Key Elements to Include on a Resume

Looking to make your resume shine and grab attention? With over a decade of recruitment experience and having reviewed nearly 250,000 resumes while working for industry giants like Amazon, Accenture (Avanade), Cognizant, and various startups through my agency, Proven Patterns, I’ve seen what truly makes a resume stand out. Here are some top tips to help you create a powerful resume that will leave a lasting impression: ☑ Keep It Concise: Aim for 2-3 page resume when possible. Focus on your most relevant experiences and achievements without overwhelming the reader. ☑ Tailor for Each Job: Customize your resume for every position you apply for. Incorporate keywords from the job description and highlight skills and experiences that match the role. If you don't have enough time at least match the resume summary section with the job description. ☑ Showcase Achievements: Use specific numbers and examples to quantify your accomplishments. Instead of saying "improved sales," say "boosted sales by 20% within six months." ☑ Professional Format: Opt for a clean, professional layout with consistent fonts and spacing. Save the flashy graphics for creative fields. ☑ Include a Strong Summary: Start with a compelling summary that highlights your key qualifications and career goals. Make it engaging and tailored to the job you're targeting. ☑ Highlight Skills: Clearly list your core skills and competencies. Be honest and focus on those that are directly relevant to the position. ☑ Proofread Carefully: Ensure your resume is free from typos and grammatical errors. A polished resume reflects attention to detail and professionalism. ☑ Add a Personal Touch: Include a brief section on your interests or volunteer work. This can help convey your personality and values beyond your professional skills. Your resume is your first impression; make it count! 🚀 If you found these tips useful, please repost ♻ and follow me, Kumud Deepali R. for more insights and advice on jobs and career!

I did a resume review and it was a good reminder that most of the time, it’s not your experience that’s the problem, it’s how it’s coming across on paper. This designer had great work across the U.S. and Taiwan. Strong branding and motion projects, solid clients but the way it was laid out was unclear. Here are a few fixes we worked on that might help if you’re tweaking your own resume: 1. Add a short summary. Just 3–4 lines at the top about who you are, what you do, and what kind of roles you’re after. Makes it easier for a hiring manager to get the picture right away. 2. Standardize your titles. Freelancers sometimes list projects under different names “Freelance Graphic Designer,” “Freelance Motion Designer,” "Brand Designer” which can make your path look scattered. We pulled everything under one clear title (“Freelance Brand & Motion Designer”) so her experience read as consistent and intentional instead of all over the place. 3. Make bullets about impact. Lead with a strong action verb and connect it to an outcome. Not: “Responsible for motion graphics." Better: “Designed and animated typography for a Google campaign, driving engagement.” It’s stronger and easier to skim. 4. Mention collaboration. A lot of resumes only talk about the work and forget to show how you worked with others. If you partnered with clients, producers, copywriters, or engineers, say it. For example: “Collaborated with producers and copywriters to align creative direction across video and social campaigns.” This tells employers you can work as part of a team, not just on your own. 5. Show results (even without numbers). If you don’t have data, talk about project scope, repeat work or client feedback. Example: “Earned ongoing partnerships with agencies based on successful delivery.” or “Promoted to Senior Designer within a year based on strong project delivery.” Those details prove the value of your work without needing exact percentages. 6. Don’t forget the basics! Make sure your portfolio and LinkedIn are clickable, list months (not just years) on your dates and keep your education section clean and simple. When I was recruiting, I wasn’t looking for the “perfect” resume.  I wanted to understand someone’s story without having to guess. If your experience reads clearly and shows how you’ve grown, you’ve already done more than most.

I’ve worked with thousands of clients across a myriad of industries. Here are my top ten tips for writing a winning resume. 1. Understand the purpose. Contrary to much advice out there, the purpose of a resume is not to inventory the tasks you perform in your current or previous roles. It is to showcase your brand value and what you offer a new employer. 2. Understand the audience. To effectively write anything, you must understand whom you’re addressing. Rather than creating a resume rife with “responsible for” statements, create one that will appeal to them by showing your value through achievements. 3. Focus on accomplishments. What unique things did you do in each job to set yourself apart? How did you do the job better than anyone else or than anyone else could have done? Focus on the outcomes. Where you can share measurable and meaningful outcomes – do it! 4. Formatting matters. Your resume should feature conservative, easy-to-read fonts, plenty of white space, and a simple layout and design. Graphic elements that add interest, such as rule lines, boxes, and shaded areas, are fine. 5. It must be tailored to the position to which you’re applying. Job seekers tend to forget that employers review resumes extremely quickly — often in just a few seconds. A glance should immediately reveal what you want to do and gain a sense of the value you can contribute. 6. Convey your distinctiveness and unique understanding of the business environment. Why you over any other candidate? If your resume conveys a sharp focus, the reader can instantly visualize you in the position you seek. 7. Lead with a profile summary. Use the first section of your resume to highlight your most valuable skills and competencies. Employ strong, action-oriented language that communicates your value. 8. Proofread! Manually proofread your resume to ensure that it’s devoid of grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors and also to make sure it has a logical flow. Then, have someone else look at it; we often overlook minor errors in our own writing. 9. Highlight relevant skills up front. When crafting your resume, it’s crucial to showcase your relevant talent at the beginning. This ensures that potential employers immediately see how your abilities align with the job requirements, increasing the chances of your resume standing out. Tailor this section to the position you’re applying for, emphasizing the skills that are most transferable and pertinent to the role. 10. Show it; don’t just say it. Demonstrate concrete achievements by attaching metrics or giving specific examples. I can tell you that I’m a strategic thinker, but without an example, it means nothing. Crafting your resume shouldn’t feel like a march into the abyss of the job market. Treat it as an opportunity to paint a vibrant view of your professional aspirations using strategic content to create a dynamic, captivating resume.

A few weeks ago, I volunteered at the 2024 Melbourne Career Expo, and together with my awesome Career Development Association Australia colleagues, we provided free resume checks 📃and career counselling sessions for the general public 👩🧑🏾🦱👩🏼🦰👩🏽🦱. A consistent issue I saw over the weekend was people presenting with generic, two-column / one-page and / or ineffective Resumes ❌ that were not targeted to the roles they were applying for. When speaking to these people, they told me they had applied for sometimes hundreds! of roles 🤯with little to no feedback. I hear this everyday in my own business too. Here were some of my key recommendations which I hope may help you too: 💡𝙆𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙇𝙖𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩 𝙎𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚  - Avoid fancy graphics, logos, images, personal pictures and intricate fonts. These can get blocked by Applicant Tracking Systems. - Use conservative fonts like Arial, Tahoma, Verdana, or Calibri. - Ensure plenty of white space and avoid using a two-column Resume. Stick to a single-column layout; it's the best practice in Australia. 💡𝗧𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗿 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲 & 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲 𝗞𝗲𝘆𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 - Customise your Resume for each job application. - Read the job ad thoroughly and understand the key skills / job requirements. - Address how you meet the key requirements of the role by incorporating relevant keywords from the job ad in context throughout your Resume. - 𝗧𝗶𝗽: add a 'Key Skills' section on the first page of your Resume and include relevant keywords and phrases here. 💡𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲 𝗮 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲  - Add a 4-5 line Career Profile at the top of the first page. - Summarise and highlight your professional identity, experience, skills, strengths, and expertise. - Use this section to capture attention and include relevant keywords. 💡𝗔𝗱𝗱 𝗔𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 / 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀  - List achievements and highlights, not just responsibilities for each role. - Quantify your achievements to demonstrate your value and stand out from the competition. 💡𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱  - Ensure your resume is free of spelling and grammatical errors. - Have a friend or family member review it before submitting. If you have questions or need assistance with your resume, feel free to contact me! 😊 #resumeadvice #resumetips #careerdevelopment

"The problem isn't your resume..." Unless it is. To land an interview, your resume needs to do a lot of work for you. It needs to: ✅ Highlight your specific skills clearly and concisely ✅ Tell a story of who you are as a professional ✅ Show how and where you have had an impact Here’s how to build one that gets noticed. 1️⃣ Identifying Information Include your name and target job title. On the next line, list your city or region (e.g., Greater Philadelphia), cell phone, email, and a personalized LinkedIn URL. 2️⃣ Strong, concise summary A short profile or summary that highlights your expertise and the soft skills that you're known for, tailored to the role and company. 3️⃣ Key Skills List all of the hard skills you bring to the role, separated by a bullet or vertical bar. Put computer languages, technical tools and key qualifications here. 4️⃣ Keywords & ATS optimization Review the job posting and use the same terminology in your skills, experience, and summary, so customer service may become "client support" if the employer calls it client support. 5️⃣ Bullets with quantifiable achievements Use bullets that start with powerful action verbs (Managed, Generated, etc.) Show impact. e.g. “Increased sales by 30%,” “Reduced processing time by 20%,” “Managed a team of 10.” Numbers tell stories. 6️⃣ Integrate soft skills Weave examples of your ability to collaborate, lead teams, manage conflict, handle change, etc. into your bullets. 7️⃣ Tailor for each role One size doesn’t fit all. Modify or swap out the parts of your resume that match the job, company culture, and what the role demands. 8️⃣Digital presence / links If relevant, link to a portfolio, GitHub, or other samples. Let hiring managers dig deeper easily. ❌ What to Avoid  ↳ Graphics and complex formatting that can interfere with ATS parsing.  ↳ Overused phrases like “team player,” “detail-oriented,” “hard worker”  ↳ Lengthy paragraphs. Use bullet points. Keep things brief and relevant.  ↳ Personal details (marital status, street address, hobbies) 🎉You've got this and I've got you!🎉 ♻️ Repost for people who need resume help 🔔 Follow Sarah Baker Andrus for more career strategies 📌 Need help with your job search? DM me!

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.