This is a comprehensive, step-by-step guide on how to write a resume that resonates with hiring managers and Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) alike. We’ll start by covering core resume-writing principles that apply to everyone, from the importance of tailoring your resume to using action verbs and quantifying achievements. Then, we’ll dive deeper into specialized advice for entry-level candidates and fresh graduates with limited work experience. We’ll also cover formatting best practices, explain when to use a summary versus an objective statement, and provide real-world examples to help bring the concepts to life.
By the end of this guide, you’ll have a solid framework to create a polished, compelling resume tailored to your career goals. No matter where you are in your professional journey, these resume tips will help you stand out and move closer to your desired DEI job.
General Resume Writing Principles
Tailoring Your Resume
One of the most critical resume tips is to avoid the “one-size-fits-all” approach. Each job application is unique, and so should the resume you submit. Start by reviewing the job description closely. Identify keywords—such as specific skills, tools, or software—the employer seeks. Integrate these keywords naturally into your resume, ensuring they align with your actual experiences. Tailoring your resume shows equal opportunity employers you’ve done your homework and are serious about the opportunity.
- Industry Resources: Check professional association websites like SHRM for standard industry terms.
- Utilizing resources like the O*NET Online tool can help identify industry-specific keywords. Educational resources such as Michigan Tech University Career Services also offer guidelines on making your resume ATS-friendly. Ensuring your resume passes ATS checks increases the chances that a human will read your application and, ultimately, that you secure an interview.
Clarity and Simplicity
When it comes to design, less is more. Opt for a clean, easy-to-read layout that directs the recruiter’s attention to the most important details. Use a readable font (such as Calibri, Arial, or Times New Roman) and keep font sizes consistent. Headings should be bold and slightly larger for clarity.
Aim to keep your resume to one page if you’re an entry-level job seeker or have fewer than ten years of experience. More seasoned professionals with extensive accomplishments may extend to two pages but rarely more. Concise resumes are easier to scan and show you can communicate effectively.
Using Action Verbs
Your bullet points should start with strong action verbs to convey a sense of ownership and accomplishment. Words like “led,” “developed,” “managed,” “coordinated,” “achieved,” and “improved” capture attention more than passive descriptions. Instead of writing “Responsible for team projects,” try “Led a cross-functional team to complete projects ahead of schedule.”
Quantifying Achievements
Employers want to see the impact you’ve made. Wherever possible, back up statements with numbers and results. For instance, say, “Increased social media engagement by 30% over three months” rather than “Improved social media engagement.” Concrete metrics help employers understand the scale of your contributions and your potential value to their organization.
Avoiding Common Mistakes
Even the best candidates can be passed over if their resumes have glaring errors. Always proofread to eliminate typos and grammatical mistakes. Double-check your contact information to ensure phone numbers and email addresses are correct. Avoid including irrelevant personal information (like hobbies unrelated to the job) or outdated details like an objective statement for an experienced professional. Instead, focus on relevant experience, skills, and achievements.
Lastly, make sure the design is ATS-friendly. Complex graphics, unusual fonts, and intricate formatting can confuse automated systems that scan resumes before human eyes see them. A simple, text-based layout with standard headings (e.g., “Work Experience,” “Education,” “Skills”) will improve your chances of getting through the initial screening.
You’ll create a resume that stands apart by following these general principles—tailoring your resume, keeping it clear and concise, using strong action verbs, quantifying achievements, and avoiding common mistakes. These basics apply regardless of where you are in your career journey.
Entry-Level Job Seekers and Fresh Grads
For those just starting—fresh graduates and entry-level candidates—creating a resume can feel particularly daunting. Without a long list of previous roles, how do you impress employers? The key is showcasing your education, transferable skills, and any experience (even if not formal employment) demonstrating your potential.
Highlighting Education
As a new graduate, your education is one of your most significant selling points. Place the Education section near the top of your resume to give it prominence. Include the name of your institution, degree type, and graduation date (or expected date). You can also list your GPA if it’s strong (generally 3.5 or above) and relevant coursework, honors, and academic projects highlighting skills pertinent to your desired role. For instance, if you’re applying for a marketing job, mention coursework in digital marketing, consumer behavior, or market research.
Showcasing Transferable Skills
You’ve gained transferable skills through various life experiences—part-time jobs, internships, volunteer roles, or student organizations. They include teamwork, communication, problem-solving, leadership, project management, and adaptability. For example, if you worked part-time as a retail assistant, you likely developed skills in customer service, cash handling, and sales techniques. Frame these experiences in terms of how they will help you succeed in the position you’re applying for.
Similarly, volunteer experience can be a goldmine for demonstrating initiative and community involvement. If you volunteered at a local non-profit and organized a fundraising event, highlight how you coordinated volunteers, managed budgets, or increased community outreach efforts. This shows you can take on responsibilities and deliver tangible results.
Using a Skills-Based Resume Format
If you have limited work experience, consider a skills-based (functional) resume format. Instead of listing jobs chronologically, you group your experience by skills—such as communication, leadership, technical skills, and problem-solving. Under each skill heading, provide bullet points describing when and how you’ve demonstrated that skill, whether through internships, class projects, extracurricular activities, or volunteer work.
For example, if you group “Project Management” as a skill, you might include bullet points like:
- Project Management:
- Managed a team of four students to complete a semester-long marketing research project, delivering results one week before the deadline.
- Organized a campus event for 200 attendees, coordinating with vendors, sponsors, and student organizations.
This approach helps draw attention away from short work history and towards the value you can bring to an employer.
Building Experience
If your resume still feels light, consider ways to build experience proactively. Look for internships—even short-term or virtual ones—that align with your career interests. Freelance projects, even small ones, provide real-world examples of your abilities. Certification programs, workshops, or online courses can strengthen your resume by proving you’ve invested in professional development.
For instance, if you’re interested in digital marketing, enrolling in a free online SEO or Google Analytics course can help you add relevant “resume-worthy” skills. Similarly, working on a family member’s small business website or social media channels can provide tangible accomplishments to highlight.
The goal is to show employers that you’re not waiting around; you’re actively developing your skills and expertise. Combined with a well-structured, tailored resume, this proactive approach helps you stand out among fresh graduates and entry-level candidates.
By focusing on education, emphasizing transferable skills, considering a skills-based format, and actively seeking opportunities to build experience, you can create a compelling resume that sets the stage for your professional journey right from the start.
Formatting Best Practices
Choosing the Right Template
Your resume template should be clean, professional, and ATS-friendly. While creative templates may seem eye-catching, overly complicated designs can confuse employers and resume-scanning software. Stick to simple layouts with clear headings and minimal graphics. Many reputable career websites offer free, straightforward templates that you can customize. For additional resources on choosing the correct format, educational institutions like Purdue University offer excellent guidance online, which you can find at Purdue OWL Resume Workshop.
Fonts and Layout
Use a single, easy-to-read font like Calibri, Arial, or Verdana, in size between 10-12 points for body text and slightly larger for headings. Ensure consistent formatting throughout the same bullet style, heading format, and spacing. White space is your friend—it makes your resume easier to skim and keeps it from looking cluttered.
Ensure your margins are balanced (about 1 inch on all sides) to maintain a professional look. Bold headings for sections like “Work Experience” and “Education” to guide the reader’s eye. Numbered or bulleted lists help break down information into digestible chunks.
Section Order
A logical order helps recruiters quickly find what they’re looking for. Start with your contact information at the top, including your name, phone number, professional email address, and LinkedIn profile URL if relevant. Follow this with a summary or objective statement (depending on your experience level), then move into your Work Experience section. After that, list your Education and, finally, your Skills. This order is widely accepted and easy for readers to follow.
Consider putting Education before Work Experience for entry-level candidates if your degree or academic projects are more relevant. Remember that the goal is to highlight what’s most impressive and pertinent to your desired role.
File Format
When submitting your resume, a PDF file is generally the safest choice. PDFs preserve your formatting and ensure your chosen layout appears the same on all devices. However, if the employer requests a Word document, follow their instructions. Always check the job description for formatting requirements.
By choosing a simple template, using reader-friendly fonts and layout, maintaining a logical section order, and saving in the correct format, you ensure your resume looks polished and makes a strong first impression on any hiring manager or recruiter who reviews it.
Resume Summary vs. Objective Statement
Purpose of Each
A resume summary and an objective statement serve similar but distinct purposes. A summary is a brief, high-level overview of your professional background, highlighting your key achievements, skills, and the value you can bring to the organization. An objective statement focuses on your career goals and what you aim to achieve rather than what you have already accomplished. This section acts as a hook, and effectively setting the tone here can make your resume stand out. Leveraging educational achievements in your summary can also be impactful for recent graduates. Explore further how education plays a role in forming a robust resume on platforms like Education Corner.
When to Use Each
For experienced professionals, a summary is generally more appropriate. It lets you quickly showcase your proven track record, industry expertise, and relevant accomplishments. This gives hiring managers immediate insight into what sets them apart.
An objective statement can be helpful for entry-level candidates, fresh graduates, or career changers with limited experience. It clarifies your career direction and shows employers you have a sense of purpose. For example, an objective might say, “Recent Business Administration graduate seeking an entry-level marketing role to apply research, analytical, and social media skills to help drive brand growth.”
Examples
Summary (Experienced Professional):
“Results-driven marketing manager with 7+ years of experience developing and executing multi-channel campaigns that increased lead generation by 30% year-over-year.”
Objective (Entry-Level):
“Enthusiastic computer science graduate seeking a software development role to leverage coding knowledge, problem-solving abilities, and internship experience in creating user-friendly applications.”
Choose the approach that best matches your experience level and career goals.
Real-World Examples and Templates
Example Bullet Points
Marketing Role:
- “Managed a social media campaign that boosted Instagram engagement by 25% in three months.”
- “Conducted market research, analyzing consumer trends to inform product positioning and messaging.”
Data Analyst Role:
- “Analyzed large datasets using SQL, identifying key performance metrics that informed a 10% reduction in operational costs.”
- “Developed real-time dashboards in Tableau, improving decision-making speed by 20%.”
Customer Service Role (Entry-Level):
- “Resolved an average of 30+ customer inquiries per shift, maintaining a 95% satisfaction rating.”
- “Collaborated with team members to improve response times, reducing average wait time by 15%.”
Recommended Resources
You can find free, ATS-friendly templates on Indeed, Monster, or Canva’s resume section. Some platforms, such as NovoResume and Zety, also offer guided resume-building tools that help you structure your information. Consider reading guides from reputable career coaching websites for additional resume tips and fresh graduate resume writing strategies.
- USAJobs Help Center: Shares tips for federal resume writing. Visit USAJobs for more info.
- Check services like NYC’s Department of Small Business Services for more information.
Final Tips for Success
Proofreading and Quality Checks
Even the strongest resume can be undermined by a simple typo. Before sending out your resume, proofread it thoroughly. Use tools like Grammarly to catch spelling and grammatical errors. Reading your resume aloud can help you spot awkward phrasing or unclear points. Aim for a polished, error-free document that reflects your attention to detail and professionalism.
Getting Feedback
A trusted friend, mentor, or career counselor reviewing your resume can provide valuable insights. Someone else might catch an omission, suggest a more effective phrasing, or spot a formatting inconsistency. Constructive feedback can help you make final adjustments and present the best possible version of yourself to employers.
Following Up and Next Steps
After submitting your resume, don’t be afraid to follow up if appropriate. A brief, polite email after a week or two can reaffirm your interest in the position and keep you top-of-mind for the hiring manager.
Also, remember that resume writing is an ongoing process. As you gain more experience, complete new projects, or develop additional skills, update your resume accordingly. Keeping it current means you’ll be ready to seize new opportunities as they arise.
Finally, consider tailoring your approach beyond the resume. Your online presence—LinkedIn profile, personal website, or portfolio—should complement the image you’ve created on your resume. Consistency across platforms reinforces your professional brand and makes a strong case for why you’re the right candidate.
By proofreading diligently, seeking feedback, and refining your brand, you’ll set yourself up for success, ensuring your resume remains a powerful tool throughout your career journey.
Final Thoughts
Your resume is more than just a record of your professional life—it’s a gateway to new opportunities. Following the guidance, you’ve learned how to tailor your resume for each position, keep it clear and results-driven, and leverage formatting best practices to stand out. You’ve also discovered strategies to highlight your education, transferable skills, and early career achievements if you’re a fresh graduate or entry-level job seeker.
Remember to use strong action verbs, quantify your accomplishments, and avoid common mistakes like typos or irrelevant information. Keep your formatting clean, use a summary or objective statement strategically, and don’t forget to proofread and get feedback before hitting “submit.”
With these resume tips, you will surely write a powerful, effective resume. Start drafting, refining, and customizing your resume today. The sooner you begin, the sooner you’ll be ready to browse your favorite job board to confidently apply for the jobs that will help you grow, achieve, and reach your career goals.
