Your resume is often your first impression—and in today’s competitive job market, it needs to be clear, modern, and compelling. Whether you’re a student, a career changer, or an experienced professional, understanding how to write a resume properly can determine whether you land an interview or get overlooked.
This step-by-step guide from SparkCV will walk you through everything you need to build a job-winning resume—from choosing the right format to writing powerful bullet points that highlight real achievements. For role-specific inspiration, you can also explore our library of resume examples used successfully across industries.
Choose the Right Resume Format
Choosing the correct resume format is the foundation of a strong resume. The format you select should highlight your strengths, match your background, and make it easy for recruiters and ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) to scan your information.
If you’re unsure which format works best for your situation, this detailed comparison of chronological vs functional resumes can help you decide.
The 3 Most Common Resume Formats
1. Chronological Resume (Best for Most Applicants)
This is the most widely used format and the one recruiters prefer.
Best for:
- Professionals with consistent work experience
- Applicants with career growth in the same field
- Anyone applying to a corporate, office, or professional job
Why it works:
- Easy for recruiters to read
- ATS-friendly
- Highlights your career progression.
This is the format used in most US-style resumes.
2. Functional Resume
This format focuses on skills over job history.
Best for:
- Career changers
- Freelancers
- Those with employment gaps
Why it works:
- Lets you highlight skills, not timeline
- Useful when your past jobs don’t directly match the role
Drawbacks:
- Not ideal for ATS—many systems struggle to interpret it.
3. Combination (Hybrid) Resume
A blend of functional + chronological.
Best for:
- Mid-level to senior professionals
- Applicants with both strong skills and a strong work history
- Those applying for leadership, technical, or specialized roles.
This format is especially effective for candidates applying to roles like software engineer, product manager, or senior specialist positions.
Why it works:
- You can highlight both achievements and relevant skills at the top.
Expert Tip:
- For 90% of applicants, the Chronological Resume is the best, safest, and most ATS-friendly choice.
Add a Professional Resume Header
Your resume header should be clean, simple, and easy to find at a glance. This is where recruiters look first—make sure it includes all essential details.
Include the following:
- Full Name
- Professional Job Title (or target job title)
- Phone Number
- Professional Email Address
- City & State (optional but recommended)
- LinkedIn Profile URL
- Portfolio or Website (if relevant to the job)
Example Header:
Sarah Johnson
Marketing Specialist
Email: sarah.johnson@gmail.com
| Phone: (512) 555-0193 | Austin, TX
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahjohnson
Portfolio: sarahjohnsonportfolio.com
Tips for a Great Header:
- Do not include your full home address (no longer needed)
- Use a professional email (avoid nicknames)
- Make your LinkedIn profile updated before sharing it
Avoid common resume mistakes like outdated emails or unnecessary personal details.
Write a Powerful Resume Summary or Objective
This is the first section recruiters read—so it must immediately show what makes you valuable. Keep it short, clear, and benefit-focused.
1. Resume Summary (for experienced candidates)
A summary highlights experience + achievements + key skills.
Write 2–3 sentences that answer:
- What do you do well?
- What results have you achieved?
- What strengths make you valuable?
Example:
“Results-driven Marketing Specialist with 5+ years of experience increasing brand visibility and conversion rates. Proven success leading cross-channel campaigns and improving audience engagement. Skilled in analytics, content strategy, and digital advertising.”
For more examples by career stage, see our guide to resume summaries.
2. Resume Objective (for students or beginners)
Focus on skills, strengths, and what you can contribute, not what you want.
Example:
“Motivated business student seeking an entry-level marketing role. Strong in data analysis, content creation, and social media management. Eager to apply academic knowledge and support high-performing marketing teams.”
Write Strong Work Experience Bullet Points
Your work experience section is the heart of your resume. Recruiters look for impact, not job duties.
Use the strongest formula for bullet points: Action Verb + What You Did + Result/Impact
Weak Example:
“Responsible for managing social media.”
Strong Example:
“Managed social media content across 3 major platforms, increasing overall engagement by 42% in six months.”
Tips for High-Impact Work Experience:
- Use numbers whenever possible: (%, $, time saved, growth metrics, volume)
- Start every bullet point with a powerful action verb: Examples: Led, Improved, Designed, Implemented, Increased, Optimized
- Avoid long paragraphs: Use 3–5 concise bullet points per job.
- Focus on achievements—not responsibilities: Showing results instantly boosts credibility.
- Tailor each bullet to the job description: Use similar keywords to improve ATS score.
Include Relevant Skills
Your skills section is a quick snapshot of what you bring to the table. Recruiters often scan this part first—especially when evaluating applicants quickly through an ATS.
To choose the right mix, reference our curated list of resume skills employers want.
Types of skills to include
Hard Skills (Technical Skills)
These are measurable, teachable abilities, often tied to tools or knowledge areas:
- Data analysis
- Graphic design
- Project management
- SQL or Python
- CRM tools (HubSpot, Salesforce)
- Copywriting & editing
- Digital marketing
- Financial modeling
- UX/UI design
- Microsoft Excel (advanced), Google Analytics, Tableau
Soft Skills
These describe how you work with others and handle challenges:
- Communication
- Adaptability
- Leadership
- Problem-solving
- Team collaboration
- Time management
- Critical thinking
- Emotional intelligence
- Conflict resolution
Tips for the Skills section:
- Use a balanced mix of both skill types.
- Only include skills you can confidently demonstrate.
- Mirror keywords from the job description (naturally—don’t keyword-stuff).
- Avoid long, unorganized lists that make you look unfocused.
Add Education
Your education section should be clear, simple, and relevant. The structure can vary depending on your experience level.
How to list education properly:
Example:
B.A. in Business Administration
University of Texas at Austin
2019 – 2023
If you’re a working professional, keep this section short—your experience matters more.
If you’re a student or recent graduate, expand with:
- GPA (only if above 3.5)
- Honors (Cum Laude, Dean’s List)
- Relevant coursework (Marketing Analytics, Strategic Management)
- Projects
- Clubs & leadership roles
- Scholarships or awards
This gives employers a clearer picture of your potential.
Add Optional Resume Sections (If Relevant)
These sections aren’t required, but they can significantly strengthen your resume and highlight what makes you unique.
Consider adding:
- Certifications: Google Analytics, PMP, AWS, Adobe Creative Cloud, ScrumMaster, etc.
- Languages: English (Native), Spanish (Fluent), French (Intermediate)
- Volunteer Work: Shows leadership, empathy, and commitment.
- Awards & Achievements: Employee of the Month, Sales Champion 2024, Academic Scholarships
- Technical or Personal Projects: Especially valuable for developers, designers, and marketers.
- Publications or Speaking Engagements: Articles, conference presentations, webinars
Projects are especially powerful for tech roles—see how they’re used in software engineer resumes.
Format Your Resume Properly
Recruiters spend 7 seconds scanning a resume, so clean formatting is essential.
Formatting rules to follow:
- Use modern, readable fonts: Arial, Calibri, Inter, Helvetica
- Font size: 11–12 for body text, 14–16 for headings
- Keep margins at 0.5–1 inch
- Use bullet points instead of long paragraphs
- Keep spacing consistent across all sections
- Stick to one page (unless you have 10+ years of experience)
- Use bold and italics sparingly to emphasize important areas (achievements, job titles)
A clean layout improves readability and boosts your chances of passing visual and ATS screening.
For a full breakdown, follow SparkCV’s guide on resume formatting best practices.
Make Your Resume ATS-Friendly
Most companies use Applicant Tracking Systems. If your resume isn’t optimized, it may never reach a human recruiter.
ATS Best Practices:
- Avoid photos, icons, text boxes, tables, or decorative elements
- Use standard headings: Experience, Skills, Education, Summary, etc.
- Save your resume as PDF (most common) or Word (if requested)
- Include job-specific keywords naturally
- Stick to simple formatting—ATS struggles with complex designs
- Spell out abbreviations (e.g., “Search Engine Optimization (SEO)”)
A clean, keyword-aligned resume ensures ATS systems parse your information correctly.
To avoid automatic rejection, review this checklist on how to optimize your resume for ATS.
Proofread and Final Review
Even one typo can hurt your chances. Before submitting your resume, check for:
- Spelling and grammar mistakes
- Inconsistent spacing or alignment
- Incorrect job dates
- Weak, generic bullet points
- Overused action verbs
- Missing metrics (numbers make impact clear).
- Irrelevant or outdated experience
Pro tip:
Read your resume out loud or use a tool like Grammarly to catch small errors you may overlook.
If possible, ask a friend or mentor to review it—they may spot issues you missed.
Use the SparkCV Resume Builder (Optional CTA)
If you want a polished, professional resume without the guesswork, try the SparkCV Resume Builder.
With SparkCV, you get:
- Modern, clean, ATS-friendly templates
- Step-by-step guidance written by career experts
- Real-time formatting and writing suggestions
- Export options in both PDF and Word
- No sign-up required
It’s the quickest way to create a resume employers love—perfect for job seekers who want results fast.
Final Thoughts
Writing a strong resume isn't about listing every job you’ve had—it’s about presenting your skills and accomplishments in a clear, compelling way that matches what employers want.
With the right structure, strong action verbs, measurable results, and a clean design, your resume can quickly turn into a job-winning tool.