Your resume is your first impression—and in today’s competitive job market, it needs to be flawless. Whether you’re writing your first resume or updating an old one, this step-by-step guide will help you craft a resume that gets noticed by recruiters and passes through applicant tracking systems (ATS).

Step 1: Choose the Right Resume Format

There are three common formats, and the best one depends on your experience:

• Chronological (most popular): Lists your work history in reverse order. Best for those with consistent experience.

• Functional: Focuses on skills over job history. Ideal for career changers or those with gaps.

• Combination: Mixes both. Good for professionals with relevant experience and key skills.

For most job seekers, a chronological format works best.

Step 2: Start with a Clean, Professional Layout

Use a modern, clean resume template with clear section headings and plenty of white space.

Keep it:

• One page

• Easy to scan (think bullet points, not paragraphs)

• In a readable font (like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman, size 10–12)

Save it as a PDF unless the employer asks otherwise.

Step 3: Write a Strong Resume Header

At the top of your resume, include:

• Your full name

• Phone number

• Professional email address 

• LinkedIn profile URL (optional, but recommended)

• Location (City, State – no need for your full address)

Step 4: Craft a Powerful Summary or Objective

This short paragraph (2–4 sentences) goes right below your header. Use it to quickly show why you’re the right fit.

Examples:

Summary:
"Marketing specialist with 4+ years of experience in digital campaigns, SEO, and content creation. Proven ability to increase engagement and drive conversions. Looking to bring my skills to a fast-growing tech company."

Objective:
"Recent computer science graduate seeking a junior developer role to apply my skills in JavaScript and Python and grow within a dynamic development team."

Step 5: Highlight Your Work Experience

List jobs in reverse chronological order. For each, include:

• Job title

• Company name and location

• Dates of employment (Month/Year – Month/Year)

• 3–6 bullet points describing your accomplishments

Focus on results, not responsibilities. Use numbers and action verbs.

Example:

• Increased email open rates by 35% through A/B testing strategies

• Managed a team of 4 interns on a successful product launch

Step 6: Add a Skills Section

Include a mix of hard and soft skills relevant to the job.

Examples:

• Hard skills: Excel, Adobe Photoshop, Java, SQL, SEO

• Soft skills: Communication, Leadership, Problem-solving, Time Management

Tailor this section for each job you apply to using keywords from the job description.

Step 7: Include Education

List your most recent or relevant education first. Include:

• Degree name

• School name

• Graduation year (optional if it’s been a while)

• Honors or GPA (if above 3.5 or early in your career)

If you don’t have a degree yet, you can list “Expected [Month, Year]” and any relevant coursework.

Step 8: Add Optional Sections (If Relevant)

These extras can help you stand out:

• Certifications (Google Analytics, AWS, PMP, etc.)

• Volunteer experience

• Languages

• Projects (especially for developers or creatives)

• Awards & Achievements

Final Resume Tips

• Tailor your resume for each job application

• Use action verbs like "Led," "Improved," "Managed," "Developed"

• Proofread — then proofread again

• Keep the design clean and uncluttered

• Use ATS-friendly formatting (no tables, images, or overly fancy fonts)