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Best Resume Advice According to Reddit: 6 Tips That Actually Work

• Júlia Mlčúchova , 
• Updated January 29, 2024 9 min read

Do you often turn to Reddit for answers to your burning questions? And, have you considered exploring this popular online forum to uncover what the best resume advice according to Reddit is?

Of course, Reddit can be notoriously difficult to navigate and not all of its users actually know what they're talking about.

Still, Reddit and other public forums can be valuable sources of first-hand experience in all things resume. 

We've painstakingly sifted through countless subreddits, all dedicated to resume writing and career tips, to save you the trouble.

Now, we present to you the crème-de-la-crème of Reddit resume advice. 

In this article, you'll find:

• 6 best resume advice according to Reddit;
• What we think about them; 
• And, of course, examples. 

Table of Contents

Click on a section to skip

TL;DR: 5 Best resume advice according to reddit

1. use a single column layout to pass the ats.

• 2. Don't name your resume 'resume.pdf'

3. Keep your job descriptions short. Use bullet points and action verbs

4. use numbers to quantify your achievements, 5. less is more for both word count & job applications per day, 6. use resume builders to make your life easier, key takeaways: best resume advice according to reddit.

First, for those in a hurry, here's the TL;DR version of our top five resume advice gathered from Reddit:

• Use a single column layout to pass the ATS.
• Don't name your resume 'resume.pdf'.
• Keep you job descriptions short. Use bullet points and action verbs.
• Use numbers to quantify your achievements.
• Less is more for both word count & job applications per day.
• Use resume builders to make your life easier.

Now, let's look at the best resume advice according to Reddit users more closely. Here's what we think:

If you thought that layout doesn't play any significant role in the success rate of your resume, you thought wrong!

In case the company you're applying to uses an Applicant Tracking System, always opt for a single column layout . 

The reason? ATS compatibility. 

Even though all ATSs are designed to read text from top to bottom, left to right , not every ATS is programmed to distinguish between columns. 

And you just can't know with certainty which software you'll encounter. Therefore, reduce the risk of your resume being incorrectly processed or rejected by picking a one-column ATS friendly resume template . This will make the process of parsing and interpreting information easier and safer.

HOWEVER. That doesn't mean you should discard the two-column resume all-together. Here are some reasons why a two-column layout can still be beneficial :

• Non-ATS employers . Many companies still don't use ATS systems, making the ATS compatibility argument less relevant in these cases. For these employers, the visual and organizational benefits of a two-column layout could be more advantageous.
• Aesthetics . A two-column format can be more visually engaging, making your resume stand out.
• Ease of reading . Smaller chunks of information can make the resume easier for the human eye to navigate.
• Space management . For those with less experience, a two-column layout can help evenly distribute text and avoid large empty spaces.
• Strategic organization . It allows for a more strategic presentation of information, guiding the recruiter's eyes through your resume efficiently.

Moreover, if you're just entering the workforce with no experience , your resume is probably still quite sparse. 

Because of this, you may end up with a large, unattractive empty space at the bottom of your document. And with one-column structure resumes, this is often the case. 

There' s an easy fix! Organizing your resume sections into a two-column structure can help spread the text more evenly.  

2. Don't name your resume 'resume.pdf'

Indeed, putting together a good resume is quite a tedious process.

There're so many rules and principles to think about, for instance:

• Every single resume section, whether it be the resume summary , work experience section, education section, skills section, or any other optional section, requires your full and undivided attention. 
• You must remember to always tailor your resume to fit a specific job description . 
• Not to mention the subsequent formatting and proofreading!

By the time you've finished writing your resume, you're likely mentally drained. 

It's at this time that errors creep out from the most unexpected places.

One such error is not naming your resume file appropriately .

How to name your resume file: step-by-step.

When naming your resume file for submission, it's important to consider clarity, professionalism, and the likelihood of it being easily found by the recruiters.  

Here are our recommendations for naming your resume file:

• Use your name. Start with your full name. This is the most crucial piece of information because it clearly identifies the document as yours. For example, "PeterStones" .
• Specify the document type. Make it clear that the document is a resume . This helps distinguish your resume from other documents like a cover letter . For example, " Resume ".
• Add the job title. This can be particularly helpful if you are sending the resume directly to a hiring manager. For example, " ProductManager ".
• Use a professional format. Avoid using any unnecessary symbols or fancy formatting. Underscores (_) or hyphens (-) are acceptable to separate words.

A good file name for your resume could look like this: "PeterStones_Resume_ProductManager.pdf".

Finally, before hitting send, consider carefully what to write in an email when sending a resume . Of course, when you're applying for a job, every detail matters. Don't neglect the content of your email – it's also responsible for making a positive first impression.

Undoubtedly, you know that the work experience section is the heart and soul of your resume.  

The recruiters always pay it the most attention, and so you need to be extra diligent and patient while writing about your past employment. 

Consequently, many will try to fit in as much information as humanly possible, disregarding the readability and quality of their entries. To steer clear from such mistake, follow these two simple principles:

• Organize your work descriptions into bullet points . Under each work experience entry, list 4-5 bullet points underlining your most notable responsibilities and achievements. That is to say, you should focus on demonstrating the impact your presence had on your former employment, rather than just stating your daily duties. 
• Open the said bullet points with action verbs . The recruiters don't care about long winding sentences! That's why it's a good idea to start each bullet point with an action verb . This will not only make your writing more concise, but it'll also depict you as a proactive, and therefore valuable, employee.

For example, a well conceptualized work entry description can look like this:

Work experience entry example:

Senior Product Manager XYZ Tech Solutions, New York, NY | June 2019 – Present

• Led a team of 8 in the development of an innovative mobile application, increasing user retention by 35% within six months.
• Collaborated with cross-departmental teams to streamline product delivery, reducing time-to-market by 20%.
• Managed product lifecycle from concept to launch, including market analysis, positioning, and rollout strategy.
• Oversaw a budget of $1M, optimizing resource allocation and cutting costs by 15% without impacting product quality.

This is another great resume advice according to a Reddit user!

The recruiters adore to see numbers in your resume! Why, you ask?

It makes life a bit easier for them. By quantifying your accomplishments, you simultaneously allow recruiters to better gauge your abilities ; and add more weight to your words . 

Be as specific as you can - numbers are universal. 

Struggling to figure out how to incorporate numbers into your resume? Here are few examples of what you can quantify:

• Revenue and sales increases. If you contributed to growing revenue or sales, specify the percentage or dollar amount of the increase. For example: " Boosted sales by 20% within a six-month period. "
• Cost reduction. Similarly, if you implemented strategies that reduced costs, mention the amount or percentage saved. For example: " Cut operational costs by 15% through process optimization ."
• Time efficiency. If you streamlined processes, indicate how much time was saved. For example: " Reduced project turnaround time by 30% ."
• Team management. If you manage a team, you can specify the number of people you supervise. For example: " Led a team of 12 sales professionals ."
• Project scope and delivery. Quantify the size or value of the projects you managed, then mention if you delivered them under budget or ahead of schedule. For example:  " Managed projects worth $2M, consistently delivering 10% under budget ."
• Training and development. If you were involved in training, mention the number of people you trained or the improvement in performance post-training. For example: " Trained over 30 employees, leading to a 40% increase in overall team efficiency. "

Resume advice two-in-one!

As this Reddit user rightly pointed out, less is sometimes more . 

This is especially true when it comes to the content of your resume as well as the amount of job applications you send out each day .

When crafting your resume, keep in mind that you must show the recruiters that you have everything they're looking for . Chances are, you actually have much more – more diverse job experience; more interesting hobbies; or more fulfilling volunteer work you'd like to share with them. 

Obviously, resumes have their length limitations . Once you've started to write yours, you'll soon learn that you have to be picky! 

Recruiters prefer resumes that are focused, relevant, and straight-to-the-point. In other words, don't make them read information they didn't ask for. 

The same applies to applying for jobs.

Many in this situation start panic-applying to every single job posting they find. Because they assume that the more applications they send, the bigger their chances at landing a job will be. 

Makes sense right?

In theory, maybe. In practice? Hardly!

Believe it or not, there's such a thing as sending too many applications. Basically, if your solely focus on the quantity of applications, you're running the risk of sacrificing their quality . 

And that is a problem. If you'd like to learn how to go about this problem, including tips on how to manage the pressure of job hunting, take a look at what research says about the ideal number of job applications .

Now, hand over your heart!

Would you prefer to sit in front of your computer for hours, battling with Microsoft Word and its many settings? Trying to create a perfect resume design from scratch? 

Admit it, even the thought of setting margins and spacing makes you roll your eyes. 

Hence, arguably the best resume advice according to reddit is to make a resume with an online resume builder to avoid these inconveniences (politely said).

No need to scratch your head over a layout or the best colour palette! Instead, simply pick a resume template that best suits your needs (both aesthetic and practical), fill in all your information, and watch your resume come to life in seconds. 

Additionally, resume builders can proofread and correct any misspellings or typos you might've otherwise missed. 

Sounds good? If so, your perfect resume is one click away.

Resume template by Kickresume

This resume was written by our experienced resume writers specifically for this profession.

In conclusion, Reddit and other public forums can serve as a good starting point for seeking resume advice.

Apart from first-hand applicant experience, many posts are sumbitted by actual hiring managers.

However, there's a lot to weed out first to find the best resume advice according to reddit.

Plus, you should always compare your findings with reputable sources. Which is exactly what we did.

• Don't forget to name your resume file appropriately.
• Keep your job descriptions short with bullet points and action verbs.
• Keep your resume concise and the number of daily applications reasonable. 
• Use online tools (like Kickresume) to build your resume.

Ready to create the perfect resume?

Create a beautiful resume quickly with the help of AI and our customizable templates.

Julia has recently joined Kickresume as a career writer. From helping people with their English to get admitted to the uni of their dreams to advising them on how to succeed in the job market. It would seem that her career is on a steadfast trajectory. Julia holds a degree in Anglophone studies from Metropolitan University in Prague, where she also resides. Apart from creative writing and languages, she takes a keen interest in literature and theatre.

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How to Make a Resume in 2024 | Beginner's Guide

For most job-seekers, a good resume is what stands between a dream job and Choice D. Get your resume right, and you’ll be getting replies from every other company you apply to.

If your resume game is weak, though, you’ll end up sitting around for weeks, maybe even months, before you even get a single response.

So you’re probably wondering how you can write a resume that gets you an interview straight up.

Well, you’ve come to the right place!

In this guide, we’re going to teach you everything you need to know about how to make a resume, including:

• The 8 Essential Steps to Writing a Resume
• 11+ Exclusive Resume Tips to Up Your Resume Game
• 27+ Real-Life Resume Examples for Different Professions

….and more!

So, let’s dive right in.

How to Make a Resume (The Right Way!)

Before we go into detail about how you should make a resume, here’s a summary of the most important steps and tips to keep in mind:

• Choose a resume format carefully. In 99% of cases, we recommend the reverse-chronological format .
• Add the right contact details. Leave your headshot out and make sure to include your job title , a professional email address, and any relevant links. (E.g.: your LinkedIn profile , online portfolio, personal website, etc.).
• Write an impactful resume summary. Unless you’re an entry-level professional, always go for a resume summary. If you do it right, it’s your chance to get the hiring manager to go through the rest of your resume in detail.
• Pay attention to your work experience section. Take your work experience section from OK-ish to exceptional by tailoring it to the job ad, making your achievements quantifiable, and using action verbs and power words.
• Add the right skills for the job. Keep this section relevant by only including the hard and soft skills that are required for the position.
• Keep your education short and to the point. Your most recent and highest degree is more than enough for a strong education section. You only need to add more details here if you’re a recent graduate with barely any work experience.
• Leverage optional resume sections. Optional sections like languages, hobbies, certifications, independent projects, and others can set you apart from other candidates with similar skills and experience.
• Include a cover letter. That’s right, cover letters matter in 2024, and the best way to supplement your resume is by adding an equally well-crafted cover letter to your job application. To make the most of it, check out our detailed guide on how to write a cover letter .

To get the most out of our tips, you can head over to the resume builder and start building your resume on the go as you read this guide.

New to resume-making? Give our ‘7 Resume Tips’ video a watch before diving into the article!

#1. Pick the Right Resume Format

Before you start filling in the contents of your resume, you have to make sure it’s going to look good. 

After all, the first thing hiring managers notice is what your resume looks like, and then they start reading it. So, this is your best chance to make a great first impression.

Start by choosing the right resume format.

There are three types of resume formats out there:

• Reverse-chronological. This is by far the most popular resume format worldwide and, as such, it’s the best format for most job-seekers.
• Functional. This resume format focuses more on skills than work experience. It’s a good choice if you’re just getting started with your career and have little to no experience in the field.
• Combination. The combination resume format is a great choice for experienced job-seekers with a very diverse skill set. It’s useful if you’re applying for a role that requires expertise in several different fields and you want to show all that in your resume.

So, which one should you go for?

In 99% of cases, you want to stick to the reverse-chronological resume format . It’s the most popular format and what hiring managers expect to see. So, in the rest of this guide, we’re going to focus on teaching you how to make a reverse-chronological resume.

Fix Your Resume’s Layout

With formatting out of the way, let’s talk about your resume’s layout , which determines the overall look of your resume. 

Does it look organized or cluttered? Is it too short or too long? Is it boring and easy to ignore, or is it reader-friendly and attention-grabbing?

Here are some of the best practices you should apply:

• Stick to one page. You should only go for a two-page resume if you have decades of experience and you’re sure the extra space will add significant value. Hiring managers in big companies get hundreds of applications per job opening. They’re not going to spend their valuable time reading your life story!
• Add clear section headings. Pick a heading and use it for all the section headers so the hiring manager can easily navigate through your resume.
• Adjust the margins. Without the right amount of white space, your resume will end up looking overcrowded with information. Set your margins to one inch on all sides so your text fits just right on the page.
• Choose a professional font. We’d recommend sticking to a font that’s professional but not overused. For example, Ubuntu, Roboto, or Overpass. Avoid Times New Roman, and never use Comic Sans.
• Set the correct font size. As a rule of thumb, go for 11-12 pt for normal text and 14-16 pt for section titles.
• Use a PDF file. Always save your resume as a PDF file, unless the employer specifically requests otherwise. Word files are popular, but there’s a good chance they’ll mess up your resume’s formatting.

Another thing you need to consider in terms of your resume’s layout is whether you’re going for a traditional-looking resume template or something a bit more modern :

If you’re pursuing a career in a more traditional industry, like law , banking , or finance , you might want to stick to the first.

But if you’re applying to a tech company where imagination and innovation are valued, you can pick a more creative resume template .

Want to Save Time? Use a (Free) Resume Template

Anyone who’s ever tried creating a resume from scratch knows how boring the formatting can be.

Before you can even start filling in the contents, you need to tweak the margins, adjust font sizes, and make sure everything fits into one page while still looking good.

What if you could skip past all that and still create a compelling resume?

Try one of our free resume templates . They’re pre-formatted, so all you have to do is fill in the contents.

They’re also created in collaboration with recruiters from around the globe, ensuring that the templates are visually appealing and ATS-friendly!

See for yourself how one of our templates compares to a resume created in a standard text editor:

#2. Add Your Contact Information

Now that we’ve got all the formatting out of the way, let’s get into what your resume is all about— the information you put on it .

The first thing you want to do when filling out the contents of your resume is to add your contact information .

This section is pretty straightforward but crucial. Your contact details belong at the top of your resume in a designated resume header , so the hiring manager can easily find them.

Even if everything else about your resume is perfect, that all flops if you misspell your email address or have a typo in your phone number. If the hiring manager can’t contact you, it’s a missed opportunity.

So, double-check, and even triple-check your contact information section and make sure everything is factually correct and up-to-date.

Must-Have Information

• Full name. Your first and last name should stand out at the top of your resume.
• Email address. Stick to an address that’s professional and easy to spell, like a combination of your first and last name. (E.g.: [email protected])
• Phone number. Add a reliable number where the hiring manager can easily reach you.
• Location. Add your city and state/country. If you plan to relocate for the job or want a remote position, specify it on your resume.

Optional Information

• Job title. Add your professional title underneath. Write it down word for word, whether it’s “Digital Marketing Specialist” or “Junior Data Scientist.” Just don’t make up job titles like “Marketing Wizzard” or “Data Manipulator.” They’re not quirky; they’re just unprofessional. 
• LinkedIn profile . We recommend that you include a link to your updated LinkedIn profile since over 77% of hiring managers use the platform when evaluating a candidate. 
• Relevant links. Include links to personal websites or any social media profiles that are relevant to your field. For example, a developer could include a Github profile, while a graphic designer could link their Behance or Driblle account, and so on.
• Date of birth. Unless this is specifically required in the job ad, the hiring manager doesn’t need to know how old you are. It’s not important for their decision-making, and at worst, it might lead to age-based discrimination.
• Unprofessional email address. Your quirky, old high school email address doesn’t belong on your resume. Instead of [email protected] , go for a [email protected] type of address.
• Headshot. (USA, UK or Ireland) Depending on the country where you’re applying, it might even be illegal to include a picture of yourself on your resume . While it’s the norm to include a picture in most of Europe and Asia, always check the regulations for each specific country or industry you’re applying to.

All clear? Good! Now, let’s look at what a great example of a resume's contact information section looks like:

#3. Write a Resume Headline (Summary or Objective)

It's no secret that recruiters spend an average of less than seven seconds on a resume .

When you receive hundreds, if not thousands, of applications daily, it's physically impossible to spend too much time on each.

So, what the hiring managers do to go through resumes more effectively is to skim through each resume and read it in depth only if it piques their interest.

This is where the resume headline comes in.

Placed right next to (or underneath) your contact information, this brief paragraph is the first thing the hiring manager is going to read on your resume.

Now, depending on how far along in your career you are, your resume headline can be either a resume summary or a resume objective.

So, how do you choose between a resume summary and a resume objective? Here’s all you need to know:

Resume Summary

A resume summary, as the name suggests, is a two to three-sentence summary of your career so far. If done right, it shows that you’re a qualified candidate at a glance and gets the hiring manager to give you a chance.

Here’s what your resume summary should include:

• Your job title and years of experience.
• A couple of your greatest professional achievements or core responsibilities.
• Your most relevant skills for the job.

Here’s an example of a well-written resume summary: 

Experienced Java Developer with 5 years of experience in building scalable and efficient applications. Contributed to a major project that enhanced application performance by 25%. Strong background in Spring Framework and microservices. Aiming to apply robust coding skills to develop innovative software solutions at XYZ Tech Solutions.

Unless you’re a recent graduate or amid a career change, we recommend you stick to a resume summary. Otherwise, a resume objective might be a better option for you.

Resume Objective

A resume objective is supposed to express your professional goals and aspirations, academic background, and any relevant skills you may have for the job.

It communicates your motivation for getting into a new field, so it’s the go-to headline for recent graduates and those going through a career change. As with a resume summary, a resume objective should be brief—around two to four sentences long.

So, here’s what it would look like if you’re a student:

Hard-working recent graduate with a B.A. in Graphic Design from New York State University seeking new opportunities. 3+ years of practical experience working with Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, creating illustrations and UX/UI design projects. Looking to grow as a designer and perfect my art at XYZ Design Studio.

Or, on the other hand, if you’re going through a career change, it might look more like this:

IT project manager with 5+ years of experience in software development. Managed a team of developers to create products for several industries, such as FinTech and HR tech. Looking to leverage my experience in managing outsourced products as a Product Owner at Company XYZ.

#4. Prioritize Your Work Experience

The most important part of your resume is your work experience.

This is where you get to sell yourself and show off your previous accomplishments and responsibilities.

If you manage to master this section, you’ll know most of what’s there to know about how to make a resume.

There are plenty of good practices for writing your work experience . But before we dive into all the nits and grits, let's start with the basics.

The standard format for each work experience entry is as follows:

• Job title/position. Your job title goes on top of each work experience entry. When the hiring manager looks at your resume, you want them to know, at a glance, that you have relevant work experience for the job.
• Company name/location/description. Mention the name of the employer and the general location, such as the city and state/country where you worked. In some cases, you may also want to briefly describe the company, like when the organization isn’t particularly well-known.
• Dates employed. Add the approximate timeframe of your employment at each company. You don’t need to give exact dates since the standard format for this is mm/yyyy.
• Achievements and responsibilities. This is the core of each work experience entry. Depending on your field, you want to list either your achievements or responsibilities. List them in bullet points instead of paragraphs, so they’ll be easier to read.

Here’s a real-life example:

Your work experience entries should always be listed in reverse chronological order , starting with your most recent job and working your way back into the past.

Now that you know how to list your experience, we’re going to show you how to write about it in a way that makes you stand out from the competition, starting with: 

Are you a student with no work experience? We’ve got you covered. Check out our guide to writing a resume with no experience here.

Focus on Achievements Whenever Possible

One of the most common resume mistakes is only listing responsibilities in your work experience section.

Here’s the thing—in most cases, the hiring manager knows exactly what your job responsibilities are.

For example, if you’re a sales manager, your responsibilities would be:

• Reach out to potential clients over the phone or email.
• Maintain relationships with existing company clients and upsell relevant products.
• Tracking and reporting on leads in CRM.

Coincidentally, this is also the same list of responsibilities for every sales manager out there. So, 90% of all other resumes probably mention the same thing.

To stand out from the competition, you want to focus on writing achievements in your resume instead. These can be how you helped your previous company grow, reach quarterly quotas, and so on.

Let’s compare how responsibilities hold up next to achievements for the same job:

• Exceeded sales team KPIs by 30%+ for 3 months straight.
• Generated over $24,000 in sales in 1 month.
• Generated leads through cold-calling
• Managed existing company clients

Keep in mind, though, that in some fields, there just aren’t that many achievements you can mention. Let’s say you’re a warehouse worker .

Your day-to-day responsibilities probably include:

• Loading, unloading, and setting up equipment daily.
• Packaging finished products and getting them ready for shipping.
• Assisting in opening and closing the warehouse.

In fields like this, it’s pretty hard to distinguish yourself through achievements, so it’s okay to stick to responsibilities instead. You can still make them shine by following the rest of our advice about listing your work experience.

Keep in mind, though, that in some fields, there aren’t that many achievements you can mention. Let’s say you work in a warehouse. Your day-to-day responsibilities probably involve:

• Loading, unloading and setting up equipment on a daily basis.
• Package finished product and get it ready for shipping.
• Assist in opening and closing the warehouse.

In such fields, it’s pretty hard to distinguish yourself, so it’s totally OK to stick to responsibilities instead.

Tailor Your Resume to the Job

Tailoring is what sets an amazing resume apart from an okay one.

Hiring managers don’t need to know about every single job you’ve ever worked at or every single skill that you have.

They only want to know about your jobs, experiences, or skills that are relevant to the role you’re applying for.

For example, if you’re applying for a job doing Google Ads, you don’t need to talk about your SEO internship from eight years ago.

By focusing your resume on whatever is important for the specific role, you’re a lot more likely to stand out and catch the hiring manager’s attention.

Let’s take a look at an example of a job ad:

As you can see, we’ve highlighted the most important requirements.

To tailor your resume accordingly, you just need to mention how you meet each of these requirements in your resume.

You can highlight your relevant achievements and qualifications in different parts of your resume, such as:

• In your resume summary, where you should recap your years of experience.
• Throughout your work experience section, where you should list achievements and responsibilities that reflect your social media marketing experience.
• In your education section, where you can let the hiring manager know you have the degree that they’re looking for.

Include the Right Amount of Work Experience

If you’ve got over a decade’s worth of work experience, you’re probably wondering whether all of it belongs on your resume. In most cases, you’d end up writing a novel if you listed everything you’ve ever done, and that’s not how long a resume should be .

If you’re new to the job market, on the other hand, you probably don’t have any experience, and you’re wondering what you could even add to this section.

So, here’s how much information your resume should include, depending on your level of experience:

• No experience. If you’re looking for your first job , you won’t have any work experience to fill this section with. So, you can either keep it empty and focus on all the other sections or fill it up with any experience gained in student organizations, extracurricular activities, volunteering, and other projects.
• Entry-level. List all your work experience so far. While some of it won’t be relevant, it can still show the hiring manager that you do have some actual work experience.
• Mid-level. Only mention relevant work experience to the position you’re applying for. There’s no need to waste space on jobs that aren’t related to what you’re after.
• Senior-level. List up to 15 years of relevant work experience, tops. If your most recent experience is as a marketing executive , the hiring manager doesn’t care how you started your career as a junior marketing specialist 23 years ago.

Consider Applicant Tracking System (ATS) Software

Did you know that over 70% of resumes don’t even make it to the hiring manager ?

Most companies these days use ATS to evaluate hundreds of resumes instantaneously and automatically filter out the ones that don’t meet their criteria.

For example, if a resume doesn’t mention a specific skill or isn’t formatted correctly, the ATS will automatically reject it.

Fortunately, there are some easy ways to make an ATS-friendly resume .

Here are a couple of tips to help you get past those pesky robots:

• Stick to one page. Sometimes employers set a limit on how long a resume should be. This means that if your resume is longer than one page, it might get automatically disqualified.
• Incorporate keywords. Tailoring your resume to the job helps a ton with beating the ATS. Just carefully read the job description to find hints for what the ATS will be looking for. Then, whenever you find keywords related to your responsibilities and achievements, make sure to include them in your work experience section.
• Use an active voice. Passive voice is too vague and unclear, so make sure to use active voice as much as possible when describing your previous jobs. (E.g.: “Managed a team of ten people,” instead of “ A team of ten people was managed by me.” )
• Leverage powerful action words. Instead of starting each of your sentences with “was responsible for," make your work experience impactful by using words that can grab attention. Saying that you “spearheaded” or “facilitated” something sounds a lot more impressive than “helped.”

Want to make sure your resume formatting passes the ATS test? Choose one of our tried and tested ATS-friendly resume templates , and you’ll be good to go! 

#5. List Your Education

The next section on your resume is dedicated to your academic qualifications. Let’s start with the basics!

Here’s how you should format the education section on your resume :

• Program Name. Your major and degree type should be listed. (E.g.: “B.A. in Business Administration” )
• University Name. Add the name of the institution. (E.g.: “New York State University” )
• Dates Attended. Use a mm/yyyy format for the dates you attended. (E.g.: “08/2008 - 06/2012” )
• Location. If your university is less well-known, you can also add the location. (E.g.: “Stockholm, Sweden” )
• GPA. Use the appropriate grading system for the country you’re applying to work in. (E.g.: In the USA, it would be “3.9 GPA” )
• Honors. Add any honors and distinctions you’ve been given. (E.g.: Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, Summa Cum Laude )
• Achievements. You can mention interesting papers you’ve written, projects you’ve done, or relevant coursework you’ve excelled in.
• Minor. “Minor in Psychology”

Pretty simple, right? Now let’s see what an education section looks like in practice:

This example includes all the necessary information, plus an eye-catching award and relevant classes this candidate has taken.

Resume Education Tips

Now that you know how to list your education on your resume, let’s take this section to the next level.

Just follow these expert tips:

• If you’re making a resume as a student and don’t have any work experience yet, you can list your education section at the beginning of the page instead of work experience.
• You can add your expected graduation date if you’re still pursuing your degree.
• If you already have relevant work experience, just keep this section short and sweet. Recent graduates can expand on their education more and add optional information like projects, classes, academic achievements, etc.
• Always list your degrees in reverse chronological order, starting with your highest degree on top. Your highest and most recent degree is usually enough, so if you have a Master’s degree that’s relevant to the job, there’s no need to mention your earlier degrees.
• Don’t add your high school degree to your resume if you already have a university degree. It doesn’t have as much weight, and you can use the space for something else.
• Only mention your GPA if you had an impressive academic career. Anything below a 3.5 GPA doesn’t need to be on your resume.

Are you in the process of applying for college? Check out our guide to writing a college application resume to wow that admissions officer!

#6. Emphasize Your Know-How in the Skills Section

After your work experience, your skills are the first thing the hiring manager is going to look for. In fact, together, work experience and skills make up 90% of the hiring decision .

So, this is the place where you want to mention all the know-how that makes you the perfect candidate for the job.

There are two types of skills you can include when writing your resume:

• Hard Skills. These are measurable abilities. What you can list here can be anything from coding in Python to knowing how to cook Thai cuisine.
• Soft Skills. Also known as personal skills, these are a mix of communication skills , personal traits, career attributes, and more. They can include leadership, critical thinking, and time management , just to name a few.

Your resume should always cover both hard skills and soft skills . Here’s an example in action:

Now, let’s discuss how you should list your most important skills on your resume.

There are a few essential steps you need to follow:

Always List Hard and Soft Skills Separately

Your resume should be easy and neat to navigate. The hiring manager shouldn’t have to waste time looking for a specific skill because you didn’t separate it into the appropriate subsection.

So, just create separate categories for your hard and soft skills.

Depending on your field, you could customize the name of your “hard skills” subsection to something like “technical skills," “marketing skills," or something else related to your field.

Let’s look at an example of what skills look like on a project manager’s resume :

Methodologies & Tools

• Agile Methodology
• SCRUM Framework
• Waterfall Project Management
• Microsoft Project
• Critical Path Method (CPM)
• Earned Value Management (EVM)
• Risk Management

Soft Skills

• Team Management
• Conflict Resolution
• Negotiation

Tailor Your Skills to the Job

You might have some awesome skills, but the hiring manager only needs to know about the ones that are relevant to the job.

For example, if you’re applying for a job as an accountant, your gourmet chef skills shouldn’t be on your resume.

Look at the job ad and list at least two to three essential skills you have that are required for the role. Remember—there’s no need to list every skill you have here; just keep it relevant.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Graphic Design or a related field.
• Tech-savvy, with some background in CMS systems such as WordPress.
• Thrives in a stressful environment and juggles multiple tasks and deadlines.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Self-reliant, with the ability to manage their own work.
• A can-do attitude and an outside-the-box thinker.
• Proficient in Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Keynote, and Pages.
• Basic understanding of Office software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

So, the must-have hard skills here are Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Keynote, and Pages. Other good computer skills to have are WordPress or similar CMS systems.

While you can also mention Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, it’s pretty much assumed that you know how to use them since they’re required for most office jobs.

List Hard Skills with Experience Levels

For each hard skill you list on your resume, you should also mention your proficiency level. This tells employers what they can expect from you and how much training you might need.

• Beginner. You have some experience with the skill, whether it’s from some entry-level practice or classroom education.
• Intermediate. You’ve used the skill in a work environment with good understanding.
• Advanced. You’re the go-to person for this skill in your office. You can coach other employees, and you understand the skill at a high level.
• Expert. You’ve applied this skill to more than a handful of different projects and organizations. You’re the go-to person for advice about the skill, not just in your office but even amongst some of the best professionals in your field.

Just make sure to never lie about your actual skill level. Even if you get the job, once you need those skills you exaggerated, it will be pretty awkward for both you and your employer.

Include Transferable Skills

These are the types of skills that are useful for almost any job out there.

Transferable skills can be both soft skills (e.g.: teamwork, creativity, problem-solving skills, and others) and hard skills (MS Office Suite, HTML, writing, etc.)

Whatever job you’re applying to, chances are you have transferable skills from your experience that can come in handy one way or another. So, feel free to include them, even if they’re not specifically required for the position.

Not sure which skills to mention on your resume for your specific field? Check out our list of 101+ essential skills for inspiration!

#7. Leverage Optional Resume Sections

The sections we’ve covered so far are must-haves for any resume. They’re the bread-and-butter for any job application, and if you get them right, you’ll land any job you apply to.

But if you have some leftover space, there are a few optional sections you can choose from to give your resume a boost!

Are you bi-lingual? Or even better  – multi-lingual? You should always mention that on your resume!

Even if the position doesn’t require you to know a specific language, it can still come in handy at some point. At the end of the day, it’s always better to know more languages than less.

To list languages in your resume , just write them down and assign them the appropriate level:

• Intermediate

You can also use the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL) or the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency scales.

As a given, you should never lie about your language skills. You never know—your interviewer might turn out to be fluent in the language or even be a native speaker!

Hobbies and Interests

If you want to spice up your resume, hobbies and interests could be just what you need.

While this section isn’t a game-changer, it can help the hiring manager see who you are as an individual.

For example, if you listed “teamwork” as one of your skills, hobbies like team sports can back up your claim.

And who knows? Maybe you and your interviewer have some hobbies or interests in common!

Volunteering Experience

If you’re the type of person who devotes their free time to helping others while expecting nothing in return, chances are that you’re the type of employee who’s in it for more than just the money. 

Seeing volunteer experience on your resume tells hiring managers that you’re a loyal employee who’s after something meaningful.

Several studies show that listing your volunteer experience can boost your chances of getting hired, especially if you have little to no work experience.

Certifications

Hiring managers love candidates who invest in themselves, and that’s exactly what they see when you list certifications on your resume .

If you value continuous learning and strive to expand your skill set, that’s always a plus.

Certifications can also show employers how much expertise you have.

For example, if you’re a Microsoft Cloud Engineer and you specialize in Microsoft Technologies, you should definitely include all essential certifications on your resume, such as the Azure Solutions Architect Expert one.

Awards and Recognitions

There’s no harm in showing off a little on your resume. After all, you want to be a candidate that shines above the rest.

So, if you’ve received any awards or recognitions that make you stand out in your field, make sure to add them.

For example, if you’ve been recognized for your contributions to data science or received a hard-to-come-by scholarship , mention it in your resume. Just keep your entries here relevant to the field you’re applying to.

Publications

Whether you’re a freelance writer or a distinguished academic, publications are always impressive.

If you have any published works (online or in an academic journal), you can add them to your resume. Just make sure to include a link so the hiring manager knows where to check your work!

Are you looking for a career in academia? Check out our guide to writing the perfect academic CV to get started!

Working on side projects can show off your passion for your field. Whether they’re university class projects or part-time entrepreneurial endeavors, they’re relevant.

For example, if you worked on a mock software product as part of a university competition, it shows you went through every step of product creation, from ideation to creating a marketing strategy.

This project also shows off your organizational skills , and if you mention it in your resume, you stand a better chance of landing the job you had your sights set on.

But projects can also be personal, not academic. For example, you might manage an Etsy store where you sell hand-made arts and crafts to customers online. This is a great opportunity to highlight your creativity, management, and customer service skills .

Overall, hiring managers love employees who do cool work in their free time, so projects are always a great section to add to your resume.

Looking to kickstart your career? Check out our guide on how to get an internship for useful tips and real-life examples!

Extracurricular Activities

Every college freshman knows that extracurricular experience can make a difference in their application.

Especially if you don’t have a lot of experience outside of school, extracurricular activities are a great way to show potential employers your skills and give them insight into you as a person. Different clubs and after-school projects can help you gain real-life skills and considerably increase your chances of landing your first job after college.

For example, joining a student government organization can hone your leadership skills and teach you how to work as part of a team.

For example, if you’re part of a student government or public speaking club, these activities can help you hone your leadership and presentation skills.

11+ Expert Resume Tips

You’ve got the gist of how to make a resume. Now, it’s time to make it really stand out from the crowd!

Follow these exclusive resume tips to take your resume game to the next level:

• Match the professional title underneath your name to the job title of the position you’re applying for. Hiring managers often hire for several roles at once, so giving them this cue about what role you’re after helps things go smoother.
• Mention any promotions from your previous jobs. Use the work experience entries for them to focus on the achievements that helped you earn them.
• Describe your achievements using Laszlo Bock’s formula : accomplished X as measured by Y by doing Z . This way, your work experience can go the extra mile and show the hiring manager what you can bring to the table.
• Always list your achievements and responsibilities in concise bullet points. This makes your resume more reader-friendly, and it’s more likely that the hiring manager will see your impressive achievements at a glance.
• Don’t use personal pronouns like “I” or “me,” and don’t refer to yourself by name. Stick to a slightly altered third person, like “managed data integrity at XYZ Inc.” instead of “he managed data integrity at XYZ Inc.”
• Name your resume sections correctly, or it might get rejected by the ATS. Swapping out quirky names like “career history” or “expertise” for “work experience” and "skills" makes it easier for the hiring manager to find what they’re looking for, too.
• Prioritize important keywords instead of adding all of them. Make sure the relevant skills, qualifications, and experiences you add all make sense in context, too. Your goal is to get past the ATS and impress the hiring manager.
• Focus on transferable skills if you don’t have a lot of relevant work experience. Any extracurricular activities or personal projects can help you stand out here.
• Add a strategic pop of color to headings, bullet points, or key elements you want to highlight. It can help your resume stand out, but don’t overdo it—you want the information to be more impressive than the color palette.
• Don’t include the line “references available upon request.” Hiring managers already know they can request a list of references from you, so there’s no need to waste valuable space on it.
• Make sure your resume is optimized for mobile viewing. Most hiring managers use their mobile phones as often as desktop computers, so save your resume to a PDF file and make sure your formatting stays intact across any device.
• Rename the resume file you plan to send so it includes your name and the name of the position you’re applying for. It’s a small detail that can turn into a crucial mistake if you forget it.
• Read your resume out loud when you’re done. This is a great way to catch awkward phrases or spelling mistakes you might have missed otherwise.
• Use a tool like DocSend to track your resume. You’ll get a notification any time someone opens your resume, and you can see how long they spend reading it.

FREE Resume Checklist

Are you already done with your resume? Let’s see how it holds up!

Go through our checklist for perfecting your resume and see where you stand!

If you missed some points, just go through your resume one more time and perfect it.

And if you ☑’d everything—congrats! You’ve learned all there is to know about writing a resume, and you’re good to go with your job search.

Need to write a CV instead of a resume? Check out our step-by-step guide on how to write a CV with dozens of examples!

9 Resume Templates for Different Industries

Looking to create an effective resume without dealing with the formatting hassle? Just choose one of the templates below.

#1. Traditional Resume Template

Good for traditional industries like finance, banking, law, and manufacturing.

#2. Modern Resume Template

Good for both contemporary and forward-looking industries, including entrepreneurship, medical technology, and engineering.

#3. Creative Resume Template

Good for creative industries, including entertainment, design, and architecture. 

#4. Minimalistic Resume Template

Good for experienced professionals in basically any industry who want to let their achievements do the talking. 

#5. IT Resume Template

Good for any IT-related profession like software development, cyber security, and DevOps engineering.

#6. Tech Resume Template

Good for the tech industry and everything it encompasses.

#7. College Resume Template

Good for college students and recent graduates alike.

#8. General Resume Template

Good for multiple industries, including HR, education, and customer service.

#9. Executive Resume Template

Good for senior professionals across different industries, including hospitality, marketing, and logistics.

17+ Resumes for Different Jobs

Knowing how to write a resume is one thing, but making a resume that stands out is something entirely different. Without inspiration, even top career experts might stumble on a roadblock or two.

Check out the following effective resume examples for specific jobs to get a better sense of what a good resume looks like:

#1. Nurse Practitioner Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a nurse resume here.

#2. Data Scientist Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a data scientist resume here.

#3. Business Analyst Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a business analyst resume here.

#4. Digital Marketing Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a digital marketing resume here.

#5. Software Engineer Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a software engineer resume here.

#6. Construction Project Manager Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a construction project manager resume here.

#7. Customer Service Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a customer service resume here.

#8. High School Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a high school resume here.

#9. Student Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a student resume here.

#10. Server Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a server resume here.

#11. Actor Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing an actor resume here.

#12. Web Developer Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a web developer resume here.

#13. Engineering Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing an engineering resume here.

#14. Computer Science Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a computer science resume here.

#15. Architect Resume Example 

Check out our full guide to writing a data analyst resume here.

#17. Remote Job Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a remote job resume here.

#18. Sales Associate Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a sales associate resume here.

#19. Receptionist Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a receptionist resume here.

Want to see more examples? Check out our compilation of 80+ resume examples for different fields .

• Administrative Assistant Resume
• Bartender Resume
• DevOps Engineer Resume
• Executive Assistant Resume
• Flight Attendant Resume
• Graphic Designer Resume
• Paralegal Resume
• Pharmacist Resume
• Recruiter Resume
• Supervisor Resume

Next Steps After Your Resume

Now that we’ve covered everything you need to know about how to make a resume, it’s time to talk about the rest of your job application.

After all, your resume is only the first step in your job search. To land the job you deserve, you also need to write a captivating cover letter and ace that upcoming interview. Here’s how:

#1. How to Write a Convincing Cover Letter

The companion piece to every resume is the cover letter.

Most job-seekers flinch when they hear that they have to write a cover letter. What do you even mention in a cover letter, anyway? If you were good at writing cover letters, you’d be applying for a job as a writer !

In reality, though, writing a cover letter is very simple once you know its purpose.

Think of your cover letter as a direct message to the hiring manager. It’s your chance to briefly explain why you’re such an awesome fit for the position. And with a few cover letter tips to point you in the right direction, you’ll write the perfect cover letter for your job application.

Just follow this structure:

• Add the contact details. Include the same contact information as on your resume, plus additional contact details for the hiring manager, including their name, job title, the company’s name, and location.
• Introduce yourself. Start your cover letter by mentioning who you are, what your work experience is, and why you’re interested in the position. Mention a standout achievement or two, relevant skills, and what you’d like to do for the company you’re applying for.
• Explain why you’d excel at the job. Find the requirements in the job ad that you meet, and elaborate on how you fulfill the most important ones. Research the company so you know what you like about it, and mention it in your cover letter. Make sure to convey your enthusiasm for the job and confidence that you’ll be a great fit for their team.
• Wrap it up politely. Conclude your cover letter by recapping your key selling points and thanking the hiring manager for their time. Then add a call to action, such as “Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at the provided phone number so that we can discuss my application in greater detail.” Then, add a closing line and follow it with your full name.

Sounds easy, right? Here’s a real-life example to drive the point home:

Do you need more help perfecting your cover letter? Learn what the most common cover letter mistakes are and check out cover letter examples for all professions here.

#2. How to Ace Your Next Interview

Once you’ve perfected both your resume and cover letter, there’s only one thing left.

It’s time for the final step—the dreaded job interview.

Whether you’re an extrovert or an introvert, you probably hate the interviewing process. No matter how experienced you are, it can be nerve-wracking. Sitting there while someone’s prodding into your past experiences and judging you isn’t fun.

But did you know that most interviewers ask the same questions?

That’s right—all you have to do is learn how to answer some of the most common interview questions, and you’ll be an interview away from landing your dream job!

Just check out our complete guide to the 35+ Job Interview Questions and Answers and learn how to ace your next interview.

FAQs on How to Make a Resume

Do you still have some questions about making a resume? Check out the answers to the most frequently asked questions below!

#1. What does a good resume look like in 2024?

For your resume to look good in 2024, make sure it’s organized and clean and isn’t longer than one page.

Be sure to include information that adds value to your application—leave out the focus on your relevant work experience and skills that you can back up, and list as many achievements as possible. 

If you’re using a resume template, choose one based on your industry. Conservative industries like law, banking, and business require more traditional resume templates. But if you’re going for an industry like design, architecture, or marketing, you can go for a creative resume template . 

Remote work is also big in 2024, so if that’s what you’re after, tailor your resume to match the job you want.

#2. How do you make a resume in Word?

The best way to create a resume in Word is to use a pre-designed Microsoft Word template. To access them, you should: 

• Open MS Word
• Click “file” from the menu bar 
• Select “new”
• Type “resume templates” in the search bar 

That said, Word resume templates are generic, hard to personalize, and overall not very stylish.

Want a resume that looks good and is extremely easy to make? Check out resume templates to get started!

#3. How do I write a resume for my first job?

If you’re writing your first-ever resume for an entry-level position, the hiring manager won’t expect you to have any work experience.

However, you can make up for your lack of experience with your skills and academic achievements.

For example, you can take advantage of extracurricular activities, internships, volunteering experiences, and other non-professional experiences. You can use them to highlight the skills you’ve gained and what you’ve achieved so far.

So, your first job resume should have a resume objective, emphasize your education, and replace your work experience with any internships, volunteering, independent projects, or other experiences.

#4. How to make a resume on Google Docs?

You can make a resume on Google Docs by choosing one of their templates and filling it in on the go.

All you have to do is go to your Google Drive’s template gallery, choose your preferred template, fill in your information, and your Google Docs resume is ready to go! 

That said, Google Docs templates aren’t the most user-friendly choice. You don’t have much flexibility with the layout and formatting isn’t that easy. For example, you tweak a section to the slightest, and the whole resume becomes a mess.

If you want an easier option, check out our resume builder !

#5. What kind of resume do employers prefer?

Typically, employers prefer one-page-long resumes that follow the reverse chronological format. 

Hiring managers receive hundreds of resumes every day, so they don't have the time to read three-page resumes. Try one of our one-page resume templates so you don’t go over the recommended resume length.

Meanwhile, the reverse-chronological format is the most popular because it draws attention to your most recent jobs and professional achievements, which is the #1 most important thing hiring managers look at when evaluating a resume.

#6. How many jobs should you put on your resume? 

You should only include relevant job positions on your resume.

This means that your work experience section should be tailored to the job you are applying for. If you’ve worked five different jobs and they can all add value to your current application, then you should include all five. 

If, on the other hand, you’re applying for, say, a customer service position and some of your past jobs don’t have anything to do with customer service, you should skip them.

#7. Should I put my address on my resume? 

You can put your location (city, state, or country) on your resume, but you don’t need to put your entire physical address.

Putting a physical address on a resume was the norm back when companies would contact you via mail. In today’s world, everyone communicates via email, which is why adding a correct and professional email address to your contact information section is far more important than putting your physical address. 

So, just include your location or-–if you’re a remote worker—specify you prefer to work remotely by writing “working remotely from [location].”

#8. What information should I leave out of my resume?

As a general rule, you shouldn’t include your birthday or your headshot on your resume. This norm varies from country to country but it applies to the USA, Canada, and UK.

If you have plenty of achievements to list under your work experience, then you can leave your basic work responsibilities out of your resume. 

In your education section, you should only include your highest and most recent degree. So, if you hold a Ph.D., you can list that and your Master’s degree and leave your Bachelor’s degree and high school diploma out.

Finally, leave out any skills that aren’t relevant to the job you’re applying for.

#9. Is a resume a CV?

Depending on where you are, a CV (Curriculum Vitae) and a resume might be completely different things.

In most of the world, though, including Europe and Asia, they are used interchangeably for the same document. Both CVs and resumes are one to two pages long, and list skills and experiences relevant to the position you’re applying for.

Sometimes more detailed resumes that go over one page are referred to as CVs. These are typically only used by senior professionals, executives, CEOs, etc.

In the USA, however, a CV is a completely different document. Typically, CVs are detailed and comprehensive documents that highlight your entire academic and professional history. They’re often used for academic, scientific, or research positions, which is why this type of CV can also be referred to as an academic CV.

You can create your CV using one of our CV templates !

#10. Should I write my own resume?

Yes, you should always write your own resume.

Your resume is your opportunity to show the hiring manager your communication, writing, and presentation skills . Employers also evaluate you based on how effectively you can convey information about yourself, and there’s no one that can represent you better than yourself.

Writing your own resume lets you introduce yourself authentically. You have the best understanding of your skills and experiences, and you can personalize them to make your resume stand out.

And, as a bonus, the experience of writing your resume yourself can be reflective and insightful, so it might help you understand your professional journey and career goals better.

#11. Can a resume be two pages?

Generally, we strongly recommend that your resume stick to one page.

Hiring managers go through hundreds of resumes every day, and keeping your resume to one page increases the odds that they’ll see your qualifications faster.

In some cases, like when you have a lot of relevant experience, your resume can go over two pages. But this exception is reserved for senior professionals with over a decade of relevant experience and tons of skills and achievements that simply can’t fit on one page.

#12. Is a simple resume okay?

Absolutely, a simple resume is often more than okay—it's preferable.

Before your resume even gets to the hiring manager, a complicated layout could get it rejected by the applicant tracking system (ATS). A simple resume template can help get your application straight to the hiring manager.

A clean layout can also make sure that your resume is easily readable and looks professional. This can focus the hiring manager's attention on your work experience and skills without excessive clutter or flashy colors to distract them.

Key Takeaways

And that’s a wrap!

If you’ve followed all of our advice until now, congrats! You’re probably an expert on how to make a resume.

To recap, let’s go through some of the most important lessons we’ve learned so far...

• Use the right resume builder to make the process as smooth as possible. You don’t want to mess around with formatting for hours before even starting to work on your resume!
• Focus on your achievements over responsibilities. This can help you stand out from all the other applicants, especially if you back your claims up with data.
• Include all the must-have sections, like the resume summary, work experience, education, and skills. Then leverage optional sections if you have leftover space.
• Tailor your resume for the job you’re applying for. Everything listed on your resume should be relevant to the specific job you’re applying for, and you should write a new resume for every new job application.
• Take the time to perfect your cover letter. It’s just as important as your resume, so make sure you pay as much attention to it!

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The 17 Best Free Resume Builders We've Ever Discovered

Published: April 25, 2024

According to GetFive, only 30% of resumes are approved by applicant tracking systems (ATS). Once the resumes are approved, a hiring manager will only spend an average of six seconds reading each resume.

If those stats stress you out, I hear you. Writing a great resume that gets you noticed is tough — that’s why I’m here to encourage you to try a resume builder.

In this post, I've compiled a list of the best free resume builders that will help you create a personalized professional resume that passes ATS, stands out to the hiring manager, and helps you land your next job interview.

Why use a resume builder?

Writing a polished resume is second nature for some job applicants. But for others (and maybe most of us), creating a strong resume can be a struggle.

If you're one of the many people who need a little extra support, here are a few ways I think a resume builder can help out.

Resume builders offer templates, clean designs, and tips that speed up resume writing. They also make the process less stressful.

Offers Writing Tips

It takes a lot of work to promote yourself. And even if you enjoy self-promotion, writing isn't a skill everyone has. A resume builder can help you use the best words and phrases to show your experience and knowledge.

Improves Design

Each industry has different expectations for what a great resume looks like. If you're not familiar with design skills or tools, resume builders offer free templates to make your resume look as good as it sounds.

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)

Recruiters often use ATS systems to scan resumes. And a good resume builder will help with formatting to make sure that your resume is easy for these systems to read.

Best Free Resume Builders

• Zety: Best for Expert Resume Creation Tips
• Resume Genius: Best for Easy and Fast Resume Creation
• Wepik: Best for Customizing Pre-Made Resumes
• My Perfect Resume: Best for Guided Resume Creation Help
• Standard Resume: Best for Active LinkedIn Users
• Kickresume: Best for Quick and AI-Assisted Resume Creation
• Canva: Best for Design Creativity and Expression
• Pixpa: Best for Creating Online Resume Websites
• Indeed: Best for In-Platform Job Seekers
• Resume.com: Best for Minimalist Resume Creation
• Novoresume: Best for ATS-Friendly Resume Building
• VisualCV: Best for Multimedia Resumes
• CakeResume: Best for Resumes With an Online Portfolio
• Resume Now: Best for Time-Saving Resume Creation
• ResumeNerd: Best for Resume Writing Help
• Jofibo: Best for Comprehensive Guides
• Hloom: Best for Resume Templates

We’ve discovered the best free resume builders on the market. These resume builders are great for all jobseekers, from entry-level to executive level.

Each free resume builder has a simple interface, customization options, and templates that help you create the perfect resume for your next job.

Featured Resource : HubSpot Resume Templates

12 Free Customizable Resume Templates

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Resume Worded

1000+ resume examples - here's what works in 2024, put simply, a strong, well-targeted resume gets you more interviews. though, writing a strong resume isn't easy so we've compiled 100+ resume samples from 25+ different industries to help give you inspiration. each resume has been vetted by recruiters, is optimized to pass ats and recruitment software, and is downloadable/editable for free..

Resume Examples

My team and I have compiled close to a thousand resumes across a range of different industries to help you write an effective resume. Unlike other sites, our samples are optimized to pass recruitment software and are written by recruiters in your industry. They follow strict standards and key criteria recruiters and hiring managers look for. Use them as inspiration. You can copy the skills and bullet points, or even download the template. Just choose a category to view and download the template. -->

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Data & Analytics Resume Samples

Resume samples from this industry, financial data analyst.

Marketing Data Analyst

Analytics Manager

Entry Level Data Analyst

Senior Data Analyst

Big Data Engineer

Entry Level Data Engineer

Data Warehouse Engineer

Senior Data Engineer

Agile Business Analyst

Entry Level Business Analyst

Senior Business Analyst

Technical Business Analyst

IT Business Analyst

Data Science Vice President

Entry Level Data Scientist

Data Science Manager

Senior Data Scientist

Career Change into Data Science

Data Mining Specialist

Data Entry Specialist

Data Entry Clerk

Data Entry Operator

Entry Level Data Entry Analyst

Tableau Developer

Business Intelligence Developer

Power BI Developer

Business Intelligence Manager

Business Intelligence Engineer

SQL Database Administrator

SQL Data Analyst

PL/SQL Developer

Junior SQL Developer

Entry-Level SQL Developer

Senior Actuarial Analyst

Chief Actuarial/Risk Officer

Actuarial Manager

Junior Data Modeler

Oracle Data Modeler

Planning and Supply Chain Specialist

Supply Chain Demand Planner

Supply and Import Planner

Management and Program Analyst

Qualitative Research Assistant

Market Research Specialist / Market Researcher

Insights Analyst

Hadoop Developer

Junior Hadoop Developer

Hadoop Administrator

Big Data Architect

Senior Intelligence Analyst

Entry Level Intelligence Analyst

Director of Data Analytics

Marketing Analytics

Data Analytics Manager

Financial Reporting Analyst

Report Analyst

Data Governance Business Analyst

Data Governance Analyst

Data Conversion Specialist

Artificial Intelligence Specialist

NLP (Natural Language Processing) Engineer

Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Machine Learning Intern

GIS Specialist

GIS Technician

Resume Guides: Detailed Insights From Recruiters

• Data Analyst Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Data Engineer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Business Analyst Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Data Scientist Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Data Mining Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Data Entry Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Business Intelligence Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• SQL Developer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Actuarial Science Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Data Modeling Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Supply Chain Planner Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Program Analyst Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Market Researcher Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Big Data Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Intelligence Analyst Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Director of Analytics Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Reporting Analyst Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Data Governance Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Data Specialist Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Machine Learning Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• GIS Resume Guide & Examples for 2024

Manager Resume Samples

Chief information officer (cio).

Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)

E-Commerce Chief Financial Officer

Chief Financial Officer (CFO) - 2

Operations Program Manager

Senior Program Manager

Technical Program Manager

Program Director

Microsoft Program Manager

Software Project Manager

Process Operator

Process Manager

Senior Project Manager

Technical Project Manager

Entry Level Project Manager

Data Product Manager

Technical Product Manager

Senior Product Manager

Entry Level Product Manager

IT Product Manager

Operations Associate (Entry Level Operations Manager)

Process Improvement Manager

Technical Operations Manager

Business Operations Manager

Sales Operations Manager

Social Media Strategist

Entry Level Social Media Manager

Social Media Marketing Manager

Social Media Director

Creative Marketing Director

Associate Creative Director

Chief Creative Officer

Senior Product Owner

Agile Product Owner

Entry-Level Product Owner

Technical Product Owner

IT Infrastructure Manager

IT Security Manager

IT Asset Manager

Senior IT Manager

Front Office Manager

Medical Office Manager

Dental Office Manager

Construction Office Manager

Assistant Office Manager

Production Executive

Video Production Manager

Print Production Manager

Film Production Manager

Construction Project Coordinator

IT Project Coordinator

Entry-Level Project Coordinator

Associate Brand Manager

Retail Brand Manager

Creative Brand Manager

Digital Brand Manager

Assistant Brand Manager

Brand Marketing Manager

Assistant Construction Manager

Construction Project Manager

Chief Business Officer

Chief Administrative Officer

VP, Sales Operations

Chief Transformation Officer

Software Project Lead

Project Lead

Senior Director of Technology

Director of Technology

IT Director

IT Program Director

Director of IT

Director of Operations (Healthcare)

Operations Director

Director of Sales Operations

Data Engineering Director

Senior Director of Engineering

Engineering Director

Marketing Project Manager

Marketing Program Manager

Entry-Level Program Manager

Product Marketing Manager

Senior Social Media Manager

Marketing Operations Manager

Human Resources (HR) Manager

Senior HR Manager & HR Director (Human Resources Director)

Customer Service Manager

Marketing Manager

Digital Marketing Manager

DevOps Manager

Portfolio Manager

Business Development Manager

Entry-Level Business Development Manager

Senior Digital Marketing Manager

Sales Account Manager

Entry Level Account Manager

Key Account Manager

Senior Account Manager

Inside Sales Account Manager

Technical Account Manager

Graphic Design Manager

Sales Manager

Regional Sales Manager

Hotel Sales Manager

Automobile / Car Sales Manager

Retail Sales Manager

Accounting Manager

Retail Manager

Supply Chain Manager

Nurse Case Manager

Case Manager

Mental Health Case Manager

QA (Quality Assurance) Manager

Highlights (Free)

Modern (Free)

Simple, 2-column (Free)

Logistics Manager

Logistics and Supply Chain Manager

Brand Activation Manager

Customer Success Manager

Customer Success Operations Manager

Implementation/Onboarding Manager

Communications Manager

Public Relations Manager

E-Procurement Manager

Back Office Manager

Medical Billing Manager

Engineering Manager

Software Engineering Manager

Data Engineering Manager

Senior Engineering Manager

IoT Engineering Manager

Inventory Manager

Inside Sales Manager

Insurance Case Manager

Insurance Claims Manager

Learning and Development Manager

Growth Marketing Manager

Growth Product Manager

Advertising Manager

Advertising Agency Manager

Advertising Account Manager

Risk Manager

Health Care Risk Manager

Financial Risk Manager

Corporate Compliance Manager

E-Commerce Manager

E-Commerce Operations Manager

Agile Project Manager

Engineering Project Manager

Assistant Project Manager

Healthcare Project Manager

Junior Project Manager

Accounts Payable Manager

Demand Planning Manager

Technical Demand Planning Manager

Security Engineering Manager

Cyber Security Manager

Security Project Manager

Information Security Manager

SaaS Sales Manager

Change Manager

Senior Change Manager

Change Communications Manager

Special Projects Manager

IT Project Manager

IT Program Manager

Associate Product Manager

Agile Product Manager

Software Product Manager

Digital Product Manager

Quality Control Manager

Regulatory Affairs Manager

Warehouse Manager

Warehouse Operations Manager

Assistant Warehouse Manager

Training and Development Manager

Visual Merchandising Manager

Retail Operations Manager

Senior Operations Manager

Healthcare Operations Manager

IT Operations Manager

Purchasing Manager

Program Manager Scrum Master

Bookkeeper Office Manager

Email Marketing Manager

Content Marketing Manager

Marketing Communications Manager

Marketing Account Manager

Senior Marketing Manager

Credit Manager

Sourcing Manager

Strategic Sourcing Manager

Hotel Manager

Hotel General Manager

Contract Manager

National Account Manager

Insurance Account Manager

Strategic Account Manager

Territory Sales Manager

Catering Sales Manager

Maintenance Manager

Project Manager/Scrum Master

Automotive Sales Manager

Assistant Sales Manager

Area Sales Manager

National Sales Manager

Implementation Manager

Implementation Project Manager

Administration Manager

Engagement Manager

Employee Engagement Manager

Plant Manager

Innovation Manager

B2B Sales Manager

Relationship Manager

Client Relationship Manager

Customer Relationship Manager

Salesforce Product Manager

Business Office Manager

Manufacturing Production Manager

Continuous Improvement Manager

RN Case Manager

Training Manager / Manager in Training

Training Project Manager

Senior Training Manager

Civil Engineer Project Manager

Entry-Level Case Manager

Architectural Project Manager

SEO Manager

Recruiting Manager

Category Manager

Procurement Manager

Occupational Health and Safety Manager

Environmental Health and Safety Manager

Facilities Manager

Revenue Cycle Manager

Diversity and Inclusion Manager

Revenue Manager

Loss Prevention Manager

SRE Manager

Digital Media Manager

Campaign Manager

Political Campaign Manager

Materials Manager

Operational Excellence Manager

Site Manager

Entry Level Business Development Manager

Senior HR Manager & HR Director (Human Resources Director)

Store Manager

Call Center Manager

Consulting Manager

Clinical Manager

Benefits Manager

Clinical Data Manager

Clinical Trial Manager

Senior Portfolio Manager

• C-Level and Executive Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Program Manager Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Project Manager Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Product Manager Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Operations Manager Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Social Media Manager Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Creative Director Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Product Owner Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• IT Manager Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Office Manager Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Production Manager Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Project Coordinator Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Brand Manager Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Construction Manager Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Chief of Staff Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Vice President of Operations Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Chief Digital Officer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Project Leader Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Technology Director Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Director of Information Technology Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Director of Operations Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Director of Engineering Resume Guide & Examples for 2024

Entry Level Resume Samples

Entry level software engineer.

Entry Level Scrum Master

Entry Level Web Developer

Entry Level Human Resources (HR)

Entry Level Bookkeeper

Entry Level Customer Service Representative

Entry Level Front End Developer

Entry Level Administrative Assistant

Entry Level/Junior Financial Analyst

Entry Level Digital Marketing

Entry Level UX Designer

Entry Level Accountant

Entry Level Full Stack Developer

Entry-Level Sales Associate

Entry Level Cyber Security Analyst

Entry Level Supply Chain Analyst

Entry Level Financial Advisor

Entry Level Electrical Engineer

Entry Level Interior Designer

Entry Level Civil Engineer

Entry-Level Civil Engineer

Entry Level Legal Assistant

Entry Level QA (Quality Assurance) Tester

Entry Level Network Administrator

Entry Level Manufacturing Engineer

Entry Level Network Engineer

Entry-Level (Free)

Entry Level Communications

Entry-Level Journalist

Entry-Level Copywriter

Entry-Level Virtual Assistant

Entry-Level Recruiter

Entry-Level Programmer

Entry-Level IT Support Specialist

Regulatory Affairs Associate (Entry Level)

Entry-Level Loan Processor

Entry Level Software Developer

Entry Level Industrial Engineer

Entry Level Audio Engineer

IT Help Desk (Entry Level)

Entry-Level Executive Assistant

Entry-Level Occupational Therapist

Entry-Level Technical Writer

Entry Level Biomedical Engineer

Entry-Level Radiologic Technologist

Entry-Level Attorney

Entry Level Environmental Science

Entry Level Research Assistant

Entry-Level System Administrator

Entry-Level Java Developer

Entry Level Brand Ambassador

Entry-Level Mechanical Engineer

Entry Level Real Estate Agent

Entry Level Dental Assistant

Entry Level Production Assistant

Entry Level IT Auditor

Entry-Level Pharmacy Technician

Entry Level Medical Coder

Architectural Intern/ Entry Level Architect

Entry Level Environmental Engineer

Entry Level Claims Adjuster

Entry-Level UX Researcher

Entry Level (Two Column)

Junior Graphic Designer

Junior Python Developer

Junior Full Stack Developer

Junior System Administrator

Junior Network Administrator

Junior Mechanical Engineer

Junior Data Scientist

Modern Two-Column

Junior Policy Analyst

Junior Copywriter

Junior Recruiter

Junior Data Analyst

Junior C# Developer

Junior Salesforce Administrator

Junior Business Analyst

Junior Software Engineer

Junior Scrum Master

Junior Web Developer

Junior ETL Developer

Junior Sharepoint Developer

Junior Art Director

Junior Software Developer

Junior Front End Developer

Junior Accountant

Junior Finance Executive

Junior Cyber Security Analyst

Junior Lawyer

Junior Java Developer

Engineering Resume Samples

Software test engineer.

Senior Software Engineer

Lead Software Engineer

Backend Developer

AngularJS Developer

Node JS Developer

React Developer

Freelance Web Developer

Senior Web Developer

Front End Web Developer

Full Stack Web Developer

PLC Programmer

Programmer Analyst

Game Programmer

Java Programmer

JavaScript Developer (Front-End)

iOS Developer

React Front End Developer

AWS Lambda Engineer

Kubernetes DevOps Engineer

AWS DevOps Engineer

Kubernetes Engineer

.NET Full Stack Developer

Java Full Stack Developer

Senior Full Stack Developer

Java Software Engineer

Senior Java Developer

J2EE Developer

Java Backend Developer

Senior Python Developer

Cyber Security Consultant

Cyber Security Engineer

Cyber Security Specialist

Cyber Security Intern

Salesforce Marketing (Cloud)

Salesforce QA / Testing

Salesforce Business Analyst

Salesforce Consultant

QA (Quality Assurance) Analyst/Specialist

QA Engineer

QA (Quality Assurance) Software Tester

QA (Quality Assurance) Automation Engineer

Supplier Quality Engineer

Senior Quality Engineer

QA (Quality Assurance) Engineer

Electrician Apprentice

Electrician

Senior / Experienced Engineer

Electrical Site Engineer

IT System Administrator

Linux System Administrator

Senior System Administrator

Windows System Administrator

Agile Coach

Agile Scrum Master

Senior Scrum Master

Structural Engineer

Design Engineer

Senior Civil Engineer

IT Network Administrator

Senior Mechanical Engineer

Mechanical Design Engineer

Experienced Mechanical Engineer

Manufacturing Quality Engineer

Senior Manufacturing Engineer

Senior Network Engineer

Cisco Network Engineer (CCNA)

IT Network Engineer

Wireless Network Engineer

Senior Node.js Developer

Node.js Software Developer

Integration Solution Architect

Enterprise Integration Architect

Validation Specialist

Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET)

Test Analyst

Test Engineer

Automation Tester

HVAC Service Technician

Environmental Service Technician

Field Service Technician

DevOps Platform Engineer

Test Automation Engineer

Robotic Process Automation Engineer

QA Automation Engineer

Senior C# Developer

C Net Developer

C# Developer

Technical Support Specialist

Application Support Engineer

Technical Support Engineer

Software Product Support Analyst

Process Engineer

Electrical Project Engineer

Civil Project Engineer

Construction Project Engineer

Chief Security Officer

Electronic Engineering

Electronic Assembler

IT System Engineer

Control System Engineer

Embedded System Engineer

Senior System Engineer

IT Support Specialist

Packaging Sales Engineer

Oracle PL/SQL Developer

Oracle Database Administrator

System Planning Engineer

Transmission Planning Engineer

Development and Planning Engineer

Ethereum Developer

Azure Developer

Cloud Services Developer

Senior Sharepoint Developer

Kafka Java Developer

Freelance Audio Engineer

HVAC Engineer

HVAC Installer

Industrial Sales Engineer

Maintenance Supervisor

Industrial Maintenance Technician

Cloud Architect

Cloud Solutions Architect

Technical Architect

Azure Architect

Data Architect

Enterprise Architect

Implementation Consultant

Senior Software Architect

Experienced PHP Developer

Technical Biomedical Engineer

Robotic Process Automation Analyst

IT Security Analyst

Information Security Analyst

Senior IT Auditor

Software Engineering Director

Senior Environmental Engineer

AWS Cloud Practitioner

AWS Architect

Materials Science Engineer

UAT Test Lead

• Software Engineer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Software Developer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Web Developer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Programmer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Front End Developer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• DevOps Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Full Stack Developer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Java Developer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Python Developer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Cyber Security Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Salesforce Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Quality Assurance Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Quality Engineer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Electrical Engineer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• System Administrator Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Scrum Master Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Civil Engineer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Network Administrator Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Mechanical Engineer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Manufacturing Engineer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Network Engineer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Node.js Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Integration Architect Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Engineering Manager Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Software Tester Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Service Technician Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Platform Engineer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Automation Engineer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• C, C++, and C# Developer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Technical Support Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Project Engineer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Security Manager Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Electronic Technician Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• System Engineer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• IT Specialist Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Packaging Engineer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Oracle Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Planning Engineer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Blockchain Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Cloud Developer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• ETL Developer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• SharePoint Developer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Kafka Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Audio Engineer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• HVAC Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Industrial Engineer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Maintenance Technician Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Solutions Architect Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Implementation Specialist Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Software Architect Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• PHP Developer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Biomedical Engineer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Robotics Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Innovation Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Security Analyst Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• IT Auditor Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Director of Software Engineering Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Environmental Engineer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• AWS Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Materials Engineer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• UAT Tester Resume Guide & Examples for 2024

Finance Resume Samples

Senior bookkeeper.

Investment Banking Managing Director

Investment Banking Vice President

Investment Banking Executive Assistant

Real Estate Financial Analyst

Investment Analyst

Tax Accountant

Director of Accounting

Senior Accountant / Accounting Executive

Accounting Specialist

Accounting Assistant

Director of Research

Equity Research Senior Analyst

Equity Research Analyst

Financial Aid Advisor

Sourcing and Procurement Consultant

Procurement Analyst

Procurement Specialist

Senior Director of Procurement

Procurement Engineer

Government Auditor

Senior Auditor

Night Auditor

External Auditor

Staff Auditor

Corporate Controller

Assistant Controller

Business Controller

Risk Analyst

Accounts Receivable

Accounts Payable Officer

Accounts Payable Clerk

Accounts Payable Supervisor

Senior Internal Auditor

Procurement Coordinator

Purchasing Coordinator

Strategic Sourcing Director

Senior Loan Processor

Mortgage Loan Processor

Assistant Director of Finance

Director of Finance

Commercial Credit Analyst

Collection Agent

Debt Collection Specialist

Senior Finance Executive

Senior Vice President Finance

VP Operations and Finance

Claims Analyst

Claims Processor

Senior Payroll Specialist

Senior Cost Analyst

Mergers & Acquisitions Specialist

• Bookkeeper Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Investment Banking Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Financial Analyst Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Accountant Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Equity Research Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Financial Advisor Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Procurement Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Auditor Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Financial Controller Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Risk Management Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Accounts Payable Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Internal Audit Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Purchasing Manager Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Loan Processor Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Finance Director Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Credit Analyst Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Collections Specialist Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Finance Executive Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• VP of Finance Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Claims Adjuster Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Payroll Specialist Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Cost Analyst Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• M&A Resume Guide & Examples for 2024

Marketing Resume Samples

Email marketing specialist.

Digital Marketing Intern

Digital Marketing Analyst

Digital Media Director

Communications Coordinator / PR Coordinator

Press Secretary

Communications Coordinator

Social Media Content Creator

Content Strategist

Marketing Content Creator

Video Content Creator

Digital Content Creator

E-Commerce Director

Medical Writer

Digital Content Writer

Brand Journalist

Scriptwriter

Videographer

Video Producer

Digital Marketing Executive

Marketing Vice President

Digital Marketing Strategist

Senior Technical Writer

SEO Analyst

Digital Marketing Director

Marketing Director

Brand Director

Senior Brand Strategist

Campaign Volunteer

• Marketing Manager Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Digital Marketing Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Event Coordinator Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Digital Media Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Communications Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Content Creator Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• E-Commerce Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Growth Marketing Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Content Writer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Video Editor Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Marketing Executive Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• VP of Marketing Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Digital Strategist Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Brand Ambassador Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Technical Writer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• SEO Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Director of Marketing Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Brand Strategist Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Campaign Manager Resume Guide & Examples for 2024

Administrative Resume Samples

Call center csr.

Call Center Agent

Call Center Supervisor

Call Center Representative

Sales and Marketing Virtual Assistant

Virtual Administrative Assistant

Freelance Virtual Assistant

Sales Administrative Assistant

Executive Administrative Assistant

Experienced Administrative Assistant

Medical Administrative Assistant

Senior Executive Assistant

Executive Assistant to CEO

C-Level Executive Assistant

Experienced Executive Assistant

Laboratory Research Assistant

Clinical Research Assistant

Graduate Research Assistant

Psychology Research Assistant

Inventory Control Analyst

Inventory Specialist

Inventory Lead

Inventory Clerk

Desktop Support Engineer

Desktop Support Specialist

Desktop Support Analyst

Fundraising Coordinator

Service Desk Technician

IT Service Desk Analyst

Help Desk Technician

Office Coordinator

Clinical Administrative Coordinator

Director of Administration

Office Administrator

Healthcare Administrator

Surgery Scheduler

Medical Scheduler

Schedule Coordinator

Delivery Driver

Uber Driver

Uber Eats Driver

Construction Project Administrator

Facilities Coordinator

Director of Facilities

Facilities Engineer

Facilities Technician

Revenue Cycle Analyst

Revenue Cycle Director

Revenue Cycle Specialist

• Customer Service Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Virtual Assistant Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Administrative Assistant Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Executive Assistant Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Research Assistant Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Customer Success Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Back Office Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Inventory Manager Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Desktop Support Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Warehouse Manager Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Fundraising Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Service Desk Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Help Desk Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Administrative Coordinator Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Administration Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Scheduling Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Gig Economy Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Project Administrator Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Facilities Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Revenue Cycle Resume Guide & Examples for 2024

Sales Resume Samples

Director of business development.

Business Development Executive

Business Development Associate

Senior Account Executive

Advertising Account Executive

Sales Account Executive

SaaS Account Executive

Fashion Account Executive

Retail Pharmacist

Car Sales Rep

Sales Associate / Retail Salesperson

Senior Sales Associate

Wireless Sales Associate

Supply Chain Director

Supply Chain Business Analyst

Logistics Supervisor

Experienced Real Estate Agent

Technical Sales Engineer

Pre-Sales Engineer

Senior Copywriter

Creative Copywriter

Freelance Copywriter

SaaS Account Executive (Alternate)

SaaS B2B Sales

SaaS Growth

Merchandising Assistant

Retail Buyer

Assistant Buyer

Fashion Buyer

Senior Buyer

Sales Director

Hotel Director of Sales

Sales Operations Director

Sales and Marketing Director

Sales and Marketing Coordinator

Senior Sales Executive

Experienced Sales Executive

Sales Team Leader

Technology VP Sales Professional

VP of Sales and Marketing

• Business Development Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Account Manager Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Account Executive Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Retail Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Sales Manager Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Sales Associate Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Supply Chain Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Real Estate Agent Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Sales Engineer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Copywriter Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Advertising Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• SaaS Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Merchandising Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Buyer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Director of Sales Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Hotel Manager Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Sales Coordinator Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Engagement Manager Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Sales Executive Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• B2B Sales Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Sales Leader Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• VP Sales Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Relationship Manager Resume Guide & Examples for 2024

Design Resume Samples

Senior ux designer.

UI / UX Designer

UX Engineer (Usability Engineer)

Architectural Designer

Landscape Architect

Minimalist Architect

Senior Graphic Designer / Director of Graphic Design

Freelance Graphic Designer

Creative Graphic Designer

3D Game Artist

Video Game Designer

Senior Game Designer

Interior Design Assistant

Film Production Assistant

Freelance Production Assistant

E-Learning Designer

Senior Art Director

Fashion Design Director

• UX Designer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• UX Researcher Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Architecture Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Graphic Designer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• 3D Artist Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Game Design Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Interior Design Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Production Assistant Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Instructional Design Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Art Director Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Design Director Resume Guide & Examples for 2024

Legal Resume Samples

Experienced attorney.

Associate Attorney

Litigation Attorney

Real Estate Attorney

Contract Attorney

Corporate Lawyer

Real Estate Lawyer

Employment Lawyer

Experienced Legal Assistant

Insurance Policy Analyst

Legal Compliance Officer

Compliance Attorney

Compliance Auditor

Compliance Engineer

Quality Compliance Coordinator

Commercial Underwriter

Credit Underwriter

Assistant Underwriter

Loan Underwriter

Contract Administrator

Director of Public Policy

• Attorney Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Lawyer Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Legal Assistant Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Policy Analyst Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Compliance Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Underwriter Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Regulatory Affairs Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Contract Specialist Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
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Other Resume Samples

Benefits administrator.

Benefits Coordinator

Benefits Analyst

Benefits Specialist

Human Resources (HR) Generalist

Executive Recruiter

Senior Recruiter

HR Recruiter

Chief Talent Officer

Executive Talent Acquisition Analyst

Talent Acquisition Lead

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Mental Health Social Worker

Social Work Teacher

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Senior Makeup Artist

Broadcast News Analyst

Broadcast Journalist

Print Journalist

Life Insurance Agent

Health Insurance Agent

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Insurance Investigator

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Group Learning and Development Specialist

Director of Special Projects

Special Projects Coordinator

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IT Consultant

Business Consultant

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Payments Processing Specialist

Operations Process Specialist

Business Process Specialist

Executive Director for Non-Profit

Non-Profit Employee

Non-Profit Director

Chief Operating Officer for Non-Profit

Director of Training and Development

Training and Development Specialist

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Corrections Officer

Senior Production Planner

High School Teacher

Teacher Assistant

Elementary Teacher

Preschool Teacher

Substitute Teacher

Continuous Improvement Engineer

Continuous Improvement Specialist

Business Transformation Consultant

Digital Transformation Consultant

Digital Transformation Executive

Power Plant Operator

Plant Operator

Full Cycle Recruiter

Chief Diversity Officer

Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator

VP of Diversity and Inclusion

Loss Mitigation Specialist

Loss Prevention Specialist

Self employed Business Owner

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Small Business Owner

Materials Coordinator

Operational Excellence Director

Logistics Engineer

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• Human Resources (HR) Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Recruiter Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
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• Loss Prevention Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
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• Materials Management Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Operational Excellence Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
• Logistics Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
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Research & Science Resume Samples

Chemistry research student.

Chemistry Lab Technician

Quality Control Chemist

Quality Control Inspector

Medical Science Liaison

Credentialing Specialist

Health and Safety Officer

Safety Officer

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Medical Resume Samples

Certified nursing assistant.

Patient Care Technician

Medical Surgical Nurse

Clinic Nurse

Prior Authorization Nurse

ICU Charge Nurse

Registered Dental Assistant

Certified Dental Assistant

Lead Dental Assistant

Pediatric Dental Assistant

Experienced Dental Assistant

New Grad Respiratory Therapist

Experienced Respiratory Therapist

Medical Coder

Medical Biller

RBT (Registered Behavior Technician)

Psychologist

Yoga Teacher

Clinical Psychologist

Speech Therapist

Home Care Coordinator

Patient Care Coordinator

Occupational Health Nurse

Pediatric Occupational Therapist

Experienced Radiologic Technologist

Hospital Pharmacy Technician

Certified Pharmacy Technician

CT Technologist

MRI Technologist

Surgical Technologist

Clinical Microbiologist

Speech Language Pathologist Assistant

Speech Pathologist

• Nursing Resume Guide & Examples for 2024
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10 Best Free Resume Builders

By Biron Clark

Published: February 15, 2024

Resume/CV | Reviews

Biron Clark

Writer & Career Coach

There are quite a few free online resume sites, but some are MUCH better than others.

Some also appear to be free but will make you pay at the very end or you won’t be able to download your newly-created resume.

So in this article, I’m going to review the 10 best resume sites that offer completely free resume builders.

These are the websites that offer the best resume templates, best building software and user experience, and don’t charge you to download a printable resume.

Top 10 Free Online Resume Builders

1. cultivated culture.

Cultivated Culture provides free tools and information to job seekers. It’s run by Austin Belcak, who’s spent his recent career developing formulas for crafting effective resumes, writing engaging cover letters, and landing high-paying jobs at some of the world’s top companies.

His free resume builder includes eight resume templates that are ATS friendly , full design customization, and expert advice throughout the process to help you craft the perfect resume.

The tool is user-friendly and makes writing a resume simple. Here’s how it works:

• Choose your resume template.
• Select a color scheme.
• Create your resume. You’ll be able to add information to the various sections of your resume , including personal information, experience, education, and skills . You can remove and add sections as needed.
• Once you’re happy with your resume click “Finalize.” Here you’ll be able to adjust the font size, line spacing, and margins.
• Download your resume as a PDF or Word file, or save it to your Google Drive.

You can use this tool to build an unlimited number of resumes.

Cultivated Culture also offers two other free tools that will help you develop a more professional resume. They have a scanner that offers suggestions and keywords based on your desired role and also provides a feature to help you write more effective bullet points.

2. NovoResume

NovoResume is an online resume builder that offers eight free templates to choose from, a content optimizer, pre-written resume samples, a cover letter builder, and templates for your cover letter.

After you choose one of their resume template options you’re taken straight into their resume builder. You have to sign up for a free account before continuing, but this just takes a moment.

The free version of NovoResume allows you to build one single-page resume. Click on any of the resume sections to edit and customize it however you like. You can also change the font, template, design, or layout throughout the process if you’re not happy with the way it’s looking. 

If you want a little more flexibility you can upgrade to the premium resume builder, which lets you create unlimited resumes and gives you access to additional fonts, templates, and various customization options.

3. LiveCareer

LiveCareer offers a free resume builder designed by certified resume writers. They also offer example resumes, templates, a cover letter builder, cover letter templates, and everything else you need to build an eye-catching resume.

The first thing you’ll notice about their resume builder is the number of templates they offer. There are over 30 templates to choose from, which gives you the freedom to create a resume that suits you. They’ll also recommend templates for you, based on your level of experience and the job title you’re applying for.

Once you choose one of their templates you have the choice of starting from scratch or uploading your current resume for LiveCareer to reformat. 

When creating a new resume, the resume builder will walk you through each section one at a time and ask you to provide the required information. During the resume-building process, LiveCareer will suggest bullet points that are related to the job titles you list in your work experience.

They’ll even provide a pre-written summary for you based on all the information you provide (although you also have the option to write your own summary if you like).

After you’re done you can download your resume to your computer in a PDF, Word document, or plain text. 

With LiveCareer’s free resume builder, you can make multiple resumes and download them in plain text format. However, if you want unlimited downloads in Word or PDF you’ll need to upgrade to one of their premium options. While there isn’t a free 30-day trial, for just $2.95 you can try it for 14 days. However, after 14 days, the plan auto-renews at $23.95, billed every 4 weeks, unless you cancel it .

Zety offers all the tools you need to build a resume that will catch an employer’s attention. In addition to their online resume builder, they give you access to over 20 resume templates, writing tips, pre-written examples, a cover letter builder, templates for your cover letters, and more. 

Once you select one of their resume templates, you can choose to start a resume from scratch or build off of an existing document (Zety will reformat it for you).

You’ll find Zety and LiveCareer’s resume builders are virtually identical (they seem to be built on the same platform), and they have all the same features and download options. Zety also has the same payment structure, where to download multiple resumes or gain access to their more advanced tool options, you’ll need to purchase a premium subscription.

5. USA Jobs

USA Jobs provides the best resume builder software when applying for government jobs.

Their online resume builder is geared toward the exact application process and requirements of the typical government role.

(And those requirements are quite overwhelming if you haven’t applied to many government jobs in the past, so it’s fantastic that their software helps.)

You’ll need to set up an account with USA Jobs to get started, but it’s well worth it.

After joining, follow these steps to start creating a resume for government jobs:

• Sign into your account.
• Go to your Documents.
• Click “Upload” if you want to edit an existing resume or “Build Resume” if you want to create a new one.

From here, you can add text to the various sections of your resume (work experience, previous job title, education, references, etc.). There’s also a section where you can add additional information, like job training, languages, and affiliations. Once you finish your resume you’ll be able to access it in your documents list and can use it to apply to various government positions.

The big difference between USA Jobs’s resume builder and other similar tools is the amount of information it asks you to include. For example, federal government recruiters review, audit, and score a wide variety of information, and this builder ensures you don’t omit anything that the recruiters require for you to be considered.

I found out about this tool through a colleague on LinkedIn, and here’s how they explained it:

So, if you’re applying to any government jobs, this is THE resume builder to use .

6. My Perfect Resume

My Perfect Resume offers free resume builder software and over 30 proven resume templates to help you get started. They also provide a resume optimizer, cover letter builder, cover letter templates, and several different customization options to help you land your dream job.

This resume builder uses the same platform as LiveCareer and Zety. You start by indicating how long you’ve been working and based on that My Perfect Resume will recommend a few templates for you. Then they’ll walk you through each section so you can fill in the correct information. They’ll offer suggestions along the way and will even write your bullets for you if you wish.

Once you’ve completed the process you can download your resume as a PDF, Word document, or plain text file. To enjoy unlimited downloads in Word or PDF, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid account. There is no free trial, but a 14-day full access for $2.95. After two weeks, the subscription auto-renews at $23.95 billed every 4 weeks, unless you cancel it.

7. Resume.com

Resume.com is a completely free resume builder. They also offer information on how to write an effective cover letter, career advice for job seekers, and more.

Their resume builder is simple to use:

• Enter the type of job you want to apply for.
• Choose a resume template. Resume.com offers 15 different templates.
• Click on each section of the template to edit it. Tips are provided for each section to help you craft the perfect resume.
• When you’re finished, you can choose to print or download your resume as a PDF or text file.

In addition to resume building, Resume.com partnered with Indeed. You’ll use a single account for both platforms. By creating a resume, you agree to create a public resume on Indeed and to receive job opportunities from employers. However, you can change this at any point.

JobScan is known mainly for its flagship software that allows you to match your resume up to the job description before applying (also known as tailoring a resume ).

However, they recently launched a free resume builder that’s among one of the best we’ve seen. It features great resume templates and design options, and it also offers writing guides, cover letter templates, and more.

I’d certainly put this among the free best resume-making sites available right now.

Once you begin, their resume builder gives you the option of building a resume from scratch or editing an existing file. You can even download your LinkedIn profile as a PDF and parse it as an “existing resume.”

If you choose to create a new resume you’ll start by picking one of the three resume templates they have to offer. Then you’ll simply fill in the required information for each section of the resume. Additionally, unlike other resume builders, Jobscan offers 15 Google Docs resume templates, designed by their team.

JobScan provides labeled fields for all the details you need to provide for every section, and a number of these fields are required to ensure you don’t miss anything.

If you already have a resume you’re reasonably happy with you can upload it to the resume builder and JobScan will reformat it and fill in your information based on what’s provided in your resume.

Once you’re done building your professional resume you’ll have the option to scan it based on the job you’re applying for.

JobScan will give your resume a grade ( match rate score) that’s judged on several factors, including skills match, education match, ATS tips, keywords, word count, and more. Based on these results, you’ll be able to build a resume that’s perfectly suited to the job you’re applying for.

9. Kickresume

Kickresume is one of the best resume builders I was able to find while researching. You’ll have to create an account before using it, however, this process only takes a moment.

Once you’re inside the resume builder you have the option of starting a resume from scratch, importing your resume from your LinkedIn profile, using one of their example resumes, or creating a new resume with AI.

Click on the different sections and fill in the fields to make your resume. You can also add and remove sections to personalize the document.

Click “Customization” along the left-hand side to change the colors, format, font, and template. There’s also an option to have it proofread by a professional, although there is a charge for this service.

When you’re happy with your resume, click “Download” to export it as a PDF file or Word doc, email it to yourself, or save it to Dropbox.

Kickresume also has a premium option. The free option should be good enough for most, as it allows you to build unlimited resumes and gives you access to plenty of resume examples and pre-written phrases for you to use.

But if you want access to all the resume templates and tools you might want to consider the premium option. You can choose a monthly, quarterly, or yearly plan. While they don’t have a free trial they do offer a 14-day money-back guarantee.

Indeed is known mostly as a job search tool to find employment opportunities in your local area. However, the company also offers a free resume builder to help job seekers perfect their resume before applying for postings.

Once you choose one of their eight different templates you’re taken to the resume builder where you can edit the document. You can switch templates at any time, adjust the color scheme, and add or remove sections. Once you’re satisfied with what you created about can download your resume as a PDF file.

While there are better resume builders out there, if you’re looking for a quick and easy way to create a resume, this one is a good choice.

Caution: Before Using ANY Online Resume Builder

There’s one more piece of information you should know before acting on ANY of the online resume builder reviews above.

In my experience, too many job seekers focus on an eye-catching resume design when applying for jobs or emailing recruiters , but they don’t put enough focus on writing great content and information that will appeal to the reader. So no matter which of these top 10 resume builders you choose, focus mostly on the text and information you add, not the design.

In fact, I still recommend a single-column layout.

And the truth is, if I were creating my own resume today, I’d use a regular Word template, not any online software or tool.

I discussed this with a colleague on LinkedIn here:

Microsoft Office has good templates available , and Hloom is another good site for templates.

I can understand if you don’t want to tinker with resume formatting , spacing, etc., and everything that comes with creating it in a Word doc, but that’s what I’d personally do.

Just keep this in mind when choosing any drag-and-drop software above; you should always pick a design that lets you focus on the content and info because that’s what employers want to see. Don’t choose a format that doesn’t give much space to describe your recent work, accomplishments, etc.

Because the FIRST place I look as a recruiter is your work history, under your one or two most recent roles.

I’d also never recommend a resume layout that doesn’t begin with your employment history on the top half of page 1.

Employment experience is often the first thing hiring managers look for (unless you’re an entry-level job seeker), and you should never make them scroll far down the page (or look on page 2) to find it.

Conclusion: Choosing the Best Online Resume Site for You

There isn’t one single best resume builder for all people in all industries, but the 10 choices above provide good, basic options that are user-friendly and will impress hiring managers.

I recommend visiting a few of the sites above and seeing which builder and templates look best to you. Each site offers different features/options, so you’ll want to get a sense of which one feels best to you before creating and downloading a resume.

And if you read my “Caution” statement above and decide to build your own resume in a document rather than in an online app, I have many free resources to help you here.

About the Author

Read more articles by Biron Clark

More Resume Tips & Guides

Crafting the perfect resume for teens (template & expert advice), are resume writers worth it, don’t say you’re a quick learner on your resume, what do recruiters look for in a resume, chronological resume: the best format (and how to write it), the 3 best colors for a resume, career change resume: examples and tips from experts, what makes a good resume 9 ways to know, how long should a resume be, walk me through your resume: answer examples.

Simple Resume Template: Your Guide to a Clean and Effective Resume

Published on July 31st, 2024

A resume is your first impression to the employer, and it works for you like a powerful advertising tool to showcase yourself-skills and experiences, successes and achievements. But with tons of templates available online, it sometimes gets really overwhelming to choose just the right one. That is why in this blog post we have decided to go a little bit deeper into human-centered approach to creating a resume, and check what benefits simple resume templates can offer.

The Human Touch in Resume Building

As much as technology has changed the game, there's no denying that behind every sheet of paper is a person, breathing and with a heart. Your resume should radiate your personality, values, and unique qualities. It isn't just a compilation of facts; it is a storytelling tool that allows you to be personably compatible with potential employers.

The Power of Simplicity

When it comes to resume templates, simplicity usually tends to be the best policy. A template that is convoluted and overly complex takes away from the most important qualifications you possess. Instead, make sure your design is clean and free of clutter, easy to read and navigate. The simpler the template, the more your content is allowed to take center stage. This gives recruiters an easier time in quickly identifying your key skills and experiences.

Value-Driven Resume Content

A truly effective resume will be one that not only outlines your skills but shows the value an organization can be guaranteed by you. Emphasize what you have accomplished, quantify results when possible, and state your accomplishments using action verbs. This provides the recruiter with insight into the impact you have created in your previous position.

How to Tailor Your Resume to a Job Application

While the basic template may be a decent backbone, it is relevant that you mold your resume to each specific application. Do your homework on the company and the position to understand what they need and require. Tailor your resume towards those skills and experiences best matching their requirements as noted within the job posting.

Sections to Include in Your Resume

A typical well-structured resume would include the following sections:

• Header: Your name, contact information, and professional headline. 
• Summary or Objective: A summary statement reflecting your career objectives and your key qualifications. 
• Skills: A list of your technical, soft, and industry-specific skills.
• Experience: A reverse chronological listing of previous experience, including your job responsibilities, accomplishments, and the skills used.
• Education: A listing of your educational qualifications, including degrees and certifications earned and relevant coursework.
• Projects: Include here all the personal or academic projects that highlight your skills and abilities.
• Awards and Honors: List all awards, honors, and certifications received.

How to Create a Good Resume

• Use clear, simple language: Do not use technical jargon that may be foreign to the layman.
• Proofread very carefully: Typographical errors and mistakes in grammar give a bad impression.
• Keep it to one page-or two if necessary: Recruiters most often receive hundreds of applications for a single position, so their time for reviewing resumes is limited.
• Use keywords: If you know how to strategically include some keywords from the job posting within your resume, it's most likely to be picked for an interview.
• Quantify your achievements: Wherever possible, use numbers to show the outcome of your work.
• Get feedback: Give your resume to a friend, family member, or career counselor and ask for feedback. The Role of AI in Resume Building

While AI tools are perfect for generating resume templates and giving some suggestions about the content to be included in your resume, this should augment, not replace, human expertise. In a human-centered approach lies the key to a personalized resume that will reflect your unique qualities.

Simple Resume Template

Your Name Your Email | Your Phone Number | Your LinkedIn

A concise statement highlighting your key skills, experiences, and career goals.

• Technical Skills: [List of relevant technical skills, e.g., programming languages, software tools]
• Soft Skills: [List of relevant soft skills, e.g., communication, teamwork, problem-solving]

Job Title Company Name | City, State | Dates

• Key responsibilities and achievements

Degree Major | University Name | City, State | Year

Certifications

• List of relevant certifications

Project Name Description | Role | Technologies Used | Outcome

Awards and Honors

• List of any awards, honors, or recognitions

References Available upon request

A well-constructed resume will get you through the door of your dream job. Adopting a human approach, using a simple template, and showcasing value will help you get that standout document. Bear in mind that your resume is one of those useful weapons that showcases your skills and achievements. Use it to your benefit wisely to leave a great impression with potential employers.

If you are looking for tools to craft a professional, work-effective resume, you may want to try HireQuotient's AI-driven Resume Builder. Our AI-driven platform will be able to give you customized templates, suggestions on content, and advice from expert feedback.

Thomas M. A.

A literature-lover by design and qualification, Thomas loves exploring different aspects of software and writing about the same.

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40+ Resume Tips to Help You Land a Job in 2024

When you haven’t updated your resume in a while, it can be hard to know where to start. What experiences and accomplishments are relevant for the jobs you’ve got your eye on? What new resume rules and trends should you be following? And seriously, one page or two ?

Well, search no more: We’ve compiled all the resume tips you need into one place. Read on for advice and tricks that’ll help you craft a winning resume—and land your next job.

Maximize your chances by looking for more open jobs on The Muse »

Basic resume tips

Let's start with the basic do's and don'ts when putting your resume together. Listing your skills is not the only thing that matters—choosing the right format and sections is equally crucial. Here are some tips for writing a resume from scratch:

1. Don’t try to cram every skill and work experience onto your resume

Think of your resume not as a comprehensive list of your career history, but as a marketing document selling you as the perfect person for the role you’re applying to. For each resume you send out, you’ll want to highlight only the accomplishments and skills that are most relevant to the job at hand (even if that means you don’t include all of your experience ).

This is called tailoring your resume and it helps anyone who reads it see exactly why you’re a match for a specific position.

2. But keep a resume outline with a full list of your qualifications

Since you’ll be swapping different information in and out depending on the job you’re applying to, save a resume outline —or maybe our resume worksheet —on your computer with old positions, bullet points tailored for different applications, and special projects that only sometimes make sense to include. Think of this as your brag file. Then, when you’re crafting each resume, it’s just a matter of cutting and pasting relevant information together.

3. Ditch the objective statement

The only time an objective section makes sense is when you’re making a huge career change and need to explain from the get-go why your experience doesn’t match up with the position you’re applying to. In every other case, resume objectives just make you look old-fashioned or out of touch.

Read More: 3 Reasons You Should Ditch That Resume Objective—and 3 Things You Can Do Instead

4. Put the best, most relevant information first

In journalism speak, “above the fold” refers to what you see on the front half of a folded newspaper (or, in the digital age, before you scroll down on a website)—basically it’s your first impression of a document. In resume speak, it means you should make sure your most relevant qualifications are visible on the top third of your resume.

This top section is what the hiring manager is going to see first—and what will serve as a hook for someone to keep on reading. If your most recent position isn’t the most relevant piece of your candidacy, consider leading with a skills section (such as in a combination resume format ) or writing a resume summary .

5. Choose the right resume format for you

There are lots of different ways to organize the information on your resume—like the functional resume or combination resume. But the good old reverse chronological —where your most recent experience is listed first—is usually your best bet. Unless it’s absolutely necessary in your situation, skip the functional or skills-based resume—hiring managers might wonder what you’re hiding.

6. Keep it concise

The two-page resume is a hotly debated topic, but the bottom line is this—you want the information here to be as short as possible, and keeping it to one page forces you to prioritize what really matters. If you truly have enough relevant and important experience, training, and credentials to showcase on more than one page of your resume, then go for two. But if you can tell the same story in less space? Do it.

Read More: 6 Pro Tips for Cutting Your Resume Down to One Page

7. Include relevant links

Can’t figure out how to tell your whole story on one page, or want to be able to include some visual examples of your work? Instead of trying to have your resume cover everything, cover the most important details on that document. Then, include a link to your personal website , your online portfolio , examples of your work, or a relevant, professional social media profile , where you can dive more into what makes you the ideal candidate.

Just avoid hyperlinking over words that are key to understanding your resume, since it can throw off the tools employers use to store and parse resumes.

8. Be aware of the ATS

You may have heard that employers are using computers to “read” your resume and decide who to hire and reject. That’s not exactly true. But most employers do use software called an applicant tracking system—or ATS—to parse resumes and organize them so that recruiters and hiring managers can search for the most relevant applications.

You should assume your resume will pass through an ATS at some point during your job search, so understanding how it works will help make your hunt more efficient. (All of the tips for resume writing in this list keep ATSs in mind as well!)

Read More: Beat the Robots: How to Get Your Resume Past the System and Into Human Hands

Resume formatting tips

Your resume's format matters as much as the content it holds. Aim for a simple and minimalist layout, without overwhelming columns, colors, or graphic elements. Here are some key resume formatting tips to help you stand out:

9. Keep your resume format simple

We’ll talk about getting creative in order to stand out in a minute. But the most basic principle of good resume formatting and design? Keep it simple. Make your resume easy on hiring managers’ eyes by using a reasonably sized default font like Helvetica or Arial and leaving a healthy amount of white space on the page. Your main focus here should be on readability for the hiring manager (and that pesky ATS).

Read more: The Best Resume Font and Size (No More Agonizing!)

10. Stand out with ATS-friendly design elements

Really want your resume to stand out from the sea of Times New Roman? Yes, creative resumes —like infographics, videos, or presentations can set you apart, but you have to make sure they actually get read. If you’re uploading your resume to a job application site or online portal, use ATS-friendly formatting elements like:

• Bold and italic text
• Underlining (in headings or over hyperlinks)
• Different text alignments
• Columns that can be read straight across

11. Avoid design elements that can’t be “read” by computers

On the flip side, it’s best to avoid design elements that ATSs are known to have trouble with such as:

• Logos and icons
• Images and photos
• Graphics, graphs, or other visuals
• Headers and footers
• Less common fonts
• Columns that can only be read from top to bottom

12. Make your contact info prominent

You don’t need to include your address on your resume anymore (really!), but you do need to make sure to include a phone number and professional-sounding email address (but not one affiliated with another job!) as well as other places the hiring manager can find you on the web, like your LinkedIn profile, plus your pronouns if you’d like to.

Read More: Here's Exactly What Should Be Included in Your Resume's Header

13. Design your resume for skimmability

You’ve probably heard before that hiring managers don’t spend a lot of time on each individual resume. So help them get as much information as possible in as little time as possible, by making your resume easy to skim .

Work experience resume tips

Recruiters nowadays want to know more than a simple description of your responsibilities. They're looking for the results and impacts of your work, as well as the connection between your experience and the position you're applying for now.

That said, let's take a look at some resume writing tips for describing your work experience:

14. Keep your work experience recent and relevant

As a rule, you should only show the most recent 10-15 years of your career and only include the experiences that are relevant to the positions you’re applying to. Remember to allocate real estate on your resume according to importance. If there’s a choice between including one more college internship or going into more detail about your current role, always choose the latter (unless the internship was more relevant to the role you’re applying for).

15. Don’t forget your transferable skills and experiences

Don’t panic if you don’t have any professional experience that fits the bill. Focus your resume on your relevant and transferable skills along with any related side or academic projects , and then make sure to pair it with a strong cover letter telling the narrative of why you’re ideal for the job.

Read more: What to Put on Your Resume When You Have No Relevant Work Experience

16. Write strong, achievement-focused bullet points

The bullet points under each job entry are arguably the most important part of your resume. They tell whoever’s reading it what skills you have, how you’ve used them, and how you’ve helped your employers in the past.

So start with a strong action verb , include relevant skills from the job description , and frame your bullets around your achievements—don’t just list your job duties . Tell them how your work benefitted your boss or company so they know what they stand to gain by hiring you.

Here’s a simple formula to follow:

• Compelling verb + job duty + key skills used = tangible result

So you might say: “ Developed an upgrade to the employee database, ensuring the smooth flow of critical operations, which led to a 35% increase in efficiency. ”

17. Curate your bullet points and experiences

No matter how long you’ve been in a job, or how much you’ve accomplished there, you shouldn’t have more than eight bullet points under it—and that’s only for your most recent and relevant job. Jobs further back should generally be limited to four to six bullets.

Read More: How Many Bullet Points Should Each Job on Your Resume Have?

18. Use as many numbers as you can

Use facts, figures, and numbers whenever possible in your bullet points. How many people were impacted by your work? By what percentage did you exceed your goals? Quantifying your accomplishments allows the hiring manager to picture the level of work or responsibility you needed to achieve them.

19. Don’t neglect non-traditional work

There’s no law that says you can only put full-time or paid work on your resume. So, if you’ve volunteered , worked part-time or as a temporary or contract worker , freelanced, or interned? Absolutely list these things as their own “jobs” within your career chronology—as long as they’re relevant to the job you’re applying for. The same goes for career breaks . Yes, really.

Read More: 4 Things You Didn't Know You Could Put on Your Resume

20. Use important keywords from the job description

Scan the job description, see what words are used most often, and make sure you’ve included them in your bullet points. For example, does the job description list “CRM” or “Salesforce”? Make sure your resume matches. Not only is this a self-check that you’re targeting your resume to the job, but it’ll also make it easier to search for your resume in an ATS.

Read More: How to Pick Resume Keywords That'll Get Your Job Application Past the ATS

Resume tips for including your education

Most hiring managers will want to know your education level, even if it's not necessarily relevant to the position you're going for. This section is especially important for those changing careers or applying for entry-level jobs—as your education can be an indicator of the skills you have.

Here's some resume tips and tricks for this section:

21. Put experience first, education later

Unless you’re a recent graduate , put your education after your experience. Chances are, your last couple of jobs are more important and relevant to you getting the job than where you went to college.

22. Also keep it in reverse chronological order

Generally, you should list your educational background with the most recent or advanced degree first, working in reverse chronological order. But if older coursework is more specific to the job, list that first to grab the reviewer’s attention.

23. Remove the dates from your education section once you’re a few years into your career

Unless you’re early in your career, don’t list your graduation dates. The reviewer cares more about whether or not you have the degree than when you earned it. And you don’t want to inadvertently open yourself up to age discrimination , which is an unfortunate reality in some job markets.

24. Highlight honors and achievements, not GPA

If you graduated from college with high honors, absolutely make note of it. Showcase that summa cum laude status, the fact that you were in the honors college at your university, a relevant project you completed, or an award you won. You don’t need to list your GPA —employers don’t care as much about GPA as they do what skills you gained in school.

Read More: How to (and How Not to) List Education on Your Resume

25. Include continuing or online education

Feel free to include continuing education, professional development coursework, or online courses in your education section, especially if your resume feels a little light on relevant experience.

Best resume tips for showing off your skills

You shouldn't wait until you get an interview to showcase your skills—your resume can and should have a specific section for them. You can also leverage other sections of the document to incorporate what's relevant for the position.

Here are our tips for making a resume that effectively highlights your skills:

26. Don’t forget your skills section

Be sure to add a section that lists all the relevant skills you have for a position—especially those mentioned in the job description. Include technical skills like software and project management tools or specific knowledge of how to perform relevant tasks. Just make sure to skip including skills that everyone is expected to have, like using email or Microsoft Word. Doing so will make you seem less technologically savvy.

27. But don’t only put your skills in your skills section

Your skills section is an easy way for anyone reading your resume to confirm that you have required qualifications, but that shouldn’t be the only place that your important skills appear. Any skill that’s vital to you being hired should also be in your bullet points—where you can show how you’ve used it in the past.

28. Divvy up your skills for readability

If you have lots of skills that would help you with a job but aren’t necessarily in the same category—say, foreign language, software, and leadership skills—try breaking up your skills sections. Below your “Skills” section, add a subsection titled “Language Skills” or “Software Skills,” for example. Again, we’re going for skimmability here!

29. Show—don’t tell—your soft skills

Describing soft skills on a resume often starts to sound like a list of meaningless buzzwords. But being a “strong leader” or an “effective communicator” are important characteristics you want to get across. Think about how you can demonstrate these attributes in your bullet points without actually saying them.

Read more: The Non-Boring Way to Show Off Your Soft Skills in Your Job Search

Other resume section tips

Resume sections are not fixed like stone-written texts; they can change according to the job position you're applying for or the requirements listed by the company. Here are some examples of sections you can add—and more tips on writing a resume that stand out:

30. Include relevant certifications and licenses

If you have a certification or license that proves you can do some aspect of the job you’re applying for, include it on your resume. This is especially important if that certification or license is legally required to do the job—for example, in nursing, teaching, or driving jobs.

31. Show some (relevant) personality

Feel free to include an “Interests” section on your resume, but only add those that are relevant to the job. Are you a guitar player with your eye on a music company? Definitely include it. But if you’re considering including your scrapbooking hobby for a software developer job at a healthcare company? Best to leave it out.

32. Beware of interests and activities that could be controversial

Maybe you help raise money for your church on the reg. Or perhaps you’re dedicated to canvassing during political campaigns. Yes, these experiences show a good amount of work ethic or possibly other relevant skills—but they could also open you up to be discriminated against by someone who disagrees with the cause. So weigh your decision to include them carefully.

33. Add awards and achievements—when they’re relevant

Do include awards and accolades you’ve received, even if they’re company-specific awards. Just state what you earned them for, e.g., “Earned Golden Salesperson Award for having the company’s top sales record four quarters in a row.” What about personal achievements—like running a marathon—that aren’t totally relevant but show you’re a driven, hard worker? Consider the best way to include them (and if you should).

Resume tips for navigating employment gaps and other sticky situations

If you're an experienced professional, you might have some tricky information to explain. Job hopping, career gap, and short term jobs are examples of things that can make an applicant feel insecure when drafting resumes.

Is that your situation? Check on these good resume tips to explain sticky situations without jeopardizing your chances to get an interview:

34. Cut the short-term jobs

If you stayed at a (non-temporary) job for only a matter of months, consider eliminating it from your resume to avoid looking like a job hopper. Leaving a particularly short-lived job or two off your resume shouldn’t hurt, as long as you’re honest about your experience if asked in an interview. But if the short-term job is super relevant to this job, consider including it anyway.

35. If you have shorter gaps, be strategic about how you list dates

If you have gaps of a few months in your work history, don’t list the usual start and end dates with months and years for each position. Use years only (2018–2020), or just the number of years or months you worked at each position. Just keep it consistent throughout your resume and don’t lie if asked about gaps during an interview.

Read more: How to Explain the Gap in Your Resume With Ease

36. Explain serial job hopping

If you’ve job-hopped frequently, you can include a succinct reason for leaving next to each position like “company closed,” “layoff due to downsizing,” or “relocated to a new city.” By addressing the gaps, you’ll proactively illustrate the reason for your frequent job movement and make it less of an issue.

37. Explain a long break in jobs

Re-entering the workforce after a long hiatus? This is the perfect opportunity for a summary statement at the top, outlining your best skills and accomplishments. Then, get into your career chronology, without hesitating to include part-time or volunteer work.

38. Be intentional about career gaps

While career gaps are becoming increasingly common, you should still frame them in a way that’s relevant to a future employer, by talking about skills you gained or any professional endeavors you took on. If you didn’t focus on professional development, that’s fine too! But not every employer will appreciate it if you get too cutesy about that section of your resume.

For example, if you took time out of the workforce to raise kids, you might not want to creatively describe this parenting experience on your resume, à la “adeptly managed the growing pile of laundry.” Instead state what you did plainly and include any professional skills you may have grown or activities you may have done.

Read More: Stay-at-Home Parent? How to Kill it on Your Comeback Resume

Tips on resume finishing touches

Writing a good resume alone isn't the only thing that matters. How you save and send it can also determine whether the recruiter will even take a look at it. To wrap things up, here are our resume formatting tips and other suggestions to boost your chances of getting noticed:

39. Ditch “References available upon request”

If a hiring manager is interested in you, they’ll ask you for references—and will assume that you have them. There’s no need to address the obvious (and doing so might even make you look a little out of touch!).

40. Proofread, proofread, proofread

It should go without saying, but fully edit your resume and make sure it’s free and clear of typos. And don’t rely on spell check and grammar check alone—step away for a few hours, then read your resume closely again, and ask family or friends to take a look at it for you.

41. Save it as a PDF or Word document

Unless a job posting specifically requests that you do otherwise, your resume should always be submitted as either a PDF or Word document (.docx not .doc). These are the formats that can be most easily opened and most easily parsed by an ATS.

The choice between the two is up to you (again, unless the company you’re applying to requests one format over the other). If you’re emailing your resume, however, PDFs are a bit more likely to maintain your formatting across different computers and programs.

42. Name your file clearly

Ready to save your resume and send it off? Save it as “Jane Smith Resume” instead of “Resume.” The hiring manager is going to have plenty of “Resumes” on their computer, so make it super easy for them to find what they’re looking for. You can even go a bit further and put the position title in your file name (e.g., “Jane Smith Marketing Analyst Resume).

Read More: The (Simple) Guidelines You Should Follow When Naming Your Resume and Cover Letter Files

43. Keep your resume outline fresh

Carve out some time every quarter or so to pull up your resume outline and make some updates. Have you taken on new responsibilities? Learned new skills? Add them. When your resume is updated on a regular basis, you’re always ready to pounce when opportunity presents itself. And even if you’re not job searching, there are plenty of good reasons to keep this document in tip-top shape.

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