Essential Components of a Modern Resume

People have always asked me how to build the best CV or resume. No document guarantees anything. But avoidable mistakes can stop a qualified person from getting an interview. For most industry roles, here is what I recommend: • Know the role or job family you are targeting. • Keep one master resume, then tailor it to each opportunity. • Make your level, specialty, and value clear within seconds. • Use a clean, readable, single-column layout with standard headings. Avoid tables, skill bars, text boxes, and complicated formatting that may confuse an ATS. • Opinions on photos differ. Many recommend leaving it off but some true experts like Ethan Evans think it can make you memorable. I leave this to your call. • I also like a statement of purpose of leading paragraph at the top that wraps everything together, especially if you won't use a cover letter. • Keep it concise. One page is often enough early in your career; two pages are reasonable when relevant experience warrants them. No more. • Use short bullets, not dense paragraphs. Readability helps in general and with the ATS • Focus on accomplishments, not only responsibilities. Show what changed because you were there. • Start bullets with strong verbs and quantify impact when truthful and meaningful. • Never invent a metric. Clear qualitative impact is better than a fake number. • Give more space to recent, relevant work and less to older or unrelated experience. • Include important skills, tools, platforms, certifications, and keywords naturally and in context. • Prove qualities such as leadership, collaboration, and initiative through evidence rather than adjectives. • Include relevant projects, freelance work, volunteer work, open-source contributions, and community leadership. • Make your portfolio, website, reel, ArtStation, GitHub, or work samples easy to reach. • For games, name shipped titles when permitted and explain your platforms, engines, discipline, scope, and contribution. • Keep titles, employers, dates, and major facts consistent with LinkedIn. • Never inflate titles, ownership, skills, dates, or results. Be ready to explain every bullet. • Check every link, proofread every word, and follow the requested file format. Then know when to stop. Build it properly. Get credible feedback. Tailor it intelligently. Then focus on relationships, referrals, outreach, targeted applications, portfolio quality, and interview preparation. Set it and forget it - most waste way too much time going in circles over materials once set. A great resume helps someone quickly understand why you deserve the conversation. That is all you are trying to accomplish: going from A pile to B pile.

Most resumes don’t get rejected for lack of experience. They get rejected for how that experience is presented. Over the last 3 months, I’ve reviewed over 50 resumes.  Friends, Referrals, and community members. Each time, I notice the same patterns. The mistakes are often small but costly. The wins are subtle but powerful. Here’s what I’ve learned from those reviews and what you can fix today: What actually works? 1 - Tailored Content The best resumes don’t try to be everything to everyone. They’re sharp, role-specific, and rich with keywords that match the job description. 2 - Quantifiable Achievements A line like “handled sales” is forgettable. A line like “Increased sales by 20% in 6 months” gets noticed. 3 - Simple, Clean Formatting Single-column. Consistent fonts. No design drama. ATS systems will thank you. So will recruiters. 4 - Professional Summary > Objective Statement Start with a crisp summary that answers: “What do I bring to the table?” 5 - Action Verbs “Led,” “Built,” “Implemented,” “Optimized.” Not “Responsible for” or “Helped with.” What to absolutely avoid? 1 - Generic Phrases “Hardworking team player” is white noise. Show it. Don’t say it. 2 - Outdated or Irrelevant Info That 2012 internship? Probably time to let it go. 3 - Over-designed Layouts ATS bots don’t care about your Canva skills. Keep it functional. 4 - Typos & Formatting Errors One comma out of place? Might not ruin your chances. But why risk it? 5 - Missing Contact Info Yes, this still happens. Double-check that your phone and email are visible. Bonus enhancements that make a difference: - Use metrics in every role, not just the latest one. - Match your skill section to what the job actually demands. - Move education below experience, unless you're a fresh grad. - Include certifications and recent courses. - Keep font styles and spacing uniform throughout. My suggestion? Take an hour this weekend and do a ruthless edit. - Cut fluff. - Add metrics. - Tweak layout. Ask a friend for feedback. And if you want a second set of eyes, I’m happy to help. I regularly do resume reviews (for a small fee). If you're looking for personalized, actionable feedback, DM me or drop a comment. Let’s make your experience shine the way it deserves to. -- ♻️ Reshare if this might help someone. ▶️ Join 2,485+ in the Tidbits WhatsApp group → link in comments

I only take 30-60 seconds to scan a resume. If you can't clearly communicate your value within that time, you have lost my attention. As a PM Hiring Manager in my past roles, I preferred to screen the resumes of potential candidates. I never relied on ATS or another screener. I knew what I was looking for, and there is a nuance to personal review rather than an automated process. As a coach, I am constantly reviewed resumes and providing expert advice from my 20 years of PM experience. I've reviewed thousands of PM resumes. At a minimum, resumes should include the following in this order. * Name - Top of page, and on any page in a header thereafter. Include only your name (and certs after your name if preferred), phone, and email. If I review your 2nd page and I don't know whose resume it is, that isn't helpful. * An executive summary - Why should I hire you for this role? what experience and skills do you have that you want to highlight? This will be one of the 1st things I read. * Easy to read work history - Where you worked, your title, and quantifiable metrics to show what you accomplished. Should include key accomplishments or achievements. Do not make it a summary of your job description. * Education - Your degree, your major, and where you went to school. If you graduated with honors, mention that. I don't need to know what year you graduated. * Certifications - List any relevant certifications, in order of importance to the role. If you have your PMP, CSM, CSPO, it better be at the top of the list. Don't bury the lead. * DO NOT, DO NOT craft a highly-designed resume with photos, sidebars of metrics, etc. You are wasting valuable space to communicate your professional value through your work history. * DO NOT leave any pages with only one or two lines at the end of your resume. Figure out a way to trim your resume to keep it to filled pages.

I've reviewed 2,000+ resumes this year. Avoid these mistakes that 90% make. 1. Generic Summaries ❌ "Motivated professional seeking opportunities to leverage my skills..." ✅ "Marketing Director who increased e-commerce revenue 47% through data-driven campaigns and strategic partnerships." 2. Missing Numbers ❌ "Led large team and improved sales." ✅ "Led 15-person sales team to deliver $3.2M in new business, exceeding targets by 28%." 3. Cluttered Formatting ❌ Tiny margins, dense paragraphs, and multiple fonts. ✅ Clean headers, consistent bullet points, and enough white space for easy scanning. 4. Outdated Information ❌ Listing your high school achievements and every job since college. ✅ Your most relevant accomplishments from the past 10-15 years that showcase your career progression. 5. RESPONSIBILITY LISTS ❌ "Responsible for managing client relationships and handling complaints." ✅ "Retained 98% of key accounts and turned 3 dissatisfied clients into top referral sources." 6. ATS-UNFRIENDLY DESIGN ❌ Creative formats with graphics, text boxes, and unique fonts. ✅ Clean, standard formatting with relevant keywords that match the job description. Your resume has 7 seconds to make an impression.  Use these tips to make them count. Share this to help others level up their resume! 📈 And follow me for more advice like this.

Savvy executives don’t beat around the bush. They want straight facts, fast. When it comes to their executive resumes, this same strategy must apply. Often, executive resumes are written with a text-heavy approach. Yet the tactic to “include everything ever done” doesn’t work in a modern resume. Nor does burying key facts. Recruiters want a quick read with easy-to-absorb information and proof of ability… and they don’t want to hunt for it. To avoid smothering the audience with unrelated details and burying greatest achievements, employ these 3 simple, modern executive resume approaches: 1. Start Strong with Your Resume Headline and Summary A weak resume opening sets the stage for a weak reaction. Garner attention at the get-go by positioning your unique value-add in a strong headline and compelling summary. Leverage prime resume real estate – the top 1/3 of the file – to showcase why you are the candidate of choice. Be specific with who you are, what you are known for, how you can help the target company, and proof of ability. Keep content succinct and measurable so it can be easily absorbed and understood. Headline example: President and CEO: Manufacturing / Start-Ups and Turnarounds P&L up to $160M | Global Teams of 300+ | 300% Revenue Growth in 3 Years 2. Compel the Reader to Keep Reading with Concise Points Instead of a traditional reverse-chronological resume format, where a reader has to wade through each work experience to identify key facts, consider a combination (also known as hybrid) format and include a dedicated achievements section near the start of the file. An achievements section allows you to highlight your top career achievements and position them near the forefront. Big impacts and hard results are difficult to overlook. ACHIEVEMENTS SNAPSHOT: ·       10.2% Annual Sales Growth Average over 6 Years ·       $160M Global Operations | 465+ Employees ·       46% European Business Expansion in 5 Years ·       $1.8M Single Year Cost-Savings ·       350% Growth to Single Customer Sales in 4 Years 3. Front Load Statements Leading with results and front-loading points throughout the file generates a strong impression, eliminates guesswork, and decreases the risk of important “proof” being overlooked. Shorter statements also pop off the page while still offering loads of value. The difference between the two points below is discernible: Weaker, wordier statement: ·       Developed a product line with new features which helped decrease service by half for all end users while also increasing profits $32M over the course of three years. Succinct, front-loaded statement: ·       Added $32M in new profit over 3 years by developing a differentiated product line, which decreased service time 50% for end users. Front-loaded points in a resume powerfully position strengths while spoon-feeding the reader precisely what they need to know to support their decision. #resume #executiveresume #executivesearch

I’ve transformed over 300 resumes. Here are the most common things I change: 𝟭) 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 → 𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 Most resumes come to me with a generic summary that could be copied onto anyone’s resume with similar job titles. I create a targeted career summary that highlights my clients’ accomplishments, incorporates key metrics, and aligns with the positions they’re pursuing. 𝟮) 𝗔 𝗟𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝘆 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 → 𝗔𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁-𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 The majority of resumes I transform start with a long list of duties and responsibilities. Similar to the career summaries, I could cut and paste those bullet points onto someone else’s resume if they held similar job titles. I rewrite the bullet points to show measurable outcomes - what someone did and how well they did it. That shift turns a resume from a job description into a record of impact. 𝟯) 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 → 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁 I've said it many times - I'm not a fan of skill sections. Anyone can list skills or software programs, but that's not what the majority of recruiters and hiring managers want to see. They want to know what you've done with those skills and programs. Instead of a list of skills, I weave those skills and programs into the bullet points themselves. That way, they’re shown in context and recruiters and hiring managers know exactly what my clients have done with those skills and programs. 𝟰) 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿-𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗿 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 → 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻, 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 I see a lot of resumes with overly fancy templates, multiple columns, or text boxes that can confuse Applicant Tracking Systems. On the other end, I also see outdated designs that look like they haven’t been updated since the 1990s. I use a clean, modern template I designed. One with lots of white space that makes it easy to find all the amazing things my clients have done and achieved. ----------- How do I do all that? How do I create the transformation? I use a 3-step process that’s both comprehensive and collaborative. -My clients fill out an initial questionnaire. -I then interview them for up to 2 hours. I've had multiple clients tell me that I went into more depth than other resume writers they've worked with. -I use all of the information I collect during the interview to write the resume. And I edit ruthlessly. For example, I go over every bullet point multiple times to ensure that it's succinct and includes the most critical information. If my client requests it, I'll also teach them how to tweak the resume to fit specific job descriptions. ----------- So if you're resume needs a transformation, I'd focus on one or more of the factors above. And if you want my help to transform your resume, 𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗽 𝗺𝗲 𝗮 𝗗𝗠. I'd love to work with you! -----------

Most resumes never get more than a 10-second glance! The trick is making yours instantly signal: "I’m the right person for this job." After reviewing hundreds of sales resumes, here are my top tips to make yours stand out: 1️⃣ Lead With Your Name (Big and Bold) — Your name is your brand. Put it front and center in large text so it’s the very first thing that lands in the recruiter’s brain. Directly beneath it, add your dream job title in equally bold text. Make it clear from second one: This is who I am. This is what I do. 2️⃣ Make Contact Info Easy — After your title, add your email, number, location, and a clickable LinkedIn profile. Keep this simple and clean. Don’t make anyone hunt for how to reach you. 3️⃣ Write a Short, Readable Summary — Your executive summary should be 3–4 lines, max. Think of it as your 30-second elevator pitch. Include your years of experience to build credibility. Use HemingwayApp.com to check readability. Aim for short sentences, simple words, and an easy flow. Remember, most Americans read below an 8th grade reading level. 4️⃣ Put Skills at the Top (as Keywords) — Most recruiters use an applicant tracking systems (ATS) to keyword-search resumes. Make it easy: List 6–10 skills as short bullet points using the exact phrases you see in job descriptions. This is a great place to highlight common tools and your skill level. Think: Beginner, Intermediate, or Expert. 5️⃣ Show Career Progression Clearly — If you’ve been promoted within one company, list the company once and stack your titles beneath it. This shows growth at a glance, and recruiters love to see progression. 6️⃣ Quantify Everything — I love Google’s XYZ format for resume bullets: “Accomplished [X] as measured by [Y], by doing [Z].” Numbers make impact real. If you don’t remember the exact figure, use your best educated guess. No one’s going to fact check you. 7️⃣ Keep Bullets Short and Punchy — One idea per bullet. No long paragraphs. Vary your verbs. Use numbers wherever possible. And remember: recruiters don’t read, they scan. Make your wins impossible to miss. 8️⃣ PDFs ONLY! — DON'T upload a word doc into an ATS. As the person on the receiving end, the formatting gets messed up and these are impossible to read. Avoid at all costs! Remember: Your resume isn’t your autobiography. It’s your highlight reel. Every section should shout: "I’ve done this job before, I can do it again, and I’ll hit the ground running from Day 1." Happy Hunting, Friends! #jobhunting #careers #resumes

📄 90% of resumes are missing at least one critical section. Here's what yours actually needs: After reviewing thousands of resumes, I've noticed most people overcomplicate things. You don't need 12 different sections. You don't need a hobbies section. You definitely don't need an 'objective statement' (please, it's 2025). Here are the only 5 sections every resume needs: 1️⃣ Contact Information Seems obvious? You'd be surprised. Include: Name, city/state, phone, professional email, LinkedIn URL. Skip: Full address, personal website (unless relevant), social media handles. 2️⃣ Target Title This is your headline - make it count. Match it to the role you're applying for. No more 'Seeking opportunities' - be specific about what you want. 3️⃣ Professional Summary (with one exception) Only include this if you have 2+ positions under your belt. New grads? Skip it - your experience speaks for itself. 3-4 lines max highlighting your value proposition. 4️⃣ Work Experience (Reverse Chronological) Most recent first, always. Focus on achievements, not duties. Use metrics whenever possible. Include: Company, title, dates, location, 3-5 bullet points per role. 5️⃣ Education & Skills Education: Degree, school, graduation year (if recent). Skills: Only include what's relevant to the target role. Group technical skills together. Ditch the 'proficiency levels' - if it's on there, you should know it. That's it. Five sections. Notice what's NOT on this list? ✗ References (they'll ask when they need them) ✗ Personal interests (unless directly relevant) ✗ Generic soft skills everyone claims ✗ That inspirational quote you love The best resumes are focused, not comprehensive. They answer one question: Can this person excel in THIS specific role? Every section, every line, every word should support that answer. Keep it clean. Keep it relevant. Keep it moving. Your resume isn't your life story - it's your sales pitch for one specific opportunity. Build a focused resume with only what matters. #Resume #ResumeTips #JobSearch #CareerAdvice #ResumeWriting #JobHunt #CareerDevelopment #JobSeekers 👍 To let me know you want more resume structure tips. ♻️ Reshare to help someone simplify their resume. 🔔 Follow me for more job search & resume tips.