False starts, knuckle-cracking, hair-pulling, and groaning are no way to spend an afternoon. Learn how to start a resume so you feel good, finish fast, and land the interview.
Why is knowing how to begin a resume so forehead-sweating? Because it’s so important. It’s your dream job. It’s your ticket to a better life. You can’t botch it.
That’s why you fill your trash can with false-starts. It’s why you pulled out half your hair. Take heart. You’re just starting in the wrong place. Let’s make it easy.
In this guide:
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Looking for other resume guides? See:
Want to know the quickest way to start off a resume? Use templates. See these to start and finish lightning-fast: Resume Examples for All Professions
And if you’re looking for a guide that will explain all the intricacies of writing a resume, try: Resume 101—How to Write a Resume [Templates and 25+ Examples]
Now, here’s how to start a resume that works:
How to begin a resume? Like an archer, you need a target. Your target is the online job description.
You can’t just scattershot a resume. Shotgun-blasting the same resume at every job gets silence. So to start a resume right, copy-paste the online job ad. It has:
The crux? Write a customized resume. See how to start a resume that fits the job in this guide: Targeted Resume: How to Personalize & Tailor Your Resume for a Job
What should a resume look like? Before you start writing, pick the best resume format.
The wrong format makes recruiters think too much. That’ll make them move on. Choose from three resume formats:
Expert Hint: Know why most resumes get trashed? Typos! When you start your resume, plan to have a friend proofread it so you can zap the spelling errors.
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Start your resume with experience because it’s the most important part. It’s the resume section that will get you hired—or ignored.
List your last job first. Add city & state, dates, and a bullet-list of achievements to impress the hiring team. Let’s say the job ad wants skills in front-end development, HTML5, collaboration, training, prototyping.
Experience
Front-End Developer
Meanderware, Inc.
2015–2019
If you lack experience in the job you’re applying for, list relevant accomplishments from “unrelated” jobs. If you’ve got zero experience, start your resume with the education section.
Want to see how to start a resume work experience section? See this guide: Resume Job Descriptions for the Work Experience Section: 20 Samples
Employers care about your schooling. But not the way you think. Go back to the job ad. What education requirements does it list? Put those in your resume. Include:
Add bullet points with classes you excelled in, honors, and projects. Include your GPA if it’s high or recent.
Those extras could be the one detail that makes employers notice you.
Want to know how to start a resume education section? See our guide: How to List Education on Resume [25+ Examples & Expert Hints]
Expert Hint: Does your resume need every qualification in the job ad? Not according to a survey of 2,000 hiring managers. Meeting 3 out of 5 “must haves” is often plenty.
Let’s make the hiring team say, “Wow!” Do it with a couple added sections in your resume.
Your skills section will be short and sweet. Don’t kitchen-sink it with every skill in the book.
What else should you list in your resume? That depends on your achievements. You could list volunteer work, interests, certifications, foreign languages, or other sections.
Want to browse the best bonus sections for your resume? See our guide: What to Put on a Resume: Sections to Include for the Best Resume
You’re almost there, but you need to make employers want to read your resume. Your heading statement is your welcome mat. Your elevator speech. It’s the trailer for your job-search movie. It’s a short paragraph that sums up the best bits of your resume.
Write a resume objective. It puts the focus on transferable skills from unrelated jobs—or even just from school.
Make it a resume summary or a summary of qualifications. You’ll zero in on your best few moments from related jobs.
Expert Hint: Start your resume before you write it, by creating a professional email address. 35% of hiring managers say an unprofessional address is a mistake.
Does anyone write cover letters anymore? Only if they want the job. Most recruiters won’t read them. But almost half won’t read your resume without one.
Your goal? To make them pay attention to your resume. Not sure how to make your cover letter? Check our step-by-step guide on how to write a cover letter.
Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.
Want to try a different look? There's 21 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.
Here’s how to start a resume:
Got questions about how to start a resume so it doesn’t take a year? Need more advice on how to begin a resume? Shoot us a note in the comments. We’ll be happy to reply!
At ResumeLab, quality is at the crux of our values, supporting our commitment to delivering top-notch career resources. The editorial team of career experts carefully reviews every article in accordance with editorial guidelines, ensuring the high quality and reliability of our content. We actively conduct original research, shedding light on the job market's intricacies and earning recognition from numerous influential news outlets. Our dedication to delivering expert career advice attracts millions of readers to our blog each year.
Having published over 200 career-advice articles, Tom Gerencer is a career expert who covers the whole array of job-seeking topics for people at all career stages, from interns to C-suite members. His insights, commentary, and articles reach over a million readers every month. With inside knowledge of key industry players and in-depth research, Tom helps job seekers with advice across all professions and career stages.
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