How to write a resume: step by step

A good resume fits on one page, is easy to scan and shows, right away, why you are a match for the job. It does not need a flashy design or fancy wording: it needs the right information, in the right order. This guide shows how to build yours from scratch.

What a resume needs

Almost every resume uses the same sections, in this order:

1. Contact details: name, city, phone, email and, if relevant, your LinkedIn profile. A full street address is not needed.
2. Professional summary: three to five lines on who you are professionally and what you are looking for.
3. Experience: your jobs, from the most recent to the oldest.
4. Education: school, technical course or degree, with the year you finished (or "in progress").
5. Courses and certificates: especially those related to the job.
6. Skills and languages: what you can do and at what level.

If you are just starting out, read Resume with no experience: the order changes a little.

Start with the summary

The summary is the first thing a recruiter reads. In a few lines it says what you do well and what kind of job you want. Skip phrases anyone could write, like "hard-working team player". Use facts instead:

Administrative assistant with two years of experience in customer service and document management. Looking for an office role focused on customer support.

There are more examples in Professional summary.

Describe experience with tasks and results

For each job, list the title, the company, the dates (month and year) and two to four lines on what you did. Start each line with a verb and, whenever you can, show a result:

• Served around 40 customers a day at the counter and by phone.
• Reorganized the invoice archive, which cut the time spent looking for documents.
• Trained two new colleagues on the point-of-sale system.

Numbers help, but only use the ones you can explain in an interview.

Choose a simple, readable template

Many companies use software that reads resumes before a person does (applicant tracking systems, or ATS). These systems work best with real text, clear headings and a simple reading order. The Classic and Executive templates follow those rules and are free. To learn how screening works, read ATS resume.

Proofread before you send it

Before sending, check:

• Spelling and grammar: read it out loud or ask someone else to read it.
• Contact details: do the phone number and email work? Is the email professional (first and last name)?
• Length: if it runs past one page, cut what does not help with this job.
• File: send a PDF unless the company asks for Word, with a clear name such as "resume-maria-silva.pdf".

Tailor it to each job

You do not need to rewrite everything for every application. Adjust the summary and the order of experience and skills to highlight what the job asks for. If the posting mentions "customer service" and "Excel", those words should be on your resume, as long as they are true.

Build yours now

On CurrículoRaiz you fill in the fields, pick a template and download a PDF or Word file, for free. If you would rather start from a finished example, browse the resume examples and replace the text with your own.