Resume dos and don’ts: 29 tips for writing your best resume

Recruiters and hiring managers might look at hundreds of resumes a day. Yours could get lost in the shuffle if it doesn’t stand out. 

Using these actionable resume tips can help your application catch a reader’s attention and encourage them to take the extra time to learn more about you. Each section needs to be compelling and demonstrate your value as a potential employee in a few seconds. 

If your resume accomplishes those things, you’re ready to work on your interview skills and wow the hiring manager in person. But first, you have to write it. 

Here are the resume dos and don’ts you need to know to get started.

The importance of your resume

Resume writing is more than drafting a list of professional skills and experiences. It gives recruiters and hiring managers a high-level view of who you are as an employee. 

On average, a corporate job opening receives 250 applications, which can come in over only a few days or weeks. You need to write an eye-catching, easily scannable, and relevant resume to grab and hold a recruiter’s attention as they sift through the pile.

Common resume mistakes like poor formatting, spelling errors, or irrelevant information could mean your application never gets past the first screening. These are easily avoidable if you take the time to polish your writing and follow some simple resume rules. 

Formatting: dos and don'ts

Hiring professionals spend only seven seconds screening each resume. That's a short time to make a good first impression. 

The best resume formats consider this timeframe and organize your qualifications into a scannable layout so recruiters and hiring managers see the most important information right away. Here’s how to format your resume:

1. Do use the correct format

All types of resumes fit into three formats:

• Chronological: orders your experience from most to least recent
• Functional: highlights your skills first
• Hybrid: creates a balance between skills and experience sections

Choose your type based on what information you want to prioritize and the job you’re applying for. If you’re interested in a management position, a chronological resume format might work best because it emphasizes the experience you’ll use to manage people in your field.

If you’re a recent grad looking for an entry-level job, using a functional resume to highlight your hard and soft skills might work best.

2. Don’t make your resume too long

Keep your resume at one page, unless you have decades of experience to document. Restricting its length lets you create a more focused resume, including only essential facts a hiring manager needs.

Keeping it short also demonstrates your ability to analyze, assess, and explain information without going overboard.

3. Do use a template

Using a resume template or builder takes the design and formatting decisions out of your hands, freeing time and letting you focus on creating and customizing content.

Choose one that’s relevant to the position you’re applying for. If you’re interested in coding jobs, include a template that has a section for the programming languages you know.

4. Don’t go overboard with design elements

Unless you work in a design field, avoid adding decorative features to your resume. Those extra touches can be distracting, so stick to one or two fonts. Excessive design could also affect the way applicant tracking systems (ATS) read your resume.

5. Do use your resume’s real estate wisely

Your space is limited, especially if you only have one page. Refrain from filling it with elements irrelevant to the job application.

Headshots, goal statements, and noting that “references are available upon request” are unnecessary, unless the application specifically asks for them. Use that space to highlight your unique abilities and skills instead.

6. Don’t make your resume hard to read

If you’re sticking to a single-page format, it might be tempting to reduce the font size to cram in as much information as possible. But this can make your resume harder to read. Instead, include only relevant details and format the content using headers and whitespace to improve scannability.

Work experience: dos and don'ts

Knowing what to include in a resume takes a bit of industry-specific research. When in doubt, identify key responsibilities from the job description and use that information to tailor your experience. Here’s how to list work experience on your resume:

7. Do list specific experience

Include a few past roles that involved skills relevant to the position you’re applying for. This includes transferable skills, which can show off your experience even if your past roles don’t seem related.

For a client-facing sales role, you could include retail experience and explain how you learned how to talk to customers and be more patient.

8. Don’t include irrelevant experience

If an experience doesn’t demonstrate competence in a specific role, don’t include it. Adding too many previous jobs can clutter your resume. While being responsible for a client account is impressive, it might not contribute to success as a computer programmer. 

9. Do include volunteer experience

Just because you didn’t earn a paycheck doesn’t mean an experience isn’t valid. If a volunteer position contributed to your professional development, include it on your resume. Volunteering is a great way to supplement your experience, and it demonstrates initiative and dedication.

10. Don’t forget to expand your responsibilities

Go beyond simply listing a past role’s responsibilities. Use that space to demonstrate your performance. Instead of saying you were “responsible for the staff schedule,” you could say that you “coordinated a staff of eight employees while organizing a diverse schedule to ensure full shift coverage.”

Beyond demonstrating your accomplishments, you’re illustrating the breadth and scope of your responsibilities.

11. Do use quantifiable accomplishments

Hard data shows hiring managers exactly how you added value to previous employers. Instead of saying that you “reduced publication errors,” you could state that you “initiated a content review process that increased publication accuracy by 18%.” Just make sure everything you say is accurate and verifiable.

12. Don’t worry about being a perfect match

If you don’t tick every box on a job listing, that’s okay. A 2018 survey found that matching 50% or 90% of job requirements both lead to an interview just as often.

Everyone has to start somewhere, and it’s possible after reviewing your transferable and soft skills, your potential employer will decide you’re a good candidate for training. And if you have a career gap on your resume, be honest about it and highlight your other experience instead.

Skills on your resume: dos and don'ts

Hiring managers want to know you're equipped to fulfill a job's responsibilities. Including the right hard and soft skills in your resume can set you apart in a competitive field of job seekers. Here’s how to choose which ones to spotlight:

13. Do analyze the job description

Hiring managers expect that you have some level of familiarity with the role's requirements. Spend some time reviewing the job description to identify necessary and nice-to-have skills. Include as many as you can in your resume to show recruiters (and the ATS) that you’re a great candidate.

14. Don’t copy the job description word for word

Replicating the wording from the job description could make it seem like you’re just copy-pasting instead of putting in the effort. Find novel ways to integrate relevant skills and experience into every section. Instead of repeating “proficient in diverse programming languages,” list the ones you’re familiar with.

15. Do include relevant personal accomplishments

If a personal achievement engages with the skills the employer seeks, add it to your resume. Running a marathon in your spare time could show your dedication and commitment, and winning design competitions lets recruiters know how talented you are.

Make sure you gauge the company culture before you do this. A formal corporate resume might not be the best place to explain your hobbies and interests, unless they relate to the work you’re doing.

16. Don’t list the obvious

In today’s digital world, most people know how to use a word-processing application or search engine. Don’t waste valuable resume space on commonplace abilities when you can highlight the industry-specific skills that make you stand out.

17. Do let your unique abilities shine

Save space for unexpected skills that set yourself apart from the crowd, provided they’re relevant to the role. If you’re applying for a customer service position, adding that you’re fluent in American Sign Language can add an extra dimension to your value as an employee. 

18. Don’t add obsolete skills

Before you apply for jobs, make sure your certifications and skills are as recent as possible. Unless otherwise noted, don’t include skills that aren’t industry standard or best practice.

If you earned your first aid certification 10 years ago, either update it or scratch it entirely — especially if you won’t be expected to perform first aid at work. Standards change over time, and you might not even remember what you learned.

Education: dos and don'ts

If the role you’re applying to doesn’t have an education requirement, you don’t need to extensively explain your academic career. A short education section is enough. But if you need a degree or proof of training to qualify, here’s how to include the information:

19. Do include all relevant education and training

There are many ways to develop the skills necessary to do a job — not just a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Online certification, apprenticeships, and industry-specific training are great additions to the education section of your resume. They demonstrate both competence and commitment.

20. Don’t add your GPA

Unless requested, your GPA isn’t relevant to your job application and can distract from your work experience. Adding your GPA to your resume is only helpful if you’re a recent grad and want to show your academic achievements in place of the work experience you don’t have yet.

21. Do place the education section in the right location

Your education likely doesn’t need a prominent position on your resume because your skills and experience can speak for themselves. Place the information before your work experience section if you’re a student or a recent graduate. Otherwise, it can go at the bottom of your resume.

22. Don’t overemphasize your degree

In a skills-based economy, hiring managers are more interested in what you can do versus where you learned it.

While your degree is important, devote the most prominent space to information that directly relates to the job, like work experience and certifications, or skills acquired through academics that you’ll use in your role. If you’ve been writing code since your first year of college, that’s worth advertising.

Writing: dos and don'ts

How you present yourself can tell a recruiter as much about you as your relevant experience and skills. Here’s how to make the right impression:

23. Do use power verbs

Describe your work experience and accomplishments with action verbs. These terms add strength and confidence to your resume and provide points for hiring managers to discuss in an interview. Saying that you “boosted productivity” is more interesting to read than “made the team more productive.” 

24. Don’t use clichés or jargon

Your first contact with an employer might be through a recruiter or hiring specialist, and that person might not know the ins and outs of the position. Stick to straightforward language instead of complex jargon. If you need to include buzzwords, use ones that appear in the job description.

25. Do maintain proper verb tense

If you’re a passive job seeker who currently has a job, avoid confusion about your employment status. Be honest and use proper verb tenses. If you’re discussing a former position, use past tense. When describing your current role, stick to the present.

26. Don’t use passive voice

Active voice is concise and to the point, and it puts you at the heart of the sentence. “I cultivated a hardworking team” is more powerful than “a hardworking team was cultivated.” Use language to own your experience and tell a compelling story.

Bonus resume dos and don’ts

Now that you’re familiar with some resume writing fundamentals, it’s time to level up your job search by incorporating additional strategies. Here are some more things to consider while you craft your resume:

27. Do consider ATS

More than 98% of Fortune 500 companies pre-screen applicants with ATS, and more and more companies will use ATS between 2022 and 2029. The ATS scans resumes for keywords and phrases, then uses the result to rank candidates.

If you don’t include the right language, or format your resume incorrectly, the system could toss it before giving it a chance. Optimize your resume for ATS by:

• Identifying resume headings accurately

• Reviewing the job listing for keywords and including them on your resume

• Formatting your resume using an ATS-friendly template

• Saving your resume as either a .pdf or .docx file

• Using a standard font like Arial or Times New Roman

28. Don’t neglect your contact information

Include a resume header that lists your full name, email address, and phone number so recruiters and hiring managers know how to contact you. Remember to add your LinkedIn profile or portfolio if you have one and it’s relevant to the job.

29. Do remember to proofread

Grammatical errors and typos can derail a job application. Take the time to proof your resume and run it through grammar-checking software. Even better, ask a colleague or mentor to review your text.

Start your job hunt off right

Incorporating resume dos and don’ts can revitalize your resume and help you take the next step along your career path. Remember to tailor your application to every position, format the document correctly, and give it a thorough proofread.

Even a few adjustments can grab a hiring manager’s attention and get you the interview you’ve been looking for.