Resume

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Resume Essentials

A resume is a concise summary of your qualifications—work experience, education, skills, and accomplishments—designed to secure a job interview. Keep it focused, error-free, and tailored to each role you apply for. Aim for one to two pages unless an employer requests otherwise.

Key takeaways

  • Customize your resume for each job; highlight achievements and relevant skills.
  • Use a clean layout and succinct language; hiring managers scan quickly.
  • Exclude personal details such as age, marital status, religion, politics, or current salary.
  • Quantify accomplishments where possible and use strong action verbs.
  • Optimize for both human readers and applicant tracking systems (ATS).

What to include

  1. Header
  2. Full name, professional email, phone number, LinkedIn profile, personal website or portfolio (if relevant).
  3. Use a professional email and make sure voicemail is appropriate.
  4. Professional summary or headline (1–3 lines)
  5. A targeted snapshot of your experience and the value you bring.
  6. Work experience (reverse chronological)
  7. Job title, employer, location, dates (month and year).
  8. Bullet points focused on accomplishments and measurable results (quantify when possible).
  9. Education
  10. Degree, institution, graduation year (omit year if not relevant or if it raises age concerns).
  11. Skills and certifications
  12. Technical skills, languages, certifications relevant to the role.
  13. Optional sections
  14. Projects, volunteer experience, publications, awards, professional affiliations—include only if relevant.

Writing and formatting tips

  • Use concise bullets and active verbs (e.g., led, increased, reduced, launched).
  • Prioritize impact: start bullets with results or outcomes, not just duties.
  • Keep consistent formatting: fonts, spacing, and dates.
  • Save and submit as PDF unless an employer requests another format.
  • File name: LastName_FirstName_Resume.pdf for clarity.

Optimizing for the digital age and ATS

  • Include keywords from the job posting naturally in your descriptions.
  • Use standard headings (Work Experience, Education, Skills) so ATS can parse sections.
  • Avoid images, graphics, or unusual fonts that can break ATS parsing.
  • Consider online supplements—LinkedIn profile, portfolio, or brief video—only if they add relevant evidence of your work.

Addressing resume red flags

  • Employment gaps: briefly explain in your cover letter or interview (e.g., education, caregiving, contract work). Be honest and focus on skills gained.
  • Frequent job changes: emphasize relevant accomplishments and stability in recent, related roles; omit older unrelated short-term jobs if they don’t support your candidacy.
  • Outdated skills: update or remove skills that no longer apply to your field; show continuing learning where possible.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Typos, grammatical errors, and inconsistent verb tense.
  • Vague descriptions without specifics or metrics.
  • Including unnecessary personal information (age, marital status, religion, political views, current salary).
  • Overly long resumes that dilute key achievements.
  • Using overly fancy templates that hinder readability or ATS processing.

Tailoring your resume

  • Create multiple versions if you’re applying to different types of roles—each should emphasize the experience and skills most relevant to that job.
  • For career changers, highlight transferable skills, relevant coursework, certifications, and projects.

If you have little or no professional experience

  • Emphasize internships, volunteer work, academic projects, leadership in student organizations, and relevant coursework.
  • Frame responsibilities as achievements and include any measurable outcomes.
  • Include a skills section and links to work samples or portfolios.

Quick FAQs

Q: Should I keep my resume to one page?
A: One page is preferred for early-career professionals; two pages are acceptable for extensive, relevant experience.

Q: Is it okay to include hobbies?
A: Only if they’re directly relevant to the job or demonstrate skills useful to the role.

Q: How should I name the resume file?
A: Use a clear, professional format such as LastName_FirstName_Resume.pdf.

Bottom line

A strong resume is concise, targeted, and easy to scan. Focus on measurable achievements, tailor content to each job, avoid irrelevant personal details, and ensure both human readers and ATS systems can interpret your document. With a clear structure and relevant evidence of impact, your resume becomes a powerful first step toward landing interviews.