How to Write a Resume — Tips for All Experience Levels

A resume is more than just a list of jobs; it's a snapshot of who you are as a professional. It showcases your achievements, highlights your strengths, and gives potential employers a glimpse into what makes you stand out.

Learning how to write a resume that quickly grabs attention can be the difference between landing an interview or getting passed over, especially considering employers spend just 6-7 seconds looking at resumes on average.

Whether you're a recent graduate or a seasoned professional, there are ways to tailor your resume so it’s more attractive to readers. Today, we’ll look at the different sections of a resume and how you can approach writing them based on your experience level.

Understanding Resume Sections and How to Write Them

Every effective resume is built from essential components that work together to tell your professional story. Typically, that means including several key sections:

• Resume Summary or Objective
• Professional History
• Educational History
• Skills and Abilities
• References

Let's break down each section and explore how to write a resume so you maximize its impact.

1. Resume Summary

Your resume summary is your elevator pitch—a brief but powerful introduction that captures attention and showcases your value. This 2-3 line statement should highlight your most relevant experiences and achievements, tailored specifically to your target role.

Strong summaries typically include:

• Years of relevant experience
• Key achievements or specializations
• Industry-specific expertise
• Unique value proposition

Here are a few different resume summaries for different employment scenarios:

Recent Graduate: "Recent Business Administration graduate with strong analytical skills demonstrated through internships at two technology startups. Proven leadership abilities from serving as president of university entrepreneurship club managing 50+ members."

Experienced Marketing Professional: "Results-driven marketing manager with 8 years of experience driving digital campaigns for Fortune 500 companies. Proven track record of increasing engagement by 40% and managing $2M+ budgets. Specialized in data-driven strategy and team leadership."

Healthcare Professional: "Compassionate Registered Nurse with 6+ years of emergency department experience, specializing in pediatric care. Recognized for reducing patient wait times by 15% through implementation of streamlined triage protocols."

Technology Professional: "Innovative Software Developer with 4 years of experience building scalable cloud applications. Contributed to 30% improvement in application performance through optimization of database queries and front-end rendering."

2. Resume Objective

A resume objective statement differs from a summary in that it looks forward rather than backward. While your summary highlights what you bring to the table, an objective expresses your career goals and aspirations, creating a forward-looking statement that connects your ambitions with the employer's needs.

This is particularly useful for:

• Career changers
• Entry-level positions
• Those returning to the workforce
• Specific role targeting

When crafting your objective, ensure it aligns meaningfully with the company's needs rather than focusing solely on personal goals. Specificity is crucial—vague objectives like "seeking a challenging position" add little value. Instead, show genuine enthusiasm and dedication while clearly demonstrating the value you'll bring to the organization

Example for a career changer: "Former teacher seeking to leverage 5 years of presentation and curriculum development experience in an instructional design role, bringing proven abilities in content creation and adult learning principles."

3. Professional History

Your work experience section forms the heart of your resume, serving as the primary evidence of your professional capabilities and accomplishments. Making this section compelling requires thoughtful presentation and strategic content.

Begin by organizing your experience in reverse chronological order, placing your most recent position first. This structure allows recruiters to easily track your career progression and see your current skills and responsibilities. Within this framework, focus on showcasing achievements rather than simply listing duties—employers care more about results than day-to-day tasks.

Whenever possible, quantify your results with specific metrics. Numbers provide concrete evidence of your impact and help employers visualize your potential value to their organization. For instance, stating you "increased sales" is vague, whereas "increased quarterly sales by 27%" provides clear, impressive evidence of your effectiveness.

For each position, include the company name, location, your job title, and employment dates. Follow this with three to five achievement statements that demonstrate your impact.

Company Name | Location

Job Title | Dates of Employment

- Achievement/responsibility (with measurable result)

- Achievement/responsibility (with measurable result)

- Achievement/responsibility (with measurable result)

Example Achievement Bullets:

• "Led cross-functional team of 8 to launch new product feature, resulting in 25% increase in user engagement"
• "Streamlined procurement process, reducing costs by 15% and cutting processing time from 5 days to 2 days"
• "Managed social media accounts, growing follower base from 5,000 to 25,000 in 12 months"
• "Redesigned customer onboarding process, reducing time-to-value from 14 days to 3 days while improving satisfaction scores by 42%"
• "Managed cross-functional team of 8 developers across 3 time zones, delivering $2.4M e-commerce platform 2 weeks ahead of schedule and 10% under budget"

When addressing employment gaps, honesty with strategic framing is key. If you took time off for professional development, family care, or personal growth, briefly mention how that experience contributed to your skills and development.

• Example: "Career Break (2020-2021) — Completed advanced certification in project management and volunteered as an event coordinator for a local nonprofit, managing a team of 12 volunteers."

Remember to tailor your professional history for each application, highlighting experiences most relevant to the specific position. This customization shows employers that you've carefully considered how your background aligns with their needs.

4. Educational History

Your educational background can serve as a powerful credential, particularly when you're in the early stages of your career or making a transition to a new field. This section provides formal validation of your knowledge base and can highlight specific areas of expertise relevant to your target position.

When presenting your educational history, follow a reverse chronological format, listing your most recent academic achievements first. Each section should include:

• Your degree and major
• The name and location of your institution
• Your graduation date (or expected)
• Relevant coursework and projects
• Any accolades or awards

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

University Name | Location

Graduation: May 2023

- GPA: 3.8/4.0

- Relevant coursework: Data Structures, Machine Learning, Software Engineering

- Dean's List: All semesters

For recent graduates, this section often carries significant weight, as your academic achievements may represent your most substantial qualifications.

For those with established careers, keep your educational section concise. The further you progress professionally, the more emphasis should be placed on your work accomplishments rather than academic credentials. That said, if you're transitioning to a new field, your education might once again take center stage, particularly if you've pursued additional degrees or certifications to facilitate this change.

Consider including other educational elements that might distinguish your application. Study abroad experiences demonstrate adaptability and cross-cultural competence. Significant research projects or thesis work can highlight deep expertise in specific areas. Leadership roles in academic organizations showcase your initiative and interpersonal skills.

Remember that education extends beyond formal degrees. Include professional certifications, continuing education courses, and specialized training programs that demonstrate your commitment to ongoing professional development and mastery of your field.

5. Skills and Abilities

The skills section of your resume provides a concentrated view of your professional capabilities and should be carefully tailored to align with each position you apply for. When constructing this section, organize your skills into two meaningful categories that help employers quickly assess your qualifications:

• Technical skills encompass your proficiency with specific tools, software, programming languages, and platforms relevant to your field. These concrete capabilities often serve as initial screening criteria, particularly for specialized roles.
• Soft skills speak to how you approach your work and interact with others. Leadership, communication, problem-solving, and team collaboration all represent transferable strengths that apply across diverse work environments.

Unlike your work history, which demonstrates how you've applied your abilities in specific contexts, your skills section offers a straightforward inventory of your professional toolbox. Below are two examples of how a professional might:

Finance Professionals:

• Financial modeling (DCF, LBO, M&A)
• Bloomberg Terminal proficiency
• Advanced Excel (VLOOKUP, pivot tables, macros)
• Risk assessment frameworks

Marketing Professionals:

• Google Analytics certification
• A/B testing methodologies
• CRM platform expertise (Salesforce, HubSpot)
• SEO/SEM campaign management

When listing technical skills, especially in IT roles, be prepared to verify your proficiency level. Consider using a simple rating system or categorizing by expertise level:

• Proficient: Java, Python, SQL
• Knowledgeable: Ruby, C++
• Familiar: Rust, Go

Always review each job description carefully before finalizing your skills section, paying special attention to specific terminology and technical requirements. Using language that mirrors the job posting increases your chances of passing through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that screen resumes for keyword matches before human reviewers ever see them. This strategic alignment demonstrates both your relevant qualifications and your attention to detail in the application process.

Remember that quality trumps quantity in your skills section. A focused list of highly relevant capabilities with demonstrable proficiency will serve you better than an exhaustive inventory of every technology you've ever encountered. Each skill you list should contribute meaningfully to your candidacy for the specific position you're pursuing.

6. References

The references section of your resume typically serves as a courtesy acknowledgment rather than detailed content. Most modern resumes don't require a full references list on the initial document. Instead, a simple statement noting "References Available Upon Request" suffices and preserves valuable space for showcasing your qualifications.

There are two primary scenarios where including actual references might be appropriate:

• When an employer explicitly requests references as part of the initial application process, providing them demonstrates your ability to follow instructions.
• If you have endorsements from particularly impressive or relevant professionals whose names might strengthen your application.

Remember that your references reflect on your professional judgment, so choose individuals who can speak specifically and positively about your work performance, rather than personal connections with limited professional insight.

Tips for Writing a Resume Based on Your Level of Experience

Now that we’ve covered the core sections of a resume, let’s explore how to adjust them based on whether you’re a seasoned professional, someone with little to no experience, or a first-time job seeker.

How to Write a Resume with Work Experience

If you have several years of work experience, your resume should showcase how you’ve evolved professionally and what value you bring. Here are some areas you can focus on to make sure your resume has maximum impact.

• Emphasize Achievements Over Duties: Focus on how you made a difference rather than simply listing tasks and make sure you use numbers or percentages to quantify success whenever possible.
• Show Progression: Hiring managers love seeing growth so make sure you include those promotions, increased responsibilities, or leadership roles.
• Customize for Each Role: While it may feel time-consuming, tailoring your resume to each job application increases your chances of getting noticed. Especially when you highlight specific skills that match the job description.
• Length and Layout: Most mid-career professionals should aim for one to two pages and use a clean, readable font (e.g., Arial or Calibri) with consistent formatting.

How to Write a Resume with No Experience

Don’t worry if you have little or no professional work experience, you still have plenty to offer. By focusing on the following:

• Leverage Education and Extracurriculars: Put your education front and center if it’s your strongest credential. That includes mention of any clubs, societies, or volunteer groups where you held leadership positions or organized events.
• Highlight Transferable Skills: Think about projects or experiences (even personal hobbies) that required teamwork, communication, or problem-solving. Did you coordinate a fundraiser or manage budgets for a college event? These can be relevant to many roles.
• Craft a Strong Objective: Instead of a summary, use an objective to convey your enthusiasm and potential. Make sure you align your career goals with the company’s mission or the role’s responsibilities.
• Include Any Relevant Coursework, Certificates, or Relationships: If you took an online course in digital marketing and you’re applying for a marketing internship, let employers know.

This is another area where professional relationships and networking can play a major role. For instance, during her My Career Shop interview, HR Professional Wendy Sellers discusses how a lack of relevant degree isn’t always a barrier to entry:

“I’m not a believer that everyone needs a degree to do their job. If you are doing an online or in-person certification, some other form of training, or even have a coach or mentor, you can qualify for an entry-level job in HR.”

How to Write a Resume for the First Time

If this is your very first time creating a resume, start simple and focus on what you bring to the table as a newcomer.

• Start with Your Name and Contact Information: Make sure this information stands out at the top, including a professional email address and phone number
• Focus on Potential and Enthusiasm: Employers understand you might not have formal experience yet if you’re going for an entry-level job. Showcase your curiosity, willingness to learn, and work ethic to stand out.
• Use Volunteering and Group Projects: Even if you’ve only helped organize a school event, emphasize what you did and what you learned. Make sure you highlight any responsibilities that show leadership or teamwork.
• Keep It to One Page: A single-page resume is perfectly acceptable (and often expected) if you have limited experience. Focus on clear formatting and concise text to help you stand out.

Learn How to Progress Your Professional Career

A well-crafted resume is your ticket to new opportunities, but it’s just one part of your professional toolkit.

Whether you want to learn how to write a resume from people with real industry experience or just want to hear more about the day-to-day of a professional, mentorship is another key component.

My Career Shop provides resources that support people of all experience levels navigate their careers more effectively. Check out our podcast to find in-depth discussions with professionals in your industry.