How do you write a resume that gets interviews?

How to write a resume step by step

These are the six steps to a resume that is clear, readable by an ATS and focused on the job:

1. Choose a simple structure. Organize your resume into clear sections: contact details, summary, experience, education and skills, with standard headings and no complex columns or tables.
2. Add your contact details. Include your name, email, phone number, location and, if relevant, your LinkedIn profile or portfolio at the top, and keep them up to date.
3. List experience and education in reverse chronological order. Start with your most recent job and degree. It is the order recruiters expect and the one an ATS processes without trouble.
4. Describe each job with action verbs and real data. Explain what you did and which tools you used, starting with an action verb, and add numbers only when they are real and you can back them up in an interview.
5. Tailor your resume to each job. Use the terms from the job posting when they describe something you have actually done, and put the most relevant experience for that role first.
6. Proofread and export to PDF. Check spelling and dates, and export your resume as a PDF with selectable text so the ATS can read it.

The structure of a good resume

A good resume reads effortlessly from top to bottom: clear headings, sections in a standard order and nothing distracting, so a recruiter can find what matters in a quick skim.

A tidy structure also helps an ATS find and extract your information, and that matters: according to the 2021 study by Harvard Business School and Accenture, more than 90% of the employers surveyed use automated systems to filter or rank candidates. Complex columns, tables or text inside images can stop the system from reading your application properly.

Header and contact details

Start with your name and basic contact details (email, phone number, location and, if relevant, links to your portfolio or LinkedIn). They should be easy to find and always up to date.

Experience and education in reverse order

Show your most recent experience first and work backwards. Do the same with your education. This is the standard order recruiters expect and the one an ATS processes without trouble.

How to describe your experience

Describe each job by explaining what you did, which tools you used and how much responsibility you had, instead of listing loose tasks. The same experience, well written, becomes a strong argument.

Use action verbs

Start each bullet with a verb that accurately describes your role: “developed”, “implemented” or “managed” when you were in charge; “contributed to” or “collaborated on” when you worked as part of a team. They convey initiative far better than passive or generic phrases, but don't overstate it: a verb stronger than your real role can backfire in the interview. You will find a full list in our guide to resume action verbs.

Rewrite weak sentences

A weak sentence does not need new information to get better: it just needs to say the same thing more clearly. These examples improve the wording without adding anything the original does not say:

Quantify your achievements, with real data only

Add numbers when you have them: percentages, deadlines, budgets, team sizes or usage metrics. Numbers make your impact tangible and easy to remember. Just use real figures you can explain in an interview; if you don't remember an exact number, it is better to leave it out than to make it up.

Tailor your resume to each job

Tailoring your resume means highlighting, for each job, the experience and skills that best match the role. Sending the same document to every posting is a common mistake, because each role calls for a different emphasis.

Use the keywords from the job posting

Job postings list the technologies and skills the company values, and an ATS compares your resume with those terms (we explain how in our ATS guide). Use them naturally when they describe something you have actually done: if the posting asks for “QA testing” and you tested software to find bugs, call it by its name. If you don't have it, don't add it.

Keep it a reasonable length

Length depends on your career. Early on, one page is usually enough; with years of relevant experience, two pages are reasonable. Either way, prioritize what is relevant to the job and cut the filler: every line should help show that you fit the role.

Guides for specific situations

• If you are looking for your first job: how to write a resume with no experience.
• If you want to know which terms employers look for: ATS keywords by industry.

Quick resume tips

• Use a readable font and a simple layout.
• Proofread before you send it.
• Tailor the content to each job.
• Include measurable achievements, always with real data.
• Export a PDF with selectable text that an ATS can read.

Frequently asked questions about resumes

Sources

• Harvard Gazette, “New study says ‘hidden workers’ are being excluded” (September 2021)
• The Register, “Talent shortage? Maybe it's your automated hiring system, lack of investment in training” (September 2021), on the Harvard Business School and Accenture study