How to Write a Resume That Gets Interviews

Recruiters and hiring managers often skim résumés quickly, sometimes spending only seconds on an initial review before deciding whether to read further. A clear, focused résumé helps your strengths stand out and gives you the best chance of landing an interview. Here’s how to write one that works.

The basic structure

Most effective résumés follow a familiar structure that makes them easy to scan.

Contact information goes at the top. Include your name, phone number, a professional email address, and your city and state. Including a link to a professional networking profile or online portfolio can also be helpful, especially in creative or technical fields. You don’t need to include your full street address.

A summary, sometimes called a professional profile, comes next. This is two or three lines describing who you are professionally and what you offer. A strong summary quickly tells the reader your level of experience, your main area of expertise and what makes you a good fit.

Your experience section lists your jobs, typically in reverse chronological order, with your most recent position first. For each role, include your job title, the employer’s name, location and dates of employment, followed by bullet points describing your accomplishments.

Education and certifications list your degrees, schools and any relevant certifications or licenses. Early-career job seekers may place education near the top, while experienced professionals usually place it after work experience.

A skills section highlights abilities relevant to the job, such as software, technical skills, languages or industry-specific expertise.

Focus on results, not duties

One of the most common résumé mistakes is simply listing job duties. Employers want to know what you accomplished, not just what you were responsible for.

Instead of writing that you answered customer calls, show your impact: resolved about 40 customer calls a day while maintaining high satisfaction scores. Instead of writing that you managed social media, explain that you grew social media followers by a specific percentage in a year.

Numbers help employers see your impact. Wherever possible, quantify your achievements with figures like percentages, dollar amounts, time saved, number of people managed or projects completed. Even estimates can be useful, as long as they’re honest.

Start each bullet point with a strong action verb, such as led, created, improved, reduced, increased or launched. Action verbs make your accomplishments sound more dynamic.

Tailor every résumé

Sending the same résumé to every job is less effective than tailoring it for each position. Read the job posting carefully and note the skills, qualifications and key terms it emphasizes. Then adjust your résumé to highlight your most relevant experience and use the posting’s key terms where they truthfully match your background.

Tailoring matters partly because many employers use applicant tracking systems, software that scans résumés for relevant keywords and qualifications before a human reviews them. Including relevant terms from the job description can help your résumé get through.

Keep it readable

A clean, simple layout with clear headings helps both human readers and applicant tracking systems. Avoid complex designs, tables, graphics or unusual fonts that might confuse scanning software, unless you’re in a creative field where design is part of the evaluation.

Length depends on experience. One page is generally recommended if you’re early in your career. Two pages can be fine if you have substantial relevant experience. Focus on recent and relevant experience rather than listing every job you’ve ever held.

Use consistent formatting for dates, headings and bullet points, and choose an easy-to-read font in a reasonable size. Leave enough white space so the résumé doesn’t feel cluttered.

Save your résumé as a PDF unless the employer requests another format, since PDFs preserve your formatting across devices. Name the file clearly, such as with your name and the word résumé.

Avoid common mistakes

Typos and grammar errors can make a poor impression, suggesting a lack of attention to detail. Proofread carefully, read your résumé aloud and ask someone else to review it.

Leave out unrelated personal information, such as age, marital status, religion or a photo, which is generally not expected in U.S. résumés and could invite bias. Don’t exaggerate or misrepresent your experience, titles or education. And use a professional email address, ideally one based on your name.

Address gaps honestly

If you have employment gaps, you don’t need to hide them. Many people take time off for caregiving, education, health or other reasons. You can briefly note relevant activities during that time, such as volunteer work, freelancing or courses, and be prepared to discuss gaps positively in interviews.

Write a strong cover letter

Many employers still value cover letters, which give you a chance to explain why you’re interested in the role and how your experience fits. Keep it concise and tailored to the specific position.

Get help

Many public libraries, college career centers and American Job Centers offer free résumé reviews and workshops. A fresh set of eyes can catch errors and suggest improvements. Update your résumé regularly, even when you’re not job hunting, so it’s ready when an opportunity arises.