A strong resume is a concise, scannable summary of your education, skills, and experience. It will not land a job by itself—but it is one of the main factors in earning an interview. Use this guide to structure yours with confidence.
Getting started
Start from a clear goal: the role or type of role you want next. Then choose a clean, ATS-friendly layout (WowFolio templates are built with that in mind), draft your sections, and refine in passes— content first, then wording, then formatting. Ask someone you trust to skim it in under ten seconds: they should grasp your level, focus, and top wins immediately.
- Tailor your resume to the kind of position you are pursuing—skills and themes should feel relevant even when every role is not identical.
- Keep one master version, then save tailored copies per application when needed.
- Plan to update after major projects, promotions, or new credentials.
How resume language should feel
Strong resumes usually share these traits:
- Specific — concrete outcomes, tools, and scope, not vague claims.
- Active — lead bullets with verbs that show what you did.
- Plain and direct — written to express, not to impress with buzzwords.
- Evidence-based — numbers, timelines, and scale where possible.
- Skimmable — short lines, consistent spacing, obvious section titles.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Typos, grammar issues, or inconsistent punctuation.
- Missing or hard-to-find contact information.
- Passive phrasing (“responsible for…”) instead of strong actions and results.
- Dense walls of text or inconsistent formatting that is hard to scan.
- Bullets that list tasks but not impact—readers want to see what changed because of you.
Generally avoid
- First-person pronouns (“I,” “we”) in bullet points.
- Unexplained abbreviations that insiders may not share.
- A long narrative essay style instead of tight bullets or short lines.
- Slang or overly casual phrasing.
- Photos, age, or other information that can introduce bias (unless required in your region).
- A “references available” line—assume you will provide them when asked.
- Starting every line with a date instead of an action or outcome.
Do aim for
- Consistent fonts, spacing, emphasis (bold, italics), and heading style.
- Generous white space and a hierarchy that guides the eye: headline → sections → bullets.
- Section order that puts your strongest evidence first for the role you want.
- Reverse chronological order within sections when time order matters.
- No unexplained gaps; if you took time off, address it briefly if needed.
- A PDF export that preserves formatting (WowFolio helps you preview before you download).
Action verbs by theme
Open bullets with verbs that match the skill you are highlighting. Mix leadership, collaboration, analysis, and delivery verbs so the reader sees range.
Leadership & execution
Led, directed, coordinated, launched, owned, delivered, drove, prioritized, streamlined, implemented, improved.
Communication & influence
Presented, drafted, partnered, negotiated, facilitated, trained, mentored, clarified, represented, synthesized.
Research & analysis
Analyzed, modeled, evaluated, surveyed, benchmarked, validated, forecasted, diagnosed, documented, tested.
Technical & creative
Built, designed, architected, automated, integrated, prototyped, composed, produced, optimized, secured.
Using AI in your writing process
Generative tools can help you brainstorm bullet revisions, tighten wording, or align phrasing with a job description—as long as you stay the author of your story. Use AI to edit and sharpen what you already know is true; avoid pasting generic output that could describe anyone. Your resume should still sound like your experience and values.
Applying internationally
Norms for length, photo, and personal details vary by country. If you are targeting employers outside your home market, verify expectations for that region—length, CV vs. resume, and what employers expect in the first third of the page.
Cover letters (briefly)
When a letter is requested, treat it as a focused writing sample: connect your clearest examples to the organization’s needs, keep to one page, address a specific person when you can, and mirror the tone of the employer—professional, direct, and evidence-based.