How to write a great resume

Education & Self-Improvement · 7 min read

Recruiters often spend only a few seconds on a first look at a resume before deciding whether to read on. That sounds harsh, but it also means a clean, focused page can set you apart quickly. A great resume is not about fancy design, it is about making it effortless for a busy reader to see that you can do the job.

Know what a resume is for

A resume does not get you the job, it gets you the interview. Its purpose is to match your skills with what the employer needs. That means you should tailor it for each role instead of sending one identical file everywhere. Start by reading the job description and underlining the key skills, tools and responsibilities. Those words show what to emphasise.

Pick the right length and format

• Length: One page for freshers and those with up to roughly five to eight years of experience. Two pages are acceptable for longer careers. Longer is rarely better.
• Layout: Use the reverse-chronological format, with the latest job first, for most people. If you are a fresher or changing fields, put education, projects and skills higher up.
• Fonts: Stick to clean fonts such as Calibri, Arial or Georgia in 10 to 12 point, with clear headings and consistent spacing.
• Margins and white space: Leave about 1.5 to 2 cm margins so the page can breathe.
• File type: Send a PDF unless the employer asks for Word, so your layout does not shift. Name it simply, such as "Rahul_Sharma_Resume.pdf".

Include the right sections in the right order

Section	What goes in it
Header	Name, phone, professional email, city, LinkedIn or portfolio link
Summary (optional)	Two to three lines stating who you are, your strengths and what you offer
Experience	Company, role, dates, and 3 to 5 achievement bullets per role
Education	Degree, institute, year, and marks only if strong or if you are a fresher
Skills	Tools, languages and certifications relevant to the job
Projects or extras	Internships, volunteering, published work, hackathons and awards

Leave out date of birth, religion, father's name, marital status and a photo, unless the employer or country specifically expects them. They add little and can invite bias. Use a professional email address, for instance your name, instead of a nickname.

Write bullet points that show results

The most common weakness is a list of duties: "Responsible for handling customers." That tells the reader what the job was, not how well you did it. Better bullets begin with a strong action verb and include a result, a number or a scale where possible.

Weak and strong examples

• Weak: "Handled social media accounts."
  Stronger: "Managed three social media accounts, growing Instagram followers from 2,000 to 5,500 in six months."
• Weak: "Worked on sales."
  Stronger: "Closed 40 new B2B accounts in a year, exceeding the quarterly target in three of four quarters."
• Weak: "Helped with accounting tasks."
  Stronger: "Reconciled monthly bank statements and cut month-end closing from seven days to five."

Use only numbers that are real and that you can explain at an interview. If you do not have figures, describe scope instead: the size of the team, the number of customers or the tools you used. Use action verbs such as led, built, reduced, launched, trained, designed, analysed and negotiated, and vary them so they do not repeat.

Formula: Action verb + what you did + how or with what + result. For example: "Redesigned the onboarding checklist, which reduced new-hire setup time by a third."

Write for software and for humans

Many companies use an applicant tracking system (ATS) to scan and sort resumes before a person sees them. To make it readable:

1. Use standard headings like Experience, Education and Skills, not creative labels.
2. Avoid tables, text boxes, columns, icons and images, which can confuse parsers.
3. Include relevant keywords from the job posting naturally, such as exact tool names and job titles.
4. Spell out acronyms at least once, for example "Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)".
5. Use a simple, standard file format.

Do not stuff in hidden keywords or copy the whole job ad. Humans will read it eventually, and obvious tricks backfire.

Handle special situations

Freshers

Lead with education, internships, academic projects, competitions, certifications and campus activities. Describe what you built or achieved in a project, not just the title.

Career gaps

Show dates in years if that is honest and clear, and briefly mention what you did during the gap, such as caring responsibilities, study, freelancing or courses. Be prepared to explain it simply and positively in the interview.

Career changers

Highlight transferable skills, relevant courses and projects, and use a short summary that connects your past experience to the new direction.

Proofread like it matters

Typos and inconsistent formatting suggest carelessness. Check spelling, tenses (past for old roles, present for current), dates and punctuation, and make sure contact details are right. Read it aloud, run a spell check and ask a friend to review it. Check that every claim is honest, because background checks and interviews can reveal exaggeration, and a lie can cost you an offer or a job later.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Sending the same generic resume to every employer.
• Using long paragraphs instead of short bullets.
• Filling it with vague words like "hardworking" or "team player" without proof.
• Listing outdated skills or every job you ever had in great detail.
• Using unusual colours, heavy graphics or tiny fonts to cram in more.
• Forgetting a link to your portfolio or profile when it would strengthen your case.

Final thoughts

Tailor it to the role, keep it to a clean page or two, focus on results rather than duties and proofread carefully. Treat your resume as a living document: update it every few months with new achievements while they are fresh. A clear, honest and well-targeted resume gives you the best shot at that first conversation.