How to Write an Effective Resume: A Step-by-Step Guide

A resume (called a CV in the UK and many other countries) is the document that summarises a person's work history, education and skills for a job application. Career-advice services from Indeed and the UK government's National Careers Service set out broadly the same approach: build the document around the specific job, show outcomes rather than just duties, and format it so both software and human reviewers can read it easily.

Choose the right structure first

According to Indeed's career advice, a resume should include contact information, a professional summary or personal statement, a skills section, work experience, and education, with optional sections such as certifications, volunteer work or awards added where relevant. The UK's National Careers Service lists the same core blocks for a CV: contact details, a short introduction, education history, and work history listed with the most recent role first, plus a closing line noting that references are available on request.

Where education and experience appear depends on career stage. Indeed advises early-career applicants to place education before work history, while people with ten or more years of experience should lead with recent work achievements and move education further down. The National Careers Service gives similar flexibility, suggesting education first for those early in their career and work experience first for those with a longer employment record.

Write a summary that matches the job

Indeed describes the professional summary as a section that should highlight relevant experience, skills and accomplishments so an employer gets a quick overview of a candidate's qualifications. The National Careers Service calls the equivalent section an 'introduction' — a few short lines summing up who the applicant is and what they hope to do — and recommends tailoring it to the specific job advert so the reader sees why the person is right for that role.

Describe experience through outcomes, not duties

Both sources stress that bullet points under each job should focus on results rather than a list of responsibilities. Indeed recommends starting bullets with strong, action-oriented verbs and keeping each line concise and outcome-focused; its example reads: 'Increased digital brand engagement by 15% by designing cohesive graphics for print and digital publications.' The National Careers Service recommends describing each role in two to three lines of accomplishments and points to the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) as a way to structure them.

Indeed's guidance adds that quantifying achievements — through numbers, percentages or growth figures — gives employers context and makes the impact of the work easier to understand at a glance.

Use keywords from the job posting

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are software employers use to screen resumes before a person reads them. Indeed's guidance on ATS keywords explains that these are the specific words and phrases an employer lists as requirements for a role — found in the job listing's education requirements, duties, preferred qualifications and industry terminology. The advice is to work these terms naturally into the summary, education, experience and skills sections, matching the exact spelling and, where the posting uses an abbreviation, including the spelled-out version as well.

The National Careers Service gives the same underlying instruction for a CV introduction: pull relevant skills directly from the job description so the application speaks to what that specific employer is asking for.

Format for both software and people

Indeed's ATS-formatting guidance recommends a clean layout with standard fonts and simple section breaks, using plain headings such as 'Work Experience,' 'Education,' 'Skills' and 'Certifications' rather than creative alternatives, because these are easier for screening software to categorise correctly. It advises avoiding tables, text boxes, columns, headers, footers and graphics, which can be harder for some systems to parse. The same guidance also warns against over-optimising: adding too many keywords or placing them unnaturally can make a resume harder for a human recruiter to read.

The National Careers Service's formatting advice for a CV specifies using a clear font such as Arial, Times New Roman or Calibri in size 11 or larger, keeping styling consistent throughout, and using headings and bullet points for clarity.

Keep it the right length and check it

Indeed suggests aiming for one page for entry-level applicants and up to two pages for those with ten or more years of experience. Both sources recommend a final check for spelling, grammar and consistent formatting of dates before sending the document; the National Careers Service also advises having someone else review the CV before it is submitted.

Quick checklist

• Match the resume's section headings and keywords to the specific job posting.
• Lead work-experience bullets with action verbs and quantified results, not daily duties.
• Keep the layout simple — standard fonts, no tables, text boxes or graphics, for ATS readability.
• Place education before or after work history depending on career stage.
• Limit length to one page for early-career applicants, up to two pages for 10+ years of experience.
• Proofread for spelling, grammar and consistent date formatting before sending.