin on all sides of the resume
• Save your resume in PDF format. If you send the resume to a recruiter in word format, it may mess up the formatting of the resume.

How to Create a Header Section For a Resume?

Your resume header is the top-most component in your resume.

It is important that you pay extra attention to your resume header as it will help you stand out among other applicants.

Tips to create a resume header:

• Do not write 'CV' or 'Resume' on the resume header.
• Write your full name on the resume header.
• Give a single space between your first name and last name
• Keep the heading size in 16-20 font size.
• Write the initials of the middle name. For example, if your name is John Lee Cooper, you can write the name in "John L. Cooper"

Example of resume header

Also Read: How to write a resume header in 2023?

Contact Information on Resume

Your contact information is the most important section in your resume. It’s the first thing that an HR manager sees when they review your application, and it’s what they will use to get in touch with you if they want to schedule an interview or ask questions.

Here are the items that should be included in this section:

• Phone Number.
• Email Address.

LinkedIn URL

• Social Media Link
• Website/Blog Link

Phone Number in Resume

Here are some tips to add phone number in resume:

• Write the ISD code of your country in front of the phone number
• Use a Plus sign (+) before the ISD code
• Give a space between the number to improve readability.
• Eg: +1 33242 19981

Email Address in Resume

Here are some tips to write the email address in resume:

• Use a professional looking email address to add in the contact information section in the resume.
• Eg: [email protected] , or [email protected] , or [email protected]
• Don't do this: [email protected]
• As long as your email ID has your full name, you're good

Location in Resume

Here are some tips to add your location in resume:

• Don't write your full address in the location section in resume
• If the job you're applying is in the same country, write location in "City, State Code" format
• If the job you're applying is in another country, write location in "City, Country Code" format

If you have an updated and optimized LinkedIn profile, make sure to add a link in the resume contact information section

Social Media URL

If you have a good social following, or you post content on relevant subject, you can add it in your resume contact information section

Example of resume personal information section

Also Read: How to write the contact information in resume in 2023?

How to Add Summary or Objective for a Resume?

A good resume summary or objective will leave a lasting impression on the hiring manager who's scanning your resume. A bad one, however, could lead to your resume being thrown out without a second glance.

That's because HR managers spend around six seconds scanning each resume — unless you manage to leave an amazing first impression. The way you accomplish this is through either a good resume summary or objective. Both are placed at the top of your resume, right after the contact information section:

Resume summary

• A resume summary is a short paragraph that highlights the most important aspects of your professional experience and skillset.
• It should be no more than 2-3 sentences long and should focus on the value you bring to an employer (i.e., what makes you different from other candidates).
• Your resume summary should also include any industry-specific keywords that will help hiring managers find your resume in applicant tracking systems (ATS).
• You only write the resume summary if you have 3+ years of experience.

Resume Objective

• A objective statement is for professionals who have less than 3 years of experience, or freshers.
• It focuses on why you want this job instead of what you offer as an employee.
• It also highlight your core values as they relate to that role

Example of Resume Summary/Objective:

Also Read: Guide to writing a killer Resume Objective section in 2023?

Key Skills Section of Resume

One of the most important sections of your resume is the "Skills" section.

Here, you want to list all your core and technical skills that makes you the perfect candidate for the job.

You should include a list of five or six skills that are relevant to the position you’re applying for and describe how they will help you excel in this role.

For example, if you’re applying for a customer service position and have excellent communication skills, it would be great to have a list of the following key skills:

• Customer Service
• Interpersonal Skills
• Issue Resolution
• Escalation Management
• Call Management, etc.

Where to Add the Key Skills in Resume?

When it comes to including important skills on your resume , we recommend that you spread them throughout the document - provided you can validate them of course.

The most important place to include this is in the heading of your resume, which should, when possible, include the most relevant keyword as a professional title.

In general, there are three main ways to include skills in your resume:

• In a separate "Key Skills" section after the summary of your resume
• as bullet points under each position you've held (if using a chronological resume format)
• In your heading as the professional title

Example of Resume Key Skills

Also Read: How to write the key skills section of a resume in 2023?

How to Write the Work Experience Section in Resume?

The most important part of your resume is your work experience. If you don't have any, or if your current job doesn't reflect the type of position you're applying for, then you need to do some serious digging.

If you do have a solid work history, then congratulations! You're well on your way to getting that dream job. But before we dive into all the nits and grits, let's start with the basics:

Given below is the standard format of the work experience section of a resume:

• Job Title: It goes on top of each work experience entry.
• Company Name / Location: Here, mention the name of the employer and the work location.
• Dates : Add the dates of your service, as in, start date and end date in the work experience section in MM-YYYY format
• Job Responsibilities : Add your job responsibilities in the section as well in bullet formats

Tips to Write the Work Experience Section in Resume

• Always write the work experience section in reverse-chronological format
• Write all your responsibilities in a single-line bullet points
• Start all the bullet points with a power verb
• Bold important terms and statistics to maximize the impact
• Mane a action-result relation when writing the bullet points in resume

How Much Work Experience do You Include in a Resume?

If you’ve got an extensive work experience, you’re probably confused about

how to add that effectively in your resume.Because, if you write everything, it may become a 3-4 page resume.That can actually hurt your chances of getting the job.

The key is to focus on what matters most for the position you want — and that means including only relevant information about your past positions.

Here are some tips for deciding what to include:

• Candidate With No Experience: For freshers, it;s understandable that they don't have an work experience. You can completely remove this sections and instead add internships, volunteer experience and extra-curricular activities in resume.
• Entry Level Professionals: You can list all your work experience in the work experience section
• Mid-level professionals: Add only your relevant work experience in the resume
• Senior professionals : List the recent 10-12 years of relevant work experience in the resume. After that you can mention your work experience in the resume, but no need to explain.

Example of Resume Work Experience:

Also Read: How to write the work experience section of a resume in 2023?

How to Write Education Section In Resume?

The education section is easily one of the most important parts of your resume, so make sure you format it correctly.

Here's some advice on what elements to add on the education section in a resume:

• Name of the Degree. E.g.: “Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science”
• Name of the University. E.g.: “New York State University”
• Year of Degree. E.g.: “08/2008 - 06/2012”
• GPA, only if it's greater than 3.5
• Honors (Optional).E.g.: Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude.
• Academic achievements (Optional).

Example of Resume Educations Section:

Also Read: How to write the education section of a resume in 2023?

How to Add Certifications in Resume?

If you are looking for a job that requires certification, then make sure you include certifications in your resume .

This section should include any certifications that may help you get the job. It demonstrates your qualifications outside of your core-education experience and is thus seen as a positive attribute by recruiters.

Given below is a list of elements you need to add in the certification section in resume:

• Name of the certification
• Name of the certification issuing body
• Location of the certifying body
• Enrollment and completion date in a month and year format

Example of Resume Certification Section:

How to Add Additional Experiences in Resume?

You can add additional sections on your resume if you have some space left after adding all the essential sections on your resume.

1. Volunteering Experience:

If you've volunteered for any group or organization, list it in your resume . Volunteering shows that you're not only willing to work hard, but also care about others. This is one of the things employers look for in potential employees.

2. Hobbies & Interests:

Mentioning your hobbies and interests on a resume shows that you are well-rounded and have a variety of interests. They also help employers see who you really are as a person and how they might relate to you in the workplace. You can include hobbies such as cooking or sports under this section. The same goes for other interests like photography or travel.

3. Publications:

If you've published articles online or in print, list those publications on your resume under publications so employers know what kind of writer they're hiring!

Key Takeaways

• Your resume should be tailored to the job you're applying
• It should look good, else the recruiters will ignore the resume
• The resume should include all relevant information. It shouldn't feel incomplete
• You need to add accurate details in the resume.
• Start all bullet points in resume with power verbs
• Keep a 1-inch margin on all sides of the resume.

Go to Hiration career platform which has 24/7 chat support and get professional assistance with all your job & career-related queries. You can also write to us at [email protected] and we will make sure to reach out to you as soon as possible.

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• November 20, 2023
• Career Coaching , Career Search , Entry-level

How to Write a Resume in 2023

It’s no secret that the job industry is competitive. Thankfully, there are lots of strategies to help you get ahead, including perfecting your LinkedIn profile and learning how to write the perfect cover letter. That said, the importance of a well written and professional resume cannot be overstated. After all, the purpose of a resume is to highlight your strengths, while differentiating you from other candidates and landing you an interview.

In this article, we will discuss the importance of tailoring your resume and targeting keywords. We’ll also review the different types of resume formats, as well as provide you with valuable resume building tips. So if you’re looking for advice on how to write a professional resume, look no further!

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Fill out this form to book your complimentary initial consultation., the importance of tailoring your resume.

For example, someone considering both private sector and public sector work, should not submit the same resume to a government customer service position and customer service position at a Fortune 500 company . Knowing what positions and industries you’d like to apply to will help you determine what strengths and skills you should highlight in your resume in order to be invited for an interview.

You’ll also want to target specific keywords listed in the job ad. This will help you rank well on an Applicant Tracking System — a hiring tool used by the majority of mid-sized to large companies.

Overall, the process of adjusting your resume by including specific keywords and highlighting different qualifications is known as “tailoring” your resume. Most seasoned professionals will have three to four “tailored resumes” at their disposal. It’s a lot of work, but well worth the effort!

Understanding the different types of resumes

To start, you’ll need to weigh the pros and cons of the different professional resume formats: chronological resumes, functional resumes, and hybrid resumes. A chronological resume is written in reverse chronological order and highlights past work experience; it’s also the industry standard. A functional resume is great for entry-level professionals because it highlights skills, objectives, and passion. A hybrid resume combines elements of chronological and functional resumes. Each resume format has its advantages and disadvantages. The key is to find the format that works best for you!

For more guidance on what professional resume format to choose, refer to our article, What format should I write my resume in? The different types of resume formats .

What to include in a resume in 2023:

It’s also worth noting that for the vast majority of the positions, you should adhere to the one-page rule. According to a CareerBuilder study, 17% of hiring managers spend less than 30 seconds reviewing a resume. With such little time to impress the person reviewing your resume, it’s imperative you do so quickly. Maintaining your resume to exactly one page and using keywords found in the employer’s job description will help push your resume into the “yes” pile.

Now, what don’t you want to include? You don’t necessarily need to include an objectives section; your cover letter will include this information and more. You should also avoid including personal information including photographs, gender, age, and/or race. Last, refrain from including references, as the employer will request this information if it is necessary.

Contact information

The contact information section should be the focal point of your resume. Write your name in the largest font and include your phone number, email, and mailing address in a smaller font below. Be sure to use a professional email address and avoid emails with the following domains: @yahoo.com, @aol.com, @hotmail.com, and @bellsouth.net.

Your education section should include your university degree, graduation month and year, and any academic honors or accolades. Your GPA should only be included if it is required by an employer or if it will portray you as an accomplished student.

Depending on the breadth of your experience and the relevance of your education, your education section may come before or after your experience section. If your college major is tightly related to the position you’re seeking, but your experience is a bit disconnected, you should begin with your education section. If your experience better connects to the position you’re seeking, you should begin with your education section.

Work experience

The experience section of your resume is the most important section of your resume. Before writing this section, review job descriptions to curate a list of keywords to feature on your resume. This will help impress the hiring manager or recruiter. It will also help you rank well with Applicant Tracking Systems .

Now, what about the order? In general, this section should be organized in reverse chronological order. That said, if your most recent experience is unrelated to the position you’re applying to, you should organize this section based on how relevant each position is in relation to the current position you’re seeking. When drafting each experience, list the name of the company first, then your title. If your title better correlates to the title of the position you’re applying to, you should include the title first.

The work experience of your resume should be written in bullet point format. Wondering how to write good resume bullet points? To start, each bullet point should begin with an action verb that illustrates your responsibilities and achievements. Ensure that the action verbs describing your responsibilities at a former position are written in the past tense and that action verbs describing responsibilities at your current job are written in the present tense.

You’ll also want to quantify your experience and contributions wherever possible. You can do this by describing the number of customers you assisted, providing the number of employees you managed, or the dollar amount you contributed to sales for the companies you’ve worked at. Use industry-specific vocabulary whenever possible to demonstrate your experience. Lastly, avoid using pronouns (e.g. I, you, he, she).

For more tips on how to complete this section successfully, check out our article, 5 writing guidelines to follow when writing a resume .

Skills and awards

Your skills section should indicate your level of fluency in a language or experience using a variety of software systems. Be sure to list the software systems that you’ve used that are most relevant to the industries and positions you’re applying to. If you’re writing an entry-level resume, don’t be afraid to list soft job skills as well. Take a look at our article, ​​ Positive Character Traits You’ll Need In Every Workplace , for some ideas.

Other information

Depending on the job position, you may choose to include additional information like volunteering, hobbies, and publications. The hobbies/interests section could be used to humanize you as an applicant or build a connection with the hiring manager based on a common interest. You may also include any volunteer or extracurricular experience if it is related to the company’s mission or if you are applying right out of college. Last, you may include additional industry-specific achievements including publications or relevant coursework.

Key takeaways and moving forward

After you’ve drafted a resume, ensure all stylings and headings are consistent. You’ll also want to use a professional font. Consider using a graphic design platform to perfectly align dates, titles, and other information included on your resume. If you’re applying to a company with a youthful or creative culture, you may add small design elements in order to really stand out. For further guidance on how to make a resume look professional, check out some of the Best Resume Templates 2023 to help you get started. You might even be interested in trying out our free, AI-powered resume builder . After all, it can be difficult to know how to write a good resume and AI-generative tools can be a great place to start!

Perfecting your resume is a great step towards finding meaningful employment. That said, there are lots of other factors to consider. For further guidance, check out our article, 5 Typical Job Search Mistakes and How to Solve Them . You may also be interested in learning how to write a Thank You Email After an Interview and/or how to resign from a job and secure a good job reference .

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Resume Examples for 2024 & Guides for Any Job [90+ Examples]

In today’s competitive job market, having an impactful resume is more essential than ever. 

However, many job seekers struggle to craft a resume that effectively highlights their skills and experience and, in turn, misses out on potential job opportunities. 

This is where our extensive library of resume examples comes in. 

By looking at examples of resumes for different industries and professions, you can gain great insight into what works and what doesn’t, get inspired to present your own qualifications, and stand out from the competition.

Let’s dive in!

15+ Resume Examples

#1. architect resume example.

Here’s what this architect resume example does right:

• Lists related experience. This resume highlights the relevant professional experience the candidate gained in the field during their internship.
• Mentions achievements and responsibilities. The candidate backs up their claims by going into detail about their achievements and responsibilities. 
• Focus on personal projects. By dedicating a section to their personal projects, this candidate makes up for their lack of work experience and shows off their dedication to the industry. 

#2. Business Resume Example

Here’s what this business-related resume example does right:

• Prioritizes work experience. The work experience section is arguably the most important section in every resume, which is why this candidate has given it a priority by giving it enough resume space and going into detail about their previous positions. 
• Highlights accomplishments. To make their professional experience even more impactful, this candidate has supported all their claims with quantifiable achievements. 
• Lists the right optional sections . The candidate adds more value to their resume by including the organizations, honors, and conferences as optional sections.

#3. Computer Science Resume Example

Here’s what this computer science resume does right: 

• Prioritizes technical skills. Technical skills are essential when it comes to IT-related roles, which is why this candidate has prioritized them over soft skills.
• Keeps the education section concise. With such extensive professional experience in the field, the candidate has opted to keep their education section short.
• Lists relevant social media profiles. Listing websites like GitHub and LinkedIn is a great way to provide recruiters with additional information about your skills.

#4. Data Analyst Resume Example

Here’s what this data analyst resume does right: 

• Includes a strong resume summary . This candidate showcases their key skills and qualifications from the get-go, which is much more likely to get recruiters to read their resumes from start to finish.
• Highlights technical skills. Data analysts work with “big data,” so this candidate prioritizes their quantitative and technical skills over other resume sections.
• Lists relevant professional certifications . The resume lists the candidate’s most noteworthy professional certificates.

#5. College Resume Example

Here’s what this college resume example does right: 

• Lists relevant social media profiles. By including their Medium and LinkedIn accounts, this candidate gives the hiring manager a chance to know them more professionally. 
• Highlights achievements . Although they lack work experience, the candidate has listed everything they’ve achieved during their academic career, thus showing they’re a promising candidate. 
• Mentions the right optional sections. Adding hobbies and interests and foreign languages to a resume is a huge plus for a candidate with no work experience.

#6. Customer Service Resume Example

Here’s what this customer service resume does right: 

• Includes both soft and hard skills . Customer service roles require a mix of soft and hard skills, so this candidate has listed both. 
• Mentions quantifiable achievements. To make their achievements more impressive, the candidate has backed up their work achievements with data and numbers. 
• Lists foreign language skills. Foreign languages are a huge plus when you’re working in customer service and this resume does a good job highlighting the candidate’s foreign language skills. 

#7. Digital Marketing Resume Example

Here’s what this digital marketing resume does right: 

• Follows the reverse chronological format . This format is the most popular one worldwide and is easily the safest choice.
• Grabs attention with a resume summary. In a single glance, the recruiter can tell that the candidate is a digital marketing professional with the right amount of experience.
• Lists relevant skills. The digital marketing specialist resume above lists in-demand marketing skills like Google Ads, SEO, and others.

#8. Graduate Resume Example

Here’s what this graduate resume example does right:

• Starts off with a well-written resume objective . The resume objective does a great job of showing off the candidate’s promise and industry-related experience. 
• Includes work experience. The candidate has gained professional experience while they were a student and they’ve made sure to include that in their resume. 
• Takes advantage of optional sections. Sections like volunteer experience, and personal projects and achievements can help make up for the lack of extensive experience in the industry. 

#9. HR Resume Example

Here’s what this human resources resume example does right: 

• Follows the right format. The reverse chronological format lists the candidate’s latest experience and achievements first, which is exactly what recruiters want to see. 
• Highlights professional experience. With so many years in the industry, this candidate has dedicated the biggest part of their resume to their work history. 
• Includes courses and certificates. To make their achievements even more impressive, the candidate has included all their courses and certifications. 

#10. Medical Assistant Resume Example

Here’s what this medical assistant resume example does right: 

• Starts off with a memorable resume summary. The candidate lists their years of experience, skills, and passion for the industry, making it more likely for the hiring manager to read the rest of their resume. 
• Lists the candidate’s certificates. There are many certifications one can obtain in the medical field, and this candidate proves how professional they are by listing theirs. 
• Highlights the candidate’s extensive work experience. Experience speaks louder than a thousand words, which is why this resume example provides the work experience section its due space. 

#11. Project Manager Resume Example

Here’s what this project manager resume example does right: 

• Uses bullet points. The candidate uses bullet points to organize and present the information which makes this project manager resume example look neat and structured.
• Keeps their education section relevant. The candidate only includes their key education details, such as their Bachelor’s degree and a field-related minor.
• Takes advantage of additional sections. The candidate takes advantage of the extra space on their project manager resume by including relevant additional sections, such as their industry-related certifications and academic achievements

#12. Bar Manager Resume Example

Here’s what this bar manager resume example does right:

• Includes relevant social media profiles. Details such as your LinkedIn profile or Instagram handle make you look more professional (as long as they’re work-related). 
• Mentions industry-related skills. Instead of listing a bunch of unrelated skills, the bar manager resume example above only lists industry-relevant skills.
• Quantifiable achievements. This applicant quantifies their achievements as much as possible, showing the bar owner how they stand out amongst other candidates.

#13. Supervisor Resume Example

Here’s what this supervisor resume example does right: 

• Lists relevant contact details . The supervisor resume example above leaves out redundancies like marital status or age and includes relevant information, like a LinkedIn URL. 
• Features as many accomplishments as possible. To really highlight their candidate’s professional experience, the supervisor example lists achievements over responsibilities. 
• Lists the right kind of skills. This supervisor's resume example doesn’t list every skill under the sun. Instead, they keep the section relevant by only listing skills required from a supervisor. 

#14. Teacher Resume Example

Here’s what this teacher resume example does right:

• Mentions industry-relevant skills. The candidate lists all the soft and hard skills a teacher should have. 
• Includes hobbies and interests . By including hobbies and interests, the hiring manager will see the candidate as more than just a resume. 
• Lists volunteer experience. The candidate reinforces their teaching experience by including their teaching volunteer gigs and experience. 

#15. Writer Resume Example

Here’s just what this writer resume example does right: 

• Impressive resume summary. The resume includes a brief but effective resume summary that highlights the candidate’s skills and top achievements.
• Relevant contact details. This writer resume example contains relevant contact information, including the candidate’s name and surname, email address, phone number, location, professional website URL, and LinkedIn URL. 
• Short education section. A writer’s skills and experience matter more than their education. For this reason, this candidate kept their writer resume’s education section short and sweet. 

#16. Web Developer Resume Example

Here’s what this web developer resume example does right: 

• Focuses on technical skills. Technical skills are essential for web development, which is why this candidate has prioritized theirs.
• Grabs attention with their work experience. Their rich work experience, listed in reverse chronological order, shows the candidate is a promising professional.
• Keeps their education section minimal. With such extensive work experience and training, the candidate has kept their education section concise.

65+ More Resume Examples and Guides 

Couldn’t find a resume example for your field? Worry not!

Below you can find a number of other resume examples for different fields and industries:

• Accountant Resume
• Administrative Assistant Resume
• AI Engineer Resume
• Animator Resume
• Babysitter Resume
• Banking Resume
• Bank Teller Resume
• Barbie's Resume
• Barista Resume
• Bartender Resume
• Bookkeeper Resume
• Business Analyst Resume
• Career Change Resume
• Caregiver Resume
• Cashier Resume
• College Application Resume
• College Freshman Resume
• Consultant Resume
• Construction Project Manager
• Creative Resume Examples
• Data Entry Specialist Resume
• Data Scientist Resume
• Dentist Resume
• DevOps Engineer Resume
• Digital Marketing Manager Resume
• Editor Resume
• Electrical Engineer Resume
• Elon Musk's One-Page Resume
• Engineering Resume
• Esthetician Resume
• Europass CV
• Event Planner Resume
• Executive Assistant Resume
• Federal Resume
• Financial Analyst Resume
• Flight Attendant Resume
• Game Designer Resume 
• Graphic Designer Resume
• High School Resume
• Illustrator Resume 
• Interior Designer Resume
• Internship Resume
• Java Developer Resume
• Military to Civilian Resume
• Marketing Executive Resume
• Minimalistic Resume Examples
• Nanny Resume Example
• Nurse Resume
• Office Assistant Resume
• Office Manager Resume
• Operations Manager Resume
• Paralegal Resume
• Pharmacist Resume
• Photographer Resume
• Program Manager Resume
• Real Estate Agent Resume
• Receptionist Resume
• Recruiter Resume
• Research Assistant Resume
• Restaurant Manager Resume
• Retail Manager Resume
• Richard Branson's One-Page Resume
• Sales Resume
• Sales Associate Resume
• Satya Nadella's One-Page Resume
• Server Resume
• Social Worker Resume
• Software Engineer Resume
• Stay-at-home Mom Resume
• Student Resume
• Student Resume Templates
• Taylor Swift Resume
• Video Editor Resume
• Volunteer Resume
• Waiter/Waitress Resume
• Warehouse Worker Resume
• Web Developer Resume
• Welder Resume

5+ Examples of Resume Templates

Your resume template can play an important role in helping you make a great first impression on the hiring manager. 

Specifically, your industry, work experience, or skills all impact how your resume should look, so make sure to choose the right template when making your resume: 

#1. Traditional Resume

A straightforward format that gives equal importance to all resume sections , emphasizing skills and work experience.

#2. Creative Resume

Land your dream job in the creative industry by using this creative resume template. 

#3. Minimalist Resume

A simple and easy-to-follow resume template. Perfect for more conservative industries which prefer less flashy templates.

#4. Basic Resume

This easy-to-personalize basic resume layout can be ready in under ten minutes through our resume builder .

#5. IT Resume

One of the best resume layouts to choose when you wish to showcase your IT expertise.

#6. Modern Resume 

It can be hard to stand out from the crowd, but this modern resume sample will take care of this.

#7. General Resume

5+ Resume Examples by Career Level

#1. no experience resume .

Are you a student with no experience ? Learn how to write a compelling resume with our guide! 

#2. College Freshman Resume

Learn how to ace your college freshman resume with our comprehensive guide! 

#3. Graduate Resume

Fresh out of college? Write an impactful graduate resume to land your first gig after college. 

#4. Career Change Resume

Going through a career change? Perfect your career change resume to make the transition as smooth as possible. 

#5. Manager Resume

#6. Executive Resume

The Perfect Resume Structure 

Not sure how to structure your resume?

Here’s our tried-and-tested resume layout :

• Choose the right resume format or pick a template. If you’re formatting your resume yourself, follow the reverse-chronological format and make sure to follow the right layout rules. Alternatively, you can use one of our premade resume templates and not have to worry about formatting your resume one bit. 
• Add relevant contact details and make sure they’re mistake-free. You shouldn’t be missing information such as your full name and job title, e-mail address, and where you’re based. Optionally, you can also include some relevant social media profiles, such as your LinkedIn.
• Include a resume summary or a resume objective. Done right, a resume summary will show the hiring manager you’re a relevant candidate from the get-go and have them read the rest of your resume.
• List your work experience, placing special focus on your achievements. Your work experience becomes more meaningful if you include your achievements in your past roles and manage to make them quantifiable.
• Mention your top soft and hard skills. List any skills you have that are relevant to the job you’re applying for in a seperate section. 
• Keep your education section short and concise. Unless you’re an entry-level candidate with little-to-no work experience, keep your education section short and to the point. 
• Leverage optional sections like “Languages,” “Certifications,” or “Hobbies and Interests.” Fill up the rest of your resume space with optional sections that can highlight your strengths and qualifications as a candidate (e.g. foreign languages you speak, certifications you’ve obtained over the years, or your hobbies and interests).

3 Examples of Resume Formats 

#1. reverse chronological resume format.

This resume format highlights your experience and key professional achievements by listing your latest position and acquired skills first. It’s the most popular resume format among recruiters and the one we advise job seekers to use in 99% of cases. 

#2. Functional Resume Format

A functional resume , also known as the skill-based resume, is a resume format that focuses on your professional skill test as opposed to work experience. You’re better off using a functional resume if you’re a recent graduate with no work experience, if you’re switching careers, or if you have a long employment gap . 

#3. Hybrid Resume Format

A combination resume combines the two traditional resume formats: the reverse-chronological resume and the functional resume.

As such, this format places emphasis on a candidate’s skills and work experience. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Resume Examples

1. Are resume examples helpful?

Resume examples are helpful for several reasons. For starters, they can inspire you to write an A+ resume that meets the industry’s requirements. 

Also, resume examples can show you the best practices for listing your work experience and achievements, can guide you through your resume formatting and can help you understand exactly what the end result should look like.

2. How were these resume examples created?

All our resume examples and resume templates were created in full collaboration with industry-leading HR professionals.

This means that they meet all job market requirements, are modern and impactful, and meet recruiters’ standards worldwide.

3. What if I can’t find a resume example for my job?

While we’ve tried to list as many resume examples as possible for different jobs across several industries, it might happen that you can’t find the resume example that perfectly matches your needs. 

If that’s the case, you can check out our guide on how to write a resume , and learn to create an effective resume regardless of industry.

4. What is the best resume format in 2024?

The reverse-chronological format is still the best resume format in 2024. It remains the most widely used and preferred format by employers and recruiters alike. In this format, you list your work experience in reverse chronological format, starting with your most recent position and working backward.

This format showcases our most recent and relevant experience, making it easier for employers to see our career progression and accomplishments. 

5. Are these resume examples free? 

Yes, most of these resume examples can be used for free in the Basic account, while there is also a selection of templates included in the Premium account. All of them though can be tested for free in our editor. 

6. Do you also have cover letter examples?

Yes, we have an entire article dedicated to cover letter examples for different fields and jobs. Not just that, but you can also find tips on how to write a great cover letter and an FAQ section to answer any question you may have. 

7. Should my resume and cover letter match?

Yes, having a cover letter that’s consistent with your resume in terms of style, tone, and content can be a plus for your overall job application. In a nutshell, a matching resume and cover letter can increase your chances of getting an interview by demonstrating your professionalism, attention to detail, and suitability for the role. 

Conclusion 

And that’s a wrap!

We hope the examples and guides provided in this article can help you create a powerful and effective resume that highlights your unique qualifications and experiences. 

Whether you're a recent graduate, a mid-career employee, or a seasoned professional, there are tips and templates here to help you create a compelling resume for any job.

For more career advice, make sure to check out our career blog . 

To provide a safer experience, the best content and great communication, we use cookies. Learn how we use them for non-authenticated users.

Resume builder

How to Write a Resume – The Ultimate Guide

Let’s talk about how to write a perfect resume.

You definitely need a resume that stands out from the crowd by effectively showcasing your most marketable skills and expertise.

A good resume will help you secure interviews and land the job of your dreams . But how do you do that?

We’ll go through each section and detail everything you need to know. We’ll also include good examples to help you increase your chances of landing a job

Table of Contents

How to Write an Effective Resume

Nowadays, a resume is a requirement to be considered for professional positions in a competitive job market. But recruiters often give resumes a skim-read, spending only 7.4 seconds on average. About 250 applicants apply for every open corporate position, but only 4-6 will be interviewed, and one will be hired.

If your resume can’t get the recruiter’s attention in those first few seconds, they will probably never give it a second look. This is why creating a strong resume should be your first priority.

There are several free tools (more on that later) that can help you structure and format a resume. But the most effective way to create an eye-catching resume is using a professional resume template. This is why we recommend a resume builder like ResumeKit . Use a resume builder that gives tips and suggestions if you’d rather have a tool to do the heavy lifting.

Step 1: Choose the Right Resume Format

There are different resume formats , and each of them serves different purposes.

The Chronological Resume

The most widely used resume format is the chronological resume. It’s traditional to list your most recent job first in the experience section. From there, you list your job experience in descending order.

You should highlight your seven to ten years of relevant work experience and any awards or recognition you may have received.

Both work and academic history on a chronological resume will typically be presented in reverse chronological order.

The Functional or Skill-Based Resume

The emphasis of a functional resume is on the applicant’s relevant skills rather than their previous experience. So it promotes your skills to the job position you are applying for.

The Combination Resume

Another way people learn how to make a resume is to combine elements of chronological and functional formats. Your relevant skills and work experience can be spotlighted in this resume format. Your work experience and skill set will take most of your resume. So you’ll have to cut out optional sections like volunteer work, summary statement, or special interests.

This guide focuses on the reverse-chronological resume format. It is the standard format and is more familiar to most hiring managers. For a long time, this resume style has been accepted practice across all professions and fields. 90%+ HR managers use Automated Tracking Systems (ATS) and a standardized application form helps stick to a more conventional format.

Step 2: Choose the Right Resume Layout

Here’s how to write a resume with a suitable layout :

Use a Professional Font for Your Resume

A professional resume should be written in a formal, easy-to-read font .

Arial, Times New Roman, and Georgia are the best options whenever possible.

You should only consider experimenting with a non-standard resume font if you apply for a position in an artistic field. And that can be a hit or miss, so you should stick to the classic fonts.

Also, your resume’s paragraph font size shouldn’t be smaller than 10.5 points or more than 12 .

Align Your Text to the Left

You should always align the content of your resume to the left. You can choose to center-align the information in your header , though. However, most of your information should be aligned to the left to make it easy for hiring managers to read.

Limit Your Resume to One Page

If you want to highlight your impressive qualifications without overwhelming the reader, stick to one page . Besides, one-page resumes are preferred by most recruiters because they are simpler to review.

You can get away with a two-page resume or more if you have over 10 years of relevant professional experience.

Choose a 0.63” By 1” Margin Size

A resume should have 0.63″ left and right margins and 1″ top and bottom margins. You can fit more information on the page, yet your resume will still be easy to read if you choose this format. Strike the perfect balance.

Step 3: Put Contact Information on Your Resume

Hiring managers use your name, phone number, and email address to contact you. This includes setting up interviews and completing any necessary paperwork.

Here is what you need to include in your resume’s contact information .

• Full Name (e.g., Mary Stuart)
• Email Address ([email protected])
• Phone number (e.g., 014 567 8900)
• Location (e.g., Chicago, IL)

Optional Information:

• Linkedin (e.g., linkedin.com/mary-stuart)
• Professional Title (e.g., Digital Marketing Manager)

What NOT to Put in Your Contact Information

Unprofessional Email Address. Use formal emails like [email protected], NOT [email protected]. Date of Birth – The HR manager doesn’t need your date of birth unless it’s a requirement of the position you are applying for. Some job positions come with certain age restrictions. So it makes sense if the recruiters ask you.

Step 4: Prepare a Resume Summary or Objective

Before we go any further, remember that resume summary and resume objective are two different things. However, both aim to sell you to a prospective employer and offer a brief introduction to your resume.

Resume Objective

A resume objective focuses on the skills that make you the right candidate for a position. It includes keywords from the job description and outlines qualifications that make you valuable to the company. The resume objective also includes the type of work you’re interested in.

Use Resume Objective when you apply to make a career change or have insufficient experience for the desirable post.

Self-driven person looking for a job as Social Media Marketing Manager. Created and oversaw three local businesses social media accounts for nine months. Gained 5,700+ followers for a fashion’s Instagram account using content creation knowledge. Hoping to assist Company X by enhancing its social media presence and brand exposure.

Resume Summary

A resume summary provides an overview of relevant work experiences relevant to the advertised position. It shows what you’ve already done in that position and what you can do in the advertised position.

Use Resume Summary for all basic cases when you perfectly fit mentioned experience, skills and don’t want to change your career (better use Objective in this case).

Enjoy lots of great features ResumeKit has to offer and save loads of time: generate a resume summary and objective with this AI-powered builder in just a few clicks.

Step 5: List Your Work Experience and Achievements

How you list your work experience will depend on the job you’re applying for and the skills you want to highlight. The steps to list your work experience are as follows:

• List your work title
• Include the name of the organization you worked for
• List the employment dates (You can include only the month and year)
• List your location (optional)
• Provide a bulleted list of your top three to six accomplishments

Start With Your Most Recent Work Experience

You should list the most recent work experience first, followed by the rest of your work experience.

Check the example below:

PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE

Work Title 1

Company, City, State Start Date – End Date

• Your recent work experience

Work Title 2

• Your second recent work experience

List Your Work Achievements

Don’t just include your responsibilities on your resume. Instead, highlight the results you’ve achieved. Accomplishments show that you’ve met expectations with your previous employer.

It shows that you’ve exceeded them, which is even more valuable to a prospective employer.

Generally speaking, there are three parts to any professional achievement:

• Using a specific skill
• Achieving a clear, quantitative result or benefit
• Doing specific activities

The ‘What? So What?’ formula provides the quickest and easiest method to describe achievements. It consists of two questions:

• What did I do?
• So what? What was the measurable outcome?

What did I do: Developed inventory software for my company. So what: Saved Company X money, time, and resources. Measurable outcome: Developed a complex inventory software, saving Company X time and money.

Create a List of Bullet Points Tailored to the Position You Want

Even if you’re drafting a general resume, you should avoid using essential bullet points for your work experience. Instead, each bullet point in your work experience section should highlight a different ability or expertise relevant to the position you’re applying for.

You can show that you understand and can meet the employer’s needs by including relevant keywords from the job description in your resume

Start Each Bullet Point with an Action Verb

Use descriptive action verbs at the beginning of each bullet point to highlight your accomplishments in past positions. Some powerful examples of action verbs used to describe your work experience are organized, optimized, and developed.

Tip: try using Harvard Law School’s list of action verbs to get started. Here are a few examples:

Accelerate – “accelerated the growth of my department by bringing in new talent” Anticipate – “anticipated market changes and budgeted for additional expenses” Exceed – “exceeded sales goals by 30%” Generate – “generated additional profits by developing new revenue streams” Initiate – “initiated technical upgrades to improve customer support response time”

Use Numbers in Your Bullet Points

Quantifying your resume describes your work experience with numerical examples to impress recruiters with your abilities. Include in your resume anything that shows how you improved your performance in your previous jobs.

How Much Work Experience Should You Include in Your Resume?

It’s advisable to include the last 10 to 15 years of your work experience in your resume. However, some jobs, especially in the federal government or academia, often require more in-depth work histories.

Going back another 10 years (for a total of 20 years) indicates continuity and, hopefully, career advancement. So it’d be ideal to include your earlier experience.

Any experience of more than 20 years won’t matter to most employers since it’ll usually be your most junior experience.

If you’re applying for a job that doesn’t specifically need more than 10 years of experience, stick to the most recent 10 years.

Step 6: List your Certificates and Awards

To make your job application stand out to potential employers and distinguish you from other candidates, add certificates, awards, publications and other achievements to your resume.

You must understand when and how to mention your certifications and awards on a job application if you have obtained one or more.

How to Include Awards on Your Resume

Add the following details when you list your awards on your resume:

• The name of the award given.
• Date and year received.
• Quantify the size of the award. For example, the number of nominees or the nature of the competition, such as regional or global.
• The purpose of the award and why you won it.

Add your awards in the section of your resume that’s most relevant. For example, list a professional award in the job experience section and a school award in the education section. When you do that, you put the awards in their proper context.

How to Add Certificates to Your Resume

Adding a new section just for your certificates is the simplest and most popular way to include them in your resume. First, add a heading called “ Certifications ” on your resume, and then add entries beneath it. Then list each certification under that subheading, preferably in reverse chronological order. In other words, you begin with the most recent certificate and work your way backward.

How to Add Publications

You can put a bulleted list in your resume’s “Research and Publications” section if you only have a few publications. However, most resumes have an additional page for publications.

• List publications in APA or MLA format. Science and engineering subjects frequently use the APA style ; humanities disciplines like philosophy use the MLA style .
• Beginning with your most current work, list your other publications in descending order until you reach your very first work.
• Leave out any publications that are no longer helpful or relevant to your job or field.
• Include the names of any co-authors in your publication. But make sure to put your name in bold.

Step 7: List Education

Sometimes employers look for candidates with specific degrees, and your resume is the perfect opportunity to highlight your accomplishments in this area.

Regardless of the school you attended, include some list combinations below. But always include your school name and degree obtained:

• Your school’s name.
• Degree obtained.
• Graduation date.
• Your major or field of study.
• GPA if it was above 3.5.
• Achievements, relevant coursework, honors, etc.

Where to Add Your Education on the Resume

When writing your resume, the education part should often appear directly below the work experience section.

However, you can place it below your resume summary when:

• It’s an academic resume
• You graduated recently
• You’re a professional going back to school

If you have little or no experience, place the education section above the experience area. That will focus the hiring manager’s attention on your value to the organization, not your lack of experience. Also, keep the education section concise. It’s one of the shortest sections in the resume.

Step 8: List Top Soft and Hard Skills

Your career skills come in two types: hard and soft skills . Let’s go through their differences.

Hard Skills

Hard skills are measurable, quantifiable abilities that you can teach another person. Here, hard skills refer to the technical abilities required for a specific job. You can learn hard skills in a formal setting, such as a school, an online course, or a book.

Examples of hard skills are computer programming, marketing skills, and accounting strategies.

Soft Skills

Soft skills are also called people skills. They are interpersonal and social skills, professional attitudes, and character traits that benefit the workplace.

Examples of soft skills include the ability to work as a team, to be patient, to manage one’s time effectively, and to communicate effectively. In addition, you can obtain soft skills through life experiences or personality traits.

How to List Soft and Hard Skills On a Resume

You should make a solid initial impression on a prospective employer by emphasizing your resume’s relevant soft and hard skills. The following are helpful tips for describing your hard and soft skills on your resume:

1. Include Your Relevant Hard or Soft Skills in Your Resume Summary.

Make sure your resume summary highlights your most exceptional qualifications.

Put your best abilities front and center in your resume summary. Hiring managers read the first part of your resume. So make sure it highlights the talents they care about most.

However, just mentioning talents in your description isn’t always enough. You should also use percentages and numbers to demonstrate that you know how to use your relevant skills in the workplace.

2. Emphasize Your Hard and Soft Skills Many Times.

You can list your soft and hard skills in your resume’s summary and work experience sections. Recruiters usually use Applicant tracking systems (ATS) to filter resumes and assess which prospects possess the necessary skills.

This system treats hard and soft skills as keywords. Then, it ranks applicants based on the frequency with which those keywords appear in their resumes.

3. Refer to the Job Description.

You should always refer to the job description for inspiration when determining which soft or hard skills to highlight on your resume.

In response to a company’s request for a self-starter, your resume could emphasize that you are highly motivated, ambitious, and goal-oriented. Including relevant keywords from the job description in your resume is also a good idea.

Step 9: Add Additional Personal Information

Additional information is any necessary qualifications, skills, or characteristics. It shows that you’re a curious individual with outside passions and can bring a unique energy to the workplace.

It helps if you can relate any extra information to the position you seek. That way, you come off as intriguing and relevant to the interviewer. You can expand your resume with the following sections of information:

Here are some good interests to put: sports (jogging, team sports, yoga, etc.), creative hobbies (writing, design, etc.), job specific hobbies and interests (coding, learning foreign languages, video editing).

• Languages spoken

Here, you can list the languages you speak and mention your level of proficiency: Native, Fluent, Proficient, Intermediate, Basic. Or, if the position you are applying for requires it, add specific certification you’ve received.

• Personal skills

Think of the personal skills you possess that will make you a better candidate for the job you are applying for: interpersonal skills, attention to detail, natural leadership, etc.

• Volunteer or charity work

If you are passionate about certain social issues and are taking action to make a change, your employer may consider you a proactive and committed individual.

• Personal projects

If you are working on a personal project (writing a book, developing a game, learning a language, etc.) that may be related to your work or demonstrates professional qualities that can come in handy in the job you want to get, add this to your resume.

Step 10: Tailor Your Resume For The Job Ad

When a company advertises a job position, they typically detail the responsibilities of the position. They also include the skills and experiences the candidate must have.

A well-crafted resume shows that you have the skills and have successfully applied them to produce desirable outcomes in your previous company.

Tailor Your Resume for ATS

1. use the job description as a guide.

Job descriptions usually contain the position titles and keywords that the ATS searches for. For example, let’s say there’s a job position for an administrative assistant. If your resume doesn’t include terms like “receptionist” or “data entry,” you may get overlooked, even if you qualify.

So use the job description as a guide when crafting your resume for a specific position. Then, rephrase your skills to include the exact keywords on the job ads.

2. Simplify Your Formatting

Headers and footers are good design elements for creating a human-readable resume. The problem is that they can throw off an automated testing system.

Choose a format that’s as straightforward as possible, even if it reduces the amount of content you may include. For example, instead of listing your credentials and language skills in your header, place them in your talents section.

Save the Resume in Word Document

Unless otherwise specified, a Word document is the best format for submitting a resume. However, there’s no guarantee that the ATS can read the document format, whether PDF, Open Office, or HTML. Your formatting may not be preserved even if it can.

Word documents are a tried and true method due to their widespread use.

Step 11: Craft a Convincing Cover Letter

A well-written cover letter can help you get noticed when applying for jobs. In addition, you can highlight your qualifications for the open position at the organization in this quick document. In your cover letter, you can explain how your skills and experience can benefit the organization.

Also read: How Long Should a Cover Letter Be?

Who Are You Writing to?

Finding out who you are writing to can help convince them to grant you an interview. In addition, you can find out precisely who will review your cover letter if you invest the time.

If you take the time to tailor the cover letter to the recipient , you’ll make a stronger impact and be able to add more relevant information.

Related: How to Address a Cover Letter. Who to Address?

Recruiters often go through dozens of cover letters before deciding which candidates to invite for an interview. Getting their attention may require you to take an unconventional approach. Try to think of more creative ways to phrase your sentences.

Keep your cover letter free of cliches and other overused phrases. The hiring manager may remember you if you make your cover letter unique.

To read more about cover letters, check out the below guides:

Step 12: Proofread Your Resume

Proofreading a resume is essential when learning how to write a resume. Here are some important points you need to know:

Take Your Time and Read the Resume

Rereading is the first step in resume proofreading, but you should take your time and focus on each word. Our eyes tend to take in large text sections at once when reading. Therefore, you should carefully examine every word and punctuation.

Use a Grammar and Spell Checker to Polish Your Work

Using a spellchecker is a given, but apps like Grammarly can help you avoid typos and enhance your writing’s syntax. However, neither of these methods is 100% accurate. Don’t accept any suggestions the grammar check offers. Instead, look closely and evaluate if you think the suggestion is worthwhile.

Remove Repeated Words

Many resumes contain unnecessarily repeated words that should be deleted. For example, there is no need to repeat the word “skills” three times in your skills section. Some people may use the exact phrases repeatedly without even realizing it.

CV Vs. Resume: What is the Difference?

The main differences between a CV and resume are related to their contents and length.

A resume is a brief 1-2 page document outlining your professional experience and skills.

A CV is a 2-4 page document detailing the history of your academic credentials.

Here’s how a CV and a resume differ:

• Scope: a CV takes an in-depth look at your entire academic career. A resume is a highlight reel of your professional experience and skills.
• Purpose: you need a CV to apply for an academic position or a graduate school program. You need a resume to apply for most other job types.
• Length: a CV is a multi page document — some CVs can be over ten pages in length. The average length of a resume is one page.

Note that in some European countries, the terms CV and resume may be used interchangeably. If you don’t know what document to submit, it’s best to ask the recruiter.

Why Do You Need a Perfect Professional Resume?

Here are the top reasons why you need a professional and well-crafted resume.

Resume Explains Your Relevant Experience and Skills

A good resume explains what you can bring to an organization by outlining your experience and qualifications. It presents your skills and experience in a way easier for hiring managers to digest. That helps them to choose the most qualified candidate.

Effective resumes strategically use color, margins, design, and other formatting elements.

That helps you to showcase important work experience in a way that draws attention to your qualifications and accomplishments.

Show Your Worth to Potential Employers

In addition to listing your experience and skills, a resume should highlight your unique value to the organization. However, there’s a proper way to do it. For example, don’t just say you were the best employee in the sales department.

Instead, say you “increased sales by 10%, bringing the company $200,000 in revenue in one year.” This way, you can show potential employers exactly how much of an impact you’ll have on a similar position in their company.

You can put three or four accomplishments under each experience section if they provide quantifiable data.

The Resume Can Help You Land an Interview

You’ll need a well-written resume if you don’t have a company or a strong reference . So a resume’s primary objective is to get you that interview. That’s why you need to know how to write a resume and be excellent at it.

Top 5 Resume Tips to Help You Land a Job

Here are some of the most effective resume-writing strategies that can help you secure interviews:

1. Include Only Information Necessary for the Job Position

You shouldn’t put every job you’ve ever had on your resume. Likewise, don’t look at your resume as a history of your work experience. Instead, think of it as a marketing document meant to promote you as the ideal candidate for the position you’re applying for.

To increase your chances of getting an interview, you should modify your resume for each job you apply for. That means emphasizing your most relevant experiences and achievements, which may mean excluding previous job experiences.

But keep a list of all the jobs you’ve ever done. We’ll explain more in the next point.

2. Have a Master Resume Close By

It’s a good practice to have a master resume where you keep everything you’ve ever included on a resume. For example, it can include special projects you embarked on, bullet points tailored for different applications, and old positions you’ve held before.

This will make it easy to change the information where necessary, depending on the job you’re applying for. That way, you can copy and paste the appropriate sections from each resume sample to the new resume.

3. Place Important Information “Above the Fold”

You should include your most impressive qualifications, experiences, and accomplishments in the first quarter of your resume. It’ll be the first information the recruiting manager sees, so it should be compelling enough to keep them reading.

That’s why you need to take time and learn how to make a resume that stands out from the crowd. Luckily, this guide gives you everything you need to know. So keep reading!

4. Your Resume Should Be in a Reverse Chronological Order

While the combination and functional resumes are viable options, the tried-and-true reverse chronological structure remains the most effective. This resume format focuses on listing your most recent experience first.

Don’t include a skills section on your resume unless necessary. Otherwise, hiring managers may suspect that you have something to hide.

5. Don’t Go Beyond a Page

Should a resume be on one page? There is some debate on whether a two-page resume is acceptable. But the fact remains that the information should be concise, and keeping your reume to one page is an excellent strategy.

You can also include additional resume pages if you have relevant experience, education, and certifications to highlight. However, if you can give the same information more concisely, do so.

Effective Tools to Help You Create a Professional Resume

You can write a professional resume using a number of free tools. Here are just a few examples:

Google Doc resume templates

Instead of using a standard template in Google Docs , consider using specialized resume templates. While minimal, they are a better choice for building a more professional application.

Canva is a free, easy-to-use graphic design tool. A lot of people use it to spice up their social media content. But Canva also has a number of ready-to-use resume templates that will make structuring and formatting your resume a breeze.

Hemingway Editor

Your resume should be one page long. If you are having trouble keeping things short, use the Hemigway Editor . The software highlights sentences that are too long and helps you structure your text for better readability.

FindMyProfession

FindMyProfession is a professional resume writing service where your application will be in the hands of professional writers. It may be a good resume writing solution for high-level professionals applying for top level positions.

But if you are not at this stage yet, we recommend using professional resume building software like ResumeKit.

Here are a few tips for choosing the right resume builder:

• Use a resume builder that gives you tips and suggestions and takes all the heavy lifting off your hands and mind.
• Go with a service that gets information from LinkedIn if you’re looking for an automated resume generator.
• It’s always good to have some leeway for originality in resume design is a perk of using an online resume builder.

Take the time to choose a resume builder that works for your situation, your target industry, and your writing style, such as ResumeKit . That will give you a far better chance of getting a callback from recruiters.

Final Thoughts

If you want to know how to write a resume, this guide shows you everything you need to know. However, when completing your resume, you should keep the following in mind.

Make sure to double-check for any mistakes before finalizing your resume. If you must save your resume, PDF or Word are the formats to use.

In a PDF, your formatting will be preserved even if you use fonts that aren’t present on the recruiter’s computer. That ensures that your document is displayed accurately.

If the job posting specifies a format for resumes, such as Microsoft Word, then use that format.

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Resume Writing Tips

What your resume should look like in 2023 (with examples & templates).

Learning what your resume should look like in 2023 isn’t just a matter of aesthetics.

Hiring data shows there’s an average of 200 applicants per job opening. Some researchers say that figure may be closer to 500 candidates , depending on the position.

I share these figures not to scare you, but to highlight your stiff competition.

Your resume is your best chance to make a powerful first impression on hiring teams and recruiters. These decision-makers are inundated with well-qualified applicants as soon as they post a job.

And to make matters worse, eye-tracking studies reveal they only spend 7.4 seconds scanning a resume before deciding whether to read it in its entirety or move on to the next one.

That’s not a lot of time to capture and excite readers about your value.

So in this post, I’ll highlight exactly what your resume should look like in 2023 to stand out, engage readers, and boost your chances of landing an interview.

What Your Resume Should Look Like In 2023: 5 Must-Haves + Examples

An attractive, high-performing resume immediately piques a reader’s interest. It subtly draws them down the page to learn why you’re the candidate they’re looking for.

So every resume in 2023 should incorporate these five elements to achieve that goal:

1. An Updated, Modern Design

A traditional resume format (think: chronological order, bullet points, etc.) won’t give you a leg-up on your competition in 2023. Using one may even hold you back.

See, hiring managers tune out when one of those stale resume templates lands on their desks for the umpteenth time. These boring resumes don’t excite or connect with readers. So your resume could be passed over in that brief 7.4-second scan before it’s even read.

That’s why it’s so important to freshen up the look of your resume with an updated, modern resume template like this one:

Want to use this resume template? Click this link purchase it and start customizing this template (or any others in this article) now.

Unlike a traditional resume template, the one above builds a personal connection with readers by introducing and showcasing your value first. A quick scan of the top half provides them with a snapshot of your areas of expertise and core competencies, two very attractive “hooks” to hiring teams.

Readers will then feel compelled to learn where you honed those skills. So the bottom half of this resume template helps organize your career achievements in an engaging, eye-appealing way. 

Rather than reading like a bland job description, each point should back up your skill set while proving your track record of success.

Anyone reading your resume formatted with a modern template like this will know precisely who you are and the value you’ll deliver, which is the ultimate goal.

2. Clear Sections To Highlight Your Best Features

Resumes that look like one giant block of text are intimidating. They tell hiring teams they’ll need to spend time and effort to mine for the intel they’re looking for. And with hundreds of other resumes vying for their attention, they’ll probably just pass on doing so.

That’s why most modern resume templates are divided into sections with clear, distinct headers. This makes your resume easier to scan and read, not to mention far more enjoyable for busy hiring managers.

The resume template above does a fantastic job of breaking up a resume into bite-sized chunks of information. The example below takes this concept a step further:

The highlights and expertise section in this resume template sits in a blue box to draw the reader’s eyes and attention. This is like telling hiring teams, “Hey! Come check this out!”

So think of your resume as a cheat sheet for hiring managers and recruiters rather than a dossier.

Your resume headings and sections will create an organized outline of your qualifications. Then these call-out boxes can be used to show off your best features, as they’re likely one of the first things hiring managers will notice during their initial scan.

3. Strategically-Placed White Space and Tight Copy

Often times, candidates are so focused on adding every little detail to their resume that it becomes too crammed to read. Headings and call-out boxes can help with this problem. But nothing works quite as well as more white space.

White space, or the places in your resume without words or formatting, adds breathing room to your resume . It prevents a resume from appearing jam-packed and hard to read.

A resume with well-defined sections naturally creates more white space, like this resume template :

Aim for short copy to add more white space to your resume . Break up any big chunks of text to make reading less overwhelming and easier for the eyes.

Your resume is like a garden. You don’t want wordy sentences hiding your highlights and achievements like weeds overrunning a beautiful flower bed. 

Prune your copy, and you’ll easily add more white space to your resume and draw attention to your best selling points simultaneously.

4. A Bold Pop of Color

If you really want to stand out and catch someone’s attention, a pop of bold color on your resume is a must. But this doesn’t mean you should haphazardly throw a rainbow of color wherever you want.

When done strategically, as this example does, color can be used to add emphasis, contrast, and personality. It can also help break up the sea of black text on your resume.

Want to use this resume template? Click this link to customize this template or any others in this article now .

Though a pop of color can help your resume stand out and make a memorable first impression, colors that are too bright or off-putting will do so for the wrong reasons. Opt for deeper, saturated shades, so your resume will be legible in person and on-screen.

5. A Clear, Easy-to-Read Font and Formatting

It’s essential to think about the font you choose for your resume .

Anything “cutesy” will likely be regarded as unprofessional. Likewise, a font that’s too light or too bold may also be difficult to read.

The best fonts to use on a resume include Serif and Sans Serif fonts, such as Times New Roman, Georgia, Verdana, and Arial.

As for the font size, stick to 10-14 points (10-12 for regular text and 12-14 for headings and subheadings).

This template offers a great example of resume text formatting:

On a similar note, be sure to emphasize the right areas, not everything . Only use bold or italics to draw attention to your top achievements, companies you’ve worked for, and other notable points according to the role.

Ready To Update Your Resume for 2023?

Now that you know the must-have ingredients for a high-performing resume, it’s time to put these tips to good use.

Incorporating today’s must-have elements will give your resume a fresh upgrade for 2023 and help you connect with hiring teams and recruiters.

Even better news?

If you use one of the resume templates shared in this guide, you’ll ace this task in half the time. Just purchase and download the one that fits your needs best, plug in your information where prompted, and voila! 

You’ll have a modern, professional resume ready to send out in a matter of minutes instead of spending all day reformatting your current one.

Click this link to learn more about the resume templates featured in this article. Psst! You’ll also find a free executive resume template download on our resources page.

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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!

This is very well-detailed content. I highly appreciate your work. Thank you for sharing your ideas!

Hi Jessica,

As I was looking to give my resume a fresh, new style for 2023, I came across your article. I kid you not, I have been styling my resume like this for the last 3 years! I am an independent career coach–would you be interested in hiring a partner?

I’m not kidding.

I found these resume formats to be reader friendly and they target what potential employers want to see quickly. It allows the reader to focus on the accomplishments beyond the day to day duties.

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Improve Your Resume: Download Your Free Executive Resume Template Today

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It's everything you need to stand out, make an impression, and accelerate your job search.

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What Makes a Great Resume?

• Cathy Wasserman
• Lauren B. Weinstein

Start by adding some personality.

If you’re struggling to get your resume noticed, it’s time to add some soul into it. Don’t treat it like a document with laundry list of your responsibilities and successes. Rather, work on converting it into a document that conveys what truly motivates you as a professional.

• Start by creating a back-office version of your resume. Write down an unedited list detailing your complete work history, including the jobs you took up to earn additional money or the one you were fired from. Then, reflect on your personal and professional strengths and talents.
• Use your back-office resume to discern what you want to share on your actual resume. Consider what work has left you with strong negative or positive emotions. Both feel-good emotions and difficult emotions can help you describe your accomplishments in a nuanced way and identify what you want in your next role.
• Now use the back-office resume to rework what you want to showcase. Instead of saying, “Secured a grant funding of $500,000 for youth programming,” say, “Critical thinking and exceptional writing abilities allowed me to secure $500,000 in grant funding for an innovative youth program that helped them develop their leadership skills by writing an online magazine alternative to Teen Vogue .”
• You can take your resume to the next level by adding some creative sections that reflect the uniqueness of what you bring. Consider an international work and living section or one that showcases your artistic practice.

Resumes have come a long way, from a laundry list of job responsibilities to documents that speak to the qualitative and quantitative impact you’ve had at work. But they’re still mostly devoid of emotion and don’t convey what truly motivates you as a professional.

• CW Cathy Wasserman  is a leadership coach , organization development consultant, licensed master social worker, and ‘social experimentrice’ dedicated to re-imagining what’s possible for individuals, organizations and society. She is the co-author of  “ The Empowered Job Search: Build a New Mindset and Get a Great Job in an Unpredictable World.”    Cathy has an MSW from Smith College and a BA in Psychology from Wesleyan University. She trained in mediation with the New York Peace Institute and in Marshall Rosenberg’s Nonviolent Communication.
• LW Lauren Weinstein leads career discovery and enablement for Microsoft’s global sales organization. Previously, she was the Director of Leadership Development at Degreed and has worked in executive search at Marcum, as an in-house career coach at Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies and as a management consultant at Accenture. She is the co-author of  “The Empowered Job Search: Build a New Mindset and Get a Great Job in an Unpredictable World”  and the author of “ Coaching is Calling: A Guide to Coach Training Programs and Professional   Career Paths. ” She is a certified leadership coach, holds a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and is completing her masters and EdD at Penn in organizational leadership and learning. Connect with her on LinkedIn .

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How to Craft a Winning Resume: Step-By-Step Guide

A standout resume showcases your fit for the role and reflects your professional narrative and brand, emphasizing your qualifications, experience and the unique value you bring to the position.

Quality Verified

Updated: April 5, 2024

On This Page:

• Why Your Resume Matters
• Step 1: Job Description
• Step 2: Format
• Step 3: Objective
• Step 4: Work Experience
• Step 5: Skills
• Step 6: Education & Credentials
• Step 7: Optional Sections
• Step 8: Proofread

Additional Resources

Advertising & Editorial Disclosure

An effective resume is much more than a simple list of skills and career history. Your resume often makes the first impression on potential employers and is vital to securing an interview during a job search . When crafted correctly, it's a tool that reflects your qualifications, experiences and compatibility with the position you're applying for.

Importance of a Well-Crafted Resume

A well-crafted resume does more than state your work history — it's a strategic way to present your professional narrative in the most compelling light. Here's why a resume is vital in your job application process:

Step 1: Carefully Read the Job Description

The first step in crafting a compelling resume is a thorough understanding of the job description. It sets the direction for how you'll customize your resume to meet the specific needs and requirements of the role. Here's how to approach it:

Read Attentively

Begin by reading the job description carefully. Pay attention to the language used and the listed responsibilities and requirements. This will give you a clear idea of what the employer values most.

Highlight Key Skills and Qualifications

As you read, underline or highlight the essential skills and qualifications mentioned. These are usually listed under sections titled "Requirements," "Qualifications," or "Skills."

Match Your Skills

Compare your experiences and skills to those in the job description. Identify where your background aligns with the job requirements. This step is crucial for tailoring your resume to show you're an ideal fit.

Incorporate Keywords

Integrate keywords and phrases found in the job description throughout your resume. Use them in your summary, work experience and skills sections. This shows that your qualifications match the role and helps your resume get past Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), which screen resumes based on specific keywords.

Step 2: Choose the Best Resume Format

Choosing the right resume format ensures that your application captures the attention of hiring managers by presenting your background in the most effective and relevant way. Below are the three most commonly used resume formats, along with guidance on who should use each and why:

Chronological Resume

This format arranges your work experience in reverse chronological order, beginning with your most recent job at the top. It's ideal for individuals with a solid and steady work history. The chronological resume highlights career progression and is particularly effective for those looking to advance in the same field.

Best for: Seasoned professionals with consistent employment in their field.

Example: A marketing manager with 10 years of experience seeking to become a marketing director.

Functional Resume

This format emphasizes your skills and abilities rather than the chronological chronology of your professional experience. It's beneficial for those with career gaps in their employment, newcomers to the workforce or career changers, as it allows them to highlight how their skills transfer to the position they're applying for.

Best for: Career changers, individuals with employment gaps or those with diverse skill sets not tied to specific roles.

Example: A professional transitioning from a teaching career to a corporate training position, emphasizing skills in curriculum development, presentation and educational technology.

Combination Resume

A hybrid of the chronological and functional formats, this style allows you to showcase your relevant skills and work history. It's perfect for those with a solid employment record who also want to highlight specific skills that are particularly relevant to the job they're applying for.

Best for: Professionals with a robust work history and specific, transferable skills directly applicable to the job opening.

Example: A software developer with extensive experience in project management looking to focus on agile project management roles.

Step 3: Write a Compelling Resume Summary or Objective

Your summary or objective should introduce your resume and encapsulate your professional identity and value proposition, making a compelling case for why you're the ideal candidate for the position. Here's how to differentiate between the two and write them effectively:

Resume Summary

Ideal for experienced professionals, a summary provides a concise overview of your career achievements and key strengths. It highlights your experience, major accomplishments and the value you bring to a potential employer.

Example: "Customer Service Manager with over seven years of experience specializing in improving customer satisfaction and team performance. Achieved a 30% increase in customer satisfaction at XYZ Co., demonstrating proficiency in CRM software and effective team leadership."

Resume Objective

Best suited for those at the entry level, career changers or applicants with gaps in employment, an objective focuses on your career goals and how they align with the company's needs, emphasizing your enthusiasm and potential contributions.

Example: "Recent Computer Science graduate passionate about software development and problem-solving. Aiming to apply academic knowledge and innovative thinking in a Junior Developer role. Awarded university prize for excellence in project development, showcasing strong technical skills and creative solutions."

• Be Concise: Keep your summary or objective brief, targeting three to five lines.
• Showcase Your Value: Mention specific skills and experiences that align with the job description, indicating how you can solve problems or add value to the team.
• Use Active Language: Start sentences with action verbs and use the active voice to convey dynamism and proactivity.

Step 4: Detail Your Work Experience

The work experience section of your resume is where you showcase your professional journey and demonstrate your value to potential employers. Here's how you can effectively list your work experience:

Chronological Order

Begin with your most recent position and proceed backward in time. This format allows employers to quickly understand your current level of responsibility and track your career progression.

Dynamic Action Verbs

Initiate each bullet point with a strong action verb (e.g., led, developed, increased, optimized) to capture attention and actively convey your role in each achievement.

Quantify Achievements

Wherever possible, use numbers, percentages and specific outcomes to quantify your achievements. This approach provides tangible evidence of your contributions and impact on your roles.

Beyond Duties

Focus on your achievements in each position rather than simply listing job duties. Describe how you added value, solved problems or improved processes. This distinction helps employers gauge your potential impact on their organization.

Tailor to the Job

Select experiences and accomplishments most relevant to the position you're applying for. Tailoring this section to the job description ensures you highlight the skills and experiences that align closely with what the employer is seeking.

Step 5: Highlight Your Skills

The skills section can be an opportunity to respond directly to the job description's call for specific competencies. Follow these steps to make your skills section stand out:

Inventory Your Skills

Compile a comprehensive list of your skills, including technical skills and interpersonal skills. No skill is too small to consider.

Prioritize Relevant Skills

From your inventory, select the skills that most closely match the job description. These are the ones you should highlight in your resume.

Balancing Hard and Soft Skills

A well-rounded candidate possesses hard and soft skills . Hard skills demonstrate your specific qualifications for the job, while soft skills illustrate how you interact with others and approach your work.

Presenting Your Skills

When listing your skills, consider using bullet points for clarity and ease of reading. Provide brief examples of how you've applied each skill in a professional setting, either within the skills section itself or elsewhere in your resume.

Integrating Soft Skills Throughout

While it's important to list soft skills, you can also integrate them into your work experience and achievements.

Step 6: Include Your Education and Credentials

This section should highlight your academic achievements and underscore your commitment to professional development. Consider the following tips to showcase your education and credentials effectively:

List Your Highest Education First

Begin with the most advanced degree you've earned, followed by others in reverse chronological order. For each, include the degree type, your major, the name of the institution and your graduation year (or expected graduation year if you're currently enrolled).

Certifications and Licenses

List any professional certifications or licenses you hold, especially those directly relevant to the job. Include the name of the certification, the issuing organization and the date of attainment or expiration, if applicable.

Relevant Coursework, Honors and Awards

Mention any courses, honors or awards directly relevant to the job or that showcase exceptional achievement. Place these details under the appropriate educational entry, keeping the descriptions brief yet descriptive.

Formatting for Clarity

Use bullet points for each element to ensure the section is easily scannable. This helps potential employers quickly grasp your academic and professional learning achievements.

Prioritizing Information

Your educational background will be particularly important if you're starting your career or a recent graduate. In this case, consider placing your education section above your work experience. For those more advanced in their careers, education can follow the work experience section, focusing more on degrees and certifications than on coursework or honors.

• Master of Science in Data Analytics – XYZ University, 2023
• Specialization: Big Data Processing and Visualization Technique
• Honors: Received the Dean's Award for Outstanding Graduate Research

Certifications

• Certified Data Analyst – Data Science Institute, 2022

Step 7: Consider Optional Resume Sections

In addition to the essential components of your resume — such as your career summary, skills, work experience and education — consider including optional sections to further develop your brand, showcase a comprehensive skill set and stand out from other candidates. Select optional sections that add value and are relevant to the position you're applying for. Here are some possibilities:

Volunteer Work

Highlight significant volunteer roles and community service activities. These experiences can illustrate your commitment to social causes, leadership abilities and application of professional skills in a volunteer setting.

Detailing relevant certifications underscores your dedication to professional development and expertise in your field.

Share hobbies that reflect positively on your personality and offer insights into your soft skills, such as teamwork, creativity or leadership. Choose hobbies that are relevant or could contribute uniquely to the job.

Awards and Honors

Include professional or academic recognitions to emphasize your commitment to excellence and achievement in your career or field of study.

Listing language proficiencies can demonstrate your ability to communicate in diverse environments, an essential skill in many global or multicultural roles.

Professional Affiliations

Show your engagement with the professional community through memberships in associations, which can indicate a broader network and up-to-date industry knowledge

Step 8: Proofread and Format Your Resume

Errors, typos and inconsistencies in formatting can significantly detract from your professionalism and attention to detail. Here are some strategies to ensure your resume is polished and professional:

Be Consistent

Use a consistent format for headings, bullet points and fonts throughout your resume. This uniformity helps maintain a clean, professional look.

Choose a Professional Font

Use a professional, easy-to-read font such as Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman. Maintain a font size of 10 to 12 points for body text and slightly larger for headings.

Bullet Points

Use bullet points to list achievements and responsibilities, improving the document's readability and making it easier for employers to scan.

Margins and Spacing

Set your margins to 1" on all sides to create a balanced, uncluttered layout. Adequate spacing between sections further enhances readability.

Multiple Rounds of Proofreading

Go beyond a cursory spell check. Read your resume several times, each focusing on different elements — first for typos and grammar, then for consistency in formatting and finally for overall flow and persuasiveness.

Get a Second Opinion

Having someone else review your resume can provide valuable insights and catch errors you might have missed.

Use Digital Tools

Leverage grammar and spell-check tools like Grammarly or Microsoft Word's Review features for an additional layer of error checking.

Here's a list of valuable resources for crafting a standout resume that effectively navigates modern job application processes. Each offers unique insights and guidance tailored to different aspects of resume writing and job search strategies:

• GCFLearnFree.org : Features a wide range of guides, including formatting resumes for Applicant Tracking Systems and tailoring resumes to specific job applications​​.
• U.S. Department of Labor : Shares tips for writing a federal resume, including tailoring your resume to the job's requirements and selecting the right format​​.
• Workshops for Warriors : Provides targeted advice for veterans transitioning to civilian work, focusing on showcasing military training, certifications and soft skills​​.

About Nathan Paulus

Nathan Paulus is the Head of Content Marketing at MoneyGeek, with nearly 10 years of experience researching and creating content related to personal finance and financial literacy.

Paulus has a bachelor's degree in English from the University of St. Thomas, Houston. He enjoys helping people from all walks of life build stronger financial foundations.

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.

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