Resume/CV writing tips:

While there are a few commonly used resume styles, your resume should reflect your unique
education, experience and relevant skills. You might consider having multiple versions of
your resume tailored to the jobs you’re applying for. Here are a few key resume writing tips
that will help you organize and design your resume.

1. Look for keywords in the job postings:

The best place to start when preparing to write a resume is to carefully read the job postings
that interest you. As you apply for different jobs, you should study each job description for
keywords that show what the employer is looking for in an ideal candidate. Include those
keywords in your resume where relevant.
For example, if you’re applying for a job as a medical billing coder, an employer might list
keywords like “coding,” “claims submission,” “compliance” or “AR management” in the job
description. Pay particular attention to anything listed in the sections labeled “Requirements”
or “Qualifications.” If you have the skills that employers are looking for, you can add these
same terms to your resume in the experience or skills sections.

2. Review resumes examples for your industry:

When crafting your resume, you might study examples of resumes from your industry for
inspiration and best practices. While there are many ways you can use resume samples, there
are three main takeaways you should look for:

● Make it simple and easy to read. Resume samples are simple and straightforward.
This is because employers have a minimal amount of time to review your resume, so
readability is key. This also means selecting a professional, clean font.

● Make it brief. You’ll notice that each section of the resume sample is short and to-
the-point, including the summary and experience descriptions. Including only the
most key and relevant information means employers are able to consume more
information about you, and more quickly understand your fitness for the role.

● Include numbers. You might also notice that there are often metrics included in the
experience section of resume samples. This is because employers are highly
responsive to measurable proven value. Numbers allow them to better understand the
value you may bring to the position. For example, one bullet point under the
experience description for an administrative assistant reads, “Executed processing of
vendor contracts and implemented a standardized process, reducing contract
discrepancies by 90%.”
When using resume samples, you should keep in mind that these are not meant to be copied
exactly. While you should avoid using them as a template, samples are useful as examples of
high-quality resumes in your industry and job title.

3. Use a professional font:

Because employers have only a short time to review your resume, it should be as clear and as
easy to read as possible. You should use a basic, clean font like Arial or Times New Roman.

Page 1 of 4
Keep your font size between 10 and 12 points. Selecting a clear, readable font will help make
your resume appear more professional.
You should also make sure to reduce or eliminate any extraneous whitespace. Too much
blank space might make your resume seem sparse, distracting the audience and possibly
raising a red flag. By reducing extra white space, you make it easier for the resume reader to
focus only on the content of your resume instead of the white spaces. You can reduce white
space by increasing your font size to 12 points and possibly adding an additional, optional
section like “Skills” or “Awards and Achievements.”

4. Include only the most relevant information and put the most important information
first:

While you might have extensive work or educational experience, it’s important to keep your
resume as brief as possible without leaving out key information. Hiring managers don’t spend
a lot of time reading each resume. Research has shown that hiring managers tend to spend
only 6 seconds per resume. If your resume includes old or irrelevant information, such as jobs
held over 10 years ago or minor degrees and achievements, it may distract from key
information.
Try to include only work experience, achievements, education and skills most relevant to the
employer. You can find the most relevant attributes by closely reading the job posting. You
should prioritize important information higher on your resume to draw attention to key skills
and achievements.

5. Use active language:

Your resume should be written using active language without extraneous words. This means
using power words, such as “achieved,” “earned,” “completed” or “accomplished.” If your
resume is too long or seems hard to read, you might consider making sentences shorter or
ideas more concise.
For example, you may have a job description that reads:
“During my time at Freedom Inc., I ran multiple team-based projects and helped each team
member with various tasks associated with each project.”
This example could be shortened and strengthened in the following way:
“Led multiple team-based projects and effectively coordinated group tasks.”
The revised version communicates the same ideas about your accomplishments while
reducing the number of words and including more active language.

6. Call attention to important achievements:

Instead of listing your job duties under the experience section, select your top three or four
most important achievements in each role you’ve held. Where possible, include numbers that
measure your success for that particular goal or achievement.
You might also consider including a separate “Achievements” or “Skills” section to
specifically highlight relevant achievements in your education, career, volunteer work or
other experiences.

Page 2 of 4
7. Only include subheadings and sections you need:

Whether you’re using a resume template or creating your own, you may find there are some
recommended sections you do not need.
For example, you may need a resume summary or a resume objective, but you should not
include both. If you are just graduating from college or high school and have not yet held a
professional position, do not include an empty work history section. Instead, you might
replace the experience section with relevant coursework, academic achievements and other
experiences like internships or extracurricular projects.
You may also find it useful to combine sections if you are having trouble filling a section
with more than two bullet points.

8. Choose appropriate margins:

Typically you should use a one-inch margin size on all sides of your resume with single
spaces between the lines. If you have too much white space, you might consider making your
lines spaced by 1.15 or 1.5. You can also increase your margins if you find it is difficult to fill
your resume, but they should stay below two inches.

9. Proofread and edit:

Before sending your resume, you should undergo several rounds of proofreading to ensure
there are no spelling or grammar errors. While there are several proofreading programs and
tools you can use, it is also helpful to ask trusted friends or colleagues to review your resume.
It is helpful for an objective third party to look at your resume as an employer might to find
ways you can correct or improve it.

10. Decide whether you need a unique resume for different jobs:

Before submitting an application, you should ask yourself, “Have I made it as easy as
possible for this employer to see that I’m qualified?”. If you’re applying for a job that has
unique requirements, you may need another version of your resume to fully demonstrate your
qualifications. Decide on a case by case basis which resume to use.
Your resume is often the first step to getting an interview with an employer. Make sure you
include the most relevant information on your resume, organize it to highlight the most
important information and carefully review for errors. Once your resume is polished and
finalized, it should help you get more callbacks, interviews, and job offers.
Difference between CV & Resume:

You should have a clear idea about the differences between the CV and the Resume. Here’s
where it gets a tiny bit trickier: these differences generally only apply in the United States.

In all of Europe, the word CV is essentially just a synonym for the resume. So, if you’re
applying for a position in the EU, and the job asks for a CV, you should know that it actually
means a resume.

Now, let’s sum up everything we learned in this post:

Page 3 of 4
 ● A resume is a one page summary of your work experience and background relevant
to the job you are applying to.
● A CV is a longer academic diary that includes all your experience, certificates, and
publications.
● The differences are: (1) A resume is one page (max. two) whereas the CV can be
longer, (2) A resume is used for job hunting in all industries, the CV is used for jobs
and admissions in Academia, (3) The resume is tailored to the specific job you are
applying to, whereas the CV is a comprehensive overview.
● In the EU, both terms mean the same thing.
Now that you know the difference between a CV and a resume, it’s up to you to decide which
one fits your purposes and job hunting process best.

Page 4 of 4