How to Write a Resume That Gets You Interviewed

Understanding the Resume's Purpose

What a Resume Is NOT:

• A comprehensive autobiography of your entire career
• A list of every responsibility you've ever had
• A place to showcase creative writing skills with flowery language
• A document about what you want from an employer

What a Resume IS:

• A marketing document selling your value to an employer
• A highlight reel of relevant accomplishments and skills
• A tool to secure an interview, not get the job
• Proof you can solve the employer's problems

The Core Principle:

Your resume should answer one question from the employer's perspective: "Why should we interview this person instead of the 200 other applicants?"

Resume Format and Structure Fundamentals

Length Guidelines:

Early Career (0-5 years experience): One page Mid-Career (5-15 years experience): One to two pages Senior/Executive (15+ years experience): Two pages maximum

Exception: Academic CVs, federal government positions, or international applications may require longer formats.

Formatting Best Practices:

Font Choices:

• Professional fonts: Calibri, Arial, Garamond, Georgia, Helvetica
• Font size: 10-12pt for body text, 14-16pt for name
• Avoid: Times New Roman (outdated), Comic Sans (unprofessional), decorative fonts

Layout:

• 0.5-1 inch margins all around
• Consistent spacing between sections
• Clear section headers in bold or larger font
• Bullet points for readability (not paragraphs)
• White space to avoid cluttered appearance

File Format:

Always submit as PDF unless specifically requested otherwise. PDFs preserve formatting across different devices and operating systems. Word documents can display differently depending on the recipient's software version.

File Naming: Use professional naming: "FirstName_LastName_Resume.pdf" Not: "Resume_Final_FINAL_v3.pdf" or "MyResume.pdf"

ATS-Friendly Design:

Applicant Tracking Systems scan resumes for keywords and relevant information. ATS-unfriendly elements can cause your resume to be rejected before human review:

Avoid:

• Headers and footers (ATS often can't read them)
• Tables and text boxes
• Images, graphics, logos
• Columns (use single-column layout)
• Unusual section titles
• Special characters and symbols

Use:

• Standard section headings (Work Experience, Education, Skills)
• Simple bullet points (•, -, or *)
• Standard fonts
• Clear section breaks

Essential Resume Sections (In Order)

1. Contact Information

Place at the top, clearly visible:

Include:

• Full name (larger font, bold)
• Phone number (professional voicemail message)
• Professional email address ([email protected])
• LinkedIn profile URL (customized, not default numbers)
• City and State (full address not necessary)
• Portfolio/GitHub/Website (if relevant to role)

Exclude:

• Unprofessional email addresses ([email protected])
• Full street address (privacy and unnecessary)
• Age, marital status, photo (US resumes)
• "References available upon request" (assumed)

2. Professional Summary or Objective (Optional but Recommended)

A 2-4 sentence paragraph highlighting your value proposition.

When to Use Summary: Experienced professionals with clear career trajectory

Good Summary Example: "Results-driven digital marketing manager with 6+ years driving customer acquisition for B2B SaaS companies. Increased qualified leads by 240% and reduced cost-per-acquisition by 35% through data-driven SEO and content strategies. Expertise in marketing automation, analytics, and cross-functional team leadership."

When to Use Objective: Career changers, recent graduates, or unclear from experience what you're seeking

Good Objective Example: "Recent computer science graduate seeking software engineering role to apply full-stack development skills gained through internship experience and academic projects. Passionate about building scalable web applications using React, Node.js, and cloud technologies."

Bad Examples: "Hardworking professional seeking challenging opportunity to grow and contribute to a dynamic team." (Generic, meaningless) "Looking for a position that allows me to advance my career." (About you, not employer)

3. Work Experience

The most critical section. This is where you prove your value.

Format for Each Position:

Job Title | Company Name | Location | Dates (Month Year - Month Year)

Example: Senior Marketing Manager | TechCorp Inc. | Austin, TX | June 2020 - Present

Under each position, include 3-5 bullet points focusing on accomplishments, not responsibilities.

The STAR Method for Bullets:

Situation: Context Task: What needed to be done Action: What you did Result: Quantifiable outcome

Weak Bullet (Responsibility-focused): • Managed social media accounts

Strong Bullet (Accomplishment-focused): • Grew Instagram following from 5,000 to 52,000 in 8 months through data-driven content strategy and influencer partnerships, increasing website traffic by 180%

Power Verbs to Start Bullets:

• Achieved, Accelerated, Accomplished
• Built, Boosted
• Created, Championed
• Delivered, Developed, Drove
• Engineered, Executed, Expanded
• Generated, Grew
• Implemented, Improved, Increased
• Led, Launched
• Managed, Maximized
• Optimized, Orchestrated
• Reduced, Redesigned, Restructured
• Spearheaded, Streamlined
• Transformed

Quantify Everything Possible:

Numbers make your accomplishments concrete and credible.

Include:

• Percentages (increased by X%, reduced by Y%)
• Dollar amounts (saved $X, generated $Y in revenue)
• Time frames (completed in X weeks, reduced time by Y%)
• Volume (managed X employees, served Y customers)
• Scale (X% of company revenue, Y projects simultaneously)

Examples:

❌ "Responsible for customer service" ✅ "Resolved 50+ customer inquiries daily, maintaining 98% satisfaction rate and reducing average response time by 40%"

❌ "Improved sales performance" ✅ "Exceeded quarterly sales targets by 30% for 6 consecutive quarters, generating $2.4M in new revenue and ranking #2 out of 45 sales representatives"

❌ "Managed team projects" ✅ "Led cross-functional team of 8 in delivering $500K website redesign project 2 weeks ahead of schedule and 15% under budget"

For Recent Graduates with Limited Experience:

Include internships, relevant coursework projects, volunteer work, and leadership roles in student organizations. Frame them professionally with accomplishments.

4. Education

For Recent Graduates (0-3 years out): Place education before work experience For Experienced Professionals: Place after work experience

Include:

• Degree type and major
• University name
• Graduation date (or expected graduation)
• GPA if 3.5+ (optional for experienced professionals)
• Relevant coursework (for recent grads in technical fields)
• Honors, awards, scholarships

Format:

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science | University of Texas at Austin | May 2023 GPA: 3.8/4.0 | Dean's List (4 semesters) Relevant Coursework: Data Structures, Algorithms, Machine Learning, Database Systems

For Experienced Professionals:

MBA | Harvard Business School | 2018 Bachelor of Arts in Economics | UCLA | 2012

(Minimal detail unless very recent or prestigious)

5. Skills

Create a dedicated skills section with relevant technical and professional competencies.

Categorize for Clarity:

Technical Skills: Programming languages, software, tools, platforms Languages: Fluency level for each Certifications: Professional credentials

Example - Software Engineer:

Technical Skills: Languages: Python, JavaScript, Java, SQL Frameworks: React, Node.js, Django, Flask Tools: Git, Docker, AWS, Jenkins Databases: PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis

Example - Marketing Professional:

Technical Skills: Marketing Automation: HubSpot, Marketo, Salesforce Analytics: Google Analytics, Tableau, SQL Design: Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, Canva SEO Tools: SEMrush, Ahrefs, Google Search Console

Skill Level Indicators:

Only include skills you can confidently discuss in an interview. Lying about skills is easily discovered and eliminates you.

6. Optional Sections (Include Only If Valuable)

Certifications and Licenses:

• Professional certifications (PMP, CPA, CFA, AWS Certified, Google Analytics)
• Industry licenses
• Specialized training credentials

Awards and Honors:

• Industry recognition
• Company awards (Employee of the Year, President's Club)
• Academic honors (if recent graduate)

Publications and Speaking:

• Published articles, papers, books
• Conference presentations
• Guest lectures

Volunteer Work:

• Board positions
• Significant volunteer leadership
• Pro bono work related to your field

Projects (Especially for Technical Roles):

• GitHub repositories with descriptions
• Portfolio pieces
• Side projects demonstrating skills

Professional Affiliations:

• Relevant industry associations
• Professional organization leadership roles

Tailoring Your Resume to Each Job

The Generic Resume Doesn't Work

Sending the same resume to every job is ineffective. Top candidates customize their resume for each application.

How to Tailor Effectively (30 minutes per application):

Step 1: Analyze the Job Description

Identify:

• Required qualifications (must-haves)
• Preferred qualifications (nice-to-haves)
• Key responsibilities
• Repeated keywords and phrases
• Required technical skills

Step 2: Match Your Experience

Review your work history and identify experiences that align with the job requirements. Prioritize and emphasize these.

Step 3: Mirror Keywords

Incorporate exact keywords from the job description (when accurate) to pass ATS screening.

Example:

Job Description: "Seeking data analyst with experience in SQL, Python, and data visualization tools. Must have strong experience with stakeholder communication and translating complex data insights into actionable business recommendations."

Tailored Bullet: "Utilized SQL and Python to analyze customer behavior data, creating Tableau visualizations that communicated insights to C-suite stakeholders, resulting in strategic decisions that increased customer retention by 18%"

Step 4: Adjust Professional Summary

Rewrite your summary to directly address the specific role's requirements.

Step 5: Reorder Bullets

Place most relevant accomplishments first within each position.

Important: Only include keywords for skills you actually possess. ATS passes you to humans who will verify.

Common Resume Mistakes That Kill Your Chances

Mistake 1: Typos and Grammatical Errors

A single typo can eliminate you. Proofread multiple times, use spell-check, and have someone else review.

Mistake 2: Generic Objective Statements

"Seeking a challenging position where I can grow..." tells employers nothing about your value.

Mistake 3: Using "Responsible For" Language

Describes duties, not accomplishments. Employers assume you were responsible; they want to know what you achieved.

Mistake 4: Including Irrelevant Information

High school achievements (unless very recent graduate), hobbies unrelated to the job, outdated skills (WordPerfect, fax machines).

Mistake 5: Unexplained Employment Gaps

Address significant gaps (6+ months) briefly. "Sabbatical for family care," "Freelance consulting," "Professional development."

Mistake 6: Lies and Exaggerations

Inflating titles, claiming degrees you don't have, fabricating experience. All easily verified and grounds for immediate termination even after hiring.

Mistake 7: TMI (Too Much Information)

Including age, marital status, political affiliations, religious beliefs, or health information invites bias and is unprofessional.

Mistake 8: Outdated Design

Objective statements, "References available upon request," full mailing address, or overly creative fonts and colors (unless in creative field).

Mistake 9: Length Issues

Three-page resume for 5 years of experience, or cramming 15 years into tiny font on one page.

Mistake 10: Passive Voice

"Was responsible for managing..." sounds weak. Use active, powerful language: "Managed..."

Industry-Specific Considerations

Creative Fields (Design, Marketing, Media):

• Visual presentation matters more
• Portfolio link is essential
• Can use more design elements (but maintain professionalism)
• Showcase creative accomplishments with metrics

Technical Roles (Engineering, Data, IT):

• GitHub/portfolio links crucial
• Technical skills section is prominent
• Project descriptions with technologies used
• Certifications and continuous learning highlighted

Business/Finance/Consulting:

• Heavy emphasis on quantifiable results
• Leadership and impact on bottom line
• Education credentials prominent (especially prestigious schools/MBAs)
• Clean, traditional formatting

Healthcare:

• Licenses and certifications upfront
• Patient outcomes and care metrics
• Compliance and safety records
• Specialized training and continuing education

Education:

• Teaching philosophy (in summary)
• Student achievement results
• Curriculum development
• Technology integration

After You Write It: The Review Process

Step 1: The 6-Second Test

Give your resume to someone unfamiliar with your background. Give them 6 seconds to look. Then ask: "What do you remember? What role do you think I'm applying for?"

If they can't quickly identify your value and target role, revise.

Step 2: The ATS Test

Use free ATS scanners (Jobscan, Resume Worded) to check how well your resume will be parsed by applicant tracking systems.

Step 3: The Keyword Test

Compare your resume to 3-5 job descriptions in your target role. Are you using the same language? Missing critical keywords?

Step 4: Professional Review

Ask someone in your industry, a mentor, or career counselor to review for content relevance and effectiveness.

Step 5: Multiple Proofread

Read out loud, use Grammarly or similar tools, and check one more time before submitting.

The Cover Letter Question

Do you need one?

Always include a cover letter unless explicitly told not to. Even if it's optional, it's an opportunity to:

• Explain why you're interested in THIS specific company and role
• Highlight 1-2 key accomplishments in narrative form
• Show personality and communication skills
• Address any concerns (career change, employment gap)

Keep it concise: 3-4 paragraphs, max 1 page.

Your resume is your personal marketing document, and like any good marketing, it needs to be clear, compelling, and targeted. The difference between a resume that gets interviews and one that gets ignored often comes down to specificity, quantification, and relevance. Invest the time to craft accomplishment-focused bullets, tailor to each application, and ensure your format passes both ATS and human review. Remember: you're not listing everything you've done—you're strategically highlighting what makes you the solution to an employer's problem. Perfect this document, and interviews will follow. Your dream job starts with a resume that demands attention.