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Enhancing Your Resume: Sound Better to Employers

8 min read · Updated on June 25, 2024

What are the secrets to learning how to sound impressive on a resume?

Today's employers often need to sift through dozens or even hundreds of applications to find a handful of candidates they want to interview. If your resume is dull and uninspiring, you'll never stand out from the crowd. That's why it's important to know how to sound impressive on your resume. Without the right strategy, however, that can be easier said than done!

In this guide, we'll explain the benefits you can enjoy when you learn how to sound impressive on your resume, explore tips that can make your resume details more compelling, and provide some examples that show you how to turn boring information into a more dynamic and interesting presentation.

Why does your resume need to be impressive?

If you've ever struggled to gain traction in your job search and have been disappointed in the number of interviews you've received, chances are your resume isn't making the right impression on employers. The good news is you can change that dynamic by learning how to sound impressive on your resume. If you can accomplish that feat, you'll enjoy a whole host of benefits, including:

Separating yourself from the competition

When you learn how to sound impressive on a resume, you can immediately differentiate yourself from candidates who are still relying on dusty old resume habits from yesteryear. While other job seekers are focused on dry lists of job roles and skills, you'll be emphasizing the key qualities and achievements today's employers expect to see from top candidates.

Establishing yourself as a professional and expert in your field

With a clear and concise resume that delivers compelling content to highlight your qualifications, you can demonstrate you're the professional hiring managers are looking for. Conveying skills, experience, and achievements in a compelling way can help to prove you're an expert in your field who can provide real benefits to any team.

Highlight your skills and potential value as an employee

The key here is “value.” Ultimately, all employers are looking for candidates who can bring value to their organization – which is why those boring resumes no longer resonate with hiring managers. When an employer picks up your resume, they have one main question in mind: “What can this candidate do for my company?” 

By learning how to sound impressive on a resume, you can help that employer see your unique value proposition and inspire them to invite you for an interview.

Tips to help you learn how to sound impressive in your resume

Now that we've explained why it's so important to know how to sound impressive on a resume, it's time to explore some of the best ways to achieve that goal. The following tips can help you bolster your resume to create a truly compelling document that makes the right impression on employers.

Tailor your resume to the job

When you're trying to figure out how to sound impressive on your resume, start by reviewing the job description for the position you're seeking. The job posting will typically include specific skills and experiences the employer expects great candidates to bring to the job. The words they use to describe those qualifications are keywords you should add to your resume.

If the job description calls for project management experience, make sure you include those exact words in your resume – either in your skill section or in one of the bullet point achievements you list in your work experience section. Including those keywords can help you speak directly to the employer's needs, which will help you stand out from the competition.

As an added bonus, the inclusion of those specific keywords will also help your resume satisfy any applicant tracking system the employer is using. Those systems scan for unique keywords related to skills, educational credentials, and experience. If your resume fails to get past those ATS screenings, chances are the employer will never get a chance to see it.

Related reading : How to Make an ATS-Friendly Resume - Tips for ATS 2024

Create a compelling skills section

If you've only been listing a few key skills in your resume, it's time to focus on revamping your Core Competencies section. The most effective resumes list anywhere from nine to fifteen skills in that section – including a balanced mix of both hard and soft skills. You should always start by identifying any required skills in the job description and then add other relevant skills to round out your list. You don't need to include everything you know how to do, but you should make sure your skill list demonstrates your expertise.

Related reading : What Are Skills? (With Examples and Tips on How to Improve Them)

Use powerful verbs to describe achievements

It's also important to use powerful verbs when you're describing your achievements. Never use boring terms like “responsible for” or “led” – hiring managers' eyes will often glaze over when they read that type of dull language. Instead, use more powerful and descriptive words like:

Spearheaded

Implemented

Facilitated

Revolutionized

Accelerated

Reorganized

We've compiled a list of more than one hundred of these power words that can help you sound more impressive to employers. Before you finalize your resume, make sure you check out that list and see which ones will work for you:

Related reading : 100 + Keywords, Verbs and Action Words for Your Resume

Focus on value

This is probably the single most important tip for anyone who wants to learn how to sound impressive on a resume: emphasize your value. Of course, that doesn't mean you should use your resume to boast about yourself or describe yourself as a valuable asset. Instead, you need to include examples of accomplishments that demonstrate your value.

The key here is to create bullet point achievement examples for each job title you include in your work experience section. Describe those accomplishments using real numbers that prove the type of value you can provide to any employer who's savvy enough to offer you a job. For example:

Reorganized sales funnel process, reducing customer acquisition and onboarding time by 33%, contributing to 27% boost in sales volume and 21% increase in profitability

Designed and executed marketing campaign for online rebranding of ABC Corp., doubling customer engagement and increasing online sales revenue by 42%

In each of those examples, the candidate expresses value by highlighting specific achievements that demonstrate how they used their skills and expertise to create tangible and quantifiable results for their employer. By incorporating that strategy into your resume, you can more effectively highlight your potential value as an employee by demonstrating your proven track record of success.

Related reading : 47 Accomplishment Examples for Your Resume: Expert Picks

Weave testimonials into your resume

Have you been recognized for a major achievement? Have supervisors praised you for your innovation, problem-solving, or leadership abilities? You can add testimonials like that to your resume, too – but only if you know how to do it the right way. The key is to include that testimonial in one of your bullet points. For example:

“Received company praise and promotion for my proven ability to provide innovative solutions that consistently boosted productivity and profits.”

Eliminate or explain employment gaps

While most employers understand that even the most talented individuals may have some employment gaps in their work history, it doesn't hurt to minimize those gaps as much as possible. There are some effective ways to do this without resorting to dishonest means. 

For example, if you have six months of unemployment between two jobs, you can close that gap by listing any skill development, freelance jobs, or volunteer work you did during that time period.

Create a stellar profile summary

Once you've completed the main sections of your resume, go back and draft a truly compelling profile summary statement. This should be a three to five-sentence paragraph that highlights your years of experience, job title, notable skills, and an attention-grabbing achievement. This summary should be placed near the top of your resume – below your resume headline and above your core competencies section. Use power words, several keywords from the job description, and real numbers to quantify your accomplishments.

Related reading : Resume Profile Explained (with Examples)

Learn how to sound impressive on a resume and land more interviews!

The job market is more competitive than ever before, and it's vital to stand out from the competition if you want employers to take notice of your qualifications. By learning how to sound impressive on a resume, you can create a more tailored and compelling resume document that speaks to each employer's needs. That can help capture their attention and increase the odds you'll be offered an interview opportunity.

Need more help learning how to sound impressive on a resume? Our team of resume experts is always available to provide the insight and assistance you need. Get your free resume review today!

This article was originally written by Rachel Fletcher. It's been updated by Ken Chase.

Recommended reading:

17 Resume Tips to Get Seen and Hired Faster

Seven Key Resume Sections and How to Organize Them

11 Key Things to Put on Your Resume

Related Articles:

How to Maximize Your Resume Action Words to Wow the Employer

Ask Amanda: Do I Really Need a Cover Letter?

7 Signs Your Resume is Making You Look Old

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How To Make A Resume 101 (Examples Included)

Mike Simpson 0 Comments

By Mike Simpson

If you are reading this article, I think it is safe to say that we can call you a “job seeker”, correct?

But what kind of job seeker are you?

Are you looking for a change of pace from your everyday job?

Are you just starting out in the workforce?

Maybe you’re a seasoned veteran trying to make the leap up the chain of command?

Or perhaps you’re just fed up with the way things are going (or not going) with your career and it’s time for a change?

Well, no matter what stage you are in your career, you’re going to need to know how to write a good resume for a job interview … and we are going to show you how! So start by downloading our Free “Perfect Resume” Checklist that will help you overhaul your resume and will get you more interviews.  Click here to get the “perfect resume” checklist

What Is a Resume?

Don’t laugh.

Believe it or not, some people (especially those who are completely new to the workforce) have never seen a resume before, let alone written one.

If you’re one of those people, this section is for you!

So what is a resume?

A resume   is a document used by job seekers to help  provide a summary of their  skills , abilities and accomplishments .

In other words,  a resume is typically a short and quick way for a job seeker to introduce themselves to a potential employer. (In North America a resume should not be confused with a CV . Check out our blog post on the difference between a CV and a resume if you’re interested.)

Resumes are normally submitted to hiring managers along with a cover letter (Need help writing a cover letter? Check out our article How To Write a Cover Letter 101 ), usually via email or on online job posting.

Sounds pretty easy, right? Just take a piece of paper and put some basic info on it and “wham, bam, thank you, ma’am, I’m right for the job and can start tomorrow,” right?

Unfortunately (or fortunately, which I’ll explain later) it’s not that easy.

In fact, writing a bad resume is much easier than writing a good one…and trust me, there are lots of bad ones out there…which is why you want to make sure you have good one…no wait, a GREAT one so when employers look at it, they say, “Heck yes, bring this kid in for an interview!”

Why Do I Need a Resume?

I know the (company CEO, boss, hiring manager, owner’s dog walker who works on Tuesday’s and they’ve totally promised me a job no matter what.)

If that’s true, then hey, you probably don’t need a resume…you’re essentially guaranteed the job already… but what about when that job ends?

Betcha no matter how great your hookups are right now, at some point in your career, you’re gonna need a killer resume, and luckily we’re here to tell you how to create a resume.

And not just any resume… a professional resume .

For those of us who don’t have direct connections to killer jobs, a resume is essential to getting your foot in the door.

Employers use resumes as a way to quickly screen potential applicants , selecting only the individuals they feel are right for the position, so making sure your resume is in tip-top shape is absolutely vital.

Here, let me walk you through a quick little scenario and we’ll see just how important those little pieces of paper actually are:

Imagine you’re a hiring manager and it’s your job to find the perfect candidate for an open position with your company.

You’ve trolled the usual job listing sites and posted what you’re looking for and the response has been…overwhelming.

Your desk is COVERED with resumes. Pile after pile. Stack after stack.

All you need is that one qualified person, but as you look through the piles of paperwork, you feel your stomach starting to knot up. These resumes are a mess. Most of them are sloppy, with spelling errors, confusing headings, and lists of qualifications that have absolutely NOTHING to do with the job at all. You need an IT specialist and a third of these resumes have things like ‘underwater basket weaving specialist,’ and ‘professional poodle groomer’ listed under relevant skills. How is that relevant?

You call maintenance and ask them to empty your trash can, again. It’s filling up too quickly with all these rejected candidates.

You continue to slog through the pile of papers, your eyes growing heavy with each rejection. You’re sleepy, you’re bored, and you’re frustrated. Does NOBODY really qualify for this job?

And then you see it. A single resume that’s clean, crisp and clearly written. The font is professional, the layout is well organized and thoughtful and the qualifications are…gasp…actually on target! You smile as you read it, your heavy eyes suddenly snapping open in excitement as you realize you’ve got someone here who might actually be able to do the job!

You carefully set that resume to the side, a bright yellow note stuck on top of it: “ Interview THIS one. ”

Then you turn back to your unending mountain of resumes. Back to the slog.

Okay. Story time is over…back to reality. How would you like to be that hiring manager?

No fun, eh? Absolutely not!

Unfortunately, odds are, your current resume is probably buried in that mountain of not quite right resumes…or worse yet, in the trash waiting to go out with the next trash run.

Wouldn’t you rather be the one with the yellow “Interview THIS one” sticky?

Okay, then… it’s time to give you all the resume help you need! That’s why we created this fantastic (and free) Resume Checklist for you to use to make sure your resume stand out against your competition.  Click here to get the “perfect resume” checklist .

In this article, we’ll show you SECTION 1 , “How to Build a Resume” or proper resume format and SECTION 2 , “How to Write a Resume.”

Section 1 – How To Make a Resume (or Proper Resume Format)

Good resume writing (and proper resume format) is an art form and can make the difference between getting lost in the pile and being invited in for an interview.

(Here’s the good news. We’ve dedicated an entire blog article just to resume format and the best practices for 2017 and beyond! Click here to head over to that article now! )

The problem is, a lot of people don’t see it as an art form…rather an obligation. Most people look at writing a resume as just something you have to do to get a job.

There’s no time put into it. No thought. And certainly no enthusiasm.

Just a bunch of stuff thrown on a page with the expectation that if the company really want to hire you, they should be able to look at that mess and pull what they need out of it and bring you in based off of that.

Reality check!

Research has proven that hiring managers only bring in about 1 person per 200 resumes received .

Those are some pretty miserable odds!

Time to step up your game and go from one of the 200 to that one out of 200!

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)

Okay, so we just finished telling you that writing a resume is an art form and that you need to stand out. BUT (there’s always a “but” isn’t there?) this doesn’t mean that you should paint your resume in water colors or build a resume diorama out of Play-Doh and Legos.

In fact, you should know that a lot of companies today are using Applicant Tracking Systems to help them screen resumes and find the best candidates.

How does this work exactly?

Well, a piece of software analyzes your resume for certain keywords and gives you a score based how well your resume matches a predetermined list of keywords chosen by the company you’re interviewing with.

There are a few things you can do to ensure your resume gets past the software and into the hands of hiring managers, which Lifehacker does a nice job of outlining here .

In the meantime, here are our best practices to follow when it comes to formatting your resume.

Resume Fonts

Of course you want your resume to stand out, but for the right reasons…and you have to understand that it starts with the very first second someone looks at it.

Your resume is a marketing tool to sell you to an employer and that means making sure it clearly represents you in a professional manner.

Notice the word professional. That’s what this is. PROFESSIONAL .

This isn’t a time for artistic expression or a place to make a personal statement using gimmicks or tricks..and that means say goodbye to cartoon fonts.

No. Comic. Sans.

I repeat. DO NOT EVER USE COMIC SANS.

Look at it. It’s ridiculous.

Who is ever going to take that font seriously? Nobody. That’s who.

You get, on average, 10 to 20 seconds to make a first impression with your resume… so make it count!

If your resume is sloppy or has unprofessional font, odds are those 20 seconds are going to end with you in the trash.

For anyone with a basic word processing program, it’s easy to see there are hundreds of fonts out there to choose from and picking the right one can be difficult. We’ve already discussed Comic Sans (no) but what fonts are good ones to use?

There are two categories of font. Serif and San-serif .

Serif fonts are stylized fonts with tails and other (subtle) decorative markings. Examples of serif fonts include Times New Roman . They are perceived as being reliable, authoritative, and traditional.

Other serif fonts include: Bell MT , Bodoni MT , Bookman Old Style , Cambria , Goudy Old Style , Calibri , Garamond, and Georgia .

San-serif fonts are also often used and are characterized as being simpler and no-frills. San-serif fonts include Helvetica and Arial and are associated with being clean, universal, modern, objective and stable.

Examples of san-serif fonts include: Verdana , Trebuchet MS , Century Gothic , Gill Sans MT , Lucida Sans , and Tahoma .

No matter which font you use, the biggest consideration you have to keep in mind is legibility .

You need to make sure that your typeface is easy on the eyes and shows up well both in print and on screen, regardless of formatting or size.

Another consideration to keep in mind is that not everyone has the same operating system on their computer so unique or gimmicky fonts that look great on one computer system might show up as absolute nonsense on another.

Also, remember in today’s increasing digital age that most resumes are first scanned by an automated applicant tracking software program and any form that can’t be read will be automatically discarded!

Which one is right for you? It’s up to you really, but if you really want a recommendation then I suggest keeping it simple and going with  Helvetica . It’s the perfect combination of style and clarity.

Mike's Tip:

Resume layout & formatting.

Okay, now that you’ve got your font picked out, it’s time to focus on your resume formats (or layouts).  Don’t worry if you can’t remember all of this stuff, because we summarize it all on our “Perfect Resume” Checklist we made for you.  Simply click here to get your copy .

The first rule of layout is, keep it clean and clear. You want a resume that’s easy to read and easy to follow.

Again, remember, you get 10-20 seconds to catch a hiring manager’s eye so handing in something that’s messy, unorganized or confusing is going to end up in the trash.

Margins – Keep your margins to ½ to 1 inch on all sides of the paper, especially if you’re sending your resume to anyone you think might print it out. The last thing you want is to have a printer crop your resume and leave off important information!

Font Size – With the exception of your name which can be larger, you want to keep your font size at between 10 and 12 point. Keep in mind that some fonts are larger and/or smaller than others so an Arial 12 is larger than a Times New Roman 12. Ideally you want your resume to be a single page so feel free to tweak your font size a bit to make it fit (some programs allow you to adjust sizes by half points) but remember, keep it readable! Don’t sacrifice legibility in order to get everything on the page .

Spacing – Generally single spacing works the best, with a blank line between each section of content.

Paper – If you’re printing out your resume make sure to use a laser printer or inkjet printer that produces high-quality results. Use off-white , ivory or bright white paper and always stick to the standard 8 ½ X 11 paper in the highest quality you can afford. Make sure if there is a watermark on the paper that it’s facing the correct way and whatever you do, keep it readable. Don’t cram so much on the page that it’s crowded or confusing!

Resume Categories

Resumes are really nothing more than a bunch of specific categories that quickly outline who you are and what you’ve done and can do. Making sure your categories are well organized is a quick way to help put you in the “yes” pile and keep you out of the “trash” pile.

One of the biggest problems with many resumes is they lack focus and clarity. Double check yours and make sure your categories are well defined and organized.

Header – Start your resume off with the most important information first: your personal information! Include your full name, phone number, email and personal branding website if you have one . It’s also appropriate to include your permanent mailing address, but this can be optional.

Objective or Resume Summary – Depending on what sort of job seeker you are and what job you’re applying for, you will have to choose between an objective statement (what your employment goals are with the company you’re applying to) or a resume summary (a quick recap of your skills and experiences that highlight your value to a potential employer.) Regardless of whether you include an objective or a summary, keep this short and sweet (no more than a sentence or two.)

• For our in-depth article on how to write a resume objective, click here .
• For our in-depth article on how to write a resume summary statement, click here .

Experience/Qualifications – This part is all about your work history and should not only include who you worked for but what you did and how long you did it. Include the title you held and a quick bulleted list of responsibilities and/or duties. This is listed in reverse chronological order with your most recent job first .

Skills & Abilities – This section is a quick outline of the skills to put on a resume that relate to the position/career you’re applying to. These can include things like computer skills , technical skills , language skills , anything that can help make you the perfect candidate!

References – Including references is no longer a requirement. It’s a good idea to have references, but the days of listing them at the bottom of your resume is a thing of the past. Instead, have them as a separate list, and if requested, you’ll be able to provide it. Check out our article on professional reference letters if you need more info. (If you need a character reference, check out our article .)

Interests – This category is a tough one. Not every resume should include an interests section…this isn’t Facebook and your potential IT employer probably doesn’t need to know you spend your weekends dressing up as a troll warlord and reenacting great battles… Interests and hobbies can be a double-edged sword and listing something that has nothing to do with the job you’re applying for can not only waste valuable resume space but can also make you seem unfocused or scattered. HOWEVER…there are times when including interests can help you out…especially if they’re related to the job you’re applying for and show interest outside of the office, such as volunteering for an organization you know the corporation is already involved in (do you research first)! This category should be carefully considered before you add it. Weigh the pros and cons very seriously.

Types of Resumes (And 3 Resume Samples)

There are three major types of resumes: chronological, functional and combination (sometimes called targeted or hybrid), and we’ve included a description of each below along with some good resume examples.

Chronological Resume

Chronological resumes are the most commonly used layout and is exactly what it sounds like, a chronological listing of all your work history with your most recent positions listed first.

Employers tend to really like this type of a resume because it’s easy for them to quickly see what jobs you’ve held and how long you’ve held them. It also often includes an objective or career summary as well as education, certifications, and special skills.

For job seekers with a strong working background, this is a great way to showcase what you’ve done!

Here is a great chronological sample resume:

Source: Vault.com

Functional Resume

Functional resumes focus more on skills and experiences rather than on chronological work history and are perfect for people who are changing careers or have a gap in their work history as they focus attention on specific skills and capabilities.

Rather than displaying a timeline of your work history, the functional resume focuses on the actual skills you possess and highlights what you know rather than when you did it.

If you’re applying for a job with specific skills or clearly defined requirements and/or traits, this is the one you want to choose!

Here is a great functional sample resume:

Combination Resume

Combination resumes are exactly that, a combination of chronological and functional. A combination resume lists both your skills and experiences as well as your employment history in chronological order.

The idea is to not only highlight the skills you have that are relevant to the job you’re applying to, but also provide your potential employer with a chronological record of the jobs you’ve held in the past.

Because this type of resume is essentially two different types mashed together, it’s typically broken into two parts. The first part is your functional resume section and highlights your skills, achievements and qualifications and the second part is your timeline of work experience.

Although more complicated to pull together and keep cohesive and clear, this type of format is effective when used by an applicant who wants to show off the most relevant skills while still documenting work history. It’s also a great way to explain gaps in work history as well as career changes.

Here is a great combination sample resume:

So How Long Should A Resume Be?

Once upon a time the fast and hard rule was keep your resume to one-page MAX! Job seekers who found their resumes exceeding the one page limit were forced to either cut out valuable information or tweak their formatting, font sizes and/or margins to make it work, often resulting in either difficult formatting or incomplete histories.

Nowadays the rules are a little more relaxed and the new rule is: Your resume should be long enough to entice the hiring manager to call you in for an interview.

Confused? Don’t be.

First off, your resume is an introduction to who you are…give them enough information to get them comfortable, but brief enough that they’re left wanting more (and call you in for an interview!)

This isn’t a novel. It isn’t a 10-page dissertation on who you are or a 20-page essay on everything you’ve done from your first moments on earth to the moment you sent it to the company.

It’s a career marketing tool and should be used exactly like any good advertising is used…to build excitement, pique curiosity, and encourage the viewer to ask “ Okay, I like this so far…what else? ”

Remember our hiring manager from story time at the beginning of this article? Remember, they’re looking through hundreds, if not thousands of resumes and the last thing you want to do is to hand them a long document they’ll have to pour over to get the info they need.

Be concise . Be brief . Be clear . Be professional .

The best way to determine how long your resume should be is to follow these simple rules:

If you have less than 10 years of experience, are in the middle of a career change, or held multiple positions with one single employer, keep your resume to one page.

If you have more than 10 years of experience, your field is technical or engineering related and you need space to list all your skills and qualifications then two pages is appropriate.

And only in the most rare of situations, usually scientific or academic fields where extensive lists of publications, speaking engagements, professional courses, licenses or patents are normal, can you have a resume three or more pages long…

Okay, got all that? Ready to move onto Section 2 – “How to Write a Resume?”

If you haven’t already, now would be a good time to get your free Resume Checklist. It will help to have it open as you go through the next section!  Click here to get it now .

Section 2 – How To Write a Resume

Now that we have a general idea of what a resume should include, let’s look at how to write one that helps you stand out from the crowd.

Again, let’s go back to our poor beleaguered hiring manger toiling away over mountains of unfocused resumes…and while we’re there, I’m going to let you in on a little secret.

Out of all of those resumes, there are hundreds of qualified candidates…people who would probably do an amazing job and would be great additions to any company.

Sure, there are those in that pile who have NO business applying for the job…but I guarantee there’s a big chunk of applicants who are qualified and would be great hires…problem is, their resumes…well…suck.

Luckily yours…doesn’t. In fact, yours is brilliant and you are the perfect candidate! You’re the answer to the hiring manager’s prayers. You’re the reason they post jobs and slog through piles of paper poo and when they finally stumble on your little nugget of job history gold, jump to their feet in excitement and yell “Bring this one IN!”

Or at least, if you follow these guidelines and rules, you will be!

Tailoring Your Resume

No, we don’t mean tailoring like getting a nice suit and having it professionally fitted to you (not a bad idea for interview wear, but that’s a different post for a different time.) but tailoring as in making your resume absolutely perfect for the job you’re applying for.

Job hunting is exactly that, hunting…and if you’ve ever done any sort of hunting, you know each and every animal requires different skills. And before you get all upset and tell me “Hey, I’ve never hunted an animal and I never plan on doing it and your analogy is horrible,” let me TAILOR this even further down.

Have you ever tried to get an animal to come to you?

Have a cat? Have a dog? Have a bird? Even a fish?

Each one requires a different approach and what works for one won’t work for another.

Ever tried to entice a horse to come to you with a juicy steak? How about tossing some hay to a tiger and wondering why it isn’t eating? Of course not! That’s because you tailor what you’re doing to the situation you’re in.

Give the steak to the tiger and the hay to the horse!

Cats typically respond well to string and lasers. Dogs love to chase balls. And job hunting is exactly the same!

If you’re sending out the exact same resume to 500 job listings, then you’re not doing it right.

Odds are, you’re not getting many interviews either, and you’re probably wondering what’s wrong with all those hiring managers.

Is it possible all 500 are idiots and can’t tell how amazing you are and how you’re incredible and they’re totally missing out by not hiring you?

Possibly, but I doubt it.

Tailoring means making sure that every resume is unique and specifically written to appeal to the hiring manager for the job you’re applying to. That means if you send out 500 resumes for 500 job listings, each and every one of those 500 resumes will be different.

Exhausting? Hell yes.

Worth it? When you get the job of your dreams…you bet!

The problem is, each job is different and what each hiring manager is looking for is different. There is no physical way to satisfy each and every employer’s individual hiring requirements using just one blanket resume.

If you want to catch the attention of the hiring manager, you have to give them what they want. You need to invest the time into each application and ensure that your resume is tailored to each employer and the job you’re applying to.

Of course, we’re not saying you have to write 500 resumes from the ground up…it IS okay to start with a basic resume that lists your skills and qualifications…but you have to make sure you customize it for each job you apply for.

Let’s start with our categories from the previous section, shall we?

Header – Again, this is your basic personal information. It’s your name and contact info and really shouldn’t change.

Objective or Resume Summary – Again, you need to decide which one will work for you…an objective statement or a resume summary . We recapped the difference between both in the above section. The key here is be concise and clear. One to two sentences MAX.

Experience/Qualifications – This is where WORK EXPERIENCES go. Include anything you’ve done for which you’ve been paid. This includes full-time and part-time work as well as anything you did that qualifies for self-employed work.

Make sure for each job you list:

• The name of the company or organization where you were employed.
• The city and state for that company or organization.
• Your last position and/or title you held while there.
• Your employment period for each job in Month/Date format
• A brief description of your duties and responsibilities in a short, bulleted list

The hardest part about writing this section is making sure that you list your contributions to the company while still being concise and clear, as well as accurate.

Highlight the relevant information that relates directly to the job you’re now applying for and cut out any clutter that might add unnecessary length to your resume.

Speaking of length, keep your bullets short and sweet.

Wrong : “Daily I worked hand in hand with the company’s most important clients assisting them with problem-solving and ensuring that they were happy and satisfied with our work.

Right : Worked daily with high profile clients to solve problems.

Do not include unpaid , volunteer or charitable work in this section. If you feel you have an unpaid experience or volunteer job that a hiring manager would find valuable, consider creating a new category labelled “Relevant Experience” or “Other Experience” and be sure to include the same identifying information you include for your “Experience/Qualifications” lists.

Skills/Abilities – Every employer is looking for specific resume skills and abilities for the job they’re trying to fill. Your job (while you’re trying to get a job) is to make sure you fit what they’re looking for. These are the job specific skills and should be tailored (there’s that word again!) for each application you submit. But did you know there are skills to put on a resume  that are almost universally valued by potential employers???? Those skills go HERE in this section.

Skills like:

Communication (listening, verbal and written) – This is the number one skill mentioned by employers when asked what they valued in an applicant.

Computer/Technical Literacy Skills – Almost every job these days requires some level of computer proficiency including basic word processing, spreadsheets, and emails.

Interpersonal Skills – Basically how well you work in a team and your ability to relate to co-workers.

Planning/Organization Skills – How well you can design, plan, organize and execute projects and tasks within a specific time frame. Can also apply to goal setting and achievement.

This is just a small sampling of what can go in this section. For a more in-depth look at what to put in this section, check out our previous blog all about it here!

Education – This one, much like your personal information, is pretty straight forward. You want to list your education in reverse chronological order (degrees or licenses first followed by certificates and advanced training).

If you include your college information, list only the school, your major and distinctions and or awards you’ve won. If you’re still in college or a very recent grad , include your GPA ONLY if it’s over a 3.4.

Dropped out or had to leave school because of extenuating circumstances but still want to include the fact that you went? No worries! List the field you were studying, then the school and then the dates that you attended.

If you’re listing just schooling, keep the title of this section “Education.” If you’ve graduated, are including other training, and or other certifications, try to include that in the title. Examples can include “Education and Training,” or “Education and Licenses.” Make the title fit what you’re listing…

Awards – This section is NOT for school-related awards. Include those in your education section. Rather, this section is for awards received, commendations or praise from senior sources. Make sure to mention what the award was for if you can.

Affiliations – If you are affiliated with an organization, guild or club that is relevant to the job you are applying for, the go ahead and include it. Include leadership roles if appropriate. It’s also a great idea to include any sort of affiliation or membership to any organization that might increase your appeal as a prospective employee to an employer.

For almost anything you want to include on a resume, there is a category to help organize it. We’ve listed the most popular above but feel free to do your own research online, especially if what you’re trying to include is unique or hard to categorize.

Action Verbs and Power Words

Speaking of unique, the primary goal of your resume is to make you stand out from the rest of the people applying for the same job and another way to make that happen is to use action verbs and power words (also referred to as “resume verbs”).

Action verbs and power words are exactly that…they’re words that help catch a hiring manager’s eye and give you an edge. After reading hundreds of resumes, many using the same words and phrases, it’s nice to have one that stands out and one of the best ways to do that is by incorporating action verbs and power words!

You’re not exaggerating and you’re certainly not lying, you’re just swapping out old and tired words for ones that are a bit more…dynamic and exciting!

When listing skills , accomplishments, or job described, try using the most impressive words you can think of (without overstating what you actually did).

Were you a leader of a project ? Instead of saying “Led,” use one of these words:

Chaired, controlled, coordinated, executed, headed, operated, orchestrated, organized, oversaw, planned, produced, programmed.

Did you pull a project from conception all the way to completion? Instead of saying “developed, created, or introduced,” try:

Administered, built, chartered, designed, devised, founded, engineered, constructed, established, formalized, formed, formulated, implemented, spearheaded, incorporated, initiated, instituted, introduced, launched, pioneered.

Are you an organizing wizard? Are you increasing productivity ? Sales ? Efficiency? Use these words to really hit home how dynamic you are:

Accelerated, achieved, advanced, amplified, boosted, capitalized, delivered, enhanced, expanded, expedited, furthered, gained, generated, improved, lifted, maximized, outpaced, stimulated, sustained.

Did you achieve something ? Did you hit your goals? Try these words:

Attained, awarded, completed, demonstrated, earned, exceeded, outperformed, reached, showcased, succeeded, surpassed, targeted.

This is just a small selection of action verbs and words you can use to spice up your resume and help you stand out in the crowd. (Need more? Head over to our blog article “68 Dynamic Action Verbs to Enhance Your Resume.” )

Grab your thesaurus and go through your resume…find words that are common and pedestrian and swap them out!

Wow, that’s a ton of information…can you just distill all this epic awesomeness down into a top ten list of tips for creating a resume??

Drum roll, please…

Here Are Our Top 10 Resume Tips

If you’re one of those people who likes to skim through an article or if you plan on coming back for a quick review before your interview, here are our best resume writing tips.

1) Tailored

You’re bringing steak to the tigers with your resume. The employer can look at it and know immediately that not only are you qualified but that you’ve done your research into what the job is and what they’re looking for in an employee. Your goal s are clear as are your skills , areas of expertise and or body of experience .

2) Aesthetically Pleasing

Remember what we said about a resume being a work of art? It should be clean, concise and have a simple structure that invites a reader to glance at it and immediately know what they’re looking at. It’s balanced and flows between sections smoothly. It’s not crowded, the margins are clean, and the font is professional. It’s also devoid of ANY ERRORS . No missing periods, no misspelled words, no grammar issues. It’s also correct and the information included is current and accurate.

3) Complete

That means everything you need to include is included, including (but not limited to) your name, current phone number and accurate email address, a listing of all the jobs you’ve held (in reverse chronological order), educational degrees (including any certifications and the highest degree achieved – again in reverse chronological order) and any targeted information that will help a hiring manager realize you are the perfect candidate.

The easiest way to make sure you remember all of this is to keep track using the “Perfect Resume” Checklist we made for you. You can simply check off the boxes as you complete them. Click here to your “perfect resume” checklist .

4) Accurate

Jobs listed also include your title, the name of the company or organization you worked with, the city and state where you worked and the years you were employed. The bulleted lists are summarized in a clear way that highlights the key ideas without taking up too much space.

And PLEASE! No fibs. Hiring Managers can easily verify anything you put on your resume, and getting busted lying isn’t exactly a winning formula for getting job offers.

The hiring manager can look at your resume and immediately know what you’re applying for and what you bring in value to the company. It’s clear and concise. There’s no confusion as to what your profession is and what you can do.

One page to two pages max, depending on your field, level of experience and skill set. Don’t bore people with details, keep them wanting more…but also learn the balance between not saying enough to saying just enough.

7) Relevant

Never include anything on a resume that might turn off an employer including political or religious affiliations, anything controversial, or that could be taken in a negative light.

8) Professional

This includes font, layout, and paper as well as content. Again, this is for a job and should be used as such. This isn’t a platform for personal statements or a novel detailing every job you’ve ever had since birth to present. It’s printed on high-quality paper in an appropriate color and is clean of any smudges, tears or wrinkles.

Every time you apply for a new job, check your resume to ensure that it’s not only targeted, but also current. Make sure your dates are correct and that you include the most up to date information (this is especially important if you’ve changed your phone number or contact email!)

10) It Is YOURS

That’s right…it might seem strange to say this, but the number one thing you have to remember when applying for any job is to be honest! Use action verbs and power words to give your resume life, but don’t let yourself get carried away and overstate your skills, positions, or abilities. Remember, they’re hiring you …and the last thing you want is to get a job you can’t do.

11) BONUS TIP – Your Resume Contains A Link To Your Personal Website

We’ve been seeing an interesting trend in 2017. Job seekers who add a link to a personal branding website are getting more job interviews and in turn getting more job offers. The fact is, having a simple personal website that highlights your skills and more importantly your personality go a long way to creating a three dimensional persona for the hiring manager . A personal website makes you stand out when compared to all the other candidates who just hand in a resume and cover letter. To find out more check out this blog post .

What Not To Put On Your Resume

Don’t title your resume “resume.” The hiring manager should know what it is just by looking at it. If they don’t, then it’s not a resume and you should re-read this article.

Don’t “fluff” your sentences with unnecessary words. Remember, short and sweet.

Don’t include salary requirements or information. For more info on how to discuss your salary and when and how to bring it up, check out our blog on “When to bring up Salary.”

Don’t list why you left your last job or jobs…and on that same topic, don’t trash former employers…ever…

Don’t include personal information beyond your name and contact. They don’t need your age, race, marital status, sexual orientation or hobbies.

Don’t include a photo of yourself. Unless you’re an actor and applying for a role…otherwise, it’s just creepy.

Don’t get sloppy. Double-check for errors. Then check again.

Resume Templates

Now, we imagined that you’d like some resume templates to help you build a resume, so we combed the internet for some job-specific free resume templates that you can use as a guiding tool.

Customer Service Resume

Administrative Assistant Resume

Teacher Resume

Nursing Resume

Receptionist Resume

Medical Assistant Resume

Project Manager Resume

Cashier Resume

NOTE : These are templates, meaning they are a good place for you to start. But keep in mind that other applicants will also have access to these templates so you don’t want to copy them exactly. Don’t forget you want to stand out among the other applicants, not blend in!

Putting It All Together

So there you have it! How to make a resume …or better yet, how to make an AWESOME resume! Just remember that no single resume is right for every job…make sure to keep it short, sweet, and relevant.

Now re-read this article, but as you do, go through your old resume and see where you can make improvements . Clean it up , pare it down , punch up your action verbs and make it the best possible resume you can…

And above all…good luck!

FREE : "Perfect Resume" PDF Checklist

Ok the next thing you should do is download our handy "Perfect Resume" Checklist PDF ".

In it you'll get a 38 point checklist that will let you overhaul your resume and make sure you aren't missing any critical components.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE "PERFECT RESUME" CHECKLIST

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com.

His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others.

Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

About The Author

Mike simpson.

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com. His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others. Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

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45 Quick Changes That Help Your Resume Get Noticed

There is certainly a time and a place for a resume overhaul. Taking a couple hours to really clean up your resume is worth doing before you start a job search, or even just once a year as a tune-up.

But sometimes, you don’t have that kind of time. Sometimes, you just have a few minutes, and you want to spend them giving your resume a quick polishing-up. And for those times, we made you this list of resume updates that only take a few minutes, but that can make a big difference in making your resume shine.

Choose how much time you have, pick a (mini) project, and get ready for your resume to be that much more eye-catching.

1. Switch the Font

Ready, switch the font of your resume to Helvetica, Arial, or Times New Roman—in other words, make sure it’s not hard to read (or stuck in Word’s standard Calibri). Using a common, clean font may not make your resume the prettiest out there, but it will make it more readable (and less likely to be rejected by applicant tracking systems).

2. Remove “References Available Upon Request”

If they want references, they’ll ask for them! Use the extra space to add a detail about your abilities or accomplishments.

3. Delete the Resume Objective

That boring boilerplate “I am a hard working professional who wants to work in [blank] industry” is a bit obvious—why else would you be submitting your resume?—and takes up valuable space.

4. Spell Check

...and correct any mistakes .

5. Save it Correctly

Save your resume as a PDF if it’s in any other format. That way, the formatting won’t get messed up when your resume is opened on a different computer. (To see exceptions to this rule, click here .)

6. Change the File Name

Change the file name from “Resume” to “[First Name] [Last Name] Resume”—it makes things easier for hiring managers and ensures your resume doesn’t get lost in the crowd.

7. Remove Your Address .

If you’re not local, recruiters might not look any further. If you are, recruiters may take your commute time into account and turn you down if they think it would be too long.

8. Add Your LinkedIn Profile

In its place, add a link to your LinkedIn profile, as well as any other relevant social media handles (Twitter if it’s professional, Instagram or Flickr if you’re applying to social media or creative positions). Caveat: Never include Facebook, no matter how clean you keep it.

Don’t want to drop your whole ugly LinkedIn URL onto your resume? (Hint: You shouldn’t.) Create a custom URL to your public profile using simply /yourname (or some similar, simple variation if somebody already has your name). LinkedIn has instructions on its website .

9. Make All Your Hyperlinks Live

Your resume is most likely going to be read on a computer, so making things like your email address, LinkedIn and other social profiles, and personal websites clickable makes it easier for the recruiter to learn more about you.

10. Delete Irrelevant Data

Omit any references to your birthdate, marital status, or religion. Since it’s illegal for employers to consider this when looking at your application (at least in the U.S.), they can’t request it (and offering it makes you look a little clueless).

11. Get Rid of That Grad Year

If you’re more than three years out of college, remove your graduation year . Recruiters only really want to know that you got a degree, and you don't want them to inadvertently discriminate based on your age.

12. Move Your Education

While you’re at it, do a little rearranging, and move education down below your experience. Unless you’re a recent graduate, chances are your last one or two jobs are more important and relevant to you getting the job.

13. Make it Readable

To improve readability, increase the line spacing (also called leading) to at least 120% of the font size. To do this in Word, go to Format and select Paragraph. In the pulldown under Line Spacing, choose Exactly and set the spacing to two points above the size of your font (so, 12 if your font is 10 point).

14. Reduce Your Margins

Need a little more space to work with? Reduce your top and bottom margins to 0.5" and your side margins to no less than 0.75". This will keep your resume clean and readable but give you more room to talk about what you've got.

15. Leave High School Behind

Remove anything high school-related unless you’re a year out of college or need to bulk up your resume and did something highly relevant (and awesome) during your high school years.

16. Update Your Skills Section

Add any new skills you’ve gained, and remove anything that is a little dated (nobody wants to hear that you have Microsoft Word experience anymore—they expect it).

17. Break Up Your Skills Section

If you have lots of skills related to a position—say, foreign language, software, and leadership skills—try breaking out one of those sections and listing it on its own (“Language Skills” or “Software Skills”).

18. Double-Check Formatting

Make sure formatting is consistent across your resume. You want all headers to be in the same style, all indentations to line up, all bullet points to match, and the like. You don’t want the styling to look sloppy!

19. Remove Acronyms

Find any acronyms, and write out the full name of the title, certification, or organization. You should include both, at least the first time, to make sure the recruiter knows what you’re talking about and so an applicant tracking system will pick it up no matter which format it is looking for. For example: Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

20. Get Rid of Distracting Design

Unless you are a designer or are submitting a ( carefully crafted ) creative resume, remove any photos or visual elements. On a more traditional resume, they generally just distract from the information at hand (and can confuse applicant tracking systems ).

21. Work Around Your Gaps

If you have gaps of a few months in your work history, swap out the usual start and end dates for each position with years only (e.g., 2010-2012).

22. Do a Verb Swap

Swap out a couple of your boring verbs for some more powerful (and interesting) ones. Check out our list of resume action verbs if you need inspiration.

23. Now, Do an Adjective Swap

Swap out a couple of generic adjectives or titles (words like “detail-oriented” or “experienced” are overused and don’t tell a recruiter much) with stronger language that better describes your more unique strengths.

24. List Your Promotions Correctly

Worked multiple jobs within the same organization? Learn how to list them right on your resume, then update it as such.

25. Leave History in the Past

As a rule, you should only show the most recent 10 to 15 years of your career history and only include the experience relevant to the positions to which you are applying. So if you have anything really dated or random, remove it and use the space to bulk up other sections or add something more relevant.

26. Look for Orphan Words

Go through line by line and take note of any orphan words (single words left on a line by themselves). See how you can edit the previous line so they can fit—making your resume look cleaner and opening up extra lines for you to do other things with.

27. Make it Skimmable

Make your document easier to skim by adding divider lines between sections. Check out section three of this great guide for instructions.

28. Use Numerals

Include any numbers on your resume? Go through and change them all to numerical form, instead of written out (i.e., 30% instead of thirty percent). Even small numbers that are often spelled out should be written numerically—it makes them pop to the reviewer and saves space.

29. Read it Out Loud.

This will not only help you catch any spelling or grammar errors, but it will also help you notice any sentences that sound awkward or that are hard to understand.

30. Check Out the Top

Look at your resume “above the fold.” In other words, take a close look at the top third of your resume—the part that will show up on the screen when the hiring manager clicks “open” on that PDF. That’s what’s going to make your first impression—so make sure it serves as a hook that makes the hiring manager eager to read more.

31. Shorten Your Bullet Points

Make sure you have no more than six to seven bullet points for any given position. If you do? Cut and condense. No matter how long you’ve been in a job or how good your bullets are, the recruiter just isn’t going to get through them.

32. Identify Your Narrative

Give your resume to someone who doesn’t know you well to look at for 30 seconds. Then ask: What are the three most memorable things? What’s the narrative? Take this feedback and think about how you can adjust your resume to get it closer to where you want.

33. Use a Word Cloud

Similarly, drop your resume into a word cloud generator and see which keywords are popping out. If the most prominent ones aren’t what you want to be remembered by, or if there are important words that aren’t present, think about how you can tweak your resume to make that more clear.

34. Quantify Everything

Go through your bullet points , and add as many numbers and percentages as you can to quantify your work. How many people were impacted? By what percentage did you exceed your goals? (And, yes, it’s OK to estimate as long as you can roughly prove it.)

35. Make Your Benefit Clear

Pick a few statements to take one step further, and add in what the benefit was to your boss or your company. By doing this, you clearly communicate not only what you’re capable of, but also the direct benefit the employer will receive by hiring you.

36. Consider Adding a Qualifications Section

Perhaps in lieu of your now-deleted “Career Objective?” This should be a six-sentence (or bullet pointed) section that concisely presents the crème of the crop of your achievements, major skills, and important experiences. By doing this, you’re both appeasing any applicant tracking systems with keywords and giving the hiring manager the juicy, important bits right at the top.

37. Update Your Header to Make it Pop

You don’t have to have a ton of design knowledge to make a header that looks sleek and catches a recruiter’s eye. (Hint: Use this same header on your resume and cover letter to make your “personal brand” look really put together.)

38. Fill it Up

Need to fill up more space on your resume, or feel like you’re light on the experience? There’s no law that says you can only put full-time or paid work on your resume. So, if you’ve participated in a major volunteer role, worked part-time, freelanced, or blogged? Add a couple of these things as their own “jobs” within your career chronology.

39. Or, Cut it Down

If you need more space on your resume, check and see if any of your formatting decisions are taking up unnecessary space. Does your header take up too much at the top? Do you have any extra line breaks that you don’t really need? Tinker around with the formatting and see how much space you can open up (without your resume looking crowded or messy).

40. Make Your Bullet Points Make Sense

Look at each bullet point and make sure it’s understandable to the average person. Remember that the first person who sees your resume might be a recruiter, an assistant, or even a high-level executive—and you want to be sure that it is readable, relevant, and interesting to all of them.

41. Use a Resume Template

Download this free resume template so you’ll look extra polished.

42. Update All Your Roles

Make sure all of the experience on your resume is updated. Add any awards you’ve received, new skills you’ve taken on, articles you’ve published, or anything else awesome you’ve done.

43. Spread the Word

Hop over to your LinkedIn profile, and make any updates you’ve just made to your resume to your summary and experience sections there.

44. Ask a Friend to Help

Email three of your friends or professional contacts asking (nicely!) for a peek at their resumes. You might be able to get some inspiration for your own (or even help them out).

45. Get That Baby Out There

Find an awesome job to apply to with one of our partner companies, then get started on your cover letter with our easy-to-follow guide .

WANT YOUR RESUME TO HELP YOU GET A JOB?

Of course you do.

Tried-And-True Ways to Confidence-Ify Your Resume

• May 8, 2023

Fact : Men apply for a job when they meet only 60% of the qualifications, but women apply only if they meet 100% of them. 

But why is this the case?

It boils down to confidence—a quality that many women (yes, even me) struggle with when applying for a job. If you struggle with confidence while searching for jobs, you’re not alone.

However, one way to build and show off your confidence is through your resume. Learning how to make your resume sound better can be a great start to improving your confidence.

Why is Confidence Important in a Resume?

A solid resume is key for anyone on a job hunt, since it’s the first thing a potential employer sees about you. 

That’s why it’s important to make a good first impression with a resume that not only demonstrates your experience and qualifications, but that shows your confidence in your ability to do the job better than anyone else.

Below, we discuss how to make your resume sound better by adding some confidence!

1. Customize Your Resume to Fit the Job Posting

Hiring managers are scanning for specific qualities in job candidates. So, if your resume doesn’t match those qualities, they may just toss it and move on to the next candidate.

Customizing your resume to address points that relate to the job you’re applying for is a great way to stand out among other candidates. This lets the employer know that you’re able to do the job, and that you cared enough to really study the job description and demonstrate interest.

2. Remember: It’s Okay to Brag

When you’re looking for a job, you have every right to talk about everything you’ve done that you’re proud of—whether it be experience, awards, or skills, you should give them the details!

If you’re not proud of your work or you don’t go above and beyond describing your achievements, then it’s very difficult to stand out among others. Showing off these aspects show that you’re both capable and trustworthy.

3. Include Examples

It’s important that you back up your statements with examples. For instance, if you have on your resume “planned company events,” you should elaborate on that. Include a brief description of one of these events and how it helped the company grow.

Note: Don’t add too much detail. No one wants to read a resume that has excessively long descriptions. Find a way to cut out any unnecessary wording and focus on making your point in 1-2 sentences.

4. Use the “XYZ Formula”

The XYZ formula is a way to format elements of your resume to make it easy-to-read and concise, while also providing context and flow. 

In one sentence, it includes what you’ve accomplished (X) + the qualitative results (Y) + the skills or experience you utilized to achieve the outcome (Z). This use of both facts and numbers helps add credibility and gives insight into your strengths! 

A sentence structure in the XYZ format should look like this: action verb, achievement, measurement, detail of what you did to achieve your goal. Here’s an example: 

“Grew revenue for 15 small business clients by 10% quarter-on-quarter analysis through mapping new software features as solutions to their business goals.”

5. Avoid Cliché Words

There are several words that many people tend to use on their resume. Using the same cliché words that thousands of other people use on their resumes tends to get boring, and won’t help you stand out whatsoever.

Below is a list of words and phrases that are overused on resumes:

• Detail-oriented
• Team player
• Self-motivated 
• Hardworking 
• Innovative 
• Responsible for

Try to find different words that portray the same meaning. For example, instead of “team player,” try “team-oriented” or “collaborative.” 

This way, you still describe yourself with the same attributes. However, it won’t look like the same cookie-cutter resume sections that the hiring manager has probably seen many times before.

Want to Learn How to Make Your Resume Sound Better? Enlist the Help of a Professional Performance Coach

Before you display your confidence on paper, you need to find it within yourself.

At Stiletto, we provide professional performance coaching to help individuals and organizations find confidence and clarity in the workplace. 

We work with individuals and organizations to create deep self-awareness and effective actions to make positive changes. We hope that these efforts are reflected in all of our clients’ everyday lives so that they can eliminate vulnerability and intimidation in order to achieve their goals.

If you want to feel more empowered in your professional life, contact us today!

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How to Make Your Resume Work History Look Better

How to Make Your Resume Sound Better

Tips for writing your resume job descriptions, an example of a revised job description, what to include in the revised description.

Georgijevic / Getty Images

How can you make your resume sound better? When you’re writing the work history section of your resume, there are a few goals to consider. It’s important to get your resume noticed by the hiring manager and to show a strong career record, presented in reverse chronological order.

However, your resume isn’t just a list of what you did when. Rather, it’s your most valuable tool in landing an interview—a “sales pitch” for your candidacy. Thus, the experience section needs to highlight your best qualifications for the job for which you’re applying.

You can  write job descriptions  that will make your  work history  sound better, get  past the applicant tracking system , and impress the hiring manager. Even if you had a boring job, you can focus on your best skills and highlight them on your resume.

Don’t make stuff up, because hiring managers do check. Instead, filter your responsibilities and focus your resume on the attributes the employer is seeking.

Review these tips for improving your resume job descriptions, as well as a “before and after” version of a revised position description.

• Edit your resume for every job . It can be time-consuming, but the more time you invest in your resume, the more you’ll get out of it. Take the time to  review and decode the job posting , so you know what the company wants in applicants. Make a list of what the organization is looking for, and highlight those qualifications on your resume.
• Prioritize . Take the time to  tweak your resume  for every job you apply to. List your most relevant duties first, being sure to  connect your accomplishments to the job description . Move your other responsibilities down the list. You’ll be able to “mix and match” based on the job opening, so your top qualities are always listed first.
• Use bullets in addition to narrative paragraphs . To highlight your work achievements, format them in a bulleted list immediately following a short narrative description of your specific work responsibilities. This will allow the accomplishments to “pop” on the page, setting you apart from your competition.
• Quantify your accomplishments.  Numbers work well on resumes. They are informative and noticeable. For example, “Increased fiscal year revenue 25%” sounds much better than “Improved revenue.” Use percentages, dollars, and numbers instead of words to show what you achieved at the positions you have held, and selectively boldface these figures so that they immediately catch the hiring manager’s eye.
• Show what you have accomplished on the job . Include actionable achievements, not just descriptions of your daily tasks. Hiring managers want to know why you were a stellar employee, not what you did at work. Use action words to describe your duties. Here’s a list of  resume action verbs and power words  to get you started.
• Keep it concise . You don’t need to include everything you did at every job you’ve ever had on your resume. Three or four sentences for each description, followed by a few bulleted achievements, is plenty. Include your most valuable contributions to the organization. You’ll have an opportunity to discuss your other duties in-depth when you interview.

Here’s a “before and after” version of a job description, written to highlight the candidate’s best attributes for the job.

Before:  I was responsible for website design and development for a variety of clients. I oversaw data optimization, product uploads, and product management, and diagnosed and repaired product issues. My responsibilities included implementing and managing projects from design through launch. I managed search engine marketing, SEO, and online advertising for several clients including strategizing solutions for optimizing visibility.

After:  Created, developed, launched, and managed websites for a variety of clients with an emphasis on state-of-the-art, responsive, and user-focused designs. Implemented data, product, and design enhancements. Managed search engine optimization and marketing and monitored site statistics to optimize visibility.

• Increased search engine traffic by 25%, pages per session by 18%, and doubled site revenue over the past year.
• Trained and mentored 5 new team members in effective client relations strategies.
• Implemented enhancements to employer’s website that increased client list by 45% between FY 2020 and FY2021.

Do you see the difference? By using active verbs and tangible bulleted achievements, the “after” example delivers a more persuasive argument for the candidate’s suitability for the job.

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18 Résumé Writing Tips to Help You Stand Out

By  Allison Pohle

Updated May 11, 2021 2:15 pm ET

• A résumé isn’t just a list of every job you’ve ever had. It should demonstrate your accomplishments.
• Mirror language used in the job posting so your résumé isn’t discarded by an applicant tracking system.
• Use a clean and simple format. 

Companies increasingly  rely on software  to sort through applicants, which is why it is essential to tailor your résumé to ensure it makes the cut. Applicant tracking systems sort, scan and rank applicants by looking for keywords in applications. Although these programs can save time and money for employers, about 60% said such tools cause them to miss some qualified candidates, according to a 2016 survey of 1,200 job seekers and managers by CareerArc, a human-resources technology company, and Future Workplace, a research firm. Here’s how to make your résumé stand out to robots and humans alike. 

1. Highlight your achievements in your résumé. 

A common mistake job seekers make is believing a résumé is a recap of your career, when in reality, it should convey what you have accomplished, says Christy Noel, a career expert and author of “Your Personal Career Coach.” 

“I always say, spend less of your real estate describing your job, and more time describing your results,” says Ms. Noel.  

2. Customize your résumé.

Read over the job posting, and think about the work experience you have had that is most directly relevant to the position you are pursuing. You can leave out some past jobs and internships if the experience you had wasn’t related. Whatever you do: Don’t submit a generic résumé to dozens of postings. “Even if you have the best experience, if your résumé isn’t speaking directly to the position in which you are applying, there is a strong chance you’ll never even get an interview,” says Demisha Jennings, a certified professional résumé writer and founder and owner of She Assists LLC.  

The same applies to your cover letter. It is your chance to provide more detail on how your experience will help you succeed in the job.  Read our cover letter guide  for how to write one that makes you stand out.

3. Decide how to format your résumé.

Most of the time, a chronological résumé will work well for communicating your past experience. But, in some cases, a functional or hybrid résumé might be more appropriate.  Read more about résumé formats here.

4. Make your contact information easy to find.

Include your name, phone number, email address, city and state. It may also be appropriate to include the URL to your LinkedIn profile. You want it to be easy for hiring managers to reach out.

In addition to making it easy to connect with you, it is important to your job search that you grow your network.  Read our networking guide  for tips on how to do so.

5. Consider adding a summary. 

Many résumé templates leave space for an objective statement, outlining career goals, but that approach is outdated, says Ms. Jennings. Instead, consider a carefully worded summary. The summary is often the first place a hiring manager will look, and gives you an opportunity to introduce your skills high up on the page. You can also work in relevant keywords from the job description. “Recruiters are looking for what you can bring to the table and what you’ve done, rather than you saying, ‘I’m seeking a position,’” Ms. Jennings says. 

6. Great résumés should stand out to skim readers.

Most recruiters spend just a few seconds skimming through a résumé—with an average in one study of  7.4 seconds.  

To have the best chance of making an impression, ensure your job titles, company names and dates of employment are easy to read. The sections of your résumé should be adequately spaced, too, says Dana Leavy-Detrick, founder and director of Brooklyn Resume Studio. 

For additional ways to make a good impression on recruiters and headhunters, read  our guide on how to work with headhunters .

7. Make your résumé robot-friendly. 

Structure your résumé to meet the requirements of an applicant tracking system to give yourself the best chance of having it reach an actual human. Ms. Leavy-Detrick suggests the following:

• Optimize keywords.  Use the same words and language that are in the job description. For example, three different companies might describe the same role as “programmer,” “developer” or “software engineer.” 
• Use a straightforward format.  Avoid tables and text-based graphics, which might not get picked up by a scan of the résumé. Sans-serif fonts such as Arial or Helvetica are also best to ensure readability.
• Think about order.  When formatting each line item of work experience, list the company name first, followed by the job location (city, state), your job title, and your start and end dates. Some résumés can get lost if the dates are listed before the job title. 

8. Prioritize relevant keywords. 

Tailoring your skills to include language from the job posting is an important way to let both the applicant tracking system and, eventually, a hiring manager, see how your prior qualifications tie into the job requirements. But just because you have a résumé full of keywords doesn’t mean you’ll automatically get an interview. “The ATS isn’t there to help the job seeker, it is there to help the employer review your skills against their most important qualifications,” says Ashley Watkins, a career coach and résumé writer with Write Step Résumés LLC. 

9. Craft compelling and concise bullet points.

The goal of a résumé is to list your accomplishments, rather than every duty you performed in the role. Résumé-writing experts recommend including no more than five bullet points per prior job listed. 

• Don’t focus on tasks.  Many job seekers describe what they did every day, such as answering phones or creating marketing materials, Ms. Watkins says. “Simply copying and pasting the job description doesn’t account for the things you did great, that you did above and beyond your peers,” she says.
• Instead, explain what those tasks achieved.  Emphasize your results. Ms. Watkins suggests asking yourself “Did I save [the employer] money? Did I save time? Did I improve a process? Did I build a relationship?” These will help you format your bullet points.
• Use metrics.  Say what you achieved, then contextualize it—with figures if possible. You might not be able to put a monetary value on every accomplishment, but you can frame it by sharing details like the time it took or how many people were involved. “If you raised sales 50% in two months, that means a whole lot more than ‘I’m in charge of sales,’” Ms. Watkins says. 
• Don’t omit accomplishments that aren’t quantifiable.  Not every achievement will have metrics to show success. If there are figures, you might not always have access to them. But that shouldn’t stop you from including them, says Ms. Leavy-Detrick. Perhaps you had a positive impact on the culture of an organization, or improved a struggling relationship with a client. These efforts could help to demonstrate your  soft skills.

10. Focus on transferable skills if you lack experience.

If you are applying for a job in a new field or you are an entry-level applicant and don’t have much direct experience, don’t worry. Highlight transferable skills you have developed in the past that will serve you well in the position, says Ms. Leavy-Detrick. For example, you could play up leadership skills you developed participating in an extracurricular activity or time-management skills you learned in a prior job.

11. Go beyond your work history, and include all relevant experience.

If you are new to the workforce, or are job-hunting after being laid off, you could also include related experience that was outside of a traditional full-time job, says Ms. Watkins. For example, you can highlight volunteer work, consulting projects or educational training, all as part of making the case for your unique value, she says.

12. Don’t worry too much about gaps in your résumé.

The Covid-19 pandemic economy resulted in many people being laid off or furloughed. Ms. Watkins says the 2020 job market reminds her of 2008, when she worked as a recruiter. The expectation at that time, she says, was that candidates would have  gaps  on their résumés or list more short-term positions. While it isn’t necessary to directly address the gaps in your résumé, you should be  prepared to talk about them in an interview . “The focus should not be centered on the fact that you were furloughed or laid off, it should be focused on you and your skills and what you do that impacts the company’s bottom line in a positive way,” Ms. Watkins says.

While it is common to list the months and years you started and ended positions in the job history section, you could just use years. This will draw less attention to a six- or eight-month gap, says Ms. Leavy-Detrick. 

13. Highlight relevant skills.

It is common to  add a skills section to your résumé , outlining expertise relevant to the position. You can include languages you speak, technical skills or courses you have done. If you lack experience, you can also complete some trainings, which you can find on LinkedIn and elsewhere, related to the job you are applying for and add the courses in this section, says Ms. Jennings.

14. Prioritize work experience over education.

The professional experience you have had is often more relevant to the position than your education history, which is why the work experience should be listed first. In the “Education” section, you should list where you attended college, if applicable, or the highest level of education you have attained. If you graduated with honors, you can flag that, but it isn’t necessary to list your GPA.

15. If you are early on in your career, a key résumé tip is to limit it to one page. 

If you are early on in your career, you should limit your résumé to one page. It is OK to start spilling onto a second page after you have eight to 10 years of experience, says Ms. Leavy-Detrick. 

16. Add some color for a stylish résumé that sets you apart. 

Your résumé should look clean and professional and you should keep applicant tracking systems in mind when formatting the document. But, if it is appropriate, you can add subtle accents of color in the section headings or in bars that separate sections as a way to differentiate your résumé. Ms. Leavy-Detrick doesn’t overstress the need for good design with her clients. “But it can definitely help,” she says. “When I say design, I don’t mean crazy graphic design. I mean having a polished application,” she says. “Think of it the same way you would coming dressed to an interview, it is part of your presentation, and so many people overlook this on the résumé.”

It may be appropriate to incorporate a more creative and graphic-based layout depending on the field in which you work and where you are applying. If you are applying for a position in a creative field, and you are emailing your résumé directly to a hiring manager, then it can be appropriate to use more designs, says Ms. Jennings. But if you are applying to a large company that uses an applicant tracking system or job portal, she says it is best to avoid using graphics unless you are working with a résumé writer who can help you get your resume through the system.

17. Proofread and double-check the formatting.

You may be eager to send your résumé or submit your application, but you should take the time to first check for typos and grammatical errors. You could also have a friend or family member look over it. When you are checking for errors, be sure to double-check the formatting. Sometimes the spacing can get thrown off when you save the file, so check how it looks as a saved document and, if you can, save it as a PDF before sending. 

18. Make sure the saved file name includes your name. 

Make less work for the hiring manager by including your full name in the file name of the résumé document.

What to read next

• How to Prepare for a Job Interview
• What Questions to Ask During a Job Interview
• Common Job Interview Questions and How to Answer Them
• How to Dress for a Job Interview
• How to Write a Thank-You Email After a Job Interview  
• How to Negotiate and Counter a Job Offer
• How to Negotiate Salary for a New Job: The Do’s and Don’ts
• Severance Pay: What It Is and Why You Should Negotiate a Package Before Accepting a Job

Corrections & Amplifications Ashley Watkins is a résumé writer with Write Step Résumés LLC. An earlier version of this article incorrectly said Write Steps LLC. (Corrected on Nov. 20)

Copyright ©2024 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

Appeared in the November 23, 2020, print edition as '11 Résumé Tips to Help You Get Noticed

How To Make Your Skills Sound Better On Your Resume

Published on:

• April 16, 2023

Writing your resume for the first time or editing it for the 100th can both be incredibly daunting experiences.

With today’s fast-paced, ever-evolving corporate environment, hiring managers are consistently searching for unique candidates in an oversaturated market.

This makes resume writing so much more integral to landing a job that you want.

Most hiring managers utilize applications called “Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS),” which help electronically filter through candidate resumes searching for keywords, required skills, and overall competency.

For example, if a job required Slack as a hard skill, and you fail to mention your proficiency within your resume, your resume will automatically be sorted out of potential applicants immediately.

That being said, making a point to highlight your skills effectively is essential to passing through the ATS successfully.

Keep in mind that hiring managers are sent hundreds to thousands of resumes per job advertisement. After making it through the ATS, your resume will have approximately 6-8 seconds to prove your worth.

This means that you should ensure it looks professional and highlights the key information in bite-size pieces for quick reading and digestion. Your goal is to provide information and make the hiring process as painless as possible for the employer.

The following part of this article will walk you through several suggestions to better your skills section so that it will pass inspection and highlights you as a strong and capable candidate for the jobs you are applying.

These suggestions are: (1) Do not list given skills, (2) Spotlight key skills, and (3) Highlight your knowledge by separating hard and soft skills.

By incorporating these 3 modifications to your resume, you’ve already created a great start to passing through the ATS and getting the hiring managers’ attention.

Resume Template

Tip #1: Do not list given skills

It’s in our nature to want to name each and every skill we have in order to show that we are qualified, if not overqualified, candidates. Though this approach worked in the past, now it’s more necessary to omit skills that would be assumed.

For example, previously it was necessary to indicate proficiency with technical skills including Microsoft Office and Google, however, now it seems redundant. In today’s technical climate, it is assumed that all applicants applying for positions have these commonplace skills.

Keep in mind that your goal of listing skills is to showcase your attributes, not bog down the hiring manager with information they already assume to know.

Tip #2: Spotlight “key” skills

The next suggestion is to spotlight “key” skills on each resume. This means that when applying to multiple jobs, ensure that you are adjusting your skills section based on the needs of the individual job.

It’s a great idea to use keywords and specific skills from the job description itself. If a requirement or specific responsibility is listed or has an apparent theme throughout the job description, use your skill section to highlight your ability to accomplish those tasks.

An effective way of doing this would be to rephrase their needs into your own voice and then adding that to your resume. For example, if the job description stated, “a strong background in CRM systems,” you could add, “Proficient with CRM system,” within your skills section.

However, avoid copying and pasting only the skills outlined in the job description, as this could be seen as unimaginative and hurt your chances of candidacy.

Tip #3: Emphasize the difference between soft skills and hard skills.

Previously, it was simple to add a single skills section and be content with your resume. Now, it is necessary to emphasize both hard and soft skills.

Hard and soft skills are equally important to create a compelling resume. An ideal way to include both skills is to create two separate lists. This allows for a hiring manager to easily read through both skillsets.

Remember, you have 6-8 seconds to convince the hiring manager that you’re a worthy candidate for the job.

In order to ensure balance across your resume, try to keep the number of skills on each list the same. For example, if you have 5 hard skills, ensure that you have 5 soft skills too.

In Conclusion

This article highlights 3 suggestions that you can incorporate into your skill section to make your resume stand out from others.

This includes: (1) do not list given or assumed skills, (2) take time to spotlight “key” skills, especially those that are discussed within the job description, and (3) emphasize the difference between your hard and soft skills by giving each their own section.

Marissa Letendre, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

Marissa Letendre is a senior HR leader and resume expert with over 12 years of experience. She has worked for both startups and Fortune 50 corporations and has helped thousands land jobs at top companies. Marissa has written on a wide range of topics, including employee engagement, career development, resumes, job searching, recruiting, and organizational effectiveness and has been featured on sites such as Slack and The Undercover Recruiter.

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• How to make any job sound...

How to make any job sound impressive on your CV

7 min read · Updated on May 18, 2022

If you want to impress a recruiter, it starts with a CV that sells you at your best.

Picture this. You've found the perfect job. You have the relevant experience, the job is at the right level, it's with a company that suits your values, and the salary is in line with your expectations.

But there's an issue. You're not sure your CV is displaying your candidacy in the right way, even though you know you're a great fit for the job. You're not sure that you stand out.

Writing a CV can be daunting – and writing the perfect CV takes time and effort. Not only to detail relevant information, but also to display your talent in an extraordinary way. No fear: there are ways to make any job sound impressive on your CV. Use the following suggestions to tweak and tailor your CV to show recruiters that you're the best candidate for the job.

Inject keywords into your CV

One way to make your experience immediately impressive is by using keywords from the job description throughout your CV to tailor it to the role. Using the same language and phrases shows the recruiter that you're a good match for the position. Plus, it will aid your performance when up against applicant tracking systems .

Before you optimise, you must first find the best keywords to use in your CV . Sift through the job description and highlight any skills that align with your own abilities. Also, make a note of industry jargon that can be leveraged. Then, naturally pepper the keywords throughout your document to show how you're a good fit.

Reduce irrelevant information

It's very common for job hunters to over write their CVs. And it makes sense. After all, you want to put your best foot forward and showcase everything in your entire professional repertoire. However, your CV will speak to different audiences, so reducing the fluff and customising your CV to a specific vacancy is essential. 

Target the role you're applying for by removing details in your employment history that aren't directly related to the vacancy. You've already scanned through the job advert, so you will know what to cut - for example, skills that are not mentioned.

Don't feel you have to remove all irrelevant details, especially if it seems like there are yawning gaps in your employment history. But consider limiting them, as you don't want to cast shade over your top skills. 

Use the active voice

Using the active voice is guaranteed to make any job sound impressive on your CV. This is because active words push your achievements to the forefront of the sentence and therefore highlight your abilities. 

For example, note the difference between:

The active sentence: “Managed inventory activities, including ordering and re-stocking, for a workforce of 50.” 

And the passive sentence: “Inventory activities, including ordering and restocking, for a workforce of 50, were managed by me.” 

The passive is rather waffly and less dynamic. 

Trace over your CV and swap passive sentences for active ones. Replacing the passive voice will instantly highlight your capabilities and create a pleasant read.

Leverage powerful verbs

Take the active voice one step further by using powerful and creative verbs to enhance your abilities and create a more engaging read. “Managed”, “led”, “communicated”, and “assisted” are common cliches and, while they do the job of describing your actions, they don't necessarily showcase your personality or make your CV sparkle.

Review your CV to identify verbs which are overused and consider finding an alternative. For example, instead of '“led” try “headed”, “directed”, or “oversaw”.  You don't need to break out the thesaurus and go overboard, but do consider your word choice to aid storytelling and bring your personality to life. Here's a handy list of action words to use in your CV to help you.

Choose accomplishments, not duties

Another way to make a job look amazing on your CV is by listing your accomplishments rather than your responsibilities. While providing a list of your duties is likely to offer a decent overview of your experience, it doesn't differentiate you from another candidate with exactly the same job title and experience. Plus, a recruiter is likely to know what your daily tasks are from your job title, so you're not adding anything to your application.

Reframe the focus of your CV to highlight accomplishments. Consider what you achieved while carrying out your role and the successes that you generated from your actions. If you led a meeting, what was the impact of that? If you created a monthly report, why did it matter to the business? Consider how your role was connected to the bottom line in each of your experiences.

Quantify your achievements

Once you have identified your accomplishments, it's time to make them tangible with numbers. For example, which sounds more impressive?

Option one: “Analysed keyword performance data to optimise page rankings.”

Option two: “Analysed keyword performance data to optimise page rankings, resulting in a 14% YoY uplift in organic traffic.”

The chances are you'd pick option two, which is a little more descriptive and impressive thanks to the use of numbers. Any numbers that demonstrate your ability or quantify your achievements will show the recruiter your capabilities, which is much more convincing than simply telling them what you do day to day. Providing evidence of your growth and successes, no matter how small they seem, might help you to cinch the interview.

Prioritise readability

The most standout CVs have a clean and professional layout. Therefore, formatting is essential for making a job look good on your CV. You might have the best content in the world, but if the formatting is clunky and indigestible then a recruiter is likely to lose patience and walk away. 

Ask yourself, can you easily scan your CV and identify key points? Is your CV pleasing to look at? You're looking for an even balance of text to white space and snappy sentences or bullet points, as opposed to blocks of heavy, dense text. In addition, watch out for typos and grammatical errors as they are equally detrimental to readability. 

Include testimonials

While testimonials and recommendations are commonplace for LinkedIn profiles, they can also be used in your CV to add character and weight. However, we're not suggesting you ask your past managers to contribute a lengthy paragraph. 

Instead, reflect on compliments and recognition from one-to-ones or appraisals. Then, include the commentary as a bullet point. For example, “recognised by management for the ability to discuss sensitive information from feedback interviews, distil them for stakeholders, and supply tangible solutions.”

Adding a testimonial is effectively another way to quantify your accomplishments and illustrate how impressive you are.

When you're job hunting, you have to be your own cheerleader. You may know you're good enough, and your friends, family, and fellow professionals likely will too. But if you don't blow your own trumpet on your CV, a recruiter never will.

Be bold, be brave, and don't be afraid to brag. Pretend your CV is an abbreviated quarterly report. It must provide context, details, and results to reflect the hard work that went into making something a success. Recognising your own achievements and channelling your joy and passion into your CV will make your job sound more interesting and impressive.

There are plenty of tips and tricks to make any job sound impressive on your CV. It all comes down to fine details, tiny tweaks, and confidence. Want to double-check you've done everything you can to make your job descriptions sound their best? Request a free CV review .

Recommended Reading: 

Should you pay someone to write your CV?

How to list awards and achievements on your CV

Tips to turn your good CV into a great one

Related Articles:

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What are hard skills? List and examples to include in your CV

See how your CV stacks up.

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More From Forbes

How to make those 'silly little jobs' on your resume shine.

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When I landed a job  managing a cupcake shop  right out of college, I was ecstatic. It was exactly what I wanted in that moment, when I thought my career was headed toward  owning my own small business .

A year later, when that goal changed and I decided I needed to get into the startup space, I found myself managing a friend’s budding business: a cleaning and concierge service.

But another year—and another career goal—down the road, when I was applying for a corporate position with more potential for advancement, I cringed at the thought of my resume. Cupcake shop? Cleaning company? I was two years out of college, but I felt like I’d made absolutely no career progress. I couldn’t imagine a corporate recruiter looking at my resume and seeing any potential in it—or in me.

RELATED:  Have a Winding Career Path? How to Explain it With Ease

Even when I did land an interview here and there, the questions were inevitable. The interviewer would lean back, peer at me over my resume, and chuckle as he or she asked, “A cupcake shop?”

It was humiliating. I’d timidly try to point out what I’d learned from it (or brush it aside completely with a self-deprecating, “Cupcakes were just so trendy, you know?”), but how was I supposed to  showcase confidence and poise  and prove my worth when I was embarrassed of my own background?

But as I learn more about myself and take a look back on my journey so far, I’m figuring out how to embrace my resume— everything  on my resume. And if you’re in the same place, whether you waited tables for a few years after college or nannied abroad, here are a few tips and tricks that helped me.

Connect the Dots

Before I could even think about how to present my experience in a more positive way, I had to come to grips with it myself. The first realization? My background isn’t going to change. I took those jobs , I put in the time, and there’s no going back now. Until I have a quite a few more years of work experience under my belt, those lines aren’t going to drop off my resume.

But, that’s not a negative thing; now, a few years later, I’m able to look back and connect the dots along my career path. Just one small example: Working at a small business (the cupcake shop), a startup (the cleaning company), and my current corporate job has given me a unique perspective and an arsenal of example situations that I can now use in my freelance writing work.

RELATED:  How to Explain Your Winding Career Path to a Hiring Manager

Even if you can’t see that far ahead at this point, trust me: One day, you’re going to look back and see how it all fits. (Even if it’s just an interviewer, once a server him- or herself, who appreciates  the work ethic that it instills in young professionals , and gives you a job because of it.)

Don’t Downplay It

Whenever I was asked about my cupcake shop job, I used to gloss over it as quickly as possible and dive right into why I was ready for something else: “Right out of college, I thought it was my dream job, but now I realize I’m ready for something on a bigger scale where I have more opportunity to learn and grow.” And that was that.

While that’s not a terrible answer, it completely plays down the year I spent at the bakery. Sure, I had some less than glamorous tasks, like ringing up customers and washing frosting-cemented spatulas, but I also oversaw all the day-to-day operations of the business—because the owner lived in another state.

She’d call and check in, but she wasn’t there if a wedding order got dropped on the floor or if we ran out of flour. I managed the employees, our inventory, special orders, and everything in between. So even though the subject matter was cupcakes, the job truthfully did a good job introducing me to important aspects of management and customer service. And that’s a great story to tell to a hiring manager.

Even you don’t see any redeeming qualities to your job, the point is that you aren’t doing yourself any good to talk it down. Your time there produced something, whether it was time management skills, savings for school, or  a customer-oriented attitude —so don’t be afraid to talk about it with confidence.

RELATED:  How to Convince Employers You're the One (When You're Not Convinced Yourself)

Use All the Tools in Your Arsenal

When you’re a bit insecure about your resume, one of the most helpful tools you have is your cover letter. Your resume may let a hiring manager know that you worked at a less-than-impressive job, but  your cover letter can put it into context  and explain how that seemingly irrelevant experience will help you in this new position.

For me, I let the bullet points of my resume explain my accomplishments and main responsibilities at the cleaning company, but my cover letter told more of the story: The company staff was small, so I essentially worked almost every role, including PR, marketing, advertising, sales, and customer service. And to boot, it was a startup company with big goals to open up locations around the country. Once I was able to give that background and explain more of who the company was, I felt like the hiring manager could get a better idea of why I worked there in the first place and how it’s prepared me for the role at hand.

The bottom line is this: No matter your background, it has shaped you—and is still shaping you—for your future path. And while it may take a few years to appreciate that and see how it all fits together, you will someday. Trust me.

This article was originally published on The Daily Muse .

Katie Douthwaite comes to The Daily Muse from a variety of management gigs, from small town music venue to big city cupcake bakery. Most recently, she’s leapt into the corporate world in sunny Florida, where she constantly challenges her team of support techs to provide over-the-top customer service. Say hi to Katie on Twitter @kdouth.

Photo of  woman at interview courtesy of Shutterstock .

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Essential Tips: How To Make Waitressing Sound Good on a Resume

If you’re a hospitality professional wondering how to make waitressing or serving sound good on a resume, we have you covered in this step by step guide with examples.

2 years ago   •   6 min read

Anyone who's ever worked in customer service knows it's not an easy job. You're on your feet all day, constantly multitasking, and singlehandedly responsible for keeping customers happy. But how do you translate all of that to a resume?

In this guide, we'll cover everything you need to make serving sound good on a resume, including:

• What to put on a waitressing resume
• How to come up with measurable, resume-worthy bullet points
• Tips for highlighting transferable skills
• Ready-made resume templates
• Sample bullet points you can copy and paste

Want to dive right in? Here's a quick-start guide.

How to put waitressing or server on a resume

• Look at the description of the job you’re applying for.
• Make a list of the key skills and responsibilities they're asking for.
• Brainstorm your own skills and accomplishments — everything from "fantastic at conflict resolution" to "turned over 100 tables on our busiest night without a single complaint."
• Now try to match up the two lists. It's okay to think outside the box on this one — for example, if a job requires event planning, think about how many functions have been held at your restaurant, or how you handled overlapping reservations.
• Work each of these examples into a bullet point focusing on what you accomplished.
• If possible, add a number or metric to show measurable results.
• Once you're done, upload your resume to our free ATS resume scanner for more tips and personalized suggestions.

Waitressing resume template

Here's an example of how to put waitressing accomplishments on a resume:

To get a headstart on your own resume, download one of our free ATS resume templates .

Tips for how to make serving sound good on a resume

Want to really level up your customer service resume? Here's how to:

Consolidate your waitressing experience

Highlight transferable skills.

• Come up with concrete metrics

Target your resume

The nature of hospitality, waitressing and similar gig work means that you may have held several similar positions over a relatively short amount of time. Instead of having to find new ways to describe waiting tables for every job on your resume, consider using a single job heading that covers similar serving jobs at different restaurants.

How To: In your work experience section, create a single heading like “Professional Wait Staff” and group all your related positions underneath.

Professional Wait Staff , [Dates] Company #1, Location, Dates - Bullet point - Bullet point Company #2, Location, Dates - Bullet point Company #3, Location, Dates - Bullet point

Here's how it might look on a resume:

More Tips: Read our guide on how to list work experience on your resume for a detailed breakdown of what your work experience section should look like and when it’s appropriate to bundle different positions together.

Related: How To Put DoorDash or Uber Eats on Your Resume

The good news is, serving jobs require a lot of in-demand skills you can use in other industries, like teamwork , adaptability , strong communication and interpersonal skills . But before you list “excellent customer service skills” on your resume, you should know that these are soft skills — not hard ones.

What does that mean? When it comes to soft skills, self-assessments are basically meaningless. To show a hiring manager that you have what it takes, you need to prove it.

How To: Instead of listing soft skills outright, choose accomplishments that demonstrate those skills in action.

DON'T: “Demonstrated excellent customer service skills.” DO: “Recognized as employee of the month on 10/2020; awarded to one person out of 50 employees.”

More Tips: Read our guide on how to include soft skills on your resume for all the do’s and don’ts when it comes to highlighting transferable skills.

Use metrics

Metrics are the key to making any resume look good. The trick is to quantify everything — even things you’ve never thought about in measurable terms.

How To: Use numbers to describe the number of customers you served, the size of your team, or the scale of the work you did.

Before: “Served food and drinks to customers in popular establishment.” After: “ Served 100+ customers daily in 20-table restaurant.”

More Tips: Our guide on how to quantify your resume has 50+ examples you can choose from on how to add meaningful numbers to your resume.

The first step to writing any successful resume is to tailor your resume to the job you’re applying for. If you’re looking for professional jobs with a hospitality background, this may seem like a stretch, but it’s easier than it sounds.

What hiring managers are really looking for is somebody who will be successful in the position. That doesn’t have to mean that you have experience in a similar role — instead, match your accomplishments to the job you’re applying for and focus on highlighting relevant skills.

How To: If a job description lists “planning and scheduling meetings and appointments” as a key responsibility, think about a time when you had to plan or schedule something as a waitress or waiter at work. This might be organizing a weekly roster, suggesting extra staff to cover a holiday weekend, or organizing a staff function.

If the job description says: “Planning and scheduling meetings and appointments.” Your resume could say: “Scheduled 20+ staff on weekly roster to ensure full coverage on all shifts.”

More tips: For extra help in creating a targeted resume, use the tool below to get a list of skills and keywords relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Polish it to perfection

Once you’re done updating your resume, upload it to the tool below to check if you’ve shown enough relevant skills and quantifiable accomplishments. It’ll also identify any mistakes and give you suggestions for improvements.

Waiter and waitressing resume bullet point examples

If you’re ready to get started, here are some sample bullet points you can use to make serving sound good on your resume — no matter what job you're aiming for next.

Training others

• Trained 6 new waiters and developed repeatable onboarding process; reduced onboarding time of new staff by 15%.

Training new employees is an in-demand skill in just about any profession. If you've ever helped out with training — whether that's showing a new hire around the restaurant or creating onboarding materials — highlight that accomplishment in your bullet points.

Scheduling and planning

• Scheduled 20+ staff on weekly roster to ensure full coverage on all shifts, including extra coverage at short notice.

Scheduling is another transferable skill that you'll use in just about any industry. If you created rosters, handled shift changes, or arranged coverage for other staff, use a bullet point like this to emphasize those skills.

Business operations and development

• Part of core team involved in transition to delivery/takeaway options to help restaurant survive during Covid-19; increased customer base by 10%.
• Reduced unnecessary inventory and maintained a 3 percent over/short ratio, reducing waste by almost 4 percent.

Ultimately, what employers care about most is whether you can contribute to the bottom line. Highlight accomplishments that you can tie to measurable results like revenue growth and cost savings.

Sales and marketing

• Collaborated with marketing team to redesign menu and increase revenue by 10%.
• Spearheaded initiative to gain new customers; handed out 400+ promotional materials and grew revenue by 20%.

Looking to pivot to a different industry? Pick out examples of accomplishments that show different types of skills, like this one.

Financial handling

• Balanced all transactions daily with credit card machines, cash registers and check scanners.

Even the smallest tasks can become resume-worthy accomplishments with the right spin. Focus on exactly what you did and any tools you used to emphasize technical skills as well as soft skills like attention to detail and trustworthiness.

Going above and beyond

• Recognized as employee of the month in 10/2020; awarded to one person out of 50 employees.

As a server, you're probably used to going above and beyond — so don't let that go to waste. Even better if you can point to something concrete, like a major award or promotion.

Spread the word

How to list a bootcamp on a resume (and other resume tips), how to remove fillers from your resume, keep reading, how to show bilingualism on your resume (with examples), oops what to do if there’s a mistake on your resume, getting the basics right: resume line spacing, subscribe to our newsletter.

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Thank you for the checklist! I realized I was making so many mistakes on my resume that I've now fixed. I'm much more confident in my resume now.

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How do I make serving sound good on a resume?

I’m trying to break into literally any other field, but I have no idea how to make anything I’ve done since high school sound worthwhile to employers. I worked at Target for two years. For the last four I’ve been serving. That’s it. I have no education or anything else to put on a resume. Please help 😭

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