How to Write a Resume: Step by Step

A good resume tells one employer, quickly and honestly, why you fit one job. This guide walks through it in nine steps. You can follow along in the free builder, which keeps the layout tidy while you write.

1. Read the job advert first

Before writing, read the advert and note the job title, the three or four main requirements and any instructions (format, page limit, documents). Your resume should answer those requirements first.

2. Choose a simple format

For most people a reverse-chronological resume (most recent job first) is the clearest choice. Use one column, standard headings and A4 or US Letter depending on the country. See international formats if you are unsure.

3. Add your contact details

Name, phone number with country code, a professional email address, your city and optionally a LinkedIn or portfolio link. A full street address is rarely needed.

4. Write a short summary

Two to four lines: who you are professionally, your strongest relevant experience, and what you are looking for.

Fictional example: “Accounts assistant with three years’ experience in accounts payable and bank reconciliations. Accurate with Excel and SAP, and looking for a role supporting month-end close in a larger finance team.”

5. Describe your experience with results

For each job: title, employer, location and dates, then three to five bullets. Start each bullet with an action verb, say what you did and, where it is true, add scale or a result.

• Weak: “Responsible for invoices.”
• Better (fictional): “Processed about 200 supplier invoices a month and resolved mismatches with the purchasing team.”

More wording ideas: resume summary and bullet examples.

6. Add education and qualifications

Degree or qualification, institution and year. Recent graduates can add relevant modules, projects or grades; experienced candidates can keep it to one line per qualification.

7. List skills you can prove

Group them (software, languages, certifications) and include only skills you could discuss in an interview. Use the advert’s wording where it honestly matches your experience; see resume keywords.

8. Add optional sections only if they help

Certifications, projects, volunteering, languages or publications can strengthen a resume when they relate to the job. Hobbies rarely add much unless they show a relevant skill.

9. Check it before you send it

• Spelling, dates and job titles are consistent and correct.
• Nothing is untrue or exaggerated.
• It fits one or two pages.
• The file is a text-based PDF unless the employer asks for another format (see PDF or Word).
• You ran the ATS resume checker and compared it with the advert.

Common questions

Create your resume for free Explore resume examples

Related guides

• What Is an ATS and How Does It Read a Resume? – A plain-language guide to applicant tracking systems: what they do, what makes a resume easy to parse, and the myths worth ignoring.
• Resume Examples – Patterns for resume summaries and bullet points, with weak versus stronger wording. Use them as a guide and write only what is true for you.
• Resume With No Experience: A Guide for Freshers – How to write an honest, readable resume when you have little or no paid work history: what to include, how to describe projects and what to leave out.
• Career Change Resume Guide – How to present your experience when you are moving into a different field: lead with relevant skills, keep it truthful and tell a clear story.