Step-by-step Guide to Writing a Great Resume

Written By Dr. Srishti on July 26, 2022

Applying for your dream job or college? A great resume is the key to helping you land an interview and kickstart your career!

On average, recruiters spend only 7 seconds to look at a resume. Hence, Your CV should cover all relevant academic and professional details in the most concise way.

Here are 8 steps to help you write the perfect resume for your application:

  1. Find the right resume format. The reverse chronological layout is recommended.
    • Look up templates online that is appropriate for your audience, and customize it to suit you and your application (Don't just copy the whole thing!)
    • Keep in mind that different industries may have different leeway for creativity
  2. Make sure that your resume looks professional.
    • Use one to two standard fonts consistently (e.g. Times New Roman, Arial or Helvetica) so it's easier to read
    • Use a reasonable print-reading font size, usually about 12 points
  3. Include your name and contact information.
  4. Compose a resume summary that introduces your skill set and experience
  5. Write about relevant work experience and key achievements.
    • Use bullet points and concise language, rather than writing everything out exhaustively
    • If you don't have a lot of work experience, you can include a different section for extra-curricular activities in school (e.g. Societies, volunteer work, awards & competitions…)
  6. Mention your education and degrees with dates and grades.
    • Highlight transferable skills that can be useful in any environment.
    • Additionally, try to incorporate skillsets that employers have mentioned in the job post (What are they looking for?)
  7. Proofread, proofread & proofread!
    • Proofread again and again and again – then ask someone else to proofread for you!

Take a look at our sample template below to have a better idea of how a resume is structured and written. Best of luck with your application!

Sample Resume template

Your Name

Phone number | email address|

Resume Introduction

Three to four sentences that describe your years of experience, your most noteworthy accomplishments and skills. Try to include hard numbers in your resume introduction as you describe your accomplishments.

Work Experience
Current Job Title

Company Name | City, State | Month, Year–present

  • Use the present tense as you write bullet points that describe your current job
  • Start each bullet point with a strong action verb
  • Use hard numbers in each bullet point to provide context for your successes
  • Write 3–4 bullet points for each role
Previous Job Title

Company Name | City, State | Month, Year–Month, Year

  • Use the past tense to write bullet points describing previous jobs
  • Use your bullet points to show how you applied your skills
  • Keep each bullet point to one or two lines
Education (Highest to last)

Degree/Diploma Name- Institution, City, State- Year of Graduation- GPA.

Additional Skills
  • List your skills, prioritizing any skills that you have applied before.
  • Group similar skills under one bullet point (for example, any coding languages you know)
  • Include both hard and soft skills to show your skill set is diverse

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