first job resume examples australia

How to Write Your First Job Resume [For 2024]

So there you are, sitting in front of a screen, staring at a blank Word page for hours, with one task at hand: writing your first job resume.

Where do you even start?

And most importantly: How do you fill those 1-2 pages when you have no work experience?

We feel your struggle and we’re here to help!

In this article, we’re going to guide you through the entire process of creating a first job resume from start to finish.

Let’s dive right in, shall we?

How to Write Your First Job Resume

• Pick the right resume template
• Write down your contact information (correctly)
• Include a resume objective
• List your education (in detail)
• Instead of work experience, focus on…
• Highlight your skills
• Mention optional sections
• Stick to the one-page limit
• Get inspired by a first-job resume example

Don’t worry, we’re going to cover all of the above in detail!

Starting with the first step:

#1. Pick the Right First Job Resume Format and Template

There are 3 main resume formats you can pick from. Each of them highlights a different part of your resume.

• Reverse-Chronological Resume - In this format, your work experiences and education are listed in reverse-chronological order. 
• Functional Resume - Instead of work experience, this format focuses on your skills and achievements.
• Combination (or Hybrid) Resume - This format focuses on both your skills and work experience.

For 99% of job-seekers, we recommend sticking with the reverse-chronological format.

While a functional resume can sometimes help for career changers or recent graduates, it’s still nowhere near as common as the reverse chronological one.

Plus, recruiters world-wide are familiar with the reverse-chronological format, making it a safer bet.

A reverse-chronological resume looks as follows:

Once you’ve picked the format, the next step is to perfect your layout, font, and the like. Here’s what we recommend for that:

• Use a Two-Column Layout. A two-column resume layout allows you to fit a lot more content into your resume.
• Pick a Common Font. We recommend Ubuntu, Overpass, or Roboto.
• Use Bullets to Describe Your Experiences.
• Don’t Go Over One Page. Unless you’re a professional with a decade of work experience, we recommend sticking to the one-page resume limit.

Want to avoid all the hassle of formatting your resume layout? We don’t blame you - if you wanted to build a good-looking resume from scratch, it would take you hours before you could even start filling it in.

Thankfully, there’s an easier way out: using a resume builder.

With Novoresume, all you have to do is pick a template, and fill in the contents. It’s that simple.

And on top of that, Novorésumé resumes are ATS-friendly . Meaning, your resume won’t be swallowed up by an applicant tracking system just because it can’t read it.

Want to get started with Novorésumé? Browse our resume templates .

#2. Write Down Your Contact Information (Correctly)

It’s important for the recruiter to have at least two ways of reaching back to you.

Meaning, you should always provide your contact information in your resume . That includes: 

• First and last name
• Phone number

Apart from these must-haves, you can also provide:

• LinkedIn URL - This is a good way to complement your resume. It also makes the recruiter’s life easier since they usually check your LinkedIn profile anyway. Make sure all information is updated and consistent with your resume, though.
• Relevant social media (like Quora or StackOverflow) - Any social media that is related to the job position and puts you in good light should be included in your resume. In most cases. If you’re a developer, it could be projects on GitHub. Writer? Personal blog.
• Website or blog - Again, this should be something related to the job. It shows your interest and dedication to the industry and how you spend some of your free time.

When it comes to your contact information, the key is to write everything correctly . Double-check you’ve spelled your name and email right, make sure the phone number you’ve listed can be reached, and that the accounts you have linked to are up to date . 

Something else you should know regarding location is how much detail you should be providing. 

The reason recruiters want to know your location is so that they have an idea of whether you’re in the vicinity of the company or not (and if you’ll need to relocate for work). 

That means, providing the city and country where you live will be enough. No need for your full home address. 

#3. Include a Resume Objective

Recruiters spend on average 7 seconds scanning each resume before deciding if it’s worth more consideration or not. 

That means your resume has about 7 seconds to leave a great first impression and convince the recruiter you’re the person they’re looking for.

A good resume objective does that for you. 

A resume objective is a 2-3 sentence snapshot of your skills, achievements, and career goals . Its purpose is to communicate your motivation for getting into the field and your interest in this particular position. 

This makes it ideal for the first job resume of a recent graduate or somebody who’s changing careers. Basically, any resume with no work experience . 

Your resume objective should be tailored to the position you are applying for and highlight skills that will help the company achieve its goal. Use as many facts and numbers as you can to back up any statements or achievements. 

• Creative and motivated recent graduate with a B.A. in Marketing from the University of Michigan. Seeking permanent employment in the field of marketing after completing successful internships in 2 major media companies. Looking to further develop my market analysis skills and contribute to future marketing strategy developments at XY Company.
• I am looking to put my marketing skills into action by initially working for the marketing department of a well-known company until I can finally get to an executive position.

#4. List Your Education (In Detail)

For starters, you should know how to list your education entries correctly in the following format:

• Program Name e.g.: B.A. in Information Systems
• University Name e.g.: University of Chicago
• Years Attended e.g.: 07/2013 - 05/2017
• GPA (only if really high)
• Honors (If applicable) e.g. Cum Laude

Exchange Program (If applicable) e.g. Exchange program in Berlin, Germany

Apart from your skills, your education is the biggest selling point in your first job resume. This is not the place to be humble and play down your achievements!

Write down your GPA (if it’s something impressive), emphasize your honors, and most importantly, highlight your academic achievements by describing them in detail.  

What you can also do is list specific courses that you have taken that are relevant to the position you are applying for. 

Here’s an example of what an entry on the education section should look like:

B.A. in English Literature (Cum Laude)

Boston University

07/2014 - 05/2018

• Courses: Advanced Topics in Literature: Shakespeare’s Work 
• Clubs: Boston University Drama Club
• Exchange program in London, UK

#5. Instead of Work Experience, Focus On This

As a recent graduate, the recruiter knows you don’t have any work experience - and that’s OK. As long as you’re applying for a junior or entry-level position, the experience isn’t something expected from you.

Instead, the recruiter will be looking for other experiences that enrich your profile, like:

• Internships
• Extracurricular Activities

When talking about these experiences, format them just like you’d format your work experience. 

Business Analyst Internship

AAA Company

Milan, Italy

05/2019 - 12/2019

• Ran weekly and monthly analysis on diverse areas of the business
• Created insightful reports of the analysis to present to managers and teams
• Defined strategic KPIs, in order to monitor the efficiency of commercial operations

When possible, try to focus on listing your achievements and not your responsibilities. This will help you stand out from the rest of the applicants.

Haven’t done any internships? Include extracurricular activities.

More often than not, an applicant with extracurricular activities and an average GPA will impress the recruiter much more than a 4.0 GPA student with nothing else to show. When listing your extracurricular activities, each entry should have the following format:

Moot Court Club Member

2017 - 2019

• Participated for two years in a row at the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, making it to the finals in 2019
• Researched and prepared written pleadings, called memorials addressing timely issues of public international law
• Helped train the new club members in topics of international law

Finally, you can also list independent projects, if you have any. Think, something you did on the side just for yourself. This can be a personal project, small business or startup, side-gig, blog, etc.

Amy’s Book Club Blog

2018 - Present

• Created my own book club website for reviewing and discussing the latest books.
• Curated a monthly book calendar for my followers to follow, combining trending, relevant, and classic books.
• Created over 40 book review articles.
• On average, received 2000 visitors per month to the blog.

#6. Highlight Your Skills

The two types of skills you can mention on your resume are soft skills and hard skills.

Soft skills are attributes that help you adapt to work environments, work in a team, and apply your hard skills effectively. They are related to your personality, social skills, communication, attitude, etc.

Hard skills refer to technical knowledge and specific tools. They are skills that one learns and applies directly to the job. Some examples of hard skills include:

• Financial accounting
• Adobe Illustrator

Although soft skills are becoming more and more in demand by employers , for your first job resume, we recommend sticking to hard skills. 

Sure, attributes like “teamwork” or “critical thinking” are much appreciated by just about any employer. 

The thing is, though, the recruiter can’t really tell if you actually have critical thinking skills, or just listed it on your resume to fill space.

Hard skills, on the other hand, are very easy to test.

Tailor Skills to the Job Ad

Not sure which skills to mention in your first job resume?

The simplest way to find the essential ones is to check the job ad.

The recruiter themselves mentioned the skills they’re looking for - the only thing you need to do is mention them in your resume (as long as you have them, anyway).

Let’s say you’re applying for a graphic designer position that wants the following qualifications and skills:

• Adobe Creative Suite proficiency, particularly InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop and Acrobat; XD, Animate and/or After Effects are a plus
• Working knowledge of presentation software (Canva, PowerPoint and/or Keynote)
• Ability to work under pressure, manage work on multiple projects daily, manage a large workload and meet deadlines.
• Detail-oriented, highly organized

Based on that, your skills section should include the following:

• Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and Acrobat
• After Effects and Cinema4D
• Canva and Keynote
• Time management
• Detail-oriented

If the job ad isn’t too descriptive, you can also check out these 101+ most in-demand skills for 2024 . 

#7. Mention Optional Sections

Still have some space on your resume?

That’s not a bad thing! You can use this space to your advantage and add some other useful sections.

Here are some ideas:

• Volunteering - If you have some volunteering experience, make sure to include it in your first job resume. Such a section shows commitment, dedication, and a sense of purpose, something most recruiters will appreciate.
• Languages - With companies becoming more and more international, additional languages are always appreciated.
• Hobbies - You can show your genuine interest in the industry or field by listing some relevant hobbies/interests.
• Awards & Certifications - Whether it’s an award from an essay competition in college or a certificate from an online course, anything that flatters your profile should be added.

#8. Stick to the One-Page Limit

“ How long should a resume be? ” seems like an eternal dilemma at this point. 

Generally, the answer is: it depends. 

Since you’re making a first job resume, the answer is: definitely one page . 

Unless you have an extensive employment history that can’t fit into one page, there’s no need to go over that limit. 

It’s unlikely that the recruiter will want to look at two pages of extracurriculars and hobbies. 

#9. Get Inspired by This First-Job Resume

Need some inspiration for your resume? Check out the resume examples below.

First Job Resume FAQ 

Still have some questions on how to write a convincing first job resume?

We’ll answer them here.

1. What do I put on my no-experience resume?

There’s plenty of other things you can include in your resume instead of work experience. For starters, you should:

• Focus on your education, making sure the entries are formatted correctly.
• Pick the right skills that match what the employer is looking for.
• Talk about internships, personal projects, or extracurricular activities. Describe your achievements in detail.

If you still have some space left, you could use it to your advantage and add extra sections like volunteer work, languages, awards & certificates, or hobbies.

2. Is a resume necessary for a first job?

Depending on the region, a resume or CV is always necessary for a job application, be it the first or the 20th. 

Before deciding if they should call you for an interview, the recruiters need to have some insight into you and your skills.

3. Do I need work experience to land my first job?

Short answer: You don’t! 

If you’re a recent graduate, it’s a given that you won’t have any work experience. Most employers don’t actually expect years of work experience for an entry-level or junior position. 

Instead, they’ll be looking at your other types of experiences (internships, extracurricular activities, etc.) to decide on whether you’re a good fit for the job or not.

4. How do you write a resume for your first job?

The process is quite similar to the one for writing a regular resume, but with a few tweaks.

The exact steps for creating a first job resume are:

• Instead of work experience, focus on extracurricular activities, internships, projects, etc.

Key Takeaways

Writing your first job resume doesn’t have to be stressful!

Remember the following tips and you’ll do just fine:

• Pick the right format and template to avoid the hassle of formatting your resume. Make sure to pick an ATS-friendly resume template.
• Write a concise and attention-grabbing resume objective. Show the recruiter that you’re relevant for the role and that they should read the rest of your resume.
• Instead of work experience, include information on your internships, projects, and extracurricular activities.

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How to Write a Resume with No Experience

In this post, use a personal statement, highlight your attitude and personality, emphasise your transferable skills, make a personal connection, find examples of relevant experience, use a solid resume template, get started with a resume template.

In this post Show

Are you looking for your first job in high school, or entering the workforce for the first time? Here’s exactly how to write a compelling resume as a high school student without any work experience.

The catch-22 of applying for jobs as a young person is that in order to score a job, you need experience, but in order to get experience, you need to have had a job! Follow the points in this resume template to craft the perfect resume and get closer to landing your first job, even as a young person with minimal experience.

While personal summaries or statements at the top of your resume aren’t necessary, they can help to add substance to a beginner’s resume . Your personal statement allows you to talk about your long-term career goals, and assert your enthusiasm and suitability for the role.

Noticed how so many job descriptions talk about having a positive attitude or a strong work ethic or being a team player? That’s because these traits are universally tied to being a fantastic employee. Hiring managers are often looking for someone with a great personality that they can then train up in the relevant skills.

Use your resume and cover letter to shine a light on the personality traits that would make you a great coworker and employee. This could be by including personal achievements that illustrate your drive and willingness.

When it comes to entry-level roles, recruiters and hiring managers tend to focus on the skills that make you a good all-rounder . Again, specific skills can often be learned on the job. Use the skills section of your resume to list skills like time management or problem-solving, which you’ve probably already developed through completing assignments and meeting deadlines at school. Other great skills to highlight as a young job seeker are organisational skills, the ability to multitask, or hands-on experience with IT, and soft skills like being a strong communicator and a people person.

You’ve probably heard that when it comes to the job search, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. A good strategy when applying for your first job is to call the recruiter or hiring manager to simply have a conversation about the job posting . If getting on the phone with someone isn’t possible, try researching the relevant point of contact on LinkedIn so that you’ll be able to have a personable conversation with them if you do get called into an interview.

Of course, the biggest dilemma young people have when writing their first resume is figuring out what to include in the experience section of their resumes when they don’t have traditional work experience. But when you dig deep, you’ll realise that you do have plenty of life experience to draw on . This could be:

• Informal jobs you’ve worked like mowing the lawn for a neighbour or babysitting for a family member
• Completing extracurricular activities at school or through a sports club
• Completing an internship or apprenticeship
• Participating in volunteer work
• Any relevant coursework , especially if it involved leading a team or a project, or if the subject you studied relates to the job you are applying for

Following a pre-made resume format will help you create a more professional resume , despite not yet having industry experience. Utilise bullet points, check for typos, include your contact information and use a resume template to properly structure your application. Presenting your resume in a professional way can help you look more experienced than you are, and ensure that the automated applicant tracking systems recruiters often use won’t miss any vital info in your application.

With the above tips, there’s no reason your lack of professional experience will hold you back from scoring a stellar job!

Using a resume template will help you properly structure the information on your resume, and make your resume appear more professional.

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Use this sample resume as a basis for your own resume if you:

• Have completed (or are currently completing) VCE
• Have had some formal (paid) work experience

For sample resumes designed for other levels of education/work experience, check out our Sample CVs page .

Download this sample resume

• Sample Resume: VCE + Work experience - Word  (142.11 KB)
• Sample Resume: VCE + Work experience - PDF  (124.18 KB)

If you have trouble with this sample resume, please contact us at [email protected] .

Features of this resume

This sample resume highlights:

• The skills you've developed from your paid work
• Your personal attributes

It features:

• A marketing statement highlighting past experience and capabilities
• Key skills relevant to the job (and examples of how you've used them)
• Software skills relevant to the job and industry
• A description and demonstration of personal qualities that are appropriate to the job
• Employment history that demonstrates your skills and character
• Volunteering that demonstrates your skills and character

As well as paid work, you can put the following on your resume:

• Sport or community participation (if it's relevant to the job or demonstrates your good character)
• Relevant work placements or work experience 
• Written testimonials that prove your capabilities and skills
• Hobbies or interests relevant to the job or industry

How long should your resume be?

This sample is two pages long, but a one-page resume is fine if you're just starting out in the world of work. 

If it ends up three pages long, you're including too much information. Try shortening some sections or cutting some things out.

More information

For more about resumes and cover letters, check out these pages:

• Sample resumes
• Sample Cover Letters
• How to Write a Resume
• How to Write a Cover Letter

Aaron Zlatkovic

Email: [email protected] Mobile: XXXX XXX XXX

Recent school leaver seeking to start a career in administration

Highly communicative individual with strong interpersonal skills and an ability to adapt to working in team environments. Motivated by challenge, an astute and dedicated student working to the highest of ability and effectively managing the challenges of part-time employment while successfully completing VCE. Ongoing volunteer engagement demonstrates a focus on community, while work in customer service field demonstrates reliability, honesty, integrity and ability to collaborate.

Key Skills:

• Customer Service (phone and face to face)
• Problem solving
• Cash management
• Sales reconciliations
• Transaction processing
• Data processing
• Inventory control
• Store-based security
• Stock receipting
• End-of-day processing
• Sales negotiations
• Product selection

Software Skills: Microsoft Word ~ Microsoft Excel ~ Microsoft Outlook ~ Firefox ~ POS Terminal ~ EFTPOS

Certificate II in Business Administration Campbellfield High School 2014

VCE Campbellfield High School 2014 ATAR: 79.2

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

• Effective Communication Skills : Articulate communicator with an appreciation for the different communication styles required when working with other team members or with customers.
• Honest and Reliable: Able to take on tasks with a degree of responsibility due to strong morals and ethics, ensuring honesty and reliability.
• Flexible: Understands the need to remain flexible to support last-minute demands and changes. Comfortable with changing environments and situations ensuring the ability to remain flexible and adaptable.
• Time Management: Dedicated to effectively prioritising and managing time by allocating tasks and activities and keeping track of them in diaries and daily to-do lists.

PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE

KSmart (2013 - 2014) Customer Service Assistant & Lay-By Assistant

Working on a casual basis, this position involved meeting general customer service demands and assisting with processing customer lay-bys and stock requests.

Achievements and Contributions:

• Customer Service: Provided customer service at registers, lay-by counter and on retail floor. Responded to all customer enquiries providing support and guidance as required.
• Cash Management: Ensured accurate management of all cash sales. Counted out all amounts of cash in front of the customer to minimise conflict and ensure accurate reconciliation of daily sales.
• Stock Control: Returned stock to the floor and assisted with restocking of products as required. Supported visual merchandising standards while setting up new displays and rotating required stock.
• Transaction Processing: Created customer records when processing lay-bys, stock movements and refunds. Ensured stock was allocated and all required information was accurately recorded.
• Sales Reconciliations: Assisted shift supervisor with reconciliation of sales transactions. Provided support by re-checking while helping to resolve discrepancies.

Maccas (2014) Front Counter Assistant

First-time casual position with this well-known fast food outlet involved undertaking extensive training in customer service skills and sales techniques.

• Customer Service: Assisted customers with all orders. Ensured the accurate collection of information relating to specific orders and special requests.
• Transaction Processing: Managed cash and EFTPOS payments. Accurately recorded all cash movements while following policies on large note transactions and cash out.
• Cleaning: Attended to shift cleaning duties including general cleaning, rubbish removal and floor mopping to meet both HACCP and Food Safety regulations.

STUDENT WORK PLACEMENTS

Taylor Smith Partners - Receptionist (2-Week Work Placement - 2013)

• Administration: Typed general communication and letters to customers and businesses as directed. Ensured accurate development of communication by providing correspondence to supervisor for approval.
• Records Processing: Entered customer information into internal records management system. Updated existing customer records while creating new data files as directed.
• Visitor Management: Greeted all visitors to site and ensured they understood their obligations and expectations while on site. Ensured all visitors added details to visitor log.

VOLUNTEER PLACEMENTS

St Vincent De Paul (2014)

Provided support during various fundraising activities for local community group. Assisted at events and gatherings including providing suggestions for ways to meet fundraising targets. Personally attended various events, including spending time with homeless youth in Melbourne CBD.

Melton Community Gardens (2014 - Current)

Worked in community gardens assisting members of local community with planting and caring for their own allocated sections. Assisted in setup and preparation of community garden including general repair and maintenance works.

PROFESSIONAL REFEREES

Carmen Smith Customer Service Manager KSmart Phone: XX XXXX XXXX

Allan Blue Maintenance Manager Melton Community Gardens Phone: XX XXXX XXXX

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How To Write an Australian Resume

In This Guide:

What is an australian resume format, what sections to include in your australian resume, example australian resume, final thoughts on an australian resume.

Searching for a new job is an ongoing process, but there are ways to decrease the time you spend looking for the ideal position. When you have an outstanding resume, you increase your chances of the hiring managers pulling your document out from the stack of other applicants.

Australia pays a higher minimum wage than the United States, so it’s no surprise that many job seekers want to move to make a better living. Read on to learn how an Australian resume differs from the standard format. You’ll find out what sections you should include to ensure the hiring manager knows you’re the right fit for the job.

An Australian resume looks similar to standard resumes, but there are some key differences you won’t want to miss. For example, skipping details can make the difference between a hiring manager giving you a callback or passing you by for a candidate that paid attention to the specifics.

A resume and a CV are two distinct documents in the United States. However, Australian job postings use the terms interchangeably. Therefore, as long as you have a resume that includes the sections below, you can apply to jobs that ask for a resume or CV with the same document.

Australian resumes are typically three to four pages long, depending on your work experience. New graduates looking for entry-level positions might have a two-page resume. This length differs from the standards in the United States, which ask for a concise one-page document.

When you’re ready to create your Australian resume, include the following sections. You can put them in different orders depending on your strengths. For example, professionals with plenty of work experience use the reverse chronological format to showcase relevant jobs. New graduates list education first, while people changing careers highlight their skills.

You should follow formatting guidelines regardless of the layout you choose for your Australian resume. Use a dark font so it’s easy to read. Write your resume in correct Australian English to show the hiring manager you can adapt to the language and culture.

Your resume always starts with a header that contains your contact information . You don’t need to include information about your demographic, as that can lead to profiling. You also shouldn’t have much personal information since the rest of your resume will show the hiring manager more about you.

The contact information in the header includes items such as:

• Phone number
• Email address

Some applicants may include their website if it’s a professional portfolio of writing samples, photography, or other information relevant to the job posting.

Career Profile

A career profile, also known as an objective or summary , states your career goal. While it’s not a required section, it’s ideal because it shows the hiring manager what you’re looking for in terms of employment. They can read this brief section and know whether you’re a match.

This section can range from one to three sentences long and gives a broad overview of who you are and what you want to do in the position. However, you don’t want to get too detailed because your specific work experience and education come later.

For example, someone fresh out of school can write: “Recent human resources graduate looking for a full-time position in payroll, employee benefits, and performance tracking.”

Someone with years of job history applying for the same position might write: “Human resources professional with over 12 years of experience seeks a role in hiring and onboarding.”

You can see how both objectives give information about the person while showing the hiring manager their intentions. Keep this format in mind as you brainstorm your summary.

Work Experience

Your work experience is an essential part of an Australian resume. This section is your opportunity to show the hiring manager what you’ve accomplished in the past and how you hope to continue in a new position.

The most common way to organize your work experience is in reverse-chronological order . This approach means your most recent job is at the top of the list since it’s where you currently work or the role you just left. From there, you go back through your job history, ending when you hit ten years or reach your first job, whichever comes first.

List your position since the hiring manager needs this information more than anything else. Then include the company name and the dates you worked there. Below this information, list any achievements you accomplished in the role in the form of bullet points.

Use active language in your resume. Instead of bland words like “did” and “tried,” use action verbs, such as :

• Streamlined

These words express more action about your accomplishments and convey your sense of professionalism and productivity to the hiring manager.

Though you have up to four pages to fill, you don’t need to include irrelevant details in this section. For instance, applicants with years of work experience should only go back ten years. If you have relevant experience from jobs over ten years ago, create an additional “Other Professional Experience” section and list the highlights there.

List your education in reverse chronological order, just like your work history. Start with your most recent degree and work backward.

Most professionals only need to include higher education in this section. Include any degree you earned, listing the institution and dates attended. If you accomplished anything outstanding during your education, like Dean’s List or an academic scholarship, mention it.

People seeking entry-level jobs might also include their high school diploma if they have no other education. For example, if you completed Technical and Further Education (TAFE), list it here. Once you attend college, the hiring manager will know you have a high school education, so you don’t need to mention it.

If you’re applying for work and only have a high school diploma, include noteworthy details, like a distinction in a relevant course or membership in a club.

Your skills include strengths and knowledge you might not mention in your work history or education. These can be hard skills, like with graphic design software or another language. They can also include soft skills, like impeccable communication or time management skills.

If you have different ranges in your skill sets, consider separating them for clarity. You could have a section entitled “Areas of Expertise” separate from “Technical Skills,” showing the hiring manager where you exceed and where you have a working knowledge.

You should include skills that are relevant to the job. In fact, including specific terms from the job listing will help your resume stand out from the crowd. Many employers want to hire someone who

Volunteer Experience

Like skills, the volunteer section is a chance to share additional information about your passions and experience that might impact how well you can perform the job. Even if some volunteer experiences don’t align with the position, showing the hiring manager that you prioritize giving your time to volunteer organizations will make a positive impression.

If you have any gaps in your work history but volunteered during that time, be sure to list the experience in this section. Volunteering is a great way to explain what you were doing when you weren’t officially employed.

Hiring managers used to require applicants to list references on their resumes. You could name three professional contacts to verify the information on your resume. However, most hiring managers don’t need references as soon as they read your resume. They make a decision based on the information alone, then call you in for an interview or take you out of the running.

You should have three professional references in your notes, though. You might need to give the information to the hiring manager after your interview if they choose to move you ahead in the process.

Read the job description carefully. Some companies might mention that they want references with the application, so you could add them to your resume. You could also include this section and specify that references are available upon request, though it’s not necessary.

Below is an example of an Australian resume that gives you the basic format. Of course, since a professional with an extensive work history should have at least three pages of content, you’ll want to expand from this general foundation, but it’s a great starting point.

First and Last Name

Home Address

Phone Number

Email Address

Career Summary

Graphic designer with ten years of experience seeking to move from print multimedia to advertising campaigns. Expert use of Adobe Creative Cloud.

Print Production Manager at Global Graphics, 2013 to present

• Conceptualize visuals based on the company’s rough drafts

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design, Art University, 2016

Associate of Art in Graphic Design, Graphic Community College, 2013

• Conversational experience with Spanish

Creating an Australian resume isn’t too different from the basic format, so you shouldn’t have trouble spotlighting your experience and education. Make sure you use Australian English and put your best foot forward to stand out from the crowd. Happy job hunting!

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How to Write Your Teen’s First Resume

• August 21, 2018

Do you have a teen who’s about to apply for their first job? They’re probably feeling excited at the prospect of earning their own money, being a bit more independent, and making new friends. But first thing’s first: if they want to get a job, they’ll need a resume.

Writing a resume for your teen (or helping them write their own) might sound simple… after all, there’s not a lot to write about yet. But in some ways, that’s what makes it more challenging.

I’ve put together some tips and a super basic format to make it as simple as possible to write a resume for your teen. You might be surprised at just how much experience they already have and how impressive their resume can look, even if they’ve never had a job before.

Before we get into it…

What makes a teen’s resume different?

Let’s state the obvious for a sec. It can feel like catch-22 for your teen when it comes to applying for a job. You need a job to get experience. But you need experience to get a job. A well-written resume bridges the gap so that a school-leaver or student who’s never worked before can demonstrate enough experience and value to secure a paid job.

Bridging this gap means writing their resume a little differently than, say, your own… since you’ve probably got a couple of decades of professional experience to talk about! You’ll have to think outside the box about what counts as “work” experience.

To make it super easy for you, I’ve created a basic layout for a teen’s resume below. I’ll walk you through it with instructions on what to write under each heading.

Contact details at the top

The standard resume format includes a clear heading at the top with the applicant’s name. Just under that you’ll include the applicant’s contact details: ● Mobile ● Email ● Location (suburb and state)

Don’t get fancy – make it super easy for the hiring manager to find the information they’re looking for.

Just a note on contact details. If your child has their own email address, make sure it’s something sensible. Ideally, it should resemble their name and not include any words that might give the wrong impression. If not, have them set up a professional email address through a free host like Gmail. And ask them to consider what might happen if they miss a call. Do they have a sensible voicemail message set up? If not, they’ll need to fix that too.

Tip: You don’t need as much contact info on your resume as you used to a few years ago. Date of birth, marital status, fax number, multiple phone numbers, and street numbers aren’t really necessary. Oh and while I’m at it… leave your photo off as well!

Professional profile

Right underneath the contact details, you’ll include the professional profile. Obviously, a professional profile for a teenager’s first resume is going to be very different from someone who’s studied at a higher level or had years of experience in the workplace. Instead of professional skills, you can talk about any soft skills that will support them in the workplace. Things you might mention (if they’re true for your teen) include:

• Communication
• Positive attitude
• Friendly manner
• Problem-solving
• Strong work ethic
• Working in a team
• Independence
• Time management
• Decision making

You could use this opportunity to talk about where they’ve picked up these skills. For example, volunteering with a community group or being involved at school. If your teenager has their own transport, like a car and driver’s licence, this is a great place to mention it as well.

Use the professional profile to give a snapshot of your teen and the attributes that will make them a good candidate for the job. Don’t make it too long – a short paragraph is enough for this section. You’ll get the chance to talk about the specifics in the next couple of sections. We want to make sure this is a smoothly written paragraph. Think along the lines of a blurb on the back of a book, rather than disjointed sentences.

Skills and expertise

This next section can seem a bit tricky at first. After all, it probably looks like your teen is rather short in the skills and expertise department! But once again, I try to bring this back to soft skills backed by any relevant real-life experiences.

But before we do that, let’s take a step back. Think about the kind of job your teenager is applying for. Usually, first jobs will fall under one of four categories: manual labour, retail, hospitality, and care. They’ll probably start out performing very basic tasks on weekends, the occasional afternoon and through the school holidays. These tasks (while they can be challenging at times) don’t require a huge amount of upfront knowledge or technical skills. What your teen really needs to succeed in these roles are soft skills and abilities they’ve already picked up through school, from after-school activities like sports and from other life experiences. If you can demonstrate these skills to the hiring manager, you’ll have a much better chance of landing an interview… and then hopefully a job.

Let me give you some examples of how you might match soft skills and life experiences to the job your teen’s going for.

For example, if I think back far enough, I can remember I used to volunteer at a store around the corner from my mum and dad’s business. It was an op shop with a café attached to it, and they took on volunteers. It was actually a great opportunity to practice some real work skills before I got my first real job – not to mention I got a referee to include on my resume that I WASN’T related to! I learned how to work the coffee machine, do basic food handling and prep and follow hygiene practices. Add to that learning the importance of good communication, putting a smile on my face, and turning up on time. If I was writing a resume for teenage-me, those are absolutely things I’d include under skills and expertise.

Achievements

The next section on their resume is “Achievements”. Once again, since your teenager hasn’t really worked before, you might have to think outside the box a little. So, ask yourself (or ask your teen)… what things have they done so far in life that they’re proud of? What have they done that’s different to most of their peers? Here are a few ideas of achievements that might apply to your teen:

• Sporting achievements – teams, games, commitments, prizes, etc.
• Academic achievements – awards, extracurricular programs, scholarships, grades they’re proud of, etc.
• General life achievements – learning how to drive, climbing a mountain, travelling overseas
• Fundraisers – meeting or exceeding a fundraising target
• Relationships – mentoring younger students, developing leadership skills

While your teen may not have real work experience yet, they probably have some of the above achievements they can talk about. And they’re worth mentioning on their resume because they tell a story about what your teen is like as a person and can perhaps indicate what they’ll be capable of in the workplace.

For example, I helped a young man with his resume recently and he was able to multitask like a CHAMP. We illustrated this by talking about how he’d represented his school at an extremely high level of sport. By demonstrating how he balanced his sporting and schooling commitments (including HSC prep!) we were able to reinforce his maturity, ability to multitask and manage competing priorities.

Work history

Having a “Work History” section for someone who’s never worked before might seem a little odd. But this section is standard for all resumes and there are still plenty of things you can include here. You just need to get creative. I don’t mean making stuff up… I mean interpreting certain activities as work-related even if they weren’t technically paid work.

For example:

• Volunteer work
• Community engagement activities
• Helping out in the canteen with the local footy team
• Coaching kids at netball
• Refereeing hockey games
• Babysitting for friends, family, and neighbours
• Looking after neighbours’ pets, mail, or bins when they’re away
• Any odd jobs

Why are these relevant? Your teen has to turn up at a certain time, they have set tasks to complete, they’re working under others, and engaging as part of the team.

You might also use this section to talk about school. After all, it’s no secret that your teen is still in school or has recently left. So, you might talk about what school they’re at and what year they’re in (or when they graduated). But you don’t need to go into detail on grades and subjects.

Tip : When you write the cover letter, you could potentially talk about grades and subjects a little if it’s relevant. For example, if your teen’s pretty good at maths and they’re applying for a retail job that involves cash handling, it might be worth mentioning.

So, what about the “Hobbies” section? I always advise against including these in a professional resume, even for a teenager, because I just don’t feel like it adds value. If you have enough content elsewhere, I’d strongly recommend leaving this section out.

The only reason you’d keep it might be if their resume is looking a bit empty and you really feel that it would add something. If you do include hobbies, try to keep them relevant, so that there’s some connection to soft skills, life-skills, and the jobs your teen is applying for.

Because at the end of the day, it really depends on the individual and the job they’re applying for. You’re not creating a cookie cutter resume. You’re talking about why your teen is suitable for a role.

That’s it! But before you hit send…

Check your spelling and grammar. If you’ve got the time, set aside the resume for a day and come back to it – you’ll see obvious issues you might’ve missed before. Read each sentence out loud to make sure the sentences flow properly and are easy to read. Or better still, ask someone else to proofread it for you.

Over to you…

I really hope this blog helps you and your teen feel more confident in putting together a first resume. It’s an exciting time… this piece of paper will help them land their first job!   If you’d like to give your teen a leg up, check out our Resume in a Day  course. 

Resume in a Day gives you access to  four guided templates, a suite of video tutorials, the Acing Your Interview ebook, my short course Going Beyond the STAR Method, as well as examples of well done and ‘needs some work’ resume extracts. 

With lifetime course access, it’s the gift that keeps on giving. 

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My first resume

This free sample resume, for young people seeking their first job, has an accompanying sample cover letter to help you put together a winning job application.

Trisha Sinclair

17 Petersvan Road Carlingford North SA 5992 Mobile: 0469 777 777 Email: [email protected]

I am interested in a waitressing position. I am available for shifts all weekend and after 3.30 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Employment History

• Babysitting for several families after school, on weekends and during school vacations
• Regularly walk elderly neighbour's dogs and help with feeding

Achievements

• Distinction in Maths Competition
• Dux of Year 8, Carlingford High School
• Grade 6 AMEB flute
• Best and Fairest award for netball under 15s
• Speak French
• Member of school photography group
• Member of Carlingford Youth Band

Subscribe to get this template for free!

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How To Write A Resume In 7 Steps (With Examples)

• How To Write A Resume
• Resume Skills Section
• Resume Objective Section
• Career Objective Section
• Resume Reference Section
• Resume Summary Section
• Resume Summary Example
• Resume Interests Section
• Address On Resume
• Relevant Work Experience
• Anticipated Graduation Date On Resume
• Education Section On Resume
• Contact Information On Resume
• Statement Of Qualifications
• How To List Publications On Resume
• Accomplishments On Resumes
• Awards On Resume
• Dean's List On Resume
• Study Abroad On Resume

Resumes are still the most important document in your job search . Generating a professional and interesting resume isn’t easy, but there is a standard set of guidelines that you can follow. As hiring managers usually only spend a short time looking over each resume, you want to make sure that yours has a reason for them to keep reading.

If you’re looking to write a resume, rewrite a resume you already have, or are just curious about resume format, then you’ve come to the right place. This article will go through the steps to writing an excellent resume, as well as offering examples for what sections of the resume should look like.

Key Takeaways:

A resume is a short document that details your professional history in a way that tailors your experience and skill set for the particular job you’re applying for.

Resumes follow a few standard formatting practices, which hiring managers and recruiters expect to see.

Highlighting your work experience, skills, and educational background with relevant keywords can help you get past applicant tracking systems and into more interviews.

How to write a resume

Writing a resume involves using the proper formatting, writing an introduction, and adding your work experience and education. Stuffing your entire professional life into a single page resume can feel overwhelming, but remember that you’re distilling the relevant parts of your professional experience in order to catch the eye of the recruiter .

Formatting your resume. To start, use a word processor such as Microsoft Word or Google docs. Standard resume formatting calls for:

1 inch margins

10-12 point font

A professional, commonly-used font

Additionally, there are three resume formats that are commonly used. Most people should stick with a chronological resume format , but the combination resume format and functional resume format can be effective for more advanced workers or those who have significant gaps in their resume.

Write a resume header . It doesn’t matter if you have the best resume in the world if the hiring manager can’t contact you. Every single resume should include the following contact information:

Your full name. First and last.

Your phone number. Use a personal phone number, and make sure your voicemail is set up properly.

Your email address. Nothing inappropriate — [email protected] is a safe choice.

Location. City, State, Zip Code is fine, but you can include your full mailing address if you think it’s appropriate.

Your social media (optional). LinkedIn is the obvious one you’d want to include, but make sure your profile looks good. If you have an online portfolio , either on a personal blog/website or on a site like Journo Portfolio , feel free to include that here as well.

Your job title. Also optional, but can be useful for applicant tracking systems.

Resume introduction. You have four options for your resume introduction: a resume objective, summary statement, resume profile, or qualifications summary. For most job-seekers, a resume summary statement is the best choice. Regardless of which resume introduction you choose, avoid first-person pronouns (I/me/my).

Resume objective. A resume objective is the goal of your resume. Since the objective of every resume is to land a job, this is not the most original or impressive opener you can have.

On the other hand, it’s a good choice for an entry-level applicant or someone who is changing career paths . This should be a 1-3 sentence summary of why you’re motivated to get the position you’re applying for.

Who should use a resume objective: Entry-level applicants, career-changers, and recent college graduates.

Resume summary. This is the best opener for most job-seekers. As the name suggests, a resume summary highlights the most salient aspects of your resume.

It should include your current position, how many years of experience you have, some of your biggest achievements, and possibly your career goals. This should be a 1-3 sentence spiel and should include some quantifiable experiences.

Who should use a resume summary: Most job seekers; anyone with quantifiable accomplishments to emphasize and a broad range of skills.

Qualifications summary. A bullet point list (4-6 points is the sweet spot) of your qualifications for the position. It’s best used by applicants going for jobs that require a fixed skill set. It’s not a great choice for entry-level applicants who lack quantifiable achievements.

You’ll notice that a qualifications summary takes up more space than a resume objective or summary, but it can actually save the hiring manager time if you provide a bunch of valuable information right off the top.

Who should use a qualifications summary: Those applying to a job with requirements for certain skills and job-seekers who have a lot of experience in their industry and/or field.

Resume profile. A resume profile is similar to a resume summary, but goes into more detail about your accomplishments at your current or former job, while also telling the reader about your career goals. Think of a resume profile as a section that pulls all the best parts of your work experience section into one place.

Who should use a resume profile: Anyone with significant accomplishments under their belt, expertise in a niche field, or applying to a job in the same industry that they have lots of experience in.

Resume headline. Resume headlines aren’t necessary, but you can include one alongside any of the four types of resume introduction listed above. A resume headline comes between your contact information and the resume introduction of your choice.

Headlines can be used by entry-level applicants and experienced job-seekers alike. The important point is that your headline should be short and to the point. Additionally, you should use title case when writing your resume headline (capitalize words as you would for a book title).

Who should use a resume headline: Any job-seeker who wants to showcase their experience or unique value right off the bat.

Work experience. Your work experience section is the place to let hiring managers know that you have relevant experience that would allow you to handle the job you’re applying for.

If you’re using the chronological resume format, your work experience section would come after your resume summary/objective. In a funcitonal reumse, it would follow your skills section. Either way, work experience should be listed in reverse-chronological order (most recent experience at the top).

When listing your work experience, you should include all of the following information:

Job title. Start by stating the position you held at the company. These are easy cue for the hiring manager to look at and determine whether your past positions would help you succeed at their company.

Company Info. Include the name of the employer, the location where you worked, and perhaps a brief description of the company, if it isn’t a well-known name.

Dates Employed: Use the mm/yyyy format if you want to be sure that most applicant tracking systems (ATS) will pick it up. Whatever format you use for dates, be consistent, or your resume will look sloppy.

Job Description. Don’t just list your job’s responsibilities; hiring managers and recruiters already have an idea of your duties based on the job title. Instead, list your most important and impressive responsibilities/achievements at the job with bullet points. Determine which of these are most relevant for your new role based on the job description.

Ideally, each bullet should be no longer than a single line. However, two lines is acceptable, if used sparingly.

Always start with a strong action verb, followed by a quantifiable achievement and a specific duty. For example: “Developed ad campaigns for clients, increasing sales by an average of 27%.” Each job title should include 3-5 bullet points.

The order that you include this information can be changed around, as long as you are consistent throughout your resume. However, the bullet points detailing your job’s achievements should always be the last item for each entry.

It’s important that you tailor your resume’s work experience section to the job you’re applying for. We recommend reading the job description carefully and highlighting the action verbs in one color and the skills, adjectives, and job-specific nouns in a different color.

Educational background. In almost all cases, your education section should come after your professional history. If you’re a recent college graduate with limited work experience, you may choose to put your educational achievements first.

Like the section on your professional history, educational experiences should come in reverse-chronological order, with your highest level of education at the top. If you have a college degree, you don’t need to add any information about your high school experience. If you didn’t finish college, it’s okay to give a list of what credits you did complete.

Each educational experience can be listed in the following format:

Degree/Program Name College/University Name Dates attended

You don’t need to add anything else, especially if your resume is already impressive enough. But if you’re struggling to fill up the page, or you feel that aspects of your educational experience will help make you a standout, you may consider also including:

Minor. If you think it rounds out your not-exactly-relevant-to-the-job major nicely.

GPA. Only if it was 3.5 or higher. Otherwise, it’s not going to do you any favors to include this.

Honors. Dean’s List, Cum Laude, etc.

Achievements. If you wrote a killer thesis/dissertation that showcases intimate knowledge relevant to the job to which you’re applying, you can include its title and a very brief description.

Extracurricular activities. Only include if they’re relevant. For example, if you’re applying for a management position and you were president of your student government.

Certifications/Licenses. If the job you’re applying for requires/likes to see certain certifications or licenses that you have, you may include them in this section as well.

Skills section. Your impressive skills should be scattered logistically throughout your professional history section, but you should also include a section solely dedicated to highlighting your skill set . Skills can be broken down into two categories:

Hard skills are skills you learn through training and indicate expertise with a technical ability or job-specific responsibility.

Soft skills are your personality traits, interpersonal abilities, and intangible qualities that make you more effective at your job.

Your resume should have a healthy mix of hard and soft skills, as both are essential to job performance. However, since soft skills are harder to prove in the context of a resume, we recommend leaning more toward hard skills. Additionally, whenever you list a soft skill, make sure that it has a correlating item in your work experience section.

For example, if you say you are skilled in collaboration, you should mention a time when a team project was a major success somewhere in your work experience section.

Optional sections. If you still have space left or there’s more you want to show off that doesn’t quite fit in any of the above sections, you may consider adding an additional section covering one or more of the below categories:

Language . Being bilingual is always impressive, and can be included on a resume for any company. Highlight this more if your position involves liaising with international distributors and/or clients. Don’t lie about your proficiency level.

It may be best to not mention it if you’re not particularly proficient speaker . Such as if you took courses in school, or haven’t really managed to gain fluency. It can end up looking like an attempt to inflate your credentials, which you want to avoid.

Volunteer experience . Always a good thing to include. It shows you’re a team player who behaves in a way that promotes the greater good, without thought of personal gain. Especially good for entry-level candidates and those applying for jobs at a non-profit. If you have gaps in your work history, you can also consider including volunteer experiences in your work history section instead.

Personal projects. A personal blog, published works, or a portfolio of your past projects are all good things to include. They show you take initiative, enjoy and take pride in your work, and that you can handle the responsibilities of the job, if relevant.

Certifications/licenses. If you didn’t include these in your education section, this is another good place to list relevant certifications or licenses that you have.

Interests . This is largely just a space filler if your resume is light in other areas. However, if your hobbies are directly related to the job that you’re applying for, it’s not a bad idea to include them. And it might draw a recruiter’s attention if you end up sharing some of the same interests as they do.

If you have several seemingly random items that are valuable, but don’t warrant creating a whole separate section for, you can also make a section called “Additional Experience.” Here you can include all of the above categories in one place. Just make sure that each item is clear and easy for readers to understand.

Resume samples

Now that we have a good idea of how to write a resume, let’s take a look at some example resumes:

Jack Pilgrim Washington , DC 14015 – (555) 444-3333 – [email protected] – www.linkedin.com/jpilgrim Resume Summary Graphic designer with 3+ years of experience creating and implementing promotional materials and social media graphics. Worked with sales and marketing teams to increase inbound calls by 23% YoY through compelling digital media. Adept at planning, managing, and prioritizing multiple deadlines at once, and thrives in fast-paced work environment. Work Experience Creative Designs | Washington, DC Lead Graphic Designer | June 2018-Present Worked with sales and marketing teams to create landing pages, sales proposals, and supporting media elements to drive sales by over $250,000 per quarter Trained, managed, and mentored team of 4 junior designers to fulfill 40+ project orders on a weekly basis Conducted UX research through surveys, usability testing, and data analysis to plan content marketing strategy, driving organic search traffic by 12% Presented proposals, results, and status updates to set of 4-7 clients, ensuring customer satisfaction at or above 95% for 3 years straight Happy Place | Alexandria, VA Junior Graphic Designer | July 2016-May 2018 Translated client needs and branding strategies into design and content strategy, increasing client retention by 22% Reduced project turnaround time by 8% by Utilizing web-based ticket system for completing and archiving finalized pieces Posted digital artwork to network IPTV using web interface to produce high-end info-graphics and other materials Happy Place | Alexandria, VA Marketing Intern | September 2015-July 2016 Assisted marketing team with data collection, analysis, and presentation using Google Analytics Drew up storyboards for new marketing campaigns alongside sales team, increasing brand awareness through social media Wrote 500-1000 word articles to pair with graphical elements on page, leading to a 40% boost in engagement on company website Education Savannah College of Art and Design | Savannah, Georgia May 2016 Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design Skills Adobe Creative Suite Typography HTML/CSS WordPress Collaboration Organization

Allison Neederly Chicago, Illinois , 60007 | (333) 222-1111 | [email protected] | www.linkedin.com/allison.neederly Resume Summary Dedicated customer service representative with 4+ years experience resolving customers’ needs in-person, online, and over the phone. Top achiever at XYZ Inc. with a 100% customer satisfaction rate for Q1 of 2020. Friendly personable, and knowledgable about company’s products and services. Relevant Skills Customer Service Responded to upwards of 200 customer queries daily with XYZ Inc., reducing the average wait time by 56% and increasing customer satisfaction rates by 13% Ability to resolve conflict and create a positive atmosphere for shopping for both new and existing customers through technical proficiency Expert product knowledge and communication skills, and experience training and mentoring new customer service staff Web Chat and Phone Skilled in 3 web chat platforms for helping online customers resolve their queries quickly and accurately Achieved fastest call resolution rate at XYZ Inc., with an average resolution time of under 5 minutes per customer Performed outbound calls for customer satisfaction surveys, as well as writing web-based surveys for 10,000+ customers Troubleshooting Detailed product knowledge allowed for customer technical issues to be resolved at rate within top 5% of all customer service associates at XYZ Inc. Created manual for step-by-step directions for troubleshooting that was implemented for team of 100+ customer service reps Positive attitude took average tech-related negative response from 1/5 stars to 4/5 stars, increasing trust in brands and services Work Experience XYZ Inc. | Philadelphia, PA Customer Service Associate New Look Global | Burlington, VT Junior Customer Service Representative L.L. Bean | Burlington, VT Sales Associate Education University of Vermont | Burlington, VT May 2012 Bachelor of Arts in Humanities

Priya Laghari New York, NY | (222) 111-0000 | [email protected] | www.priyabizdev.com Resume Profile Strategy Development: Grew John Deere’s international sales by 13% by tapping into undeserved countries in Southeast Asia Management: Oversaw a team of managers representing marketing, sales, and product teams. Streamlined collaborative, cross-functional communications through agile and scrum management system CRM: Developed, customized, and implemented new customer relationship management database for accounts totaling over $10M in value Work Experience Business Development Manager 01/2015-Present Microsoft | Redmond, WA Developed product strategies and roadmap for Google AdWords, increasing inbound traffic by 26% YoY Reduced time training on new software by 50% for new and existing employees by implement e-learning programs Spearheaded digital marketing campaign worth $1M that saw a return of 200% in first year by qualifying leads earlier in the sales funnel Regional Sales Manager 11/2012-01/2015 Big Things Inc. | St. Louis, MO Managed territory encompassing 29 regional locations with an annual revenue of approx. $55M Worked with C-level executives to plan business strategies, resulting in 20% reduction in overhead costs Increased client retention by 12% in first year by implementing a CRM approach based on account profiling and elevating levels of relationship selling Account Manager 02/2009-11/2012 Solutions Corp. | Chicago, IL Implemented and developed CRM strategic plans, increasing retention of long-term clients by 22% Maintained 50+ accounts totaling over $35M in value Generated leads through one-on-one consultation via phone inquiries, online check-ins, and meeting office walk-ins Relevant Skills CRM: Proficient with Salesforce, Zoho, and HubSpot; some experience with Keap. Used various CRM software over a decade to successfully manage customer relations and quick to adapt to new software and tools that aid in quality of customer experience. Salesmanship: Negotiated and closed over several deals worth $1M+ and skilled in upselling and cross-selling. Adept at working closely with marketing and product teams to maximize the efficiency of the sales funnel for both inbound and outbound traffic. Presentation: Represented Microsoft Northwest Region at quarterly board meetings, ensuring all stakeholders were kept abreast of new developments and opportunities. Also deliver monthly presentations to big clients and vendors to maintain positive relationship. Data analytics. Expert at integrating data from various analytics platforms, including Google, Microsoft Power BI, and SAP BusinessObjects Education Colgate University | May 2008 MBA Fordham University | May 2006 Bachelor’s Degree in Business

For more resume examples and templates:

Resume examples by job

Google docs resume template

Resume templates

Resume builder

Resume Headers Samples:

Tip : Never put your contact info in the header of your document; some applicant tracking systems might miss it.

For more on how to write a resume header:

Resume Header

Resume Titles

Resume introduction examples

Entry-Level Resume Objective.

Recent graduate with a bachelor’s in Marketing from the University of Virginia seeking an entry-level role in content marketing. Excellent copywriter with 2+ years experience editing content as a member of the UVa Writing Center.

Career Change Resume Objective.

Eager to apply 7+ years of experience with customer success management to make successful outbound B2B calls, deliver customized business solutions to new and existing customers, and provide expert product knowledge in the role of Account Manager for XYZ Inc.

Example Resume Summary Statement.

Accountant with over 8 years of experience in the medical industry. Adept at advising on management of cash deficits, reconciling departmental accounts, and creating new accounts and codes. Coordinated invoice preparation system for ABC that reduced contractor overhead by 19% YoY.

English teacher with a love of language and 6 years of experience teaching high school students. Developed new curriculum that boosted freshman reading comprehension scores by 12% and created after school book club for AP Lit class, resulting in 100% of participating students achieving a 5 on the AP Lit test.

Example Qualifications Summary.

Executive assistant with 5+ years experience helping maintain efficiency in an office of 25 employees Communicated directly with internal and external stakeholders, helping Senior Vice President manage projects worth $5M+ Proactively managed office schedules, identifying and prioritizing changes to ensure client satisfaction Recognized in a company of 500 for “Outstanding Achiever” in May 2019

Example Resume Profile.

Detail-oriented IT Specialist with 4 years of experience overseeing and improving the infrastructure of IT systems. Adept at building and running troubleshooting systems and testing services. Decreased security risk by 47% through continual optimization, while also improving the speed of client portal by 22%. Excellent communicator both internally and for client-facing discussions. Achieved 98%+ customer satisfaction ratings through weekly and monthly check-ins with accounts valued cumulatively at $500,000.

Entry-Level Resume Headline.

Bilingual College Graduate with 80 WPM Typing Speed and Tutoring Experience

Experienced Resume Headline.

Business Development Specialist with 6+ Years Experience Scaling Start-Up Tech Teams

For more on resume introductions:

Resume objective statement

Resume summary statement

Resume summary statement examples

Qualifications summary

Sample resume work experience sections

Work Experience XYZ Industries | Seattle, WA Marketing Associate | May 2019-Present Delivered weekly presentations to client-base to communicate brand messaging, increasing client retention by 11% Served as liaison between marketing and product teams, resulting in projects finishing 2 weeks early, on average Leveraged Excel skills to create and maintain spreadsheet to track consumer insights, emergent trends, and inform decisions of marketing team through competitive analysis Managed team of 5 contractors to juggle multiple priority projects simultaneously, never missing a deadline Initiated an affiliate referral program that PR team went on to turn into a revenue-generating stream valued at $30,000 annually ABC Corp | Seattle, WA Marketing Intern | September 2018-May 2019 Developed, maintained, and processed 20+ digital consent forms and distributor forms Worked collaboratively with a team of 10 marketing professionals, closely aligning our goals with the PR team Provided data analysis using Google Analytics and performed keyword research to increase blog traffic by 56% over six months Answered up to 50 customer queries by phone and email each week

For more on building the perfect resume work experience section:

Resume work experience section

First resume (no experience)

Examples Of Education Resume Sections

Graduated recently from a 4-year program.

Western Illinois University | Macomb, Illinois May 2020 Bachelor of Arts in Sociology | Minor in Psychology 3.95 GPA magna cum laude Dean’s List all semesters

Two degrees.

Fordham University | Bronx, New York April 2016 Master of Chemical Engineering Stony Brook University | Stony Brook, New York April 2014 Bachelor of Science in Chemistry

Anticipated graduation date (not yet graduated).

DePaul Univeristy | Chicago, Illinois Bachelor of Arts in History – Degree anticipated May 2021 Current GPA: 3.8

Older job seeker (graduated 10+ years ago).

University of Chicago | Chicago, Illinois Bachelor of Business Administration

High school graduate (no college degree).

Johnston High School 2016-2020 Head of Computer Club

More on crafting the perfect resume education section:

Education resume section

GPA on resume

Dean’s list

Magna cum laude

Examples Of Skills For Resume

Examples of hard skills include:

Examples of soft skills include:

Here’s more information on how to incorporate skills into your resume:

Resume skills section

Hard skills

Soft skills

Top skills for professionals

Skills-based resume

Resume writing FAQ

What is a resume?

A resume is a one to two-page document that focuses on professional experience, past achievements, education and certifications, and specific skills tailored to the job you’re applying for.

Almost every job application requires a resume, and hiring managers use them as a first impression in determining which applicants get a shot at an interview.

Whether you’re fresh out of college or have 30 years of professional experience, this guide should help craft a resume that stands out from the crowd and get you one step closer to landing your dream job.

What is the format for writing a good resume?

Most people will want to use a chronological or reverse-chronological resume format. This format is compatible with most applicant tracking systems (ATS) and is easy for employers to read. Additionally it helps highlight your experience, which helps prove your qualifications.

How far back should a resume go?

A resume should go back no further than 10 to 15 years. However, it is important that all your information is relevant. Therefore, do not include job experience that is irrelevant to your application, even if it’s fewer than 10 years old. Save that information for later discussions.

Should you personalize your resume for each job?

Yes, you should personalize your resume for each job you apply to. Many recruiters use ATS now, which will search for keywords in a resume and reject those that don’t have them. That means that the skills you choose to highlight as well as your opening, such as your resume summary, should be altered to suit each job you apply to.

You don’t need to rewrite the entire resume for each job, but it does show attention to detail and initiative to make sure that your resume is customized. It also makes it more likely that you’ll get past the first step of the process.

State of New York Department of Labor – Resumes, Cover Letters and Job Applications

Harvard University – Create a Resume/CV or Cover Letter

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Matthew Zane is the lead editor of Zippia's How To Get A Job Guides. He is a teacher, writer, and world-traveler that wants to help people at every stage of the career life cycle. He completed his masters in American Literature from Trinity College Dublin and BA in English from the University of Connecticut.

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