How to Write a Resume: A Step-by-Step Guide
A resume has one job: to earn you a conversation. Recruiters typically spend well under a minute on a first pass, so every line must either prove you can do the work or be removed. This guide walks through each part of a resume in the order you should write it.
1. Start with the target role, not your history
Before typing anything, collect two or three job postings for the role you want. Highlight the repeated requirements: tools, responsibilities, seniority signals. Your resume should read as direct evidence against that list. A resume written for "any job" convinces no one; a resume written for one role feels like a fit.
2. Contact details and headline
Include your full name, a professional email address, a phone number, and your city and region. A street address is unnecessary. Add one or two relevant links, such as LinkedIn, a portfolio or GitHub. Below your name, write a short headline such as "Product Designer" or "Backend Engineer" so the reader instantly knows what you do.
3. Professional summary
Write two to four sentences that state your role, your years or depth of experience, your strongest skills and one concrete result. Avoid vague adjectives like "hard-working" or "passionate". Compare "Marketing manager with 6 years of experience growing B2B email programs; raised qualified leads 38% in 2024" with "Dynamic professional seeking a challenging opportunity". The first can be verified, the second says nothing.
4. Work experience
List roles in reverse chronological order with job title, company, location and dates. Under each role write three to five bullets. Each bullet should follow a simple pattern: action verb + what you did + measurable outcome. For example: "Rebuilt the onboarding flow, cutting time-to-first-value from 9 days to 3." If you do not have exact numbers, use honest approximations such as team size, volume handled, or frequency.
Prioritise recent and relevant roles. Roles older than ten to fifteen years can be shortened to a single line or omitted.
5. Education and certifications
Add your degree, institution and graduation year. Early-career candidates can include relevant coursework, honours or a strong GPA. Experienced candidates should keep this section brief. List certifications that are current and relevant, with the issuer and year.
6. Skills
Group skills into short, scannable categories, such as "Languages", "Tools" and "Methods". Only list skills you could discuss in an interview. Mirror the exact terminology used in the job posting where it is accurate, because applicant tracking systems often match on keywords.
7. Optional sections
Projects, volunteering, publications, awards and languages can strengthen a resume when they support your target role. Include them only if they add proof; skip them if they are filler.
8. Format, length and final checks
- Use one clean column, a readable font at 10 to 12 points, and consistent spacing.
- Keep it to one page for under ten years of experience, and two pages at most after that.
- Save and send as PDF unless the employer requests another format.
- Proofread aloud, check every date, and ask someone else to read it.
When you are ready, the MySimpleResume builder turns these steps into guided questions and exports a clean PDF.