How to Make a Resume: 2024 Resume Writing Guide

Your resume is a document that encompasses your entire professional journey, showing where you currently are in your career, how you got there, and where you hope to go next. Since it’s meant to be a concise brief—often condensed to just one page—that can feel like a lot of storytelling for a small space.

To make a resume that fully demonstrates your experiences and goals, it’s important to be strategic with the language, format, and sections you include. In general, you’ll follow three broad steps to making your resume:

1. Identifying keywords and important skills

2. Choosing a format

3. Writing each section

Explore tips and resources to ease you through the process.

Free resume templates

If you’re starting with a blank page, use these free customizable templates for a chronological resume or functional resume to make your resume in a Google Doc. Simply log into your Google account and select the ‘Make a copy’ prompt.

How to make a resume

The key to creating an effective resume is considering your audience. First, consider who the people (and technologies) will be reading it.

When you’re applying for jobs online, your first audience member will often be an applicant tracking system (ATS), which is a screening program that uses an algorithm to “read” incoming resumes and sort qualified candidates. After the ATS deems you qualified for a role, a human recruiter—your second audience member—will review your application materials and decide whether to invite you to interview.

Now that we’ve established your likely audience, let’s take a closer look at how to determine the information the ATS and human recruiters may be looking for and how they will best receive that information.

1. What to put on a resume: Keywords and important skills

You can find much information about a role directly from the job description. Within the listed responsibilities and qualifications, you can get a strong sense of the language and experience a successful candidate will have on their resume.

As you read a job description, highlight the action words, keywords, and specific workplace and technical skills mentioned. The ATS is likely programmed to look for the same or similar language as that which appears in the job description, so this analysis can help shape the way you approach writing your resume.

Some resources that may help as you research your desired job include:

Choosing action words and keywords 

• 150 Resume Actions Words to Impress Employers

• Resume Keywords: How to Find the Right Words to Beat the ATS

Identifying key job skills

• What Are Job Skills?

• Top Skills to Put on Your Resume for Job Applications

• Transferable Skills: How to Use Them to Land Your Next Job

• What Are Technical Skills?

• Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills: What’s the Difference?

• 8 High-Income Skills Worth Learning

Industry-specific job skills

• 14 Key Marketing Skills to Boost Your Resume

• 15 Essential Skills for Cybersecurity Analysts

• 7 In-Demand Data Analyst Skills to Get Hired

• 8 In-Demand IT Skills to Boost Your Resume

• 9 Essential Skills for UX Designers

• 12 Key Project Management Skills

2. What should a resume look like? Resume format

Regarding formatting, you can choose from three common types of resumes—chronological, functional, and combination—along with several more specialized options. With your audience in mind, choose the format that best demonstrates how your experience aligns with your desired role’s job description.

If you’re applying for jobs online, ATS software is generally programmed to interpret chronological resumes. The software may still identify important keywords in alternative formats, but potentially less accurately.

If you’re unsure of the resume format you should choose, a chronological resume with standard 1-inch margins, black text, and a common font like Times New Roman or Arial is typically a safe choice.

For more on resume formats, check out these additional articles:

Types of resumes

• Types of Resumes: Choosing the Right Format for Your Needs

• Chronological Resume Guide: Template and Tips

• Functional Resume Guide: Template and Tips

• What Is a CV? And How Is It Different from a Resume?

• CV vs. Resume: What’s the Difference?

3. Write your resume sections.

Guided by your keyword list and format, you’re ready to start filling out your resume sections. You’ll typically want to include sections for your header, work experience, education, and skills, but you can add other optional sections to amplify the story you want to tell.

Take a look through the below resources for more specific information about shaping each section:

• Resume Sections: How to Organize Your Resume

• Crafting An Objective for Your Resume: A Comprehensive Guide

• How to Write a Resume Summary + Examples

• How to Show Promotions on Your Resume: Guide + Examples

• How to List Education on a Resume: Tips, Examples, and More

• When Should You Include Your GPA on Your Resume?

• How to List Certifications on Your Resume: Guide + Examples

• How to FeatureKey Skills on Your Resume

How do you make a cover letter for a resume?

You can write a cover letter for your resume with three or four paragraphs that introduce you in a more human way and make the argument that you’re a good fit for the position. In the opening paragraph, you can introduce who you are, what your career goals are, and how they align with the position you’re applying for. In your second and/or third paragraphs, you can talk about some of your key achievements or provide additional context for the skills you’ve listed on your resume. The closing paragraph is a chance for you to summarize why your achievements would be an asset to the company. 

Learn more: How to Write a Cover Letter for a Job (With Examples and Tips) 

Resume checklist

At this point, you are almost ready to submit your resume. Before you do, taking time for one final check is good practice. Ask yourself:

• Did I write my resume with my audience in mind?

• Did I strategically select action words and keywords?

• Have I clearly demonstrated my relevant skills and experience?

• Are my margins set to one inch on all sides?

• Is my font easy to read?

• Did I include all of the key resume sections?

• Did I edit for proper spelling and grammar?

If you can answer “yes” to all these questions, save your resume as a PDF file with a title that includes your name and “resume.” Check that the file is saved correctly, then prepare to submit it.

For any lingering questions, check out these additional tips and specific resume guides:

Additional tips and resources

• How to Get Your First Job: A Guide

• Job Search Guide: Resources for Your Next Career Move

• 16 Resume Tips for Your Job Search

• 10 Ways to Improve Your Resume

• How to Add Your Resume to LinkedIn

Specific resume guides

• How to Make a Resume for Your First Job (+ Template)

• How to Write a Resume with No Experience: 5 Tips

• How to Write a Standout Resume When You’re a Stay-at-Home Parent

• 7 Real UX Designer Resumes and a Template

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Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

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