How to Make a Resume in 2024 | Pro Guide
Writing a resume is always a challenge. You have to distil all your skills, experience, and education into a few pages (including the cover letter) that explain why you're perfect for a particular job. Even the greatest copywriters find it difficult.
Hiring managers decide whether you're right for a particular job within seconds of reading your resume. Unless your resume game is strong, you'll never land that interview, let alone get your dream job. With a highly competitive job market, your resume should stand out from the dozens of candidates, ensuring it gets past the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and the eyes of a handful of recruiters.
So, how do you go about writing a resume? What section should you include? And how do you grab a recruiter's attention and secure an interview? Find out below.
In this resume writing guide, you'll find:
What's the Purpose of a Resume?
The purpose of a resume is simple: to sell you. Here, you write about your skills, achievements, and qualifications, explaining why you're the perfect candidate for a particular role. Moreover, through the layout, writing style, keyword usage, and more, you provide an insight into your mindset.
Remember, resume writing is only the first hurdle. Much is made of the so-called "7-second rule": recruiters decide whether a candidate is worthwhile in only seven seconds. However, the problem is that recruiters see many applications as totally unsuited to a particular position.
Your first task, therefore, is to convey that you are 100% serious about the job and have the relevant skills to complete it. Next, you can explain why you stand out among the qualified candidates. Use storytelling techniques, resume keywords, and an engaging layout to convey your experience and passion.
Tips for Writing a Resume
Follow these tips when resume writing to create the strongest application possible:
Customize your resume for each job application. Highlight experiences and skills that align with the job description, showing the employer why you're a perfect fit for the role.
Start bullet points with action verbs like "managed," "led," "developed," or "implemented" to make your contributions stand out clearly and demonstrate your active role in achieving results.
Whenever possible, use numbers and metrics to quantify your achievements. For example, "Increased sales by 20%" or "Managed a team of 10 employees" provide concrete evidence of your capabilities.
Aim for a one-page resume, especially if you have less than 10 years of experience. Be concise and focus on the most relevant and recent experiences. Avoid long paragraphs and use bullet points for easy readability.
Use a clean, professional layout with clear headings and consistent formatting. Ensure your resume is easy to read by using a standard font, adequate spacing, and logical sections.
Avoid typos and grammatical errors, as they can make a bad impression. Proofread your resume multiple times, and consider having a friend or mentor review it to catch any mistakes you might have missed.
Key Sections in Resume Writing
There is no one-size-fits-all template for writing a resume. Depending on your industry or the role, the sections you include in your resume can differ significantly. However, there are some specific sections employers expect to see, including:
1. Contact Information: Your name, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile (if applicable). Optionally, you can include your professional website or portfolio.
2. Professional Summary or Objective: A brief statement that highlights your career goals and what you aim to bring to the prospective employer. This section is tailored to the specific job you're applying for.
3. Work Experience: A list of your previous jobs, internships, or relevant roles, starting with the most recent. Include your title, the company's name, location, dates of employment, and bullet points detailing your responsibilities and achievements.
4. Education: Details of your academic background, including the degrees you've earned, institutions attended, graduation dates, and any honors or distinctions. If you're a recent graduate, you can place this section before your work experience.
5. Skills: A list of relevant skills that align with the job you're applying for. This can include both hard skills (like specific software proficiency) and soft skills (like communication or problem-solving).
In addition, add sections for professional affiliations, languages, or interests and hobbies that are relevant to the job or showcase your well-rounded personality. For example, if you speak a relevant language or volunteer within the sector, it can help you stand out. 'Hobbies and interests' is an optional section. However, it can provide a more personal touch – especially if your interests align with the company's culture.
How to Make a Resume in 2024
Sitting down to write a resume doesn't have to be such a chore. With a few simple steps, you can create a high-quality, attention-grabbing resume to attract recruiters and interested employers.
Follow this step-by-step resume writing guide as you go through the writing process:
1. Select the Perfect Resume Layout
Resumes should always be structured to include the most important information nearer the top. Your name and contact information should be the headline items, followed by your summary and then your professional and educational history. Adhering to this tried-and-tested format reduces confusion and ensures you don't stand out for the wrong reasons.
The majority of resumes use a chronological format. After your summary – which always appears at the top – candidates usually list their experience (including work history) followed by small sections for education and skills.
However, other options include:
Combination resume. Merges elements of chronological and functional resumes, highlighting relevant skills while detailing work history. Ideal for candidates with advanced skill sets or those transitioning industries.
Functional resume. Focuses on skills and experience rather than chronological work history. Best for individuals with gaps in employment, career changers, or those with a strong set of specific skills.
Federal resume. A detailed format is required for U.S. government job applications. It includes comprehensive information about the candidate's education, work experience, and qualifications to meet federal hiring standards.
2. Add Your Contact Information
The top banner of your resume should be your contact information. Recruiters will quickly glance through resumes and look for contact details. Make their life as easy as possible. Your name should always be the largest element – using a font size larger than 20 points and include any relevant titles. Alongside your name, include your current job title (in a smaller font.)
Next, include a contact section. The basic contact information includes:
1. Name
2. Email address (use a professional address, e.g., firstname.lastname@gmail.com)
3. Phone number
In addition, you can also add:
1. URL for an online portfolio or website
2. Your LinkedIn URL
3. Location
Some resumes include a headshot as part of the standard application process. However, such photographs aren't usually expected and can lead to hiring bias.
3. Create a Concise Resume Summary
Don't underestimate the resume summary. In just 3-5 sentences, you should convey who you are and your most relevant achievements. That's no simple task. The biggest question applications face is, what should be included?
Remember, recruiters spend an average of seven seconds or less reading a resume – and the summary or headline at the top will take up most of their interest. Candidates have a choice between a resume headline, summary, or objective. Here are the key differences:
Resume headlines are brief phrases that highlight your value as a candidate, often positioned at the top of the resume to grab immediate attention.
Resume summaries provide a quick overview of your professional background, showcasing key achievements and skills to offer a snapshot of your career.
Resume objectives state your career goals and how you plan to benefit the employer, typically focusing more on your aspirations than your past accomplishments. It's best used for first-time job seekers or career changers.
Resume summaries are the best option for the majority of candidates. The first line should highlight your biggest achievements, including your current role. Next, add a couple of lines highlighting key skills, responsibilities, and certifications.
Here's an example of a well-written resume summary:
Seasoned digital marketing manager with 8+ years of experience specializing in increasing user engagement and driving revenue growth. Spearheaded a social media campaign that boosted engagement by 40% and grew online sales by 30% within six months. Expert in SEO, resulting in a 50% increase in organic traffic for a major tech company. Adept at leading teams to exceed marketing goals and deliver measurable results.
Start with the job title and experience level. In the subsequent sentences, quantify your achievements where possible.
4. List Your Work Experience
Now, it's your chance to go through your past roles, showcasing your achievements and responsibilities. Use present tense when describing your current role's responsibilities, switching to past tense when explaining previous roles and projects.
You should include a sub-section for each of your previous roles, including information about the dates and what you did. Including multiple job titles – particularly with the same company – demonstrates several promotions and job loyalty.
Here's a quick overview of how to structure your work experience:
Job Title – Dates employed (year and month)
Company name – Company location (city and state)
Three to five bullet points detailing your responsibilities and achievements.
Focus on including quantifiable statistics when possible.
Order your work history in chronological order. Older candidates will find that they may have held more positions than the job application provides space for. If this is the case, focus on the previous 3-4 jobs in detail. Other past jobs can be reduced to a line detailing the job title, the dates, and the employer.
Ensure you begin each of your bullet points with action verbs. Think of words like:
Completed
Enhanced
Streamlined
Innovated
Accelerated
Spearheaded
You should also avoid making big claims without the relevant evidence. If you're "outstanding at customer onboarding," quantify that claim with numbers. For example, "Spearheaded the customer onboarding process, reducing onboarding time by 12%.
Suppose you don't have any relevant work experience; list volunteer work or internships. Follow the exact same format, detailing your responsibilities and achievements in the role.
5. Outline Your Education History
Education history is usually next. Even if you're decades into your career, companies want to see your relevant qualifications. Remember, you aren't listing every single educational accolade and achievement you've ever earned.
Here's a breakdown of what you should include:
Include your high school or GED information along with the graduation date when college attendance is not applicable.
Mention your school, degree, graduation date, GPA (if over 3.5), and any honors received for college students or recent graduates.
List your school, degree, and graduation date when you have more than two years of work experience.
Provide details of only your school and degree for those with over ten years of work experience.
Structure your educational history as follows:
Your degree name
Name of the college or high school (institution location)
Your graduation date
Grade
Notable modules and achievements (optional)
The only exception to the advice above is an academic CV. These resumes provide a comprehensive educational section, including high school diplomas, bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and PhDs.
6. Showcase Your Key Skills
The skills section is a brilliant place to sprinkle a few resume keywords to help get past any Applicant Tracking Systems. There are two skill sets employers are interested in:
1. Hard skills are specific, teachable abilities or skill sets that are easily quantifiable, such as programming, mathematics, or the ability to use software programs.
2. Soft skills are less tangible and harder to quantify, encompassing personal attributes and interpersonal skills like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.
As a rule, hard skills are most important for your resume. Soft skills usually get explored in the interview stages.
Keep the skills section concise and to the point. Simply list any skills you have and your relevant proficiency. For example, if you're a programmer, you could list the programming languages you're familiar with. Provide a barometer – some kind of pictographic scale, e.g., 1-10 system – to allow a recruiter to evaluate your skills at a glance.
7. Add Further Relevant Information
Depending on your industry or the particular company, you may want to include additional information. For example, if you work in medicine, specific certifications or membership to industry organizations is highly relevant to your application.
Other relevant sections include
Extracurriculars
Awards
Publications
Key Takeaways
Remember to edit your review of your resume multiple times to correct any errors, make it as concise as possible, and convey your achievements effectively.
Customize your resume for each job by highlighting relevant skills and experiences that align with the job description, utilizing action verbs and quantifiable achievements to demonstrate your impact.
Choose an appropriate resume format—chronological, combination, or functional—based on your work history and the type of job you're applying for, ensuring the most important information is prominent.
Clearly outline essential sections such as contact information, professional summary, work experience, education, and skills, using concise language and a professional layout to facilitate easy readability and make a strong impression.