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How to Write Resume Job Descriptions (With Examples)

How to Write Resume Job Descriptions

Focus on skills and achievements, include keywords, be selective about what you include.

• Prioritize Job Descriptions

Quantify Your Achievements

• Emphasize Accomplishments

Make Your Jobs Sound Better

When you think about job descriptions, it's likely that job ads posted by employers first spring to mind. But the most important job descriptions may be the ones you create yourself when you’re describing past positions on your resume.

These job descriptions show prospective employers what you have accomplished in the positions you've held. They also provide a synopsis of your experience and skills.

Well-written descriptions for each job you have held will help get your resume noticed and selected for interviews.

Here’s advice on writing job descriptions for your resume, what to include, how to quantify and prioritize your accomplishments, and examples.

What's the best way to write attention-grabbing job descriptions? Before you start adding job descriptions to your resume, you may want to make a list of accomplishments at each of your jobs. This will prepare you for writing your resume.

After you have written a job description, look for ways to make your explanation more concise:

• Craft effective impact statements.
• Highlight skills and achievements, providing only enough detail to support your premises.
• Edit out pronouns and articles.
• Begin phrases or sentences with verbs.
• Choose strong words— resume action words  like “initiated” and “supervised” are powerful and show that you’ve made an impact on your team.
• Having short descriptions that focus on the most powerful aspects of your role will help recruiters and hiring managers quickly take in and assess your experience. 

If you are submitting resumes to organizations that add them into  applicant tracking systems  (ATS), include as many industry and job-specific " keywords " as possible. When searching databases for potential candidates, employers seek resumes with the greatest number of "hits" on keywords.

Keywords are most often nouns, e.g., “customer service” or “computer skills.” To use keywords most effectively, be specific, use as many as possible, and sprinkle them throughout your resume. 

Your resume isn’t your entire  work history , and you don’t need to include every duty for each role. Determine the most relevant information by putting yourself in your potential employer's position: Will this information help convince the employer that you are a worthwhile candidate to interview?

You do not have to include every responsibility you ever had. Group together similar tasks. For instance, rather than listing "Answered phones" and "Responded to customer emails" in two bullet points, you can combine and say, "Resolved customer issues through phone, email, and chat conversations."

Prioritize Your Qualifications

Next, think about prioritizing the information you provide in each description. Present details that are of the greatest interest to potential employers first. 

Highlight your most relevant qualifications for the job by listing them first in the job description.

For example, consider a candidate seeking a job in interior design. The resume might reflect a retail experience in which 75% of the candidate's time was spent on the sales floor, and 25% was spent designing window and floor displays. Since the design of window and floor displays is most meaningful to an interior design employer, this should be listed before sales. 

Job Description Example

Sales Associate , Retail USA, New York, NY October 2021 - Present

• Designed all large windows using color as the primary focus.
• Created engaging point-of-purchase displays for slow-moving small items; increased sales of these items by 30%.
• Organized floor displays to maximize space and call attention to the latest merchandise.
• Utilized strong interpersonal and communications skills to serve customers; received employee of the month award twice.

Quantify as much information as you can (numbers, dollar signs, and percentages can all help to make your case). 

For instance, a bullet point that reads "Grew traffic 35% year-over-year" is more impressive—and informative—than one that reads simply "Improved traffic."

Employers like numbers. It's much easier to look at signs and symbols than it is to read words.

Nearly any description, for any job, can be  enhanced through the use of numbers . A waitress might start out with the description, "Took customer orders and delivered food." But a quantified description saying, "Served customers in an upscale 100-seat restaurant," provides much more insight.

Waitress, Maxill's Restaurant,  New York, NY January 2022 - Present

• Provided dining service for patrons at an upscale 100-seat fine dining establishment.
• Served meals, cleared tables, monitored five tables, and provided exceptional customer service to up to 30 customers.
• Trained new waitstaff on POS system, guest services, and restaurant policies and procedures.

Emphasize Accomplishments Over Responsibilities

It's important for employees to know you have the necessary experience to do the work required in the position. Still, many candidates will have this relevant experience.

To stand out, emphasize how you added value. Focus on accomplishments, rather than responsibilities.

As seen above, numbers can be your friend when it comes to  highlighting your accomplishments in your resume . As well, numbers provide context. For instance, you might say, "Increased revenue by 5%, after several years of decreasing sales."

Or, rather than saying, "Answered phone calls and dealt with customer concerns," you can say, "Resolved customer concerns, answering approximately 10 calls per hour. Became go-to person on the team for dealing with the toughest phone calls and most challenging complaints."

Employers want to know what you accomplished. Make it easy for them to see what you've done by using numbers and percentages.

While it is important to keep descriptions short, adding details and context can help show employers why you'd be a good match for the position. 

Customer Service Associate,  ABD Company March 2020 - August 2021

• Resolved customer concerns efficiently and expeditiously, answering approximately 300 calls per week.
• Achieved 100% of call performance goals for accuracy, speed, volume, resolution of issues, and customer satisfaction.
• Nominated for employee-of-the-month four times for excellent attitude and exemplary customer service skills.

There are easy ways to jazz up your resume job descriptions to  make your jobs sound super impressive . A few simple tweaks here and there can make your resume much better.

Key Takeaways

• Spend some time writing the job descriptions on your resume, since potential employers will read them carefully. 
• Focus on relevant skills and accomplishments—be choosy about the information you include, and place the most relevant information at the top of the job description. 
• Rather than simply listing out tasks, focus on what you've accomplished in each role, incorporating attention-grabbing numbers and percentages. 

Resume Job Description: Samples & Tips To Help You Enhance Your Application

In This Guide:

What is a resume job description, responsibilities vs accomplishments: how to enhance your resume job description, how to write your resume job description with achievements if you’re a newly grad, how do i tailor a resume to a job description effectively, looking for a resume job description example.

Getting your resume done is one of the most unnerving parts of the job application process.

Do I have enough experience? Which positions should I list? Can I mention my volunteer work history? Should I or should I not include a photo on my resume ?

These are just some of the questions that ran through my mind when I was preparing my resume.

I spent days researching the best resume practices out there, trying to craft the perfect document that was sure to land me the job.

I wanted my resume to stand out. To make an impact on the hiring managers. I wanted it to work.

And you know what? I made it work.

Surprisingly, all I did was tweak one part that hadn’t crossed my mind before – the job description .

So, stick around and let me tell you the story of how one section can make or break your application.

In this guide, you’ll learn:

• What a resume job description is and why it’s important;
• How to make sure you write a job description that blows all the other candidates out of the water;
• How to tailor your job description to the specific position you’re applying for.

BUILD MY RESUME NOW

Now, let’s start with the question on everyone’s minds.

To put it short, a job description section on your resume shows the prospective employers your past work experience (paid, internship, and volunteer), as well as your key skills and accomplishments demonstrated at a specific job.

It’s one of the most important resume sections .

It shows a hiring manager what you’ve achieved, what you’ve learned, and how that can be applied to the position they’re offering.

What a well-written resume job description does is highlight the fact that your skills and accomplishments are not only relevant to the job at hand – they’re exactly what the company needs.

When writing about your work history, don’t just list your duties at a past job – that’s boring and, to be honest, recruiters don’t really care.

What’s important to them is that you have the necessary experience, skills, and drive to manage and excel at the task you’ll need to handle.

Hopefully, you now know what a job description section is.

So, to make sure you write one that gets your resume noticed, I’m going to give you some hot tips, coming straight from the experts.

Let’s get right to it!

Focus on your skills and achievements

As I said, recruiters don’t really care about all the daily duties and responsibilities you’ve had before, even if your past job is relevant to the one you’re applying for.

I guarantee, every other applicant that’s held a similar position will have had similar duties. Your job title itself lets the recruiter know what they are.

It doesn’t matter what you did, but how you succeeded at it.

So, what you need to do is highlight your accomplishments and skills while you outline your duties. This shows the hiring manager that you can bring value to the company.

You don’t need to go into too much detail – a simple statement, such as “Created a custom client dashboard that reduced support tickets by 50%” is enough to show what you’ve brought to the table.

However, you can’t just throw any old achievement in there. You need to curate your content. So…

Vet your experience and select the most relevant information

You don’t have to list your entire work history when you write your resume job description, just as you don’t have to list every single responsibility.

What helps is to pinpoint which part of your experience will be the most important to the recruiter and focus on that.

Prioritize the information you include in your job descriptions. You may have achieved tons of things at your past job – but which one is the most relevant? Find out and put it first.

Try and put yourself in the employer’s shoes.

Will a recruiter looking for a web developer be impressed by how you increased Walmart’s Pepper Jack sales by 30% in a week?

Probably not, unless it’s his favorite cheese.

So, research the company, the position, and what is most important to them, and then match it to your skills and accomplishments.

Let the numbers speak for you

Take any achievement of yours. Can the information be represented by symbols and numbers? If yes, then do just that.

People find reading concrete symbols and signs easier than reading words.

Let’s go back to our cheese example from before. Which of the following statements is more impressive:

“Increased cheese sales” or “Increased Pepper Jack sales by 30% in 1 week by leading a successful marketing campaign”?

Even something as ordinary as cheese can sound fancy when you throw in raw data like that.

Be very specific when talking about your achievements and quantify as much as possible.

Make attention-grabbing section headers

Your work experience section is perhaps the most important part of that document. So, make it stand out .

You don’t have to name the section anything specific – Work Experience, Work History, Experience, Employment History – all of these are fine.

Just make sure it’s clearly visible. Go for all-caps, or bold, or add an accent, contrasting color.

The Enhancv resume builder lets you give all your sections custom names, so you can let your personality shine through and better reflect your expertise.

Put your work experience in a visible spot

I’ll say it again – your work experience is one of the most important sections of your resume.

Most recruiters will say that the resume job description is their main source of information on whether the potential employee will do well at a certain job.

So, it makes sense to put it somewhere where it can’t be missed.

Add this section right after your resume summary and before any others, such as Education , Languages , and Skills .

List your resume job descriptions in a reverse-chronological order

This is a very popular and quite useful tactic, and it’s perfect for most resumes, with minimal exceptions.

Start with your current or last job . Move on to the position before that, then the one before that , you get it.

By doing this, you guarantee that the hiring manager sees the best of you and your abilities.

Use between 3 to 5 bullet points for each job

The easiest way for a recruiter to scan through your work experience section is if you use bullet points to list your achievements, skills, and duties.

For each position, use from 3 to 5 bullets. The more recent the job is, the more bullet points you can use. The farther back you go, the fewer you need, and you can only list the most relevant information.

You don’t need a bullet for every single achievement and skill, either. You may have succeeded in a lot of different areas, but not all of them will be important in all cases.

Customize your resume and tailor the information to the job description.

Start each bullet point with an action verb

Eliminate any unnecessary words wherever possible. Hiring managers don’t need all the fluff, and no one wants to read through a 3-page essay about your previous work experience.

Keep it short and sweet.

Start each bullet with an action verb to make it clearer and more powerful.

Another helpful tip is to begin with the successful result of your actions, followed by the action itself.

“Increased Pepper Jack sales by 30% in 1 week by leading a successful marketing campaign”, remember?

Recruiters are more likely to remember the result than the process.

Include the benefit your actions and results had on the company goals

As I mentioned before, you need to decide on what will be most important to the company.

Not only do they want to know that you can succeed at the job, but they also want to know what you can bring to the table, what value you can add.

Give the hiring manager context, too. Show them how your skills can be used in practice.

I understand that it’s easier to write a resume when you have experience. It can be difficult for those straight out of college to figure out what kind of experience they can include.

I’ve been in that position, too.

Just because you don’t have any actual paid work experience doesn’t mean you’ll have to leave that section blank, though.

If you’ve only just graduated and you don’t have that much relevant experience, you can place the education section first, focus on your academic achievements, and put the resume job description after.

In the actual work experience section, you can highlight any other relevant experiences, for example – unpaid internships, volunteer work , student organizations, etc, up to 4 or 5 positions.

For your resume to really succeed, it’s important that you tailor it to the specific job you’re applying for.

You shouldn’t send the same resume with every application, just as you wouldn’t send the same cover letter.

But how do you tailor a resume to a job description ?

Don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it sounds!

One of the first things you should do is read the job description that came with the job offer. Read it once, then read it twice, then read it three times.

What you’re trying to do here is identify what’s most important to the company and what they’re looking for in an employee for this particular position. They want to know what you can bring to the table.

Match the content of your resume to the job description. If you’re applying for an engineering job , don’t talk about your time as a cheese salesman, unless parts of what you learned and achieved are really relevant.

A helpful trick is to pay attention to the keywords. Go over the job description and the position requirements and highlight any key ones.

Think of stuff like “detail-oriented”, “resourceful”, and “communication skills”.

Then make a list of all your skills and achievements.

Match those skills to the keywords. The more matches you make, the better your chances of writing a resume that lands you that coveted interview.

Sprinkle those words around your resume, and especially in your work experience section. This will help you pass the automatic sorting system, as well as catch the eye of the recruiter that scans resumes for keywords.

So, follow all the tips from above and you’ll be well on your way to crafting a stellar resume that gets you hired!

I know this can all seem daunting.

So, to help you out, I’ll give you some of our best examples of a great resume job description. And if you want more full resume examples to guide you, I’ve got you covered.

Take a look at this accounting analyst resume.

Now take a look at the following bullet:

“Participated in implementing automated accounting processes that reduced errors of accounting items by 55%”.

It has everything – it starts with an action verb, it quantifies the achievement – overall, I’d say it’s not half bad, wouldn’t you?

Now, let’s switch it up and examine this baker’s resume:

Let’s start with the placement – this resume doesn’t put that much emphasis on the work experience section.

Personally, I’d give some more thought to whether my experience or my education is more important in this case. However, work experience definitely beats the way I spend my time, so surely it should come before it.

Let’s look at the resume job description. Which one of the following do you think is more impressive:

“Ensured all prepared items are appropriately labeled, covered, and rotated” or “Resolved conflicts between kitchen staff which increased the efficiency of the kitchen by 50%”?

Probably the second one, right? So, they probably should have put it first on the list.

Overall, there’s room for improvement here.

And last, but not least, let’s shift the focus to this teacher’s resume:

Here, they’ve got the placement right – experience is important for a teacher, after all.

The bullets following their most recent position highlight their skills and achievements, and they’ve kept in mind what would be important for this job.

I probably would have started with “Contributed to raising retention rate from 75% – 89%”, but other than that – a fine example.

So, there you have it – you now know what a resume job description is, why you need one, and how to write one that skyrockets your chances of success.

To summarise, here are the most important things to keep in mind:

• A job description section on your resume shows the prospective employers your past work experience, as well as your skills and accomplishments.
• When writing a work experience section, focus on your skills and achievements, rather than your duties and responsibilities.
• Keep the information relevant to the position at hand.
• Quantify your achievements – employers like numbers.
• Make your job description section visible, make sure it stands out.
• Use bullet points and start each with an action verb.
• Tailor your resume to the company’s needs and requirements, but keep it truthful.

I hope this post was useful to you. Do you have any other questions? Do you have any experience you want to share? You can do so in the comments!

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How to Tailor Your Resume to a Job Description (+Examples)

3 key takeaways

• What a tailored resume is (and why it's essential in your job search!)
• Steps for how to tailor your resume
• Tips for tailoring your resume using the free Teal AI Resume Builder

The phrase "one and done" can apply to many situations, but writing your resume shouldn't be one of them.

A "generic resume" or "one perfect resume" just won't cut it anymore. 

Considering the technology available and what recruiters and hiring managers are looking for (combined with the number of people applying for a role in today's market), you need to showcase that you're unique to stand out. 

How can you do that? By learning how to tailor your resume in a way that corresponds to the job description of the role you're trying to land. 

What is a tailored resume?

A tailored resume is a customized resume explicitly designed to match the requirements of a particular job or company you're applying to. A tailored resume aims to demonstrate how the candidate is the best fit for the job and increase their chances of getting hired.

Customization in this situation means considering the language used in the specific job description, the responsibilities mentioned, and even researching the employer's expectations before including certain words or facts on your resume. 

Tailoring a resume is an excellent way to increase your chances of standing out from other applicants and being noticed by hiring managers.

Why you should tailor your resume to the job description

Crafting a unique and tailored resume is crucial because:

• It significantly increases your chances of receiving an interview invite.
• With so many applicants to compete with during the hiring process, you have to take all the steps you can to get noticed, and tailoring your resume is a great way to do this.
• It demonstrates how you're the best fit for the job.
• It draws attention to the fact that you've taken the time to research the company and understand the job requirements.
• Customizing your resume shows you pay attention to detail and are willing to put in the extra effort to secure a job.

And not only does tailoring your resume help you stand out from the crowd of other job seekers, but it's also an opportunity to showcase your relevant qualifications in a way that matches the job you're applying for. A tailored resume highlights valuable skills, experiences, and accomplishments relevant to the position.

TL;DR: Whether you're in project management or hold a job title as a sales manager, your general resume should always be tailored to the specific job description of the role you're applying to because it demonstrates how you are the most qualified candidate for the position. 

Why you should optimize your resume for applicant tracking systems

Behind the scenes, some job search sites and companies use an applicant tracking system or ATS. And while it has somewhat of a negative reputation, the ATS is absolutely nothing to fear.

An ATS is simply a software program that helps companies, recruiters, or hiring managers sort applicants into a virtual filing system. Applicant tracking systems allow hiring teams to find candidates through keyword searches like past titles or specific qualifications—quickly.

By tailoring your resume to the job requirements with your relevant qualifications, you increase the likelihood of hiring managers searching for job-specific keywords to find you, improving your chances of landing an interview.

Pro Tip:  With Teal, you can store all of your primary resume information in one place. Then, when you're ready to apply, use the free  AI Resume Builder  to create tailored resumes by adding and removing specific details in minutes with no manual work. 

Check your resume score with Teal

Teal's free resume checker gives you a personalized resume score to quickly see where your resume stands, and where you need to improve.

Your score is customized based on the specific job you're comparing it to, which can help you better tailor your resume accordingly.

The difference between a comprehensive resume and a tailored resume

A primary resume is a comprehensive document that includes  all  of your education, work experience, skills, and achievements. It contains a complete record of your professional history and serves as a reference for creating tailored resumes.

On the other hand, a tailored resume is a customized document designed to match a particular job's requirements. And it's created by selecting and highlighting the most relevant information from your primary resume and emphasizing the skills and experiences that are most relevant to the job.

5 benefits of tailoring your resume to the job description

Tailoring your resume for each job description might require a bit more effort, but it comes with substantial rewards.

1. Increase your chances of landing an interview

When you customize your resume for a specific job description, you're speaking directly to the hiring manager's needs. Your resume becomes the solution to their problem. 

By showcasing your skills and experiences that directly align with the job requirements. In turn, this significantly ups your chances of landing that all-important interview invitation. 

2. Demonstrate your understanding of the role

Adapting your resume to fit a specific job demonstrates your depth of understanding and keenness for the role.

A tailored resume is a clear sign that you've done your homework and grasp the intricacies of the position and company. It shows you're not just an applicant but a potential asset who's already started thinking about the company's needs.

3. Highlight your relevant qualifications

Your resume should reflect the top 10% of your qualifications that are relevant to the role you're applying to. When you modify your content for each employer's job description, you spotlight your most relevant qualifications for that job. No extraneous details, no fluff—just the essentials they're looking for, served up neatly and compellingly.

4. Set yourself apart from other applicants

In a pool brimming with talent, you want to be the one who stands out. Tailoring your resume helps you do exactly that. It underscores your genuine interest in the position and sets you apart from those candidates sending the same, unmodified resume to numerous companies.

5. Showcase your attention to detail and effort

Finally, a customized resume is a testament to your attention to detail and willingness to put in the extra effort. It suggests that if you're meticulous with your job application, you're likely to bring the same level of diligence to your role. This can be a powerful selling point to prospective employers.

How to tailor your resume to a specific job description

The process of creating a tailored resume involves two high-level steps:

1. Highlight the hard and soft skills, professional experiences, and key qualifications in the job description of the position you're applying for. 

2. Update your resume to address those specific job requirements and responsibilities directly from step

Whether you're a recent graduate, making a career change, or just ready for a new opportunity, creating a resume that stands out in today's market is no small feat. But with the right approach, you can tailor your resume to present your relevant experience professionally.

From selecting the right keywords to adding a personal touch to using  ChatGPT resume prompts , there are numerous tips and tricks to complete the steps above that can help you create a resume that attracts potential employers—so let's get into it! 

1. Use a specific job description

The job description will always outline what the company, recruiter, or hiring manager is looking for. Carefully read the JD and take note of the required skills, qualifications, and responsibilities. 

Here's the thing, you have to study and understand job descriptions to see if the role seems like the right fit for you. And you also need to do this to identify the best way to customize your resume to fit its needs. Essentially, the job posting is the company telling you exactly what they're looking for. 

Some key things to look out for include…

• Whether you need to have a degree
• How many years of experience are required
• What the day-to-day responsibilities are
• What previous work experience is most important 
• What tools you'll need to be familiar with 

Teal's Job Description Keyword Finder highlights the top keywords from any job description—no copying, pasting, or toggling between screens.

Then, Matching Mode will compare your resume to the job description —giving you a Match Score that you can use to tailor your resume with precision.

With Teal, customizing your resume is easy and effective. Match, compare, and optimize it for any job description in one central location.

2. Research the company

Looking into the company you're applying to, what they do, and what they stand for is crucial in your job search. Knowing these facts during the interview process makes a massive difference. As a bonus, it's not as expected in the application process, so understanding the mission, values, and vision can help you stand out. 

Here's how you can do this:

• Look at the company website
• Check out its social channels
• Zoom in on their core values if they have them publicly available
• Search for a video about the company and its product

Knowing and being able to provide important company information throughout the interview process can help demonstrate how you can contribute to the company and what unique value you can bring to the role. Take notes as you do that work, and paste them into the same word editing software mentioned above.

In the Teal AI Resume Builder platform, there's a free Company Tracker where you can record specific information beyond the company name or website. Add values, culture, and other essential details in the customizable "Notes" section.

Pro Tip:   Search for a podcast that includes the Founder or CEO. Hearing how they describe the company and what they stand for can help you get a feel for their messaging. Document key details in the Teal Company Tracker.

3. Dedicate time to the top half of your resume 

The top half of your resume is the most important because it is the first section that recruiters and hiring managers see. Making a good impression immediately is crucial to entice them to keep reading.

This section should be concise, well-organized, and visually appealing, using bullet points, headings, and clear language to highlight your key achievements and qualifications. 

If you can effectively communicate your value proposition in the top half of your resume, you'll increase the chances of getting an interview and being considered for the job.

4. Adjust your target title 

‍When it comes to the target title of your resume, you might think this should reflect the position you currently hold or held in your last role, but not necessarily.

The target title of your resume should align as closely as possible with the specific job description of the role you're applying for. So that means each time you fill out an application, you may need to tweak your target to fit the specific role the hiring manager is looking for. (For example, titles like Copywriter, Content Writer, and Content Marketer can have many of the same requirements, but the job titles slightly differ.) 

Making small changes like this will reflect your thorough understanding of the role. 

5. Personalize your professional summary 

Now that you've saved all the important researched information you need and adjusted your target title, you can customize your professional summary. 

The professional summary section, also known as a  short professional bio , is the top section of your resume, giving readers a brief overview of your previous work experience and top skills. In this section, you'll want to highlight the most relevant details and unique aspects of your skills and experiences for the job you're applying for.

Here's how to do this:

• Copy and paste some primary key skills and responsibilities into this section
• Lay them out in a way that's similar to the job description

This personalized approach showcases your ability to meet the job requirements and demonstrates your interest and fit for the position. As a result, it can increase your chances of getting noticed by the hiring manager and ultimately landing the job.

6. Customize your resume job description with professional achievements 

Your resume job description, or work experience offers insight into your professional impact and results.

Especially when you have several years of job employment history, you should have at least a handful of key  accomplishment examples  to add. (But of course, these will look different depending on your industry, if you've had multiple positions at the same company, and your seniority.)

Customizing your work experiences on your resume is important because it helps you highlight the achievements and important skills most relevant to the job you are applying for.

This process of tailoring your resume for each job application enables you to demonstrate how you can leverage your existing skills, previous experiences, and accomplishments to meet the position's specific requirements.

By highlighting your work history, you increase the chances of your resume being noticed by the hiring manager and also show that you're a good fit for the job. Additionally, it helps to make your resume stand out among the many other applicants—giving you a competitive edge.

Pro Tip:  Quantifying your relevant achievements is a way to showcase your dedication and success in past employment or educational endeavors.

Use the Teal Achievement Assistant to write more impactful achievements that showcase your results, not just your responsibilities. (Or try generating your achievements with AI!)

7. Incorporate relevant keywords

It is important to incorporate  resume keywords  when tailoring your resume to the job description because it helps ensure that it'll be easily discoverable by potential employers and applicant tracking systems. 

By including applicable keywords and similar language from the specific job description in your resume, you increase the chances that your resume will be picked up by these systems and seen by the hiring manager.

Incorporating keywords also…

• Highlights your skills and qualifications as they pertain to the role
• Helps your application stand out when hiring mangers search the ATS
• Demonstrates you're a strong fit for the role 
• Shows your understanding of the job responsibilities and ability to perform required tasks

This level of customization also demonstrates that you've taken the time to tailor your entire resume to the specific job, which can impress hiring managers and increase your chances of landing an interview.

To find resume keywords easily, use Teal. The  Chrome extension  highlights the top five hard skills in every job posting. (With Teal+, you can see all of the skills and keywords without toggling away from the job ad itself.)

Try Teal for free to get personalized keyword recommendations with your resume. Start mirroring the language from the job description.

8. Check your Match Score

Once you've tailored your resume to the job description, you want to see how closely they align.

The Teal  AI Resume Builder  compares the skills and important keywords in your resume to the job description of the role you're applying to. It has an analysis mode that grades your content and provides a Match Score. 

So what defines success? Well, you want your Match Score to be as close to 80% as possible. To improve your score, incorporate more keywords from the job listing into various resume sections like your achievements, professional summary, and target title.

Want to give it a try? See how closely your current resume aligns with the job description.

9. Proofread and edit

Ensure that your updated resume is written in a professional tone and free of errors, typos, and grammatical mistakes. 

Proofreading and editing are essential because they help to ensure that the document is free of any errors and inconsistencies, which can negatively impact your chances of being considered for a job.

A well-crafted and error-free resume showcases your attention to detail, professionalism, and competence, which can help you stand out among other applicants and make a positive first impression with potential employers.

Also, proofreading and editing can help you clearly and effectively communicate your qualifications, skills, and relevant experiences, making it easier for hiring managers to understand why you are the right candidate for the job. Make sure to review your resume several times to make any necessary edits to ensure that it presents you in the best possible light.

10. Complement your resume with a personalized cover letter

Finally, to seal the deal, use your newly crafted resume and the original job description to create a custom cover letter. 

You can do this with the help of AI and ChatGPT. Try a prompt like:

"Write a conversational cover letter for a job application as an  [position]  at  [company]  using the information below as a reference in 150 words or less." Then select "shift + enter" to start a new line and paste the job description and your resume. 

Pro Tip: Want to save time while crafting unique cover letters for every job application? With the AI Cover Letter Generator , you can generate personalized cover letters by merging your resume and any job description with the click of a button—all thanks to advanced AI technology.

Create a tailored resume and cover letter, all in one place.

Start tailoring your resume with Teal

Before you start customizing your resume, you need the right tools.

The Teal offers one centralized platform to pinpoint the right keywords, incorporate them into your resume, iterate with a Match Score, seamlessly track individual company details, draft custom cover letters, and more.

With Teal, matching your resume to job descriptions becomes organized, intuitive, and straightforward. Start enhancing your resume, one job at a time.

Great Examples of Tailored Resumes

Now that you understand how to tailor your resume to a job, let's review some examples to see what this looks like in practice for different roles:

Tailoring a Customer Success Resume

Title:  Customer Success Manager

Sample Job Description:  We're seeking a highly motivated and experienced Customer Success Manager to join our team. 

The ideal candidate will be responsible for spearheading customer success and retention initiatives, improving customer onboarding success rates, increasing customer satisfaction scores, and decreasing customer churn rates. The successful candidate will have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, the ability to analyze customer data and insights, and the capability to develop tailored customer training and education programs.

Tailored Title and Professional Summary: 

Target Title:  Customer Success Manager 

Professional Summary:   Industry-experienced  Customer Success Manager  with over four years of experience spearheading customer success and retention initiatives. Demonstrated history of  increasing customer onboarding success rate  by 15%,  customer satisfaction scores  to an all-time high of 93%, and  decreasing customer churn rates  by 20%. Responsible for identifying customer training needs and improving product utilization, resulting in a 12%  increased customer adoption rate.

Why this works:  In this example, the professional summary and target title align with specific accomplishments highlighted in the job summary, like increasing customer onboarding success rate, improving customer adoption and satisfaction, and decreasing customer churn rates. 

To see more examples, check out these 10 customer success resumes .

Tailoring a Backend Developer Resume

Title:  Entry-Level Backend Developer 

List of key responsibilities from the job description:

• Develop database schema and objects to optimize data retrieval and searching time 
• Write technical documentation of APIs and procedures 
• Create unit tests to identify and prevent bugs from entering the production environment 
• Implement security and data protection solutions to ensure access control of personal data 
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams on sprints to develop new features
• Troubleshoot and debug production issues 
• Implement RESTful APIs for third-party integrations

Tailored Work Experience:

Junior Backend Developer | CodeCrafters | 09/2022 – Present

• Developed a  database schema and objects  that resulted in a 25-35% decrease in data retrieval time.
• Implemented security and data protection solutions to ensure access control of users'  personal data .
• Successfully established a web services and microservices architecture using  REST APIs for third-party integrations .

Backend Developer Intern | 04/2022 – 07/2022 | Byte Builders

• Extensive knowledge of relational database systems in developing effective MySQL database schemas
• Wrote  technical documentation  of APIs and procedures to simplify support processes, decreasing the number of support tickets by 9%.
• Created  unit tests  to identify and prevent bugs from entering the production environment
• Assessed existing systems by  troubleshooting  production issues and suggesting best practices to ensure quality

Why this works:  In this example, the tailored work experience corresponds well with the job responsibilities for the role of junior backend engineer by incorporating keywords like technical documentation, database schema and objects, and unit tests.

The resume job description also points to any relevant metrics while using some of those specific keywords to demonstrate impact in those areas. (This work experience is a great example of how to create a resume with little to no job experience.)

See more examples of backend developer resumes here.

Tailoring a Digital Marketing Resume

Title:  Digital Marketing Specialist

Job description summary:

We are seeking a Digital Marketing Specialist with a Bachelor's Degree or higher to join our awesome team! This person should have strong communication skills and a proven track record of leading campaigns and implementing effective strategies while successfully communicating impact in a testing and learning environment. The ideal candidate has experience in SEO and SMM and will be responsible for developing and executing digital marketing strategies across various platforms, including search engines, social media, email, and advertising. The candidate will collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver on-time and on-budget projects and initiatives in a fast-paced environment.

List of key responsibilities from the job description: ‍

• Lead the end-to-end execution of paid advertising campaigns to increase sign-ups and conversion rates 
• Implement and manage online advertising campaigns in Google Ads to increase website traffic 
• Develop and execute digital marketing strategies across various platforms, including email marketing using Marketo 
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver on-time and on-budget projects and initiatives 
• Analyze data in Amplitude and create reports and presentations on campaign performance 
• Conduct A/B testing and multivariate testing to optimize campaigns 
• Stay up-to-date with industry trends and best practices

Tailored Education:

Bachelor of Science  in Marketing | 2015-2019 |Columbia University | New York, NY

Tailored Skills and Competencies:

• Search engine optimization  (SEO)
• Search engine marketing (SEM)
• Social media marketing  (SMM)
• Content creation and marketing
• Email marketing  and automation
• Paid media strategy and implementation
• Data analysis  and report creation
• A/B Testing & Multivariate Testing
• Communication
• Digital Advertising
• Public speaking and presentation
• Cross-functional collaboration

Why this works:  In this example, the candidate's education, as well as their skills and competencies, align with the job description in an easy-to-read, bulleted format. Including both hard and transferable skills with specific keywords from the listing gives the hiring manager a holistic view of the candidate's strengths while using exact same language as the job description.

And for more inspiration, explore our extensive selection of 1,400 resume examples

What's the best way to tailor your resume?

The best way to tailor your resume to a job description is by using the best resume app. Teal's free  AI Resume Builder lets you create quality, tailored resumes that will grab the attention of any recruiter. Watch the video below to learn how.

@teal_hq Replying to @kr._.007 Tailoring your resume is the best way to improve your chances for an interview, but it takes a lot of time... Here's how to effectively tailor your job for a role in under 5 minutes. 1: Check responsibilities and match them with your resume. 2: Match JD keywords. 3: Make sure your resume shows the skills for the jobs you're going for. #resume #resumetips #resumetok #resumebuilder #jobdescription #jobsearch #jobsearchtips ♬ Make It Better (Instrumental) - Anderson .Paak

Create a customized resume today

The bottom line is, tailoring your resume is absolutely worth the effort. Especially in today's job market, creating a resume that's tailored to the job description is vital to standing out and landing an interview. 

But here's the good news: This process doesn't have to be time-consuming.

With Teal, you're equipped with a tool that simplifies and accelerates this process—and the rest of your job search. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Should you tailor your resume for each job.

Yes, you should tailor your resume for each job you apply to. Customizing your resume for each position enables you to showcase the most relevant skills and experiences that align with the job description. This targeted approach can significantly increase your chances of landing an interview and, ultimately, landing that dream job. Overwhelmed by the idea of customizing your resume for each job? Sign up for Teal for free to tailor your resume faster.

What is generic vs. tailored resume?

The primary difference between a generic resume and a tailored resume is that a generic resume is a one-size-fits-all document you can use for any job application. In contrast, a tailored resume is specifically customized to match the job description and requirements and showcase your relevant skills and experiences.

Do employers prefer generic or tailored resumes?

Employers generally prefer tailored resumes over generic resumes. And they prefer them because a tailored resume demonstrates that you've taken the time to understand the company's needs and the job's specific requirements. Tailoring your resume to the job shows that you have a genuine interest in the company and the position (and you have the skills and experience necessary to excel in the role).

What does it mean to tailor your resume and cover letter to each job?

Tailoring your resume and cover letter to each job means customizing these documents to match the specific requirements, skills, and keywords of the job you are applying for.

Tailoring (or customizing) involves highlighting relevant experience, skills, and achievements (with impact!) that align with the job description to show that you are a suitable candidate for the position.

Want to see how your resume is tailored to a specific role? Try Teal's Resume Job Description Match ! 

How do I make my resume tailored?

To make your resume tailored, start by carefully reading the job description to understand what the employer is looking for. Then, adjust your resume to emphasize your skills, experiences, and accomplishments that directly relate to the job's requirements by incorporating the right keywords. Want to find the right keywords to tailor your resume? Try Teal's Job Description Keyword Finder !

Kayte Grady

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How To Write Compelling Resume Job Descriptions (with Examples)

It’s no secret that a compelling, attention-getting resume can be the difference between landing your dream job and crash landing into a sea of comparably dull resumes.

A great resume gives you a significant competitive edge in the job market . Conversely, a bad resume can bring your job search to a stall .

It is true that your job descriptions are just one part of writing the perfect resume . But it is also true that well-constructed, engaging, compelling resume job descriptions are the backbone of a modern resume that stands out from the pack.

How To Structure Your Resume Professional Experience Section

With the exception of entry-level job candidates , most job seekers will have a work history comprised of at least a couple of past employers and sometimes multiple jobs within each employer.

While choosing the right resume format will be an individual process for every job seeker, this format will include an employment history section for most job seekers. In this section, you will list each past job and other relevant professional experiences (such as volunteer work ) in reverse chronological order.

At a minimum, each job description in this section will include the company’s name, your job title, and the dates you held the job title. Most job seekers will also include the basic details of the job, such as the job responsibilities and other relevant information, such as technical skills or other key skills .

But, to write a really compelling resume job description, the key is to go beyond the typical recitation of job responsibilities.

The Insider Secret to Writing a Compelling Job Description

It is all about storytelling .

Hiring managers don’t care about what you were supposed to do (which is what responsibilities and job duties tell them).

They care about what you did–as in what you accomplished . And more to the point, how your accomplishments benefited your past employers.

When you use a storytelling format to write resume job descriptions, you captivate hiring managers with relevant, memorable content that helps the hiring manager to make connections between your past work history and your future potential.

Here then, are some tips for writing compelling resume job descriptions. Start with the basics and consider the ABC’s of resume writing that will have hiring managers’ heads turning.

A: Allow Verbs (Not Adjectives) to Tell Your Story

Fill each resume job description with verbs. Adjectives can make the text more engaging but should be used sparingly (read: extreme moderation!). Instead, use concrete examples of accomplishments headed by verbs to describe your work history.

Too many descriptive adjectives can obscure and make your job description seem filled with fluff. Verbs, on the other hand, imply action and accomplishments.

Compelling verbs showcase what you have done and highlight ways you’ve turned challenges into successes without the story getting lost in a pile of pretty prose.

You can see how to do this in the following resume job description example. Note the extensive use of verbs (highlighted) in this job description.

Formatting your resume job description with a few bullet points will also make it easier to read. Try breaking out accomplishments with bullet points. Ideally, between three to five bullet points per job description though a couple more or less is acceptable. Typically, you should include fewer bullet points the further back you go in the chronology of your past jobs .

By definition, an accomplishment is something that has already happened. In other words, it happened in the past. This means that each bullet point should begin with a past tense verb. Powerful, active verbs deliver your message with a punch.

Finally, use a thesaurus and diversify your verbs. Repeating the same words can lower effectiveness, making your resume seem flat and redundant rather than persuasive. The following resume job description examples illustrate all of these suggestions in practice.

B: Bland is Boring – And That’s Bad

Your goal is to stand out from the crowd . If your resume job description text is more boring than bold, that’s bad – and probably not going to open any doors.

Think about it this way. Advertisers spend millions of dollars annually creating commercials that grab consumers’ attention.

They want to get as much use out of every dollar as possible. That’s why they create jingles. Jingles stick in your head, and ads often include loud voices and bright colors that are hard to ignore.

Similarly, your resume is an advertisement letting companies know that you are their best option – a credible candidate who knows how to deliver value and garner results in challenging situations .

You want the hiring manager to walk away from your resume humming the tune that says, “this is the candidate I’ve been looking for.” Your resume job description is your jingle, as shown in the following job description example.

There are three parts to telling a compelling story in the job description section of your resume:

• The challenge or situation: What was the situation in the company when you worked there? What were the significant challenges or problems you dealt with? What were your primary goals?
• The actions you took: What did you do to meet those challenges, solve those problems, or achieve those goals ?
• The results: What were the positive results of your actions concerning the challenges or problems? How did your employer benefit?

Reread the sample job descriptions shown throughout this post. Can you identify the three parts? This is called the C.A.R. approach to writing a resume , and it is one of the trade secrets of professional resume writers . Done well, this is a fail-proof way of getting your resume noticed.

C: Connect the Content

Hiring managers typically put real thought into every job posting. When you read a job ad, you will often find a detailed listing of qualifications sought by the hiring manager. As a job seeker, when you submit your job application , it only makes sense that your resume should include some of the same wording used in the job posting.

There are two reasons for filling your resume job description text with the words and phrases that potential employers use in job ads.

The first reason is that these words usually describe key skills–both hard skills and soft skills– that are important resume keywords . Including the most important resume keywords are essential for ensuring your resume performs well in applicant tracking systems (ATS) .

The following job description example shows a pro technique for fitting extra keywords into your resume job description section.

In the following resume job description example, the job posting made it clear that the employer was seeking a strong team leader and coach with the ability to improve the performance of a sales team . The story told in the job seeker’s resume showed how past relevant experiences prove that this job seeker is the perfect hire to meet the employer’s needs.

The second reason for using these keywords is that they help show connections between your relevant experience (shown in your C.A.R. scenarios ) and the company’s needs.

For example, if the job posting calls for “agility and resilience,” each resume job description should highlight the instances in your employment history demonstrating those characteristics. Make the connection between your compelling content and the position you want to fill.

D: Do Your Homework

Beyond carefully reading each job posting, you should do your homework and learn as much as you can about your next potential employers . Knowing more about the company to which you plan to submit a job application will help you give even more dimension to your resume.

Review the company website and the company profile on Linkedin .

Research the history, founders, upper management, and the path between the early days of business to the present.

Get to know the company philosophy and what drives its success.

Learn the company’s target markets and identify its main competitors.

Read company news releases to learn about newsworthy events.

Familiarizing yourself with these details will help shape your job descriptions. In addition, this will aid you in making even more connections between your relevant professional experiences and the prospective employers’ needs.

E: Edit (Twice)

It cannot be stressed enough: a compelling resume job description won’t help you if a potential employer discovers an error. Spelling and punctuation errors will put your resume in the “do not call” pile faster than it can make it to the printer.

Some of the most common (and essential) mistakes to look for include :

Spelling : relying on spellcheck is dangerous. Read and reread what you’ve written, in particular noting proper names that a spell check may completely miss.

Punctuation : some things don’t belong on a resume for any reason – like an exclamation mark. Be sure your hyphens, periods, and quotations are appropriately placed.

Grammar : compelling resume writing knows proper grammar and uses it wisely.

Formatting : even a minor resume format change can influence the overall look of your resume. Double-check that the appearance is consistent and highly professional from top to bottom.

Final Resume Job Description Considerations

To get the interview , creating a compelling, modern resume is a necessity for all job seekers.

Improving each job description in the professional experience section of your resume is an essential step in creating resumes that get attention and win interviews . To create compelling job descriptions that show your personality and professionalism remember to use verbs, connect the content, do your homework, and edit until you’re sure it’s perfect.

But if you feel at all overwhelmed , we are here for you! You do not have to struggle to create a perfect resume . Instead, let us write it for you! Book a free resume writing consultation today to learn more about our professional resume services . It is an investment in your career that will pay off many times over!

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a resume compelling and stand out from the pack.

A compelling resume is one that tells a story about your accomplishments, not just your duties. It goes beyond listing basic job details, and it uses strong verbs to showcase actions and achievements. It also makes connections between your past experiences and the job you’re seeking.

What is the recommended structure for the professional experience section in a resume?

The professional experience section should be presented in reverse chronological order. It should include the company’s name, your job title, and the dates you held the position. Additionally, it should detail the job responsibilities and relevant skills you acquired during your tenure.

How can I make my job descriptions compelling?

The secret to compelling job descriptions is to turn them into stories of your accomplishments. Rather than just listing duties, focus on the challenges you faced, the actions you took, and the results you achieved. Using strong verbs instead of adjectives can help make your stories more impactful.

What is the C.A.R. approach in resume writing?

C.A.R. stands for Challenge, Action, and Result. It’s a technique for writing job descriptions on a resume. It involves outlining the challenge or situation you faced at work, the actions you took to tackle those challenges, and the results of your actions. This approach helps to tell a compelling story of your professional accomplishments.

How can I match my resume to the job posting?

You can make your resume match the job posting by including relevant keywords from the job ad in your resume. This can be important for passing through applicant tracking systems and for demonstrating to the hiring manager that your skills and experiences align with what they’re looking for in a candidate.

Why is researching about a potential employer important?

Researching about a potential employer helps you tailor your resume more effectively. It allows you to understand the company’s history, philosophy, target market, and competitors. This understanding can then be used to make more specific connections between your experiences and the employer’s needs.

Why is editing important in resume writing?

Editing is crucial to ensure your resume is free from spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors. A single mistake can give the impression of carelessness and might prevent you from getting an interview. In addition, consistent formatting contributes to a professional appearance.

What if I'm overwhelmed by the resume writing process?

If you’re overwhelmed, you can seek professional help. There are services available that specialize in resume writing and can help present your experiences in a compelling and professional manner. These services can be an investment in your career and help you land the job you desire.

About the Author: Michelle Dumas

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How to Tailor Your Resume to a Specific Job Description (+Resume Examples)

• Michal Tomek , 
• Updated November 7, 2023 13 min read

You're done with your first ever job. Yes, you're ready for a change. Desperate, you open your resume, update the date and send it to the first recruiter you find. Repeating this thirty times, you get one reply.

What's the problem here?

The good news is, it’s not about you being unemployable or lacking the skillset. You probably just didn't pass the first scan—because hadn't put enough effort in to tailor your resume to a specific job description.

Table of Contents

Click on a section to skip

Why is it important to tailor your resume? 

1. prepare your generic resume, 2. do your (job) research, 3. analyze the job description, 4. compare your skills and experience, 5. go back to the highlighted keywords, 6. consider the right design for your content, 7. to state the objective or not to state the objective, 9. ask for honest feedback, quick tips on how to polish your tailored resume, resume examples and what you can learn from them.

Let’s take Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as an example and let our imagination run wild.

The Rock is a wrestler thinking about a career change . He's deciding between becoming an actor or a fitness instructor.

Is he going to send the same resume both to the Universal Pictures and Gold’s Gym? God, no!

He's going to hit the gym as usual and think about how to tailor the resume based on what the different roles require .

For the acting job, he decides to emphasize the wrestling experience. After all, he did a lot of acting in the ring performing stunts every night in front of thousands of people.

When tailoring his resume for the Gold's Gym, he mentions his training sessions and achievements, as well as the diet and knowledge of human anatomy.

Tailoring your resume to a specific job description helps jot down what is relevant and stand out from the rest.

But at this point, you already know where I'm going with this.

Tailoring your resume to a specific job description helps jot down what is relevant and stand out from the rest. It makes the company feel like they're the only ones your heart belongs to. Which is exactly what makes you their best choice.

A tailored resume is a marketing tool to present and sell yourself. Remember, you are the brand you want to sell.

Does Microsoft communicate the same message to a corporate client and to a young freelancer? Sure not. They adjust their message the same way you should adjust your resume .

Here’s a proposal. We help you tailor your resume, and you get the best job ever. Do we have a deal? (Read with Tom Hardy’s Venom voice in your head.)

If you don't have a resume, there's nothing to tailor. So look it up in your Documents folder and open the latest version. If you don't have a resume yet or not sure how to write it, here's  a nice guide .

Some of the basic information will come useful even when tailoring your resume. You probably did not travel to the past to change your name, date of birth, or education. Or did you, Dr. Who?

Do you want to be an astronaut or a rainforest activist? Awesome but if you've never studied space engineering or know nothing about forests and rain, you probably won't get the job even if you tailor the heck out of your resume.

Even though always shooting for stars (pun intended, heh) is a great personality trait, you need to stay realistic about your skills and experiences.

Don't overestimate yourself. Do a thorough research and look for jobs you have at least a small chance of getting.

But nobody is saying you shouldn't challenge yourself . If you're already a barista, you can always become a great café manager or an assistant roaster.

Once you've found a suitable job position, you need to analyze the job description. Sometimes the best way to do it is to print it out, take a marker and get your hands dirty. Ask yourself:

• What are the essential keywords here? (Highlight them, they'll come handy later on.)
• What adjectives, nouns and phrases occur repeatedly?
• Which words are original or untypical?
• What language does the company use?

It’s not only about the requirements. How the company presents itself and how they're trying to get under the skin of whom they really want to hire is equally important. Soak in the general vibe.

Let's see what you can bring to the table.

Which requirements do you meet entirely and what qualities do you lack? Even if you're not a 100% match, you can always aspire to a specific skill or experience. Concentrate on your strengths .

If the company is looking for a “creative guru,” but you haven't been in a creative job yet, try to think of the “creative guru” traits you might have. Maybe you drew cartoons for a high school magazine, or you were the problem-solver on your current team. It might seem like a long stretch but things like these count.

Here's another example. If your desired job requires you to research questions and answering them, you might mention that you're a top writer on Quora. Of course, it’s not a paid “real-job-your-mama-always-wanted-you-to-have” type of position. But is it relevant? Hell yeah!

Here comes one of the most crucial steps in the process. The hard truth is it's not some sweet, Santa-like figure who'd be deciding whether to send your resume to the second round.

Most of the time, it’s just an automated, cold-hearted robot waiting at the gates. In the recruiting lingo, these robots are called ATS (Applicant’s Tracker Systems) .

These robots don't understand human language very well (yet!). On the other hand, they can read and search for keywords pretty well.

If you don't include these keywords, ATS might decide you aren't suitable and throws your resume away. Hurts, right?

You've already found your keywords. Add them to your resume. Use the same expressions as those included in the job description . But put them only in places where it makes sense, don't juggle them around.

Customize the look of your resume too.

Pick a resume template. Make it more you.

What form should a resume have? Not always the same.

Applying for a developer’s job in a corporation? A simple, clean, minimalistic approach is the way to go. Tailoring resume for a small yet established and famous online agency? A resume resembling lines of code might help you stand out.

What about the structure of your resume ? Sure, you always start with the name, address, date of birth, etc. But what then? Go a bit counterintuitive.

Even though you might want to put your most recent experience first, don’t do it every time.

Tailoring a resume means you want to fit it to a position you're aiming at. For this reason, you can sometimes leave the most recent for later and start with the most relevant stuff .

Make your resume eye-catching yet simple and easy to read. Today, the internet offers plenty of tools to help you with that (Kickresume saying Hi).

Should you add a picture? If applying for a fashion model, a good idea, for a bank teller, not so much. Also consider your country's best practices.

If you decide on a resume objective, be very clear with the objective statement. It helps you send an clear message to recruiters and grab their attention.

State what you're up to, what qualities you can bring to the job, what makes you unique, why they should hire you, etc. The right keywords go a long way here too.

The objective might also improve your chances if you're considering a career switch. Usually people wouldn’t understand why you're applying for a job with skills that do not match it. Here’s your window to explain get them hooked.

On the other hand, most HR managers believe that objective statements don't add much to your application. Especially, if you miss the point and only piece together a bunch of outdated buzzwords. If you're determined to include an objective statement in your resume, make sure it's good.

You don't see yourself the same way others can see you. And that can be either good or bad, depending on the circumstances.

You might have a skill that's worth mentioning but it would never cross your mind . On the other hand, you might have included a skill or experience you don't really have.

Ask a professional from the field you're applying to. They can help you point out misdirections or unnecessary information, add a skill you'd never thought of, or help you learn industry lingo.

No industry professionals around? Doesn't matter, ask your brother, mom, or your second cousin twice removed. Anyone who knows you a bit can help.

1. Stay clear and concise

In the age of fast thumbs and screens, no one's going to pay attention to your resume for more than five seconds .

Don’t waste recruiters’ time on prologues and epilogues. Don’t use fancy words or buzzwords. Go for the kill from the beginning.

Don’t make them read tons of text, highlight (bold, underline) what’s important. Write the information in bullet points, but with additional explanatory sentences, so they can quickly scan the crucial parts.

2. Be ready to prove everything

Always look for jobs that suit your abilities and qualities at least to some extent.

Saying something you can’t prove is a way to hell. Or at the very least, it's not a good strategy if you want to do well at the interview.

Don’t apply the “fake-it-till-you-make-it” rule here. Always be ready to substantiate everything — with a certificate, a course, an award, a reference from a colleague. You get the idea.

3. Use the right words

Every industry has its own jargon . And it's always to your advantage if you can use it in your resume.

Let the recruiters know you're familiar with the topic. Want to be a food critic? Make sure to use at least some culinary lingo.

Don’t forget to also address the tone of your resume. Every single word you decide to use can reveal something about your personality and work in your favor.

4. Share something interesting about yourself

This is not a cover letter. Don’t try to write a full-blown essays about yourself. But you can always leave little breadcrumbs of what kind of person you are .

A former race car driver applying for a school bus driver job who likes to bake his own sourdough bread? That's pretty memorable and well worth mentioning.

It shows not only that you have the driving skills but also that you care about living creatures. (And come on, from the five people around you right now, who bakes their own bread?)

5. Check spelling and grammar

It might surprise you how many hiring managers are also grammar nazis. Ask yourself, what aftertaste will your resume leave if your potential employer reads “your” instead of “you’re” or “has” instead of “have”?

Sure, not everyone can be a LeBron James of grammar. But everybody knows at least one person who can check their grammar and spelling. If you don't, pick one of the hundreds of proofreading services you can find on the internet (Grammarly, Kickresume, etc.).

6. Keep it ATS-friendly

Most recruiters clearly state in what format they expect to receive your resume. Stick to it. If they ask for a pdf, send a pdf. If they ask for edible paper, ask if they want some sugar with it.

It’s not just their way of playing games with you. Usually, all resumes go through a software scan first. And we've already mentioned how ruthless these robots can be if you feed them the wrong type of information.

Finally, don't forget to meet all other requirements they ask for – subject line, e-mail address, title, attachments, etc.

There's a gazillion ways to get your application discarded.

But if you're honest about your skills and experience, and if you stick to the steps outlined in this guide, you should be all right.

Need inspiration? Here are two neat cases of well-polished and tailored resumes to help you tweak yours.

Nike Retail Brand Specialist Resume Example

This resume sample was contributed by a real person who got hired with Kickresume’s help.

Sienna applied for a Nike retail brand specialist job. Surely enough, her resume helped her a lot. What can you learn from it?

• Do you see the sterile office picture ? Nope, because none is there. Vivid and dynamic photo expressing Sienna‘s personality is the first thing you notice. She kept the communication and positioning of the company in mind.
• Clean, yet visually pleasing and not more than one page long . This is something an athlete-oriented brand receives with open arms.
• Black shapes in the header and footer distinguishes her resume from others. Unusual color to go with but if put together decently, it can work. Think about ways to stand out from the crowd.
• Even though the text is in Swedish, you can spot the keywords coming out of the resume distinguished from the rest of the page. (If you don't, notice the Strengths section 😀 )

Air France Team Manager Resume Sample

On the first sight, this resume might seem too long and unstructured, but once you see it more closely, you realize it 's very well put together. What can you learn from it?

• You can either present information verbally and stack up a pile of various adjectives. Or you can be like Stien and come up with a star rating system . Great way for a software developer to show his skill with various technologies.
• Stien must have thought about his manager’s abilities and point them out. See page two (click the resume), and get wowed by the excellent system explaining his social, emotional, and cognitive traits without using many words.

The takeaway: remember these three points

Great! You've made it to the end of this guide, which means that you're determined to write the best you've ever written. In the end, it's not rocket science.

It all comes down to these three basic points;

• Be honest with yourself;
• Keep the keywords in mind;
• Give the recruiter something to get hooked on.

The first one helps you tailor your resume according to the job description and submit the most relevant versions. The second helps you pass the ATS to the next round. And the third one increases your chances of getting recruiter's attention and getting invited to an interview. Good luck!

If you enjoyed our guide on how to tailor your resume to a specific job description, share it with your friends. After all, sharing is caring! 😍

Mastered the art of tailoring your resume to a specific job description? Perfect! Now let's put that knowledge to action. Browse our comprehensive collection of resume samples and find one that suits your tailored resume needs.

I'm creating stories, then cutting them short. And my first drafts suck. Just as Truman Capote, I believe more in the scissors than I do in the pencil.

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• How to Describe Yourself on a...

How to Describe Yourself on a Resume (With Examples)

8 min read · Updated on January 23, 2024

It doesn't have to feel like nails on a chalkboard when trying to describe yourself on a resume!

How you describe yourself on your resume directly impacts whether you land that interview you so eagerly want. It's essential to describe your qualifications and experience in such a way as to grab the employer's attention without hesitation. 

How do you do that, exactly? By incorporating self-descriptive words on your resume that stand out to hiring teams and showcase that you're the best fit for the job. 

In this post, we start off with tips for developing self-descriptive words for your resume, followed by examples of descriptive words to use and avoid. 

Tips for developing self-descriptive words for your resume

It's not uncommon for individuals to struggle with talking about their accomplishments and strengths. We tend to share about another's skills and abilities easily, but when it comes to describing ourselves, we fall short. Fortunately, below are some steps you can take to boost your creative juices and find the words for your resume to help you stand out from the competition. 

Ask friends and peers for help

One way to come up with ways to describe yourself is to ask your peers, friends, and managers for input. For a comprehensive perspective, ask for feedback from those in your personal and professional lives. Here are some questions you can ask to receive the information you need:

What are three adjectives you would use to describe me?

How would you describe me to a coworker or friend?

If you could sum up my personality in one word, what would it be, and why?

Consider past performance reviews

Another way to develop self-descriptive words for a resume is to reflect on past performance reviews. What did supervisors have to say about you? What about coworkers who provided input? What were some of the strengths and achievements emphasized?

Make a list of your past accomplishments and strengths

Brainstorm to come up with a list of all your strengths, so you can more easily refer to them when describing yourself on a resume. Do this by first listing some of your key achievements and considering what strengths allowed you to achieve them. 

For example, suppose you implemented a new customer service rating system two weeks ahead of schedule, which led to a 10% increase in customer feedback. In that case, you might describe yourself as efficient and productive. 

Refer to the job description

If you're struggling to come up with the best self-descriptive words for your resume, refer to the job description. Highlight any skills, knowledge, and requirements you possess that align with the job. By incorporating these keywords into your resume, you're not only emphasizing that you meet the job qualifications but are also improving your resume's chances of getting past an employer's  applicant tracking system , or ATS.

Think positive

It's good to be humble and clear on your strengths and weaknesses. However, when it comes to self-descriptive words for a resume, you want to focus on the positives only - your strengths. 

Save sharing your weaknesses for the interview, when you'll likely be asked about them. During an interview, you can - and should - give your weaknesses a positive spin with context, which is challenging to do on a resume.

As you develop your list of strengths and how you'd describe yourself, work to develop some unique adjectives to use that are specific to your qualifications. Refer to the list of strengths you've developed, and look up synonyms for those words that could help you to stand out from other applicants. 

For example, instead of incorporating the commonly used term “creative,” you might use words like inventive or prolific. A word of caution is to avoid words that come across as boastful or exaggerating your qualifications.    

Review example resumes

An excellent resource to refer to when you're attempting to craft your own resume is to look at  resume examples  online. The resume examples you review don't need to be specific to your field, since self-descriptive adjectives and descriptive verbs aren't industry-specific, as shown in the examples below. This approach not only helps to generate ideas for self-descriptive words for your resume but also provides guidance on  how to write your resume  as a whole.

Self-descriptive words for a resume - examples

When it comes to self-descriptive words for a resume, technically, we're referring to adjectives, since adjectives describe a noun. However, two additional categories of words are essential to fully describe your abilities and work history: descriptive verbs and skills.  

Powerful adjectives for a resume

Here are only a few of the many adjectives you could use on your resume, with examples of how you might include them in a sentence. 

Adaptable:  Adaptable professional with ability to move from project to project within different departments. 

Compassionate:  Compassionate caretaker with 10 years of experience, working with hospices and providing end-of-life services. 

Knowledgeable:  Knowledgeable mechanic with 3 excellence awards for superb service and quality, earned in less than 6 months. 

Perceptive:  Perceptive speaker with ability to navigate an audience to know where to direct attention to garner the best outcome. 

Tech-savvy:   Tech-savvy Visual Artist with ability to bring together ideas and people to produce valuable and thought-provoking content, including images, videos, and graphics. 

Top tip: For an extensive list of 100 power adjectives, refer to “ 100 Powerful Resume Adjectives that Can Make Your Resume More Compelling .” 

Descriptive verbs for a resume

Action verbs  are vital in really making your work section stand out. Each bullet point you include for the jobs you list should begin with a power verb that emphasizes your role in the activity or achievement. Power verbs are also used in the resume summary to highlight accomplishments. 

Skills for a resume

Skills on your resume  should include a combination of soft and hard skills. In many instances, hard skills are spelled out and soft skills are inferred based on our past achievements. 

Unusual words to describe yourself on a resume

As mentioned, be creative and specific when selecting self-descriptive words for your resume, to help set you apart. A great way to do this is to use a thesaurus to gather synonyms for the list of self-descriptive adjectives you come up with. Some interesting choices that aren't used as often yet can still sound good on a resume include:

Inventive 

Self-descriptive words for a resume: what NOT to use

Yes, there are some words to leave off your list of self-descriptive words for your  resume. These words tend to be overused, generic, highly subjective, or boastful. Here are a few examples:

You might think you're likable, but likability is in the eye of the beholder. Instead of using likable, consider adjectives that refer to being likable, yet add value, such as team player, compassionate, and energetic. 

Intelligent 

Don't flat-out state you're intelligent, at risk of coming across as overly confident. Also, it should be inferred that you're intelligent by the other adjectives and proof you provide to back them up on your resume. Words like big-picture thinker, agile, and quick learner are better word choices.

Saying you're successful is very broad. Instead, you want to narrow your successes to specific skills and strengths with qualifiers and quantifiable data. 

Here are a few more self-promotional adjectives to leave off your resume. 

Got-to-person

Outside the box thinker

Instead of using these types of adjectives, come up with alternatives where you can show results linked to them. A good place to begin is by asking yourself, "What have I achieved that shows I'm a go-getter, the best, and so on?"

Where to incorporate self-descriptive words on a resume

Now that you've seen some examples of self-descriptive words, where do they belong on your resume? There are three main areas to place them:

Resume summary. Your  resume summary  falls just below your contact information and is the main area where you'll incorporate self-descriptive adjectives, with a few skills and power verbs. 

Competencies and skills list. Your  core competencies or skills list  should include the soft and hard skills required for the job, based on the job description. 

Work experience section. The  work experience section  is where you'll include the power verbs that describe what you did on the job, as well as some of the skills that supported you in doing so. You might also include some adjectives in this section, though generally, the adjectives are inferred. For example:

“Motivated team of 10 to implement an enhanced customer booking log project on time, resulting in an 8% increase in positive customer experience ratings”

From this achievement, one can infer that the person is motivational, a leader, and efficient. 

Apply a variety of self-descriptive words on your resume

Now you have some tips to help you discover the best self-descriptive words for your resume, with examples. You also know where to include them. As a final tip, when you incorporate your descriptive words, be sure to use a variety of adjectives and power verbs so your resume doesn't sound redundant. Good luck! 

If you're wondering if you're using the right self-descriptive words throughout your resume, why not submit it for a  free resume review ? Our  TopResume team of experts  will help to ensure your resume describes you in a way that lands you interview after interview!

Recommended reading:

How to List Certifications on a Resume with Examples

What Are the Best Fonts for a Resume

How to Include Relevant Coursework on a Resume (with Examples)

Related Articles:

Do Hiring Managers Actually Read Cover Letters?

How to Create a Resume With No Education

Why You Lose When You Lie on Your Resume: Learning From Mina Chang

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77+ Resume Summary Examples [& How-to Guide for 2024]

Most companies get hundreds or even thousands of applications monthly.

Hiring managers don’t have the time to read each resume in detail, so they usually end up scanning it for five to six seconds.

So, unless your resume manages to grab the hiring manager’s attention in those few seconds, they’ll just toss your application aside and move on to the next one.

That’s why, you want to make sure that the hiring manager can instantly tell that you’re the right candidate for the job before they even read your resume in depth. 

This is where writing an attention-grabbing resume summary comes in!

In this guide, we’re going to cover: 

• What Is a Resume Summary?
• Tips for Writing an Effective Resume Summary 
• 77+ Convincing Resume Summary Examples

Let’s dive in.

This guide is part of our larger resume series. If you want to start from the basics, take a look at our comprehensive guide on how to make a resume .

What Is a Resume Summary? 

A resume summary is a section that summarizes your resume’s contents. It’s placed in your resume’s header, close to your 

contact information , and it’s the first thing hiring managers see when they look at your resume.

When done right, your resume summary serves as a snapshot of your entire career. It shows that you’re a qualified candidate in less than five seconds, and it gets the hiring manager interested in reading the rest of your resume.

So, what makes a resume summary effective?

A good resume summary is two to four sentences long and includes:

• Your years of experience and job title
• Some of your biggest achievements to date
• A couple of your most essential skills that are relevant for the role

Let’s look at an example:

• Detail-oriented Technical Writer with 7+ years of experience in writing end-user documentation, specializing in user help guides. Excellent writing, analytical thinking, research, and time management skills. Rewrote over 80% of user help guides for 30+ products at Company X, resulting in a 42% decrease in product-related customer support calls.

New to resume-making? Give our resume summary video a watch before diving into the article!

When Should You Use a Resume Summary?

Hiring managers skim through resumes before deciding to read them, so candidates who grab their attention from the start stand a better chance of grabbing their attention. This is why you should always include a brief paragraph in your resume header that summarizes your strengths as a candidate.

Depending on your experience level, you can choose between a resume summary or a resume objective .

Resume objectives focus on professional goals, skills, and motivation for applying for the job, so they’re perfect for students, recent graduates , and other entry-level workers.

A resume summary, on the other hand, is perfect for seasoned professionals, as it focuses more on your past work experience and how it relates to the job you’re applying for. So, if you already have some work experience, we recommend sticking to a resume summary.

If you’re embarking on a career change , on the other hand, you can choose between a resume summary or a resume objective, depending on how your previous skills and work experience relate to the job.

When you’re making your resume, write your resume summary last. Creating a resume summary is much easier once you’ve already finished up your work experience section! 

5 General Resume Summary Examples

There are different aspects of your professional background that you can focus on when writing your resume summary.

Let’s look at some examples and what they do right:

• A hard-working bartender with over five years of experience providing professional service at various bars across Brooklyn. I have received the Hospitality Skill Certification for Bartenders and I know how to make over 200 alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails. Seeking the Head Bartender position at Bar X, where my skills and beverage knowledge can be leveraged to offer customers the highest quality of service.

Above all, this resume summary shows how experienced the candidate is. Their main selling point is their vast bartending knowledge, followed by an impressive bartending qualification and customer service skills .

• Communicative financial analyst, specializing in informative and persuasive financial presentations, cost accounting, and team management. Master’s Degree in Finance and two related certifications from the Corporate Finance Institute. Extensive experience with a variety of software programs, including SQL, Equitrak, and Lawson.

What sticks out the most in this resume summary is the candidate’s educational background and certifications. It matches the field they’re applying for, and their knowledge also extends to the most important professional software.

• Human Resources Manager with 7+ years of experience seeks to improve overall efficiency at XYZ Office. Career highlights include handling all employee relations in a 75-employee finance firm, reducing recruitment lead time by 35%, and increasing employee retention by 17%.

In addition to the candidate’s long professional experience, the most impressive part of this resume summary is their achievements . The candidate also made sure to quantify their professional accomplishments, which gives you credibility and shows you know what you're talking about.

• Detail-oriented receptionist with 4+ years of experience in customer service. Efficient in performing the administrative and front-desk tasks of large-scale offices. Fluent in Norwegian, English, Spanish, and Swedish. Proficient in MS Office Suite and ZenDesk.

This resume summary shows off the candidate’s key skills, including language proficiency , extensive customer service experience, and computer skills .

• Hard-working and passionate Secondary Social Studies teacher with 10+ years of experience in creating positive environments in which teenagers can learn and grow. Incorporates interdisciplinary knowledge into the classroom to engage students of all learning orientations. 

This candidate mentions they have more than a decade of work experience , but the main takeaway is what they can do on the job. The hiring manager who reads this resume summary can immediately see what this applicant can bring to the team.

How to Write a Resume Summary

Now, let’s get down to business – how can you write a resume summary that’s guaranteed to catch the hiring manager’s attention?

Let’s start with the basics. Here’s what your resume summary should include:

• Experience. If you have a lot of relevant professional experience, you should summarize it. This may include your job titles and years of experience in the field. (e.g., “Facebook marketer with 5+ years of experience..." )
• Skills. Mention your areas of expertise, specializations, certifications , and/or skills. (e.g., “Experienced in managing Facebook ad accounts and SEO copywriting..." )
• Achievements. Add one or two impressive achievements to show what you can do. (e.g., “Managed over $100,000 in marketing budget over several accounts and reduced annual company costs by 16%.” )

The next step is to take your resume summary from good to great by following these expert tips:

#1. Tailor Your Resume Summary

You could be an excellent candidate with tons of work experience, but if your resume summary isn’t tailored to the job ad, the hiring manager probably won’t be impressed.

If the hiring manager doesn’t see your value in the first seven seconds of reading your resume , you probably won’t get them to give it a second glance.

This is where tailoring your resume summary comes in. Just reference the job description to make sure your work experience, skills, and achievements all match what the employer is looking for in a candidate.

Let’s go over it in detail.

Imagine you’re applying for this specific job:

The ad tells you exactly what the company is looking for in a candidate.

So here’s what a resume summary tailored to this ad might look like:

• Professional marketer manager with 5+ years of experience in digital marketing. Social media marketing experience, including Facebook, Google, and LinkedIn advertising. Experience in managing an account with a monthly budget of $30,000. B.A. in marketing management. Fluent in German. 

By carefully tailoring your resume summary to the ad and mentioning what the company is looking for, the hiring manager will be hooked! They’ll immediately think, “This is the right person for the job!” and read the rest of your resume in detail.

Tailoring your resume summary to the job description can also help you get past Applicant Tracking Systems that companies use to filter through resumes. This is software that scans applications and disqualifies candidates who don’t mention specific skills or add enough keywords from the job description throughout their resume, so the more you tailor your resume to the job, the better your chances!

#2. Quantify Your Achievements

Your resume summary is supposed to be brief, which means you’re not supposed to list all your achievements. So, make sure to mention the ones that are most relevant and impactful for the role you’re applying for to pique the hiring manager’s attention.

The best way to back up your accomplishments is by providing concrete data.

Quantifiable achievements are instantly more credible and more likely to leave a good impression than vague statements. 

Let’s compare:

• Helped customers sign up on our platform.
• Onboarded 100+ customers to our SaaS platform with a retention rate of over 75%.

See the difference? In fact, the first example sounds more like a responsibility than an achievement.

Here’s what this applicant's entire resume summary would look like:

• Customer service representative with 5+ years of experience in telephone customer service, tech support, and customer care. Familiar with Intercom, Drift, and several other customer service software solutions. Handled up to 100 calls daily with a retention rate of over 75%. 

In some fields, there aren’t many achievements that you can mention. For example, saying that you served 50 people a day isn’t an achievement if you're a server. Don’t fret! In such cases, it’s OK to stick with your key responsibilities simply.

#3. Use Power Words and Action Verbs

Saying you’re a “team player” who was “responsible for” this or “managed” that is boring.

To stand out from every other applicant using the same words, you need to use the right action verbs and power words .

These words can make your skills and achievements pop, and the hiring manager will appreciate that you’re going the extra mile to describe your experience.

Let’s compare how the same sentence with and without power words plays out:

• Spearheaded Company X’s content marketing operations.
• Responsible for content marketing at Company X.

While both of these sentences say the same thing, the first one makes you seem more competent and implies initiative and leadership skills. The second just comes off as passive.

To drive the point home, here’s what a resume summary looks like packed with action words:

#4. Follow Our Formula

When you get down to writing your resume summary, you might still not be sure where to start or what to add.

Don’t worry!

We have a tried and tested formula that you can follow to write the perfect resume summary.

77+ Convincing Resume Summary Examples (For Different Fields)

Need inspiration to write your resume summary? No sweat!

We’ve curated a list of 77+ resume summary examples for different professions to help inspire you.

Sales and Customer Service Resume Summary Examples

#1. sales associate resume summary.

“Enthusiastic and knowledgeable sales associate specialized in upselling furniture and dealing with customer objections. Proven 2-year track record of success at Company X, having exceeded department KPIs by 40-50% for 6 months in a row.”

Read the full sales associate resume example here.

#2. Account Manager Resume Summary

“Client-oriented account manager with a successful track record in the oil industry. Managed accounts worth over $500K while working with clients such as BP and Lukoil.”

#3. Software Support Specialist Resume Summary

“Software support specialist with 5+ years of experience in providing support and assistance to clients, managing user accounts, and recruiting and hiring new IT support interns. Built customer relationships and trust with 20+ B2B clients. Skilled at simplifying complex problems, making it easy for non-technical specialists to solve IT issues.”

#4. Customer Service Representative Resume Summary

“Dedicated and trustworthy customer service specialist with four years of experience in online software troubleshooting, tech support, and customer care. Experienced in using Intercom and Drift. Received an average 87% customer satisfaction rating to date, 15% higher than the company average.”

Read the full customer service resume example here.

#5. Cashier Resume Summary

“Reliable and detail-oriented cashier. Skilled at mathematics, thinking on my feet, and solving any potential customer issues that arise without help from management. Experience in training and onboarding 3+ new cashiers at Company X.”

Read the full cashier resume example here.

#6. Retail Manager Resume Summary

“Retail Manager with 5 years of experience managing mid-sized retail stores. Increased store revenue by 15% through effective team management and customer engagement strategies. Proficient in inventory control, merchandising, and staff training. Looking to leverage retail management expertise in a larger, high-volume store setting.”

Read the full retail manager resume example here.

#7. Barista Resume Summary

“Passionate Barista with 2 years of experience in specialty coffee shops. Known for crafting signature beverages and maintaining high standards of customer service. Consistently received positive feedback for friendly demeanor and quick, accurate order fulfillment.”

Read the full barista resume example here.

#8. Server Resume Summary

"Dedicated Server with 3 years of experience in fast-paced dining environments. Skilled in order accuracy, multitasking, and providing exceptional customer service. Recognized for ability to maintain composure and efficiency during peak hours."

Read the full server resume example here.

#9. Waiter Resume Summary

“Positive and friendly waiter with 3 years of experience working at a fast-paced Italian restaurant. People skills with a proven ability to upsell alcohol, desserts, and appetizers to customers. Memorized restaurant’s wine stock and accompanying meals to the T.”

Read the full waiter resume example here.

#10. Front Desk Agent Resume Summary

“Front Desk Agent with 4 years of experience in the hospitality industry, excelling in customer service at busy city-center hotels. Skilled in handling reservations, guest inquiries, and providing travel recommendations. Committed to enhancing guest experiences and maintaining a high standard of service.”

#11. Housekeeper Resume Summary

“Hard-working house-keeper with 5+ years of experience. Past experiences include working as a housekeeper in hotels as well as private residences. Proven time-management skills and deep familiarity with all cleaning materials and tools.”

#12. Line Cook Resume Summary

“Line Cook with 3 years of experience in high-volume kitchens. Efficient in meal preparation and plating, with a focus on maintaining quality and speed. Trained in various cuisines and knowledgeable about food safety standards.”

#13. Restaurant Manager Resume Summary

“Professional restaurant manager with a strong interest in providing the highest standards of customer service and ensuring customer satisfaction. Skilled at reducing staff turnover, conflict resolution, marketing, and upselling techniques. Increased restaurant revenue by 20% through advertising lunch menu and word-of-mouth strategies.”

#14. Bar Manager Resume Summary

“Experienced Bar Manager with 7 years overseeing busy urban bars. Successfully increased annual sales by 20% through innovative marketing and menu redesign. Expert in inventory management, staff training, and creating a welcoming atmosphere for patrons. Seeking to bring leadership and efficient operational skills to a high-end establishment.”

Read the full bar manager resume example here.

Administrative and HR Resume Summary Examples

#15. receptionist resume summary.

"Organized Receptionist with 3 years of experience in corporate and medical office settings. Efficient in managing multiple phone lines, scheduling appointments, and providing administrative support. Known for a welcoming demeanor and effectively handling client inquiries."

Read the full receptionist resume example here.

#16. Recruiter Resume Summary

"Communicative professional with 5+ years of experience in recruitment. Worked with every part of the recruitment process, including sourcing, vetting, and onboarding of candidates. Passionate about IT recruitment, having worked as a tech recruiter at Company X. MBA from University X."

Read the full recruiter resume example here.

#17. Human Resources Specialist Resume Summary

“Human Resources Specialist with 6 years of experience focusing on employee retention and satisfaction. Implemented employee engagement programs that increased retention rates by 25%. Skilled in conflict resolution, performance management, and creating positive work environments. Dedicated to fostering a culture of continuous improvement and employee development.”

Read the full human resources resume example here.

#18. Office Manager Resume Summary

“Office manager with 5+ years of experience in controlling inventory, ordering and tracking new supplies, developing procedures and training material for staff. Strong communication skills, organized, with a track record of success.”

Read the full office manager resume example here.

#19. Secretary Resume Summary

“Professional Secretary with 4 years of experience in fast-paced legal and corporate environments. Proficient in document preparation, managing executive schedules, and coordinating meetings. Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail, ensuring efficient office operations.”

#20. Executive Assistant Resume Summary

“Accomplished executive assistant with experience in providing support to a high-level CEO and other executives for 4 years. Helped with everything from customer support to data entry and preparing well-researched documents. Skilled at time management, proficient in MS Office and Adobe Photoshop.”

Read the full executive assistant resume example here.

#21. Administrative Assistant Resume Summary

“Experienced administrative assistant seeking to leverage advanced administrative skills for improved efficiency at Media XYZ. 5+ years of industry experience includes decreasing data entry mistakes by 23%, decreasing negative feedback by 11%, and giving insights into creating paperless office environments.”

Read the full administrative assistant resume example here.

#22. Data Entry Resume Summary

“Data entry clerk with 3+ years of experience in verifying complex data, maintaining databases, and producing monthly reports using advanced Excel functions. Known for quick typing skills, eye for detail, and the ability to keep clients and employers happy.”

Read the full data entry resume example here.

Finance Resume Summary Examples

#23. accountant resume summary.

“Licensed Certified Public Accountant with 10+ years of experience in budget analysis, financial audits, and forensic accounting. Created financial reports within a five-person finance team and managed a $500,000 budget. Over the two years working there, helped cut annual company expenses by 15%.”

Read the full accountant resume example here.

#24. Financial Analyst Resume Summary

“Dedicated financial analyst with a track record of successful investments. 5+ years of experience in investment banking, with a focus on the oil industry. Responsible for analyzing potential investments, as well as conducting industry, market, and company-specific research. MBA in Finance.”

Read the full financial analyst resume example here.

#25. Bank Teller Resume Summary

“Bank teller with 2+ years of experience in client-facing roles at Bank X, where I handled customer transactions, cross-selling bank products, and keeping customers happy by providing a professional and efficient service. Followed strict and safe deposit box operations guidelines and processed 100+ customer transactions daily.”

Read the full bank teller resume example here.

#26. Banker Resume Summary

"Experienced Banker with 5 years of expertise in personal and small business banking. Managed a portfolio of high-value accounts, increasing client satisfaction and financial performance. Skilled in financial advising, loan processing, and risk management. Committed to helping clients achieve their financial goals with tailored solutions."

Read the full banker resume example here.

Business Resume Summary Examples

#27. business analyst resume summary.

“Solutions-driven business analyst with over 5 years of experience in consulting businesses and analyzing their operations. Previous experience in working with Consulting Company X and Consulting Company Y. Strong understanding of digital transformation. Improved a client company’s processes by taking them online, which improved manufacturing output by 3%.”

Read the full business analyst resume example here.

#28. Business Development Manager Resume Summary

"Dynamic Business Development Manager with 7 years of experience in identifying and pursuing new market opportunities. Led initiatives that resulted in a 30% increase in annual revenue. Strong background in strategic planning, client relations, and market analysis. Proven ability to drive business growth and forge strong partnerships.”

Read the full business development manager resume example here.

#29. Project Manager Resume Summary

“Project manager with a proven track record of working with agile and waterfall project management methodologies. Managed 5+ teams of software projects over the past 3 years. Basic understanding of several programming languages, including Java, React, and NodeJS.”

Read the full project manager resume example here.

Marketing and Advertising Resume Summary Examples

#30. marketing executive resume summary.

"Accomplished Marketing Executive with 10 years of experience in developing and executing comprehensive marketing strategies in the technology sector. Led campaigns that increased brand awareness by 40% and consistently exceeded sales targets by 15-20%. Expertise in digital marketing, market research, and team leadership. Committed to driving market growth and enhancing brand positioning for leading tech companies."

Read the full marketing executive resume example here.

#31. Marketing Manager Resume Summary

“Marketing manager with 4+ years of experience in a corporate environment. Good eye for design, with experience in creating marketing materials with Canva. Intermediate copywriting skills, having worked on the company website, flyers, and several other content pieces.”

Read the full marketing manager resume example here.

#32. Social Media Marketing Manager Resume Summary

“Creative social media manager with 2+ years of experience and a passion for boosting brand awareness and customer engagement. Skilled in copywriting and basic graphic design tools. Personally started and grew a Facebook page for my consultancy brand from 0-1,000+ in just a month. Looking to help Company X establish an online presence and increase their social presence.”

#33. Content Marketer Resume Summary

“Accomplished professional with 3+ years of experience in marketing, content writing, and outreach. Experience in writing for high-authority publications like Forbes, Business Insider, and more. Looking to help Company X increase their online presence and generate more leads through content.”

#34. SEO Specialist Resume Summary

“Results and data-driven SEO specialist with experience in keyword research, developing and marketing evergreen content, and increasing overall website rankings. Freelancing for over 2 years. Grew Company X from 50,000 daily visits to 100,000 within a year by creating long-form content and conducting backlink outreach.”

Read the full digital marketing resume here.

#35. PPC Specialist Resume Summary

“Data-driven SEM professional with 5+ years of experience with Google Analytics, AdWords, Google Display Ads, and Facebook/LinkedIn Ads. Managed a monthly advertising budget of $50,000 over 4 clients.”

IT and Software Development Resume Summary Examples

#36. it specialist resume summary.

“Competent IT specialist with 5+ years of experience working with Windows Server 2016. Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert. Advanced knowledge in SQL, C++, Bash, and Linux.”

Read the full IT resume example here.

#37. Software Engineer Resume Summary

“Results-oriented software engineer with a focus on the design and implementation of relational database systems. 8+ years of experience in developing cutting-edge engineering solutions with a wide range of eCommerce and technology features. Skilled in agile processes, backend and frontend development, and creating eCommerce websites that integrate with Paypal, Stripe, and other payment APIs.”

Read the full software engineer resume example here.

#38. Cyber Security Resume Summary

"Cyber Security Specialist with 6 years of experience in threat analysis and network defense. Implemented security protocols reducing data breaches by 40% at TechSecure Inc. Certified in CISSP and experienced in cybersecurity technologies including firewalls and endpoint security. Eager to bring advanced threat detection and mitigation strategies to XYZ Cyber Solutions."

#39. Web Developer Resume Summary

"Dynamic Web Developer with 3 years of experience in designing and developing user-friendly websites. Proficient in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and React. Developed an e-commerce site that increased client sales by 30%. Looking to contribute innovative and efficient web solutions at CreativeWeb Studios."

Read the full web developer resume example here.

#40. Computer Scientist Resume Summary

“Creative and people-oriented computer scientist with up to 2 years of working with tech startups. Advanced knowledge of software design principles and agile development principles. Led and managed a team of five in developing new software from concept to delivery.”

Read the full computer scientist resume example here.

#41. Data Scientist Resume Summary

“Business-minded data scientist with a demonstrated ability to deliver valuable insights via data analytics. 10+ years of professional experience in working with CEOs and VPs of Fortune 500 companies. Deep understanding of statistical models, algorithms, and multivariate analysis.”

Read the full data scientist resume example here.

#42. Data Analyst Resume Summary

“Detail-oriented data analyst passionate about helping businesses grow. Former small business owner. Conducted research using three different focus groups and increased sales by 10% over 4 months. MBA recipient with strong technical skills in data mining and data, survey creation, and quantitative methods.”

Read the full data analyst resume example here.

#43. DevOps Engineer Resume Summary

"DevOps Engineer with 8 years of experience in automating and optimizing mission-critical deployments. Led a team that reduced deployment times by 50% through CI/CD pipeline enhancements. Skilled in cloud technologies and infrastructure as code with certifications in AWS and Terraform. Committed to improving operational efficiency at XYZ Tech."

Read the full DevOps engineer resume example here.

#44. AI Engineer Resume Summary

"AI Engineer with 4 years of experience specializing in machine learning and natural language processing. Developed AI models that improved customer interaction accuracy by 35% for a leading tech firm. M.Sc. in Artificial Intelligence. Passionate about deploying cutting-edge AI solutions at AI Innovators Inc."

Read the full AI engineer resume example here.

#45. Java Developer Resume Summary

"Experienced Java Developer with 5 years of experience in building scalable and efficient applications. Contributed to a major project that enhanced application performance by 25%. Strong background in Spring Framework and microservices. Aiming to apply robust coding skills to develop innovative software solutions at XYZ Tech Solutions."

Read the full Java developer resume example here.

Health and Medicine Resume Summary Examples

#46. nurse resume summary.

“Registered nurse specialized in psychiatric nursing. Developed strong psychiatric evaluation and treatment planning skills after 5 years of working at Hospital X. Experienced in administrative work, management, and training new employees.”

Read the full nurse resume example here.

#47. Medical Assistant Resume Summary

“Certified Medical Assistant with 10 years of experience in working in a fast-paced environment, handling confidential paperwork, administering medication, and providing quality patient care. Proven ability to create positive rapport with patients, family, and staff. Completed and submitted clinical documentation following hospital regulations and experience in supporting diagnostic and technical treatment procedures.”

Read the full medical assistant resume example here.

#48. Dental Assistant Resume Summary

“Licensed dental practitioner with 4+ years in helping dentists prepare, perform, and document procedures. Strong hand-eye coordination, with skills in 4-handed dentistry and working with patients.”

#49. Dentist Resume Summary

"Experienced Dentist with 10 years of practice in general and cosmetic dentistry. Committed to providing exceptional patient care, demonstrated through a consistent record of patient satisfaction and successful dental procedures. Proficient in the latest dental technologies and techniques, including digital radiography and CAD/CAM dentistry, with a strong focus on preventive care and oral health education."

Read the full dentist resume example here.

#50. Pharmacist Resume Summary

"Detail-oriented Pharmacist with over 7 years of experience in retail and hospital settings. Proven ability in medication therapy management and pharmaceutical care, with a track record of efficiently managing prescription processing and patient counseling. Skilled in utilizing digital prescription systems and maintaining up-to-date knowledge of drug interactions and healthcare regulations."

Read the full pharmacist resume example here.

Creative Resume Summary Examples

#51. graphic designer resume summary.

"Senior graphic designer with 6+ years of experience in website design and branding, across a wide range of industries. Extensive experience in multimedia, marketing, and print design. Highly skilled in communications, digital storytelling, and Adobe Creative Suite."

Read the full graphic designer resume example here.

#52. UI/UX Designer Resume Summary

“Proactive UX designer with 5 years of experience in delivering enjoyable web and mobile products for the FinTech industry. Designed UI, UX, and marketing materials for 6 apps and 3 games at Company X, 2 of which were featured in Apple’s App Store. Skilled with Sketch, and Adobe Creative Suite.”

#53. Product Designer Resume Summary

“Creative designer with 7 years experience in product design, packaging, and graphic design. Expertise in new product design, brand identity, and market research. Created and launched a new line of award-winning tableware that generated over $1 million in sales the first year.”

#54. Creative Director Resume Summary

“Experienced creative director, with 10+ years of experience in the advertising industry. Over the past 3 years, managed 2 separate creative teams, creating video ads for company clients. Worked with some high-profile clients, including IBM and Phillips.”

#55. Game Designer Resume Summary

"Innovative Game Designer with 5 years of experience in creating engaging and immersive gaming experiences. Led a team that developed 'AdventureQuest,' a game that won 'Best Mobile Game' at the Indie Game Awards and achieved over 500,000 downloads within the first year. Skilled in gameplay mechanics and story development, with proficiency in Unity and Unreal Engine. Dedicated to crafting games that resonate with players, combining artistic vision with user-friendly design."

Read the full game designer resume example here.

#56. Animator Resume Summary

"Creative Animator with over 8 years of experience in 2D and 3D animation, specializing in character and environmental animation. Proficient in using Maya, Adobe After Effects, and Blender, with a strong background in motion graphics and visual effects. Known for delivering high-quality animations under tight deadlines, contributing to successful animated features and advertising campaigns."

Read the full animator resume example here.

#57. Illustrator Resume Summary

"Award-winning Illustrator with a decade of professional experience, recognized for innovative and impactful visual storytelling. Recipient of the 'Illustrator of the Year' award at the Global Art Forum, with a portfolio that includes book illustrations, advertising campaigns, and digital content."

Read the full illustrator resume example here.

#58. Photographer Resume Summary

"Professional Photographer with a Master's in Fine Arts and 6 years of experience in commercial and portrait photography. Known for a unique aesthetic that combines technical skill with artistic creativity, resulting in visually stunning compositions. Holds a certification in digital photography from the Professional Photographers of America, with a portfolio that has been featured in several national photography exhibitions."

Read the full photographer resume example here.

#59. Actor Resume Summary

"Versatile Actor with 3 years of experience in commercials and television, known for a dynamic range that adapts seamlessly to varied roles. Strong background in stage combat and period drama. Proficient in multiple dialects and expressive character portrayal, enhancing authenticity in every performance."

Read the full actor resume example here.

#60. Writer Resume Summary

"Professional Writer and Blogger with 2 years of experience, specializing in lifestyle and travel content. Successfully increased blog readership by 40% over two years and contributed featured articles in 'Traveler's Digest' and 'Modern Living' magazines."

Read the full writer resume here.

#61. Editor Resume Summary

"Dedicated Editor with 10 years of experience in translated literature, focusing on Mandarin and Cantonese works. Expertise in preserving the original tone and cultural nuances, ensuring translations resonate with English-speaking audiences. Collaborated with acclaimed authors from China and Hong Kong, contributing to over 30 translated novels. Committed to bridging the gap between Eastern and Western literary worlds through meticulous and sensitive editing."

Read the full editor resume example here.

Education Resume Summary Examples

#62. professor resume summary.

"Distinguished Professor with 15 years of experience in higher education, specializing in Modern Literature. Published over 20 peer-reviewed articles and 3 books, receiving the Excellence in Research Award twice. Secured $500,000 in research grants and led multiple international academic collaborations. Committed to fostering critical thinking and research skills in students, enhancing the academic prestige of the department."

Read the full academic CV example here.

#63. Teacher Resume Summary

“Dedicated Teacher with 4 years of experience in elementary education, specializing in innovative teaching strategies. Implemented a project-based learning approach that increased student engagement by 30%. Eager to bring creative teaching methodologies and a passion for educational excellence to School ABC, contributing to student development and academic success.” 

Read the full teacher resume example here.

#64. Tutor Resume Summary

“Experienced Tutor with 2 years of expertise in mathematics and science, adept at simplifying complex concepts. Consistently helped students improve their grades by an average of one full letter grade.”

#65. College Student Resume Summary

"Proactive College Student majoring in Business Administration with strong leadership skills, demonstrated through roles in student government and the debate team. Organized multiple campus events, enhancing student engagement and participation. Seeking to apply organizational and communication skills in a professional internship, contributing to company projects while gaining hands-on experience."

Read the full college freshman resume example here.

#66. High School Student Resume Summary

"High School Student with 3+ months of experience as a cashier. Excellent time-management and communication skills. Actively involved in extracurricular activities, demonstrating strong teamwork and responsibility. Looking to join Retail Store X as a part-time sales representative."

Read the full high school resume example here.

Other Resume Summary Examples

#67. architect resume summary.

"Professional and creative architect with 10 years experience in developing construction drawings, 3D models, and doing design rendering. Served as a project architect at company X and won an honorable mention as a staff architect at XYZ Construction Awards 2023."

Read the full architect resume example here.

#68. Electrical Engineer Resume Resume Summary

"Electrical Engineer with 4 years of experience in power systems and automation. Holds a Master's in Electrical Engineering and a certification in PLC programming. Proven expertise in designing and implementing efficient electrical solutions for industrial applications."

Read the full electrical engineer resume example here.

#69. Interior Designer Resume Summary

"Creative Interior Designer with 3 years of experience, recognized for increasing client satisfaction by 30% through innovative design solutions. Portfolio includes residential and commercial projects, with a focus on modern and sustainable designs. Skilled in AutoCAD and 3D visualization, transforming client visions into reality."

Read the full interior designer resume example here.

#70. Construction Project Manager Resume Summary

"Construction Project Manager with a decade of experience in overseeing large-scale commercial and residential projects. Proven track record of completing projects on time and within budget, reducing costs by 20% on average. Skilled in team leadership and effective communication. Committed to ensuring the highest standards of safety and quality."

Read the full construction project manager resume example here.

#71. Operations Manager Resume Summary

"Dynamic Operations Manager with 2 years of experience in streamlining processes for increased efficiency. Expertise in supply chain management and cost reduction strategies."

Read the full operations manager resume example here.

#72. Event Planner Resume Summary

"Seasoned Event Planner with 5 years of experience, successfully organized over 100 corporate and private events. Increased event attendance by 40% through innovative marketing strategies. Excited to bring expertise in event coordination and vendor relations to XYZ Celebrations."

Read the full event planner resume example here.

#73. Warehouse Worker Resume Summary

“Seasonal warehouse worker with experience working for Supermarket X and Supermarket Y. Diligent, organized, and very hard-working. Previous experience working in the service industry for 2+ years.”

Read the full warehouse worker resume example here.

#74. Welder Resume Summary

"Skilled Welder with 7 years of experience in MIG, TIG, and arc welding. Proficient in reading blueprints and maintaining high standards of safety and quality."

Read the full welder resume example here.

#75. Real Estate Agent Resume Summary

"Experienced Real Estate Agent with 6 years in residential and commercial property sales. Achieved a 25% year-on-year increase in sales volume. Known for excellent negotiation skills and a deep understanding of market trends."

Read the full real estate agent resume example here.

#76. Flight Attendant Resume Summary

"Dedicated Flight Attendant with 1 year of experience, fluent in Spanish and French. Excelled in providing top-notch customer service, contributing to a 15% increase in passenger satisfaction. Fluent in English, French, German, and Arabic. Eager to bring customer care expertise to Airline XYZ."

Read the full flight attendant resume example here.

#77. Paralegal Resume Summary

"Paralegal with 3 years of experience in corporate law, proficient in legal research and document drafting. Certified in legal software applications, enhancing case management efficiency."

Read the full paralegal resume example here.

#78. Social Worker Resume Summary

"Compassionate Social Worker with 6 years of experience in child and family services. Successfully managed caseloads of up to 50 people, improving service delivery by 20%. Skilled in crisis intervention and developing tailored support plans for diverse case needs."

Read the full social worker resume example here.

Resume Summary FAQs

Do you still have some questions about resume summaries? Check the answers to the most frequently asked questions.

#1. How Do You Write a Resume Summary with No Experience?

If you have no work experience whatsoever, you should write a resume objective instead of a resume summary.

A resume objective is also a brief paragraph that goes at the top of your resume. However, instead of focusing on your professional experience and accomplishments, it highlights your career goals, aspirations, skills, and academic achievements.

If you have any informal experience that’s relevant to the job, such as volunteer work or relevant coursework , you can still write a resume summary to highlight why you’re a great candidate.

#2. How Do I Start My Resume Summary?

The best way to start your resume summary is by writing down your job title and exact years of experience. You can also add an adjective that describes your strongest character traits or work ethic.

To make this easy, try this formula:

[Adjective/character trait] [job title] [your experience]. Looking to help/support/apply/assist/etc [employer’s name] [describe how you can be of help to the company]. [Your top achievements/qualifications]. 

#3. How Long Should My Resume Summary Be?

The resume summary should be brief and attention-grabbing. Ideally, it should be between two and four sentences long.

Its goal is to provide a snapshot of your career that can captivate the hiring manager into reading more.

If you want to give the employer more details and elaborate on why you’re the best candidate for the job in your own words, you can also write a cover letter to complement your resume.

#4. Should a Resume Summary Be Written in the First or Third Person?

As a general rule, your resume should avoid using first-person pronouns . This includes your resume summary.

That said, the third person sounds too impersonal – as if somebody else wrote the resume summary instead of you. Luckily, there’s a neat trick you can use to make your text flow better—just get rid of the pronouns altogether.

This way, instead of writing, “She is a marketer with 5+ years of experience in XYZ,” you can write, “Marketer with 5+ years of experience in XYZ,” and get your point across just as effectively.

#5. Should You Always Use the Same Resume Summary?

As a general rule, you shouldn’t use the same resume summary when applying to different jobs.

Your resume summary should be tailored to the specific job ads and reflect how you can meet the company’s unique needs. If your current resume summary can be applied to different job applications, it isn’t as effective and tailored as it should be.

When writing your resume, go through the job ad for the specific position and try to include the skills or qualifications the employer is looking for. Make sure to also mention any relevant experience and your top achievements, and you’ll have the perfect resume summary.

#6. What Are Other Names for a Resume Summary?

Across the internet, you might find different names for what we’re calling a resume summary in our article. Some of these names include:

• Resume profile
• Career summary
• Personal statement
• Qualifications summary
• Summary of experiences
• Summary of qualification

If you’re heading for a career in academia, a “personal statement” means something different. Check out our detailed guide to writing an academic personal statement to learn more!

Key Takeaways

And that’s our full guide to writing a resume summary!

Hopefully, now you feel more confident about adding this finishing touch to your resume.

Before we go, let’s recap everything we covered about writing resume summaries:

• A resume summary is a two to four-sentence long paragraph that tells the hiring manager your key selling points. These can include your years of experience, exact job title, relevant skills, qualifications, and impressive achievements.
• If you don’t have any work experience, you can opt for a resume objective instead. This way, you can focus more on your professional goals and motivation for applying.
• The goal of a resume summary is to catch the hiring manager’s attention. Do this by tailoring your resume summary to the job ad and addressing what the company needs in a candidate.
• Back up your achievements with data whenever possible. Mentioning the exact numbers, dates, and results makes you seem more credible.
• Use power words and action verbs instead of generic descriptions to make your resume summary pop.

Need more career advice? Check out our career blog for more useful articles!

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8 Graphic Design Resume Examples to Land Your Next Job

Published: May 15, 2024

If you're a graphic designer, I have to give you praise because, without your creativity and your keen eye for design, it would be a struggle for marketing to create campaigns that catch their audience's attention.

And what better way to show my appreciation to graphic designers than to write a post with helpful graphic design resume examples and tips that can help you land your next job?

You've come to the right place if you're a graphic designer looking for your next gig or want to refine your resume. Let's dive in!

Graphic Design Resume Best Practices

Graphic design resume examples, graphic design student resume examples.

Before I discuss the graphic design resume examples below, I'll outline some best practices for putting your resume together.

Use a clean layout.

Graphic design is a field that naturally attracts creative people like yourself, so you might be tempted to create a colorful, unique layout that shows off your eye for design.

However, your resume should have a clean layout that is easy to read and won't confuse any applicant tracking systems (ATS) your potential employers use.

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In her YouTube video, "The Resume That Got Me Hired As A Designer," graphic designer Victoria Gillerlain says a clean layout is the way to go.

"If your resume is hard to read, hard to look at, overly contrasted, or just makes people [wince] when they look at it because it's so overwhelming — that's not good," she explains. "[Recruiters] are probably not going to even bother to look into the content itself, and you want them to look at it!"

Gillerlain uses her own resume as an example of what to do, and she notes the absence of color in her document.

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"The reason behind that is that your resume is a professional document, and although you're in a creative field, using this as a creative document—not everyone who is looking at your resume is going to necessarily be in a creative field," she says. "Lots of times, there are going to be HR managers or recruiters who are looking at your resume and have nothing to do with the creative field."

Gillerlain says those people may look at an overly colorful resume and think, "Why does it have so many colors and graphics?"

"On top of that, if you're going to be in an on-site role at all, a lot of times people will print out your resume … there's a chance that none of that is going to actually print, and they might just print it in black and white — so it might now look as you intended it," she says.

Include links to your portfolio.

Even the most well-put-together resume in the world can't replace a glowing portfolio.

So, make sure your resume includes links to your work. Graphic design is a creative and visual industry, and including links to your portfolio will allow recruiters to see your experience and qualifications in action.

Tailor your resume for every application.

This is golden advice for any industry. You should always tweak and tailor your resume for each job you're applying for. This means incorporating keywords from the job posting and highlighting relevant experiences and skills.

One graphic design job opportunity may require a skill that isn't as relevant in other opportunities in the industry, and you don't want your resume to leave out that key detail.

So, read the job description closely and tailor your resume so that it applies and sets you up for success.

Mention your education.

"If you have a degree, even if it's unrelated, list it," Gillerlain says. "Having a degree shows that you're credible and committed, and a lot of places like to see that you have one nowadays."

Gillerlain suggests listing your degree, your minor ("If you want," she says), where you got it, and when.

To learn more general resume best practices, regardless of industry, check you my colleague Martina Bretous's post about resume tips that will help you get hired.

1. Victoria Gillerlain's Graphic Design Resume

I mentioned this resume earlier, but I want to dig a little deeper. Notice how the resume is simple, easy to follow, and to the point.

It's not very colorful but still includes small, unique design elements (like the large V logo in the corner) that help it stand out without being distracting.

Gilerlain also includes a link to her website portfolio, so recruiters can find her work without having to do any additional digging.

Pro-Tip: It's okay to add unique elements to your resume to show your creativity, but keep those elements simple, like in the example above.

Cool-toned colors for headlines and a simple logo can be just enough to separate you from other applicants without overshading the contents of the document.

2. Anna Chen's Graphic Design Resume

The above resume features a minimalist design that keeps the recruiter's focus squarely on the applicant's experience, qualifications, skills, and work history.

Pro Tip: While I like this resume for its simple design, I notice it doesn't include a space for Chen's education history, such as if she has a degree or is actively working toward one.

A simple design is excellent for resumes, but you should still include space for your education credentials.

Also, notice the most recent work experience is not bulleted. Applicants should include bullet points to make their resume more readable.

3. Charles Bloomberg's Graphic Design Resume

This resume is excellent because it's clean and includes all relevant information. I especially love how the applicant made sure to include his education and relevant certifications.

Pro Tip: Notice the small icons at the top symbolizing his location, email, phone number, and LinkedIn.

This information is a must-have, but icons and symbols can confuse applicant tracking systems and can harm the chances of your resume getting the attention of a recruiter.

So, avoid symbols and icons in your resume whenever possible.

4. Clara Thompson's Entry-Level Graphic Design Resume

This resume includes a pop of color that catches the eye without distracting from its contents. Thompson's contact information is listed neatly in the upper right corner of the page, leaving plenty of room for her work experience.

What I Love: The resume is an excellent example for individuals just starting their careers. I love how it highlights relevant projects the applicant completed before freelance work.

5. Samantha Angel's Senior Graphic Designer Resume Example

I'm biased because purple is my favorite color, but this is one of my favorite examples. Samantha's resume includes her work experience and a bulleted list of responsibilities. It also features her activities outside work and degree, adding more legitimacy to her application.

Pro Tip: Like Samantha, consider adding activities and certifications you've completed outside of your career to beef up your resume and show you're a well-rounded candidate.

If you're a student trying to break into the graphic design industry, here are some examples to get you going in the right direction.

1. Minimalist

The sample resume is an excellent example for graphic design students looking for entry-level opportunities. If you're new to the field but have internship or volunteer experience that applies to the role, include them as your work experience.

What I Love: The resume is simple and clean, with nearly all relevant information listed.

2. Black and White

Like the previous example, this resume lacks color—that's okay! As I mentioned earlier, it's not essential to have color. A pop of color can show you creativity, but there's no guarantee a recruiter or hiring manager will see it or care.

What I Love: I can't emphasize enough the importance of having a clean, easy-to-read resume. This format will pass ATS without issues and neatly display your qualifications.

3. Traditional with a Pop of Color

If you want a pop of color in your resume, this example is an excellent template to emulate. It showcases the applicant's creative flair while highlighting all the essential information.

However, be mindful of adding odd symbols and icons. Again, they can pose a problem for ATS.

Pro Tip: If using color, use it sparingly and pick a color that isn't too jarring. Like the one in the example, a calming blue is a great choice.

Graphic design, like most creative fields, can be a harsh industry to break into. However, you have the best chance if you have a portfolio, skills, experience, and a clean resume to vouch for you. Good luck!

Don't forget to share this post!

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4 Resume Mistakes to Avoid When You Don’t Have Much Experience

• Irina Cozma

A good resume can set you apart and help you land that interview.

Understanding the common mistakes job candidates make on resumes, and how to overcome them, can set you apart from your competitors. The first mistake is including irrelevant work experience. Instead, only add roles that are relevant to the position you’re applying for. The second is customizing your resume. While it’s in your benefit to adjust your resume to better match the job description, over-tuning your resume for every application can be a waste of time — and end up slowing down your search. This is especially true if you’re focused on securing a particular position that has a standard job title like “marketing coordinator” or “sales associate.” The third is overdesigning your resume. Recruiters only spend a few seconds scanning it, so keep the format simple and straightforward. The fourth is coming off as a novice. For example, don’t use an ancient email address — update it to something that sounds more professional, and give your resume a specific name so it’s easier to identify.

Resumes. Love them or hate them, you will probably need one when you apply for a job. The resume has a specific tactical role to play in your search — to get you the interview. You need to make sure it checks a few boxes to do that work because, even if you take advantage of your network, sooner or later, you will need to share your resume with the hiring manager.

• Irina Cozma , Ph.D., is a career and executive coach who supports professionals to have better career adventures. She coached hundreds of Fortune 500 executives from global organizations like Salesforce, Hitachi, and Abbott. Irina also coaches startups and the Physicians MBA at the University of Tennessee. Download her free career guide to help you prepare for your next career adventure.

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USAJOBS posts all federal job opportunities with a position description and instructions how to apply. With USAJOBS.gov tools and resources, you can find the right federal job faster.

About USAJOBS

As the federal government's official employment site, USAJOBS has attracted over 16 million job seekers to create accounts to date.