Resume Resources

You don’t need completely different resumes for every role unless you are applying to substantially different types of jobs. However, it’s important to tailor your resume to match the requirements of each position. Using job descriptions for roles you’re applying to as your guide, highlight relevant skills, experience, and achievements, and remove details that aren’t directly applicable.

For most jobs, a simple, applicant tracking system (ATS)-friendly format works best. An ATS filters job applications by skills, education, years of experience, and keywords. Avoid text boxes and headers/footers that may not be read by applicant tracking systems. Creative fields typically allow for more visual resumes that demonstrate your creative abilities, but it’s useful to have both a plain Word version and a designed PDF version depending on submission requirements.Unless it’s specified on the application to upload your resume as a PDF file, or you are directly sending an e-mail to a recruiter with your resume as an attachment, it’s best to stick to a Word document saved as a .doc file. 

Include your contact information (name, city, state, phone number, email address), URLs to your LinkedIn profile and portfolio (if relevant), education, work experience, and relevant skills. You may also include leadership roles, volunteer work, coursework, or projects. Be sure to highlight the responsibilities and achievements you have that are most relevant. Exclude personal information beyond contact details, unrelated hobbies, salary history, and references. While many companies outside the U.S. require a photograph, companies in the U.S. do not want you to include your picture in order to avoid any possible bias or discrimination.

Currently, it is customary to only list your city and state on the top of your resume with the rest of your contact information. Only provide a full address if specifically requested. If you are an international student, make sure to use your local city and state and phone number. 

Generally, if you are a recent graduate with limited professional experience, the Education section can go before the Work Experience section. Also, if you are switching careers and are taking academic courses, you can use your Education and Skills sections to present your new credentials. However, if you have many years of professional experience, you want to highlight your accomplishments and abilities by listing your work history first.

List work experience in reverse chronological order unless a functional or combination format better suits a career change. Use clear headings, bullet points, and action verbs in the past tense to highlight achievements, responsibilities, and skills. To avoid overusing the same words, check out this list of resume actions verbs from the muse.com. Include quantifiable results when possible and keep descriptions concise.

Review job descriptions and company websites to identify relevant skills and industry terms, then naturally integrate them into your experience and skills sections. This helps your resume pass ATS filters and align with employer expectations.

The length of your resume can vary depending on your job, industry, and years of experience. For most job seekers, a resume should be 1-2 pages unless you have many years of relevant experience with unique, standout achievements. Keep in mind that recruiters spend only a few seconds on a resume and most attention will be given to the first page. If your current resume is more than one page and you want to make it more concise, try downsizing your fonts and margins and remove irrelevant details and outdated information. Remember, you do not have to list every task for every job you have had.

While objective statements are now generally considered unnecessary and out of fashion, if you are making a career change, a professional summary statement is preferable to help explain that you are in the process of pivoting industries and how your former career has provided you with the skills you need in the new field. Professional summaries should be concise and targeted to the job you are applying to. It is okay to use bullet points to describe what type of career you’re seeking and what skills and experiences you have.

Generally, focus on the last 10–15 years of relevant experience. For early work or long gaps, group roles or highlight achievements in a professional summary. You can also include courses, training, or volunteer work during employment gaps without sharing personal details.

Include your GPA only if it’s strong (3.5 and above) and relevant. Don’t list references on your resume. Instead, provide them separately if requested.