How to write a resume: 10 tips to get you started

No matter what industry you’re in or what role you’re applying for, a strong resume⁠(opens in a new tab or window) is non-negotiable. Accompanying your cover letter⁠(opens in a new tab or window), this important document is usually a prospective employer’s first introduction to you⁠(opens in a new tab or window). It gives them a birds-eye view of who you are, what you do and most importantly, why they should give you an interview⁠(opens in a new tab or window)!

Research⁠(opens in a new tab or window) shows that recruiters spend an average of six seconds reviewing each individual resume. So, to ensure your CV⁠(opens in a new tab or window) doesn’t land promptly in the ‘no’ pile, it needs to immediately make a great impression. An interview-winning resume is polished, professional and stands out against the crowd.

But, where do you start when it comes to writing a resume? In this article, we’ve put together 10 tried-and-tested tips for creating a CV that stands out for the right reasons. Whether you’re applying for your first job, changing industries or re-entering the workforce after a break, these tips will put you on the path to success.

This is how to write a resume:

1. Lead with a tagline⁠(opens in a new tab or window)
2. Keep it brief⁠(opens in a new tab or window)
3. Use the right language⁠(opens in a new tab or window)
4. Include a summary⁠(opens in a new tab or window)
5. Use reverse chronological order⁠(opens in a new tab or window)
6. Structure it with sections⁠(opens in a new tab or window)
7. Include quantitative data⁠(opens in a new tab or window)
8. Be consistent⁠(opens in a new tab or window)
9. Highlight transferable skills⁠(opens in a new tab or window)
10. Make it your own⁠(opens in a new tab or window)

Your resume should instantly grab the recruiter’s attention and tell them what you’re all about. One excellent way to do this is by including a tagline near the top of your resume.

Usually positioned right under your name, this is essentially your elevator pitch. It’s a short, snappy statement that encapsulates your past work experience and the type of work you’re currently looking for. It immediately helps the prospective employer catalogue envision how you might fit into their company.

Via Buzzfeed This inspiring resume⁠(opens in a new tab or window) from Stephanie Bullock is a great example of this tool in action. In just a few words, the tagline ‘graphic designer & future web designer’ sums up her current strengths (graphic design) and outlines her desired career progression.

This strategy is even more effective when it mirrors the job advertisement. Say, for example, the ad states that the company is seeking an entry-level web designer with graphic design experience. By including the tagline, Stephanie immediately positions herself as a perfect fit for the role.

Bonus Tip: Want to take your resume to the next level? You can enhance your prospects in international job searches by using Canva's document translator⁠(opens in a new tab or window) tool to create versions in multiple languages. This can help you present qualifications effectively, regardless of the language requirements, and expand career opportunities.

The key to an effective resume tagline is to keep it brief—you’ll go into more detail about your experience later. Around two to four words is ideal to attract and maintain the recruiter’s attention. With space for a concise tagline, Canva’s Red and Black Corporate Secondary School Teacher Resume⁠(opens in a new tab or window) template is the perfect starting point.

“What’s the perfect length for a resume?” is a question many job-seekers find themselves asking. While there’s no hard and fast answer to that question, a general rule of thumb is—the shorter, the better.

Remember, most recruiters are extremely busy people who have hundreds of resumes to look through. So, if they have to thumb through five pages to get the gist of your experience, they’ll likely move on—no matter how experienced you are.

According to research⁠(opens in a new tab or window) from Saddleback College, 48% of employers prefer a one-page resume⁠(opens in a new tab or window). However, if you have a vast amount of relevant experience, you can likely get away with two pages.

No matter what resume format you go for, it’s important to make sure it’s well-structured, readable and there’s not too much information jammed onto the page.

The above resume by Adysta Abitama Ardent is a great example of a well-designed, one-page resume. He conveys a large amount of information in a small space. But. due to the use of visual elements, it doesn’t feel overly crowded or cluttered.

Want to use a sleek, one-page resume to help land the job of your dreams? Check out Canva’s Black Professional Resume⁠(opens in a new tab or window) template.

While a resume generally won’t be as text-heavy as a cover letter,⁠(opens in a new tab or window) the words you use are still incredibly important. This means not only using the right key phrases (as recruiters will often quickly scan your resume for these, or even use a digital tool to do so), but also nailing your tone of voice.

Naturally, the type of language you use will vary slightly depending on what type of work you’re applying for. For example, if you’re in a creative industry⁠(opens in a new tab or window) your language may be slightly more lively and dynamic than if you were applying for a corporate role. It’s a good idea to pay attention to the job ad and the company’s website⁠(opens in a new tab or window) and try to mimic the language the best you can.

However, across the board, the language in a resume should be professional, polished and concise. It should be free from slang, abbreviations and colloquialism. That said, long and overly complicated phrases and sentences are best avoided, too. Not only can this come across as verbose, but you have limited space to work with on your resume.

Strong resume writing also uses the active voice over passive voice. Active voice is when the sentence has a subject that acts upon its verb, while passive means the verb is the recipient of the verb’s action. For example, “I was awarded a promotion after just one year” is preferable to “a promotion was awarded to me after just one year.”

Product designer Maria Tache’s resume is a fantastic example of simple yet effective writing, and masterful use of the active voice.

Want to let the words do the talking in your own resume? Canva’s pared-back Dark Green and Cream Corporate Pharmacologist Science Resume⁠(opens in a new tab or window) template is a great jumping off point.

While resume trends have come and gone over the years, there’s one that doesn’t appear to be going anywhere—executive summaries⁠(opens in a new tab or window). Otherwise known as a professional summary, this is a short blurb that sits at the top of your resume. It sums up your skills, experience, education and strengths in one paragraph.

This summary is likely the first thing the recruiter will read in your resume⁠(opens in a new tab or window). So, you should write it in a way that ensures they could read only that and still get a great feel for what you can offer.

This resume for Shannon Flores highlights the power of the summary. In less than 50 words, she has encapsulated her experience so far, and the value she could add to future employers.

Want to include a winning executive summary in your own resume? Check out the Colorful Modern Geometric Construction Resume⁠(opens in a new tab or window) template in Canva

Believe it or not, it’s a good idea to write your resume backwards! No, that doesn’t mean turning your CV into some kind of cryptic puzzle that the recruiter has to decode. But, writing your experience in reverse chronological order ensures that the employer sees your most recent and relevant work history first.

This is especially important for those who have been in the workforce for a long period of time. For example, if you’re applying for an upper-management position at a large company, working at a grocery store in the 1980s likely isn’t the most relevant piece of information to lead with.

The above resume shows the reverse chronological order in action. The applicant leads with their most recent experience and works their way backwards to their first role.

Want to take the reverse chronological order for a spin in your own CV? Check out the Blue and Grey Medical Resume template in Canva.

While one to two pages is optimal length for a resume, there’s often a lot of information you need to pack into it—especially if you’ve been in the workforce a while. After all, in order to put your best foot forward, you want to highlight all of your relevant skills, experience and accolades.

Unfortunately, if you include long chunks of text in your resume, the recruiter’s eyes will likely glaze over and they’ll quickly lose interest. This is why it’s a great idea to break your resume up into shorter, digestible sections. This makes it easy for hirers to quickly locate and skim the information they need.

There are a few different visual tools you can use to break your resume into sections. The most obvious way is to include headings—something all job-seekers should do! However, you might also choose to take this a step further by breaking it down into sub-headings. Using bold type to accentuate certain words is another great way to add visual interest and clarity to your resume.

In the above resume by Caitlin Giles, a few visual elements have been expertly used to make the text more easily digestible. Not only has she used headings, sub-headings and bold type, but she has also incorporated colors and lines. It all works together to create an engaging yet still professional looking resume.

Want to achieve a similar aesthetic and structure in your resume? Check out the Red Abstract Software Engineer Resume⁠(opens in a new tab or window) template in Canva.

The golden rule of resume writing is to show the employer why they should hire you—not just why you want the job. In order to do so, it’s important to communicate the value you could bring to your company.

One great strategy you can use to do this is to include quantitative data in your resume. These are numerical statistics that help employers measure the impact you’ve had in your past organizations.

For example, perhaps you helped grow your previous company’s blog by 200%, or got 30 new customers through the door each month. By including this information, you give them confidence that hiring you would provide a solid return on investment.

In the above resume for Zoe Washburne, you can see how numbers have been used to highlight her contribution to her previous company. This helps return on investment she would provide to a prospective employer—which is particularly important for a sales role.

If you aren’t as easily able to put a number on your past achievements, there are still other ways you can include quantitative data in your resume. For example, you could include graphs and to highlight the relevant skills you can bring to the company and your level of competency in them.

Ready to wow recruiters with your skills and achievements? Our Light Blue and Gray Resume⁠(opens in a new tab or window) template is ready to be personalized with your own data.

Consistency is key in any piece of great writing and your resume is no exception. You want to show employers that you have a keen eye for detail and avoid any jarring inconsistencies that are going to stop them reading. There are a couple of key details you’ll want to keep an eye out for when putting together your resume.

Firstly, you’ll want to decide whether you’re going to use the first person (ie. I am) or third person (YOUR NAME is) throughout your resume. While both are perfectly fine, it’s best to avoid flipping between these throughout your resume.

It’s also fine to use neither and drop the pronouns altogether—as you can see in the above resume. This can make your resume come across as quite corporate and professional—if a little impersonal—which can be effective in some industries.

You’ll also notice that the author is consistent in his sentence structure. Nearly every sentence and bullet point begins with a verb, such as ‘coordinated’ or ‘prepared.’ This not only helps to maintain consistency. but also makes it feel more action-oriented.

Want to show employers you’re ready for action? Check out the Purple and Blue Corporate HR Analytics Specialist Resume⁠(opens in a new tab or window) template in Canva.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a partner at a major law firm, a junior designer at an agency or an assistant at a store. There are some skills and qualities that are relevant and desirable across any role, industry or level of experience. Sometimes known as soft or interpersonal skills, these are less about the knowledge you possess and more about how you behave in certain situations. They’re incredibly important, as they can show a recruiter how well you’ll perform on a day-to-day basis and whether you’ll be a good fit for the company.

They’re also transferable, meaning they’ll serve you well in any role or company you enter. These are particularly important if you’re changing industries, as they’ll help you prove how the skills you’ve picked up in previous roles are relevant. For example, you might have strong leadership and problem-solving skills⁠(opens in a new tab or window)—qualities that are an asset in any company.

In the above resume example, you can see how Desiree’s transferable skills have been highlighted everywhere from her executive summary to the ‘soft skills’ section. They have also been woven into the description of each of her previous roles—allowing her to give a clearer picture of her skills in action. Putting the focus on these versatile skills would serve her well, as she seems to be transitioning from a computer engineer to a consulting role.

With plenty of room for highlighting transferable skills, Canva’s Blue Lines Simple Resume⁠(opens in a new tab or window) template is perfect for job-seekers entering a new industry.

By now, you can likely see that resume writing is as much a science as it is an art. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t put your own creative spin on it! After all, if you’re hired, the employee will likely be spending every day with you. They want to get a clear picture of you, and what makes you different. So, don’t be afraid to make your resume your own.

One easy way to do this is through your resume design. By using eye-catching colors, fonts and graphics, you can help ensure your CV stands out in the pile. Not only that, but it gives recruiters a glimpse into what makes you tick.

Via Buzzfeed This stunning resume by Whitney Vass is the perfect example of how you can incorporate your own creative flair. She has clearly called upon her experience as a designer to create an illustrated resume that truly showcases her personality. However, at the same time, it remains polished and professional.

In Canva, you can utilize our AI resume builder⁠(opens in a new tab or window) or browse through thousands of professionally-created resume templates⁠(opens in a new tab or window). Pick your preferred style, whether it's modern or a straightforward layout, and opt for specialized formats tailored to industries like acting, graphic design or more formal corporate settings. Enhance your resume's visual appeal by incorporating borders⁠(opens in a new tab or window), frames⁠(opens in a new tab or window), and other elements that make it truly distinctive. Crop⁠(opens in a new tab or window), straighten⁠(opens in a new tab or window), use photo filters⁠(opens in a new tab or window) and texturize your images⁠(opens in a new tab or window). Use your own color scheme⁠(opens in a new tab or window), font style⁠(opens in a new tab or window), background⁠(opens in a new tab or window), and text layout⁠(opens in a new tab or window).

The good news is, you don’t have to be a professional designer to have a little fun with your resume. Canva has hundreds of unique templates like the Blue and Yellow Playful Preschool Teacher Resume⁠(opens in a new tab or window) you can make your own.

In a competitive job market, a solid and professional-looking resume is your most important asset. By using the tips and inspiration in this article, you can dazzle prospective employers and get one step closer to your dream role. If you're also working on your cover letter, the AI letter generator⁠(opens in a new tab or window) can help you get started with the right tone and structure.