Knowing how to make your resume stand out starts with crafting a clear, professional, and relevant overview of your skills, education, and work experiences. Tailoring your resume to the position, optimizing for ATS tracking systems, using action-oriented language, and highlighting key skill sets are also important for a good resume.
Imagine pouring your energy into a job application, only for your resume to get lost in a pile of 300 others. Experiences like this are the reality for many job seekers today. With competition this fierce, it’s important to create the best resume possible to be considered.
Recruiters spend around six seconds scanning a resume before deciding whether it’s worth a closer look. Landing your dream job often depends on how effectively you can stand out in that brief moment. That means clarity, strategy, and personalization are non-negotiables.
This guide will help you build a resume that passes applicant tracking systems (ATS). Find everything from foundational formatting tips to advanced techniques for showcasing your skills and unique strengths.
Why It’s Hard to Get a Job Right Now
The job market is more competitive than ever. A mix of economic shifts, tech advancements, and changing employer expectations is making it harder for candidates to break through.
Consider these stats:
- As of April 2025, the U.S. unemployment rate stood at 4.2%, remaining within a narrow range of 4.0% to 4.2% since May 2024. This means there are fewer openings and more people chasing them.
- Automation is picking up speed. According to McKinsey, anywhere from almost none to nearly a third of all hours worked worldwide could be automated by 2030, depending on the rate of adoption.
- LinkedIn reports that over 9,000 job applications are submitted on its platform every minute, totaling more than 12.9 million daily.
These facts mean employers have more options and can afford to be extremely selective. In response, job seekers are trying all kinds of creative tactics to get noticed. These include video resumes, personal websites, and even full-on social media campaigns. In this type of job market, knowing how to make a good resume is more important than ever.
What Does a Good Resume Look Like?
A good resume strikes a balance between clarity, relevance, and strategy to present your qualifications in a way that’s easy to read. Hiring managers want to know who you are, what you’ve done, and why it matters, without having to dig for the details.
Here’s what makes a resume stand out:
Clarity and Readability
About 42% of HR professionals spend less than 10 seconds reviewing a resume, and nearly 65% say they form their first impression within 15 seconds. That means your resume has to be easy to skim at a glance. A clear, readable resume can go a long way to help you stand out.
Strong Structure
Start with your contact info and a short summary, followed by your experience, education, and skills. Combining both your work history and skills in a logical format is becoming more common. It helps highlight what you bring to the table from multiple angles.
Relevance Over General Info
Instead of listing duties, highlight results and show metrics. Your resume should include things like “Boosted customer retention by 30%” rather than “Handled client emails.” That shows you understand how your work impacts the bottom line.
Speak Their Language (Literally)
Use the same language you see in the job listing. This helps your resume pass through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). ATS can filter out resumes before a recruiter even sees them if the right language isn’t used.
Professional Formatting
Avoid flashy fonts or design tricks, unless you’re in a design-heavy industry. A clean, professional format gets better results. Save and send your resume as a PDF to make sure it looks the same on every screen.
Keep It Short, but Not Too Short
If you’re just starting out, a one-pager works. But for more experienced professionals, a two-page resume is actually preferred by 68.3% of hiring managers.
A great resume is a snapshot of your professional value. If you’re wondering how to communicate that value better, blending your soft skills with your technical know-how is one way to stand out naturally.
How to Make a Great Resume: Tips and Best Practices
A great resume is a well-crafted document that tells your professional story in a clear and focused way. Hiring managers and ATS software are scanning for more than just keywords; they’re looking for signs of impact, relevance, and potential. These tips will help you refine your resume, highlight what matters most, and improve your chances of landing that interview. Use the following resume writing tips to ensure you get it right.
Use a Clean, Professional Format
Clarity is key. Recruiters often skim through dozens of resumes in minutes, so a clean design gives yours a better chance of being read.
- Stick to simple, professional fonts like Arial or Calibri (10–12 pt).
- Use clear section headings (e.g., Summary, Experience, Skills).
- Include bullet points for easy scanning.
- Keep it ATS-friendly. Avoid images, text boxes, or complex formatting.
Only 25% of resumes make it past the ATS and reach a human recruiter. This means that three out of four get filtered out due to issues with formatting, content, or missing keywords. Free tools like Canva or Google Docs offer simple, ATS-friendly templates that strike a balance between structure and visual appeal. This can help your resume clear that important first hurdle.
Tailor Your Resume for Every Job
One-size-fits-all doesn’t work anymore. Customizing your resume to match each job posting can make a real difference.
- Mirror key phrases and keywords from the job description.
- Highlight only the experience most relevant to that specific role.
- Address the employer’s needs. Ask yourself, what are they trying to solve? Then try to position yourself as someone who can help provide solutions.
Resumes that reflect the language of the job listing are significantly more likely to land interviews.
Highlight Relevant Skills and Achievements
Instead of listing tasks, focus on what you’ve accomplished. Strong resumes emphasize results over responsibilities.
- Use action verbs like “led,” “executed,” or “developed.”
- Quantify your impact: For example, “Reduced processing time by 30%” sounds stronger than “Handled processes.”
- Group your skills meaningfully: Technical, Communication, Leadership, etc.
Employers often prioritize measurable achievements and transferable skills, especially when candidates are changing industries. Also, traits like leadership, communication, and adaptability remain key differentiators.
Include a Compelling Summary
Start strong with a two to three-sentence professional summary at the top. Think of it as your elevator pitch. Here’s one example to get you started:
“Detail-oriented finance analyst with 6+ years in risk management and portfolio optimization. Adept at driving cost-saving strategies and forecasting growth opportunities.”
Summaries help recruiters quickly understand your strengths and fit for the role.
Optimize for ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems)
Most large companies use ATS to screen resumes before a human sees them.
- Use standard section titles like “Experience” and “Education.”
- Integrate keywords from the job description naturally into your content.
- Avoid tables, columns, or unusual formatting.
Keyword-optimized resumes are far more likely to pass the first round of screening.
Use Strong, Action-Oriented Language
Your wording should show confidence and ownership. Swap weak phrases like “helped with” or “worked on” with strong verbs like “spearheaded,” “executed,” or “launched.” Passive language can dilute your accomplishments. Instead, be bold and direct. Resumes written with action-oriented language have a higher chance of catching a recruiter’s attention.
Keep It Concise and Focused
Narrowing down what to include on a resume can be challenging. But hiring managers don’t have time to read every detail. Stick to one page if you have under 10 years of experience. Two pages are fine for senior roles, but be selective with what you include. Remove outdated skills or irrelevant experience unless it directly supports the job you’re applying for. A focused resume keeps attention where it matters most.
Proofread for Perfection
Even the best resume can fall flat if it’s riddled with errors, so take the time to proofread. Use tools like Grammarly or Hemingway to check grammar and clarity. Consider asking a friend or mentor to give it a final review. Ensure formatting is consistent, bullets, dates, spacing, everything. Typos are among the top reasons resumes get rejected outright, so double-checking and getting a second look from someone else can be well worth your time.
Things to Include on a Resume That Make You Stand Out
Beyond traditional sections like work experience and education, certain strategic additions can make your resume more compelling and distinctive. These elements reflect your skills and demonstrate your character, adaptability, and commitment to growth. Use the following ideas of things to put on a resume to give yours an edge.
Volunteer Work
Volunteer experience shows initiative and strong interpersonal skills. Organizing a charity fundraiser or mentoring students, for example, can showcase leadership, communication, and project management capabilities. It can also demonstrate transferable skills and cultural fit.
Certifications and Online Learning
According to a survey by Coursera, 88% of employers believe a professional certificate improves a candidate’s application, with 72% saying they are likelier to hire a candidate with a micro-credential. Adding industry-recognized certifications such as AWS, Google Ads, or PMP can position you as a credible candidate with proven expertise.
Complement these with relevant online learning. Platforms like Coursera and Udemy offer courses that reinforce your commitment to continuous improvement.
Technical Proficiencies
Though it can depend on the role and industry, technical skills are generally valuable in today’s workplaces. Consider showcasing your technical proficiencies. For example, incorporating relevant tools and technologies such as Python, Salesforce, Figma, or Adobe Suite into your resume can enhance your visibility, especially in ATS-driven screening processes.
Project-Based Accomplishments
Highlighting specific projects, whether freelance, academic, or passion-based, can demonstrate your initiative and hands-on capabilities. Statements like “Developed an e-commerce dashboard that improved conversion by 22%” or “Launched a mobile app with 1,000+ downloads” offer quantifiable proof of impact.
Awards and Recognitions
Including recent and relevant awards can position you as a standout candidate. Whether recognized for leadership, creativity, or excellence in your field, such accolades can differentiate you from other applicants.
Professional Development
Participation in workshops, webinars, or industry panels illustrates an ongoing pursuit of excellence. Listing this under a “Professional Development” section shows that you’re current and invested in growth.
This type of self-driven advancement often ties back to soft skills like adaptability, discipline, and initiative. These additions can transform a standard resume into a rich narrative of who you are, what you’ve done, and the potential you bring to any team.
Final Thoughts on Standing Out in a Competitive Job Market
Standing out takes more than a polished resume. You need to be intentional in crafting something that reflects your strengths, and speaks the employer’s language.
A good resume also highlights your results through your certifications, volunteer work, or projects. A thoughtful approach shows you’re serious, prepared, and ready to contribute.
But standing out also starts with how you carry yourself. Confidence and clarity in how you present your story make all the difference.
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