1. Choose the Right Resume Format
The resume format determines how hiring managers and ATS software read your career story. There are three main formats:
Best for: Most jobs, steady career progression
Lists work experience from most recent to oldest. Most ATS-friendly and preferred by 90% of recruiters.
Best for: Employment gaps, major career changes
Focuses on skills instead of job history. Use only if you have major gaps — many ATS systems struggle with this format.
Best for: Senior professionals, career changers
Lists skills prominently followed by chronological experience. Good for highlighting specific competencies.
💡 Pro tip:
For most job seekers in 2026, the chronological format is the safest and most effective choice. It's what recruiters expect and what ATS systems handle best.
2. Write Your Contact Information
Your contact section goes at the top. Include only what's professionally relevant:
Don't include: date of birth, photo (unless required in your country), full address, or personal social media profiles.
3. Craft a Strong Resume Summary
A resume summary is a 2–4 sentence paragraph at the top that tells a recruiter who you are, what you do, and your strongest value.
The winning formula
[Job title] with [X years] experience in [field]. Skilled in [2–3 skills]. [Key quantified achievement].
Example
"Results-driven Digital Marketing Manager with 6 years of experience growing B2B SaaS brands. Expert in SEO, paid media, and marketing automation. Increased organic traffic by 180% and reduced customer acquisition cost by 35%."
4. Describe Your Work Experience
Work experience is the most important section. Use this structure for each role:
Job Title | Company Name | City | Start – End Date
• [Action verb] + [what you did] + [measurable result]
• [Action verb] + [what you did] + [measurable result]
• [3–6 bullet points per role]
Strong action verbs to start each bullet:
Achieved · Accelerated · Built · Created · Decreased · Delivered · Designed · Developed · Drove · Generated · Grew · Improved · Increased · Launched · Led · Managed · Optimized · Reduced · Saved · Scaled · Shipped · Transformed
5. List Your Education
For most experienced professionals, education goes after work experience. For recent graduates, place it near the top.
Degree name, institution, graduation year. Add GPA (above 3.5) and honors if a recent graduate.
Add separately: certification name, issuing body, and year. Key for tech, finance, healthcare, and project management.
High school after you have a college degree. Irrelevant coursework. Graduation year if 20+ years ago.
6. Add a Skills Section
A dedicated skills section helps both ATS and human readers quickly scan your competencies.
Hard Skills
Technical tools, programming languages, software (e.g. Python, Salesforce, Google Analytics)
Soft Skills
Use sparingly. Demonstrate in experience bullets instead (e.g. 'Led team of 12' shows leadership)
Languages
Include proficiency: Fluent / Professional / Conversational. Native language doesn't need to be listed.
💡 Tip: Mirror the exact skill names from the job description. If it says "React.js", use "React.js" — not just "React". ATS systems often match exact phrases.
7. Optimize for ATS
Over 97% of Fortune 500 companies use ATS software to screen resumes. Here's how to pass the filter:
- ✓Use a simple, single-column layout. Avoid tables, text boxes, headers/footers.
- ✓Use standard section headings: 'Work Experience', 'Education', 'Skills' — not creative names.
- ✓Save as PDF unless the employer specifically requests DOCX.
- ✓Include keywords from the job description naturally throughout your resume.
- ✓Spell out acronyms the first time: 'Search Engine Optimization (SEO)'.
- ✓Use standard fonts: Arial, Calibri, Garamond, Georgia, or Times New Roman.
Check your resume with our free ATS tool:
Upload your resume and paste the job description to get an instant ATS score, keyword match analysis, and optimization suggestions.
Free ATS Resume Checker →8. Final Resume Tips
Tailor every application. A resume sent to 100 jobs without changes will underperform. Adjust your summary, skills, and bullets to match the specific job description.
Keep it concise. Under 10 years = one page. More experience = max two pages. Recruiters spend 7 seconds on the first pass.
Proofread three times. Spelling errors immediately disqualify many candidates. Use spell check, read it aloud, and have someone else review it.
Quantify your achievements. '5 years of sales experience' is forgettable. 'Exceeded annual sales quota by 127% for three consecutive years' is impressive.
Update regularly. Update your resume every 3–6 months even when not job searching. It's much easier to remember details while they're fresh.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the key sections of a resume?
- Contact information, professional summary, work experience, education, and skills. Optional: certifications, languages, projects, and volunteer experience.
- How long should a resume be?
- One page for under 10 years experience. Two pages maximum for senior professionals. Never more than two pages unless you're an academic.
- What is the best resume format in 2026?
- Chronological is best for 90% of candidates. It's ATS-friendly and familiar to recruiters. Use functional only for significant employment gaps.
- How do I make my resume ATS-friendly?
- Simple layout, standard headings, keywords from the job description. Avoid graphics, tables, and text boxes. Save as a clean PDF.
- What should I write in a resume summary?
- State your job title, years of experience, top skills, and one key achievement. Keep it to 2–4 sentences. Tailor it to each job.