how to make experienced resume

40+ Resume Tips to Help You Land a Job in 2024

When you haven’t updated your resume in a while, it can be hard to know where to start. What experiences and accomplishments are relevant for the jobs you’ve got your eye on? What new resume rules and trends should you be following? And seriously, one page or two ?

Well, search no more: We’ve compiled all the resume tips you need into one place. Read on for advice and tricks that’ll help you craft a winning resume—and land your next job.

Maximize your chances by looking for more open jobs on The Muse »

Basic resume tips

Let's start with the basic do's and don'ts when putting your resume together. Listing your skills is not the only thing that matters—choosing the right format and sections is equally crucial. Here are some tips for writing a resume from scratch:

1. Don’t try to cram every skill and work experience onto your resume

Think of your resume not as a comprehensive list of your career history, but as a marketing document selling you as the perfect person for the role you’re applying to. For each resume you send out, you’ll want to highlight only the accomplishments and skills that are most relevant to the job at hand (even if that means you don’t include all of your experience ).

This is called tailoring your resume and it helps anyone who reads it see exactly why you’re a match for a specific position.

2. But keep a resume outline with a full list of your qualifications

Since you’ll be swapping different information in and out depending on the job you’re applying to, save a resume outline —or maybe our resume worksheet —on your computer with old positions, bullet points tailored for different applications, and special projects that only sometimes make sense to include. Think of this as your brag file. Then, when you’re crafting each resume, it’s just a matter of cutting and pasting relevant information together.

3. Ditch the objective statement

The only time an objective section makes sense is when you’re making a huge career change and need to explain from the get-go why your experience doesn’t match up with the position you’re applying to. In every other case, resume objectives just make you look old-fashioned or out of touch.

Read More: 3 Reasons You Should Ditch That Resume Objective—and 3 Things You Can Do Instead

4. Put the best, most relevant information first

In journalism speak, “above the fold” refers to what you see on the front half of a folded newspaper (or, in the digital age, before you scroll down on a website)—basically it’s your first impression of a document. In resume speak, it means you should make sure your most relevant qualifications are visible on the top third of your resume.

This top section is what the hiring manager is going to see first—and what will serve as a hook for someone to keep on reading. If your most recent position isn’t the most relevant piece of your candidacy, consider leading with a skills section (such as in a combination resume format ) or writing a resume summary .

5. Choose the right resume format for you

There are lots of different ways to organize the information on your resume—like the functional resume or combination resume. But the good old reverse chronological —where your most recent experience is listed first—is usually your best bet. Unless it’s absolutely necessary in your situation, skip the functional or skills-based resume—hiring managers might wonder what you’re hiding.

6. Keep it concise

The two-page resume is a hotly debated topic, but the bottom line is this—you want the information here to be as short as possible, and keeping it to one page forces you to prioritize what really matters. If you truly have enough relevant and important experience, training, and credentials to showcase on more than one page of your resume, then go for two. But if you can tell the same story in less space? Do it.

Read More: 6 Pro Tips for Cutting Your Resume Down to One Page

7. Include relevant links

Can’t figure out how to tell your whole story on one page, or want to be able to include some visual examples of your work? Instead of trying to have your resume cover everything, cover the most important details on that document. Then, include a link to your personal website , your online portfolio , examples of your work, or a relevant, professional social media profile , where you can dive more into what makes you the ideal candidate.

Just avoid hyperlinking over words that are key to understanding your resume, since it can throw off the tools employers use to store and parse resumes.

8. Be aware of the ATS

You may have heard that employers are using computers to “read” your resume and decide who to hire and reject. That’s not exactly true. But most employers do use software called an applicant tracking system—or ATS—to parse resumes and organize them so that recruiters and hiring managers can search for the most relevant applications.

You should assume your resume will pass through an ATS at some point during your job search, so understanding how it works will help make your hunt more efficient. (All of the tips for resume writing in this list keep ATSs in mind as well!)

Read More: Beat the Robots: How to Get Your Resume Past the System and Into Human Hands

Resume formatting tips

Your resume's format matters as much as the content it holds. Aim for a simple and minimalist layout, without overwhelming columns, colors, or graphic elements. Here are some key resume formatting tips to help you stand out:

9. Keep your resume format simple

We’ll talk about getting creative in order to stand out in a minute. But the most basic principle of good resume formatting and design? Keep it simple. Make your resume easy on hiring managers’ eyes by using a reasonably sized default font like Helvetica or Arial and leaving a healthy amount of white space on the page. Your main focus here should be on readability for the hiring manager (and that pesky ATS).

Read more: The Best Resume Font and Size (No More Agonizing!)

10. Stand out with ATS-friendly design elements

Really want your resume to stand out from the sea of Times New Roman? Yes, creative resumes —like infographics, videos, or presentations can set you apart, but you have to make sure they actually get read. If you’re uploading your resume to a job application site or online portal, use ATS-friendly formatting elements like:

• Bold and italic text
• Underlining (in headings or over hyperlinks)
• Different text alignments
• Columns that can be read straight across

11. Avoid design elements that can’t be “read” by computers

On the flip side, it’s best to avoid design elements that ATSs are known to have trouble with such as:

• Logos and icons
• Images and photos
• Graphics, graphs, or other visuals
• Headers and footers
• Less common fonts
• Columns that can only be read from top to bottom

12. Make your contact info prominent

You don’t need to include your address on your resume anymore (really!), but you do need to make sure to include a phone number and professional-sounding email address (but not one affiliated with another job!) as well as other places the hiring manager can find you on the web, like your LinkedIn profile, plus your pronouns if you’d like to.

Read More: Here's Exactly What Should Be Included in Your Resume's Header

13. Design your resume for skimmability

You’ve probably heard before that hiring managers don’t spend a lot of time on each individual resume. So help them get as much information as possible in as little time as possible, by making your resume easy to skim .

Work experience resume tips

Recruiters nowadays want to know more than a simple description of your responsibilities. They're looking for the results and impacts of your work, as well as the connection between your experience and the position you're applying for now.

That said, let's take a look at some resume writing tips for describing your work experience:

14. Keep your work experience recent and relevant

As a rule, you should only show the most recent 10-15 years of your career and only include the experiences that are relevant to the positions you’re applying to. Remember to allocate real estate on your resume according to importance. If there’s a choice between including one more college internship or going into more detail about your current role, always choose the latter (unless the internship was more relevant to the role you’re applying for).

15. Don’t forget your transferable skills and experiences

Don’t panic if you don’t have any professional experience that fits the bill. Focus your resume on your relevant and transferable skills along with any related side or academic projects , and then make sure to pair it with a strong cover letter telling the narrative of why you’re ideal for the job.

Read more: What to Put on Your Resume When You Have No Relevant Work Experience

16. Write strong, achievement-focused bullet points

The bullet points under each job entry are arguably the most important part of your resume. They tell whoever’s reading it what skills you have, how you’ve used them, and how you’ve helped your employers in the past.

So start with a strong action verb , include relevant skills from the job description , and frame your bullets around your achievements—don’t just list your job duties . Tell them how your work benefitted your boss or company so they know what they stand to gain by hiring you.

Here’s a simple formula to follow:

• Compelling verb + job duty + key skills used = tangible result

So you might say: “ Developed an upgrade to the employee database, ensuring the smooth flow of critical operations, which led to a 35% increase in efficiency. ”

17. Curate your bullet points and experiences

No matter how long you’ve been in a job, or how much you’ve accomplished there, you shouldn’t have more than eight bullet points under it—and that’s only for your most recent and relevant job. Jobs further back should generally be limited to four to six bullets.

Read More: How Many Bullet Points Should Each Job on Your Resume Have?

18. Use as many numbers as you can

Use facts, figures, and numbers whenever possible in your bullet points. How many people were impacted by your work? By what percentage did you exceed your goals? Quantifying your accomplishments allows the hiring manager to picture the level of work or responsibility you needed to achieve them.

19. Don’t neglect non-traditional work

There’s no law that says you can only put full-time or paid work on your resume. So, if you’ve volunteered , worked part-time or as a temporary or contract worker , freelanced, or interned? Absolutely list these things as their own “jobs” within your career chronology—as long as they’re relevant to the job you’re applying for. The same goes for career breaks . Yes, really.

Read More: 4 Things You Didn't Know You Could Put on Your Resume

20. Use important keywords from the job description

Scan the job description, see what words are used most often, and make sure you’ve included them in your bullet points. For example, does the job description list “CRM” or “Salesforce”? Make sure your resume matches. Not only is this a self-check that you’re targeting your resume to the job, but it’ll also make it easier to search for your resume in an ATS.

Read More: How to Pick Resume Keywords That'll Get Your Job Application Past the ATS

Resume tips for including your education

Most hiring managers will want to know your education level, even if it's not necessarily relevant to the position you're going for. This section is especially important for those changing careers or applying for entry-level jobs—as your education can be an indicator of the skills you have.

Here's some resume tips and tricks for this section:

21. Put experience first, education later

Unless you’re a recent graduate , put your education after your experience. Chances are, your last couple of jobs are more important and relevant to you getting the job than where you went to college.

22. Also keep it in reverse chronological order

Generally, you should list your educational background with the most recent or advanced degree first, working in reverse chronological order. But if older coursework is more specific to the job, list that first to grab the reviewer’s attention.

23. Remove the dates from your education section once you’re a few years into your career

Unless you’re early in your career, don’t list your graduation dates. The reviewer cares more about whether or not you have the degree than when you earned it. And you don’t want to inadvertently open yourself up to age discrimination , which is an unfortunate reality in some job markets.

24. Highlight honors and achievements, not GPA

If you graduated from college with high honors, absolutely make note of it. Showcase that summa cum laude status, the fact that you were in the honors college at your university, a relevant project you completed, or an award you won. You don’t need to list your GPA —employers don’t care as much about GPA as they do what skills you gained in school.

Read More: How to (and How Not to) List Education on Your Resume

25. Include continuing or online education

Feel free to include continuing education, professional development coursework, or online courses in your education section, especially if your resume feels a little light on relevant experience.

Best resume tips for showing off your skills

You shouldn't wait until you get an interview to showcase your skills—your resume can and should have a specific section for them. You can also leverage other sections of the document to incorporate what's relevant for the position.

Here are our tips for making a resume that effectively highlights your skills:

26. Don’t forget your skills section

Be sure to add a section that lists all the relevant skills you have for a position—especially those mentioned in the job description. Include technical skills like software and project management tools or specific knowledge of how to perform relevant tasks. Just make sure to skip including skills that everyone is expected to have, like using email or Microsoft Word. Doing so will make you seem less technologically savvy.

27. But don’t only put your skills in your skills section

Your skills section is an easy way for anyone reading your resume to confirm that you have required qualifications, but that shouldn’t be the only place that your important skills appear. Any skill that’s vital to you being hired should also be in your bullet points—where you can show how you’ve used it in the past.

28. Divvy up your skills for readability

If you have lots of skills that would help you with a job but aren’t necessarily in the same category—say, foreign language, software, and leadership skills—try breaking up your skills sections. Below your “Skills” section, add a subsection titled “Language Skills” or “Software Skills,” for example. Again, we’re going for skimmability here!

29. Show—don’t tell—your soft skills

Describing soft skills on a resume often starts to sound like a list of meaningless buzzwords. But being a “strong leader” or an “effective communicator” are important characteristics you want to get across. Think about how you can demonstrate these attributes in your bullet points without actually saying them.

Read more: The Non-Boring Way to Show Off Your Soft Skills in Your Job Search

Other resume section tips

Resume sections are not fixed like stone-written texts; they can change according to the job position you're applying for or the requirements listed by the company. Here are some examples of sections you can add—and more tips on writing a resume that stand out:

30. Include relevant certifications and licenses

If you have a certification or license that proves you can do some aspect of the job you’re applying for, include it on your resume. This is especially important if that certification or license is legally required to do the job—for example, in nursing, teaching, or driving jobs.

31. Show some (relevant) personality

Feel free to include an “Interests” section on your resume, but only add those that are relevant to the job. Are you a guitar player with your eye on a music company? Definitely include it. But if you’re considering including your scrapbooking hobby for a software developer job at a healthcare company? Best to leave it out.

32. Beware of interests and activities that could be controversial

Maybe you help raise money for your church on the reg. Or perhaps you’re dedicated to canvassing during political campaigns. Yes, these experiences show a good amount of work ethic or possibly other relevant skills—but they could also open you up to be discriminated against by someone who disagrees with the cause. So weigh your decision to include them carefully.

33. Add awards and achievements—when they’re relevant

Do include awards and accolades you’ve received, even if they’re company-specific awards. Just state what you earned them for, e.g., “Earned Golden Salesperson Award for having the company’s top sales record four quarters in a row.” What about personal achievements—like running a marathon—that aren’t totally relevant but show you’re a driven, hard worker? Consider the best way to include them (and if you should).

Resume tips for navigating employment gaps and other sticky situations

If you're an experienced professional, you might have some tricky information to explain. Job hopping, career gap, and short term jobs are examples of things that can make an applicant feel insecure when drafting resumes.

Is that your situation? Check on these good resume tips to explain sticky situations without jeopardizing your chances to get an interview:

34. Cut the short-term jobs

If you stayed at a (non-temporary) job for only a matter of months, consider eliminating it from your resume to avoid looking like a job hopper. Leaving a particularly short-lived job or two off your resume shouldn’t hurt, as long as you’re honest about your experience if asked in an interview. But if the short-term job is super relevant to this job, consider including it anyway.

35. If you have shorter gaps, be strategic about how you list dates

If you have gaps of a few months in your work history, don’t list the usual start and end dates with months and years for each position. Use years only (2018–2020), or just the number of years or months you worked at each position. Just keep it consistent throughout your resume and don’t lie if asked about gaps during an interview.

Read more: How to Explain the Gap in Your Resume With Ease

36. Explain serial job hopping

If you’ve job-hopped frequently, you can include a succinct reason for leaving next to each position like “company closed,” “layoff due to downsizing,” or “relocated to a new city.” By addressing the gaps, you’ll proactively illustrate the reason for your frequent job movement and make it less of an issue.

37. Explain a long break in jobs

Re-entering the workforce after a long hiatus? This is the perfect opportunity for a summary statement at the top, outlining your best skills and accomplishments. Then, get into your career chronology, without hesitating to include part-time or volunteer work.

38. Be intentional about career gaps

While career gaps are becoming increasingly common, you should still frame them in a way that’s relevant to a future employer, by talking about skills you gained or any professional endeavors you took on. If you didn’t focus on professional development, that’s fine too! But not every employer will appreciate it if you get too cutesy about that section of your resume.

For example, if you took time out of the workforce to raise kids, you might not want to creatively describe this parenting experience on your resume, à la “adeptly managed the growing pile of laundry.” Instead state what you did plainly and include any professional skills you may have grown or activities you may have done.

Read More: Stay-at-Home Parent? How to Kill it on Your Comeback Resume

Tips on resume finishing touches

Writing a good resume alone isn't the only thing that matters. How you save and send it can also determine whether the recruiter will even take a look at it. To wrap things up, here are our resume formatting tips and other suggestions to boost your chances of getting noticed:

39. Ditch “References available upon request”

If a hiring manager is interested in you, they’ll ask you for references—and will assume that you have them. There’s no need to address the obvious (and doing so might even make you look a little out of touch!).

40. Proofread, proofread, proofread

It should go without saying, but fully edit your resume and make sure it’s free and clear of typos. And don’t rely on spell check and grammar check alone—step away for a few hours, then read your resume closely again, and ask family or friends to take a look at it for you.

41. Save it as a PDF or Word document

Unless a job posting specifically requests that you do otherwise, your resume should always be submitted as either a PDF or Word document (.docx not .doc). These are the formats that can be most easily opened and most easily parsed by an ATS.

The choice between the two is up to you (again, unless the company you’re applying to requests one format over the other). If you’re emailing your resume, however, PDFs are a bit more likely to maintain your formatting across different computers and programs.

42. Name your file clearly

Ready to save your resume and send it off? Save it as “Jane Smith Resume” instead of “Resume.” The hiring manager is going to have plenty of “Resumes” on their computer, so make it super easy for them to find what they’re looking for. You can even go a bit further and put the position title in your file name (e.g., “Jane Smith Marketing Analyst Resume).

Read More: The (Simple) Guidelines You Should Follow When Naming Your Resume and Cover Letter Files

43. Keep your resume outline fresh

Carve out some time every quarter or so to pull up your resume outline and make some updates. Have you taken on new responsibilities? Learned new skills? Add them. When your resume is updated on a regular basis, you’re always ready to pounce when opportunity presents itself. And even if you’re not job searching, there are plenty of good reasons to keep this document in tip-top shape.

Work Experience on a Resume - How to List It Right

Imagine you’re a hiring manager who goes through countless resumes on the daily.

What’s the first thing you look at?

If your guess was work experience, then you’re right.

And if you spot a few relevant keywords in their work experience section, then you’re more likely to continue reading about their background, contact information, and so on.

The most important thing hiring managers want to know is whether you can do the job you’re applying for, and that’s where the work experience section of your resume comes in.

So how do you make your work experience do the heavy lifting?

Don’t worry! Our article is here to help.

We’re going to cover:

• What Information Your Work Experience Section Needs

How to Format Work Experience on Your Resume

• 11 Real-Life Examples of Work Experience on a Resume

Let’s get started.

What to Include in Your Work Experience Section

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

This is the section that gives hiring managers a look at your professional journey so far, including your skills and achievements, and it’s the section they base their hiring decisions on the most.

Your work history can show how likely you are to excel at the job, how committed you are to career growth , and what industry know-how you ought to have.

This section is going to look different depending on your career level, how recent your work experience is, and what the job you're applying for is.

Let’s look at what information employers expect from your work experience section:

• Job Title/Position . Add this at the top of each work experience entry. You want the hiring manager to know at a glance that you have relevant work experience for the job, so use the actual job title instead of any buzzwords.
• Company Name. Include the name of the employer. Sometimes, if the employer isn’t well-known, you might want to describe the company in a sentence or two to give the hiring manager context.
• Location. The general location, such as the city and state/country where you worked, is more than enough information.
• Employment Dates. Write down the approximate timeframe of your employment. There’s no need to give exact dates since the standard format for this is mm/yyyy.
• Responsibilities and Achievements. The core of each work experience entry is what you achieved while you were there. List your responsibilities and achievements in bullet points instead of paragraphs to make them easier to read. Use 5-6 bullet points for newer job entries and 2-3 for older ones.

Here’s an example of a work experience section that includes all of the above:

Want to know more about other resume sections? Learn how to write a resume with our detailed guide!

You know what to include in your work experience section, so let’s talk about how to include it.

First things first - your work experience section should always follow a reverse chronological order . Add your latest work experience at the very top, and work your way backward.

Hiring managers aren’t interested in what you did ten years ago. Instead, they’d rather know what you’ve been up to right before applying for this specific job.

That being said, if you have a lot of experience, you shouldn’t include every single job you’ve ever had.

Your resume is supposed to be one page long , so feel free to omit any summer gigs or part-time jobs to free up space. It’s also extremely important that your work experience is easy to find and that the information is well-structured and readable.

Here’s an example of how to format your work experience section:

Making Your Work Experience Stand Out

Now that you know how to list your work experience, you need to describe it in a way that makes you stand out from other candidates.

We’ve divided this process into several steps, starting with:

#1. List Achievements Instead of Responsibilities

Too many resumes focus on the day-to-day tasks in the work experience section.

The thing is, hiring managers already know what those responsibilities are. They’re the ones who write the job ads, so you won’t impress them by telling them you did just what they would expect you to do.

For example, if you’re a QA engineer, your responsibilities could include:

• Identifying software bugs.
• Ensuring test coverage for all features.
• Making detailed reports on product quality.

These same responsibilities show up in 99% of QA engineer resumes out there.

So, if you want to stand out from the crowd, you want to focus on your most impressive achievements instead. Show the hiring manager how you helped your previous employer and the difference you made while you were there.

Let’s compare how the same work experience entry looks like when we use achievements and when we use responsibilities:

• Increased test coverage by 25% by implementing new automated test suites.
• Reported and triaged over 100 high-priority defects ahead of major releases.
• Executed manual test cases across web and mobile applications.
• Logged defects into bug-tracking systems as they were encountered.

But there are some fields where there aren’t that many achievements you can mention in your resume. For example, if you’re a server , serving 120+ patrons a night, or earning a lot of tips aren’t achievements that look good on your resume.

Your daily tasks probably include:

• Taking orders, serving food and beverages, and ensuring customer satisfaction.
• Preparing tables for meals, including setting up items such as linens, silverware, and glassware.
• Assisting in opening and closing the restaurant, including cleaning duties and setting up for the next service.

In this case, it’s okay to focus on responsibilities instead. You can still distinguish yourself by following the rest of our tips on how to make your work experience shine.

#2. Tailor Your Work Experience to the Job

If you want your resume to go from “okay” to "outstanding," what you need to do is tailor it to the specific job you’re applying for. 

The hiring manager doesn’t need to know details about every job you’ve had or about the skills you gained in a different field. 

So, your work experience should reflect what the job requirements are. This way, you’re more likely to really catch the hiring manager’s attention and land a job interview .

Here’s an example of a well-tailored job ad:

As you can see from the picture, it’s easy to figure out what the most important requirements for the role are. 

So, to tailor your resume to this ad, you need to show how you meet every one of these job requirements.

Let’s look at an example of how the same work experience would be tailored differently according to different job ads.

Say, you were an advertising intern.

Here’s what your work experience would look like when you’re applying for a position as a social media assistant:

INTERNSHIPS

Marketing Intern

Full Picture Company

New York, NY

09/2023 - 12/2023

• Analyzed various social media platforms for trending content.
• Managed company social media accounts.
• Posted interesting content on the company's Facebook page, increasing engagement by 25%.

Pretty easy, right? Now, let’s look at what the same work experience entry would look like for a job as a content writer .

• Assisted the Marketing Manager in writing press releases and new blog posts, which increased web traffic by 25%.
• Created engaging content for email marketing campaigns and boosted newsletter subscriptions.
• Revitalized old blog posts with updated information and SEO optimization, improving organic search rankings by 30%.

The internship is still the same but this way, the experience you’re focusing on is tailored to the job you’re applying for. The hiring manager can immediately see your most important skills for the job and the value you could bring to their team.

#3. Add the Right Amount of Work Experience

If you’ve had a lot of jobs so far, you might be wondering if they all belong on your resume.

The answer is usually no. Your full, detailed work history belongs on your CV instead of your resume .

The hiring manager only wants the most recent and relevant information, not your full life story.

So, the amount of work information your resume should include depends entirely on your level of experience.

Let’s break it down:

• No Experience. If you’re currently looking for your very first job , you simply won’t have any jobs to fill in your work experience section. In that case, we recommend skipping this section and instead focusing on any experience gained in clubs, extracurricular activities , volunteering, and other projects.
• Entry-Level. When you’re applying for an entry-level job, you can list most of your work experience so far. Likely, some of it won’t be relevant, but it still shows the hiring manager that you have some work experience, and that’s better than none.
• Mid-Level. At this level, you should only mention relevant work experience. Don’t waste precious space listing old internships or jobs you had as a teenager .
• Senior-Level. You only need to list up to 15 years of relevant work experience. You might even need a two-page resume to apply for an executive position at this stage, but only if you have too much relevant work experience to fit onto a single page.

#4. Optimize for the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) Software

Before the hiring manager reads your resume, it has to make it to them.

The fact is that 70% of resumes get discarded before the hiring manager even reads them.

That’s because most companies use specialized Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) to go through hundreds of resumes and automatically filter out ones that don’t have what the hiring manager is looking for.

Unfortunately, this means that if a resume is missing a specific skill or isn’t formatted in a way that the ATS can process , it gets rejected immediately.

So, how can your work experience make the cut?

Here are a few tips:

• Don’t go over one page. The ATS can have a limit on how long a resume is allowed to be, so we recommend always sticking to a single-page resume.
• Format everything carefully. Don’t give your resume sections quirky names. Your work experience section should be titled “Work Experience,” not “The Journey So Far.” If you try being too creative, the ATS might not recognize what that section is and reject you.
• Tailor carefully to the job ad. If you want to beat the ATS, you need your resume to be as tailored to the job ad as possible. Include as many relevant keywords as you can in your work experience section. Just make sure they’re all used in a logical context since the hiring manager is supposed to read them, too.
• Keep everything in an active voice. Describe your previous jobs with clear and specific language. (E.g.: Instead of “A team of ten people was managed by me,” say “Managed a team of ten people” ).
• Use power words and action verbs. Hiring managers don’t want to hear how you “were responsible” for this or “helped with” that. Make your work experience pop by using impactful language like “spearheaded,” “designed,” “conceptualized,” and more.

Choose one of our ATS-friendly resume templates to make sure your resume passes the test.

Where to Place Work Experience on Your Resume

The work experience section should always be one of the first sections on your resume, along with the skills section.

Typically, it comes just after your resume header , so that the hiring manager can read it immediately after your resume headline .

If you are using the reverse-chronological resume format, work experience should go at the top of your resume. This way, hiring managers can quickly evaluate your qualifications based on your most recent roles.

However, if you’re using a different resume format, such as functional or combination resume formats, you can make an exception. These resume formats emphasize skills over work history, so you could move your work experience further down, towards the middle of your resume.

Recent graduates are another exception to this rule

Suppose you’re a student with minimal professional experience. In that case, you can put your education section on top instead of your work experience section to emphasize your academic achievements and show that you’re ready to put your knowledge to good use.

Want to learn about the other popular resume formats ? Check out this article to see which one is right for you.

Complimentary Resume Sections

While your work experience might be the single most important section of your resume, at the end of the day, it works in sync with the rest of it.

Other resume sections , like your resume summary or certifications, can show the hiring manager how experienced you are and how much industry know-how you bring to the table.

So, here are a few other resume sections that come into play if you want to back up your work experience and increase your chances of getting an interview:

#1. Resume Summary

A resume summary is a short section at the top of your resume that highlights your most relevant skills and achievements related to the job.

In 2-3 simple sentences, a good resume summary tells the hiring manager:

• Your years of experience in that type of role.
• Your top qualifications or impressive accomplishments.
• What kind of responsibilities you’re familiar with.
• What your motivation for the position is.

By summarizing the core of your work experience upfront, your resume summary lets the hiring manager know what they can expect from the rest of your resume. So, when done well, an eye-catching resume summary can make you stand out from the crowd.

Here’s an example of a resume summary:

Another important section is devoted to your most important skills.

The skills section lets you list abilities that supplement your work experience, and it should be divided into two categories:

• Hard Skills. These include technical skills, tools, and specific knowledge that’s directly applicable to the role.
• Soft Skills. These can be personality traits or interpersonal skills that demonstrate how you work with others and how well you’d fit into the company’s team.

Along with your work history, the skills section helps employers quickly evaluate your credentials and relevant expertise for the position. While your work experience highlights skills in context, the skills section provides an easy-to-reference summary.

Make sure the skills you list on your resume align with what the employer is looking for. Use the job description as a reference to pinpoint the keywords you should add to your resume .

Here’s an example of a skills section on a resume:

#3. Certificates

Professional certificates and coursework can show your commitment to continuous learning and honing your skills.

Listing certificates on your resume allows you to showcase specialized knowledge and skills that might not be evident from your work experience.

For example, say you’re applying for a position as an SEO content marketer.

If you’re experienced in digital marketing but don’t have formal work experience with SEO, that could be a problem. However, listing a certificate from an SEO course can tell the hiring manager that you have the necessary knowledge to take on the role.

Relevant certificates can provide evidence of your advanced skills, industry expertise, or any other necessary qualifications for the role. They can back up your skills and distinguish you from other candidates with similar work experience.

Depending on the context, any certificates you have can either be listed in the education section or a dedicated resume section.

If the certificates are more recent and different from your formal education, we recommend listing them separately. Here’s an example:

#4. Personal Projects

One of the best ways to show your passion and dedication is through your projects.

Hiring managers love candidates who do cool stuff in their spare time.

If any personal passion project you’ve been working on is relevant to the role you’re applying for, make sure to add it to your resume. It can back up the skills and experience on your resume, and help you stand out from other applicants.

For example, if you’re applying for a job as an animator , any published flash animation videos on YouTube are a great addition to your resume.

However, personal projects should only be listed if they’re relevant. If you’re looking for a job as an architect , your incredible cosplay sewing abilities just won’t cut it.

Here’s an example of a personal projects section:

11 Real-Life Examples

Not sure how to list work experience for your field?

Check out the practical work experience in these resume examples for different professions:

#1. Marketing Executive Resume Example

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

#2. Teacher Resume Example

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

#3. Cashier Resume Example

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

#4. Software Engineer Resume Example

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

#5. Career Change Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a career change resume here.

#6. Illustrator Resume Example

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

#7. Esthetician Resume Example

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

#8. Stay-at-Home Parent Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a stay-at-home parent resume here.

#9. University Graduate Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a university graduate resume here.

#10. University Student Resume Example

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

#11. High School Graduate Resume Example

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

Work Experience Section FAQs

Are you still wondering about something related to your resume’s work experience? Check out the answers to these popular questions about listing work experience on a resume:

#1. What If I Don’t Have Any Work Experience?

If you don’t have any work experience, there are two things you should consider: first, hiring managers don’t expect candidates for entry-level roles to have a ton of experience, so you don’t have to worry too much.

And second - there are plenty of ways to make an impressive resume even without any professional experience .

For example, if you're a recent graduate, you can focus on highlighting your education, relevant coursework or extracurricular activities.

Include any internships, volunteer roles, or student organizations that show you have the skills necessary for the job.

You can also highlight universal skills like communication , teamwork, problem-solving, and computer skills . If you use a strategic approach, your lack of work experience won’t hold you back from writing a great resume.

#2. Can I List an Internship Instead of Work Experience?

Yes, you can list internship experience on your resume instead of work experience.

Internships provide valuable on-the-job training and give you exposure to a professional work environment, so they’re always a great thing to add to your resume.

Like work experience, internships allow you to gain important skills, learn about a particular industry or role, and build accomplishments you can use to show potential future employers. 

Internships can be a vital resume section for candidates with less experience, such as students, career changers, or stay-at-home parents re-entering the workforce, since they show hiring managers you have enough relevant hands-on experience to succeed at the job.

#3. How Can I Explain an Employment Gap on My Resume?

The key to managing a gap in your work experience section is to address it briefly and positively on your resume or cover letter .

In a line or two, explain what happened and move on without dwelling on it, since employment gaps are relatively common and can happen for different reasons.

For example, if you had to take a year off to recover from a medical issue, just say so in your resume without going into details. The important thing is that you’re now better, ready to resume work, and the hiring manager knows it won’t be a problem.

If you have a short employment gap, you can probably skip the explanations. Simply list the start and end dates for each role without explaining the time in between. A couple of months between jobs is perfectly normal, and hiring managers aren’t likely to ask about it.

#4. What If My Work Experience Isn’t Relevant?

If you're applying for a job and none of your work experience is relevant, it’s a bit more complicated.

As a general rule, any work experience is better than no work experience. Most soft skills are applicable across industries, so you can focus on them in your resume.

If you’re an entry-level candidate, you might want to leverage other areas to show the hiring manager that you’re a good fit for the role.

For example, if you want to be a graphic designer but only have experience in customer service , emphasize your art education, portfolio work, and personal projects instead. If you’ve taken any more recent courses related to the field, you can list them before your work experience.

However, if you’re an experienced professional looking to change careers , things are a little different.

For a career change, you need to articulate your transferable skills and show how your previous experience can help you in this new role.

Let's say you're a sales professional interested in marketing. You could highlight skills like communication, market analysis, client relationship-building, and goal-oriented achievements that show your valuable marketing skills.

Key Takeaways

You’ve made it to the end!

Now, you’re all set to write a flawless work experience section.

But before you go, let’s recap what we talked about:

• Always list your work experience reverse-chronologically so the hiring manager can see what your most recent achievements and experiences are.
• If possible, focus on work achievements over day-to-day tasks. This way, you can immediately show the hiring manager what you’ve done for your previous team and what the value of hiring you would be.
• Carefully format your work experience so it passes the ATS and so that the hiring manager can easily read it.
• Instead of paragraphs, use bullet points to describe your previous jobs. For newer experiences, 5-6 bullets are good, but for older ones, 2-3 bullet points are enough.
• If you don’t have work experience, use this section to list your internship, volunteer experience, personal projects, or extracurricular activities. Treat them the same way you would treat work experience, and list your responsibilities and achievements in bullet points.
• Make sure the other sections in your resume complement your work experience for a flawless job application.

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Switching Careers? Here’s How to Write a Strong Resume.

• Benjamin Laker,
• Vijay Pereira,
• Abhishek Behl,
• Zaheer Khan

Start with a personal statement.

When you’re switching career paths, there’s one essential thing you need to focus on: updating your resume. Crafting a smart resume is key to showing your potential employer why you wish to make a change. While there’s no one right format to write a resume, here are some tips you can follow:

• Begin the resume with a personal statement. This is a short description about who you are, your reasons for changing your career, your new goals, how your previous experience can be transferred to the new industry, and why you’re perfect for the job.
• Next, instead of highlighting your work experience first, showcase the skills you’ve learned throughout your career. That’s because when changing careers, the hiring managers reviewing your application may not always be familiar with the roles and responsibilities of a different industry.
• Below your skills, you can include a more traditional description of your relevant work history. You don’t need to include every job you’ve ever had, especially if you’ve held a number of positions that don’t highlight any essential skills required for this role.
• Finally, end with a chronological list of your educational qualifications. You can also include details about any certifications or courses that you may be undertaking that may be relevant to the position you’re interested in.

Switching career paths and trying something completely new can open you up to exciting opportunities, help you learn new things, and even earn you more money. But it’s not always easy — especially if you’re looking to move into an entirely different field. Apart from doing your research and unearthing opportunities, there’s one essential thing you need to focus on before you make the leap: updating your resume.

• Benjamin Laker is a professor of leadership at Henley Business School, University of Reading. Follow him on Twitter .
• Vijay Pereira is a professor of strategic and international human capital management at NEOMA Business School.
• AB Abhishek Behl is an assistant professor of information management at the Management Development Institute Gurgaon.
• ZK Zaheer Khan is a professor in strategy and international business at the University of Aberdeen.  

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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.
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• Choosing how to get started - you can upload an old resume, your LinkedIn profile, or with a blank page.
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• Downloading your resume in PDF or TXT formats, or saving them in US letter format or A4 format.
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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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Resume Guidelines and Samples

Resume Samples

Purpose of resume (overview), resume header, education section of resume, experience section of resume, skills section of resume, resume checklist.

Download resume guidelines as a pdf List of resume action verb How to write effective resume bullets

How to have your resume reviewed

• 4 Resume Samples  (PDF format)  
• Sasha Cazenove
• Seona Bates
• Sierra Tower
• Sophie McAfee

Your resume is generally a one-page document that clearly presents your current and past experiences and accomplishments so that your reader can understand the unique value that you bring to the table. As you begin to draft your resume, consider the following. Your resume is:

• Your first opportunity to make an impression. Step back from the details to consider what story you want to communicate.
• Foremost, about the content and demonstrating your experiences. Begin by writing your resume in Google docs or Word, and avoid using templates that focus on form over content.
• A living document that you will tailor to specific positions and will evolve throughout your career.
• Not a laundry list of every experience; it is a carefully curated list of relevant experiences. 
• Easy to read. Consider font type and size, formatting, and a balance of text and white space.
• Shared with potential employers as a pdf document.

The header provides your full name and contact information (email address & telephone number). This section should not include personal information (e.g., sex, date of birth, marital status). Items that may be included in your header:

• Wellesley and/or home address: If you choose both, be sure to label each address accordingly. 
• Personal website, links to professional social media (Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn) 

If you are a current student or recent alumna, the education section should be just below the heading, with the most recent education listed first. Generally, you should not include your high school on your resume; however, first-year college students may include relevant high school experiences. Necessary information includes:

• Your institution and its location (City/Town and State) 
• Your degree (Bachelor of Arts), any major(s) and/or minor(s) 
• Expected graduation date. 
• Optional: Study abroad programs and institutions where you cross-registered for classes. 

In this section, provide details about your various experiences, highlighting accomplishments, learning outcomes, and transferable skills. “Experience” is broadly defined and can include full- or part-time work, summer jobs, internships, research, academic projects, campus leadership, volunteer opportunities, etc. Describe your experiences using strong, specific verbs, and emphasize the results and impact of your work. You can create separate and distinct Experience sections to highlight those positions or skills (e.g., Research, Leadership, Extracurricular, or Volunteer). 

• List experiences in reverse chronological order (most recent first). 
• Include name and location of the organization where this experience took place and the title of your role. 
• Include start and end date for your experience. If it is ongoing, list your end date as “Present.” 
• Describe your experience in accomplishment statements, using short phrases starting with a strong verb. Be specific and quantify your experiences whenever you can. 
• Create 2-5 accomplishment statements for each experience. 

This section provides an immediate view of the kinds of tasks you are ready to undertake. While you will want to be selective and only list relevant skills, these might range from technical skills, like expertise using a digital tool, to experience-based skills, like project management or database design. This section can also include certifications, languages, etc. In general, it’s best to avoid general skills like people skills, time management or critical thinking. As this section grows, you may divide it into several distinct skills sections, like Software Expertise, Language Skills, Teaching Skills, Design Skills, etc.

Is your resume... 

☐ Easy to read? 

☐ Simple, clean font (e.g. Times, Arial, Garamond) 

☐ 10 to 12 pt. font 

☐ 0.5 to 1 in. margins 

☐ Error free (grammar & spelling)? 

☐ Devoid of personal pronouns (I, me, my, we)? 

☐ Concise? 

☐ Reverse chronological? 

☐ Tailored to the type(s) of opportunities you are seeking?

Does your resume… 

☐ Effectively communicate your relevant skills and experience? 

☐ Effectively communicate your personal brand? 

☐ Use consistent formatting for dates, job accomplishments, etc.? 

☐ Display your strongest or most relevant qualifications near the top of the page or section? 

☐ Highlight all your related/transferable experience? 

☐ Utilize action verbs and results-oriented language to describe your experience?

☐  Display on the screen without formatting errors as a pdf attachment?

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• The Job Search Email Playbook Our 100+ page guide to writing job-winning emails.
• Value Validation Project Starter Kit Everything you need to create a job-winning VVP.
• No Experience, No Problem Learn how to change careers with no experience.
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• What To Wear To An Interview A simple guide to dressing for the job you want.
• How To Write A Job-Winning Thank You Note Learn how to write a post-interview thank you that wins job offers.

10+ “Experience” Synonyms To Put In Your Resume [With Examples]

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Looking for “experience” synonyms to put in your resume?

However, when you finish crafting your resume, you may realize you have gotten a little too carried away with your use of the word.

So how can you find another word for “experience” that still communicates exactly what you want in your resume?

In this article, you'll find more than just a list of synonyms: you'll also find examples of how to use these words in each section of your resume.

At the end of this article, I'll share a secret tip on how to level up your resume writing too.

You can read this piece from top to bottom or jump to the specific sections below:

10+ Synonyms For “Experience” To Put In Your Resume

How to use “experience” synonyms on your resume (with examples).

• How To Take Your Resume Writing To The Next Level (With Free Resources!)

Taking Your Resume To The Next Level: Final Steps

Key takeaways to writing a job-winning resume.

Let's get started!

Below, you can find a list of 10 synonyms for “experience” to add to your resume:

• Knowledge: Implies understanding gained through involvement or study.
• Expertise: Suggests a high skill level or mastery in a particular area.
• Proficiency: Conveys competence in specific tasks or activities.
• Exposure: Emphasizes familiarity gained through observation or participation.
• Background: Suggests prior involvement or history in a certain field.
• Familiarity: Implies general awareness or understanding.
• Competence: Suggests the ability to perform tasks successfully.
• Insight: Focuses on deeper understanding and awareness.
• Practice: Indicates repetitive engagement or honing of a skill.
• Skill: Conveys the application of learned abilities in tasks.

Now that you've seen the top 10 synonyms for “experience,” here's how you can use them in a sentence:

1. Using “knowledge” as another word for “experience”:

Using “experience”:

Experience in managing cross-functional teams to deliver projects on time, resulting in a 20% improvement in overall project delivery speed.

Using “knowledge”:

Knowledge of cross-functional team dynamics, resulting in a 20% improvement in overall project delivery speed.

“Knowledge” highlights understanding and proficiency in a particular area.

2. Using “expertise” as another word for “experience”:

Experience developing automated systems that reduced costs by 15% and increased operational efficiency by 30%.

Using “expertise”:

Expertise in developing automated systems that led to a 15% cost reduction and a 30% increase in operational efficiency.

“Expertise” emphasizes a high level of skill and mastery.

3. Using “proficiency” as another word for “experience”:

Experience with data analysis tools to generate actionable insights that improved decision-making processes by 25%.

Using “proficiency”:

Proficiency with data analysis tools, resulting in a 25% improvement in decision-making accuracy.

“Proficiency” suggests competence and capability in a task.

4. Using “exposure” as another word for “experience”:

Experience working with diverse client portfolios, leading to a 40% increase in client retention.

Using “exposure”:

Exposure to diverse client portfolios, resulting in a 40% increase in client retention.

“Exposure” conveys familiarity gained through direct involvement.

5. Using “background” as another word for “experience”:

Experience in financial analysis for Fortune 500 companies, generating insights that boosted revenue by 10%.

Using “background”:

Background in financial analysis for Fortune 500 companies, delivering insights that resulted in a 10% increase in revenue.

“Background” implies prior involvement and knowledge in the field.

6. Using “familiarity” as another word for “experience”:

Experience in customer relationship management software, reducing response time by 25%.

Using “familiarity”:

Familiarity with customer relationship management software, resulting in a 25% reduction in response time.

“Familiarity” suggests an awareness and understanding of the subject.

7. Using “competence” as another word for “experience”:

Experience in executing complex marketing campaigns, resulting in a 30% increase in lead generation.

Using “competence”:

Competence in executing complex marketing campaigns, driving a 30% increase in lead generation.

“Competence” highlights the ability to perform a task successfully.

8. Using “insight” as another word for “experience”:

Experience in user behavior analysis, improving website conversions by 50%.

Using “insight”:

Insight into user behavior, driving a 50% increase in website conversions.

“Insight” conveys a deep understanding of the subject matter.

9. Using “practice” as another word for “experience”:

Experience in leading agile teams, reducing project turnaround time by 15%.

Using “practice”:

Practice in leading agile teams, resulting in a 15% reduction in project turnaround time.

“Practice” indicates engagement and repetition of a specific skill or process.

10. Using “skill” as another word for “experience”:

Experience in graphic design, creating visually compelling campaigns that increased brand engagement by 35%.

Using “skill”:

Skilled in graphic design, producing visually compelling campaigns that resulted in a 35% increase in brand engagement.

“Skill”, or “skilled”, highlights the application of abilities and talents in specific tasks.

Want To Take Your Resume Writing To The Next Level?

Writing a resume isn't just simply listing your work experience, education, and skills. You need to sell yourself too !

This means you'll need to craft compelling resume bullets that really grab the attention of recruiters

Sure, you could go with something like: Marketing Manager with 10+ years of experience.

Or, you could go with something like this:

Marketing Manager with 10+ years of experience crafting compelling B2B campaigns that increased brand recognition by 25%.

Much better, right?

That's because I used a secret formula that includes a reasonable amount of hard and soft skills, action words, measurable results, and common words:

You can use ResyBullet.io to scan, score, and upgrade your resume bullets in a few seconds. Here's what I scored for the resume bullet above:

To scan and improve your resume bullet, simply head over to ResyBullet.io or copy and paste your resume bullet below:

Free Resume Bullet Analyzer

Learn to write crazy effective resume bullets that grab attention, illustrate value, and actually get results., copy and paste your resume bullet to begin analysis:.

Aim for a score over 60 and you'll be good to go!

Not sure what metrics to include in your resume? This post from Austin's LinkedIn brings 5 ways you can uncover metrics for any role:

To recap, here's a video that walks through the entire process of writing a job-winning resume bullet:

Finding the right words for your resume can go a long way when you're applying online. Not only do you want to use compelling language, but you also want your resume to get past ATS filters . To do this, you'll need to match the keywords in your resume with the ones in the target job description.

The best way to do this is by using a resume scanner like ResyMatch.io to scan and score your resume with your target job in just a few clicks. Simply upload your resume and paste the job description below:

Copy/paste or upload your resume here:

Click here to paste text

Upload a PDF, Word Doc, or TXT File

Paste the job post's details here:

Scan to compare and score your resume vs the job's description.

Scanning...

If you're a visual learner, here's a video walking through the entire process so you can follow along:

After you've optimized your resume with the right keywords, how about ramping it up with a job-winning resume template? Pick one of the templates below from ResyBuild.io to get started:

Free Job-Winning Resume Templates, Build Yours In No Time .

Choose a resume template below to get started:.

Now that we've gone through the best synonyms for “experience” to put in your resume, here are my final takeaways for writing a job-winning resume:

• Review every instance of “experience” in your resume
• Review the list of synonyms in this article and update your resume so you don't have more than 2-3 instances of “experience”
• Run each of your resume bullets through ResyBullet.io and make sure they score >60
• Run your entire resume through ResyMatch.io and make sure it's optimized for the roles you are targeting
• Ramp up your resume with one of our job-winning resume templates from ResyBuild.io

Follow these steps and you are sure to end up with a job-winning resume!

Good luck out there!

Paula Martins

Paula is Cultivated Culture's amazing Editor and Content Manager. Her background is in journalism and she's transitioned from roles in education, to tech, to finance, and more. She blends her journalism background with her job search experience to share advice aimed at helping people like you land jobs they love without applying online.

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• Resume and Cover Letter
• Short Cover Letter Samples:...

Short Cover Letter Samples: Effective Examples for Job Applications

10 min read · Updated on September 11, 2024

Sometimes, a short and simple cover letter is all you need.

Today's hiring managers are inundated with resumes and cover letters, making it an impossible task to read everything that comes across their desks. Because of this, you need to make a great first impression as quickly as possible. 

However, it can be a difficult task to condense years of experience, education, and career achievements into something concise. But you've come to the right place. Here, you'll find some short cover letter samples that will help you win the day. 

Less is more

A lot of job seekers fall into the trap of trying to fit everything they've ever done into their resume and cover letter under the false impression that will help them land an interview. Nothing could be further from the truth. 

The fact is, there isn't a hiring manager alive who is reading your resume and cover letter. Each document they get is quickly skimmed for pertinent information – details that prove the job seeker is the right person for the role they have open. 

This is where the concept of a short cover letter comes into play. Don't be confused, though. Short doesn't mean that it lacks value. The idea is, instead, to relay only what's most important to the hiring manager to ensure you land a coveted interview.

Related reading: What is the 6-second test?

Get their attention

The goal is to grab the hiring manager's attention within six seconds. Once they come across something they find interesting, they'll slow down and read what you've provided. When it comes to writing a cover letter that sings your praises in a clear and precise manner, it's best to follow an outline. 

Even in a short cover letter, structure is important as it makes it easy for the hiring manager to quickly find what they're looking for.

Start your letter with the hiring manager's name , if possible. You can use LinkedIn to try to find their name, or perhaps it's listed in the job description. If you absolutely can't find a person's name, then you can use a general greeting like “Dear Hiring Manager.” 

The opening paragraph

This is your first opportunity to hook the hiring manager into reading. State your value proposition and let them know why you feel you'd be a great fit for the role. Be specific and mention the position by name – this is part of what's called tailoring your cover letter . 

Try to avoid using redundant language. If you perform an online search for cover letter templates, it's a fair bet that most of them will start with some form of “I'm writing to express my interest in [job].” No kidding! There's no need to use “I'm writing to express my interest” because that's completely obvious.

Instead, use more impactful language like “My career is punctuated by the ability to lead companies through complex transformations to drive sustainable growth.” Here, you've immediately stated something of value that you bring to the table. 

The middle paragraph

Since your focus is on writing a short cover letter, you don't have a lot of space to go into great detail about your achievements. Therefore, you should find something in the job description the company is really keen on getting from a new hire. Match that thing with an achievement from your past and write a blurb about it. Always try to use metrics – numbers – to prove your point. 

For example, “In my previous role, I increased sales by 15% in just 6 months by building lasting relationships with executive decision-makers at client companies.” 

Alternative to using a middle paragraph

It might be easier to make your point and keep it short if you replace the middle paragraph with a series of bullet points to break down your accomplishments. Even if you do this, you still want to focus on the parts of your career history that are relevant to the job you're applying for. 

Bullet points keep things clear and readable, making it virtually impossible for a hiring manager to miss the point you're trying to make. Also, bullet points add white space which improves how easily someone can skim through what you've written. 

Case in point:

Sentence in paragraph form:  

“In my previous role as a Sales Manager, I led a team of 15 sales reps to increase revenue by 20% year over year.” 

Sentence in bullet form:

Led a team of 15  sales representatives

Increased team revenue by 20% annually

You've said the exact same thing in both instances, but you make your point way faster in the bullet format than in the paragraph form. 

The closing paragraph

Now, you express your enthusiasm for the role and the company – if you know enough about the company to be passionate about what they do. Don't forget to invite them to contact you and thank them for their time. Sign your name (or type your name) beneath this last paragraph. And, yes, it's okay to include your contact info on a line beneath your name. 

Related reading: How to Write Your Ideal Cover Letter Closing Statement

Short cover letter samples

The beauty of writing a short cover letter is that you can do so whether you're fresh out of college or have decades of experience under your belt. Though admittedly, it does get more difficult the longer your career. To give you some ideas of what yours could look like, here are some short cover letter samples for different roles and experience levels. 

Avoid copying and pasting these as your own because no two careers are alike, and your cover letter needs to be properly targeted to the job you want. But you can absolutely use them as inspiration for writing your own short cover letter. 

Entry-level short cover letter sample

First & Last Name

Bennington, NE 68007 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]

Marketing Assistant

Dear Mr. Richardson:

I've always been fascinated by what it takes for companies to connect with potential customers in a way that encourages sales. So, I went to school and obtained a Bachelor's degree in Marketing, where I developed a strong foundation in digital marketing, social media management, and content creation that I know will benefit [Company Name]'s team. 

One of my proudest moments came during an internship at Digital Horizons, where I partnered with the Social Media Manager to oversee campaigns and analyze audience engagement. I created a new strategy for Instagram that resulted in a 25% increase in followers within three months. This experience not only sharpened my ability to create compelling content but also taught me how to interpret analytics and adjust strategies to drive better engagement.

I may be new to the industry, but I'm ready to make an impact with [Company Name] in [insert a keyword from the job description]. Thank you for taking the time to review my candidacy. I look forward to the opportunity to further discuss how I can contribute to your team's success.

One of the reasons this short cover letter works is the conversational tone. Your cover letter doesn't have to use the same stuffy language that your resume does. When you write your cover letter like this, it feels more approachable and engaging. Other than the tone, this short cover letter instantly highlights your degree and talks about practical skills you've gained. Even though there's not a lot of experience to draw from, it's still possible to find a way to inject an achievement.  

Professional, experience-based short cover letter sample

Queen Creek, AZ 85142 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]

HR GENERALIST | ADMINISTRATIVE CULTURE LEADER

Dear Hiring Manager:

After leading HR operations across 7 locations in the Southwest and Pacific Northwest, I've developed an understanding of managing complex, multi-site HR functions while fostering a cohesive and positive work culture. My ability to drive continuous improvement in diverse environments will make me a great addition to [Company Name]'s team. 

It took me less than a year to transition from an administrative role into a leadership position in my last job, and since I'm a jump-in-with-both-feet type of person, I quickly founded and chaired a Culture Committee and led company-wide events. One such event was attended by over 300 people. In fact, it was so well-received that I earned leadership buy-in on additional programs that supported employee engagement and professional development, including a Rosetta Stone Language program. 

I am eager to bring my capabilities in motivating staff and managing change to your team, and I know that an employer/employee relationship will be a mutually beneficial endeavor. Thank you for the opportunity to discuss how my background aligns with your needs. I look forward to hearing back from you.

This short cover letter works because it gets to the point in just a few sentences. There are key accomplishments – like leading HR operations across multiple locations and founding new committees – and enough detail to make the point without overwhelming the reader. On top of that, the tone is engaging without being verbose. There's even a polite yet confident call to action at the end. 

Executive-level short cover letter sample

Orlando, FL | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]

DIRECTOR: FRAUD OPERATIONS (AML/BSA/SAR/OFAC)

I would like to present 3 decades of experience in anti-money laundering and fraud prevention/management to you in response to the open [Job Title] at [Company Name].

If you're looking for someone to take the reins on innovating fraud prevention tactics and complying with the many regulations imposed on the banking industry while simultaneously leveraging transformational leadership as a member of the Board of Directors, then I'm your person. Not only have I restructured BSA and Fraud departments, but I've also implemented cutting-edge programs that automate reporting and compliance processes, saving upwards of $1.2M annually. Over the years, I've built a reputation as someone who can quickly solve complex problems, even if the answer involves building new programs. In fact, some of the programs I've built have won awards multiple years in a row. 

All of this is easily repeatable for [Company Name]'s team. Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss how my background, skills, and achievements align with your team's needs.

Even at the executive level, this short cover letter works because it is bursting with value. It immediately zeros in on the amount of experience you have in a niche, highly regulated field and quickly talks about achievements. It also shows hiring managers that you're capable of leading both at the strategic and operational level by mentioning Board of Director experience. It may be written in a conversational tone, using phrases like “take the reins,” but it does so in a way that conveys confidence without sounding arrogant. 

Short is still impactful

As you write your short cover letter, remember the focus should be on clarity and professionalism while keeping it concise. It's easy to relay the value you can offer a new team without presenting a wall of text that is not only tedious to read but overwhelms the hiring manager into skipping your application altogether. Short doesn't mean less effective; it means more targeted. 

Did you know that TopResume can help you fine-tune your cover letter ? Since more than 50% of employers want to see a cover letter, you should think about getting one written that'll help you stand out from the crowd.

Recommended reading: 

Essential Cover Letter Elements for Job Success

The Right (and Wrong) Ways to Show Personality in Your Cover Letter

9 Cliches to Cut From Your Cover Letter Right Now

Related Articles:

How to Maximize Your Resume Action Words to Wow the Employer

Guide to Writing a Great Resume with No Work Experience

Business Analyst Skills: Add to Improve Your Resume!

See how your resume stacks up.

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University of Washington Information School

i School's Caliskan wins award to battle bias in artificial intelligence

Imagine losing out on your dream job due to bias in AI tools used in the resume screening process or having your health care compromised for the same reason.

Those are the disturbing scenarios that Aylin Caliskan , an assistant professor in the University of Washington Information School, is dedicated to thwarting.

Caliskan was recently awarded a $603,342 National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award for her project titled, “The Impact of Associations and Biases in Generative AI on Society.” She is planning to develop computational methods to measure biases in generative artificial intelligence systems and their impact on humans and society. Caliskan says her goal is reducing bias in AI and human-AI collaboration.

“Hopefully, in the long term, we will be able to raise awareness and provide tools to reduce the harmful consequences of bias,” said Caliskan, who became a co-director of the UW Tech Policy Lab earlier this year. Her research in computer science and artificial intelligence will also provide empirical evidence for tech policy.

Caliskan noted that AI is used in a variety of places that many people don’t realize. Companies often use AI to screen job applications; some colleges use it to screen student applications; and health-care providers use AI in reviewing patient data. 

But because AI is trained on data produced by humans, it learns biases similar to those found in society. Women and people of different ethnicities are more frequently discriminated against in AI than white males, Caliskan said. She cited an example from current use of generative AI in health care, where African American patients may receive less effective or lower-cost medications when prescribed through AI than patients of European descent.

Caliskan’s work was among the first to develop methods to detect and quantify bias in AI. One of the difficulties she faces is that AI doesn’t work or “think” exactly like humans, despite being developed by them. However, AI is being used on a large scale and is helping to shape society. 

Another challenge for Caliskan is that not all AI is the same. Many companies have their own proprietary AI systems that they may or may not be willing to allow researchers like Caliskan to study. 

One of the keys to reducing bias in AI is understanding the mechanisms of bias and where the bias originated, she said. Some bias is cultural, societal or historical. Figuring out what is “fair” in a specific context and task isn’t trivial.

“There are many fairness notions,” Caliskan said. “We don’t have simple, straightforward answers to these complex open questions.”

Caliskan notes she grew up a multilingual immigrant, which fostered her interest in the subject of fairness. She speaks German, Turkish and Bulgarian as well as English.

“I was able to observe and live in different cultures in my childhood and observe different societies,” she said. “I have always been fascinated by culture and languages.”

Since coming to the UW, Caliskan has been invited to speak at AI-related events at Stanford University, Howard University, the Santa Fe Institute, and the International Joint Conferences on Artificial Intelligence. Her paper rigorously showing that AI reflects cultural stereotypes was published in Science magazine. 

In 2023, Caliskan was listed among the 100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics by the Women in AI Ethics organization. She previously received an NSF award for her work on privacy and fairness in planning while using third-party sources. Caliskan is teaching a course on generative AI literacy this fall. 

Caliskan’s NSF grant will last for five years, but she doesn’t see her work on the subject ending then. 

“I see this research going on my entire life,” she said. “Since bias cannot be entirely eliminated, this is a lifelong problem.”

However, Caliskan believes that identifying, measuring and reducing bias can help align AI with societal values and raise awareness.

“I don’t think eliminating bias entirely in AI or people is possible,” she said. But “when we know we are biased, we adjust our behavior.”

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