Resume Tips

Optimize your resume to stand out and get more interviews

Resume Fundamentals

Structure & Format

  • • Use a clean, professional template with consistent formatting
  • • Keep your resume to 1-2 pages (1 page for less than 10 years of experience)
  • • Use standard sections: Contact Info, Summary, Experience, Skills, Education
  • • Save and submit as a PDF to preserve formatting
  • • Use a professional, readable font (Arial, Calibri, Helvetica) at 10-12pt size

Contact Information

  • • Include your full name, phone number, and professional email
  • • Add your LinkedIn profile and GitHub/portfolio if relevant
  • • Location information should include city and state (full address not necessary)
  • • Make your name stand out with a slightly larger font size
  • • Include a LinkedIn URL that's customized (e.g., linkedin.com/in/yourname)

Content Optimization

Professional Summary

Your professional summary should be a compelling 3-4 line overview of your career, highlighting your expertise, specialization, and value proposition.

Example (Software Engineer):

"Full-stack software engineer with 5 years of experience building scalable web applications using React, Node.js, and AWS. Specialized in optimizing performance for high-traffic applications and implementing robust security measures. Proven track record of reducing load times by 40% and implementing CI/CD pipelines that decreased deployment time by 65%."

Experience Section

  • • List your experience in reverse chronological order (most recent first)
  • • Include company name, job title, location, and employment dates (month and year)
  • • Use bullet points (4-6 per role) focused on accomplishments, not just responsibilities
  • • Start bullet points with strong action verbs (Developed, Implemented, Led, Optimized)
  • • Quantify results with metrics whenever possible (%, $, time saved)

Example (Before):

"Responsible for developing new features for the company website."

Example (After):

"Developed and implemented a responsive checkout system that increased mobile conversion rates by 23% and reduced cart abandonment by 15%."

Skills Section

  • • Organize skills into categories (Programming Languages, Frameworks, Tools)
  • • Prioritize technical skills relevant to the job you're applying for
  • • List skills in order of proficiency or relevance
  • • Include both hard technical skills and relevant soft skills
  • • Avoid vague skills like "teamwork" or "communication" without context

Pro Tip:

Analyze the job description for keywords and ensure your skills section includes the specific technologies and tools mentioned in the posting. Our JobMatcher platform automatically highlights skill matches between your resume and job listings to help you target the right opportunities.

Tech Resume Specialization

Technical Projects

For tech roles, include a dedicated projects section with:

  • • Project name and brief description
  • • Technologies and methodologies used
  • • Your specific role and contributions
  • • Measurable outcomes or achievements
  • • Links to GitHub repositories or live demos

ATS Optimization

To pass Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS):

  • • Use standard section headings (Experience, not "Work History")
  • • Avoid tables, columns, headers/footers and graphics
  • • Match keywords from the job description
  • • Spell out acronyms at least once (e.g., "React.js (JS)")
  • • Use common file naming: "FirstName-LastName-Resume.pdf"

Resume Checklist

Before submitting your resume, make sure you've checked each of these items:

Proofread for spelling and grammar errors
Used specific metrics and achievements
Matched keywords from target job descriptions
Removed outdated experience (10-15 years old)
Ensured consistent formatting and spacing
Verified all links are functional
Removed personal information (age, marital status)
Saved as a PDF with a professional filename
Tailored for the specific role/company
Had someone else review it