Resume Writing Guide: A Step-by-Step Approach

1. Choose the right structure

Most applicants should use a reverse-chronological resume: your most recent role first. Freshers can lead with education and projects. Keep it to one page if you have under five years of experience, and two pages for most experienced professionals.

2. Contact details

Include your name, phone number, professional email, city and a LinkedIn or portfolio link if relevant. A full home address, photo, date of birth or marital status is unnecessary in many countries, so follow local norms for the job market you are applying to.

3. Professional summary

Write two to four sentences covering your role, years of experience, core strengths and the kind of work you want next. Example: "Data analyst with 3 years of experience in retail reporting, skilled in SQL, Power BI and stakeholder presentations, looking to support pricing decisions in e-commerce."

4. Work experience

For each role, list the job title, employer, location and dates, followed by three to six bullet points. Start each bullet with an action verb and, where you can, show the result.

5. Skills

List skills you can demonstrate: tools, technical skills, languages and relevant methods. Group them if the list is long. Match the terminology in job descriptions where it is accurate.

6. Education and certifications

Include the degree, institution and year. Add grades only if they are strong or requested. List certifications with the issuing body and the year.

7. Formatting and final checks

• Use one clear font, consistent dates and standard headings.
• Save as PDF unless the employer asks for Word.
• Proofread for spelling, tense and consistency.
• Check how it reads with the ATS resume checker.
• Tailor it for each application with resume tailoring.