How to Make a Resume

The three main resume formats are chronological, functional, and combination. Each works best in different situations.

Chronological Format: Lists your work history in reverse chronological order. Best for people with consistent work history in the same field.

Functional Format: Organizes skills into categories rather than showing timeline. Best for career changers, those with employment gaps, job hoppers.

Combination Format: Mixes chronological and functional elements. Skills at the top, followed by work history. Best for senior professionals with diverse experience.

Your contact information should be prominently displayed at the top of your resume.

Required: Full name (prominent), email address (professional), phone number.

Optional but recommended: Location (City, State), LinkedIn URL, Portfolio/Website.

Never include: Date of birth, marital status, Social Security number, personal social media.

Use a professional email. If your personal email is unprofessional, create a new one using your name.

A resume summary is a 2-4 sentence statement that introduces your professional identity. Unlike an objective, a summary states what you offer.

Components of a strong summary: 1. Your professional identity (title, years of experience) 2. Key skills or expertise areas 3. A notable achievement or unique value proposition 4. What you bring to this role

Customize for each application, lead with your strongest qualification, and include relevant keywords.

Work experience is typically the most important section. Present it in reverse chronological order with clear job titles, company names, and employment dates.

Structure for each position: 1. Job title (bold, prominent) 2. Company name and location 3. Employment dates 4. 3-5 bullet points describing responsibilities and achievements

Use the XYZ formula for strong bullet points: Accomplished X as measured by Y, by doing Z

Quantify whenever possible: 'Managed team of 8' not 'Managed team'

The skills section should list relevant technical and functional skills. Group skills by category for clarity.

Technical Skills: Programming languages, software, tools, certifications, industry-specific knowledge.

Functional Skills: Communication, leadership, problem-solving, project management.

List skills most relevant to the job first. Include keywords from the job description. Only include skills you actually possess.

The education section becomes less prominent as you gain experience. For recent graduates, include more detail.

What to include: Degree(s) earned, Institution name, Graduation date, Relevant coursework (for recent grads), Academic honors (if notable), GPA (only if 3.5+ and recent).

Put your highest degree first. Once you have 5+ years of experience, reduce education to a single line.

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are software used by employers to screen resumes. Understanding how they work helps your resume reach actual recruiters.

ATS-friendly practices: - Use standard section headings (Experience, Education, Skills) - Submit in .docx or .pdf format - Avoid tables, columns, text boxes, headers/footers - Use common fonts (Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman) - Include keywords from the job description naturally

Common ATS problems: Two-column layouts, images/graphics, custom bullet characters.

Before submitting, thoroughly review your resume for errors and optimization.

Proofread carefully: Read every word, read backwards, have someone else review it, check for consistency in verb tense.

Format consistency: Same date format throughout, consistent bullet formatting, uniform spacing.

Final checks: Does it fit on 1-2 pages? Is the most important information in the top third? Does it contain keywords from the job description?