2025 Guide to a Well-Crafted Resume
To make a resume that will capture employer’s attention there’s some best practices and steps you can take. A well-crafted resume communicates your skills and experiences in a clear and easy to navigate format. In this guide we’ll go over formats, mistakes to avoid and some frequently asked questions for writing
What information to include?
Contact information
Summary or objective statement
Professional experience
Education
Skills
Awards/achievements
Certificates/licenses
What is a Chronological Resume?
The chronological resume is a traditional and commonly used format. This type of resume organizes your work experience in reverse chronological order. Focusing on your most recent positions and experiences and then working its way backwards.
Chronological resumes often arrange information in this order:
- Contact details
- Objective statement
- Work experience
- Relevant skills
- Education
- Additional information
Pros: Chronological resumes are the most commonly recognized resume formats. Employers prefer this style because they can quickly scan work history and professional development to determine a candidate’s suitability.
Cons: The chronological format emphasizes employment gaps or lack of professional experience. Skills and credentials can be challenging to find, making it a poor choice for those in the middle of a career change.
What is a Functional Resume?
The functional resume is the least commonly used out of the three formats. Resumes in this fashion mainly focus on skills and abilities rather than order of work history. Rather than emphasizing work experience, the functional resume prioritizes credentials and professional skills.
Functional resumes often arrange information in this order:
- Contact details
- Summary or objective statement
- Relevant skills
- Work experience
- Education
- Additional information
Pros: The functional resume doesn’t draw attention to employment gaps, making it a preferable choice for those returning from a lengthy sabbatical. It is a great option for new graduates, freelancers, or anyone who wants to emphasize their transferable skills.
Cons: Some employers might be wary of a functional resume as this format can easily hide a candidate’s spotty work experience, making employers hesitant.
What is a Hybrid Resume?
When combining the above styles, you get a happy blend known as the hybrid or combination resume. A hybrid resume showcases the candidate’s skills and experiences through the context of the job they are applying for, even when coming from a differing field or industry.
Hybrid resumes often arrange information in this order:
- Contact details
- Objective summary
- Work history
- Relevant skills summary
- Education
Pros: The hybrid resume is a practical choice for job seekers who are highly skilled and trained in their field. This type of resume bodes well with most employers as it clearly and equally demonstrates both skills and professional experience.
Cons: Like the chronological resume style, hybrid resumes can make employment gaps or job-hopping work histories at the forefront. This style is also newer, and employers might not be as familiar with it as with chronological resumes.
Resume Writing Tips
i) Respond to the job description
When writing job descriptions, employers already know what skills and qualities make up the ideal candidate. Include any experiences and skills you have that mirror the ones in the job description. If you don’t have any of the required knowledge or skills, you’ll need to get creative and fall back on any transferable skills.
Scan the job listing for keywords and look for ways to integrate them into your resume. If your resume goes through an applicant tracking system (ATS), it will recognize the keywords and push it forward through the hiring process. That way, your resume is more likely to meet a hiring manager than the garbage bin.
ii) Quantify your resume
Back your accomplishments up with numbers. You can reference numbers in units such as time, money, or people. Examples to consider are the size of budgets you’ve managed, the size of the team you lead as a project manager, or time spent on a project or task.
Quantifying your resume can help hiring managers visualize how you could contribute to the team and organization. Adding quantities will better showcase your skill levels and abilities and give you some leverage over competitors.
iii) Highlight accomplishments, not responsibilities
We can confidently tell you that the hiring manager doesn’t want to read about your job duties. They want to see your accomplishments and the impact you could make if hired. Think about any challenges you tackled or significant achievements made in previous jobs. Providing concrete examples and stories in the experience section will be more engaging and attention-grabbing than simply stating responsibilities.
iv) Work with a recruitment agency
Going solo on your job search doesn’t guarantee hiring managers will see your application. Working with a recruitment agency is a sure way to get your resume noticed. Businesses go directly to staffing agencies for potential candidates for them to review. This makes job hunting through a technical recruiter a direct pipeline to getting your resume into the hands of employers.
v) Use a clean and tidy template
Your resume should look professional, clean and easy on the eyes. Along with your resume content, the document as a whole should stand out. You can do this by creating your own unique template. Free pre-made resume templates can be found online or in many word processors, and sure it can save you time, but it will just look like every other resume. Existing templates can help you get started but should only be used as a guide.
vi) Use the summary section wisely
If you include a summary or objective section on your resume, make it count. This section is typically at the very top of the document, making it one of the first things recruiters notice. Avoid vague self-descriptors like team player or creative thinker. Instead, use your summary to further promote your accomplishments and personal brand.
vii) List soft and hard skills
The skills section of your resume is where you can list any relevant soft and hard skills. Soft skills, are personal attributes and traits that can affect your ability to work, such as time management and communication. Hard skills are job-specific technical skills such as computer programming. Though technical skills are essential in IT, soft skills indicate how you will fit in with company culture.
viii) Spare any unneeded details
We’ve discussed a lot of what you should include on your resume but knowing what to avoid is equally important when creating a stand-out resume. Your resume should be a single page – two at the most, if you are highly experienced. Stuffing your resume with irrelevant jobs or unrelated skills only proves you don’t understand the scope of the job. Read job descriptions carefully as these will guide what you should and shouldn’t include.
x) Check for errors
Check your resume for any errors. An error-free resume demonstrates your professionalism and attention to detail, all of which are applicable traits for any job or industry. Ideally, you’re customizing your resume for each job, so check that you’re submitting the correct version. Double, triple or quadruple-check your resume if you need to or ask a friend to give it a once over.
Often Resume Mistakes
Outdated information
Make sure your contact information is up to date, so employers can connect with you. Use a current phone number and email address you check currently. Also update your location information like your city and province.
Unprofessional email address
A header with a professional email address helps your resume look polished and refined. The address can be a variation of your first and last name. It might be necessary you make a new email address that can be used for professional purposes.
Using the same resume for every application
Your resume needs to be customized to the job description. Doing so helps show hiring managers why you’re the best one for the job. Keeping a resume template handy is helpful so you aren’t wasting time starting from scratch. Depending on the job description you’ll want to use different keywords or focus on certain accomplishments.
Mislabeling the file
When submitting your resume electronically choose an appropriate file name. You can save your document using your name followed by “resume”. Proper file organization helps hiring managers to easily access your application when reviewing.
Additional resume FAQs
How do I know what experience is relevant?
Your resume should be customized for every job you apply to. You only have 1 page to prove your capabilities, so don’t include every job you’ve ever worked. There is no need to include your jobs from your brief career as a hairstylist if you are applying for an online marketing manager position. Try to stick with similar positions as a recruiter is checking your compatibility to the job. An exception to this is if you are applying to be a marketing manager for a salon or a company that sells hair products, your experience as a hairstylist can be of relevance.
How far back should my experience be dated?
Recruiters are looking for the most relevant but also most recent experience. Your resume only has to include up to 10-15 years of experience. You also only need to include approximately five positions, so you don’t need to include every single job you’ve worked. Start off listing your most relevant jobs, and then select the most recent to include.
What if I don’t have a ton of experience?
If you are a new graduate or making a career change find other ways to demonstrate your abilities. However, if you are a recent grad, a recruiter shouldn’t expect a ton of experience anyways. Include summer jobs or internships or even university projects. Focus on how those experiences helped developed your soft skills and any personal achievements you have.
How do I address my gap in employment?
Employment gaps can seem like a major red flag, but they don’t have to be! explanation will ease uncertainty, and you don’t have to give too many details depending on how personal the situation might be. A quick explanation such as medical leave or work sabbatical should do just fine. Just be prepared that you might be further questioned at the interview stage.
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