Your resume is often your first chance to impress a hiring manager and land an interview. The challenge is using just one page — or two, at most — to showcase your skills, experience, education, and other qualifications and attributes that can help demonstrate why you’re a strong candidate for the job.
To help you with the process of writing a resume, we’ve assembled some general tips and advice for creating a document that can help you stand out in a competitive job market. Keep the following do’s and don’ts in mind whether you’re drafting a resume from scratch, or updating an existing one.
Let’s start with the do’s for crafting a winning resume.
Tailor the document for each position you apply for by highlighting your qualifications and expertise to match the job requirements. Companies of all sizes use screening software to scan resumes for keywords that echo the phrasing in the job listing.
So, if the job post uses terms like “customer experience” or “product management,” you should incorporate them into your resume, too — if they apply to you, of course.
A resume summary, or objective, is your elevator pitch. Positioned at the top of your resume, it provides a quick overview of your skills, experience and career goals. It’s a tool to grab the hiring manager’s attention and make them want to learn more about you.
When writing your summary, focus on your most relevant qualifications and achievements. Use strong action verbs and mention key accomplishments. But keep this section concise — aim for three to four sentences or bullet points.
Make it easy for hiring managers to see, at a glance, that you meet the requirements for the role by including a brief and bulleted “Skills” section.
For technical skills like software or languages, name the skill, proficiency level and certifications. Soft skills are a little trickier. You can list skills like “problem solving” and “time management” if they are among your strengths. But you’ll want to communicate elsewhere in the resume how you actually demonstrated those attributes on the job (see the next tip).
When mentioning your past positions, give concrete examples of how the projects you worked on helped move departmental or company objectives forward. Did they increase sales, broaden the customer base or reach target markets? And, importantly, did you receive more responsibility at the company afterward?
Include mention of any certifications you’ve earned or awards you’ve received. You may also want to note your participation in relevant professional organizations and any conferences or other industry events where you may have led or provided content for sessions.
If you’re a recent graduate with less than five years of experience, aim for a one-page resume. If you’re a more experienced professional, a two-page resume may be acceptable, depending on your profession and the role you’re applying for. The key in either case is to keep out the fluff and make sure that every detail you include is relevant and adds value.
Typos and mistakes signal to a hiring manager that you are not detail-oriented. And Robert Half’s workplace research has found that even just a small mistake on a resume can prompt a hiring manager to cast a candidate’s resume aside. So, take care when writing your resume, and be sure to ask a friend or trusted colleague to review it before you send it.
Looking for tips on how to write a stellar cover letter to complement your resume? Check out this post.
Next up, let’s look at some things to avoid when developing your professional resume.
While using industry-specific terms to demonstrate your expertise might be tempting, the overuse of jargon can make your resume challenging for the reader to digest. (You also don’t want to risk coming across as pretentious.) Use plain, straightforward language to describe your skills and achievements.
Stick to a clean, easy-to-read format for your resume and avoid unusual fonts, wild colors or busy layouts. That said, plain and boring doesn’t need to be your approach. A quick internet search for “resume templates” can yield an array of professional-looking examples to inspire you.
The interviewer will assume that you can provide these contacts when asked. Some companies will ask for references upfront, so follow the instructions in the job posting.
Remembering the exact day that you started or left a job five or 10 years ago is difficult. Providing months and years is fine. (For example: June 2012 – December 2018.)
It’s always better to use your personal email address and phone number on your resume, rather than your professional contact details. That’s true even if your current boss knows you are planning to leave.
If the job listing requests that applicants reply with a salary range, state it in the cover letter. Otherwise, wait until the interview process to discuss compensation. If you’re not sure what salary you should earn based on your skills and experience, refer to Robert Half’s latest Salary Guide for insights.
It takes time to create a well-written resume, but the effort is worth it. It can help you secure an interview, opening doors that lead to the next big step in your career. As you apply the general tips and advice for creating a resume outlined above, keep one more thing in focus: Be truthful in all your job application materials. While you want to stand out, don’t embellish your skills and experience. It’s not worth the risk of damaging your professional reputation.
Ready to launch your job search? Get in touch with Robert Half — we can help.
