How to Write a Resume

There are three main resume formats: chronological (most common, lists experience newest-first), functional (focuses on skills over timeline — use sparingly), and combination (blends both). For 90% of job seekers, stick with chronological. It's what recruiters expect and what ATS systems parse best. Only use a functional format if you have employment gaps or are making a major career change.

Your professional summary is a 2-3 sentence elevator pitch at the top of your resume. It should include: your current title/expertise level, years of experience, 2-3 key skills, and a notable achievement. Example: "Senior Software Engineer with 8+ years of experience building scalable cloud applications. Expert in React, Node.js, and AWS with a track record of reducing infrastructure costs by 40%. Led 12-person engineering team delivering $5M product."

Each job entry should include: job title, company name, location, dates, and 3-6 bullet points. Start every bullet with a strong action verb (Led, Built, Reduced, Generated, Designed). Include metrics wherever possible — numbers are the most powerful resume element. Bad: "Responsible for sales." Good: "Generated $2.1M in new business revenue, exceeding quota by 135% for 4 consecutive quarters."

Include your degree, institution, graduation date, and GPA (if 3.5+). For recent graduates, education can go before experience. For experienced professionals, keep it brief and below experience. Include relevant coursework, honors, or thesis work only if they directly relate to the target role. Leave off high school if you have a college degree.

Create a skills section with 8-15 relevant skills. Mix hard skills (programming languages, tools, certifications) with soft skills (leadership, communication — but only if you can back them up in your experience bullets). Match skills to the job description, but never lie. Group skills by category for better readability: "Languages: Python, JavaScript, SQL | Frameworks: React, Django, FastAPI | Tools: Docker, AWS, Terraform".

Applicant Tracking Systems scan your resume before a human sees it. To pass ATS: use a clean, single-column format (no tables or text boxes), include keywords from the job description, use standard section headings (Experience, Education, Skills), save as PDF, and avoid headers/footers. Our builder generates ATS-optimized PDFs automatically.

One typo can cost you an interview. Read your resume backward to catch spelling errors. Have a friend review it. Check for consistency in formatting (same date format, same bullet style, same tense). Present tense for current roles, past tense for previous ones. Keep it to 1 page for under 10 years of experience, 2 pages maximum for senior roles.