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Business Resume Examples & Writing Guide for 2024

The business world offers an infinite number of opportunities for success, but you’ll need a well-crafted resume to get your foot in the door. When writing a resume, it’s important to understand the process it goes through.

After a hiring manager receives applications, they’ll skim over each one to look for qualified potential employees, reducing the hiring pool to a handful of candidates for in-person interviews. But fret not! With a great business resume, you'll already be well ahead of your fellow applicants.

Read on to learn how to:

• Craft a compelling business resume summary
• Optimize your work experience section
• List your education properly
• Write an effective skills section
• Find the best job search resources for business professionals

1. Write a compelling business resume summary

When hiring managers look at resumes, they normally have dozens to go through, especially for entry-level business positions. If they thoroughly read every single resume, this process would take hours. Most businesses today usually use programs that automatically scan for keywords they’ve listed in the job listing, like “ work ethic ”, “ qualified ” or “ experienced ”.

After passing the computer test (which greatly reduces the candidate pool), hiring managers will usually go through applicants’ resume summaries to further refine candidates before deciding which candidates will receive an in-person interview. Obviously, your resume summary needs to be strong.

The best way to look at the resume summary is a personalized elevator pitch , a brief statement that explains exactly why you are perfect for the position. Read over the job listing to find some of the key skills and experiences they’re looking for in an employee. For example, if a company says they’re looking for an experienced administrator with exceptional organizational skills, you’ll want to include these terms in your summary.

Also look to include your educational background and experience in this section as well, making sure you don’t exceed three sentences . By including terms used in the job listing, you’ll find that hiring managers won’t be able to resist reading the rest of your resume.

Here's an effective example of a business resume summary

Results-driven business professional with a proven track record of driving revenue growth and improving operational efficiency. Strategic thinker and problem solver with expertise in market analysis, business development, and project management. Led a cross-functional team to successfully launch a new product line, resulting in a 25% increase in annual sales. 

2. Optimize your work experience section

Your work experience shows hiring managers why you’re right for a position, but it’s important to know what hiring managers are looking for. Unfortunately, most people think that they can list off their job responsibilities and call it a day.

Trust us when we say this is the absolute worst thing a job candidate can do, turning off a hiring manager almost instantly.

Hiring managers don’t need to know what you were supposed to do at a job; instead, they want to know exactly what you did and accomplished at your past workplaces.

As someone looking to work in the business field, you likely have a lot of job experience that’s relevant to a position. Tell hiring managers more about your past jobs by providing them with specific measurements. For example, if your department increased revenue by 25% in a single quarter, talk about how you contributed to this increase by pointing out exactly what you contributed to your team.

For each job (start with your most recent position) and include relevant, measurable experiences in 5-6 bullet points to show how what you can bring to a potential employer. 

Here's an example of a great business experience resume section

• Conducted thorough market research and analysis, identifying new market opportunities and consumer trends that led to the successful launch of three new products, contributing to a revenue increase of $2 million annually.
• Led a cross-functional team of 10 members in implementing process improvements, resulting in a 20% reduction in project delivery time and cost savings of $500,000.
• Developed and implemented a customer retention strategy, resulting in a 15% increase in customer retention rate and an additional $1.5 million in recurring revenue.
• Collaborated with the sales team to optimize pricing strategies, resulting in a 10% increase in profit margins and an additional $1 million in annual revenue.
• Conducted financial analysis and forecasting, resulting in the identification of cost-saving opportunities, leading to an annual expense reduction of $300,000.

Try our AI Resume Writer and have your resume ready in minutes!

3. list your educational credentials succintly.

While experience is always important, your business education can open a lot of doors as well. However, a lot of people will list their school, degree, attendance years and GPA. This is a total snooze fest and isn’t going to wow a hiring manager. You’ll want to include what you accomplished in school as well as specific programs you completed that prove you are the best fit for a job.

For example, if you minored in finance and worked as a club’s accountant, you will want to point out both your minor and your experience in your extracurriculars. By relating your educational experiences to the job you’re applying for, you’ll make your educational section stand out as well as show an extra layer of qualifications.

Finally, make sure to limit what you write to a few sentences by selecting experiences that are relevant to the position . No one needs to know that you were a part of the glee club for one semester if you’re applying for a business administrative position.

Here's an effective way to list your educational credentials

Master of Business Administration (MBA), XYZ University, City, State

Specialization in Marketing and Strategy

• Graduated with Distinction\
• Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
• ABC University, City, State

Concentration in Finance

• Dean's List for Academic Excellence
• Certified Business Analyst (CBA)
• International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA

Find out your resume score!

4. Choose the right skills for your business resume

As someone looking to work in the business field, you likely have a lot of skills . From your top-notch organization to your ability to create spreadsheets in a matter of seconds, you have a lot to bring to the table for any business. However, a resume isn’t going to have enough room for you to include every skill that’s relevant to a position.

You need to talk about your skillset that’s relevant to the position you’re applying for (yes, this means you’ll want to examine what you include in your resume for each business you apply to, making edits depending on the job listing).

Instead of listing every skill you have, list out all of your skills in a separate document, organizing them into two categories: soft and hard skills . Soft skills are your internal skills, including time management and work ethic. Hard skills are (usually) what we think of with skills, meaning physical skills like typing speed or writing.

Next, look at what the job listing is looking for. If they want someone with great communication skills, talk about how your leadership and teamwork abilities. Do they need someone who is great with computers, talk about what programs you’re proficient in. Tailor your skills section to the job you’re applying for , limiting this section to about six different skills.

Here's an example of the best business hard skills for your resume

• Financial Analysis : Proficient in analyzing financial statements, conducting financial forecasting, and performing ratio analysis to evaluate company performance and make informed business decisions.
• Market Research : Skilled in conducting market research, competitor analysis, and customer segmentation to identify market trends, customer needs, and opportunities for growth.
• Data Analysis : Proficient in using data analysis tools such as Excel, SQL, and statistical software to extract insights, identify patterns, and make data-driven recommendations.
• Project Management : Experienced in leading cross-functional teams, developing project plans, setting timelines, and ensuring successful project execution within budget and timeline constraints.
• Business Development : Proven ability to identify and pursue new business opportunities, cultivate client relationships, negotiate contracts, and close deals to drive revenue growth.
• Strategic Planning : Skilled in developing and executing strategic plans, conducting SWOT analysis, and identifying key objectives and initiatives to drive business success.

The best soft skills for your business resume

• Leadership : Effective in leading and motivating teams towards achieving common goals, delegating tasks, and providing guidance to foster a collaborative and high-performing work environment.
• Communication : Strong verbal and written communication skills, adept at conveying complex ideas and information to diverse audiences, and fostering positive relationships with stakeholders.
• Problem Solving : Excellent problem-solving and critical-thinking abilities to analyze complex issues, identify root causes, and develop innovative solutions to drive business improvement.
• Adaptability : Ability to thrive in fast-paced environments, embrace change, and quickly adapt to new technologies, processes, and market dynamics.

Getting a job in business can be extremely rewarding, but you need to take the time to perfect your resume. By delivering a resume with a strong summary and relevant work experience, education and skills sections, your resume will definitely appeal to hiring managers .

Tailor your resume to every job you apply for by basing what you submit on the language of the job listing and watch those interview requests start rolling in sooner rather than later.

5. Must-visit job search resources for business professionals

The Internet is vast, but when it comes to landing your dream job, knowing where to look can be just as vital as having a stellar resume. Here are some top-notch platforms to aid your job hunting efforts if you're in the business field:

• LinkedIn :  This platform empowers users with networking capabilities, a robust job listing pool and a profile page that serves as a digital resume. For business professionals, LinkedIn is indispensable.
• Indeed :  Housing millions of job postings from companies across the world, Indeed offers a powerful search engine that allows job seekers to filter results, helping you pinpoint your ideal business role.
• Glassdoor : Apart from accessing numerous job listings, on Glassdoor, you can also gain insights into a company's inner workings, including worker testimonials, salary reports and company reviews.
• Vault :  This is a tremendous platform for those interested in research. Vault provides employer profiles, rankings, internships, and a wealth of career advice resources.
• AngelList :  If you're interested in joining a startup, AngelList has thousands of jobs and can connect you directly with CEOs and hiring managers.

These platforms could be your ticket to securing your dream job in the business field. No matter the site, remember that the key to success is patience, persistence, and a well-polished, up-to-date business resume. Happy job hunting!

Business Resume FAQ

A good rule of thumb is to keep your cover letter under one page. This usually equates to 3-4 concise paragraphs.

While it's important to highlight your skills, don't just list them. Use the cover letter to demonstrate how you've successfully used these skills in past roles.

Each cover letter you write should be customized for the specific job you're applying for. It should echo the language of the job posting and show how you're the ideal candidate for that particular role.

Unless the job posting specifically asks for that information, it's best to avoid discussing salary in your cover letter. This is often better discussed after an offer has been made.

If you have a noticeable employment gap, your cover letter is a good chance to explain it. Keep the explanation brief and steer the focus back to your qualifications and eagerness for the job.

A documentary photographer and writer. Noel has worked for International publications like Deutsche Welle in Germany to News Deeply in New York. He also co-founded the global multimedia project Women Who Stay and collaborated as a journalist fellow with the University of Southern California . He went from traveling around the world to sitting on a couch thanks to the pandemic, but he gets to help other people actually do things (like find jobs) thanks to Kickresume, so he won't complain.

Subcategories

• Account Manager
• Business Development
• Entrepreneur / Business Owner
• Procurement

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Resume guides

How to write a professional resume summary [+examples], how to put your education on a resume [+examples], how to describe your work experience on a resume [+examples], let your resume do the work..

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The Business Resume Guide: 10+ Samples & Examples for 2024

A business resume is an essential tool that can make or break a job seeker’s chances of landing their dream job. It serves as a reflection of their skills, qualifications, and experiences, which can convince potential employers that they are the right candidate for the job. Despite its significance, creating a business resume can be a daunting task, especially for those who are new to the workforce or changing careers.

The purpose of this article is to provide job seekers with a comprehensive guide to creating a compelling business resume. This article will explore various tips, tricks, and best practices to help job seekers craft a polished and professional business resume that stands out from the competition. Whether you are a seasoned professional or a recent graduate, this guide is designed to cater to your specific needs and provide you with the tools to create a strong business resume.

The article aims to provide a broad overview of everything job seekers need to know about crafting an effective resume, from choosing the right format to highlighting their skills, experiences, and achievements. In addition to discussing industry standards and best practices, the article will also provide 10+ real-life examples of successful business resumes.

The Business Resume Guide aims to serve as a go-to resource for job seekers looking to create or improve their business resume. By the end of this article, readers will have a clear understanding of what makes a great business resume and the tools to create one that showcases their strengths and experiences effectively.

Formatting and Design

To make your resume stand out from the competition, it’s important to pay attention to formatting and design. This section covers three key elements to ensure your resume makes a lasting impression: selecting the right font, choosing the right template, and creating a visually appealing layout.

A. Selecting the Right Font

The font you choose can have a significant impact on the overall look and feel of your resume. When selecting a font, keep in mind that it should be easy to read, professional, and consistent throughout the entire document.

There are a few classic font choices that are universally accepted in the business world, such as Times New Roman, Arial, and Calibri. However, if you want to stand out a bit more, consider using a font with a modern twist like Georgia, Helvetica, or Proxima Nova.

Regardless of the font you choose, ensure that it is no smaller than 11-point size and that the spacing is appropriate for easy reading.

B. Choosing the Right Template

The template you choose for your resume can have a significant impact on how it is perceived by recruiters and hiring managers. Templates can range from classic and conservative to modern and colorful, so it’s important to choose the right one based on the type of position you’re applying for and your personal style.

Consider using a template that reflects the industry you’re applying to, as some industries may favor certain designs or colors. For example, if you’re applying for a creative role, a template with a pop of color or unique design elements may be appropriate. However, if you’re applying for a more traditional role like accounting, a more conservative template may be favorable.

C. Creating a Visually Appealing Layout

Beyond selecting the right font and template, the overall layout of your resume plays a critical role in catching the eye of recruiters and hiring managers. A visually appealing layout should be easy to read, well-organized, and emphasize your key skills and experiences.

Consider breaking up blocks of text with bullet points or section headers to make it easier for the reader to scan. Utilize white space to ensure that the content is not too cluttered, and use a consistent color scheme and font throughout the document.

A visually appealing layout can make your resume stand out and increase your chances of landing an interview for your dream job.

Essential Elements of a Business Resume

A business resume is a document that highlights your professional accomplishments and showcases your skills and experience to potential employers. It’s important that your resume is well-organized and contains all the essential elements that recruiters and hiring managers expect to see. Here are the essential elements of a business resume:

A. Contact Information Your contact information should be listed at the top of your resume so that employers can quickly and easily get in touch with you. Make sure to include your full name, phone number, email address, and physical address. It’s also a good idea to list any relevant social media profiles or professional website.

B. Professional Summary Your professional summary is a brief statement that summarizes your experience, skills, and career goals. This section should be tailored to the specific job you’re applying for and highlight why you’re the best candidate for the role.

C. Work Experience The work experience section of your resume should include a list of your previous jobs, along with details about your responsibilities and accomplishments in each role. Organize your work experience in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent position.

D. Education List your educational background, including your degree(s), major(s), and any relevant coursework or certifications. If you don’t have a college degree, you can still include any relevant education or training you’ve completed.

E. Skills Your skills section should list the specific skills and knowledge you’ve acquired over the course of your career. Be sure to include both hard skills and soft skills, as both are important for employers to know about.

F. Achievements This section should highlight your most significant achievements in your previous roles. Quantify your accomplishments where possible, using numbers and statistics to demonstrate your impact on the business.

G. Certifications and Licenses If you hold any relevant certifications or licenses, be sure to list them in this section. This can help to demonstrate your expertise and qualifications for the job.

H. Volunteering and Extracurricular Activities Include any relevant volunteering or extracurricular activities you’ve participated in, as these can demonstrate important skills and qualities like leadership, teamwork, and communication.

In order to make sure your business resume is effective, it’s important to tailor it to the specific job you’re applying for. Customize your resume to highlight your most relevant skills and experience for each job, and make sure to proofread your resume carefully to avoid any errors or typos. With these essential elements, you’ll be well on your way to creating a winning business resume that can help you get the job you want.

Tailoring Your Business Resume

When it comes to creating a business resume, it’s important to tailor it to the specific job and company you’re applying to. Here are some steps you can take to ensure your resume stands out from the rest:

A. Researching the Company

Before you start crafting your resume, it’s important to do some research on the company you’re applying to. This will help you get a better understanding of their mission, values, and culture. You can often find this information on their website, social media pages, or through company reviews online.

B. Identifying Key Traits and Skills Required by the Job

Once you have a better understanding of the company, you can then start identifying the specific traits and skills they’re looking for in their ideal candidate. The job posting will often give you a good indication of what they’re looking for, but you can also do some research on the industry and position to get a better idea.

C. Highlighting your Relevant Experiences and Accomplishments

Finally, it’s important to tailor your resume to match the specific job and company you’re applying to. This means highlighting your relevant experiences and accomplishments that demonstrate the traits and skills they’re looking for. Use concrete examples and data to showcase your achievements and how they align with the company’s needs.

In a competitive job market, tailoring your resume can make all the difference. By doing your research and highlighting your relevant experiences and accomplishments, you can increase your chances of landing your dream job in the business world.

Dos and Don’ts for Writing a Business Resume

When it comes to writing a business resume, there are certain dos and don’ts that you must keep in mind. A well-written business resume can be the key to landing your dream job, so it’s important to get it right. In this section, we will discuss the common mistakes to avoid, best practices for writing a business resume and tips for staying on track.

A. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Typos and grammatical errors:  A business resume should be error-free. Typos and grammatical errors can make a bad impression on the hiring manager.

Being too generic:  Avoid creating a generic business resume. Generic language and bullet points will make you blend in with hundreds of other applicants.

Lack of focus:  Your business resume should be focused on your skills and experience that are relevant to the job you are applying for. Irrelevant information can make it hard for the hiring manager to understand your strengths.

Not using keywords:  Many companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) that scan resumes for specific keywords. Not using relevant keywords in your resume can lead to the resume being rejected by the ATS.

Listing responsibilities instead of accomplishments:  Instead of listing job responsibilities, focus on accomplishments. Highlight what you achieved in your previous role and how it added value to the company.

B. Best Practices for Writing a Business Resume

Tailor your resume for the job:  Customize your business resume to fit the specific job requirements. This will show the hiring manager that you have the necessary skills for the role.

Use bullet points:  Use bullet points to make your resume easy to read. Be specific and concise with each bullet point.

Quantify your achievements:  Use numbers to quantify your achievements. For example, instead of saying you increased sales, say you increased sales by 20%.

Use action verbs:  Begin each bullet point with an action verb. Action verbs make your resume more engaging and show what you are capable of.

Keep it to one page:  A business resume should be no longer than one page. Keep it concise and to the point.

C. Tips for Staying on Track

Create a strong opening statement:  The opening statement is the first thing the hiring manager will read. Create a strong statement that will grab their attention.

Stay consistent:  Use the same format throughout your business resume. This will make it easy for the hiring manager to read and understand.

Proofread:  Proofread your business resume multiple times before submitting it. Ask a friend or family member to proofread it as well.

Focus on results:  Highlight your results and how they contributed to the company’s success. This will show the hiring manager what you can bring to their company.

Dos and Don’ts for Formatting a Business Resume

When it comes to formatting a business resume, there are a few dos and don’ts that can help ensure your document looks professional and polished. In this section, we’ll cover some common formatting errors to avoid, best practices for formatting your resume, and tips for keeping your format consistent.

A. Avoiding Common Formatting Errors

One of the biggest mistakes job seekers make when formatting their resumes is using inconsistent fonts and formatting. To avoid this common error:

• Use one font throughout your resume. It’s best to choose a simple, easy-to-read font like Arial or Times New Roman.
• Keep your font size consistent. Use a font size between 10 and 12 points for the body of your resume and a slightly larger size for headings.
• Use bold, italics, and underlining sparingly. Only use these formatting options to highlight important information and make it stand out.

Another common formatting error is using too much white space or leaving too little white space. To strike a balance:

• Use margins of at least 0.5 inches on all sides of your resume.
• Use bullet points to break up large blocks of text.
• Use headings to organize your content and make it easier to read.

Finally, be sure to save your resume as a PDF file so that your formatting stays intact when you send it to potential employers. Word documents can sometimes be altered and lose their original formatting.

B. Best Practices for Formatting a Business Resume

Now that you know what formatting errors to avoid, let’s talk about some best practices for formatting a business resume:

• Use a professional email address. If your email address is quirky or inappropriate, potential employers might not take you seriously.
• Include a professional summary or objective statement at the beginning of your resume. This should be a brief, compelling statement that showcases your skills and experience.
• List your work experience in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent job.
• Use measurable achievements to demonstrate your accomplishments at each job. For example, instead of saying “increased sales,” say “increased sales by 15% in Q1 2021.”
• Use keywords from job postings in your resume. This can help your resume get past applicant tracking systems (ATS) and into the hands of human hiring managers.
• Keep your resume to one or two pages. Unless you have a lot of relevant experience, you don’t need a longer resume.

C. Tips for Keeping Your Format Consistent

Consistency is key when it comes to formatting a business resume. Here are a few tips to help you keep your format consistent:

• Use a template. There are plenty of free resume templates available online that can help you ensure consistency in your formatting.
• Use headings consistently. For example, if you use “Work Experience” as a heading, use it consistently throughout your resume.
• Use the same formatting for each job listing.

The Business Resume Guide: 10+ Samples & Examples

Sample business resumes.

If you’re currently in the job market and embarking on a job hunt, having a great resume is key to making a good impression on potential employers. In this section, we’ve put together four sample business resumes that cover a range of positions and experience levels.

A. Entry-Level Business Resume Sample

If you’re just starting out in your business career, the entry-level business resume sample is for you. This resume emphasizes your education and any relevant internships or work experience you may have. It should highlight your skills and eagerness to learn and develop in your field.

B. Experienced Business Professional Resume Sample

For those who have a track record of success within their field, the experienced business professional resume sample is the way to go. This resume should demonstrate your previous business accomplishments, including any leadership positions you’ve held or projects you’ve managed. It should also showcase any specialized skills or certifications you’ve acquired throughout your career.

C. Business Development Manager Resume Sample

If your goal is to land a senior-level role in business development, the business development manager resume sample is the way to go. This resume should focus on your leadership experience, sales and marketing skills, and your ability to build and maintain relationships with clients.

D. Business Analyst Resume Sample

For those who are analytical and have a keen eye for detail, the business analyst resume sample is a great option. This resume should focus on your experience in analyzing data, problem-solving, and project management. It should also highlight any experience you have with software and technology tools relevant to your field.

No matter what stage of your career you’re in, the right business resume can make all the difference in landing your dream job. Use these sample resumes as a guide as you craft your own and tailor it to the specific job and company you’re applying to. Best of luck on your job hunt!

Business Resume Examples: Achievements and Accomplishments

When it comes to crafting an impressive business resume, highlighting your achievements and accomplishments can make all the difference. However, it’s important to do so in a way that effectively showcases your skills and experiences, without coming across as boastful or arrogant. Here are some tips for explaining your accomplishments on your business resume:

A. Explaining Your Accomplishments

First and foremost, it’s important to frame your accomplishments in a way that demonstrates their relevance to the job you’re applying for. Use specific examples and metrics to show how your actions contributed to specific positive outcomes, whether that be increased revenue, improved efficiency, or strengthened relationships with clients or partners.

Additionally, try to focus on accomplishments that demonstrate transferable skills, such as leadership, problem-solving, and communication. These are qualities that are highly in demand in the business world, and highlighting them can help set you apart from other candidates.

It’s also important to be concise and clear in your language, using active verbs to describe your actions and outcomes. Avoid buzzwords or vague terminology that might not be meaningful to the reader.

B. Examples of Accomplishments to Include on Your Business Resume

When it comes to specific examples of accomplishments to include on your business resume, there are a few key areas to consider:

1. Revenue growth

If you’ve played a role in increasing revenue for a previous employer, be sure to highlight this on your resume. This could include spearheading a successful marketing campaign, increasing sales through strategic partnerships or negotiations, or finding innovative ways to cut costs.

Example: “Led a team that launched a targeted email campaign resulting in 20% increase in revenue within six months.”

2. Process optimization

Streamlining processes and improving efficiency can have a significant impact on a company’s bottom line. If you’ve played a role in identifying and implementing process improvements, be sure to highlight this on your resume.

Example: “Developed and implemented a new project management system resulting in a 30% decrease in project timelines and a 15% increase in team productivity.”

3. Leadership and team building

Demonstrate your ability to lead and inspire a team by showcasing accomplishments that demonstrate your leadership skills. This could include successfully managing a team through a challenging project, mentoring and developing team members, or orchestrating successful team-building activities.

Example: “Led a cross-functional team of 10 in the successful launch of a new product line, resulting in $1M in sales within the first year.”

4. Client or partner relationships

Strong relationships with clients and partners are essential to success in many business roles. If you’ve played a role in building and managing relationships with key stakeholders, be sure to highlight this on your resume.

Example: “Negotiated and secured a multi-year contract with a key client, resulting in a 25% increase in annual revenue.

Business Resume Examples: Skills and Qualifications

When crafting your business resume, it’s important to highlight your skills and qualifications that are most relevant to the position you are applying for. In this section, we’ll discuss how to identify these skills and provide some examples to help you include them on your resume.

A. Identifying Your Skills and Qualifications

To identify your skills and qualifications, start by thoroughly reviewing the job description and requirements. Look for specific skills or qualifications that the employer is seeking, such as proficiency in certain software programs, experience managing teams or budgets, or a particular degree or certification.

Next, think about the skills and qualifications that you possess that align with those requirements. Make a list of these skills, along with any others that may be relevant to the position, such as strong communication skills, problem-solving abilities, or leadership experience.

Remember to also consider transferable skills – those that may not be directly related to the job requirements, but that showcase your abilities in areas such as time management, organization, or adaptability.

B. Examples of Skills and Qualifications to Include on Your Business Resume

Here are some examples of skills and qualifications that you may want to include on your business resume, along with the types of positions or industries where they may be particularly relevant:

Project management: This skill is valuable in a wide range of business roles, from marketing and advertising to finance and operations. Be sure to highlight your experience managing projects, including your ability to coordinate timelines, resources, and stakeholders.

Data analysis: Many business positions require the ability to work with data to inform decision-making. If you have experience analyzing data using tools such as Excel or SQL, be sure to list this skill on your resume.

Customer service: If you are applying for a sales or client-facing role, highlighting your ability to provide excellent customer service can set you apart from other candidates. Examples may include experience handling customer complaints, responding to inquiries, or maintaining client relationships.

Leadership: Whether you are applying to manage a team or simply to demonstrate your potential as a future leader, highlighting your leadership experience is important. Examples may include managing a project team, leading a group or committee, or mentoring others.

Industry-specific knowledge: Depending on the industry or niche you are applying for, specialized knowledge may be critical to your success in the role. For example, a candidate for a healthcare administration position may want to highlight their knowledge of HIPAA regulations, while someone applying for a position in tech may want to showcase their understanding of programming languages.

Remember, the key is to identify the skills and qualifications that are most relevant to the position and industry, and to highlight them in a way that sets you apart from other candidates. With the right combination of skills and experience, you can create a powerful business resume that demonstrates why you are the best fit for the job.

Cover Letters for Business Resumes

A. introduction to cover letters.

A cover letter is a formal letter attached to a resume that serves as an introduction of a job applicant to a potential employer. It is an essential tool for job seekers as it provides a platform to highlight their qualifications and interest in a particular job. A cover letter should be concise, well-written, and tailored to the job description.

B. The Essential Elements of a Good Cover Letter

A good cover letter should consist of the following essential elements:

1. Introduction

The introduction should be captivating and should create a positive first impression. It is essential to start with a brief statement about the job you are applying for and why you are the best fit for the position.

The body should explain your qualifications and relevant experiences. It is important to highlight your skills and achievements that fit the job description. You may also explain how your experiences can contribute to the growth of the company.

In the closing, you should express your interest in the company and the job position. You may also request an interview or meeting to discuss your qualifications further.

C. Sample Cover Letters for Business Resumes

To help you create an effective cover letter, here are some sample cover letters for business resumes:

• Cover Letter for Business Development Manager
• Cover Letter for Financial Analyst
• Cover Letter for Marketing Manager
• Cover Letter for Sales Executive
• Cover Letter for Human Resources Manager

These sample cover letters demonstrate how to incorporate the essential elements of a good cover letter while tailoring it to each job description. Remember to also customize each cover letter to the company and its culture.

A well-crafted cover letter can greatly improve your chances of getting noticed by potential employers. It is an opportunity to showcase your qualifications and interest in a particular job. Use the tips provided and the sample cover letters to create a compelling cover letter that best represents you and your qualifications.

Proofreading and Editing Your Business Resume

As you work on creating a strong business resume that highlights your skills, experience, and achievements, it’s important to remember that even the smallest mistake can make a big difference in how you’re perceived by potential employers. To help you avoid common typos and errors, and make sure your resume is polished and professional, here are some tips for proofreading and editing your business resume.

A. Common Typos and Errors to Watch Out For

Spelling mistakes: Even one spelling mistake can undermine your credibility and attention to detail. Double-check the spelling of words, especially industry-specific terms and job titles.

Grammatical errors: Poor grammar can also harm your professional image. Pay special attention to subject-verb agreement, verb tenses, and punctuation.

Formatting inconsistencies: Consistency in formatting, font sizes, and bullet-point styles will help give your resume a polished and professional look.

Incorrect contact information: Make sure your phone number, email address, and other contact information are accurate and up-to-date.

False or misleading information: Never include false or misleading information on your resume. This can be grounds for disqualification or dismissal later in the hiring process.

B. Best Practices for Proofreading and Editing Your Business Resume

Take a break before proofreading: To catch mistakes, take a break from your resume before proofreading. Come back to it with fresh eyes and a clear head.

Use a checklist: Create a checklist of common mistakes that you’re prone to make, and go through each item on the checklist to ensure you’ve addressed it in your resume.

Read your resume out loud: By reading your resume out loud, you’ll be able to catch errors that might not be apparent when reading silently.

Have someone else review it: Ask a friend, family member, or colleague to review your resume. A fresh set of eyes can catch mistakes you might have missed.

Look for consistency and clarity: Make sure your resume is consistent in formatting, tone, and voice. Also, ensure that your resume is easy to read, with clear and concise language that effectively communicates your skills and accomplishments.

Proofreading and editing your business resume is a crucial step in creating a strong professional image and demonstrating attention to detail. By avoiding common typos and errors and following best practices, you can ensure that your resume is polished, professional, and reflects your qualifications and achievements.

Related Articles

• Information Technology (IT) Cover Letter: Samples & Tips
• Tricky Interview Questions and How to Answer Them in 2023
• Warehouse Packer Resume: Top Examples & Guide 2023
• Top Organizational Skills to Include on Your Resume in 2023
• The Best 10 Customer Service Jobs for 2023

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When I consult people on resume writing, the most common question that I am asked it is about the content and what components to add or avoid, when they have less than 5 years of work experience.

On this platform, you not only have access to many options, but you get guidance on what to choose and why. When the work experience is less than 5 years, the other components such as languages, projects, volunteering experiences, hobbies etc, make a huge difference.

Resume Resources

What is a resume.

A resume is a brief summary of personal and professional experiences, skills, and education history. Its main purpose is to show off your best self to potential employers.

When applying for a job, you’re (in most cases) going to be asked for a resume accompanied by a cover letter.

If you manage to create a “good” resume, you’re going to 2x your chances of getting hired . Want to learn how? Check out our complete guide on how to make a resume .

How to Write a Resume With No Experience?

The process of writing a resume might seem super scary to you. After all, most resume examples you see on the web are 80% about work experience. So, what the heck can you include in your resume if you have none?

Well, here’s some good news. If you’re applying for an entry-level job or an internship, no one expects you to have ANY work experience.

Instead, you should focus on what you DO have: education, projects, volunteering experience, hobbies & interests.

For a complete guide on how to make a resume with no work experience stand out, check out our article.

What to Put on a Resume?

The most common sections on a resume are:

Contact information

Resume summary or objective

Work experience

If you want to personalize your resume a bit more, you can also include the following sections:

Volunteering experience

Hobbies & interests

For more information on how to place these sections on your resume, check out our article on what to put on a resume .

How to Format a Resume?

Here are the three most popular resume formats:

Reverse-Chronological Resume

Functional Resume

Combination Resume

In 99% of the cases, you’ll want to go with the reverse chronological resume format . That’s the format most resumes you’ve seen follow - its main focus is your work experience, written down in reverse-chronological order.

So, unless you’re a student with no professional experience or a career changer, we’d recommend sticking with this format.

If you want to learn more about three resume formats , check out our comparison guide.

How to Write a Resume For a Student?

A good student resume takes advantage of the education section to highlight the candidate’s skills and qualifications.

So, the first thing you should do is talk about all your academic achievements, including any classes you’ve taken that are relevant to the position.

As a student, hiring managers don’t expect you to have extensive professional experience, so you don’t have to worry about the work experience section missing from your resume. Instead, you can focus on highlighting your extracurricular activities , any volunteering you’ve done, and your awards or certifications.

This student resume guide has all the information you need to perfect your resume and land your first real job.

How to Write a Resume For My First Job?

If you’re applying for your first job, chances are you don’t have substantial work experience. That’s fine - hiring managers expect that from entry-level positions.

First things first, go for the reverse-chronological format. Instead of writing a resume summary, use a resume objective to highlight your skills and career aspirations. If you have any work experience, do include it on your resume.

If not, you should put more focus on the following sections:

Internships , where you should focus on what you learned and achieved

Extracurricular activities , where you should highlight your role, responsibilities, and achievements.

Volunteering experiences , where you should mention the organization name, and relevant tasks and achievements.

Projects , where you talk about any personal projects you’ve worked on (that are also somehow relevant to the job you’re applying for).

Check out this guide on writing a resume with no experience to learn more about the topic and get inspired by real-life examples.

Projects, where you talk about any personal projects you’ve worked on (that are also somehow relevant to the job you’re applying for).

Short answer: one page. If you're a seasoned professional with a lot of work experience that's relevant to the position, you can create a 2-page long resume MAX.

Long answer: check out our guide on how long should a resume be .

P.S. all of our templates are one page long , so you shouldn’t have a lot of trouble sticking to the one-page limit!

How to Write a Resume Summary?

Your resume summary is a “hook” that goes on top of your resume. Think of it as an introduction to the rest of your resume. It should, in 2-4 sentences, explain what your background is, and why it’s relevant for the position you’re applying for.

To learn more about how to create a resume summary that stands out, check out our guide.

How to List Work Experience on a Resume?

Work experience on a resume is one of those things that’s easy to learn but hard to master.

Each work experience entry should contain the following information:

Company name/description/location

Achievements or responsibilities

Dates employed

Now, if you want to create a work experience section that stands out, you want to make your achievements quantifiable. What this means is, instead of creating a responsibility-focused entry, like:

“Carried out sales operations.”

You list your achievements:

“Hit and exceeded monthly sales KPIs for 5 months in a row.”

This shows the employer that you’re not just a random candidate, you’re an A-player! To learn more about how to list achievements in your work experience (and land the job), check out our article.

How to List Skills on a Resume?

Simply create a ”skills” section on your Novorésumé resume template, and list your top skills. We usually recommend going for a mix of hard and soft skills .

Not sure what skills to include in your resume? Check out these 101 essential skills for any resume .

How to Make a Cover Letter for a Resume?

You should always submit a cover letter along with your resume for any job you apply to. Here are some of our top cover letter tips on how to do this right:

Tailor your cover letter to the employer. The more personalized it is, the more likely it is for the recruiter to like you.

Outline your general background (work experience, profession, etc.) and mention your top 2-3 achievements to show off your skills.

If you really want to stand out, create a cover letter that matches your resume template. To do this, you can use one of our cover letter templates here .

If you want to learn more about how to write a convincing cover letter, check out our comprehensive guide.

What Is the Best Resume Template?

There’s no such thing as “the best resume template” - every recruiter/employer has their own personal preference. Our general recommendation is to do your research on the company and its values.

For example, if you’re applying for a position at a bank, you’d want a more traditional resume template. Or, if you want a job in a startup where they value innovation more, you could opt for a creative resume template .

Alternatively, if you want your experience and skills to do all the talking, you can pick one of these minimalist resume templates .

Finally, if you’re still not sure which type of template is right for the job you’re applying for, you can just use a simple resume template just to be safe.

Do I Need to Include a Photo on my Resume?

No, you don’t need to include your photo together with your other contact details. Companies hire based on merit, which means your physical appearance shouldn’t matter to the hiring manager.

Instead, in your contact information section, make sure to include the following:

Professional title

Valid phone number

Email address

Location/where you’re based

Link to website/ LinkedIn /online portfolio, etc.

What’s the Difference Between a Resume and a CV?

In most cases, when people are talking about a CV or a resume, they are referring to the same thing! The only difference is that it's called a resume in the US and a CV in Europe (and most other countries around the world).

Now, in the US, a CV is a very in-depth document that describes your career journey step-by-step, including all sorts of personal information . Depending on your amount of experience, a CV can range between 2 to 8 pages and it’s typically used when you’re applying for jobs in academia.

Check out our guide for a more comprehensive run-down of the differences between a CV and a resume .

6 Tips for Creating a US Resume (That’ll Land You the Job)

Looking to get hired in the US? Check out our tips for creating a US resume below!

Keep your resume between 1-3 pages . A one-page resume is preferable unless you’re a seasoned professional. In such a case, you can go for two or even three, if your experience is really relevant.

Use Standard American English . So, for example, write “color” instead of the UK version, which is “colour.”

Leave out personal information , such as marital status, birthday, gender, photo, number of children, age, religion, personal identification numbers, and ethnicity/country of origin. They can be grounds for discrimination.

Don’t include references, unless the employer specifically asks you to.

Don’t list English as a foreign language.

Don’t list your GPA, SAT, TOEFL, or ACT scores on your US resume unless otherwise stated. Hiring managers usually don’t care.

Check out this guide for the full list of resume tips and tricks !

Get Inspired with Our Resume Examples

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Follow these simple steps:

Choose one of our top resume templates above

Follow the tips & tricks built-in our resume builder

Fill in your work history and other experiences

Hit download and start applying to jobs!

What If I Am a Student?

All of our resume samples are student-friendly! If you’re looking for something a bit more tailored, we’d recommend picking the “college resume template”

Or, if you want to learn how to create a convincing student resume , check out our guide.

Do I Really Need a Resume?

Yes, you definitely need a resume!

Practically every job out there requires that candidates submit a resume and a cover letter, so if you want your application to be considered by the hiring manager, you definitely need a resume .

Are These Resume Templates Free?

Yep, all of the templates listed above are free resume templates.

However, our resume builder comes with a ton of premium features. So if you want to personalize your resume and make it truly yours, you can upgrade!

Who Created These Resume Samples?

At Novorésumé, we put extensive care in creating each resume template.

We interviewed recruiters and analyzed applicant tracking systems to create resume samples that will maximize your chances of getting hired.

Then, our professional graphic designer worked his magic to make the resume samples compelling, well-designed, and easy to read!

Which Template Do Most Employers Prefer for Resumes?

Typically, employers prefer simple, professional-looking resume templates that follow the reverse-chronological format and don’t surpass two pages MAX in length.

All the Novoresume templates above meet these requirements, so rest assured hiring managers will dig whichever one you choose.

Are These Resume Templates ATS-Friendly?

Yes! All Novorésumé templates are ATS-friendly .

Keep in mind, though, that using the right template is step #1. You should also optimize your resume content for applicant tracking systems. For more on that, check out our guide to creating an ATS-friendly resume .

Do You Offer One-Page Resume Templates?

Yep. All the templates you see above are one-page resume templates. They are, however, pretty flexible, so if you decide to go for 2 pages, our templates will get the job done!

Should I Download My New Resume In PDF or Word?

You should always download and save your resume as a PDF .

Here’s why:

PDF formatting never gets messed up.

It’s compatible with practically any system or device.

PDF documents look cleaner and are overall more professional.

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9 Information Technology (IT) Resume Examples for 2024

Best for senior and mid-level candidates

There’s plenty of room in our elegant resume template to add your professional experience while impressing recruiters with a sleek design.

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Like this template? Customize this resume and make it your own with the help of our Al-powered suggestions, accent colors, and modern fonts.

• IT Resumes by Experience
• IT Resumes by Role

Few businesses or organizations can do without an IT guru these days. As an IT professional, you could be providing support for a large company or a small start-up. 

No matter your preference, the opportunities are limitless, and whether you’re just starting or looking to move to the next level, you may feel overwhelmed with all the job choices and the best way to  build your resume and generate a cover letter .

We’ve researched countless IT resumes and asked what employers are looking for in 2024 to come up with  nine IT resume samples for you to use as a guide when  crafting your own resume . Plus, we have some tips to help you tailor your resume to the position you’re looking to land!

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

• Numbers (aka metrics) are the easiest way to quantify your abilities and show employers you made a significant contribution to your workplace.
• So although it’s a challenge, try to keep your  resume’s skills section  brief. We’d recommend listing only six to eight skills with most of them from the  job description .
• Of course, don’t falsify any information. You don’t need to have  every  skill from the job description, so don’t feel you have to lie just to get the job 

Professional IT Resume

• Think about past projects and roles that underscore your abilities, and quantify those actions with metrics.
• You might spend a little more time on your resume upfront, but trust us, you’ll thank yourself—and us later!
• Choosing a professional but creative style like one of our  free Google Docs resume templates  or  Word interactive resume samples  can set you apart from the competition; though we suggest avoiding cutesy fonts, too much color, and disorganized sections, you can instead try:
• Rearranging sections of your resume 
• Adding color to section headings, and 
• Increasing/decreasing margins and spacing to fill one page

Entry-Level IT Resume

• Your objective is an opportunity to tell employers a number of things in a few sentences:
• Explain how your previous experience (whether a relevant internship or even volunteering) has provided you with the background to adapt to the position at hand.
• Showcase your abilities and what you can offer—reiterate that you have the skills ( found in the job description) the employer is specifically seeking.
• Emphasize that your qualities, characteristics, and skills are aligned with the company’s overall mission. 
• Most importantly, though, expound on your responsibilities in each work experience bullet point, and highlight your indirect and direct impact in your previous positions, even if you don’t think they’re relevant. 

Experienced IT Project Manager Resume

• Most IT positions will require a bachelor’s, and project management definitely requires it! 
• Some employers prefer you have your PMP certificate, and others will require it. There are lots of other certs out there, too, so be sure you’re certified, or at least taking steps to complete certification in the areas your dream job requires.  
• We suggest weaving your skills throughout your work experience using bullet points for a powerful, easy-to-read snapshot of your impact. 
• Another winning tip is to pepper your bullet points with active verbs and plenty of metrics that demo your very best work while connecting your resume story together. 

IT Technician Resume

• While percentages have their place, don’t limit yourself to these alone; otherwise, your narration becomes too monotonous. Instead, spruce up things by weaving in other metrics. Notice how Jackson talks about saving issue resolution time by 11 hours, reducing password-related requests by 126, and so on.

IT Analyst Resume

• Perhaps you helped cut data management costs at one company or conjured up a substantial dollar amount of savings in IT equipment at a different company. Either case, it shows your capacity to save money on IT, which could positively impact the hiring organization’s bottom line.
• Bullet points like these also make great stories you can expound on in your IT cover letter .

Technical Support Specialist Resume

• For instance, highlight your software competencies, problem-solving skills, and customer-centric services in your technical support specialist resume .

IT Specialist Resume

• Your IT specialist resume should underline your troubleshooting, system infrastructure, and performance optimization skills.

IT Director Resume

• List your work history in reverse-chronological order (your most recent work experience at the top of your resume).
• Demonstrate increased responsibility, supervisory roles, and impressive metrics as you move from your oldest to your most recent position. 
• Start each bullet point with an active, power verb like “directed” or “upgraded” rather than vague verbs like “assisted” or “helped.” Not only will this method reduce unnecessary words, but most importantly, it demonstrates your initiative, which is exactly what IT hiring personnel want to see. 

Related resume guides

• Product Manager
• Software Engineer

The weird new hiring wars

AI bots are battling it out over job searches. No matter who wins, we all lose.

When Josh Holbrook, a software engineer in Alaska, was laid off in January, he didn't expect to spend too much time looking for a new job. He certainly didn't think he'd need to relearn the job-hunt process.

A few weeks into his search, however, Holbrook found himself out of his depth. Instead of speaking with a human recruiter at a local healthcare organization, he was screened by an AI chatbot. His résumé, created nearly a decade ago in a technical format popular among academics, was incompatible with new automated recruitment platforms. He signed up for a professional service to update it in an AI-friendly format.

"The experience was completely novel," Holbrook told me. "I've never seen that before."

Over the past couple of years, job seekers have been forced to contend with incessant layoffs , a brutal recruitment market , and days of unpaid assignments. They can now add AI recruiting systems to that pile. In 2022, the Society for Human Resource Management found that about 40% of the large-scale employers it surveyed said they were already deploying AI in HR-related activities like recruitment. Rik Mistry, who consults on large-scale corporate recruitment, told Business Insider that AI is now leveraged to write job descriptions, judge an applicant's skills, power recruiting chatbots, and rate a candidate's responses. Ian Siegel, the CEO of ZipRecruiter, estimated in 2022 that nearly three-fourths of all résumés were never seen by humans.

Some job hunters have decided to fight fire with fire, turning to programs that use AI to optimize their résumés and apply to hundreds of jobs at a time. But the emerging AI-versus-AI recruitment battle is bad news for everyone. It turns hiring into a depersonalized process, it inundates hiring managers, and it reinforces weaknesses in the system it's designed to improve. And it only seems to be getting worse.

Automation in recruitment isn't new: After job sites like Monster and LinkedIn made it easy for people to apply for jobs in the early 2010s, companies adopted applicant-tracking systems to manage the deluge of online applications. Now most résumés are first seen by software designed to evaluate a person's experience and education and rank them accordingly.

The automation has helped ease the burden on overstretched recruiters — but not by much. As the stacks of digital résumés have grown amid frequent changes to remote-work policies, the recruitment hamster wheel has spun ever faster.

We know AI isn't perfect, but we have to use it as there's pressure from the higher-ups.

AI is supposed to fix this mess, saving companies time and money by outsourcing even more of the hiring process to machine-learning algorithms. In late 2019, Unilever said it had saved 100,000 hours and about $1 million in recruitment costs with the help of automated video interviews. Platforms like LinkedIn and ZipRecruiter have started using generative AI to offer candidates personalized job recommendations and let recruiters generate listings in seconds. The Google-backed recruitment-tech startup Moonhub has an AI bot that scours the internet, gathering data from places like LinkedIn and Github, to find suitable candidates. On HireVue, employers can let a bot with a set questionnaire conduct video assessments to analyze candidates' personalities . Newer startups combine these abilities in a centralized service, allowing firms to put " hiring on autopilot ."

But hiring experts Business Insider spoke with weren't convinced it's all for the best. Many fear that over time AI will make an already frustrating system worse and spawn fresh issues like ghost hires, where companies are misled into recruiting a bot masquerading as a person.

Several seasoned recruiters told me they hadn't incorporated AI into their workflow beyond auto-generating job descriptions and summarizing candidate calls. Tatiana Becker, who specializes in tech recruiting, said software that claims to match résumés with jobs lacked the nuance to do more than keyword matching — it couldn't, for instance, identify desirable candidates who came from top schools or had a history of earning strong promotions. Chatbots that Becker's boutique agency experimented with would frequently mismatch prospects and roles, ultimately pushing the prospects away.

This résumé matching "might work for applicants of more entry-level jobs," Becker told BI, "but I would worry about using it for anything else at this point."

Despite the problems, many companies are marching forward. "We know AI isn't perfect, but we have to use it as there's pressure from the higher-ups," said a recruiter in a Fortune 500 firm who spoke on the condition of anonymity to candidly discuss his company's hiring process.

Pallavi Sinha, the vice president of growth at Humanly, a startup that offers a conversational-AI hiring platform to companies like Microsoft, said that "AI in recruiting, similar to other industries, is very much at a nascent stage." But she predicted it would continue to be incorporated into hiring.

"AI isn't here to replace human interactions," she said, "but to make our jobs and lives easier — something that we'll see more and more of over time." Sinha declined to share how many applications Humanly had processed but said its chatbot service had over a "million conversations last year alone."

For candidates, though, AI has been a nightmare. Kerry McInerney, an AI researcher at the University of Cambridge, said AI increases the amount of labor for applicants, forcing them to complete puzzles and attend automated interviews just to get to the selection stage. She argued that it makes a "depersonalized process even more alienating."

Holbrook, the software engineer, wrote on LinkedIn about his frustration. "AI is too stupid to recognize transferrable skills among tech applicants," he said, adding, "I had a resume bounced because I don't have c# listed as a fluent language, even though I've dealt with c# in my jobs and have worked with plenty of languages that are 90% the same as c#."

Danielle Caldwell, a user-experience strategist in Portland, Oregon, was confused when an AI chatbot texted her to initiate the conversation about a role she had applied for. At first, she thought it was spam. After the exchange, she was left with more questions.

"There was no way to ask questions with the bot — it was a one-way experience," Caldwell said.

The University of Sussex has found that AI video interviews can be disorienting for job seekers , who behave much less naturally in the absence of a reassuring human presence. Plus, Mclnerney said, assessing a candidate's personality based on their body language and appearance is not only "reminiscent of 19th- and 20th-century racial pseudoscience but simply doesn't work." Her research has demonstrated that even things like wearing a headscarf or having a bookshelf in the background can change a personality score.

With AI you are only accelerating the brokenness of recruiting.

A cottage industry of tools has sprung up to help candidates game AI systems. One called LazyApply, for example, can apply to thousands of jobs online on your behalf for $250. "Anyone who has had to review over 50 résumés in one sitting wants to put a toothpick in their eyes," said Peter Laughter, who's been in recruitment for about three decades. With AI, he said, "you are only accelerating the brokenness of recruiting."

Bonnie Dilber, a recruiting manager at Zapier, said these services contributed to problematic behaviors on both sides of hiring. Candidates' submitting hundreds of applications leaves recruiting teams struggling to keep up and respond, which in turn pushes applicants to feel that they need to submit even more applications to stand a chance.

A more pressing issue, Dilber added, is that often these bots submit poor applications. Dilber and other recruiters told BI that some cover letters say only, "This has been submitted by [AI tool], please contact [person's email] with questions." When Aki Ito, a BI correspondent, tried using AI to apply for jobs , the system got her race wrong, made up that she spoke Spanish, and submitted an outdated cover letter.

"We had some people accidentally include ChatGPT's entire response," Hailley Griffis, the head of communications and content at Buffer, told BI. Griffis, who said she reviewed an average of 500 applications per open role, added, "There is a very distinct tone with a lot of AI content that hasn't been edited, and we saw a lot of that."

Recruiters and researchers also worry about AI's tendency to reinforce many of the recruitment industry's existing biases . Researchers from the Berkeley Haas Center for Equity, Gender and Leadership said in 2021 that of about 133 biased AI systems they analyzed, about 44% exhibited gender bias. Other recent studies have found that AI systems are prone to screening out applicants with disabilities and de-ranking résumés with names associated with Black Americans.

Unlike a human, an algorithm will never look at past hiring decisions and rectify its mistakes, said Sandra Wachter, a tech and regulation professor at the University of Oxford. It will always do as it has been taught.

Wachter, whose team developed a bias test that's been adopted by companies like IBM and Amazon, believes it's possible to use AI to make fairer decisions — but for that to happen, employers need to address systemic issues with more inclusive data and regular checks. Moonhub, for example, has a human recruiter who vets the AI's recommendations and speaks with candidates who prefer a human over a chatbot.

But until AI improves enough, humans will remain the most effective hiring systems. Becker, the tech recruiter, said humans were still critical for "getting to the heart of the candidate's decision-making process and helping them overcome apprehensions if they've gotten cold feet," as well as for "dealing with counteroffers."

David Francis, a vice president at Talent Tech Labs, a recruitment research and advisory firm, said that while "recruitment is still and will always be a very human-focused process," AI "is a tool and can be used effectively or poorly."

But when it's used poorly, both candidates and recruiters suffer. After four months of job searching, Josh Holbrook has yet to find a job.

Shubham Agarwal  is a freelance technology journalist from Ahmedabad, India, whose work has appeared in Wired, The Verge, Fast Company, and more.

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Morning Bid: New highs hold as disinflation resumes, US cools

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By Mike Dolan, editing by Sharon Singleton <a href="mailto:[email protected]" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>

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IMF: U.S. should keep open trade, work with China to resolve disputes

The U.S. would be better served by maintaining its open trade system rather than imposing new punitive duties on Chinese goods, the International Monetary Fund said on Thursday, adding that Washington and Beijing should work together to resolve their trade tensions.

Morning Bid: New Highs Hold as Disinflation Resumes, US Cools

People walk outside the New York Stock Exchange in New York, U.S., December 29, 2023. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photo

A look at the day ahead in U.S. and global markets from Mike Dolan

World stocks notched new records and the dollar nursed its worst day of the year as fears of an overheating U.S. economy dissipate - stirring hopes that the coast is clearing for Federal Reserve easing at last.

Even though markets jumped the gun late Tuesday, the slightly softer U.S. consumer price inflation report for April and many encouraging details under the bonnet supercharged both the S&P500 and Nasdaq to all-time highs and dragged Treasury yields down to the lowest in more than a month.

Futures have held those moves overnight as Asia stocks were dragged into the slipstream too - helped by the relief of the dollar's biggest one-day drop of 2024 on Wednesday.

Central to the new-found ebullience on Wall Street has been the puncturing of stock and bond market volatility to the lowest in four months and six weeks respectively.

The ebbing of monthly CPI gains last month is cause for considerable relief after three months of sticky price gains - with measures of easier services and shelter inflation of particular note for the wary Fed. Annual core and headline CPI inflation slipped to 3.6% and 3.4% in that order.

Although a noted policy dove, Chicago Fed boss Austan Goolsbee welcomed the retreat in housing inflation in particular. "I'm optimistic that we're continuing on this downward trajectory," he said late on Wednesday.

Two quarter-point Fed rate cuts are back in the futures strip for this year, with a first move almost fully priced by September and even a one-in-three chance now that the Fed may cut as soon as July.

A surprise stalling of retail sales growth last month, sub-forecast housing indicators for May and a bigger drop in New York manufacturing sentiment this month also tempered the growth picture - and the combination has dragged the Atlanta Fed's real-time GDP growth estimate back below 4%.

The U.S. economic surprise index is still tracking at its most negative since January 2023.

Alongside today's industry readout, markets will now watch closely on Thursday to see if last week's outsize jump in weekly jobless claims holds true.

Egging on global markets at large is the fact that U.S. inflation relief -- and the sharp dollar recoil - solidify expectations that the European Central Bank will cut rates next month and money markets also put a greater than 50% chance the Bank of England will ease in June too.

Underscoring the much tamer inflation picture in the euro zone - where annual CPI inflation is running at just 2.4% - Italy reported on Thursday that its annual inflation rate fell below 1% last month.

As to overall global growth, Japan surprised with news of a deeper contraction in economic activity in the first quarter than forecast. The economy there shrank 2.0% annualised in January-March from the prior quarter, faster than the expected 1.5% drop as the weakening yen hit consumption.

But the weak growth readout may cut across speculation of another imminent Bank of Japan tightening there.

Back on Wall St, the stocks rally has been broad-based across tech megacaps and small caps after a bumper earnings season.

Walmart reports later on Thursday but many will already now be looking to artificial intelligence bellwether Nvidia's update next week.

In company news, Netflix said on Wednesday its ad-supported tier has reached 40 million global monthly active users, from 5 million a year earlier, a sign that its push to attract new users with the cheaper plan is paying off.

Key diary items that may provide direction to U.S. markets later on Thursday:

* US weekly jobless claims, April industrial production, April import/export prices, April housing starts, May Philadelphia Fed business survey

* US corporate earnings: Walmart, Deere, Applied Materials, Copart, Take-Two Interactive Software

* Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr testifies at Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing; Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester, Philadelphia Fed chief Patrick Harker, Richmond Fed chief Thomas Barkin and Atlanta Fed boss Raphael Bostic all speak; Bank of England policymaker Megan Greene speaks

* US Treasury sells 4-week bills

(By Mike Dolan, editing by Sharon Singleton [email protected])

Copyright 2024 Thomson Reuters .

Tags: Switzerland , Coronavirus , European Union , United Kingdom , Europe , Japan

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• Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/live-updates-cross-examination-of-michael-cohen-resumes

Live Updates: Cross-examination of Michael Cohen resumes

Catching up on Donald Trump’s hush money trial? Find highlights from days one and two of Michael Cohen’s testimony, plus why Cohen’s credibility is key to the case .

NEW YORK (AP) — Prosecutors’ star witness in the hush money case against Donald Trump will be back in the hot seat Thursday as defense lawyers try to chip away at Michael Cohen’s crucial testimony implicating the former president.

The trial will resume in Manhattan with potentially explosive defense cross-examination of Cohen, whose credibility could determine the presumptive Republican presidential nominee’s fate in the case.

Cohen is prosecutors’ final witness — at least for now — as they try to prove Trump schemed to suppress a damaging story he feared would torpedo his 2016 presidential campaign, and then falsified business records to cover it up.

READ MORE: ‘Everything required Mr. Trump’s sign-off,’ Michael Cohen says in hush money trial

The trial is in its 18th day. The defense is not expected to call many witnesses.

Over two days on the witness stand, Cohen placed Trump directly at the center of the alleged scheme to stifle negative stories to fend off damage to his White House bid. Cohen told jurors that Trump promised to reimburse him for the money he fronted and was constantly updated about efforts to silence women who alleged sexual encounters with him. Trump denies the women’s claims.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts.

The case is the first-ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president and the first of four prosecutions of Trump to reach a jury.

11:17 a.m. EDT

‘don’t make a speech,’ defense tells cohen.

Donald Trump’s defense attorney Todd Blanche cut off the ex-president’s former lawyer Michael Cohen on Thursday as he attempted to explain why he pleaded guilty to certain offenses he didn’t think he should’ve been charged with.

“I took the global plea that was provided to me,” Cohen said as he was cross-examined at Trump’s hush money trial.

“Sir, please don’t make a speech,” Blanche interjected.

Judge Juan Merchan then instructed Cohen to answer Blanche’s questions and avoid tangential answers.

In a lightning round of questions and answers, Blanche pointed out that Cohen has, over time, blamed various other people for his problems, including his accountant, a bank, federal prosecutors and a federal judge.

And, Blanche asked, “You blamed President Trump?”

“Yes, sir,” Cohen replied.

Cohen talks taxis

Donald Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen explained Thursday at the ex-president’s hush money trial his own role in New York City’s taxi medallion system, the unusual and archaic economic model that underpins the city’s for-hire vehicle industry.

Cohen owned 32 medallions of an estimated 13,000 citywide that he leased out to Evgeny Freidman, a figure known locally as New York’s “Taxi King.” Cohen pleaded guilty to federal charges that included hiding more than $1.3 million in income that he received from Freidman. Freidman was later sentenced to probation for tax fraud.

“It would be no different than if you were leasing an apartment from somebody,” Cohen said of his relationship with Freidman. “He would lease my medallion or medallions in agreement with the contract, and he would pay me a sum every month whether he made money or not.”

10:41 a.m. EDT

Defense grills cohen on his guilty plea.

Donald Trump’s defense attorney Todd Blanche grilled Michael Cohen on Thursday at the former president’s hush money trial about Cohen’s 2018 guilty plea to federal charges, including for lying to Congress about a Trump Tower Moscow project.

As he did when pleading guilty, Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and fixer, conceded on the witness stand that he lied to two congressional committees about his contacts with Russian officials. He also said he lied when he said he never agreed to travel to Russia in connection with the project and never discussed with Trump plans to travel to Moscow to support it.

WATCH: What does Michael Cohen’s guilty plea mean for Trump?

“Just related to that issue, you lied under oath, correct?” Blanche asked.

“Yes sir,” Cohen said.

Blanche dug at Cohen’s motivations for the admitting to prior lies to Congress. Blanche noted that Cohen has repeatedly said he lied out of loyalty to Trump.

Cohen went on to testify that he does accept responsibility for what he did.

Jurors hear clips of Cohen’s podcastes

Donald Trump’s attorneys in his hush money trial gave jurors a picture Thursday of his former lawyer Michael Cohen’s on-air persona, playing two clips of his podcasts over the years in which he discussed Trump and the potential charges.

In the recordings played in the courtroom, Cohen’s voice was louder, high-pitched and much more animated than the reserved and concise way he’s been answering questions. In one clip from an episode defense lawyer Todd Blanche said was from October 2020, Cohen uses an expletive and says he truly hopes “that this man ends up in prison.”

“It won’t bring back the year that I lost or the damage done to my family. But revenge is a dish best served cold,” Cohen says in the clip. He adds: “You better believe that I want this man to go down.”

Blanche asked Cohen if he continued to call Trump various names on his podcasts and when he did interviews on CNN, and Cohen said he did.

“And that has continued even during this trial?” Blanche asked.

“Correct,” Cohen said.

10:19 a.m. EDT

Cohen confirms text messages with investigator.

Defense attorney Todd Blanche asked as he cross-examined Donald Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen about TV interviews he did when news of the former president’s indictment in the hush money case emerged last year.

One included a CNN hit in which he compared himself and Trump to the biblical David and Goliath.

Cohen confirmed that, in text messages not shown to jurors, an investigator with the prosecutors’ office complimented him on at least one of the interviews, though prosecutors had asked Cohen to refrain from talking to the news media about the case.

Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger disrupted Blanche’s efforts to get the exchanges shown to jurors or read into the record. Hoffinger noted that the messages were heavily redacted, which Cohen said deprived them of important context.

Stop-and-start as Trump’s trial resumes

Donald Trump’s hush money trial got off to a slow start Thursday morning, with attorneys halting proceedings to have several sidebar conversations with the judge, including an extended discussion to start the day.

Judge Juan Merchan apologized to the jurors for the delay. The judge told them that it may be necessary to hold the trial next Wednesday because of scheduling, with days off including Memorial Day and this Friday, when Trump will attend son Barron’s high school graduation.

The trial has been taking Wednesdays off so Merchan can attend to other matters.

The stop-and-start continued as defense attorney Todd Blanche began cross-examining former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen and prosecutors objected to the phrasing of several questions.

Republican Reps. Lauren Boebert, Matt Gaetz and Bob Good sat with Trump’s son Eric in the first row of the gallery, behind the former president and the defense table. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna sat in the second row.

9:58 a.m. EDT

Cross-examination of cohen resumes.

Donald Trump’s former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen entered the courtroom in the ex-president’s hush money trial carrying a bottle of water and his eyeglasses case in his left hand.

He strode confidently and briskly to the witness stand, not looking in Trump’s direction. Trump also did not look toward Cohen, instead gazing straight ahead.

READ MORE: Why Trump’s hush money defense depends on knocking down Michael Cohen’s credibility

The defense’s cross-examination of Cohen resumed soon after.

Beforehand, an officer instructed lawmakers in the audience to put their cellphones away, a rule that applies to everyone in the courtroom to watch the trial.

“People are going to ask about it,” the officer said, noting the big concern is people taking pictures of the proceedings, which is forbidden.

9:35 a.m. EDT

Trump grumbles again about the trial.

Donald Trump returned to court Thursday in his hush money trial and once again complained about it, telling reporters before entering the courtroom that “the crime is that they’re doing this case.”

Trump was flanked by a large group of congressional allies, including Republican Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida and Bob Good of Virginia. Trump said the members joining him are “up in arms over this.”

Donald Trump attends his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments on May 16, 2024. Photo by Angela Weiss/ Pool via REUTERS

He also complained about the security presence outside the courthouse.

“Outside it’s like Fort Knox, you can’t get within three blocks of this place if you’re a civilian,” Trump said, even though the area is accessible to the public.

Trump folded papers in his hand as he entered, followed by his lawyers, a cadre of Republican lawmakers and support staff.

Some lawmakers who joined Trump in court were forced to sit in the back row of the gallery because there wasn’t enough room in the rows reserved for the entourage.

8:58 a.m. EDT

Trump’s gop surrogates prepare to join him at court.

The chair of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, Rep. Bob Good, of Virginia, appeared Thursday morning with Rep. Matt Gaetz, of Florida, outside Trump Tower to support Donald Trump shortly before the indicted former president left for court.

Gaetz is not a member of the Freedom Caucus but is a top Trump ally. Several other Republicans were expected Thursday at the court.

The House Oversight Committee, led by Republicans, postponed a morning meeting until evening, as GOP lawmakers made their way to New York.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., listens as Donald Trump speaks to the news media before his trial on May 16, 2024. Photo by Angela Weiss/Pool via REUTERS

As part of their attack on the justice system, Republicans on the panel are considering Thursday a contempt-of-Congress resolution against U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland in a separate matter, over their investigation of President Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents.

The former president waved before getting into his motorcade and heading to the courthouse for the day.

7:29 a.m. EDT

Trump delivered some election news while the court was on break.

After months of questions about whether general election debates would happen, President Joe Biden and Republican nominee Donald Trump have agreed to participate in two of them: one in June and one in September.

The first debate will play out in a jam-packed and unsettled political calendar, before either candidate becomes his party’s official nominee at the summer conventions.

WATCH: Democratic and GOP strategists discuss what to expect from the Biden-Trump debates

The June 27 match-up will come after the expected conclusion of Trump’s criminal hush money trial in New York, foreign trips by Biden in mid-June to France and Italy, and the end of the Supreme Court’s term.

The second debate would take place before most states begin early voting — though some overseas and military ballots may already be in the mail.

The jurors aren’t seeing some of the most explosive moments around Trump’s hush money trial

Some of the most explosive moments in Donald Trump’s hush money trial have played out for most of the world to see — except for the people who are actually deciding his fate: the jury.

READ MORE: A timeline of key events in the Trump hush money trial

The 12-person panel is shown evidence and witness testimony so they can decide whether the former president is guilty of a scheme to buy up and bury seamy stories in an effort to illegally influence the 2016 presidential election. But it’s a highly curated experience; jurors are not getting the full picture seen by those who follow along each day.

They don’t even witness Trump enter or exit the courtroom. He’s already there by the time they are brought into the room, and he stays until they are dismissed. This is by design.

Trump asks New York’s high court to intervene in fight over gag order

Donald Trump is seeking to have New York’s highest court intervene in his fight over a gag order that has seen him fined $10,000 and threatened with jail for violating a ban on commenting about witnesses, jurors and others connected to his hush money criminal trial.

The former president’s lawyers filed a notice of appeal Wednesday, a day after the state’s mid-level appellate court refused his request to lift or modify the restrictions. The filing was listed on a court docket, but the document itself was sealed and not available.

Highlights from earlier this week in the Trump hush money trial

It wasn’t until after a decade in the fold, after his family pleaded with him, after the FBI raided his office, apartment and hotel room, Michael Cohen testified Tuesday, that he finally decided to turn on Donald Trump.

Donald Trump watches as Michael Cohen is cross examined by defense lawyer Todd Blanche during Trump’s criminal trial on May 14, 2024. Courtroom sketch by Jane Rosenberg/ Reuters

The complicated break led to a 2018 guilty plea to federal charges involving a payment to the porn actor Stormy Daniels to bury her story of an alleged sexual encounter with Trump and to other, unrelated crimes.

And it’s that insider knowledge of shady deals that pushed Manhattan prosecutors to make Cohen the star witness in their case against Trump about that same payment, which they say was an illegal effort to influence the 2016 presidential election.

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