七色视频

Skip to Main Content Skip to bottom Skip to Chat, Email, Text

5 steps to writing an effective resum茅

By Lilia Ortiz

Person writing on resume with red glasses nearby
checkmark

This article has been vetted by 七色视频's editorial advisory committee.听
Read more about our editorial process.

Jessica Roper, MBA, Director of Career Services

Reviewed by Jessica Roper, MBA,听Director of Career Services

At a glance

  • To write an effective resum茅, make sure to write for people and machines, in this case, applicant tracking systems.
  • How your resum茅 looks matters. Avoid cookie-cutter templates, use action verbs, use bullet points, and make sure to spell-check.
  • Resum茅s shouldn鈥檛 collect dust. Even if you aren鈥檛 actively job seeking, keep content fresh and updated with accomplishments and work experience in case you need a resum茅 quickly.
  • If you need resum茅 help, download our step-by-step Resum茅 Guide on how to write an effective resum茅, which includes additional tips, two resum茅 examples, and templates.

This article was updated on December 4, 2023.

How to write an effective resum茅

Knowing how to write a resum茅 that showcases your skills and experience is the foundation to any successful job search. Of course, this is easier said than done, especially if it鈥檚 your first time writing one.

A blank page can admittedly be intimidating. Never fear! When it comes down to it, writing a resum茅 is simply about highlighting your qualifications while keeping in mind who, or what, will be reading it, which often includes both people and computers, or an 听

Before taking a look at our resum茅 examples, here are a few tips for writing your own effective resum茅s, no matter where you are in your career journey.

Learning to write an effective resum茅 isn鈥檛 something anyone is born knowing how to do! For more tips, read our Resum茅 Guide on resum茅 writing.

1. Identify your audience

1. Establish a focus. Include relevant keywords from the job description to get noticed by hiring managers and applicant tracking systems.

Remember that part above about knowing your audience? That鈥檚 the first step. Before you even touch your keyboard, you鈥檒l need to establish your focus. Use tools like LinkedIn or Indeed to search for jobs you鈥檙e interested in and would like to apply for. Having a LinkedIn Profile, specifically, is a fantastic way of reaching out directly to a hiring manager or recruiter. The more people you know, the better!

After you find a job description that sounds like a good fit, make sure to read it several times to understand exactly what skills the employer and the ATS are searching for. Look for keywords specific to your industry and, if they鈥檙e relevant to your experience, include those in your resum茅.

While it may seem tedious at first, the best way to get your foot in the door is by matching what recruiters are looking for and emphasize it. If you have relevant work experience, it鈥檚 a no-brainer to take the extra steps. It also has the added benefit of showing recruiters and hiring managers that you鈥檙e detail-oriented and willing to put in the work to be noticed.

A word of caution: It might be tempting to use a one-size-fits-all resum茅 to mass apply and save some time, but that can hurt rather than help you. Instead, tailor your resum茅 to suit the specific job you鈥檙e applying for by using relevant keywords to explain why you鈥檙e uniquely qualified for the position.

Ideally, your skills section, work history, and previous job titles will closely align with the job description. However, hiring managers and human resources know that job seekers come from a variety of backgrounds so don鈥檛 be discouraged if your qualifications don鈥檛 align perfectly.

Sign up for our LinkedIn庐 newsletter to receive career planning tips, resum茅 help and more.听

2. Make it scannable

2. Design and format. Choose a format that is easy to skim and a design that is clear and free of clutter.

A resum茅 should be easy to scan in seconds. That means an outline is essential, and keeping the most important parts at the top is imperative. Your resum茅 should have headers such as 鈥淨ualifications,鈥 鈥淓xperience,鈥 and 鈥淓ducation.鈥 The headers will vary, however, based on your experience and the industry you鈥檙e in.

Now comes the fun part: choosing your resum茅鈥檚 design! You can find a wide range of resum茅 design options online or in Microsoft Word. You can also hire a designer to spiffy up your resum茅, but be aware that some applicant tracking systems are sensitive to certain formats and may reject a resum茅 if they can鈥檛 鈥渞ead鈥 it. So make sure you鈥檙e looking for ATS-friendly designs.

For good resum茅 examples that are ATS-friendly, continue reading. We have a good example for career changers and also people returning to the workforce.

To write an effective resum茅, make sure to pick a design that鈥檚 uncluttered and easy to read. For a few pointers, follow these tips:

  • Avoid the Comic Sans font. Period.
  • Instead, use a professional font like Times New Roman or Arial
  • Pick a font size between 10 and 12 points.
  • Unless you鈥檙e in a specialized field, keep your resum茅 to one to two pages.
  • Oh, and no headshots, please. Those are great for LinkedIn, but not so much for resum茅s.
  • Make use of bullet points for easy navigation and scannability

Also, you may notice that we are using bullet points throughout this guide. That鈥檚 because they allow you to quickly highlight the important bits and make everything a tad more scannable.

3. Determine what makes you 鈥 you!

3. Summarize. Write a summary of qualifications that showcases your unique strengths and is tailored to the job you're applying to.

You鈥檝e probably heard it before, but it鈥檚 worth repeating: There鈥檚 no one else like you. That means your resum茅 should be just as unique. Use those special qualities to your advantage by showcasing them to potential employers in a summary of qualifications at the top of your resum茅. This will help you stand out from other applicants.

Start your summary off strong by opening with a relevant keyword (remember those?) and using action verbs to describe your accomplishments. Action words are verbs like:

  • Created
  • Improved
  • Managed
  • Built
  • Led
  • Completed

Avoid non-action words like conjugations of 鈥渢o be,鈥 which include 鈥渁m,鈥 鈥渋s鈥 and 鈥渨as.鈥 Also, just as you should be doing for the rest of your resum茅, you鈥檒l want to tailor your professional summary for the specific role.

If you鈥檙e just starting off in the workforce and don鈥檛 have a lot of experience, don鈥檛 feel discouraged during this step. While having professional experience certainly helps, it鈥檚 not the only thing you can include to standout from other job seekers.

Do you have any educational experiences that are relevant? Well, include it in an education section. Did you crush it during your extracurricular activities? You can make a section for that too. The same can be said for any awards you may have earned, volunteer work you were apart of, or any internships you joined. Additional sections these like these help fill open white space and make you an overall better applicant.

4. Double-check everything

4. Check accuracy. Double-check for typos and inaccuracies by reading your resume out loud and having someone else look it over.

One of the easiest mistakes to make, and one that could cost you a job offer, is neglecting to proofread.

Avoid typos by running your resum茅 through a spell-checker and reading it out loud. Sure, you might look a little strange for a few minutes as you hold a soliloquy outlining your most significant accomplishments, but it鈥檚 a better alternative to having someone in human resources reject your resum茅 because of an easy-to-fix error.

Make sure you also double-check your email address and other contact information. If you make the cut and your prospective employer wants to schedule an interview, the last thing you want is for that employer to be unable to reach you.

Another way to catch mistakes in your resum茅 is to have a second set of eyes review it. This could be a friend, a co-worker or a family member. Have them read your resum茅 through the lens of an interested employer and ask them what they think.

You might also consider running your resum茅 by a career advisor or recruiter. They鈥檙e often easy to find on places like LinkedIn. Better yet, if you鈥檙e an alum or currently going to school, universities often provide free career support. Their professional feedback could make the difference between landing a job and getting passed over.

One last gentle reminder on accuracy: Don鈥檛 stretch the truth! A lie on a resum茅, even if you think it鈥檚 a minor one, can come back to haunt you.

5. Keep it fresh

5. Get feedback. Work with a career coach or HR recruiter to receive expert feedback and make sure to update your resume periodically.

Keep your resum茅 fresh by including your most current position, updating your summary, and adding any new skills and experience. And don鈥檛 forget to update your contact information if it has changed. You鈥檒l thank yourself if you鈥檙e ever in a crunch and find yourself suddenly searching for a new job.

Having an up-to-date resum茅 also makes it easier to view your entire professional journey in one place. Using your resum茅 as a resource can be a great way to understand your career objectives better and help you decide your potential next career move.

Need additional career support? Visit the to hear 5 tips for writing an effective resum茅 from UOPX career advisor Jason Robert.

Resum茅 example for returning to the workforce

Not all resum茅s are made the same and that is especially true for employees with unique situations, like returning to the workforce after a long absence. There are a number of reasons why someone may have been away from the workforce, which can result in a 鈥済ap鈥 in their resum茅. These reasons may include:

  • Attending college
  • Raising a family
  • Caring for a family member
  • Medical situations
  • COVID-19
  • Taking a break

Regardless of why you have a gap, it is important to explain that on your resum茅 to notify employers of why the gap exists. If you鈥檙e looking for an example of how to write an effective resum茅 when returning to the workforce, check out our sample below. This can serve as a helpful guide to get you started.

Click on the image to download our returning to the workforce career prep kit.

Resum茅 example for career changers

If you鈥檙e changing careers and need help explaining the shift to an employer or hiring manager, there is a resum茅 sample for that too! Similar to being away from the workforce for an extended period, career changers must be able to explain to hiring managers how their skills in another industry are translatable to the industry they are hoping to enter. This can often be easier said than done, but a properly formatted resum茅 helps.

Before you start writing your resum茅, remember a few of these helpful tips:

  • Keep your resum茅 short and avoid jargon
  • Avoid ready-made templates. They often don鈥檛 work well with applicant tracking systems.
  • Research and add industry-relevant keywords
  • Exclude any unnecessary info from your previous industry that is irrelevant to the new one.

For layout help and a functional format, download the below sample and read our blog article on how to write a resum茅 when changing careers for additional tips and insights.

Click on the image to download our career changer prep kit.

Final words on creating a good resum茅

Remember that your resum茅 doesn鈥檛 define who you are. It may seem that way at times, but there鈥檚 a lot more to you than your work experience section. That鈥檚 why there鈥檚 more to writing a resum茅 than just posting your job-specific qualifications.

A good resum茅 will help you in your job search, but keep in mind that some roles, from entry-level to director, may require you to also attach a cover letter. Should you need to create a cover letter for your next job, check out our cover letter guide (similar to this one).

A well-written cover letter can often help make applicants even more well-rounded than just including their resum茅 alone. This is the perfect opportunity to explain to a recruiter why you are looking for a career change, why you have a gap in your work experience, and show off your soft skills.

Infographic on detailing steps outlined in article on writing an effective resume

Active 七色视频 students and graduates have a team of career advisors eager to help them take that next step. Learn more about Career Services for Life鈩 commitment.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lilia Ortiz is a writer and artist whose creative journey has been shaped by an appreciation for the beauty inherent in the ordinary. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in English literature from Arizona State University in 2013 and a degree in graphic design from Phoenix College in 2018. Her unique approach to visual design intertwines the tangible with the intangible: She weaves together words, thoughts and ideas with texture, color and pattern. Each result is a testament to the storytelling possibilities that emerge from the convergence of literary and visual arts. She lives in Buckeye, Arizona with her husband, Adam, and dog, Pinto.

read similar articles

How to Prepare for an Unpredictable Job Market

Career Support

April 23, 2024 鈥 6 minutes

5 Tough Interview Questions and How to Handle Them

Career Support

March 11, 2024 鈥 11 minutes