Your resume is often your first impression with a potential employer—and first impressions count. A well-crafted resume can open doors, while a poorly structured one can close them just as quickly. Whether you're entering the job market or making a career change, understanding the resume do’s and don’ts is essential to creating a document that stands out for the right reasons.

✅ Resume Do's

1. Tailor Your Resume to the Job
Customize your resume for each position by using relevant keywords from the job description. Highlight experience and skills that match what the employer is seeking.

2. Use a Clean, Professional Format
Stick to a simple, easy-to-read format with consistent fonts and clear headings. Avoid excessive graphics or colors unless you’re in a creative field.

3. Highlight Achievements, Not Just Duties
Focus on what you accomplished in each role, using quantifiable results when possible (e.g., “Increased sales by 20% in six months”).

4. Keep It Concise
For most applicants, one page is ideal (two pages max for experienced professionals). Be selective and focus on your most relevant experiences.

5. Include a Summary Section
Begin with a short, compelling professional summary that captures who you are and what you bring to the table.

6. Proofread Carefully
Spelling and grammar mistakes can make you seem careless. Always double-check your resume or have someone else review it.

7. Use Action Verbs
Start bullet points with strong verbs like “managed,” “developed,” “led,” or “initiated” to convey impact and proactiveness.

Creating a winning resume means more than listing your job history—it’s about strategically showcasing your strengths and potential. By following these do’s and avoiding the don’ts, you’ll significantly increase your chances of landing interviews and moving one step closer to your career goals.

❌ Resume Don’ts

1. Don’t Include Irrelevant Information
Avoid listing outdated or unrelated jobs, hobbies, or personal information like age or marital status.

2. Don’t Use Generic Objective Statements
Statements like “Looking for a challenging role in a growth-oriented company” are vague. Use a summary instead, tailored to the role.

3. Don’t Lie or Exaggerate
Falsifying your qualifications can cost you the job—or worse, your reputation. Be honest about your experience and skills.

4. Don’t Use Unprofessional Email Addresses
Stick with a simple, professional email (e.g., john.doe@gmail.com), not something like partyguy88@yahoo.com.

5. Don’t Use Too Much Jargon or Acronyms
Keep language clear and avoid terms that may not be familiar to all hiring managers, especially if applying outside your industry.

6. Don’t Forget to Update Your Resume Regularly
Make it a habit to refresh your resume every few months, especially after completing new projects, gaining new skills, or changing roles.

The quick answer is: DON"T. Don't make your resume stand out. Because 90% of recruitment is already done through ATS software. 

When most of us think about ways we can stand out we think: fancy fonts, modest colour, something unique that accurately represents "us". Unfortunately most employers do not filter ATS responses by "creativity". Whether your resume "stands out" is now being overlooked by computers. The more important idea is: how do I make my resume look more valuable?  Things you want an employer to see when they look at your resume:

This person can be valuable to me?

This person can fill the vacant role efficiently?

This person will get along with others in the workplace?

This person will stay with us through stormy weather ?

The four things you want an employer to notice on a resume is: Value, Efficiency, Tolerance, and Perseverance.  

The best way to attract a good employer is to do the following: 

1. Tailor Your Resume for Each Job

• Use the job description as a guide.

• Mirror keywords and skills listed in the posting.

• Show how your experience aligns directly with what the employer needs.
  
  

2. Start with a Strong Summary Section

• Use a compelling, concise professional summary at the top.

• Highlight your unique value proposition and key achievements in 3–4 lines.
  
  

Example:
Results-driven marketing professional with 5+ years of experience increasing brand visibility and generating leads through digital campaigns. Proven track record of 30% YoY growth in engagement.

3. Focus on Achievements, Not Just Tasks

• Use quantifiable results where possible (numbers, percentages, dollar amounts).

• Turn “responsible for managing social media” into “Grew social media engagement by 60% in 6 months through strategic content planning.”
  
  

🎯 4. Use Clean, Modern Design

• Stick to a professional font (e.g., Calibri, Helvetica, or Garamond)

• Use bold headings, bullet points, and consistent spacing.

• Consider using subtle color for section headers—but don’t go overboard.
  
  

💬 5. Include Keywords from Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)

• Many companies use ATS to filter resumes.

• Match language from the job description (e.g., “project management,” “budget forecasting”) to increase your chances of passing the scan.
  
  

💼 6. Highlight Soft Skills With Context

• Don’t just say you’re a “team player”—show it through an example.

• For instance: “Collaborated with cross-functional teams to deliver a $500K client project three weeks ahead of schedule.”
  
  

🧠 7. Include Relevant Certifications, Tools, or Technologies

• List tools (e.g., Salesforce, Python, Canva) that are directly relevant to the job.

• Include certifications (e.g., PMP, Google Analytics, CPR) that set you apart.
  
  

Do you feel more comfortable expressing yourself in person? We totally get it! It's super difficult to find the right words at exactly the right time when it comes to paper transactions - and the in-person appeal is lost in limbo. 

 Having us to write your professional resume can offer significant advantages, especially if you're unsure how to present your skills effectively on paper. A professional resume writer brings expertise in formatting, industry-specific language, and keyword optimization to help your resume stand out in applicant tracking systems (ATS). We know how to frame your experience in a results-driven way, highlight your unique value, and eliminate common mistakes that can turn employers off. Most importantly, an outside perspective can reveal strengths and achievements you may overlook, making your resume more compelling, polished, and aligned with your career goals. 

Plenty of people are strong communicators verbally but struggle with writing. The key is to leverage your speaking strengths while building up practical tools and habits that make writing easier. Here are some tailored recommendations:

1. Speak, Then Write

• Use voice-to-text tools (like Google Docs voice typing, Otter.ai, or your phone's dictation feature) to get your thoughts out first.

• Then edit the transcript for clarity and grammar. This helps turn your spoken fluency into strong written content.

2. Record Yourself Explaining Ideas

• Imagine you're pitching or teaching a friend.

• Record it, transcribe it (many tools do this), and structure it into writing.

• This works well for emails, proposals, or even resumes.

3. Use Templates and Frameworks

• Don’t start from scratch—use structured formats to guide your writing.

  • Emails: [Greeting] + [Purpose] + [Details] + [Next steps/close]

  • Resumes: [Action Verb] + [Task] + [Result or Impact]

• This helps keep your writing focused and organized.

4. Collaborate With Others

• If you’re in a team or job search, ask someone to help review or co-write.

• Tools like Grammarly or Hemingway App can support solo writing by suggesting edits in real time.

5. Focus on Conversational Writing

• You don’t need to sound overly formal. If you're good at talking, write how you'd naturally speak—with some polishing.

• Keep sentences short and active. Clarity matters more than big words.

6. Practice With Feedback

• Write short pieces—LinkedIn posts, emails, or messages—and ask for feedback from a mentor or colleague.

• Focus on improving one thing at a time (e.g., sentence flow, grammar, clarity).

7. Take Short Writing Courses

• Try practical, low-commitment courses like:

  • “Business Writing” (Coursera, LinkedIn Learning)

  • “Email Writing for Work” (Udemy)

  • Even ChatGPT can help you rewrite or structure anything you draft!

Making yourself more valuable to an employer is about showcasing not just your skills, but your mindset, adaptability, and impact. Here are powerful ways to do that:

✅ 1. Show Results, Not Just Responsibilities

• Employers care about what you achieved, not just what you did.

• Use metrics, outcomes, and specific examples.
  Instead of: “Handled customer service calls”
  Say: “Resolved 95% of customer inquiries on first contact, boosting satisfaction scores by 20%.”
  
  

✅ 2. Emphasize Soft Skills with Real Examples

• Show emotional intelligence, communication, leadership, and problem-solving in context.

• Example: “Led a team of 4 during a high-pressure product launch, delivering results under budget and ahead of deadline.”

✅ 3. Demonstrate a Growth Mindset

• Employers love learners. Show that you actively improve.

• Mention courses, certifications, or personal projects—even if informal.

  • e.g., “Completed Google UX Design Certificate to deepen design knowledge.”

✅ 4. Understand Their Pain Points—and Offer Solutions

• Research the company and industry.

• Highlight how your background solves a specific challenge they may face.
  Example for a startup: “Experienced in scaling social media engagement from scratch—grew following from 0 to 10K+ in 4 months.”

✅ 5. Show You’re a Cultural Fit

• Reflect their tone and values (from job postings, social media, or company site) in your application.

• Mention your interest in their mission or how your personal values align.

✅ 6. Be Proactive

• Don’t just wait to be told what to do.

• Add a line like: “Known for taking initiative—developed an onboarding manual that reduced training time by 40%.”

✅ 7. Highlight Adaptability and Versatility

• Today’s job market favors people who can wear multiple hats.

• Share examples of how you adapted to change, cross-trained, or handled unexpected challenges.