Resume Writing

Resume Writing Tips That Actually Work

Recruiters spend about 6 seconds scanning your resume (Ladders, 2024). Here is how to make every word count and land more interviews.

By Surya L.Updated Apr 19, 2026.9 min
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Tip: implement just 3 to 4 of these for immediate impact. You do not need them all at once. Below are the practical moves that consistently lift resume response rates, from summary writing to industry-specific tailoring.

Writing your professional summary

✓

Do's

  • ✓Lead with your years of experience and job title
  • ✓Include 2-3 top relevant skills
  • ✓Mention a key achievement with a number
  • ✓Tailor it to the specific job posting
  • ✓Keep it to 2-3 concise sentences
×

Don'ts

  • ×Use vague buzzwords like "go-getter" or "synergy"
  • ×Write a paragraph longer than 4 lines
  • ×Copy paste the same summary for every job
  • ×Use first person ("I am a...")
  • ×Include salary expectations or personal info

40 action verbs that grab attention

Weak verbs kill resumes. Replace “responsible for” and “helped with” by starting every bullet point with one of these.

Leadership

LedDirectedManagedOversawCoordinatedMentoredSupervisedSpearheadedChampionedOrchestrated

Technical

DevelopedEngineeredImplementedArchitectedAutomatedDebuggedConfiguredDeployedIntegratedOptimised

Communication

PresentedAuthoredCollaboratedFacilitatedNegotiatedPersuadedArticulatedBriefedAdvocatedConsulted

Achievement

AchievedExceededDeliveredImprovedIncreasedReducedGeneratedTransformedAcceleratedMaximised

Before and after: weak vs strong bullet points

Numbers make your resume memorable. A recruiter will not remember “improved sales” but will remember “$2.4M revenue growth.”

×
Weak

Managed a team

✓
Strong

Led a team of 12 engineers, increasing sprint velocity by 35%

×
Weak

Improved sales

✓
Strong

Grew quarterly revenue by $2.4M through targeted outbound campaigns

×
Weak

Handled customer support

✓
Strong

Resolved 150+ tickets per week with a 98% customer satisfaction rating

×
Weak

Reduced costs

✓
Strong

Cut operational expenses by 22% ($180K annually) through process automation

×
Weak

Built a website

✓
Strong

Developed a React application serving 50K+ daily active users with 99.9% uptime

Resume sections guide

What to include in each section of your resume for maximum impact.

Include your full name, phone number, professional email, LinkedIn URL, and city/state. Avoid full street addresses for privacy. Make sure your email sounds professional.

8 mistakes to avoid

1

Using an Objective Statement

Replace with a professional summary. Objectives focus on what you want; summaries focus on what you offer.

2

Including Irrelevant Experience

Every item should relate to the target role. Cut old or unrelated positions to keep your resume focused.

3

Listing Duties Instead of Achievements

"Responsible for" tells nothing about impact. Show what you accomplished, not just what you were supposed to do.

4

Making It Too Long

Keep to 1 page for early career, 2 pages for experienced professionals. Recruiters spend 6 to 7 seconds on initial scan.

5

Using Passive Language

"Was tasked with" and "helped with" are weak. Start every bullet with a strong action verb in past tense.

6

Inconsistent Formatting

Mixed fonts, inconsistent date formats, and uneven spacing look unprofessional. Use a template for consistency.

7

No Metrics or Numbers

Vague claims are forgettable. "Increased sales by 40%" is far more compelling than "Improved sales performance."

8

Typos and Grammar Errors

58% of recruiters reject resumes with typos. Proofread multiple times and have someone else review it.

Industry-specific tips

Every industry has different expectations. Tailor your resume to match.

💻

Tech

  • •List programming languages and frameworks prominently
  • •Include GitHub or portfolio links
  • •Highlight system design and scalability experience
  • •Mention Agile/Scrum methodologies
📈

Finance

  • •Emphasise quantitative and analytical skills
  • •Include relevant certifications (CFA, CPA)
  • •Highlight regulatory compliance knowledge
  • •Show P&L impact with dollar amounts
📣

Marketing

  • •Showcase campaign results with ROI metrics
  • •Include digital marketing tools and platforms
  • •Link to portfolio or campaign case studies
  • •Highlight content creation and analytics skills
🏥

Healthcare

  • •List all licenses and certifications first
  • •Include clinical hours and specialisations
  • •Mention EHR/EMR systems experience
  • •Highlight patient outcomes and compliance record

File name and format rules

Recruiters see your filename before they open the file. Sloppy names signal sloppy candidates. Use these rules:

Do name your file

  • Arjun-Iyer-Resume.pdf
  • Arjun-Iyer-Resume-ProductManager.pdf
  • Arjun-Iyer-CV-2026.pdf

Do not name your file

  • resume-final-v3.pdf
  • my-resume.docx
  • resume-keyword-stuffed.pdf
  • untitled.pdf

Format: PDF by default. Save with selectable text (not a scanned image). Save As PDF from Word or export from your resume builder with the PDF option, not Print to PDF (which sometimes rasterises text). Keep file size under 1 MB; a well-formatted text-based PDF is usually 150 to 400 KB.

Length discipline: when to cut

Most resumes that feel "thin" are actually too long. Density matters more than page count. Run this cut-test on each of your bullets:

  1. Can the first 3 words be deleted? "Was responsible for managing" becomes "Managed". Do this on every bullet.
  2. Does it contain a number? If not, either find one or cut the bullet. Vague bullets inflate the resume without convincing anyone.
  3. Is the verb strong? "Worked on" is filler. "Built", "Shipped", "Owned" are not.
  4. Is it role-relevant? A bullet for a past job that does not relate to your target role can go.
  5. Does it repeat another bullet? Two bullets both saying "led the team" become one.

For deeper guidance on 1-page vs 2-page decisions, see our resume length guide.

Proofreading workflow

58% of recruiters reject resumes with typos. Your own eye goes blind to your own writing after about 3 passes. Use this 4-step workflow before any submission:

  1. Read aloud. Your mouth catches awkward phrasing your eye glosses over.
  2. Read backwards. Start from the last bullet and read each one in reverse order. This breaks the narrative flow and surfaces typos.
  3. Run through a grammar tool. Grammarly, LanguageTool, or Claude/ChatGPT with "find typos only, do not rewrite".
  4. Have someone else read it. Fresh eyes catch everything the previous 3 steps missed. If no friend is available, print the resume and wait 24 hours before re-reading.

External references

Where to read more, from independent sources. Links open in a new tab.

Frequently asked questions

How often should I update my resume?+
At minimum, every 6 months even when not actively job searching. Record new wins while they are fresh. A resume updated quarterly reads sharper than one rewritten in panic the week you start looking.
Should I include my photo?+
In India: only if the role is customer-facing (hospitality, sales). In the US / UK / Canada: never. Many ATS systems flag photos; some companies discard photo-containing resumes to avoid bias-hiring complaints.
Do I need a references section?+
No. "References available on request" is also unnecessary. The recruiter will ask if they need them. Use that space for a stronger section.
How important is the resume summary for mid-career candidates?+
Very. A strong 3-sentence summary is the only section read in the 6-second first scan. For 5+ years of experience, the summary compresses your career story into something scannable.
Should I put my LinkedIn URL?+
Yes, if your LinkedIn is up to date and matches your resume. Use a custom URL (linkedin.com/in/firstname-lastname) not the default numeric one.
What if I have skills from hobbies?+
Include them only if they are job-relevant. A photographer who learned Photoshop from wedding shoots can list Photoshop. A software engineer with a wedding-photography hobby should skip it.
Is using Canva for my resume okay?+
For visual / creative roles, yes. For everything else, no. Canva templates often use multi-column layouts and image-based text that break ATS parsers.
Should I tailor bullet order to the job?+
Yes. The first bullet of each role is the most-read. Put the most job-relevant one first. Reorder per application.

Start building your resume

Put these tips into action. Pick one of our 20 ATS-tested templates, use the AI to rewrite weak bullets, and run the ATS checker before you apply.

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