Resume FAQs

A resume is typically a short one-page document that promotes your skills, education, and professional achievements. A CV is a European equivalent, although a CV is more in-depth and might include two or three pages. To fit your resume on a single page, consider if each point or sentence will help you get an interview. If it does not, you might want to remove it.

A resume should be concise and easy to read. We recommend using subheadings and bullet points to convey your message effectively. Our number one resume formatting tip is to proofread your resume and ask for feedback from someone you trust.

A resume should include your contact details, a professional introduction, work experience, and education. The order of these sections depends on whether you have more educational achievements or professional history. A resume that appears too short can include additional areas such as skills and interests. Skills can appear first if you don’t want to draw attention to a lack of work experience, a career break, being fired, or when you are making a career change.

A professional introduction is the best way to stand out, and including a unique selling point will draw the attention of hiring managers and employers. Stick with a concise and traditional format focusing on text over visual elements. Remember that recruitment software cannot search visual elements, causing you to lose out on opportunities. A creative CV can help designers and illustrators stand out, but the same risk of automatic resume scanning exists.

A resume introduction should say who you are, why you are an excellent candidate, and your career goals. If you can include figures, recognition, or an achievement, you will quantify your skills and significantly increase your interview chances. Our top tip is to read the employer’s job description, highlight the skills they seek and prioritize them in your introduction and throughout your resume.

Considering the concise format of a resume, we don’t recommend going back more than ten years. Junior roles from fifteen years ago are unlikely to compel a hiring manager to give you a call.

Start with your most recent qualifications and educational achievements. You should include the name of the learning institute, study or graduation dates, the field of study, and grades. If you do not have work experience, expand this section to include degree modules, particularly those where you used skills that transfer into a working environment.

Hobbies and interests are an optional resume section and can be helpful if you have limited work experience or qualifications. Relevancy is the most crucial factor, so think about how an interest or hobby demonstrates using essential skills or highlights advantageous personal traits.

Skills generally fall under two categories; hard and soft. Hard skills are technical or measurable, so proficiency in Microsoft Office, bookkeeping, a second language, writing software, or using equipment are examples. Soft skills include communication, motivation, empathy, and adaptability. When adding soft skills accompany them with the result of using the ability.

A resume should not include references or state that references are available on request.