make a resume website from scratch

WEBSITE ESSENTIALS

How to make a professional resume website in record time

• Rebecca Strehlow

Get started by: Creating a website →  | Getting a domain →

Having a well-designed online resume website that conveys your personality sends a clear message to recruiters that you are serious about your career.

Considering that you're constantly acquiring new skills and qualifications – you need a resume that you can update and share this information at any given moment. On top of that, potential employers should also be able to find you online with a quick search of your name.

We've put together this guide to creating a resume website that showcases you, perfectly and that helps you stand out to propspective employees too.

How to make a professional resume website

In order to get you going on your path to professional success, whether you're a freelancer or consultant, we’ve broken down the steps on how to make your very own resume website:

Select your website builder

Choose a template for your resume website

Add a professional photo of yourself

Add the relevant resume sections

Add in the small design details

Optimize for SEO

Make sure you're mobile friendly

Ask for a second opinion

Publish your website and track

01. Select your website builder

Using a website builder to create a resume website offers several advantages and conveniences, especially for individuals who may not have web development skills or want to create a professional online presence quickly. Here are a few of the main benefits of using a website builder for your resume site.

Website builders are designed to be user-friendly, often offering drag-and-drop functionality and pre-designed templates. This makes it easy for anyone to create an appealing and functional website.

Many website builders offer both free and premium plans, making it cost-effective to create a resume website, without the need to hire a professional web developer or the need to understand markup language.

Building a website from scratch can be time-consuming, especially for those without web design experience. Website builders and CMS streamline the process, allowing you to create a resume website fast.

A lot of website builders, like Wix, offer hosting services , which means you don't have to worry about finding a separate hosting provider (check out web hosting costs in this guide). They also take care of the technical aspects, including updates, backup and security , allowing you to focus on updating your content and keeping your resume website current. While also including built-in analytics tools that allow you to track visitor statistics, understand user behavior, and gather insights to optimize your resume website's performance .

Create a resume website fast, with Wix's ai website builder .

02. Choose your resume website template

Regardless of your profession, having a resume website that is functional and beautiful is an absolute must. Now, we understand that not everyone has an eye for design or a clue what a domain name is – and that’s okay. Luckily for you, you can find plenty of free and professional resume website templates on the internet that are equipped with all the page layout elements you need to look good online. All you’re left to do is pick your favorite and customize it until you’re happy with the final result.

Depending on your needs and style, there are two types of sites available. You can go for a long scrolling one pager if the sole purpose of your site is to let people read a quick overview about you. It's more extensive than a landing page but less extensive than an entire website. Alternatively, you can opt for the classic option, where each section has a dedicated page. This is recommended for people who have multiple elements to show, such as projects for clients, photography or design portfolios, or research papers.

Learn more: Resume website examples

03. Add a professional picture of yourself

It goes without saying that you should include a picture of yourself on your resume website – after all, if people are on your page, it’s because they want to learn (and see) who you are. Plus, people are naturally drawn to pictures rather than words.

But hold on, before you upload that family picture from your last island vacation, think about the perception you want to create with your photo and your resume website as a whole. While some professions (designers, artists, musicians, etc.) may have some creative freedom, for the general job seeker it’s best to play things safe with a neutral, professional looking headshot.

Make sure the picture you choose is recent, as well as a true reflection of what you really look like on a daily basis. Finding the right balance between friendly and serious is key – like Tyra Banks suggests: smile with your eyes. You should feel (and look) as natural as possible in order to exude a sense of approachability. Don’t think twice about hiring a professional photographer to snap some good headshots. It’s an investment that you’ll thank yourself for in the long run.

As for where to place your picture on your personal website – it should always be above the fold. Why? Because people need to understand in a matter of seconds what they have landed on. This being said, the dimensions and exact location of your picture are up to you. Unlike in printed CVs, your square picture is not required to live on the top left-hand side of your resume.

04. Add the relevant resume sections

When it comes to organizing your content, you have the liberty of deciding how to set it up and what to include. However, much like when baking a cake, there are a couple of key ingredients needed in order to achieve the perfect result. That means including the right pages so that your resume website as a whole is truly an accurate representation of you.

Whether you're creating a graphic design resume or a professional actor website, remember that readability is crucial here. A good (and complete) resume will always include the following:

An inviting homepage: This is the first snippet of you a recruiter will see, so it’s crucial that your homepage is eye-catching yet informative. Your homepage needs to be the perfect summary of who you are and what you do. It should entice people to click more in order to find out more about you. Use this page to display that carefully selected picture of yourself, your name, contact details and field of work or current position. You can also include a paragraph explaining your background or experience. Keep it short and sweet – you don’t want to overwhelm recruiters with tons of text. They’ll discover the rest in the following sections.

Your experience: Ah, the real nitty gritty of writing a resume . Select only the experience that is most relevant to the type of field you’re applying for. This can include jobs, internships and any volunteer work. For each job, list a couple of main roles, tasks, and accomplishments. You can visually represent your experience by displaying it on a timeline. This design style gives a clean, organized look to your valuable experience.

Your education: Depending on the extent of your education, you can also format this as a timeline or simply just list your degree(s). Be sure to include the name of each university or institution, its location and your date of graduation. Also include your major/minor fields as well as any honors, publications or notable projects you were involved in.

Skills: Highlight your many talents with a dedicated skills section. You should list any computer systems which you are proficient in (Photoshop, Microsoft office, PowerPoint, content management tools etc.), any foreign languages you speak, and other skills that may be required for the job you are applying for that haven’t been mentioned anywhere else in your online resume.

Personal projects: This section is included mainly for creative fields in mind, for which you might want to create a portfolio website that showcases your style and creativity. For example, if you're a photographer wanting to show a more personal collection of your work, you can display your images using the Wix Pro Gallery . With any selected project you choose to show, give a detailed description and some context as to how your project came about. The value of including any kind of extracurricular activity (even if it’s not necessarily related to your profession) is that it shows how dynamic you are. Don't be afraid to use multimedia here, including images and video.

Contact: As someone looking to be “found”, we can’t stress this enough: make sure your contact details are easy to locate. There’s nothing more off-putting to a site visitor than having to search for your contact info. It’s considered a good practice to add all of your essential details in the footer of your site.

Testimonials and recommendations: Reviews are everything these days. Think about the first thing you do when contemplating a new restaurant – you check the reviews, right? Well, you can give recruiters that same unbiased view of yourself by including testimonials and recommendations from previous employers or co-workers.

Link to your relevant social channels: For most professional fields, you’ll need to update your LinkedIn account and link to it on your resume website. However, for artists, photographers, freelancers and other creative types who use social platforms as a way to showcase their work, it may be useful to link to your professional Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or YouTube accounts.

05. Add in the small website design details

Going back to that cake analogy, once your cake is baked (and looking delicious) it’s time to decorate it. To create a Wix website , there are a couple essential branding elements you’ll need. These include:

Selecting the correct colors and fonts: Think of yourself as a brand when completing this step. You’ll need a concise look and feel throughout your resume website. One way to achieve this is through the color scheme and fonts you select. Take a look at our helpful guides to selecting a color palette and choosing the best fonts for your website.

Choosing a unique domain name: Select a domain name that’s preferably, well, your own name. This is what is known as branding. If the domain is already taken, consider adding your job title, location or any other distinctive criteria. Doing this creates a sense of trust and credibility. Not to mention it helps you look professional when sharing business cards with your own domain on them.

Expert tip from Einat Shafir, Product Manager at Wix,

"The main thing to consider when choosing a domain is finding one that aligns with your brand and is easy for your customers to remember."

Including a PDF version of your resume: While your online resume is very impressive, some employers will also want a printable version of your CV. To do this, include a button that links to a downloadable PDF version.

06. Optimize for SEO

Now, before you shy away from this seemingly complicated topic – hear us out. SEO (search engine optimization) is the practice of optimizing your site so that your pages can rank higher in search engines results. The more exposure you get on search result pages, the more likely that prospective recruiters will come across your site.

As you create a resume website, there are a few easy things you can do in order to improve your ranking right off the bat. For example, make sure to choose the right domain name and insert strategic keywords throughout your resume website.

To help you, Wix has developed an intuitive, comprehensive and free solution that will guide you through all these optimization steps. In addition to this essential setup checklist, you'll also be able to access advanced SEO tools and analytics.

07. Make sure you site is mobile-friendly

Smartphones and tablets are everywhere. In fact, mobile browsing accounts for approximately half of web traffic globally . Because of the popularity of these devices, you need to ensure your website is optimized for mobile viewing. If you're starting with a professional best resume website templates , you'll most likely be able to skip the mobile-optimization step.

To do this, you’ll need a mobile website - a version of your resume website that shrinks down to be small enough to display on the mobile screen. The Wix Editor automatically generates this for you, ensuring that your resume website looks neat and attractive on any device.

08. Ask for a second opinion before publishing

The whole purpose of your resume website is to give you a leg up on your job search. Nothing can ruin all your hard work quicker than a silly typo. To ensure your resume looks polished and professional, ask a friend or anyone you trust to proofread the copy of your text and test out your site’s navigation. Do all the links work? Does your resume website accurately represent you in terms of the style and tone? These are all valuable questions a trusted second opinion can answer for you.

09. Publish and track your resume website

After all that, it’s time to hit the Publish button and wait for the offers to roll in! But publishing is only step one. Now you need to maintain, nurture and keep track of everything going on regarding your resume website. This includes understanding who is visiting your site and how much traffic your resume website is generating. In order to keep track of these stats and live chat with site viewers, you can download the Wix App .

When it comes to maintaining your site, be sure to keep your CV updated. Every time you achieve something new or change positions, it should be reflected on your resume website.

Related Posts

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7 polished resume website templates for all professionals

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How to create an online resume

An online resume is a digital version of a resume.

It is an overview of your experience, skills, education, and achievements.

It can be used to apply for a job, freelancer gig, consultancy engagement, or apply to a school.

The value of having it online as a website is that people from all over the world can access it easily.

What is a resume

The resume is an overview of your experience, competence, and skills.

It is most known for being a document, used to apply for jobs.

Companies and hiring managers use the resume to get an understanding of who you are as a professional and what you are capable of doing.

Your online resume can be shared by its link to companies, hiring managers, and recruiters, so that they can notice you.

Why create an online resume

A resume is relevant for every professional.

Your resume as a website makes it easy for others to access and view your resume.

It can be used to E.G. get a job, freelancing gig, consultancy engagement, or apply to a school.

Having it online makes it possible for people from all over the world to find you.

The design of the resume gives the reader an impression of who you are. Make sure that it appears in a good and presentable way!

What do I need to know to create my resume as a website?

HTML, CSS and JavaScript are the basic languages to create a website.

You can come a long way just using these three!

• Create the structure with HTML. The first thing you have to learn, is HTML, which is the standard markup language for creating web pages.
• Style with CSS. The next step is to learn CSS, to set the layout of your web page with beautiful colors, fonts, and much more.
• Make it interactive with JavaScript. After studying HTML and CSS, you should learn JavaScript to create dynamic and interactive web pages for your users.

How to create a resume step-by-step

Follow the steps to create your online resume from the ground up.

Preparations

Decide which code editor to use and set up your environment.

W3Schools has created an easy to use code editor called W3Schools Spaces . Sign up and get started in a few clicks.

Create your index.html file. So that you are ready to enter the code.

All set up. Lets go!

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Step One: Add a Website Layout

Create a responsive website from scratch.

Read here for how to create a website layout: How to create a Website Layout

A resume can be created in different ways.

There is not a one-size fits all .

Keep in mind why, how, and what , you are building it for.

Build the resume that is right for you.

Step Two: Plan your content

Think about how you want to design your resume.

• What information do you want to include?
• What impression do you want to give the reader?
• How do you as a professional want to be presented?

Step Three: Add content

Include the essential sections:

• Contact Information section
• Key Summary section
• Education section
• Work Experience section

Check out our How To library for more code snippets: How To Library

1. Contact Information section.

Add your name and contact information.

The contact information section lets the reader know how to get in touch with you.

2. Key Summary section.

Write a short summary that highlights your experience, competence, and skills.

Personalizing the text can make you stand out.

The key summary helps the reader to get an understanding of who you are as a professional.

Keep it short and simple.

3. Education section.

Give an overview of your educational background.

Include details such as the institution, degree, and year.

Professional courses and certifications can also be listed as education.

4. Work Experience section.

List the jobs that you have had.

Add details to each job, which includes what year, your role, and your responsibilities.

Other experiences such as projects and freelancing gigs can also be a part of this list.

We have made you a template that you can use and build with.

You can load the CV template in W3Schools Spaces . Get started with publishing your online resume in a few clicks.

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CVs & Résumés

• Jan 6, 2022
• 13 min read

How to Build a Résumé Website that Employers Will Love

Writing a résumé website can be a little tricky if you're not tech-savvy, so we've broken it down for you and given some great examples!

Chris Leitch

Editor-in-Chief & Résumé Expert

Reviewed by Hayley Ramsey

You’ve got a shining print résumé, but what about a CV or résumé website?

Well, I don’t need one.

Though a traditional résumé will always be useful in your job search, it is quickly becoming outdated in the modern world where everything has gone online. And if you really want to stand out from the crowd, building a résumé website is your best bet.

Okay. So, how do I go about creating one?

We’ve got you covered! This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about résumé websites, from what they are and what to include, to steps to setting up your site and examples for inspiration.

What is a résumé website?

A CV or résumé website is essentially a digital version of a traditional résumé . Just like the print version, it provides a clear presentation of your background, skills and accomplishments as a way of introduction to potential employers, but in the form of a website.

A résumé website, meanwhile, is not to be confused with a résumé builder website . Whereas a résumé website is self-designed and a type of résumé format, a builder website is essentially an online tool that allows you to create a résumé using pre-made templates , which you then download (typically as a Word or PDF file) to use in your job search.

Résumé websites vs personal websites

For the most part, a résumé website and a personal website are essentially the same thing. They’re both used to introduce yourself and your brand to online audiences. But there are some key differences.

Firstly, CV/résumé websites are specifically geared towards potential employers, and are used to showcase your skills, qualifications and experience, just like a traditional résumé. While personal websites can also be used to market yourself as a jobseeker , they’re generally used for networking purposes or for converting site visitors into subscribers, readers or customers.

Perhaps the biggest difference, though, is the content. Though a personal website might provide information about the owner’s background, it generally focuses on image and video displays of their previous work and the services that they offer. A résumé website, on the other hand, is more text-based, and provides a detailed rundown of the owner’s work history, educational background and skills.

When to use a résumé website

A résumé website comes in handy in many situations, particularly when you’re:

• Looking for a job (whether actively or passively)
• Changing careers
• Looking for freelance opportunities
• Establishing yourself as a professional consultant in your field
• Establishing your online presence

That said, résumé websites are especially useful for creative professionals (like actors , musicians, photographers and writers ) and all sorts of freelancers, as it helps them effectively market their technical skills and showcase their work to potential employers.

Benefits of a résumé website

There are many benefits to creating a résumé website:

• You keep up with the times. Everything and everyone is online these days. By creating your own résumé website, you show potential employers and clients that you’re tech-savvy — an essential quality in today’s technology-focused world. Ultimately, it gives you an edge over the competition.
• It makes you more discoverable.  You don’t have to be actively searching for jobs to come across opportunities. In fact, a well-written, SEO-driven website has the power to attract employers and recruiters searching for the skills you possess.
• You can cover your background more extensively. While traditional résumés are limited to 1–2 pages in length , a website allows you to expand on your skills and achievements in greater detail and, ultimately, provides a more rounded picture of your personality, preferences and abilities.
• It’s more dynamic than a traditional résumé. There’s so much more you can do with a résumé website than a paper version, like adding multiple links to different sections of your site, companies you’ve worked for and published work, as well as adding photos and graphics.
• It’s easily shareable. You can share your website anywhere — on your résumé, in your email signature and on your social media profiles. You can even share a link to your website to potential contacts you meet in person — chances are, after all, that you won’t be carrying your print résuméwith you everywhere you go.

What to include

At the very least, your website should include:

• A homepage featuring catchy introductory material — this should serve as a table of contents of sorts to your site’s sections.
• An about or bio page , offering visitors a summary of who you are and what you do.
• Dedicated pages for your work history , education and skills and, optionally, awards, publications, testimonials and any other useful information.
• Your contact details — if you’re worried about your information being publicly available on the internet, consider setting up a dedicated email address and getting a second phone number for professional purposes; it’s also a good idea to add a contact form connected to your email address.
• Links to your LinkedIn and social media profiles so that employers can connect with you — this also helps you better establish your digital presence.
• A professional photo — this means no distracting selfies, snaps from an alcohol-infused night out, wedding photos or anything else that could hinder your professional image and, as a result, candidacy for job opportunities.
• An optional blog where you can share your expertise and thought leadership.
• An optional portfolio highlighting your skills and best work.
• A download link to your résumé — make sure you save your document as a PDF file so that it can be read across different computers and so its layout and fonts are maintained.

How to create a résumé website

Now the juicy part: how to make (and setup) your CV or résumé website. Here are the steps you’ll need to follow.

Step 1: Choose a method that’s right for you

There are three main options to choose from to build your website:

• Create it from scratch: If you have the coding skills , creating your résumé website from scratch is encouraged, as it effectively demonstrates those skills and your technical knowhow to potential employers. This also gives you complete control over its look and functionality.
• Use a website builder: If you’re not very web-savvy but you still want to try your hand at creating your website yourself, website builders and hosts like Wix and WordPress.com are a great option. Though they provide limited creative freedom, their convenient drag-and-drop editors will help you get your site up and running in next to no time.
• Hire a professional: This option is perfect if you don’t have the time or knowledge to create a DIY website — provided, of course, that you have the budget. Prices generally vary between $500 and upwards of $25,000 and depend on a variety of factors, including the number of pages, the complexity of design and development, and who builds your website (ie: an independent designer vs an agency).

Step 2: Choose a design

Next up is selecting a design for your website, which should be simple, clean, modern and user-friendly.

When choosing a design, make sure to consider the material you’ll present on your website and the best layout for this. For example, if you want a less-is-more approach, a one-page design is the way to go, but if you have a lot of information you want to cover, then a multi-page design works better.

If you’re using a website builder, you’ll be able to choose from a wide variety of templates based on your needs. You can also upload third-party templates from foundries like Theme Forest and WooCommerce , though you will typically need a premium plan with your chosen website builder for this.

Make sure the look of your print résumé and your website are uniform. This is essential for creating a consistent personal brand , which makes you instantly recognisable.

Step 3: Register a unique domain name

When setting up your résumé website, you’ll need to register a domain name for it. This should be unique, memorable and easy to type.

Though johnsmithisthebestwebcontentwriterintown.com is arguably unique and somewhat memorable, it’s for all the wrong reasons — and it certainly isn’t easy to type. Something like johnsmith.com or johnsmithwriter.com, on the other hand, ticks all the right boxes.

If you use a website builder, you’ll typically have the option to register a domain name for your site, either as an add-on or as part of your selected plan. Otherwise, you can use a domain name registrar like GoDaddy or Domain.com .

Step 4: Choose and organise the sections

Once you’ve got all the technicalities out the way, it’s time to start planning your website’s structure — specifically, the sections it will include. Generally speaking, you should create an individual page for each section of your print résumé , as well as a homepage and optional blog and portfolio. (If you’re using a one-page design, all this information should be clearly divided into relevant sections.)

Make sure you add a menu with links to each section so that visitors can easily navigate to the appropriate information, and that sections are organised in a way that helps you tell your story and share your professional journey.

Give each page an appropriate name and URL slug (the unique identifying part of a web address, for example: https://www.careeraddict.com /about ).

Step 5: Write the content

One of the great things about a résumé website is that its content doesn’t have to sound as mechanical as your print version. Whereas a résumé requires more concise and technical language, a website affords you the opportunity to expand on your background in a more human way through effective storytelling. You can even incorporate personal anecdotes and inject some humour into your content to make it more engaging and show off your personality (keep it PG, though).

Ideally, each page should be a minimum of 300 words long . That said, it’s likely some pages will be significantly shorter (like the contact page), and that’s okay. The important thing to remember when writing your site’s content is to make sure it offers value to readers — quality, after all, is far better than quantity.

Make sure your website isn’t full of pages with just text — this can get boring fast. Find ways to visualise your skills and accomplishments (through graphs, for example), add appropriate images (including a photo of yourself), and consider creating a logo.

Step 6: Optimise your website for search and mobile devices

One thing to keep in mind when building your résumé website is to make sure it’s search engine and mobile-friendly. Here are some things you can do to achieve this:

• Incorporate relevant keywords within your site’s content
• Use appropriate heading structures
• Add site metadata (meta titles, descriptions and keywords)
• Use descriptive alt text for any images you include
• Choose a responsive design for your site

If you’re using a website builder, meanwhile, make sure to check what tools and resources they offer to help you optimise your site.

7. Publish your website and track the results

Now that you’ve got everything done, all that’s left for you to do is to publish your website. (Be sure to go over it first to correct any typos, formatting issues and inaccuracies — it’s also a good idea to share your website with family and friends for their feedback.)

Once you’ve published your website live on the web, make it a point to actively monitor site traffic (particularly in terms of page views, how visitors found your site and where visitors are based) and the effectiveness of the keywords you’ve used through web analytics tools, like Google Analytics . This will help you determine what’s working and what isn’t and adjust accordingly.

8. Update it regularly

Like your traditional print résumé , your résumé website should be updated regularly to reflect any new skills, experiences, projects and achievements. This ensures that it doesn’t become outdated and that it leaves a better overall impression on visitors.

This is also good for SEO — the more frequently you update your site, the more frequently search engines like Google will visit your site and re-evaluate your page ranking.

Meanwhile, if you decide to add a blog section to your website, it’s important that you’re willing to dedicate a lot of time and effort to publishing new content for better results. One post per week or even month is fine, though Neil Patel suggests publishing at least three posts per week if you want to make money from your blog.

Résumé website examples

Need some inspiration for creating your own résumé website? Check out these awesome examples below!

Pascal van Gemert

One of the many great things about Pascal van Gemert’s one-page résumé website is how it effectively captures his personality — from the Captain America background on the page intro to the famous quotes interspersed between sections. The Dutch PHP web developer even asks visitors who copy his site’s design to make a donation and effectively buy him a beer!

Van Gemert’s website isn’t only clean and beautifully designed, but it’s also user-friendly, complete with a handy sticky sidebar navigating visitors to the profile, experience, skills, projects and contact sections.

Gary Le Masson

Gary Le Masson has designed his website to look like Google’s interface — quite fitting for a web analytics consultant!

Using Drupal, Le Masson has created four separate sections for his website:

• Web Analytics, where he describes his work and expertise
• References, which details the companies he’s worked with
• Google Resume, which displays his skills, experience and more as a Google search results page
• Contact, which contains a contact form and his contact details

Le Masson’s website comes complete with a Google Knowledge Graph (containing personal details like his age, height and location), links to his social media accounts and a Google-inspired Gary logo.

Robby Leonardi

New York City-based illustrator, designer and animator Robby Leonardi’s interactive résumé website has been getting the attention of employers and retro game lovers alike since it was first launched in 2013. It’s also been featured in the likes of USA Today, Business Insider and Mashable, and it’s won numerous design awards, most notably from Awwwards and the FWA.

Leonardi’s Super Mario -inspired website is both impressive and memorable, as you ‘play’ through different levels as cartoon Robby to view his experience, skills, qualifications, publications and interests. At the end, ‘players’ are invited to send Leonardi a message and connect with him on social media.

Final thoughts

Some parting advice for building a résumé website is that it should complement — not replace — your print résumé. You’ll always be asked to submit your print CV or résumé when applying for a job, after all, and most companies won’t even ask you for the digital version during the application process. That said, if you do create a website, make sure to include a link to it in your paper version.

Got a question? Whether you're deciding which website builder to use or you're not quite sure how to write your site's content, we're here to help. Just drop us a comment below!

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How to Make a Resume Website to Get Hired Instantly?

Renderforest Staff

09 Jun 2023

15 min read  

Digital advancements revolutionized how modern professionals market themselves and their skill sets to potential employers. The 21st-century candidates expand above and beyond the traditional one-page resume, replacing it with a new and improved standout resume website.

It can be a single landing page or a robust website full of various sections and helpful information that can demonstrate your expertise and skills. Either way, a resume website signals a modern professional approach and can distinguish you from other job applicants .

We know you like being up-to-date and ahead of the trend, so let’s have a look at what a great resume website looks like.

This guide provides the most straightforward answer to the question: How to make a resume website?

Should You Have a Resume Website?

The short answer is Yes! 

With the global employee movement and the increasing popularity of remote employment, you no longer compete with candidates living and working in the same city. The competition is worldwide, so you need a solid way to stand out.

A traditional one-page resume can be considered an obsolete way of showcasing your professional background and experience. Since modern website-making tools require no coding skills, even non-techy people can create an impressive resume website in a matter of minutes.

With that in mind, HR people expect to see a more professional approach to self-introduction by potential candidates.

You Need to Convey a Thorough Information About You

Certain professionals, such as artists, photographers, and designers, must demonstrate their portfolios to prove their skills. For such people, having one line in the list of previous positions is not enough. They must display their projects and work and convince employers they can do an outstanding job.

With a resume website, the candidates can showcase different aspects of their professional career all in one place – from education and skills to portfolio items and publications. And they can do it most creatively with resume websites – which do not limit them in presenting such data.

You Need to Build a Personal Brand

As a modern professional, you may chase the opportunity to establish a personal brand and work on your own terms instead of being an employee of one company. And if that’s the case, you need to be discoverable and memorable. 

By learning how to make a resume website, you’ll be so!

Resume Website Benefits You’ll Love

Here are some more advantages that come with having a professional resume website.

Employers Can Find You Without Your Application

When having a resume website, you transfer your CV to search engines where potential employers can find you. That’s a completely new level of job search and online presence, which can open many doors of opportunity for you.

Not to forget a proper SEO for your niche, which you can use to rank your resume website for targetted keywords.

Your Self-Introduction is Interactive Even Before You Meet

Resume websites allow you to translate any personal vibe you want to convey when talking to potential employers. This can be done through your website design and the way you present information about yourself.

CV websites are a big stage to show off your personal side. Play with the “About Me” page content, add sections of hobbies and personal interests. Ensure you include a CTA allowing visitors to connect with you easily.

Why Not? Resume Websites Show Transferable Skills

Even if you’re not applying for coding or website development jobs, creating and maintaining your own resume website speaks volumes. It shows how tech-savvy and creative you are, plus it’s a great chance to showcase transferable skills.

Being friends with modern tech tools is a huge advantage for employees of any field, as there seem to be no professions without at least some digital component.

You Show Dedication and Willingness to Go the Extra Mile

With a resume website, you show your commitment to the job search process. You could make things easier and just write the traditional CV, but you choose to do something different and exciting – create a website dedicated to yourself.

This move shows employers you’re devoted to your job and demonstrates you’re a go-getter who’s not afraid of challenges.

The Two Key Types of Resume Websites to Choose From

Probably, you imagine that a resume website assumes to have tons of information and many pages. While it’s partially true, no one urges you to create a massive website if you don’t need that much space.

When building a resume website, there are two key types.

Single Page Resume Website With a Downloadable CV Link

That’s an easy and quick path to have your own website if you don’t know much about how to make a resume website. Not to compromise potential job applications because of lack of time, you can opt for a single-page website with key information about you and put a link to a detailed CV in PDF format.

What do you win here?

Firstly, you save time and find an optimal alternative to an outdated CV format before you can dig into website-building nuances. With a single-page resume website, you will need little work on the design and copy but still be discoverable in search engines and presentable to employers.

It can also look minimalistic and stylish.

Different Sections for Each Resume Page

Now a more complicated (but exciting!) task comes. You can build a website with different sections dedicated to specific topics of your resume.

For example, you can have sub-pages for your experience, education, skillset, certifications, awards and interests.

That would be a great way to present all the information about yourself in an interactive and appealing way. You can add media files, videos, illustrations and other content to make your resume website unique.

If you opt for this type of CV website, make sure to prepare for it properly. You might consider taking a professional photoshoot for your resume website if the budget allows, and you might need some help with the design.

Actively play with subheadings, page layouts and user experience because if you present a big website with different sections, it has to be 100% easy to use and navigate. Otherwise, all your efforts will be in vain.

Keep in mind an important rule: Potential employers should be able to find the needed information in a few clicks. Your website should be skim-friendly and leave a lasting impression.

Did we overload you with so many requirements?

Don’t worry! The guide below will show you how to make a resume website that looks big and impressive but simple in the building. 

How to Create a Resume Website?

We suggest you use one of the easiest resume website-building tools on the market – Renderforest . The below instructions will make it easier for you to understand how it works.

1. Choose a Resume Website Template

Renderforest has 7 main resume website templates in addition to its rich library of portfolio website templates and individual services site pages . The templates are designed having different professionals in mind. So you can save on customization and get a perfect match for yourself by choosing the one for your niche.

Illustrator CV – Purple Colored Template for Bright Personalities

Copywriter CV – A Text-Heavy Template for Experienced Professionals

Social Media Manager CV – A Dynamic Template With Attractive Visual Design

Writer and Editor CV – A Stylish Template With Red and Blue Tones

UI/UX Designer CV – An Excellent Layout and Design to Showcase Your Skills

Web Developer CV – Black and White Design to Show Concentration

Web Designer CV – An Aesthetic Design to Highlight Your Taste

Press “ Edit ” on the upper right corner of each template to instantly access the website editor.

Customize Your Resume Website Template

Renderforest’s CV templates are editable. Everything is customizable, from the text and visuals to the components you add.

Finalize Layout and Sections

As the first step, decide which pages and page sections your resume website should include. After you finalize the website’s skeleton, it will be easier to customize each page .

• From the upper drop-down menu “ Pages ,” you can add new pages and delete the existing ones. From here, you can regulate the number of pages your resume website should have.
• The editing toolkit automatically appears in each section. It allows you to customize background image modes, move the section up or down, replace or duplicate the section, etc.

Note! Anytime you add a new page to your website, add metadata . This crucial SEO component will help search engines show your page to the audience interested in your niche.

Play With Text Style and Colors

Usually, san-serif fonts are considered the most suitable for a professional website. Regarding colors, some neutral ones, like gray or black, are usually considered more professional than bright or neon shadows. You can change fonts and colors from the left-side menu in the editing dashboard.

• Texts : Change the text size and choose between many font pairings. Once you click on any text style, your whole website will be instantly updated to reflect your choice.
• Colors : Choose a consistent color palette for your website from the suggested options. Choose any preset to see how your page sections change their colors and shadows.
• Styles : Change the corner radius of your website’s components and the page layout’s top and bottom paddings.

Add Your Unique Content

The content editing function allows you to upload images and videos from your device and modify texts.

The rule of thumb is to avoid overcrowding the page with too many images and text. Renderforest’s resume website templates initially set the right balance between texting and visual sections, so you can use the by default template sections.

You can edit the texts and visuals by clicking on the corresponding items. Each textbox has its word limit to help you identify whether the texts are too brief or lengthy.

Add Widgets

Add any widgets to your resume website – quick options to contact you or follow you on social media. Choose “ Widgets ” from the sidebar to choose between available options.

Invite Collaborators

Invite others to join your editing dashboard whenever you need anyone to review your resume website or submit feedback. Add as many collaborators as you need and grant them edit access with one click. Any change made by collaborators will be visible on your resume website draft.

2. Choose the Domain Name

The domain name is your website’s URL address. It must be short and professional, usually in the [namesurname.com] format.

Renderforest provides you with two options for choosing a domain name.

• Use Renderforest’s free subdomain: www.[your preferred name].renderforest.com
• Buy a custom domain www . [your preferred name].[your preferred TLD like .com, .net, etc]

Basically, the choice is yours. In either case, it’s crucial to have your name, surname or both in the domain. From the costs perspective, you’ll save money and get free of technical hassles like registering your custom domain in the domain directory, setting up the DNS record, etc, if you choose the first option.

To use Renderforest’s free subdomain , head to Settings -> Domain inside your chosen template’s editing dashboard. Edit your free subdomain and press Save to finalize the changes.

If you prefer a custom domain name, you need to look for your preferred name’s availability in domain registrars or buy it through Renderforest. In the domain search box, see if your website name is available and its price.  

In case you already have a custom domain, connect it with a few clicks using the Renderforest DNS system. Press “ Preview ” to see how your chosen domain name looks on the final version of your website.

3. Choose a Hosting Platform 

A hosting platform is a server where all your website files are located and thanks to which potential employers can access your resume website. This step is required only if you have a custom domain attached to Renderforest. If you choose Renderforest’s subdomain, the hosting platform will be automatically provided to you.

If you choose a custom domain, you can buy a hosting and domain name from the same company or the domain name from one provider and the hosting service from another.

Note : Many domain registrars automatically include hosting services in their domain packages. That’s a good opportunity to lower the website maintenance costs, so try to pick domain registrars with this option included.

Check Forbes’s overview of 2023’s best hosting providers to make a good choice.

4. Add Marketing Integrations

Are you planning to promote your resume website with some marketing efforts? Or maybe you plan to track and analyze your website rankings and organic traffic. Renderforest allows you to add marketing automation tools for website analytics, SEO, and others to help your website become discoverable.

Renderforest’s free package lets you connect your portfolio website to the SEMrush keyword tool . With this integration, you can find the right keywords used to search for your services and optimize your resume website content accordingly. Try to include SEMrush’s suggested keywords in your web page content – title, meta title, and sub-sections.

Head to Settings and choose Marketing Integrations from the menu to add the necessary tools.

You can also add Facebook Pixel to collect and track data from your Facebook ads. This is useful if you plan to promote your resume website and professional services through Facebook.

For more advanced analytics of your website’s performance, you can connect Google Analytics, Google AdSense and Google Tag Manager in the Renderforest’s upgraded plan.

Upgrade Now

5. Add Payment Options

If you want to directly sell some services or products through your resume website, add payment options from the menu. You can add PayPal integration to enable customers to pay via credit or debit cards without leaving your website. 

To do that:

• Create a PayPal account if you don’t already have one.
• Add your PayPal email and account details (to direct payments to the correct account) 
• Set the type of button you want to use on your website: “pay” or “donate”

The PayPal integration is located in the Components menu on the Settings page .

6. Define the Language of Your Resume Website

Depending on which country jobs you want to apply for, Renderforest allows you to change your website language. To do that, choose the “ Primary Language ” from the “ Languages ” section.

There is also a premium feature to create multiple versions of your website for different languages. Upgrade to a higher plan to go beyond the local language and make your website accessible to people all around the world (or at least your target nationalities).

To set up a multilingual website, go to the Settings > Language menu and choose the language you want to add in the “ Seconadry languages ” section.

7. Preview/Publish Your CV Website

It’s a must to take a sneak peek at how your resume website will look when published. Some minor details and typos are lost in the draft version, but clearly visible at the preview stage. Click the Preview button from the top panel to see your website’s final look.

The preview mode allows you to check your website’s appearance on different devices so you ensure your resume website is mobile-friendly. Preview mode also allows you to interact with buttons and navigate between different pages and sections to test the user experience.

Click the Publish button whenever you like the final version and feel it’s time to publicize your resume website. After you hit Publish , Renderforest will provide you with the unique URL for your CV website so you can share it with potential clients.

That’s it. 

Congratulations! You have just created a professional resume website with Renderforest that promises to bring you closer to new job opportunities. 

Now keep it fresh by adding new content and press Publish from time to time. 

Final Words

The competition in the job market is tough, but you can stand out with the help of a professional resume website. While one-page printed resume documents were the previous go-to for job seekers, dynamic resume websites are now a popular trend.

Nothing holds you back from having a professional resume website with attractive design and custom content. With modern website-building tools like Renderforest , the half-job is done. All that’s left to you is to decide on the content, customize your website and start applying for your dream job.

Now that you know how to make a resume website from scratch with no coding skills, get ready to shine in the job market and make your online presence more attractive. Good luck!

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How to Make a Resume in 2024 | Beginner's Guide

For most job-seekers, a good resume is what stands between a dream job and Choice D. Get your resume right, and you’ll be getting replies from every other company you apply to.

If your resume game is weak, though, you’ll end up sitting around for weeks, maybe even months, before you even get a single response.

So you’re probably wondering how you can write a resume that gets you an interview straight up.

Well, you’ve come to the right place!

In this guide, we’re going to teach you everything you need to know about how to make a resume, including:

• The 8 Essential Steps to Writing a Resume
• 11+ Exclusive Resume Tips to Up Your Resume Game
• 27+ Real-Life Resume Examples for Different Professions

….and more!

So, let’s dive right in.

How to Make a Resume (The Right Way!)

Before we go into detail about how you should make a resume, here’s a summary of the most important steps and tips to keep in mind:

• Choose a resume format carefully. In 99% of cases, we recommend the reverse-chronological format .
• Add the right contact details. Leave your headshot out and make sure to include your job title , a professional email address, and any relevant links. (E.g.: your LinkedIn profile , online portfolio, personal website, etc.).
• Write an impactful resume summary. Unless you’re an entry-level professional, always go for a resume summary. If you do it right, it’s your chance to get the hiring manager to go through the rest of your resume in detail.
• Pay attention to your work experience section. Take your work experience section from OK-ish to exceptional by tailoring it to the job ad, making your achievements quantifiable, and using action verbs and power words.
• Add the right skills for the job. Keep this section relevant by only including the hard and soft skills that are required for the position.
• Keep your education short and to the point. Your most recent and highest degree is more than enough for a strong education section. You only need to add more details here if you’re a recent graduate with barely any work experience.
• Leverage optional resume sections. Optional sections like languages, hobbies, certifications, independent projects, and others can set you apart from other candidates with similar skills and experience.
• Include a cover letter. That’s right, cover letters matter in 2024, and the best way to supplement your resume is by adding an equally well-crafted cover letter to your job application. To make the most of it, check out our detailed guide on how to write a cover letter .

To get the most out of our tips, you can head over to the resume builder and start building your resume on the go as you read this guide.

New to resume-making? Give our ‘7 Resume Tips’ video a watch before diving into the article!

#1. Pick the Right Resume Format

Before you start filling in the contents of your resume, you have to make sure it’s going to look good. 

After all, the first thing hiring managers notice is what your resume looks like, and then they start reading it. So, this is your best chance to make a great first impression.

Start by choosing the right resume format.

There are three types of resume formats out there:

• Reverse-chronological. This is by far the most popular resume format worldwide and, as such, it’s the best format for most job-seekers.
• Functional. This resume format focuses more on skills than work experience. It’s a good choice if you’re just getting started with your career and have little to no experience in the field.
• Combination. The combination resume format is a great choice for experienced job-seekers with a very diverse skill set. It’s useful if you’re applying for a role that requires expertise in several different fields and you want to show all that in your resume.

So, which one should you go for?

In 99% of cases, you want to stick to the reverse-chronological resume format . It’s the most popular format and what hiring managers expect to see. So, in the rest of this guide, we’re going to focus on teaching you how to make a reverse-chronological resume.

Fix Your Resume’s Layout

With formatting out of the way, let’s talk about your resume’s layout , which determines the overall look of your resume. 

Does it look organized or cluttered? Is it too short or too long? Is it boring and easy to ignore, or is it reader-friendly and attention-grabbing?

Here are some of the best practices you should apply:

• Stick to one page. You should only go for a two-page resume if you have decades of experience and you’re sure the extra space will add significant value. Hiring managers in big companies get hundreds of applications per job opening. They’re not going to spend their valuable time reading your life story!
• Add clear section headings. Pick a heading and use it for all the section headers so the hiring manager can easily navigate through your resume.
• Adjust the margins. Without the right amount of white space, your resume will end up looking overcrowded with information. Set your margins to one inch on all sides so your text fits just right on the page.
• Choose a professional font. We’d recommend sticking to a font that’s professional but not overused. For example, Ubuntu, Roboto, or Overpass. Avoid Times New Roman, and never use Comic Sans.
• Set the correct font size. As a rule of thumb, go for 11-12 pt for normal text and 14-16 pt for section titles.
• Use a PDF file. Always save your resume as a PDF file, unless the employer specifically requests otherwise. Word files are popular, but there’s a good chance they’ll mess up your resume’s formatting.

Another thing you need to consider in terms of your resume’s layout is whether you’re going for a traditional-looking resume template or something a bit more modern :

If you’re pursuing a career in a more traditional industry, like law , banking , or finance , you might want to stick to the first.

But if you’re applying to a tech company where imagination and innovation are valued, you can pick a more creative resume template .

Want to Save Time? Use a (Free) Resume Template

Anyone who’s ever tried creating a resume from scratch knows how boring the formatting can be.

Before you can even start filling in the contents, you need to tweak the margins, adjust font sizes, and make sure everything fits into one page while still looking good.

What if you could skip past all that and still create a compelling resume?

Try one of our free resume templates . They’re pre-formatted, so all you have to do is fill in the contents.

They’re also created in collaboration with recruiters from around the globe, ensuring that the templates are visually appealing and ATS-friendly!

See for yourself how one of our templates compares to a resume created in a standard text editor:

#2. Add Your Contact Information

Now that we’ve got all the formatting out of the way, let’s get into what your resume is all about— the information you put on it .

The first thing you want to do when filling out the contents of your resume is to add your contact information .

This section is pretty straightforward but crucial. Your contact details belong at the top of your resume in a designated resume header , so the hiring manager can easily find them.

Even if everything else about your resume is perfect, that all flops if you misspell your email address or have a typo in your phone number. If the hiring manager can’t contact you, it’s a missed opportunity.

So, double-check, and even triple-check your contact information section and make sure everything is factually correct and up-to-date.

Must-Have Information

• Full name. Your first and last name should stand out at the top of your resume.
• Email address. Stick to an address that’s professional and easy to spell, like a combination of your first and last name. (E.g.: [email protected])
• Phone number. Add a reliable number where the hiring manager can easily reach you.
• Location. Add your city and state/country. If you plan to relocate for the job or want a remote position, specify it on your resume.

Optional Information

• Job title. Add your professional title underneath. Write it down word for word, whether it’s “Digital Marketing Specialist” or “Junior Data Scientist.” Just don’t make up job titles like “Marketing Wizzard” or “Data Manipulator.” They’re not quirky; they’re just unprofessional. 
• LinkedIn profile . We recommend that you include a link to your updated LinkedIn profile since over 77% of hiring managers use the platform when evaluating a candidate. 
• Relevant links. Include links to personal websites or any social media profiles that are relevant to your field. For example, a developer could include a Github profile, while a graphic designer could link their Behance or Driblle account, and so on.
• Date of birth. Unless this is specifically required in the job ad, the hiring manager doesn’t need to know how old you are. It’s not important for their decision-making, and at worst, it might lead to age-based discrimination.
• Unprofessional email address. Your quirky, old high school email address doesn’t belong on your resume. Instead of [email protected] , go for a [email protected] type of address.
• Headshot. (USA, UK or Ireland) Depending on the country where you’re applying, it might even be illegal to include a picture of yourself on your resume . While it’s the norm to include a picture in most of Europe and Asia, always check the regulations for each specific country or industry you’re applying to.

All clear? Good! Now, let’s look at what a great example of a resume's contact information section looks like:

#3. Write a Resume Headline (Summary or Objective)

It's no secret that recruiters spend an average of less than seven seconds on a resume .

When you receive hundreds, if not thousands, of applications daily, it's physically impossible to spend too much time on each.

So, what the hiring managers do to go through resumes more effectively is to skim through each resume and read it in depth only if it piques their interest.

This is where the resume headline comes in.

Placed right next to (or underneath) your contact information, this brief paragraph is the first thing the hiring manager is going to read on your resume.

Now, depending on how far along in your career you are, your resume headline can be either a resume summary or a resume objective.

So, how do you choose between a resume summary and a resume objective? Here’s all you need to know:

Resume Summary

A resume summary, as the name suggests, is a two to three-sentence summary of your career so far. If done right, it shows that you’re a qualified candidate at a glance and gets the hiring manager to give you a chance.

Here’s what your resume summary should include:

• Your job title and years of experience.
• A couple of your greatest professional achievements or core responsibilities.
• Your most relevant skills for the job.

Here’s an example of a well-written resume summary: 

Experienced Java Developer with 5 years of experience in building scalable and efficient applications. Contributed to a major project that enhanced application performance by 25%. Strong background in Spring Framework and microservices. Aiming to apply robust coding skills to develop innovative software solutions at XYZ Tech Solutions.

Unless you’re a recent graduate or amid a career change, we recommend you stick to a resume summary. Otherwise, a resume objective might be a better option for you.

Resume Objective

A resume objective is supposed to express your professional goals and aspirations, academic background, and any relevant skills you may have for the job.

It communicates your motivation for getting into a new field, so it’s the go-to headline for recent graduates and those going through a career change. As with a resume summary, a resume objective should be brief—around two to four sentences long.

So, here’s what it would look like if you’re a student:

Hard-working recent graduate with a B.A. in Graphic Design from New York State University seeking new opportunities. 3+ years of practical experience working with Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, creating illustrations and UX/UI design projects. Looking to grow as a designer and perfect my art at XYZ Design Studio.

Or, on the other hand, if you’re going through a career change, it might look more like this:

IT project manager with 5+ years of experience in software development. Managed a team of developers to create products for several industries, such as FinTech and HR tech. Looking to leverage my experience in managing outsourced products as a Product Owner at Company XYZ.

#4. Prioritize Your Work Experience

The most important part of your resume is your work experience.

This is where you get to sell yourself and show off your previous accomplishments and responsibilities.

If you manage to master this section, you’ll know most of what’s there to know about how to make a resume.

There are plenty of good practices for writing your work experience . But before we dive into all the nits and grits, let's start with the basics.

The standard format for each work experience entry is as follows:

• Job title/position. Your job title goes on top of each work experience entry. When the hiring manager looks at your resume, you want them to know, at a glance, that you have relevant work experience for the job.
• Company name/location/description. Mention the name of the employer and the general location, such as the city and state/country where you worked. In some cases, you may also want to briefly describe the company, like when the organization isn’t particularly well-known.
• Dates employed. Add the approximate timeframe of your employment at each company. You don’t need to give exact dates since the standard format for this is mm/yyyy.
• Achievements and responsibilities. This is the core of each work experience entry. Depending on your field, you want to list either your achievements or responsibilities. List them in bullet points instead of paragraphs, so they’ll be easier to read.

Here’s a real-life example:

Your work experience entries should always be listed in reverse chronological order , starting with your most recent job and working your way back into the past.

Now that you know how to list your experience, we’re going to show you how to write about it in a way that makes you stand out from the competition, starting with: 

Are you a student with no work experience? We’ve got you covered. Check out our guide to writing a resume with no experience here.

Focus on Achievements Whenever Possible

One of the most common resume mistakes is only listing responsibilities in your work experience section.

Here’s the thing—in most cases, the hiring manager knows exactly what your job responsibilities are.

For example, if you’re a sales manager, your responsibilities would be:

• Reach out to potential clients over the phone or email.
• Maintain relationships with existing company clients and upsell relevant products.
• Tracking and reporting on leads in CRM.

Coincidentally, this is also the same list of responsibilities for every sales manager out there. So, 90% of all other resumes probably mention the same thing.

To stand out from the competition, you want to focus on writing achievements in your resume instead. These can be how you helped your previous company grow, reach quarterly quotas, and so on.

Let’s compare how responsibilities hold up next to achievements for the same job:

• Exceeded sales team KPIs by 30%+ for 3 months straight.
• Generated over $24,000 in sales in 1 month.
• Generated leads through cold-calling
• Managed existing company clients

Keep in mind, though, that in some fields, there just aren’t that many achievements you can mention. Let’s say you’re a warehouse worker .

Your day-to-day responsibilities probably include:

• Loading, unloading, and setting up equipment daily.
• Packaging finished products and getting them ready for shipping.
• Assisting in opening and closing the warehouse.

In fields like this, it’s pretty hard to distinguish yourself through achievements, so it’s okay to stick to responsibilities instead. You can still make them shine by following the rest of our advice about listing your work experience.

Keep in mind, though, that in some fields, there aren’t that many achievements you can mention. Let’s say you work in a warehouse. Your day-to-day responsibilities probably involve:

• Loading, unloading and setting up equipment on a daily basis.
• Package finished product and get it ready for shipping.
• Assist in opening and closing the warehouse.

In such fields, it’s pretty hard to distinguish yourself, so it’s totally OK to stick to responsibilities instead.

Tailor Your Resume to the Job

Tailoring is what sets an amazing resume apart from an okay one.

Hiring managers don’t need to know about every single job you’ve ever worked at or every single skill that you have.

They only want to know about your jobs, experiences, or skills that are relevant to the role you’re applying for.

For example, if you’re applying for a job doing Google Ads, you don’t need to talk about your SEO internship from eight years ago.

By focusing your resume on whatever is important for the specific role, you’re a lot more likely to stand out and catch the hiring manager’s attention.

Let’s take a look at an example of a job ad:

As you can see, we’ve highlighted the most important requirements.

To tailor your resume accordingly, you just need to mention how you meet each of these requirements in your resume.

You can highlight your relevant achievements and qualifications in different parts of your resume, such as:

• In your resume summary, where you should recap your years of experience.
• Throughout your work experience section, where you should list achievements and responsibilities that reflect your social media marketing experience.
• In your education section, where you can let the hiring manager know you have the degree that they’re looking for.

Include the Right Amount of Work Experience

If you’ve got over a decade’s worth of work experience, you’re probably wondering whether all of it belongs on your resume. In most cases, you’d end up writing a novel if you listed everything you’ve ever done, and that’s not how long a resume should be .

If you’re new to the job market, on the other hand, you probably don’t have any experience, and you’re wondering what you could even add to this section.

So, here’s how much information your resume should include, depending on your level of experience:

• No experience. If you’re looking for your first job , you won’t have any work experience to fill this section with. So, you can either keep it empty and focus on all the other sections or fill it up with any experience gained in student organizations, extracurricular activities, volunteering, and other projects.
• Entry-level. List all your work experience so far. While some of it won’t be relevant, it can still show the hiring manager that you do have some actual work experience.
• Mid-level. Only mention relevant work experience to the position you’re applying for. There’s no need to waste space on jobs that aren’t related to what you’re after.
• Senior-level. List up to 15 years of relevant work experience, tops. If your most recent experience is as a marketing executive , the hiring manager doesn’t care how you started your career as a junior marketing specialist 23 years ago.

Consider Applicant Tracking System (ATS) Software

Did you know that over 70% of resumes don’t even make it to the hiring manager ?

Most companies these days use ATS to evaluate hundreds of resumes instantaneously and automatically filter out the ones that don’t meet their criteria.

For example, if a resume doesn’t mention a specific skill or isn’t formatted correctly, the ATS will automatically reject it.

Fortunately, there are some easy ways to make an ATS-friendly resume .

Here are a couple of tips to help you get past those pesky robots:

• Stick to one page. Sometimes employers set a limit on how long a resume should be. This means that if your resume is longer than one page, it might get automatically disqualified.
• Incorporate keywords. Tailoring your resume to the job helps a ton with beating the ATS. Just carefully read the job description to find hints for what the ATS will be looking for. Then, whenever you find keywords related to your responsibilities and achievements, make sure to include them in your work experience section.
• Use an active voice. Passive voice is too vague and unclear, so make sure to use active voice as much as possible when describing your previous jobs. (E.g.: “Managed a team of ten people,” instead of “ A team of ten people was managed by me.” )
• Leverage powerful action words. Instead of starting each of your sentences with “was responsible for," make your work experience impactful by using words that can grab attention. Saying that you “spearheaded” or “facilitated” something sounds a lot more impressive than “helped.”

Want to make sure your resume formatting passes the ATS test? Choose one of our tried and tested ATS-friendly resume templates , and you’ll be good to go! 

#5. List Your Education

The next section on your resume is dedicated to your academic qualifications. Let’s start with the basics!

Here’s how you should format the education section on your resume :

• Program Name. Your major and degree type should be listed. (E.g.: “B.A. in Business Administration” )
• University Name. Add the name of the institution. (E.g.: “New York State University” )
• Dates Attended. Use a mm/yyyy format for the dates you attended. (E.g.: “08/2008 - 06/2012” )
• Location. If your university is less well-known, you can also add the location. (E.g.: “Stockholm, Sweden” )
• GPA. Use the appropriate grading system for the country you’re applying to work in. (E.g.: In the USA, it would be “3.9 GPA” )
• Honors. Add any honors and distinctions you’ve been given. (E.g.: Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, Summa Cum Laude )
• Achievements. You can mention interesting papers you’ve written, projects you’ve done, or relevant coursework you’ve excelled in.
• Minor. “Minor in Psychology”

Pretty simple, right? Now let’s see what an education section looks like in practice:

This example includes all the necessary information, plus an eye-catching award and relevant classes this candidate has taken.

Resume Education Tips

Now that you know how to list your education on your resume, let’s take this section to the next level.

Just follow these expert tips:

• If you’re making a resume as a student and don’t have any work experience yet, you can list your education section at the beginning of the page instead of work experience.
• You can add your expected graduation date if you’re still pursuing your degree.
• If you already have relevant work experience, just keep this section short and sweet. Recent graduates can expand on their education more and add optional information like projects, classes, academic achievements, etc.
• Always list your degrees in reverse chronological order, starting with your highest degree on top. Your highest and most recent degree is usually enough, so if you have a Master’s degree that’s relevant to the job, there’s no need to mention your earlier degrees.
• Don’t add your high school degree to your resume if you already have a university degree. It doesn’t have as much weight, and you can use the space for something else.
• Only mention your GPA if you had an impressive academic career. Anything below a 3.5 GPA doesn’t need to be on your resume.

Are you in the process of applying for college? Check out our guide to writing a college application resume to wow that admissions officer!

#6. Emphasize Your Know-How in the Skills Section

After your work experience, your skills are the first thing the hiring manager is going to look for. In fact, together, work experience and skills make up 90% of the hiring decision .

So, this is the place where you want to mention all the know-how that makes you the perfect candidate for the job.

There are two types of skills you can include when writing your resume:

• Hard Skills. These are measurable abilities. What you can list here can be anything from coding in Python to knowing how to cook Thai cuisine.
• Soft Skills. Also known as personal skills, these are a mix of communication skills , personal traits, career attributes, and more. They can include leadership, critical thinking, and time management , just to name a few.

Your resume should always cover both hard skills and soft skills . Here’s an example in action:

Now, let’s discuss how you should list your most important skills on your resume.

There are a few essential steps you need to follow:

Always List Hard and Soft Skills Separately

Your resume should be easy and neat to navigate. The hiring manager shouldn’t have to waste time looking for a specific skill because you didn’t separate it into the appropriate subsection.

So, just create separate categories for your hard and soft skills.

Depending on your field, you could customize the name of your “hard skills” subsection to something like “technical skills," “marketing skills," or something else related to your field.

Let’s look at an example of what skills look like on a project manager’s resume :

Methodologies & Tools

• Agile Methodology
• SCRUM Framework
• Waterfall Project Management
• Microsoft Project
• Critical Path Method (CPM)
• Earned Value Management (EVM)
• Risk Management

Soft Skills

• Team Management
• Conflict Resolution
• Negotiation

Tailor Your Skills to the Job

You might have some awesome skills, but the hiring manager only needs to know about the ones that are relevant to the job.

For example, if you’re applying for a job as an accountant, your gourmet chef skills shouldn’t be on your resume.

Look at the job ad and list at least two to three essential skills you have that are required for the role. Remember—there’s no need to list every skill you have here; just keep it relevant.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Graphic Design or a related field.
• Tech-savvy, with some background in CMS systems such as WordPress.
• Thrives in a stressful environment and juggles multiple tasks and deadlines.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Self-reliant, with the ability to manage their own work.
• A can-do attitude and an outside-the-box thinker.
• Proficient in Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Keynote, and Pages.
• Basic understanding of Office software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

So, the must-have hard skills here are Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Keynote, and Pages. Other good computer skills to have are WordPress or similar CMS systems.

While you can also mention Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, it’s pretty much assumed that you know how to use them since they’re required for most office jobs.

List Hard Skills with Experience Levels

For each hard skill you list on your resume, you should also mention your proficiency level. This tells employers what they can expect from you and how much training you might need.

• Beginner. You have some experience with the skill, whether it’s from some entry-level practice or classroom education.
• Intermediate. You’ve used the skill in a work environment with good understanding.
• Advanced. You’re the go-to person for this skill in your office. You can coach other employees, and you understand the skill at a high level.
• Expert. You’ve applied this skill to more than a handful of different projects and organizations. You’re the go-to person for advice about the skill, not just in your office but even amongst some of the best professionals in your field.

Just make sure to never lie about your actual skill level. Even if you get the job, once you need those skills you exaggerated, it will be pretty awkward for both you and your employer.

Include Transferable Skills

These are the types of skills that are useful for almost any job out there.

Transferable skills can be both soft skills (e.g.: teamwork, creativity, problem-solving skills, and others) and hard skills (MS Office Suite, HTML, writing, etc.)

Whatever job you’re applying to, chances are you have transferable skills from your experience that can come in handy one way or another. So, feel free to include them, even if they’re not specifically required for the position.

Not sure which skills to mention on your resume for your specific field? Check out our list of 101+ essential skills for inspiration!

#7. Leverage Optional Resume Sections

The sections we’ve covered so far are must-haves for any resume. They’re the bread-and-butter for any job application, and if you get them right, you’ll land any job you apply to.

But if you have some leftover space, there are a few optional sections you can choose from to give your resume a boost!

Are you bi-lingual? Or even better  – multi-lingual? You should always mention that on your resume!

Even if the position doesn’t require you to know a specific language, it can still come in handy at some point. At the end of the day, it’s always better to know more languages than less.

To list languages in your resume , just write them down and assign them the appropriate level:

• Intermediate

You can also use the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL) or the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency scales.

As a given, you should never lie about your language skills. You never know—your interviewer might turn out to be fluent in the language or even be a native speaker!

Hobbies and Interests

If you want to spice up your resume, hobbies and interests could be just what you need.

While this section isn’t a game-changer, it can help the hiring manager see who you are as an individual.

For example, if you listed “teamwork” as one of your skills, hobbies like team sports can back up your claim.

And who knows? Maybe you and your interviewer have some hobbies or interests in common!

Volunteering Experience

If you’re the type of person who devotes their free time to helping others while expecting nothing in return, chances are that you’re the type of employee who’s in it for more than just the money. 

Seeing volunteer experience on your resume tells hiring managers that you’re a loyal employee who’s after something meaningful.

Several studies show that listing your volunteer experience can boost your chances of getting hired, especially if you have little to no work experience.

Certifications

Hiring managers love candidates who invest in themselves, and that’s exactly what they see when you list certifications on your resume .

If you value continuous learning and strive to expand your skill set, that’s always a plus.

Certifications can also show employers how much expertise you have.

For example, if you’re a Microsoft Cloud Engineer and you specialize in Microsoft Technologies, you should definitely include all essential certifications on your resume, such as the Azure Solutions Architect Expert one.

Awards and Recognitions

There’s no harm in showing off a little on your resume. After all, you want to be a candidate that shines above the rest.

So, if you’ve received any awards or recognitions that make you stand out in your field, make sure to add them.

For example, if you’ve been recognized for your contributions to data science or received a hard-to-come-by scholarship , mention it in your resume. Just keep your entries here relevant to the field you’re applying to.

Publications

Whether you’re a freelance writer or a distinguished academic, publications are always impressive.

If you have any published works (online or in an academic journal), you can add them to your resume. Just make sure to include a link so the hiring manager knows where to check your work!

Are you looking for a career in academia? Check out our guide to writing the perfect academic CV to get started!

Working on side projects can show off your passion for your field. Whether they’re university class projects or part-time entrepreneurial endeavors, they’re relevant.

For example, if you worked on a mock software product as part of a university competition, it shows you went through every step of product creation, from ideation to creating a marketing strategy.

This project also shows off your organizational skills , and if you mention it in your resume, you stand a better chance of landing the job you had your sights set on.

But projects can also be personal, not academic. For example, you might manage an Etsy store where you sell hand-made arts and crafts to customers online. This is a great opportunity to highlight your creativity, management, and customer service skills .

Overall, hiring managers love employees who do cool work in their free time, so projects are always a great section to add to your resume.

Looking to kickstart your career? Check out our guide on how to get an internship for useful tips and real-life examples!

Extracurricular Activities

Every college freshman knows that extracurricular experience can make a difference in their application.

Especially if you don’t have a lot of experience outside of school, extracurricular activities are a great way to show potential employers your skills and give them insight into you as a person. Different clubs and after-school projects can help you gain real-life skills and considerably increase your chances of landing your first job after college.

For example, joining a student government organization can hone your leadership skills and teach you how to work as part of a team.

For example, if you’re part of a student government or public speaking club, these activities can help you hone your leadership and presentation skills.

11+ Expert Resume Tips

You’ve got the gist of how to make a resume. Now, it’s time to make it really stand out from the crowd!

Follow these exclusive resume tips to take your resume game to the next level:

• Match the professional title underneath your name to the job title of the position you’re applying for. Hiring managers often hire for several roles at once, so giving them this cue about what role you’re after helps things go smoother.
• Mention any promotions from your previous jobs. Use the work experience entries for them to focus on the achievements that helped you earn them.
• Describe your achievements using Laszlo Bock’s formula : accomplished X as measured by Y by doing Z . This way, your work experience can go the extra mile and show the hiring manager what you can bring to the table.
• Always list your achievements and responsibilities in concise bullet points. This makes your resume more reader-friendly, and it’s more likely that the hiring manager will see your impressive achievements at a glance.
• Don’t use personal pronouns like “I” or “me,” and don’t refer to yourself by name. Stick to a slightly altered third person, like “managed data integrity at XYZ Inc.” instead of “he managed data integrity at XYZ Inc.”
• Name your resume sections correctly, or it might get rejected by the ATS. Swapping out quirky names like “career history” or “expertise” for “work experience” and "skills" makes it easier for the hiring manager to find what they’re looking for, too.
• Prioritize important keywords instead of adding all of them. Make sure the relevant skills, qualifications, and experiences you add all make sense in context, too. Your goal is to get past the ATS and impress the hiring manager.
• Focus on transferable skills if you don’t have a lot of relevant work experience. Any extracurricular activities or personal projects can help you stand out here.
• Add a strategic pop of color to headings, bullet points, or key elements you want to highlight. It can help your resume stand out, but don’t overdo it—you want the information to be more impressive than the color palette.
• Don’t include the line “references available upon request.” Hiring managers already know they can request a list of references from you, so there’s no need to waste valuable space on it.
• Make sure your resume is optimized for mobile viewing. Most hiring managers use their mobile phones as often as desktop computers, so save your resume to a PDF file and make sure your formatting stays intact across any device.
• Rename the resume file you plan to send so it includes your name and the name of the position you’re applying for. It’s a small detail that can turn into a crucial mistake if you forget it.
• Read your resume out loud when you’re done. This is a great way to catch awkward phrases or spelling mistakes you might have missed otherwise.
• Use a tool like DocSend to track your resume. You’ll get a notification any time someone opens your resume, and you can see how long they spend reading it.

FREE Resume Checklist

Are you already done with your resume? Let’s see how it holds up!

Go through our checklist for perfecting your resume and see where you stand!

If you missed some points, just go through your resume one more time and perfect it.

And if you ☑’d everything—congrats! You’ve learned all there is to know about writing a resume, and you’re good to go with your job search.

Need to write a CV instead of a resume? Check out our step-by-step guide on how to write a CV with dozens of examples!

9 Resume Templates for Different Industries

Looking to create an effective resume without dealing with the formatting hassle? Just choose one of the templates below.

#1. Traditional Resume Template

Good for traditional industries like finance, banking, law, and manufacturing.

#2. Modern Resume Template

Good for both contemporary and forward-looking industries, including entrepreneurship, medical technology, and engineering.

#3. Creative Resume Template

Good for creative industries, including entertainment, design, and architecture. 

#4. Minimalistic Resume Template

Good for experienced professionals in basically any industry who want to let their achievements do the talking. 

#5. IT Resume Template

Good for any IT-related profession like software development, cyber security, and DevOps engineering.

#6. Tech Resume Template

Good for the tech industry and everything it encompasses.

#7. College Resume Template

Good for college students and recent graduates alike.

#8. General Resume Template

Good for multiple industries, including HR, education, and customer service.

#9. Executive Resume Template

Good for senior professionals across different industries, including hospitality, marketing, and logistics.

17+ Resumes for Different Jobs

Knowing how to write a resume is one thing, but making a resume that stands out is something entirely different. Without inspiration, even top career experts might stumble on a roadblock or two.

Check out the following effective resume examples for specific jobs to get a better sense of what a good resume looks like:

#1. Nurse Practitioner Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a nurse resume here.

#2. Data Scientist Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a data scientist resume here.

#3. Business Analyst Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a business analyst resume here.

#4. Digital Marketing Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a digital marketing resume here.

#5. Software Engineer Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a software engineer resume here.

#6. Construction Project Manager Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a construction project manager resume here.

#7. Customer Service Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a customer service resume here.

#8. High School Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a high school resume here.

#9. Student Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a student resume here.

#10. Server Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a server resume here.

#11. Actor Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing an actor resume here.

#12. Web Developer Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a web developer resume here.

#13. Engineering Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing an engineering resume here.

#14. Computer Science Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a computer science resume here.

#15. Architect Resume Example 

Check out our full guide to writing a data analyst resume here.

#17. Remote Job Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a remote job resume here.

#18. Sales Associate Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a sales associate resume here.

#19. Receptionist Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a receptionist resume here.

Want to see more examples? Check out our compilation of 80+ resume examples for different fields .

• Administrative Assistant Resume
• Bartender Resume
• DevOps Engineer Resume
• Executive Assistant Resume
• Flight Attendant Resume
• Graphic Designer Resume
• Paralegal Resume
• Pharmacist Resume
• Recruiter Resume
• Supervisor Resume

Next Steps After Your Resume

Now that we’ve covered everything you need to know about how to make a resume, it’s time to talk about the rest of your job application.

After all, your resume is only the first step in your job search. To land the job you deserve, you also need to write a captivating cover letter and ace that upcoming interview. Here’s how:

#1. How to Write a Convincing Cover Letter

The companion piece to every resume is the cover letter.

Most job-seekers flinch when they hear that they have to write a cover letter. What do you even mention in a cover letter, anyway? If you were good at writing cover letters, you’d be applying for a job as a writer !

In reality, though, writing a cover letter is very simple once you know its purpose.

Think of your cover letter as a direct message to the hiring manager. It’s your chance to briefly explain why you’re such an awesome fit for the position. And with a few cover letter tips to point you in the right direction, you’ll write the perfect cover letter for your job application.

Just follow this structure:

• Add the contact details. Include the same contact information as on your resume, plus additional contact details for the hiring manager, including their name, job title, the company’s name, and location.
• Introduce yourself. Start your cover letter by mentioning who you are, what your work experience is, and why you’re interested in the position. Mention a standout achievement or two, relevant skills, and what you’d like to do for the company you’re applying for.
• Explain why you’d excel at the job. Find the requirements in the job ad that you meet, and elaborate on how you fulfill the most important ones. Research the company so you know what you like about it, and mention it in your cover letter. Make sure to convey your enthusiasm for the job and confidence that you’ll be a great fit for their team.
• Wrap it up politely. Conclude your cover letter by recapping your key selling points and thanking the hiring manager for their time. Then add a call to action, such as “Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at the provided phone number so that we can discuss my application in greater detail.” Then, add a closing line and follow it with your full name.

Sounds easy, right? Here’s a real-life example to drive the point home:

Do you need more help perfecting your cover letter? Learn what the most common cover letter mistakes are and check out cover letter examples for all professions here.

#2. How to Ace Your Next Interview

Once you’ve perfected both your resume and cover letter, there’s only one thing left.

It’s time for the final step—the dreaded job interview.

Whether you’re an extrovert or an introvert, you probably hate the interviewing process. No matter how experienced you are, it can be nerve-wracking. Sitting there while someone’s prodding into your past experiences and judging you isn’t fun.

But did you know that most interviewers ask the same questions?

That’s right—all you have to do is learn how to answer some of the most common interview questions, and you’ll be an interview away from landing your dream job!

Just check out our complete guide to the 35+ Job Interview Questions and Answers and learn how to ace your next interview.

FAQs on How to Make a Resume

Do you still have some questions about making a resume? Check out the answers to the most frequently asked questions below!

#1. What does a good resume look like in 2024?

For your resume to look good in 2024, make sure it’s organized and clean and isn’t longer than one page.

Be sure to include information that adds value to your application—leave out the focus on your relevant work experience and skills that you can back up, and list as many achievements as possible. 

If you’re using a resume template, choose one based on your industry. Conservative industries like law, banking, and business require more traditional resume templates. But if you’re going for an industry like design, architecture, or marketing, you can go for a creative resume template . 

Remote work is also big in 2024, so if that’s what you’re after, tailor your resume to match the job you want.

#2. How do you make a resume in Word?

The best way to create a resume in Word is to use a pre-designed Microsoft Word template. To access them, you should: 

• Open MS Word
• Click “file” from the menu bar 
• Select “new”
• Type “resume templates” in the search bar 

That said, Word resume templates are generic, hard to personalize, and overall not very stylish.

Want a resume that looks good and is extremely easy to make? Check out resume templates to get started!

#3. How do I write a resume for my first job?

If you’re writing your first-ever resume for an entry-level position, the hiring manager won’t expect you to have any work experience.

However, you can make up for your lack of experience with your skills and academic achievements.

For example, you can take advantage of extracurricular activities, internships, volunteering experiences, and other non-professional experiences. You can use them to highlight the skills you’ve gained and what you’ve achieved so far.

So, your first job resume should have a resume objective, emphasize your education, and replace your work experience with any internships, volunteering, independent projects, or other experiences.

#4. How to make a resume on Google Docs?

You can make a resume on Google Docs by choosing one of their templates and filling it in on the go.

All you have to do is go to your Google Drive’s template gallery, choose your preferred template, fill in your information, and your Google Docs resume is ready to go! 

That said, Google Docs templates aren’t the most user-friendly choice. You don’t have much flexibility with the layout and formatting isn’t that easy. For example, you tweak a section to the slightest, and the whole resume becomes a mess.

If you want an easier option, check out our resume builder !

#5. What kind of resume do employers prefer?

Typically, employers prefer one-page-long resumes that follow the reverse chronological format. 

Hiring managers receive hundreds of resumes every day, so they don't have the time to read three-page resumes. Try one of our one-page resume templates so you don’t go over the recommended resume length.

Meanwhile, the reverse-chronological format is the most popular because it draws attention to your most recent jobs and professional achievements, which is the #1 most important thing hiring managers look at when evaluating a resume.

#6. How many jobs should you put on your resume? 

You should only include relevant job positions on your resume.

This means that your work experience section should be tailored to the job you are applying for. If you’ve worked five different jobs and they can all add value to your current application, then you should include all five. 

If, on the other hand, you’re applying for, say, a customer service position and some of your past jobs don’t have anything to do with customer service, you should skip them.

#7. Should I put my address on my resume? 

You can put your location (city, state, or country) on your resume, but you don’t need to put your entire physical address.

Putting a physical address on a resume was the norm back when companies would contact you via mail. In today’s world, everyone communicates via email, which is why adding a correct and professional email address to your contact information section is far more important than putting your physical address. 

So, just include your location or-–if you’re a remote worker—specify you prefer to work remotely by writing “working remotely from [location].”

#8. What information should I leave out of my resume?

As a general rule, you shouldn’t include your birthday or your headshot on your resume. This norm varies from country to country but it applies to the USA, Canada, and UK.

If you have plenty of achievements to list under your work experience, then you can leave your basic work responsibilities out of your resume. 

In your education section, you should only include your highest and most recent degree. So, if you hold a Ph.D., you can list that and your Master’s degree and leave your Bachelor’s degree and high school diploma out.

Finally, leave out any skills that aren’t relevant to the job you’re applying for.

#9. Is a resume a CV?

Depending on where you are, a CV (Curriculum Vitae) and a resume might be completely different things.

In most of the world, though, including Europe and Asia, they are used interchangeably for the same document. Both CVs and resumes are one to two pages long, and list skills and experiences relevant to the position you’re applying for.

Sometimes more detailed resumes that go over one page are referred to as CVs. These are typically only used by senior professionals, executives, CEOs, etc.

In the USA, however, a CV is a completely different document. Typically, CVs are detailed and comprehensive documents that highlight your entire academic and professional history. They’re often used for academic, scientific, or research positions, which is why this type of CV can also be referred to as an academic CV.

You can create your CV using one of our CV templates !

#10. Should I write my own resume?

Yes, you should always write your own resume.

Your resume is your opportunity to show the hiring manager your communication, writing, and presentation skills . Employers also evaluate you based on how effectively you can convey information about yourself, and there’s no one that can represent you better than yourself.

Writing your own resume lets you introduce yourself authentically. You have the best understanding of your skills and experiences, and you can personalize them to make your resume stand out.

And, as a bonus, the experience of writing your resume yourself can be reflective and insightful, so it might help you understand your professional journey and career goals better.

#11. Can a resume be two pages?

Generally, we strongly recommend that your resume stick to one page.

Hiring managers go through hundreds of resumes every day, and keeping your resume to one page increases the odds that they’ll see your qualifications faster.

In some cases, like when you have a lot of relevant experience, your resume can go over two pages. But this exception is reserved for senior professionals with over a decade of relevant experience and tons of skills and achievements that simply can’t fit on one page.

#12. Is a simple resume okay?

Absolutely, a simple resume is often more than okay—it's preferable.

Before your resume even gets to the hiring manager, a complicated layout could get it rejected by the applicant tracking system (ATS). A simple resume template can help get your application straight to the hiring manager.

A clean layout can also make sure that your resume is easily readable and looks professional. This can focus the hiring manager's attention on your work experience and skills without excessive clutter or flashy colors to distract them.

Key Takeaways

And that’s a wrap!

If you’ve followed all of our advice until now, congrats! You’re probably an expert on how to make a resume.

To recap, let’s go through some of the most important lessons we’ve learned so far...

• Use the right resume builder to make the process as smooth as possible. You don’t want to mess around with formatting for hours before even starting to work on your resume!
• Focus on your achievements over responsibilities. This can help you stand out from all the other applicants, especially if you back your claims up with data.
• Include all the must-have sections, like the resume summary, work experience, education, and skills. Then leverage optional sections if you have leftover space.
• Tailor your resume for the job you’re applying for. Everything listed on your resume should be relevant to the specific job you’re applying for, and you should write a new resume for every new job application.
• Take the time to perfect your cover letter. It’s just as important as your resume, so make sure you pay as much attention to it!

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The resume builder that’s right for your job and experience

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Get an understanding of how good your resume really is – Enhancv’s AI-powered resume checker performs over 250 different checks and provides you with actionable insights

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Easily edit your resume with Enhancv’s drag-and-drop resume builder. Choose from different templates, various backgrounds and sections.

Enhancv Executive has changed my life: One week & four interviews later, I will be making 150% more doing the job I chose.

Your resume is an extension of yourself – make one that’s truly you, frequently asked questions about enhancv, what makes enhancv the perfect tool to prepare your job application.

• Drag-and-drop Resume Builder with professional resume templates for every career situation.
• Resume and CV Examples written with modern CV templates for international jobs and academic applications.
• Cover Letter Builder , with matching cover letter templates and hundreds of cover letter examples for inspiration.
• Resume and CV examples written by experienced professionals in their field, with real resumes of people who got hired.
• Choosing how to get started - you can upload an old resume, your LinkedIn profile, or with a blank page.
• Built-in content improvements according to your job title and experience, as well as proofing suggestions.
• Resume Tailoring feature that helps you customize your resume to the job application.
• A free Resume Checker that evaluates your resume for ATS-friendliness, and gives you actionable suggestions.
• Downloading your resume in PDF or TXT formats, or saving them in US letter format or A4 format.
• Cloud storage with 30 documents to edit, duplicate or update .

How to use Enhancv Resume Creator?

• Upload your old resume or select your job title to pick the most appropriate resume template.
• At this stage, you can begin editing your resume or sign up to save your work.
• Fill in your basic contact information details , as well as your resume title headline .
• Drag and drop your resume sections according to the best resume format for your situation. The best one to go with is the reverse-chronological resume format , but if you’re changing careers or just entering the job market, you can choose between the hybrid resume or the functional resume .
• Write a memorable resume summary , or a resume objective , if you’re making a resume for a first job .
• Describe your resume work experience , from the newest to the oldest job.
• Don’t forget to include your education on your resume , with details such as GPA , Coursework , MBA , or Major and Minor , in case you’re writing an entry-level resume .
• Enhancv will encourage you to think beyond the obvious resume layout . Add additional information, such as proudest accomplishments , internships , awards , volunteer work , hobbies and interests , certifications , computer skills , soft skills , language skills , or publications .

Why do I have to make a different resume for every job application?

Should i use a resume template in 2024, should my resume be in pdf or word format, should i send a cover letter with my resume.

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Your Step-by-Step Guide to Making the Perfect Resume (With Examples!)

Your resume is arguably the most valuable piece of paper for your career. But this document can be daunting for many. Maybe you’re not sure how to fit in all your information onto one page. Maybe you’re not sure about the right way to format and write your resume. Maybe you don’t even know what the heck a resume is!

Whatever your concern, we’ll break down everything you need to know about making the perfect resume, from scratch.

What Is a Resume?

What are employers looking for in a resume.

• Pick Your Format
• Start With Your Basic Information
• Add in Your Work Experience
• Consider Including Volunteer Work or Other Experience
• Don’t Forget Your Education
• Top It Off With Some Skills and Interests
• Write a Resume Summary Statement (if Relevant)
• Tailor It to the Job (and the ATS)
• Edit and Refine It

What Are Some Examples of a Good Resume?

A resume is a summary of your career, whether yours is just getting started or has been going on for years. Coming in at around one page in length (two only under specific circumstances), it showcases the jobs you’ve held and currently hold, the responsibilities you’ve taken on, the skills you’ve developed, and the qualities you bring to the table as an employee. Together, those things make it super easy for any hiring manager to see your qualifications and fit for a role.

For all the work you may put into writing one, hiring managers actually spend very little time—mere seconds in many cases—looking at your resume. But despite this sad fact, it’s safe to say that creating a great resume (rather than hastily throwing one together) still matters.

“If you miss the mark, your resume may never be read. Even worse, you might be removed from the applicant pool by a computer before a human even knows you exist,” says Muse career coach Heather Yurovsky , founder of Shatter & Shine. So you want to get it right because, as she explains, isn’t the goal to “spend less time looking for a job and more time in a role you love?”

You might be wondering if you can lean on your LinkedIn profile instead of writing a resume. The answer, sadly, is no. Most hiring managers still expect you to submit a resume, even if they also look at your LinkedIn. Even if you don’t need a resume for a job you’re applying for now, you’re going to need one at some point in your career—they’re not anywhere close to going out of style. So it’s best to always have one at the ready should an opportunity pop up.

And although LinkedIn has plenty of benefits, a resume has one clear advantage: While your LinkedIn is usually a broader picture of your career trajectory, your resume gives you the opportunity to tailor your career story to a specific role or company (more on that later).

Oh, and you’ve probably heard of something called a CV? It’s slightly different from a resume , and usually more common with academics and job seekers outside the U.S.

Hiring managers look for three things on your resume, “What did you do? Why did you do it? And what was the result?” says Muse career coach Martin McGovern , owner of Career Therapy. “If you can answer all three of these questions in...your resume bullet points, you’re going to be on the right track.”

Clear, easy-to-understand language is key. “The truth is that most resumes make no sense. They are stuffed with jargon, they are too technical, and they are filled with redundancies. Try to read a resume that isn’t yours and you will quickly realize that it feels like an alien wrote it,” McGovern adds. Put yourself in the shoes of a recruiter who has no idea how your role works—how can you make your resume accessible to them?

The hiring manager also cares about more than just you and you alone—they care about you in relation to them. “Hiring managers want to see if a candidate matches the requirements” of the role they’re hiring for, Yurovsky explains. “Your resume should paint this picture so the hiring manager not only knows what day-to-day responsibilities you can handle, but why you, above other[s], bring value to their organization.”

How Do You Write a Resume?

Whether you’re someone who’s never written a resume in your life, or you need a nice, thorough refresher on the process of creating one, follow these steps to go from a blank page to a complete—and dare I say beautiful—document.

Related: This Free Worksheet Makes It Easy to Create (or Update) Your Resume

1. Pick Your Format

Before you start typing one single thing, you have to decide what you want the overall resume to look like.

Resume builders can be helpful for this step—they’ll take all your basic information and organize it for you, eliminating some of the legwork. You can also use a pre-made outline, such as one of these free Google Docs templates .

But it’s often safest to start with a clean slate all on your own and eventually upgrade to a more advanced layout. (If you'd still like a place to write all the relevant information before you get started, check out our resume outline .) This allows you to course correct, edit and re-edit, and choose a resume format that best fits your particular situation (after all, not everyone has a career trajectory that’s easy to compartmentalize).

In general, you’re most likely to cover and/or include sections on the following:

• Your work experience
• Your non-work experience, including professional organizations, community involvement, or side projects
• Your education and certifications
• Your skills (specifically hard skills) and interests

So how do you format and organize all of that information?

By far the most common (and safest, if you’re not sure which route to take) option is reverse chronological order . This means you organize your experiences from most recent to least recent. So your work experiences would go above your education, and your current role would go above previous roles you’ve held. This of course has its exceptions—maybe you went back to grad school between jobs, or your most recent role is irrelevant to the job you’re applying for. So the whole page may not be exactly in reverse chronological order depending on your situation. It’s just a guideline.

There’s also something called a functional or skills-based resume . This is used pretty rarely, mainly with career changers and those with limited or complicated work histories. It gets its name because it’s primarily about listing your skills rather than experiences, and showcases them above your work history and education.

You can also opt for a combination resume , which is a mix between a reverse chronological resume and skills-based resume. It highlights your skills at the top, but allows just as much room below to cover your job and school experience.

Use caution when choosing these two formats: “Combo and skills-based [resumes] can be hard to follow, because [they force] the reader to hunt for connections between your skills and experience, and [don’t] provide the full context of your work,” says Muse Career Coach Angela Smith , founder of Loft Consulting. “I’ve also heard a lot of recruiters say that they automatically discount skill-based resumes because they feel the candidate is trying to hide something. I don’t necessarily believe that, but I think it’s important for job-seekers to know that perception is out there.”

2. Start With Your Basic Information

Your contact information should always go at the top of your resume. In this header you’ll want to include anything that could be helpful for a recruiter to get in touch with you. Usually, this means adding in:

• Your full name (preferably the name you use across the web)
• Your phone number
• Your personal email address

You might also choose to include other basic information, such as your LinkedIn or personal website URL, your GitHub (for technical roles), your social media profiles (if relevant to the job), or your address. If you’re looking to move for a job, you may choose to leave out your address or write “open to relocating” to better your chances of getting an interview.

The key is to make this part as clear as possible. If a hiring manager can’t reach you, there’s no point in perfecting the rest of your resume.

3. Add in Your Work Experience

This section will most likely be the bulk of your resume. Even if you’re changing careers, employers still want to see where you’ve worked, what you’ve done, and the impact of that work to get a sense of your background and expertise.

Your “Work Experience” might be one entire category, or you might choose to break it up into “Relevant Experience” and “Additional Experience” to highlight the jobs that are most important for hiring managers to focus on. Either way, you’ll almost always want to have your most recent experience at the top and your older experience down below.

Within your work experience, you’ll want to include each official job title, the company (and possibly its location), and the years you worked there. Below that, you’ll add in two to four bullet points explaining what you did in that job, the skills you built and exercised, the tools you used, and the results of what you did. If you accomplished a lot during your time there, focus on the responsibilities that made the most impact or you’re the most proud of, as well as the ones that best align you with the job you’re applying for (more on that in the following sections). It’s key here to list, if relevant, quantitative as well as qualitative accomplishments.

For example, you might write:

Associate Accountant, Finances and Co., Ann Arbor, MI September 2017 – Present

• Manage billing and invoicing for more than 50 clients, ensuring the deadlines and needs of our enterprise partners, including Big Company and Super Star Org, are met
• Collaborate closely with sales, account management, and project management teams on project setup, maintenance, and invoice management
• Assist in the streamlining of invoicing guidelines and procedures through documentation and the implementation of new software, resulting in an average two-week decrease in total time spent per client

Your resume bullets should be in past tense if you’re referring to past jobs and present tense if you’re talking about your current roles. In addition, your bullets should always start with a strong action verb that best describes what you did. And if you have examples of your work, consider hyperlinking them here as well.

If you have a ton of experience and this category is starting to run long (read: over one page), consider kicking out your oldest jobs unless they’re super relevant to the job you’re applying for, or extra impressive for your field.

Not sure where to start? “It’s helpful to do a brain dump and create a document that has everything and anything you consider as experience or an achievement,” says Yurovsky. From there, she explains, you can start to whittle down what is and isn’t important. And you can refer to this document later if you ever decide to update your resume for a specific role.

Need more specific advice on listing your work experience on your resume? Check out these additional resources:

• When you’ve held multiple jobs at the same company: 2 Jobs, 1 Company: How to Show Multiple Positions on Your Resume
• When you’re not sure what your accomplishments are or how to explain them: Resume Revamp: How to Turn Your Duties Into Accomplishments
• When you want to spruce up a boring or insignificant job: How to Make Your Most Boring Jobs Sound More Interesting on Your Resume
• When you’re considering fudging a job title: The Answer to “Can I Change My Job Title on My Resume to Make It More Accurate?”
• When you’ve had a bunch of short-term gigs: How to List Temporary Jobs on Your Resume

4. Consider Including Volunteer Work or Other Experience

Anything you’ve done that’s not work experience—your side gig, volunteer work, special projects—can be hosted under clearly-labeled sections (“Volunteer Experience” or “Activities,” for example). Depending on how robust your work experience is, these things may be worth including, particularly if they’ve helped you level up your skill set or better align you with your dream job. Plus, they make you look that much more well-rounded, passionate, and hardworking.

If you’re a recent grad, you might also build out a section for on-campus activities, such as clubs, organizations, or leadership experience. This can be a great supplement if you’re lacking in the jobs department. You can frame these just as you would professional jobs—including your title, the organization’s name, and bullets describing what your role was and what you accomplished.

Read More: This Is Exactly How to List Volunteer Work on Your Resume

5. Don’t Forget Your Education

If you’re still in school or just graduated, your education can go at the top of your resume, but for pretty much everyone else, this goes near the bottom. Most people include their school, graduation year (for folks less up to about a decade out of school), major, and degree. Brand-new grads might also write in their GPA, honors and awards, study abroad, thesis, or other notable achievements. But keep this section super simple, as you don’t want it to take up too much space over your work experience.

It’s possible you have unique education experience, such as taking an online course or certification. If you did this specifically as a way to boost yourself within your industry, definitely include it. Again, list everything more or less reverse chronologically—so a grad school degree would go above an undergrad degree, and a more recent relevant online course would go above that.

Learn more about the ins and outs of listing your education on your resume:

• How to (and How Not to) List Education on Your Resume
• How to List Online Courses on Your Resume the Right Way (Because Yes, There Is a Wrong Way)

6. Top It Off With Some Skills and Interests

The skills section of a resume gets a bad rap, but it’s just as important as the rest of the stuff you include. It’s a quick list a recruiter can scan to see if your skill set aligns with what they’re hiring for. And it’s super ATS-friendly (ATS stands for “applicant tracking system,” the robot that in some cases reads your resume before a human does) because it allows you to add in keywords the machine is scanning for.

Usually this section goes at the bottom of your resume, but in special cases—such as a skills-based resume or when someone’s switching fields—you may place it further up.

What exactly do you throw in here? You’ll want to list any hard skills and applications you’re familiar with (Photoshop, SEO, JavaScript, to name a few examples), and, if relevant, your level of expertise. Avoid including soft skills here, like time management or public speaking—save those for your bullet points instead.

Be strategic when filling in your skills. Don’t list things you actually couldn’t do at a high competence level (I’m looking at those of you who say you’re “great” at Excel), and maybe nix skills that are completely irrelevant to the job you want. For example, you may not even need to include Excel if you’re applying for say, a design position, unless it’s listed as a job requirement.

Maybe you’re thinking, I’m a really good volleyball player, but that’s not a “skill,” right? No, it’s not, but it is a hobby. Adding in a hobby section at the bottom of your resume is underrated, and frequently a smart choice. It can be a great conversation starter with a hiring manager, and it can show that you’re a good culture fit—or a culture add—for the company. Also, it’s just a nice way to add in some of your personality. So tack on a bullet point listing out some of your interests, such as hiking, rowing, or crafting (no more than five to seven work-appropriate verbs), and you’re all set here.

7. Write a Resume Summary Statement (if Relevant)

You may have heard of a resume summary statement . They’re not super common, but they can be useful to include near the top of your resume if you’re looking to add clarity or context to your resume. If you’re a career changer, you might find a summary statement helpful in explaining your leap and tying your experience to your new path. Or if you’re a more experienced professional, you can use a summary statement to highlight a theme that brings your career trajectory together.

Overall, you probably won’t need a summary statement if your career is pretty linear and your bullet points do a great job of emphasizing what you have to offer in terms of skills and experience. But if you think it makes sense to include one, “Take the time to think about what the person reading your summary wants to know before you write it,” says McGovern. “Good summaries explain why you do what you do and how it can help. For instance: Merging a background in ABC, I help companies improve XYZ through 123. Summaries shouldn’t be any more complicated than that.”

So, taking McGovern’s example, you might say:

Merging a background in social media marketing and PR with seven years in the consumer tech space, I help companies improve their internal and external communication and brand awareness through data-driven, quality content and strategies that align with the modern trends of the space.

Yurovsky adds that “you don’t want your summary statement to be a dense paragraph with too much information. You want it to be easy to read, concise, and memorable. Almost like a tagline.”

Read More: 3 Resume Summary Examples That’ll Make Writing Your Own Easier

8. Tailor It to the Job (and the ATS)

Once you have your resume written out—you’ve broken down your work experience, tagged on some activities and additional experiences, and listed out your skills—it’s important to go back to the job description (or multiple job descriptions, if you’re applying to several similar jobs) and make sure that what your resume says matches up with the kind of candidate the employers are looking for. In other words, tailor it .

Let’s explain further. You’ll want to begin by tackling the ATS . This means combing the job description to see if individual words and phrases line up. What skills are they asking for, and have you listed them (so long as you actually have them)? What words are they using to describe their ideal hire, and do you use similar language in your resume?

Next, take a bird’s-eye view. If you were the hiring manager for the role, where on your resume would your eyes be drawn to? And what would you be looking for? Whatever you think will be most important for the recruiter, make sure it’s near the top of your resume, or otherwise emphasized.

Finally, dig into the role and responsibilities of the job. Does your resume reflect similar experience? If not, is there a way you can spin it so that it’s clear you’re capable of doing the job (and doing it well)?

These articles can help you if the word “tailoring” makes you start to sweat:

• What It Really Means to “Tailor Your Resume”
• Your Guide to Making Unrelated Experience Look Relevant on Your Resume
• A Cool Trick: How to Spin 1 Resume Bullet 5 Different Ways

9. Edit and Refine It

Please, please don’t just write your resume and shoot it out without giving it a second glance. Hiring managers may not spend hours browsing it, but if there’s one thing that sticks out more than anything else it’s a glaring typo.

The best approach? Write a rough draft, then leave and come back to it later with fresh eyes to give it an edit.

Cover the basics: Is your contact information correct and updated? Are you using the right verb tenses? Does everything look consistent and accurate in terms of spelling and grammar?

Then do some cutting if your resume’s quite long. It’s no longer a hard-and-fast rule that all resumes must be only one page—but consider it a smart guideline for most applicants, especially if you've got less than 10 years work experience. The exception is if you’re very senior or very established in your career; in this scenario, a two-page resume isn’t completely out of the question. Everyone else, read this article for advice on how to cut your resume down.

Formatting-wise, it’s key to consider a couple things. First, what font are you using , and is it legible (for a human and a robot)? When in doubt, go with one of these simple, but sleek, options: Arial, Arial Narrow, Calibri, Cambria, Garamond, or Helvetica.

Second, are you going to save it as a Word document or PDF ? Neither option is wrong, although a PDF helps ensure that your formatting is maintained, no matter what type of computer the hiring manager uses to open the document.

Third, is your resume formatted in a way that it’s skimmable? If it’s feeling crowded or overrun with words, read this: 12 Tiny Changes That Make Your Resume Easy for Recruiters to Skim .

Once you’ve given it a few good looks, it may be worth sending it to a friend or colleague (or even a career coach ) to get a second opinion. Don’t just have them edit it for spelling and grammar—they should dig into your bullets and offer feedback on whether or not your resume is showing you in the best possible light (it’s smart to also send them the job description for something to compare it to).

Here’s the thing: Your resume won’t ever look exactly like someone else’s, nor should it. How you choose to format it, organize your information, and talk about specific experiences depends not just on your career path, but on your field, the job you’re applying for, the company that job is at, and more.

So there isn’t a universal way to do a resume. But there are common themes. To give you some context as to how yours might turn out, here are three examples of different kinds of resumes.

The Most Popular: A Reverse Chronological Resume

As previously mentioned, a reverse chronological resume is preferred by many coaches and HR experts, mainly because it’s super readable. When everything’s in a clear order, it’s easy to skim and even easier to draw lines between experiences.

Who it’s good for: Just about everyone—from students applying to internships all the way up to senior-level executives (with an optional resume summary statement)

Download an Example Chronological Resume for a Software Engineer

The Unorthodox Route: A Functional or Skills-Based Resume

Rather than listing out your experience in reverse chronological order, a functional or skills-based resume has bullet points that reflect how each of your skills is demonstrated by the work you’ve done over the course of your career. At the bottom, you’ll include everything else, such as your education, job history, professional achievements, community involvement, and other technical skills. This is a good option if you have a somewhat all-over-the-place work history and want to tie everything together neatly.

Who it’s good for: Career changers whose work experiences may not appear to be relevant and people with an abundance of temporary jobs or gaps in their work histories.

Download an Example Functional Resume for a Project Manager

The Creative Angle: An Infographic Resume or Resume Website

This resume type is characterized by how it’s formatted visually. You may choose a reverse chronological order or skills-based style to organize your information, but also use graphics, colors, unique fonts, and even multimedia elements to help that information pop. Keep in mind that any creative resume is still likely subject to an ATS—and certain elements may be unreadable by a robot. So consider going this route only if you know a human will be reading your resume (and that said human might enjoy it).

Who it’s good for: People applying to creative roles (designers, editors, writers, marketers, video producers, for example), startups, or fun companies, or to jobs where a creative resume is encouraged, if not required.

Download an Example Infographic Resume for a Designer

Not a designer but want your resume to look just as pretty as this example? Check out these articles:

• 5 Sites to Create an Awesome Infographic Resume (Even if You’re the Least Creative Person Ever)
• How to Build a Resume Website That Will Impress Every Hiring Manager Who Sees It
• 5 Digital Tools That Will Make Your Resume Infinitely More Beautiful

Your resume is a living, breathing document. So while you won’t go through this whole process every time you apply for a job, you should be thinking about all these things as you go to update your resume for your next career step. You might decide later on to switch up the order, or remove or add things, or even get creative and try out a whole new format. If you’re not getting the calls back you expect, you may decide to scrap it and start over —and that’s totally OK.

Regardless of where this piece of paper goes and how it grows, when you give it the care and attention it deserves, you set yourself up for success. And you’ll make it that much more likely that you’ll land an interview and get the chance to prove to the hiring manager—over the phone or in person—what you’ve got to offer.

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How to make a resume in Microsoft Word

Whether you’re just entering the workforce or need a resume refresh, you’re probably considering Microsoft Word for the task. We’ll walk you through options for making a resume in Word, from using helpful templates to creating a resume from scratch.

Use a built-in Word resume template

Use a word resume template on the web, use a third-party word resume template, create a word resume from scratch.

The quickest and easiest way to make a resume in Word is using one of Microsoft’s templates . You can look for one directly in Word and choose from a large collection of options.

Open Word, select File > New , and pop “resume” into the Search box. You can then browse the templates with resumes for specific jobs and industries along with those for any type of position.

Choose a template to see a description and pick Create to use the resume.

The Microsoft resume templates come with placeholders that you can simply swap out for your own details. This is handy if you like the appearance of all elements in the template. Of course, if you’re not fond of the color scheme or font styles, you can change those types of items.

Remember to go to File > Save As to save a copy of your resume.

Maybe you don’t have Microsoft Word on your computer yet but need your resume in that format. You can use Word on the web for free with a Microsoft account and take advantage of resume templates.

Visit the Microsoft Create website and explore the resume templates . If you see one you like, select it to open it directly in Word for the web.

Alternatively, select Create from scratch and choose Resumes, flyers, brochures . When Word opens, use the Designer sidebar on the right to browse through and choose a resume template.

Then, swap out the placeholders for your own details and customize the resume as you like.

If you like the template idea but don’t care for any of the Microsoft options, you can check out third-party templates for your resume. Here are just a few of the top options and samples of resume templates they offer for free.

Resume Genius

With Resume Genius , you can pick from over a dozen custom Word templates to download. From simple to professional to aesthetically pleasing to visually appealing, you’re sure to find at least one resume template you like.

Hloom offers over 15 resume and CV templates for free and even more if you don’t mind paying. Be sure to select Free on the left below License if you want to narrow down the no-charge options. As a bonus, you’ll also see a tab for cover letters if you’re in the market for one of those too.

Template.net

One more place to check out for Word resume templates is Template.net . You’ll find a large variety of attractive options specific to position or resume style. Like with Hloom, select Free beneath License on the left, and be sure to take a look at the cover letter collection too.

After you download a resume template from one of the above sites, simply customize it with your own details.

Maybe you’d prefer to simply create your resume from scratch; this is always an option if you have the time. Consider reviewing the above templates and samples for the information you should include and ideas for formatting.

To get started, add the following details to your resume:

Full name and current position : Place your name and position at the top. If you don’t have a current position, you can certainly omit it.

Objective (optional) : Provide a brief description of your goal to potential employers beneath your name and position. This is an optional inclusion — if you add one, try to keep it short and sweet with one to two meaningful sentences.

Contact details : Include at least your email address and phone number. If you have an up-to-date website or LinkedIn profile, you can add these as well. Make sure these details are kept together in a specific location so they’re simple to find.

Work experience : List your work experience in chronological order with the most recent first. Start with your position, then move onto the employer, month, and year you worked there, and your duties. You should include your duties and responsibilities in a list format making them easy to review.

Education : List your educational history in chronological order with the most recent first. Start with the degree, then add the school with the month and year you attended.

Skills, awards, and more : Use a list format to add your skills, awards, certifications, volunteer work, and any other details you feel important to the position or company.

Here are several tips when formatting your resume in Word:

• Use a heading or larger font for your full name at the top.
• Add headings for the Experience, Educations, and Skills sections.
• If you decide to use color, keep it to just one or two complementary colors.
• Try to use the same font style throughout, taking advantage of font sizes, headings, or bold formatting for more prominent details.
• Use a font that’s easy to read like a 12-point Arial, Calibri, Georgia, or Times New Roman for the main body text. You might also consider which font style works better for reading on the web versus on a printed piece.
• If you include a headshot, make sure it’s a professional one.
• Consider using a table to structure your resume, as shown above.

Finally, be sure to keep the appearance and content of your resume consistent.

Is it OK to make a resume in Word?

Absolutely! This is exactly the type of document you should create in a word processing application like Microsoft Word. If you prefer, you can also use a web application like Google Docs to make a resume or downloadable software like LibreOffice Writer.

Once your resume is complete, you can save it as a PDF or other requested format in most word processing applications for submission to the potential employer or hiring manager.

How far back should a resume go?

Most experts recommend 10 to 15 years is appropriate for a resume. Keep in mind that you should include relevant work experience for that time period . For example, if you’re a nurse who worked at a fast-food chain for two months 12 years ago, you can likely exclude that job.

How many pages should a resume be?

The standard for a resume is one to two pages. However, this can depend on the length of your experience and education in relation to the position for which you’re applying. For instance, someone who’s been in the workforce for 20 years might require two pages, but a recent college graduate would probably only need one page.

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Upgrading to Windows 11 comes with a few requirements, and that includes a bump in random access memory (RAM). And with Windows 10 nearing the end of support, many users will soon need to consider switching to Windows 11 regardless of how much memory it consumes.

Windows 11, while it introduces a host of new features, may consume more RAM than its predecessor, but the amount of memory that it uses is not universal. Below, we'll explain what RAM is, explore how much RAM Windows 11 actually uses, and how to lower that amount if your PC is having a hard time. Windows 11: RAM usage when idle

Microsoft Teams is reportedly testing a new design that merges the app's channels and text chat into one user interface, a lot like Slack. This could potentially streamline text communication for organizations and businesses, as The Verge's Tom Warren mentioned in his Notebook newsletter post.

The newsletter mentioned that Microsoft is currently testing a change combining the text chat and channels into one UI. An internal Microsoft message said: "Our new experience brings chats and channels together to get you to what matters faster."

Since releasing the original Surface tablet in 2012, Microsoft has grown its PC business into a multibillion-dollar enterprise. The mobile Surface line has expanded to include 2-in-1 and traditional clamshell laptops in various form factors. There's the Surface Pro 11, Surface Laptop 7, Surface Laptop Go 3, and Surface Laptop Studio 2. That's quite the lineup, and you'll find a Surface on a number of our best-of lists such as best tablets and best laptops.

The two most mainstream lines, though, are the Surface Pro 11 and the Surface Laptop 7. Each has its strengths and weaknesses, and you'll want to keep them in mind if you're looking for a Surface and choosing between the two. Specs and configurations