How to Make a Resume

A resume is a document commonly used in the hiring process. It includes information about
your background and qualifications and should communicate the most important, relevant
information about you to employers in a clear, easy-to-read format. The goal is to quickly
communicate why you are uniquely qualified for the position based on your skills and
experiences.
To create a resume that will get noticed by employers, you can follow a few simple steps
and best practices. The main goal to keep in mind is to make your resume relevant and
readable.
Let’s take a closer look at the best ways to write each of these resume sections. For more
inspiration when writing or updating your resume, look at resume samples from your
industry and job title.
How to create a professional resume
Follow these steps when drafting a resume for your next job application:
1. Start by choosing the right resume format
A “format” is the style and order in which you display information on your resume. There are
three commonly-used resume formats you can choose from depending on which is right for
you: Chronological (or reverse-chronological), functional or a combination.
A chronological resume format places the professional history section first and is a good
option if you have a rich professional work history with no gaps in employment.
The functional resume format emphasizes the skills section and is a good option if you are
switching industries or have some gaps in your work history.
The combination resume format is a good option if you have some professional experience,
where both skills and work history are equally important.
2. Include your name and contact information
Your resume should begin with your name and contact information including your email
address and phone number. You have a choice about whether or not to include your mailing
address. Your name should be highly visible at the top of your resume with a bolded or
larger font than the rest of the document, but no more than a 14 point size. You might also
include a link to your online portfolio if you are applying to creative positions, for example.
3. Add a resume summary or objective
After your contact information, you have the option to include either a resume
summary or objective statement. An objective statement quickly explains your career
goals and is a good choice for those with limited professional experience, such as recent
college or high school graduates. A resume summary is a short statement that uses active
language to describe your relevant work experience and skills.
4. List your soft and hard skills
Take a moment to consider which skills make you a great fit for the job. Review the job
description and highlight keywords that you have had proven success with in the past.
Consider hard (technical) and soft (interpersonal) skills, as well as transferable skills you
can use when changing careers or industries. Create a skills section with the keywords that
are relevant to the employer. List any required skills like certifications or licenses first.
5. List your professional history with keywords
Write your professional history section in reverse-chronological order. Start with your most
recent job and provide a short description including the company name, time period in which
you were employed, your job title and a few key achievements during your time at the
company. You might also include relevant leanings or growth opportunities you experienced
while employed there.
When listing your professional history, you should keep a few best practices in mind:

 Use numbers to measure your impact, when possible. Including specific numerical

achievements can help employers understand your direct potential value to their
company.

Example: “Developed new process for requesting supplies, reducing fulfillment time by
10%.”

 Use keywords from the job description. Similar to your skills section, you should also
include information from the job description in your job history bullets. For example, if
the job description mentions the importance of meeting sales quotas, you could
include information about how you’ve met or exceeded quotas in past roles.

Example: “Achieved goal of reaching 250% annual sales quota, winning sales MVP two
quarters in a row.”

 Be brief. Employers have mere seconds to review your resume, so you should keep
your descriptions as concise and relevant as possible. Try removing filler words like
“and,” and “the.” You should also only list key achievements instead of multiple lines
 describing your role.

 Use action verbs. Make a stronger impact by using action verbs to describe your

professional achievements. Some examples include “developed,” “saved,” “drove”
and “managed.”

Follow the same process for other work experiences. If you do not have extensive
professional history, you should also include internships and volunteer opportunities
following the same format.
6. Include an education section
An education section will be especially valuable if you have limited work experience (such
as recent college or high school graduates) or if you are transferring to a new industry. You
can include information such as:

 Relevant coursework
 Grade point average (if above 3.5)
 Participation in clubs or organizations
 Leadership positions held
 Awards, achievements or certifications

When writing your education section, you should include the name of the institution, dates of
attendance and your degree or area of study. If you are applying to mid or higher-level
positions, you might remove all but the name of your school and dates of attendance to
make room for more relevant professional experience on your resume.
If you have certifications or licenses that are relevant to the job description, you can include
them in this section as well. To save space, you can leave off any credentials that are not
directly related to the requirements of this job.
7. Consider adding optional sections
If you have significant white space on your resume, consider adding an achievements or
interests section. This can help supplement a shorter resume, especially for those with
limited work and educational experience. Makes sure that the achievements and interests
you list support your career goals and are relevant to potential employers.
8. Format your resume
While the layout of your resume is important, you should also take time to pay attention to
formatting details like font style, font size, margins and spacing. Formatting your
resume can make it look clean, professional and improve readability. This is key when
attempting to keep an employer’s attention. Here are a few key tips that can help make your
resume look polished:

 Make your font between 10 and 12 point size.

 Select a font that is clean and easy to read like Arial or Helvetica; avoid stylized fonts.
 Make sure your margins are 1 to 1.5 inches.
 Make your name and section headers bold or slightly bigger in font size (no more
than 14 points).
 Use bullet points when listing several different pieces of information, like under your
education and professional history sections.

9. Proofread your resume

Carefully review your resume for spelling, grammar and punctuation errors. Reading your
resume backward can help you identify errors by presenting the words in a new order. You
should also ask trusted friends, colleagues, professors and family members if they can
review your resume. Third-party opinions can help reveal new information you might have
overlooked.
If your resume is more than one page, review for ways to consolidate or shorten each
section by removing filler words or extraneous information. Two pages may be acceptable if
you are applying for high-level positions or industries like healthcare or academia.
10. Tailor your resume for each position
It’s important to revise your resume to tailor it to each position you apply for. For each job,
adjust the keywords in the skills section so that it’s a great fit for what the employer needs.
You should also change what you emphasize in the professional history and educational
experiences sections depending on what’s listed in the job description.