Resume writing guide

Start with a target

Before you write a single line, decide what role you are writing for. A resume tuned for a specific role beats a general-purpose resume almost every time. Write down the title and two or three similar titles you would accept. That is the resume you are writing.

Structure

The standard structure works for almost every role: header, summary, experience, skills, education, optional sections. Deviate only when you have a reason.

Header

Name, professional title, contact details. Plain text. Location. One or two professional links. Do not put contact details in the header or footer of the document — put them in the body.

Summary

Two to four lines. Name the role, the level, and the specialisation. Skip it if you cannot write something specific.

Experience

Most recent role first. Two to five bullets per role. Every bullet starts with a strong verb and, where possible, ends with a measurable outcome. Quantify what you can — percentages, dollars, counts, durations. When you cannot quantify, describe scale (team size, user count, transaction volume).

Skills

Group by category. Keep it to 12–25 items. Every skill should be something you can defend in an interview.

Education

Degree, field, institution, dates. Include GPA only if it is above 3.5 and you graduated recently. Include relevant coursework only for students and recent graduates.

Optional sections

Projects, certifications, awards, publications, volunteer work. Add these only when they materially strengthen the resume for the target role.

Formatting

One column or a narrow sidebar. Standard fonts. Simple bullets. No tables or images for critical content. Consistent date formats. PDF output.

Tailoring

For each application, tune the summary and the skills list to the specific role. Read the job posting twice. Highlight the words and phrases that describe what the employer is asking for. Rewrite the summary to name the role and the specific areas the posting emphasises.

Final pass

Read it out loud. Spell check twice. Run the ATS compatibility checker. Read it as though you were the recruiter: what would you ask in the first phone screen?