Resume Tips: Write a Resume That Gets Interviews

Resume Tips: Get More Interviews

Your resume is the gatekeeper between you and interviews. Most get rejected in seconds. Here's how to be in the pile that gets called.

Explore Career Skills →

The Basics

Length

New grads/early career: 1 page
5-10 years experience: 1-2 pages
Senior/executive: 2 pages max

The rule: If content doesn't help you get THIS job, cut it.

Format

Contact information (top)
Professional summary (3-4 lines)
Work experience (reverse chronological)
Education
Skills (relevant only)

Clear section headers
Consistent formatting
Adequate white space
Bullet points, not paragraphs
Professional font (Arial, Calibri, Georgia)

Beating the ATS

Most resumes are screened by Applicant Tracking Systems before humans see them.

Use keywords from the job posting
Standard section headers ("Experience" not "My Journey")
No tables, columns, or graphics
Save as PDF unless instructed otherwise
Standard fonts and formatting

Keywords Matter

Job description (required skills, qualifications)
Company website (values, terminology)
Industry standards (certifications, tools)

Use them naturally in your experience descriptions.

Writing Powerful Bullets

The Achievement Formula

Bad: "Responsible for sales in the Northeast region"

Good: "Grew Northeast sales 34% ($2.1M) by developing new client relationships and implementing targeted marketing campaigns"

Formula: [Action verb] + [What you did] + [Quantified result]

Strong Action Verbs

Leadership: Led, Directed, Managed, Launched, Built
Achievement: Achieved, Increased, Grew, Generated, Delivered
Problem-solving: Resolved, Streamlined, Improved, Optimized
Creation: Developed, Created, Designed, Implemented

Quantify Everything

Before: "Improved customer satisfaction"
After: "Improved customer satisfaction scores from 72% to 91%"

Revenue/savings
Percentages
Team sizes
Timeframes
Volume handled

Common Mistakes

Typos (instant rejection)
Generic objectives
Job duties instead of achievements
Personal pronouns (I, my, we)
Irrelevant experience
Outdated information
Multiple fonts/formatting styles
Unprofessional email addresses

Tailoring for Each Job

Adjust professional summary
Prioritize relevant experience
Match keywords to job posting
Remove irrelevant details

One resume per application is the goal.

The CV Question

Resume vs. CV depends on context. See What Is a CV? for guidance.