How to write résumé or cv in simple terms, your cv or resume sets out your skills and experience

The Golden Rule of CV Writing

Put yourself in the recruiter’s shoes and think about what they need to know about you. The job description should give you a reasonable idea.
Use your CV to tell them what they need to know upfront and clearly, in a way that looks professional and believable. 
Your CV will not get you the job but, if done well, should give you at least a foot in the door.

What the US and Canada call a resume, most of the rest of the world call a curriculum vitae (CV). South Africa, India, New Zealand, and Australia tend to use the terms resume and CV interchangeably. For more, you can learn the differences between a resume and a CV.

If you're an international reader, switch over to:

How to Write a CV for a Job in 7 Easy Steps: (15+ Examples)

Biodata Format for a Job in India

And here's a guide on how to create a professional resume:

Choose the Right Resume Format

You can't just start writing a resume by putting your info together in the resume template all willy-nilly.

Instead, first select from the standard resume formats:

Reverse-chronological format

Pros: Traditional resume style, familiar to potential employers.

Cons: Very common, not the most creative resume design format.

Combination format

Pros: Great for experienced pros and career changers for highlighting transferable skills.

Cons: Uncommon type, not as familiar, not recommended for entry-level job seekers.

Functional format (skills-based)

Pros: Entry-level job hunters can emphasize skills over lack of experience.

Cons: HR managers may think you're hiding something.

Most job applicants will likely want to choose the reverse-chronological resume template:

how to make a resume using the reverse chronological resume format

The chronological resume is a traditional resume format which emphasizes your duties, experience, and work history. You'll list your most recent positions first, and go back through past jobs in reverse-chronological order from there. As the standard, basic resume format, it tends to be the easiest to read and scan.
As for the question of how to spell resume? It's still a bone of contention, but we think resume without the accents is the best choice.

To learn more about the best resume format to use for your particular situation, compare the common resume format examples, or check out our articles on the chronological, combination, or functional formats and resume design. And also take a look at our guide to free resume templates.

Resume Tip: There are several studies that theorize relationships between resume cues and the applicant's personality and hireability, further impacting hiring judgments through resumes. Be careful which info you choose to include!

Add Your Contact Information and Personal Details

A career diplomat knows what information should be given and which to hold back.

Likewise, on a great resume contact information section, there are basic items which you must include, personal details that are recommended, and some data which you should definitely leave out:

Necessary Contact Information

Name: First name, last name (middle name optional).
Phone Number: Personal cell phone preferred over home phone number.
Email Address: Today's preferred means of communication.
LinkedIn URL: Include your LinkedIn profile (hiring managers will spy on you anyway).

Optional:

Leave your address off your resume (unless required)
Resume title
Personal website
Personal websites and social media are now a normal thing to list on a resume header:

Starting a blog has genuinely helped me land every job I've ever gotten because my employers have wanted me to help them do the same thing I've been able to do with my own blog.

Ryan Robinson
Ryan Robinson
writer & part-time entrepreneur
Marketing specific advice? Perhaps. But employers will look you up online. Your professional blog will easily show up first in Google and make quite the statement.

Contact Information to Avoid

Date of Birth: Adding your birthdate could lead to ageism. Add only if required, such as for jobs serving alcohol, for example.

Second Email or Phone Number: A second email address, mailing address, or phone number will just confuse them (and you).

Photo/Headshot: In the United States, resume images and profile photos are usually not recommended.

how to write a resume with the right contact information

Resume Tip: Give them a professional email address, not your old high school handle (sexypapa69xoxo@....) or an outdated email provider ([e-mail]). Studies have proven that a formal email address is much more hireable than an informal one.

To be sure you get the personal details on your resume right, have a glance at our resume contact information guide.

Start with a Heading Statement (Resume Summary or Resume Objective)
Most Tinder users have little patience. It takes a witty statement or provocative image to get a match not to swipe left on you.
Well, the employer flips through resumes just like a Tinder user with an attention deficit. In less than 7 seconds, as our HR statistics report shows, hiring managers scan your resume and make an initial decision.

That's why a professional resume heading statement is super-important to get right. You've got to compose a statement, with wit, that paints an attractive image of your candidacy. After all, what is the purpose of a resume but to give the best impression of your clout as a candidate.

how to create a resume heading statement example

Your resume summary statement or resume objective statement are likely to have the most eye time since it's at the top of the page.
Here's how to write a resume profile that makes the recruiter swipe right:

Resume Summary Statement

Got enough relevant experience? Choose the resume summary statement.

A good resume summary works when you apply at a job in which you have experience. It summarizes your position-related skills and qualifications.

Let's take a look at how to write a professional summary, both right and wrong:

RIGHT
Personable and dependable graphic designer with 4+ years expertise in a fast-paced global marketing firm. Achieved company-best quality satisfaction rating according to internal review (99.76%). Seeking to advance career by growing with the DeZine team.

WRONG
I have been a graphic designer for the last 4 years. In addition to my knowledge of various software and design programs, I also handle some tough customer accounts, and I am always able to work well under pressure, even the tightest of deadlines.
See the differences here? While the Wrong one has some experience listed, it focuses on everyday duties, not accomplishments. In the Right example, you give evidence of your IT consultant resume skills, achievements, and experience.

Resume Tip: The "right" resume summary above also mentioned the company by name. This is a great way to make sure that your resume feels personalized, rather than just sent to every company out there.

See more resume summary examples.

Resume Objective Statement
Choose the resume objective statement if you have no work experience at all, or at least none related to the position you're applying for (entry-level applicants, career changers, students, etc.).
Since you don't have relevant experience to summarize, you'll highlight transferable skills from other areas. You'll make the case that though you don't have experience with this position, you do have experience relevant to it.
Let's looks at another set of good/bad examples on writing an objective for a resume:

RIGHT
Diligent customer support specialist with 3+ years experience at large computer hardware company. Obtained highest grades in build spec knowledge (100%) and quality (97.3%). Seeking to further career by growing with the BQNY team as an entry-level IT technician.

WRONG
I am a customer support specialist eager to become an field technician. I don't have experience in field work, but past coworkers have said that I am a quick learner. I am highly motivated because I enjoy being outside for work rather than behind a desk at a cubicle.
See the differences here? The company is taking a greater chance by hiring someone without exact experience.

So you'll need to show them you have what it takes.

In the Right one, we used some transferable skills from the previous company and some proud resume achievements…with numbers.

Remember: numbers speak louder than words!

The Wrong one doesn't show enough to hold the hiring manager's attention.

Resume Tip: If you noticed, both "wrong" examples above used the first-person. Avoid this on your resume.

See more resume objective examples. And for experienced candidates it's worth considering a summary of qualifications too.

When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building professional resume template here for free.

Create the perfect resume

When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.
List Your Relevant Work Experience & Key Achievements
If you think of your resume as a fancy meal, the resume experience section is the main course. It includes the most important things to put on a resume.
You've knocked out the appetizer with the previous sections, so now it's time to fill in your work history and past achievements before moving on.
Let's go through the various job history components of the perfect resume experience section now.
How to format the resume work experience section
how to include work experience on a resume work history section
If you look at the above infographic, you'll see our recommended way to format your employment history in the job experience section:

Job Title—This should go at the very top of each entry of work history so that it's easy for potential employers to scan and find. Make it bold and/or increase the font size by 1pt or 2pts from the rest of the entry.

Company, City, State—On the second line, include the previous employer's company name, and the city and state of the location you worked at.
Dates Employed—Thirdly, put the timeframe of your employment there. You can add the year or both the month and the year, but there's no need to put exact days.
Key Responsibilities—Don't just list every single task you did in your job history. Focus on the few duties most relevant to the new job.
Key Achievements—Often overlooked, but super important. Employers know what you did, but they need to know how well you did them.
Keywords—It is important to sprinkle resume keywords throughout the experience section (we'll talk more about this shortly).
If adding more than one job history entry to your resume or CV experience section, start with the most recent position and go back in reverse-chronological order from there.

Use five or six bullet points to make your case in each entry's responsibilities and achievements.

Also, your experience section resume bullet points should go near the top, just under your heading statement. However, if you have little or no professional experience, put your education section above your work history.

Got a promotion you want to show off, or more than one job title within the same company? Don't worry, our guide on how to show promotions & multiple positions will show you how.