Resume 101
If you’ve visited Clearpoint’s Working Ideas blog before, you’ve probably seen our many posts on resume strategies and best practices. Over the years, after advising many job seekers and reviewing countless resumes, we’ve boiled down some enduring truths you should keep in mind as you refine your own.
But first — hiring managers are extremely busy. Don’t make them work to understand your value. Your resume should make it effortless for them to see why you’re worth interviewing.
Capture attention above the fold
Borrowed from newspaper lingo: fold your resume in half top to bottom. Everything in the top half of page one must compel the reader to dig deeper. If it doesn’t, rework what’s above the fold — your summary, key achievements, or skills — so they shine.
Use a professional summary, not a dated objective statement
The classic “objective statement” is falling out of favor — it often reads awkwardly and adds little. Instead, lead with a crisp professional summary: 2–4 lines that frame your core value, your strongest attributes, and the lens through which recruiters should view your experience.
Don’t shy away from multiple pages (if justified)
One page was once industry gospel — largely because of fax machines and page separation concerns. Now? It’s fine to use two pages if every line earns its place. What matters is substance, not forced brevity — but be ruthless in trimming fluff.
Maximize real estate — skip the fluff
Avoid generic buzzwords like “team player,” “motivated,” or “excellent communicator.” Instead, demonstrate those traits through brief but compelling examples. “Led a cross-functional team of 5 to deliver a product upgrade that increased user retention by 15%” says far more than “strong communicator.”
Think in vignettes, not paragraphs
Large text blocks are intimidating and unlikely to be read. Use concise bullet points and treat each as a mini-story: what you did, how you did it, and — where possible — the impact.
Use bullet points — they are your ammo
Bullets force clarity, scannability, and focus. Lead with action verbs and keep them short (ideally ≤ two lines), unless you’re describing something particularly complex.
Skip the photo — it’s not relevant
Photos belong on walls or in wallets, not your resume (unless you’re in a field like acting where headshots are expected). If you want more on this, Professional associations and resume experts routinely caution against including photos due to bias risk and ATS formatting issues.
Use measurable metrics to validate your story
Don’t just list duties — quantify them. Did you improve efficiency? Cut costs? Drive revenue? Use percentages, time savings, dollar amounts — whatever is meaningful in your context.
Order your roles in reverse chronological order
Always put your current or most recent role first, then go backward. That’s the structure recruiters expect and scan for.
Managing a long employment history
If you have 15+ years of experience and worry about being “too seasoned,” approach this thoughtfully: you might condense older roles into a legacy section or focus on the last 10–15 years’ achievements. (We’d be happy to help you strategically shape that.)
Don’t include “references available upon request”
It’s assumed. Instead, have your references ready and formatted consistently with your resume, but only share them when asked.
Closing thoughts
So many people wait until a layoff or career pivot to update their resume — that’s often the worst time to think clearly. Instead, treat your resume as a living document: regularly log your responsibilities, promotions, and metrics so you never scramble when it’s time to apply.
Want to dive deeper?
Here are some additional resources you can reference today:
“Customize Your Resume: 8 Expert Tips To Land More Interviews”, Forbes (2025) — explains why tailoring matters in today’s hiring landscape (Forbes)
“7 Steps to AI-Proof Your Resume And Land More Job Interviews”, Forbes (2025) — shows how to write for both humans and machines via the CAR (Challenge → Action → Result) structure (Forbes)
“Top 8 Skills To Put On Your Resume In 2025”, Forbes (2025) — highlights the soft and technical skills that demand attention now (Forbes)
Resume Worded — a free tool that gives instant feedback on your resume and LinkedIn profile to help you align with recruiter expectations (Resume Worded)
LinkedIn’s AI Resume Builder — lets you convert your LinkedIn profile into a polished, ATS-friendly resume in minutes (linkedin.com)
