Eight tips for writing an effective resume

By: The Capella University Editorial Team

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Countless books have been published on how to write a resume, but there’s no need to overthink it.

Following a few core principles will get you a polished, effective document.

1. Be clear and concise

Employers are busy. Don’t waste their time with information that isn’t relevant to the position. Write a resume that is concise and easy to scan. A long-winded document tells the employer that you don’t fully understand its purpose. For some managers, too many words shows a lack of effort.

Strive to deliver a clear and condensed expression of your professional value. It takes time and revision to accomplish this, but the resulting job interview will be worth the effort.

2. Keep it relevant

Resume writing is challenging because space is limited. Tailor your resume to the open position by including experience, skills and workplace contributions that match its requirements. Leave out details that don’t support your candidacy for the role. Use the interview to expand on the examples listed in your resume.

3. Include concrete facts

Use each resume bullet to show a responsibility and its measurable result. Add specific numbers when they accurately describe the scope or outcome of your work. For example, write “Supervised 12 nursing staff in a 72-bed facility with a 97% patient satisfaction rate” instead of “Supervised entire patient care team in a large nursing facility.”

If you don’t feel comfortable using exact numbers for a particular bullet point, try using a range. You could say, “Facilitated intervention counseling for 20–40 families per month.”

4. Be real

Keep every claim on a resume accurate and be ready to explain them in an interview. Describe responsibilities, skills, education and results truthfully, and use specific examples that an employer can verify. Consider using AI as a thought partner or for catching typos and errors, but review everything carefully to make sure it reads like a person wrote it.

5. Draw the eye to key information

Make your name, contact information, relevant skills, achievements, recent work history and education easy to find. Use clear section headings and place the experience most relevant to the job near the top, so hiring managers can quickly see why you are a fit for the role.

Many companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to organize and review applications before a hiring team sees them. To help the system read your resume, use standard section headings, keep the layout simple and avoid graphics or complex formatting. A clear, well-organized resume also helps hiring managers find the information they need quickly.

6. Eliminate distractions

Use a simple, consistent format that is easy to scan. Use bullet points, a single and common font such as Arial, Times New Roman or Helvetica and enough white space. Avoid decorative fonts, clip art and other elements that distract from your qualifications. Let your skills and accomplishments carry the message.

Start bullet points with active verbs and remove personal pronouns. Use articles when they make the meaning clearer. Keep the language concise, professional and focused on responsibilities and results. Examples:

• Instead of “I was responsible for managing three people who reported directly to me,” say “Managed three direct reports.”
• Instead of “I led the development team for upgrades to the accounting software,” say “Led development team for accounting software upgrades.”

7. Customize for each opportunity

Each job has a unique set of requirements, and each resume should be tailored accordingly. It may help to reorder the skills you’ve listed or to highlight different professional achievements. The goal is to create maximum relevance to the opportunity. Don’t give the impression that you’re looking for any job: send a message that you’re interested in this job.

Use relevant terms from the job description when they accurately describe your skills and experience. Include the employer’s wording for required skills, tools and responsibilities where it fits naturally, so the connection between your qualifications and the role is clear. Choose keywords selectively and support each one with specific, truthful evidence from your experience.

8. Be confident in your value

Resume writing can feel stressful, especially when you need to summarize your experience for a specific role. Keep the document simple, relevant to the job and concrete by describing the results of your work.