Resume Help

What Is a Resume?

A resume highlights your skills, experience, and value. Employers often scan resumes in seconds, so clarity and focus matter. Keep the information targeted to the job you want.

Resume Essentials

A strong resume includes:

  • Name & contact information
  • Professional summary
  • Experience in reverse chronological order
  • Education
  • Skills
  • Certifications or relevant trainings (optional)

Formatting Basics

  • Font: Arial or Times New Roman
  • Size: 10–12 pt body text
  • Margins: 1 inch
  • Color: Black or dark gray
  • Paper: 8.5" × 11" (Letter)
  • Keep the layout simple and easy to scan

Professional Summary Tips

  • Keep it to 1–3 sentences
  • Describe your strengths and focus
  • Highlight your value to employers
  • Place it directly under your name

Experience Section Tips

  • Use bullet points
  • Begin each bullet with a strong action verb
  • Show results, improvements, and outcomes
  • Add numbers when possible
  • Remove unrelated or outdated roles
  • Include relevant volunteer work if helpful

Skills Section Tips

  • Keep skills short and specific
  • Match your skills to the job posting
  • Mix technical and people skills
  • Avoid generic traits like “hard worker”
  • Put your strongest skills first

Certifications

Certifications are short credentials that show you have completed training in a specific skill or topic. They can come from professional organizations, schools, libraries, or online programs.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Long paragraphs
  • Outdated or unprofessional email
  • Too many colors or fonts
  • Vague language
  • Missing dates
  • Typos or grammar issues
  • Unrelated jobs that distract from the goal

What Recruiters Look For

  • Clear formatting
  • Accurate dates and job titles
  • Measurable results
  • Job-aligned skills
  • Correct spelling
  • Concise writing

Recruiters often spend 7 seconds on the first scan—make it count.

Free Resume Resources