Keep it chronological.
The positions you’ve held (most recent first) are what prospective employers are most interested in seeing. Give them what they want.
PRO TIP!
If you are in a creative field (i.e., marketing or design), consider having a more elaborate version that showcases your creative accomplishments and skills as well as a simple format version. The simple one is much easier to read and to upload into an applicant tracking system (ATS).
Keep it simple.
The text and format you choose for your resume should be simple since it may first be read by an ATS where special fonts and intricate formatting won’t matter. So, using simple, classic text with basic formatting will help your resume make it through the first filters on an ATS, which is extremely important.
Keep it targeted.
Consider creating a career summary at the top of your resume. Focus on 2-3 key skills that you want to highlight and bring to the attention of prospective employers. This is also a great place to customize your resume to a specific job that you are applying for by changing up the skills that you highlight.
Keep it short.
Bullet points are better than long sentences. They are easier to read and you don’t want a prospective employer having to search for information about you.
Keep it to the point.
Cut the clutter. Don’t add fluff that isn’t relevant to jobs you are considering. The education section needs to list the school and degree only. The exception to this: if you’ve had a leadership position or received an award that should be included, but nothing outside of these details.
About the Author
Michelle Conn, Senior Talent Acquisition Manager
Michelle is passionate about women succeeding in the workplace. She loves baseball, running and baking. She’s a dedicated non-profit board-member and volunteer. She calls the beach her happy place and is the mother of 3 boys.