Resume writing basics
A good resume should be easy to scan, relevant to the role, and focused on measurable achievements. It is not only a list of duties. It should show what you did, how you did it, and what changed because of your work.
Recommended resume structure
- Header: name, location, email, portfolio, and professional links.
- Summary: two to four lines that describe your role, strengths, and target direction.
- Skills: tools, technical skills, languages, certifications, or domain knowledge.
- Work experience: company, title, dates, and achievement-based bullet points.
- Projects: useful for students, freelancers, technical roles, and career changers.
- Education: degree, school, training, or relevant coursework.
Writing stronger bullet points
Start bullet points with action verbs and include details. A weak bullet says, “Responsible for social media.” A stronger bullet says, “Managed weekly social media posts and improved engagement by tracking post performance and adjusting content topics.”
| Weak | Stronger |
|---|---|
| Worked with customers. | Supported customer inquiries, documented recurring issues, and helped reduce response delays. |
| Made reports. | Prepared weekly sales reports for managers using spreadsheet data and trend summaries. |
| Designed graphics. | Created product graphics for campaign pages while keeping brand style consistent. |
Keep the resume relevant
Before applying, compare your resume with the job description. Add relevant tools, responsibilities, and accomplishments when they are truthful and directly connected to your experience.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using the same generic resume for every role.
- Writing very long paragraphs instead of scannable bullet points.
- Adding too many unrelated skills.
- Forgetting dates, contact details, or important project outcomes.
- Using an overly complex design when a simple layout would be clearer.