Key Elements to Include on a Resume

Looking to make your resume shine and grab attention? With over a decade of recruitment experience and having reviewed nearly 250,000 resumes while working for industry giants like Amazon, Accenture (Avanade), Cognizant, and various startups through my agency, Proven Patterns, I’ve seen what truly makes a resume stand out. Here are some top tips to help you create a powerful resume that will leave a lasting impression: ☑ Keep It Concise: Aim for 2-3 page resume when possible. Focus on your most relevant experiences and achievements without overwhelming the reader. ☑ Tailor for Each Job: Customize your resume for every position you apply for. Incorporate keywords from the job description and highlight skills and experiences that match the role. If you don't have enough time at least match the resume summary section with the job description. ☑ Showcase Achievements: Use specific numbers and examples to quantify your accomplishments. Instead of saying "improved sales," say "boosted sales by 20% within six months." ☑ Professional Format: Opt for a clean, professional layout with consistent fonts and spacing. Save the flashy graphics for creative fields. ☑ Include a Strong Summary: Start with a compelling summary that highlights your key qualifications and career goals. Make it engaging and tailored to the job you're targeting. ☑ Highlight Skills: Clearly list your core skills and competencies. Be honest and focus on those that are directly relevant to the position. ☑ Proofread Carefully: Ensure your resume is free from typos and grammatical errors. A polished resume reflects attention to detail and professionalism. ☑ Add a Personal Touch: Include a brief section on your interests or volunteer work. This can help convey your personality and values beyond your professional skills. Your resume is your first impression; make it count! 🚀 If you found these tips useful, please repost ♻ and follow me, Kumud Deepali R. for more insights and advice on jobs and career!

Your resume does not speak for itself. Hiring managers are busy. And recruiters are skimming. If it’s not on your resume, they won’t know it happened. You might be the one people count on to clean up a mess, Catch mistakes, or handle complex work without fanfare. But if your resume doesn’t show how you contributed, They won’t connect the dots. Here’s 6 ways to show your value clearly and credibly: 1️⃣ Lead with outcomes ↳ Begin each bullet with the result you drove, whether it was increased revenue, improved processes, or reduced risk. ↳ Then show what you did to get there. 2️⃣ Add business context ↳ Frame your contributions within the bigger picture. ↳ Were you fixing a broken workflow, supporting a major launch, or helping scale operations? 3️⃣ Quantify where you can ↳ Use numbers to give your work weight (dollar impact, time saved, adoption rates, or campaign reach). ↳ If you don’t have exact data, estimate based on available context. 4️⃣ Highlight collaboration ↳ Mention who you partnered with (Sales, Product, Ops) and how that alignment made the work stronger. ↳ Collaboration shows trust and influence beyond your direct lane. 5️⃣ Name the tools + systems ↳ Include key platforms, CRMs, analytics tools, or workflows you used. ↳ This shows technical fluency and helps you match keywords in applicant tracking systems. 6️⃣ Cut the fluff ↳ Replace vague phrases like "strong communicator" with specific examples of how you influenced decisions. ↳ Avoid filler words and keep your language tight, direct, and measurable. If it’s not on your resume, they don’t know it happened. Don’t make them guess what you’re great at. Make it easy for them to say yes to you.

11 Tips To Turn Your Resume Into A Job-Generating Machine: 1. Optimize For Every Role Your resume should be personalized for every role you apply to. It should be updated to: Focus your value on the specific role Include specific, role-related keywords If you're using the same resume for every job? You're losing out on offers. 2. Sell Your Experience, Don’t Summarize It 99% of candidates simply summarize their experience. Anyone can say they were "responsible for" taking an action. That tells us nothing about their capabilities or results. If you want to win? You need to sell your experience w/ measurable outcomes. 3. Aesthetics Matter Aesthetics impact perceived value. So choose a resume template that's clean, concise, and feels easy to read. 4. Layout Impacts Outcomes The setup of your resume dictates how people will read it. This structure has led to the best results for my clients: Contact Info Highlight Reel Work Experience Education Skills [Optional] Interests [Optional] Hook the reader with value up top. 5. Include Your LinkedIn Profile ResumeGo performed an analysis of 24.5k resumes. Their goal? To see how LinkedIn profiles impact resume outcomes. They found that resumes including a link to a robust LinkedIn profile had a 71% higher callback rate. Hyperlink it in your resume. 6. Lead With A “Highlight Reel” Data shows employers spend ~6-7 seconds scanning a resume. Choose the 3-5 best pieces of experience for this role. Then include them in a "highlight reel" at the top of your resume. 7. Identify & Use The Right Keywords Using the right keywords will boost your resume's visibility. Here's how to find them: - Get a copy of the job description - Go to ResyMatch.io - Paste your resume - Paste the job description - Scan and review the keywords + feedback Then weave them into the rest of your resume! 8. Optimize Your Bullets For Value I reviewed 100+ of my favorite resume bullets. I used them to create my "ideal bullet formula." Here it is: Length: 10-20 words 35%: Common Words 35%: Hard / Soft Skills 15%: Measurable Results 15%: Action Words Apply this to all of your bullets. 9. Be Concise And Focused With Roles Each role on your resume should have a minimum of 3 bullets and a maximum of 5. The first bullet should give a high level overview of your role. The next 2-4 should provide value driven case studies of your work. These limits will force you to condense your content to the essentials, which will bring out the best version of them. 10. Avoid A Basic Skills Section If you listed "Microsoft Excel" as a skill, are you... The office pivot table guru? Or are you building predictive, API-driven forecasting models? Don't just list skills. Anyone can do that. Weave them into your bullets with context and measurable outcomes. Check the carousel below for the last tip!

Have you been applying for jobs lately? This post is for you. Yesterday, I attended a resume prep session organized by the AWS Skills Center in Arlington, VA. I gained some valuable insights that I believe can help anyone looking to enhance their resume and stand out in the job market. ----- Here are some key takeaways ----- 1️⃣ Tailor your resume to each job Carefully read the job description and align your skills and experiences to the requirements. Use keywords from the posting to get past applicant tracking systems (ATS). -> Whatever you put on your resume, be ready to discuss it. 2️⃣ Quantify your achievements Include strong metrics that will show the amount of impact, the number of people, etc. For example, Instead of saying "Improved customer satisfaction," say "Increased customer satisfaction scores by 20% through process improvements." -> Numbers speak louder than words. 3️⃣ Keep it concise and relevant Recruiters typically spend just a few seconds scanning your resume. So, ensure your most relevant experiences and achievements are easy to find. A well-structured one-page resume (or two for more experience) is ideal. -> Everything you put in your resume should be relevant to the job you are applying for. 4️⃣ Highlight transferable skills Even if you’re transitioning into a new role or industry, focus on the skills that apply across domains such as communication, leadership, problem-solving, and adaptability. -> You can include an experience that is not directly related to the role you are applying only if it demonstrates leadership skills. 5️⃣ Professional formatting matters A clean, professional layout with consistent fonts, spacing, and bullet points makes your resume easier to read and leaves a good impression. -> Using fancy fonts will distract recruiters from important information on your resume. 6️⃣ You need more than one resume Keep a primary CV that includes everything you have ever done (DO NOT SHARE THIS WITH ANYONE). Then, create multiple resumes from it when applying.  -> This will save you a lot of time. 7️⃣ Hyperlink wherever possible If you have a chance to hyperlink something on your resume, do it. It will be helpful to the recruiter. -> Keep it simple and avoid long links. For example, for your LinkedIn profile, write it like “in/your_name” and hyperlink it. 8️⃣ Proofread your resume Get someone to proofread your resume. A second eye to your document will always spot something you missed. Besides, anything you see as negligible, could be a big deal to the recruiter. I would like to thank the AWS Skills Center for hosting us. A big shout to the organizers of that resume prep session for their dedicated time and input. It was an invaluable moment for me and I am sure for everyone present. Have you recently updated your resume? What are some tips you would like to add to this list? Let’s discuss this in the comments section. Found this helpful? Please like ❤️, comment 💬, or repost ♻️ to help others.

𝗜’𝘃𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝟰𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁: 👉 𝗧𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 Customize your resume to the job, focusing on the most relevant skills and experience. 👉 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 Stop making your resume look like a list of duties and responsibilities. You need to demonstrate your value by quantifying your impact. 👉 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲 Get straight to the point—no fluff or filler. 👉 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 A clear header with your contact info, plus a brief summary that highlights your key strengths. 👉 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆 Highlight the skills that match what the job posting is asking for. 👉 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻, 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 Keep it visually appealing and easy to read—no bright colors or distractions 👉 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 Error-free resumes show you’re detail-oriented and professional. These tips can help your resume stand out and get you one step closer to landing that interview. Follow me and let me help you make your resume shine and get noticed by recruiters! ✅

I've reviewed 2,500+ resumes last year. Avoid these mistakes that 90% make. 1. Generic Summaries ❌ "Motivated professional seeking opportunities to leverage my skills..." ✅ "Marketing Director who increased e-commerce revenue 47% through data-driven campaigns and strategic partnerships." 2. Missing Numbers ❌ "Led large team and improved sales." ✅ "Led 15-person sales team to deliver $3.2M in new business, exceeding targets by 28%." 3. Cluttered Formatting ❌ Tiny margins, dense paragraphs, and multiple fonts. ✅ Clean headers, consistent bullet points, and enough white space for easy scanning. 4. Outdated Information ❌ Listing your high school achievements and every job since college. ✅ Your most relevant accomplishments from the past 10-15 years that showcase your career progression. 5. RESPONSIBILITY LISTS ❌ "Responsible for managing client relationships and handling complaints." ✅ "Retained 98% of key accounts and turned 3 dissatisfied clients into top referral sources." 6. ATS-UNFRIENDLY DESIGN ❌ Creative formats with graphics, text boxes, and unique fonts. ✅ Clean, standard formatting with relevant keywords that match the job description. Pro Tip: A tool like Teal’s AI Resume Builder can help you avoid ALL these mistakes by helping you: ⮑Turn generic summaries into powerful pitches. ⮑ Back achievements with real numbers. ⮑ Perfect your formatting instantly. ⮑ Showcase relevant experience. ⮑ Transform duties into accomplishments. ⮑ Get noticed by more recruiters. Try it out for free: https://tealhq.co/4aAEY2g Your resume has 7 seconds to make an impression.  Use these tips to make them count. Share this to help others level up their resume! 📈 And follow me for more advice like this. 📌 In addition to being a job search coach, I’m also a part-time career advisor for Teal so if you have any questions about their AI Resume Builder, let me know.