Many people make the mistake of writing their resume and sending it out on the same day. This means that they jot all their information down without thinking twice about how it’s presented. If this is you, you are not going about this in the right way.
Ideally, you should take your time when preparing your resume. Come back to it once everyday for at least a week until you have a document that clearly highlights your professional achievements, using sections and even color coding to break it up to make it that much easier to read.
You should be able to read it and want to hire yourself because it’s that good. Get ready to make some major and effective changes to your resume!
General resume rules
Keep these general rules in mind as you embark on this bountiful journey of writing a resume. The rules listed below will make your resume seem up-to-date, professional, and unique.
- The resume is your professional business card.
- There is no signature on it and no fixed date.
- It should be easy to read and follow a chronological order.
- Avoid spelling and grammatical errors.
- Highlight the key points of your resume.
- Use short and simple phrases (a recruiter takes less than 5 minutes on average to go over your resume).
- Be creative with displaying your information strategically.
- Include only the information you feel is important and useful.
- Everything you write in your resume may be used during the interview. Therefore, avoid lies.
- Avoid redundancy. Be clear and preferably use action verbs.
Step-by-step for making a resume for a job
1. Photo
Using a photo has been a subject of debate for many years. It’s safe to say that English speaking countries usually don’t require a photo on your resume.
However, if you are applying to countries in Latin America or Spain, it is preferred to use a photo placed above your contact information to help recruiters get a better idea of who is behind the resume.
✓ What to do when taking a good photo:
- Use a high resolution camera for a sharper outcome
- Show your whole face starting from your shoulders
- Smile, as it relays confidence
✗ What to avoid when taking a good photo:
- Blurred or hyper sharp images
- Outdated images
- Profile angles
- Filters on your photo
2. Personal Data
This information goes in the first section of the resume, preferably under your photo (if you have decided to add one to your resume).
It should include your name and contact so that your recruiter can reach out to you in the case of an interview call. Usually, this is done through email or a phone call to your mobile.
Adding icons on the side of each contact method can make this section look more attractive and will draw attention to it.
✓ What to include in your contact information:
- Name and surname should be the only ones used in a bigger font size in this section.
- Address to indicate your location.
- Email is usually the medium that you will be contacted through.
- Mobile number in case the recruiter wants to contact you for further information.
- Personal blog/webpage/portfolio to showcase your work.
- LinkedIn profile is now being asked by almost all recruiters as a complement to the resume.
✗ What not to include in your contact information:
- No need to include your landline as people tend to give it less importance nowadays.
- Avoid including your age so that you don’t fall victim to ageism.
- Social media accounts (unless you have a business account that is relevant to the desired position).
3. Job Title
This info goes right under your name in a smaller font size. It is where you indicate the job title you are seeking.
You may have earned this title through experience or an academic institution, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be this way.
Make sure that the job title matches the job title you are applying to.
✓ What to do in your job title:
- Include a keyword from the job description if the position is not clearly stated.
- Write a job title that best fits your skills, education or current career goal.
- Mention your specialty, especially if the position in question exists in many industries.
✗ What not to do in your job title:
- Exclude this information
- Write in small letters.
- Include symbols like commas or colons.
4. Career Objective
Your career objective statement is a vital part of your resume, as it summarizes your work history and points out your strengths.
In this section you get to communicate:
- What achievements you have made that are relevant to the job you are applying to.
- How your experience can enhance the workflow in the desired position.
- What it is that you can bring to the table.
✓ What to include in your career objective:
- Mention your years of experience.
- Mention if you have worked in international or high profile companies.
- Add characteristics that distinguish you from other candidates.
- Focus on your achievements, not on daily tasks.
- Try to start with a verb when mentioning any of your objectives.
- Each sentence should be around 20-25 words.
- The entire text should be no longer than 80 words.
✗ What not to include in your career objective:
- Never start with personal pronouns. For example, “I am an Architect and I have 6 years of experience…” Instead start with some adjectives that describe your working style, profession, and years of experience. “Entrepreneurial architect with 6 years of experience..”
- Avoid including egocentric, exaggerated phrases or phrases that do not add value to your profile.
- Avoid using run-on sentences. This section needs to be clear and concise as it is going to be the first thing your recruiter reads.
“A motivated and hardworking recent graduate seeking an entry-level position as a Marketing Assistant. Possessing excellent communication and organizational skills, along with a creative flair for content development and social media management, to contribute to the growth and success of a dynamic marketing team.”
“I am a recent graduate who wants to be a Marketing Assistant.”
Learn how to write a good objective statement for your resume.
5. Professional Experience
This section is where you include your work history. If you are new on the job market and have less than 2 years of experience, it is best to place this section after your education.
On the other hand, if you have a diversity of professional experience, only use the ones relevant for the position you are seeking.
✓ What to do when filling out your professional experience:
- Start in reverse chronological order where the last or current job comes first.
- Write the start and end date of your work experience, and if you are still there, specify it with the word “present” or “current.”
- Company name
- Include previous job title.
- The city and country where the company is based.
- At least 3 bullet points in the active voice indicating your achievements.
- Include concrete data.
✗ What not to do when filling out your professional experience:
- Never lie in this section. Yes you can embellish a little bit here and there, but ultimately if you imply that you have achieved something that isn’t real, you will be put in an awkward position during the interview, or at the workplace.
Receptionist and tour guide
Chocolate Museum | August 2018 – July 2020
Tasks performed
Research information on chocolate relevant to the museum
Guide groups of 15 for a 2-hour tour while explaining the history of chocolate
6. Education
The educational background on a resume is also written in reverse chronological order.
There is limited space on a resume, as ideally you want it to fit into one page. Therefore, filling it with relevant information regarding the job position is the most important thing to consider.
✓ What to do when filling out your education history:
- Start with your highest degree.
- Include the last three levels of study.
- Mention the dates you earned your degree.
✗ What not to do when filling out your education history:
- Avoid including expired certificates that are no longer valid. It is better to update and include diplomas that can add weight to your profile and not devalue it. You can add language courses, for example, to demonstrate how you have stayed up to date.
7. Languages
In order to be able to communicate effectively in an increasingly globalized world, speaking more than one language has become almost an obligation.
It is important to mention which languages you can use to read, speak, and write, as well as your proficiency levels.
✓ What to do when listing languages:
- State which languages you speak.
- Indicate the certification level (A2,B2,C1,C2). Use online tests to help you measure your level if you have not taken any certification exams.
✗ What not to do when listing languages:
- You shouldn’t lie about your fluency level in a foreign language. It may seem obvious, but it’s worth mentioning that you can be exposed from minute one of your interview.
- If you do not know how to communicate in another language or if you consider that your level is too low to include it, you can fill in this section with other information, such as your interests, hobbies or volunteer work.
8. Skills
Skills refer to the combination of soft skills and hard skills that are considered valuable to the job you are applying for.
Soft skills are what usually are referred to as personal skills that you have naturally developed while interacting with others throughout your lifetime, basically since you were born.
Hard skills are the technical skills you have acquired during your education or professional life.
✓ What to do when including skills:
- Match the skills to the type of job you are applying for.
- Use an equal ratio of soft/hard skills. Both are necessary for painting the picture of an emotionally intelligent and hardworking professional.
✗ What not to do when including skills:
- Include childhood development skills like motor skills.
- Use long sentences. One-worded bullet points work best.
Hard skills
- Coding
- Marketing
- CRM
- CMS
- Video editing
- Google Suite
- Excel
- Photoshop
- InDesign
Soft skills
- Communication
- Leadership
- Customer service
- Critical thinking
- Flexibility
- Organization
- Emotional intelligence
- Responsibility
- Creativity
Check out this blog post for more ideas of good skills to put on a resume.
9. Interests
This section is slowly becoming obsolete as less and less people are including it on their resumes. However, in this era of late capitalism, the need to express our individuality is stronger than ever.
Adding your hobbies and interests on a resume humanizes you in the eyes of a recruiter or employer and will help you be seen as an actual person with a real life instead of just another number.
What is a resume?
A resume is a document that highlights the main areas and experiences in your professional life.
A quality resume should reflect your work ethic as well as your personality to present a well-rounded image of yourself and capture the attention of the recruiter. It is your way of convincing your recruiter that you are worthy of the job, let alone an interview. The language used should be active, clear, and straightforward. It should also be sectioned in a manner that makes it for job recruiters to scan.
What does a good resume look like in 2023?
The days of having a basic resume with unidentified sections are over. It’s 2023, and recruiters most likely have to process hundreds of resumes before reaching yours. If your information is up to date and portrayed clearly, you can be rest assured that an interview call will be right around the corner.
To do that, you should use a modern resume template featuring sections such as contact information, an objective, work experience, education, languages, skills and interests.
It’s also necessary to include your top achievements along with quantifiable metrics. It demonstrates to prospective employers that you have a track record of delivering results and will continue to do so.
What is the difference between a CV & resume?
This is a very common question asked among job seekers, and for good reason. Is there a difference between the two? Research shows that although Europe and most countries use CV (Curriculum Vitae) and resume interchangeably, referring to the same 1-2 page document that summarizes your academic accomplishments and work experiences together, the US sees them differently. Below are the main differences between the two to keep in mind when applying to a job in the US or Europe:
- The CV is a 2-3 page document that focuses more on academic achievements, includes your experience, certifications, and publications. Those who are seeking to work in academia, applying for a Ph.D., as well as recent graduates are all most likely to send out a CV rather than a resume.
- A resume is a 1-2 page document with a summary of your work experience and background information that is only relevant to the job you are applying for.
Here, you can find over 100 resume templates that you can download for free as a Word document and edit with your personal information without any hassle. Download your free CV Word template now!
What format should I use to make a resume?
- Font type: Select a standard font that is easy to read, such as Cambria, Calibri, Arial, Times New Roman, or Helvetica. Avoid using cursive fonts.
- Font size: For the objective statement, professional experience and education sections ideal font size is 12, and for the section headings, 14.
- Line spacing: Use single line spacing.
- Length: Keep the resume length to one or two pages, and use bullet points to present your accomplishments and skills.
- Template format: Use A4 sized paper for jobs in the US and letter for Latin America.
- Final formatting: Once you have finished creating your resume, it is important that you export it in PDF format.
Free Download our resume format
How can I make a good quality resume?
- Search through our free Word resume example for the one you like the most. Make sure it fits your professional profile and download it.
- Brainstorm on scratch paper. This can be handwritten or in Word.
- Look for a photo where you look friendly without losing the professional touch.
- Gather all your necessary academic information, years of beginning and end of studies and name of the institutions.
- Look up your work history, start and end dates, and remember the tasks you were assigned, as well as the achievements you had in each position.
- Make a list of keywords that you would like to highlight in your resume.
- Think about skills and hobbies or extracurricular courses you could include to tell more about yourself.
- In a globalized world it is increasingly necessary for professionals to master more than one language. Include the ones you speak.
- Remember that the fewer words you use to describe an aspect of your profile, the greater the impact of the information on recruiters.
- Once you have everything clear, edit and fill in all this information in your resume.
