how to make resume for job interview

How To Make A Resume 101 (Examples Included)

Mike Simpson 0 Comments

By Mike Simpson

If you are reading this article, I think it is safe to say that we can call you a “job seeker”, correct?

But what kind of job seeker are you?

Are you looking for a change of pace from your everyday job?

Are you just starting out in the workforce?

Maybe you’re a seasoned veteran trying to make the leap up the chain of command?

Or perhaps you’re just fed up with the way things are going (or not going) with your career and it’s time for a change?

Well, no matter what stage you are in your career, you’re going to need to know how to write a good resume for a job interview … and we are going to show you how! So start by downloading our Free “Perfect Resume” Checklist that will help you overhaul your resume and will get you more interviews. Click here to get the “perfect resume” checklist

What Is a Resume?

Don’t laugh.

Believe it or not, some people (especially those who are completely new to the workforce) have never seen a resume before, let alone written one.

If you’re one of those people, this section is for you!

So what is a resume?

A resume is a document used by job seekers to help provide a summary of their skills , abilities and accomplishments .

In other words, a resume is typically a short and quick way for a job seeker to introduce themselves to a potential employer. (In North America a resume should not be confused with a CV . Check out our blog post on the difference between a CV and a resume if you’re interested.)

Resumes are normally submitted to hiring managers along with a cover letter (Need help writing a cover letter? Check out our article How To Write a Cover Letter 101 ), usually via email or on online job posting.

Sounds pretty easy, right? Just take a piece of paper and put some basic info on it and “wham, bam, thank you, ma’am, I’m right for the job and can start tomorrow,” right?

Unfortunately (or fortunately, which I’ll explain later) it’s not that easy.

In fact, writing a bad resume is much easier than writing a good one…and trust me, there are lots of bad ones out there…which is why you want to make sure you have good one…no wait, a GREAT one so when employers look at it, they say, “Heck yes, bring this kid in for an interview!”

Why Do I Need a Resume?

I know the (company CEO, boss, hiring manager, owner’s dog walker who works on Tuesday’s and they’ve totally promised me a job no matter what.)

If that’s true, then hey, you probably don’t need a resume…you’re essentially guaranteed the job already… but what about when that job ends?

Betcha no matter how great your hookups are right now, at some point in your career, you’re gonna need a killer resume, and luckily we’re here to tell you how to create a resume.

And not just any resume… a professional resume .

For those of us who don’t have direct connections to killer jobs, a resume is essential to getting your foot in the door.

Employers use resumes as a way to quickly screen potential applicants , selecting only the individuals they feel are right for the position, so making sure your resume is in tip-top shape is absolutely vital.

Here, let me walk you through a quick little scenario and we’ll see just how important those little pieces of paper actually are:

Imagine you’re a hiring manager and it’s your job to find the perfect candidate for an open position with your company.

You’ve trolled the usual job listing sites and posted what you’re looking for and the response has been…overwhelming.

Your desk is COVERED with resumes. Pile after pile. Stack after stack.

All you need is that one qualified person, but as you look through the piles of paperwork, you feel your stomach starting to knot up. These resumes are a mess. Most of them are sloppy, with spelling errors, confusing headings, and lists of qualifications that have absolutely NOTHING to do with the job at all. You need an IT specialist and a third of these resumes have things like ‘underwater basket weaving specialist,’ and ‘professional poodle groomer’ listed under relevant skills. How is that relevant?

You call maintenance and ask them to empty your trash can, again. It’s filling up too quickly with all these rejected candidates.

You continue to slog through the pile of papers, your eyes growing heavy with each rejection. You’re sleepy, you’re bored, and you’re frustrated. Does NOBODY really qualify for this job?

And then you see it. A single resume that’s clean, crisp and clearly written. The font is professional, the layout is well organized and thoughtful and the qualifications are…gasp…actually on target! You smile as you read it, your heavy eyes suddenly snapping open in excitement as you realize you’ve got someone here who might actually be able to do the job!

You carefully set that resume to the side, a bright yellow note stuck on top of it: “ Interview THIS one. ”

Then you turn back to your unending mountain of resumes. Back to the slog.

Okay. Story time is over…back to reality. How would you like to be that hiring manager?

No fun, eh? Absolutely not!

Unfortunately, odds are, your current resume is probably buried in that mountain of not quite right resumes…or worse yet, in the trash waiting to go out with the next trash run.

Wouldn’t you rather be the one with the yellow “Interview THIS one” sticky?

Okay, then… it’s time to give you all the resume help you need! That’s why we created this fantastic (and free) Resume Checklist for you to use to make sure your resume stand out against your competition. Click here to get the “perfect resume” checklist .

In this article, we’ll show you SECTION 1 , “How to Build a Resume” or proper resume format and SECTION 2 , “How to Write a Resume.”

Section 1 – How To Make a Resume (or Proper Resume Format)

Good resume writing (and proper resume format) is an art form and can make the difference between getting lost in the pile and being invited in for an interview.

(Here’s the good news. We’ve dedicated an entire blog article just to resume format and the best practices for 2017 and beyond! Click here to head over to that article now! )

The problem is, a lot of people don’t see it as an art form…rather an obligation. Most people look at writing a resume as just something you have to do to get a job.

There’s no time put into it. No thought. And certainly no enthusiasm.

Just a bunch of stuff thrown on a page with the expectation that if the company really want to hire you, they should be able to look at that mess and pull what they need out of it and bring you in based off of that.

Reality check!

Research has proven that hiring managers only bring in about 1 person per 200 resumes received .

Those are some pretty miserable odds!

Time to step up your game and go from one of the 200 to that one out of 200!

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)

Okay, so we just finished telling you that writing a resume is an art form and that you need to stand out. BUT (there’s always a “but” isn’t there?) this doesn’t mean that you should paint your resume in water colors or build a resume diorama out of Play-Doh and Legos.

In fact, you should know that a lot of companies today are using Applicant Tracking Systems to help them screen resumes and find the best candidates.

How does this work exactly?

Well, a piece of software analyzes your resume for certain keywords and gives you a score based how well your resume matches a predetermined list of keywords chosen by the company you’re interviewing with.

There are a few things you can do to ensure your resume gets past the software and into the hands of hiring managers, which Lifehacker does a nice job of outlining here .

In the meantime, here are our best practices to follow when it comes to formatting your resume.

Resume Fonts

Of course you want your resume to stand out, but for the right reasons…and you have to understand that it starts with the very first second someone looks at it.

Your resume is a marketing tool to sell you to an employer and that means making sure it clearly represents you in a professional manner.

Notice the word professional. That’s what this is. PROFESSIONAL .

This isn’t a time for artistic expression or a place to make a personal statement using gimmicks or tricks..and that means say goodbye to cartoon fonts.

No. Comic. Sans.

I repeat. DO NOT EVER USE COMIC SANS.

Look at it. It’s ridiculous.

Who is ever going to take that font seriously? Nobody. That’s who.

You get, on average, 10 to 20 seconds to make a first impression with your resume… so make it count!

If your resume is sloppy or has unprofessional font, odds are those 20 seconds are going to end with you in the trash.

For anyone with a basic word processing program, it’s easy to see there are hundreds of fonts out there to choose from and picking the right one can be difficult. We’ve already discussed Comic Sans (no) but what fonts are good ones to use?

There are two categories of font. Serif and San-serif .

Serif fonts are stylized fonts with tails and other (subtle) decorative markings. Examples of serif fonts include Times New Roman . They are perceived as being reliable, authoritative, and traditional.

Other serif fonts include: Bell MT , Bodoni MT , Bookman Old Style , Cambria , Goudy Old Style , Calibri , Garamond, and Georgia .

San-serif fonts are also often used and are characterized as being simpler and no-frills. San-serif fonts include Helvetica and Arial and are associated with being clean, universal, modern, objective and stable.

Examples of san-serif fonts include: Verdana , Trebuchet MS , Century Gothic , Gill Sans MT , Lucida Sans , and Tahoma .

No matter which font you use, the biggest consideration you have to keep in mind is legibility .

You need to make sure that your typeface is easy on the eyes and shows up well both in print and on screen, regardless of formatting or size.

Another consideration to keep in mind is that not everyone has the same operating system on their computer so unique or gimmicky fonts that look great on one computer system might show up as absolute nonsense on another.

Also, remember in today’s increasing digital age that most resumes are first scanned by an automated applicant tracking software program and any form that can’t be read will be automatically discarded!

Which one is right for you? It’s up to you really, but if you really want a recommendation then I suggest keeping it simple and going with Helvetica . It’s the perfect combination of style and clarity.

Mike's Tip:

Resume layout & formatting.

Okay, now that you’ve got your font picked out, it’s time to focus on your resume formats (or layouts). Don’t worry if you can’t remember all of this stuff, because we summarize it all on our “Perfect Resume” Checklist we made for you. Simply click here to get your copy .

The first rule of layout is, keep it clean and clear. You want a resume that’s easy to read and easy to follow.

Again, remember, you get 10-20 seconds to catch a hiring manager’s eye so handing in something that’s messy, unorganized or confusing is going to end up in the trash.

Margins – Keep your margins to ½ to 1 inch on all sides of the paper, especially if you’re sending your resume to anyone you think might print it out. The last thing you want is to have a printer crop your resume and leave off important information!

Font Size – With the exception of your name which can be larger, you want to keep your font size at between 10 and 12 point. Keep in mind that some fonts are larger and/or smaller than others so an Arial 12 is larger than a Times New Roman 12. Ideally you want your resume to be a single page so feel free to tweak your font size a bit to make it fit (some programs allow you to adjust sizes by half points) but remember, keep it readable! Don’t sacrifice legibility in order to get everything on the page .

Spacing – Generally single spacing works the best, with a blank line between each section of content.

Paper – If you’re printing out your resume make sure to use a laser printer or inkjet printer that produces high-quality results. Use off-white , ivory or bright white paper and always stick to the standard 8 ½ X 11 paper in the highest quality you can afford. Make sure if there is a watermark on the paper that it’s facing the correct way and whatever you do, keep it readable. Don’t cram so much on the page that it’s crowded or confusing!

Resume Categories

Resumes are really nothing more than a bunch of specific categories that quickly outline who you are and what you’ve done and can do. Making sure your categories are well organized is a quick way to help put you in the “yes” pile and keep you out of the “trash” pile.

One of the biggest problems with many resumes is they lack focus and clarity. Double check yours and make sure your categories are well defined and organized.

Header – Start your resume off with the most important information first: your personal information! Include your full name, phone number, email and personal branding website if you have one . It’s also appropriate to include your permanent mailing address, but this can be optional.

Objective or Resume Summary – Depending on what sort of job seeker you are and what job you’re applying for, you will have to choose between an objective statement (what your employment goals are with the company you’re applying to) or a resume summary (a quick recap of your skills and experiences that highlight your value to a potential employer.) Regardless of whether you include an objective or a summary, keep this short and sweet (no more than a sentence or two.)

For our in-depth article on how to write a resume objective, click here .
For our in-depth article on how to write a resume summary statement, click here .

Experience/Qualifications – This part is all about your work history and should not only include who you worked for but what you did and how long you did it. Include the title you held and a quick bulleted list of responsibilities and/or duties. This is listed in reverse chronological order with your most recent job first .

Skills & Abilities – This section is a quick outline of the skills to put on a resume that relate to the position/career you’re applying to. These can include things like computer skills , technical skills , language skills , anything that can help make you the perfect candidate!

References – Including references is no longer a requirement. It’s a good idea to have references, but the days of listing them at the bottom of your resume is a thing of the past. Instead, have them as a separate list, and if requested, you’ll be able to provide it. Check out our article on professional reference letters if you need more info. (If you need a character reference, check out our article .)

Interests – This category is a tough one. Not every resume should include an interests section…this isn’t Facebook and your potential IT employer probably doesn’t need to know you spend your weekends dressing up as a troll warlord and reenacting great battles… Interests and hobbies can be a double-edged sword and listing something that has nothing to do with the job you’re applying for can not only waste valuable resume space but can also make you seem unfocused or scattered. HOWEVER…there are times when including interests can help you out…especially if they’re related to the job you’re applying for and show interest outside of the office, such as volunteering for an organization you know the corporation is already involved in (do you research first)! This category should be carefully considered before you add it. Weigh the pros and cons very seriously.

Types of Resumes (And 3 Resume Samples)

There are three major types of resumes: chronological, functional and combination (sometimes called targeted or hybrid), and we’ve included a description of each below along with some good resume examples.

Chronological Resume

Chronological resumes are the most commonly used layout and is exactly what it sounds like, a chronological listing of all your work history with your most recent positions listed first.

Employers tend to really like this type of a resume because it’s easy for them to quickly see what jobs you’ve held and how long you’ve held them. It also often includes an objective or career summary as well as education, certifications, and special skills.

For job seekers with a strong working background, this is a great way to showcase what you’ve done!

Here is a great chronological sample resume:

Source: Vault.com

Functional Resume

Functional resumes focus more on skills and experiences rather than on chronological work history and are perfect for people who are changing careers or have a gap in their work history as they focus attention on specific skills and capabilities.

Rather than displaying a timeline of your work history, the functional resume focuses on the actual skills you possess and highlights what you know rather than when you did it.

If you’re applying for a job with specific skills or clearly defined requirements and/or traits, this is the one you want to choose!

Here is a great functional sample resume:

Combination Resume

Combination resumes are exactly that, a combination of chronological and functional. A combination resume lists both your skills and experiences as well as your employment history in chronological order.

The idea is to not only highlight the skills you have that are relevant to the job you’re applying to, but also provide your potential employer with a chronological record of the jobs you’ve held in the past.

Because this type of resume is essentially two different types mashed together, it’s typically broken into two parts. The first part is your functional resume section and highlights your skills, achievements and qualifications and the second part is your timeline of work experience.

Although more complicated to pull together and keep cohesive and clear, this type of format is effective when used by an applicant who wants to show off the most relevant skills while still documenting work history. It’s also a great way to explain gaps in work history as well as career changes.

Here is a great combination sample resume:

So How Long Should A Resume Be?

Once upon a time the fast and hard rule was keep your resume to one-page MAX! Job seekers who found their resumes exceeding the one page limit were forced to either cut out valuable information or tweak their formatting, font sizes and/or margins to make it work, often resulting in either difficult formatting or incomplete histories.

Nowadays the rules are a little more relaxed and the new rule is: Your resume should be long enough to entice the hiring manager to call you in for an interview.

Confused? Don’t be.

First off, your resume is an introduction to who you are…give them enough information to get them comfortable, but brief enough that they’re left wanting more (and call you in for an interview!)

This isn’t a novel. It isn’t a 10-page dissertation on who you are or a 20-page essay on everything you’ve done from your first moments on earth to the moment you sent it to the company.

It’s a career marketing tool and should be used exactly like any good advertising is used…to build excitement, pique curiosity, and encourage the viewer to ask “ Okay, I like this so far…what else? ”

Remember our hiring manager from story time at the beginning of this article? Remember, they’re looking through hundreds, if not thousands of resumes and the last thing you want to do is to hand them a long document they’ll have to pour over to get the info they need.

Be concise . Be brief . Be clear . Be professional .

The best way to determine how long your resume should be is to follow these simple rules:

If you have less than 10 years of experience, are in the middle of a career change, or held multiple positions with one single employer, keep your resume to one page.

If you have more than 10 years of experience, your field is technical or engineering related and you need space to list all your skills and qualifications then two pages is appropriate.

And only in the most rare of situations, usually scientific or academic fields where extensive lists of publications, speaking engagements, professional courses, licenses or patents are normal, can you have a resume three or more pages long…

Okay, got all that? Ready to move onto Section 2 – “How to Write a Resume?”

If you haven’t already, now would be a good time to get your free Resume Checklist. It will help to have it open as you go through the next section! Click here to get it now .

Section 2 – How To Write a Resume

Now that we have a general idea of what a resume should include, let’s look at how to write one that helps you stand out from the crowd.

Again, let’s go back to our poor beleaguered hiring manger toiling away over mountains of unfocused resumes…and while we’re there, I’m going to let you in on a little secret.

Out of all of those resumes, there are hundreds of qualified candidates…people who would probably do an amazing job and would be great additions to any company.

Sure, there are those in that pile who have NO business applying for the job…but I guarantee there’s a big chunk of applicants who are qualified and would be great hires…problem is, their resumes…well…suck.

Luckily yours…doesn’t. In fact, yours is brilliant and you are the perfect candidate! You’re the answer to the hiring manager’s prayers. You’re the reason they post jobs and slog through piles of paper poo and when they finally stumble on your little nugget of job history gold, jump to their feet in excitement and yell “Bring this one IN!”

Or at least, if you follow these guidelines and rules, you will be!

Tailoring Your Resume

No, we don’t mean tailoring like getting a nice suit and having it professionally fitted to you (not a bad idea for interview wear, but that’s a different post for a different time.) but tailoring as in making your resume absolutely perfect for the job you’re applying for.

Job hunting is exactly that, hunting…and if you’ve ever done any sort of hunting, you know each and every animal requires different skills. And before you get all upset and tell me “Hey, I’ve never hunted an animal and I never plan on doing it and your analogy is horrible,” let me TAILOR this even further down.

Have you ever tried to get an animal to come to you?

Have a cat? Have a dog? Have a bird? Even a fish?

Each one requires a different approach and what works for one won’t work for another.

Ever tried to entice a horse to come to you with a juicy steak? How about tossing some hay to a tiger and wondering why it isn’t eating? Of course not! That’s because you tailor what you’re doing to the situation you’re in.

Give the steak to the tiger and the hay to the horse!

Cats typically respond well to string and lasers. Dogs love to chase balls. And job hunting is exactly the same!

If you’re sending out the exact same resume to 500 job listings, then you’re not doing it right.

Odds are, you’re not getting many interviews either, and you’re probably wondering what’s wrong with all those hiring managers.

Is it possible all 500 are idiots and can’t tell how amazing you are and how you’re incredible and they’re totally missing out by not hiring you?

Possibly, but I doubt it.

Tailoring means making sure that every resume is unique and specifically written to appeal to the hiring manager for the job you’re applying to. That means if you send out 500 resumes for 500 job listings, each and every one of those 500 resumes will be different.

Exhausting? Hell yes.

Worth it? When you get the job of your dreams…you bet!

The problem is, each job is different and what each hiring manager is looking for is different. There is no physical way to satisfy each and every employer’s individual hiring requirements using just one blanket resume.

If you want to catch the attention of the hiring manager, you have to give them what they want. You need to invest the time into each application and ensure that your resume is tailored to each employer and the job you’re applying to.

Of course, we’re not saying you have to write 500 resumes from the ground up…it IS okay to start with a basic resume that lists your skills and qualifications…but you have to make sure you customize it for each job you apply for.

Let’s start with our categories from the previous section, shall we?

Header – Again, this is your basic personal information. It’s your name and contact info and really shouldn’t change.

Objective or Resume Summary – Again, you need to decide which one will work for you…an objective statement or a resume summary . We recapped the difference between both in the above section. The key here is be concise and clear. One to two sentences MAX.

Experience/Qualifications – This is where WORK EXPERIENCES go. Include anything you’ve done for which you’ve been paid. This includes full-time and part-time work as well as anything you did that qualifies for self-employed work.

Make sure for each job you list:

The name of the company or organization where you were employed.
The city and state for that company or organization.
Your last position and/or title you held while there.
Your employment period for each job in Month/Date format
A brief description of your duties and responsibilities in a short, bulleted list

The hardest part about writing this section is making sure that you list your contributions to the company while still being concise and clear, as well as accurate.

Highlight the relevant information that relates directly to the job you’re now applying for and cut out any clutter that might add unnecessary length to your resume.

Speaking of length, keep your bullets short and sweet.

Wrong : “Daily I worked hand in hand with the company’s most important clients assisting them with problem-solving and ensuring that they were happy and satisfied with our work.

Right : Worked daily with high profile clients to solve problems.

Do not include unpaid , volunteer or charitable work in this section. If you feel you have an unpaid experience or volunteer job that a hiring manager would find valuable, consider creating a new category labelled “Relevant Experience” or “Other Experience” and be sure to include the same identifying information you include for your “Experience/Qualifications” lists.

Skills/Abilities – Every employer is looking for specific resume skills and abilities for the job they’re trying to fill. Your job (while you’re trying to get a job) is to make sure you fit what they’re looking for. These are the job specific skills and should be tailored (there’s that word again!) for each application you submit. But did you know there are skills to put on a resume that are almost universally valued by potential employers???? Those skills go HERE in this section.

Skills like:

Communication (listening, verbal and written) – This is the number one skill mentioned by employers when asked what they valued in an applicant.

Computer/Technical Literacy Skills – Almost every job these days requires some level of computer proficiency including basic word processing, spreadsheets, and emails.

Interpersonal Skills – Basically how well you work in a team and your ability to relate to co-workers.

Planning/Organization Skills – How well you can design, plan, organize and execute projects and tasks within a specific time frame. Can also apply to goal setting and achievement.

This is just a small sampling of what can go in this section. For a more in-depth look at what to put in this section, check out our previous blog all about it here!

Education – This one, much like your personal information, is pretty straight forward. You want to list your education in reverse chronological order (degrees or licenses first followed by certificates and advanced training).

If you include your college information, list only the school, your major and distinctions and or awards you’ve won. If you’re still in college or a very recent grad , include your GPA ONLY if it’s over a 3.4.

Dropped out or had to leave school because of extenuating circumstances but still want to include the fact that you went? No worries! List the field you were studying, then the school and then the dates that you attended.

If you’re listing just schooling, keep the title of this section “Education.” If you’ve graduated, are including other training, and or other certifications, try to include that in the title. Examples can include “Education and Training,” or “Education and Licenses.” Make the title fit what you’re listing…

Awards – This section is NOT for school-related awards. Include those in your education section. Rather, this section is for awards received, commendations or praise from senior sources. Make sure to mention what the award was for if you can.

Affiliations – If you are affiliated with an organization, guild or club that is relevant to the job you are applying for, the go ahead and include it. Include leadership roles if appropriate. It’s also a great idea to include any sort of affiliation or membership to any organization that might increase your appeal as a prospective employee to an employer.

For almost anything you want to include on a resume, there is a category to help organize it. We’ve listed the most popular above but feel free to do your own research online, especially if what you’re trying to include is unique or hard to categorize.

Action Verbs and Power Words

Speaking of unique, the primary goal of your resume is to make you stand out from the rest of the people applying for the same job and another way to make that happen is to use action verbs and power words (also referred to as “resume verbs”).

Action verbs and power words are exactly that…they’re words that help catch a hiring manager’s eye and give you an edge. After reading hundreds of resumes, many using the same words and phrases, it’s nice to have one that stands out and one of the best ways to do that is by incorporating action verbs and power words!

You’re not exaggerating and you’re certainly not lying, you’re just swapping out old and tired words for ones that are a bit more…dynamic and exciting!

When listing skills , accomplishments, or job described, try using the most impressive words you can think of (without overstating what you actually did).

Were you a leader of a project ? Instead of saying “Led,” use one of these words:

Chaired, controlled, coordinated, executed, headed, operated, orchestrated, organized, oversaw, planned, produced, programmed.

Did you pull a project from conception all the way to completion? Instead of saying “developed, created, or introduced,” try:

Administered, built, chartered, designed, devised, founded, engineered, constructed, established, formalized, formed, formulated, implemented, spearheaded, incorporated, initiated, instituted, introduced, launched, pioneered.

Are you an organizing wizard? Are you increasing productivity ? Sales ? Efficiency? Use these words to really hit home how dynamic you are:

Accelerated, achieved, advanced, amplified, boosted, capitalized, delivered, enhanced, expanded, expedited, furthered, gained, generated, improved, lifted, maximized, outpaced, stimulated, sustained.

Did you achieve something ? Did you hit your goals? Try these words:

Attained, awarded, completed, demonstrated, earned, exceeded, outperformed, reached, showcased, succeeded, surpassed, targeted.

This is just a small selection of action verbs and words you can use to spice up your resume and help you stand out in the crowd. (Need more? Head over to our blog article “68 Dynamic Action Verbs to Enhance Your Resume.” )

Grab your thesaurus and go through your resume…find words that are common and pedestrian and swap them out!

Wow, that’s a ton of information…can you just distill all this epic awesomeness down into a top ten list of tips for creating a resume??

Drum roll, please…

Here Are Our Top 10 Resume Tips

If you’re one of those people who likes to skim through an article or if you plan on coming back for a quick review before your interview, here are our best resume writing tips.

1) Tailored

You’re bringing steak to the tigers with your resume. The employer can look at it and know immediately that not only are you qualified but that you’ve done your research into what the job is and what they’re looking for in an employee. Your goal s are clear as are your skills , areas of expertise and or body of experience .

2) Aesthetically Pleasing

Remember what we said about a resume being a work of art? It should be clean, concise and have a simple structure that invites a reader to glance at it and immediately know what they’re looking at. It’s balanced and flows between sections smoothly. It’s not crowded, the margins are clean, and the font is professional. It’s also devoid of ANY ERRORS . No missing periods, no misspelled words, no grammar issues. It’s also correct and the information included is current and accurate.

3) Complete

That means everything you need to include is included, including (but not limited to) your name, current phone number and accurate email address, a listing of all the jobs you’ve held (in reverse chronological order), educational degrees (including any certifications and the highest degree achieved – again in reverse chronological order) and any targeted information that will help a hiring manager realize you are the perfect candidate.

The easiest way to make sure you remember all of this is to keep track using the “Perfect Resume” Checklist we made for you. You can simply check off the boxes as you complete them. Click here to your “perfect resume” checklist .

4) Accurate

Jobs listed also include your title, the name of the company or organization you worked with, the city and state where you worked and the years you were employed. The bulleted lists are summarized in a clear way that highlights the key ideas without taking up too much space.

And PLEASE! No fibs. Hiring Managers can easily verify anything you put on your resume, and getting busted lying isn’t exactly a winning formula for getting job offers.

The hiring manager can look at your resume and immediately know what you’re applying for and what you bring in value to the company. It’s clear and concise. There’s no confusion as to what your profession is and what you can do.

One page to two pages max, depending on your field, level of experience and skill set. Don’t bore people with details, keep them wanting more…but also learn the balance between not saying enough to saying just enough.

7) Relevant

Never include anything on a resume that might turn off an employer including political or religious affiliations, anything controversial, or that could be taken in a negative light.

8) Professional

This includes font, layout, and paper as well as content. Again, this is for a job and should be used as such. This isn’t a platform for personal statements or a novel detailing every job you’ve ever had since birth to present. It’s printed on high-quality paper in an appropriate color and is clean of any smudges, tears or wrinkles.

Every time you apply for a new job, check your resume to ensure that it’s not only targeted, but also current. Make sure your dates are correct and that you include the most up to date information (this is especially important if you’ve changed your phone number or contact email!)

10) It Is YOURS

That’s right…it might seem strange to say this, but the number one thing you have to remember when applying for any job is to be honest! Use action verbs and power words to give your resume life, but don’t let yourself get carried away and overstate your skills, positions, or abilities. Remember, they’re hiring you …and the last thing you want is to get a job you can’t do.

11) BONUS TIP – Your Resume Contains A Link To Your Personal Website

We’ve been seeing an interesting trend in 2017. Job seekers who add a link to a personal branding website are getting more job interviews and in turn getting more job offers. The fact is, having a simple personal website that highlights your skills and more importantly your personality go a long way to creating a three dimensional persona for the hiring manager . A personal website makes you stand out when compared to all the other candidates who just hand in a resume and cover letter. To find out more check out this blog post .

What Not To Put On Your Resume

Don’t title your resume “resume.” The hiring manager should know what it is just by looking at it. If they don’t, then it’s not a resume and you should re-read this article.

Don’t “fluff” your sentences with unnecessary words. Remember, short and sweet.

Don’t include salary requirements or information. For more info on how to discuss your salary and when and how to bring it up, check out our blog on “When to bring up Salary.”

Don’t list why you left your last job or jobs…and on that same topic, don’t trash former employers…ever…

Don’t include personal information beyond your name and contact. They don’t need your age, race, marital status, sexual orientation or hobbies.

Don’t include a photo of yourself. Unless you’re an actor and applying for a role…otherwise, it’s just creepy.

Don’t get sloppy. Double-check for errors. Then check again.

Resume Templates

Now, we imagined that you’d like some resume templates to help you build a resume, so we combed the internet for some job-specific free resume templates that you can use as a guiding tool.

Customer Service Resume

Administrative Assistant Resume

Teacher Resume

Nursing Resume

Receptionist Resume

Medical Assistant Resume

Project Manager Resume

Cashier Resume

NOTE : These are templates, meaning they are a good place for you to start. But keep in mind that other applicants will also have access to these templates so you don’t want to copy them exactly. Don’t forget you want to stand out among the other applicants, not blend in!

Putting It All Together

So there you have it! How to make a resume …or better yet, how to make an AWESOME resume! Just remember that no single resume is right for every job…make sure to keep it short, sweet, and relevant.

Now re-read this article, but as you do, go through your old resume and see where you can make improvements . Clean it up , pare it down , punch up your action verbs and make it the best possible resume you can…

And above all…good luck!

FREE : "Perfect Resume" PDF Checklist

Ok the next thing you should do is download our handy "Perfect Resume" Checklist PDF ".

In it you'll get a 38 point checklist that will let you overhaul your resume and make sure you aren't missing any critical components.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE "PERFECT RESUME" CHECKLIST

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com.

His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others.

Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

About The Author

Mike simpson.

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com. His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others. Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

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Resume and Cover Letter
How to Make a Resume:...

How to Make a Resume: Beginner's Writing Guide with Examples

30 min read · Updated on March 22, 2024

Your dream job is one resume away!

Your resume is arguably the most important financial document you'll ever own. And before you think, “Yeah – right” let's consider for a moment. Without a resume, you don't get the job, so you can't pay bills, support a family, go to the big game, have that weekend trip, or plan for retirement. Your resume is the doorway to your future, so let's make sure it's perfect.

Part of making it perfect is remembering that it's a targeted career marketing document – not a chronicle of your life. So, how do you write a resume? In this beginner's writing guide, we'll show you how to make a resume and provide examples of what each section should look like.

Grab a cup of coffee and strap in, because you're about to learn everything you need to know about how to make a new resume!

Table of contents:

The purpose of a resume

Avoid rejection by the ATS

What is your career target?

Build your personal brand, what should your resume look like, how to make a resume – the layout.

How long does it take to put together a resume?

A major resume no-no: typos

How to make your resume more professional

Theory in practice – resume examples

The most basic purpose of a resume is to sell your skills , achievements , and qualifications to prospective employers. This one document can financially make or break you. Let's take a quick look at what being unemployed costs you per day (assuming a five-day workweek):

If you make $40,000 per year, you lose about $155 every day that you're out of work

If you make $50,000 per year, you lose about $190 every day that you're out of work

If you make $75,000 per year, you lose about $288 every day that you're out of work

If you make $100,000 per year, you lose about $385 every day that you're out of work

Clearly, finding out how to make a resume for a job is critical so that you can properly sell your skills, qualifications, experiences, and achievements to prospective employers.

The job market is tough and highly competitive; you have to stand out in a sea of qualified candidates by creating a compelling narrative that tells a story of value, keeping in mind that your resume is supposed to do a few things for you:

Introduce you to a new company

Underscore how your experiences and education are relevant

Showcase how your skills and competencies will benefit the new company's team

Win interviews

Avoid rejection by the ATS

What do you know about applicant tracking systems? Job seeking can be compared to throwing your resume into a black hole. You can go through 100 listings on any job search website and complete the online application with zero results.

Ever had that happen? It's okay, it happens to everyone at some point or another!

The problem is that you're probably not putting the correct keywords into your resume. When you hit “Submit” on an online application, it isn't magically emailed to the hiring manager.

Oh, no!

It goes through a computer system that scans your resume for specific keywords that can be found in the job description posted by the company. And, just so you know, approximately 90% of companies use ATS scans , including everything from mom-and-pop shops to Fortune 500 companies.

The companies use these programs because they just don't have time for a human to go through all the resumes they receive. Depending on the job opening, a company can get between 250 and 500 applicants . Can you imagine being the person who has to sift through all those resumes?

Here is where the ATS steps in. It's designed to weed through candidates to narrow the applicant pool, so that the human hiring manager has a more reasonable resume load to go through. It ranks the remaining candidates in order based on how much of a match they are for the position that's open.

Being overlooked by the ATS is one of the number one reasons job seekers get ghosted by companies.

Once your resume makes it through the ATS and gets into the hands of a hiring manager, don't think they're going to sit down and read each one. Who has that kind of time? You should expect that the first round of resume sorting will consist of them flipping through the stack to pick the ones that stand out within about 6 seconds of glancing at them.

PRO TIP: Put your resume on a table, stand up, and look at it from a little distance. Is it eye-catching? Can you tell the position you're seeking just by glancing at it? Set a timer if you have to, but no more than 10 seconds.

Speaking of eye-catching, don't make the same mistake as a lot of your rival job seekers by being too generic with your resume. It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that being non-specific will open doors to more opportunities. The problem is that the hiring manager won't be able to tell exactly where you'll fit within their organization.

The first step in winning an interview is being sure that your resume actually makes it into the hands of a human being at the company you apply to. Start by defining what you want to do.

So the first, and most important, step in crafting the perfect resume is to narrow down your target career path. The more specific you are with this first step, the more response you'll receive from hiring managers because they'll be able to tell exactly how you fit within their organization. There are four areas to focus on as you begin to chart your career path:

Industry: Do you want to work in private sector, nonprofit, government, or public roles?

Geography: This one is more in-depth than choosing rural vs urban. It also includes whether you want to work in a dynamic or static environment.

Company size: You may not think it, but having an idea about whether you want to work in a small company or one with thousands of employees is important.

Role: Saving the best for last, you have to know what position you want.

On the surface, it may seem like these things are only important for the job search aspect of landing a new position, but you have to know what voice to write your resume in, too. Part of that is knowing your audience. When you understand your audience, you can build a personal brand that resonates with what they're looking for in a new staff member.

Now that you've gotten your target career path nailed down, the next step is to brand you. Think of yourself as a product and your resume is the packaging. Companies spend a lot of time on their branding and packaging - you have to do the same thing.

The best place to start is with a career assessment . Taking one of these tests can help you to identify your strengths, what sets you apart from others, and key themes of your professional identity. Just like Nike and Coca-Cola have timeless taglines and catchphrases that succinctly define what they have to offer to consumers, your personal brand has to tell a concise, yet compelling, story. This is where your resume comes in.

Your resume isn't just a piece of paper you give to a hiring manager or upload to a website that says, “I'm interested in this job.” Your resume is a personal marketing tool. You shape that tool with words that describe your experiences and achievements, to impress and grab the attention of the hiring manager.

Unlike Nike's “Just Do It” phrase, your personal brand isn't something you build and forget. It is fluid and should be revisited and refined as you gain new skills, experiences, and achievements. Weave the elements of your brand into every section of your resume.

There is a common misconception that entry-level resumes look different than executive resumes. The reality is that the only difference is how much content is available to write about.

Obviously, someone who has little to no experience will have a short resume – generally one page.

When you start to get up to 10 years of experience, then you've earned the second page, so go ahead and use it.

It's not incremental though

Just because you have 20 years of experience doesn't mean you can have a three-page resume. As you work through how to make a resume, remember that a three-page resume should be avoided, unless you have a lot of career extras like publications, research, patents, publications, or public speaking engagements to talk about.

Other than the number of pages, your resume should use the same format and layout no matter if you're applying to a job as someone fresh out of college or seeking to be the CEO of a company.

Chronological resume

The reverse-chronological is the most popular, traditional, and well-known resume format. Its focus is placed on achievements from your career history and is defined by listing your work history starting with your current or most recent job and working backward 10-15 years.

Employers like this type of resume because it tells them what, when, and where you worked. It's best to use this if your work history is steady and shows growth and development. If you're looking to make a career change, have had frequent job changes, or if you're seeking your first job, this may not be the best format to use.

Pro Tip: You could also get lost in the ATS if your resume is over-designed . Many resume writers will tell you that you need to stand out in the sea of sameness by adding some personality to your resume through design. While that's true, you need to avoid heavily formatted resumes which are often rejected by computer scanners as being illegible.

Functional resume

This resume type focuses more on skills and experiences rather than on your work history. It's more of a “what you know and how you apply that knowledge” than a simple list of where you got the knowledge. It plays down gaps in work history and makes frequent job changes less noticeable. If it isn't done properly, though, it can be confusing for the hiring manager to read and understand. There's also a bit of a stigma behind it, because employers know that job seekers use this style to downplay job-hopping. So, the first thing they do when they get a functional resume is check employment dates. If you can avoid using this style, it's best to do so.

Combination resume

There is another resume format that focuses on skills first and then experience last. It's the combination resume, which is sometimes called a hybrid resume. This is the most complex resume type and the best resume for mid-career professionals who are transitioning into another career or for people who have special skills and a strong track record of accomplishments. These types of resumes do take a long time to read and some hiring managers won't take the time unless they're looking to fill a hard-to-fill position.

Curriculum Vitae

Curriculum Vitae (CV) is Latin and means “course of life.” It's a little different from a resume, but some positions require a CV over a resume. The first thing you would notice is that a CV is significantly longer than a resume. A resume is a self-branding document meant to portray your experience and achievements in a concise and easy-to-read format. A CV goes much further into the depth of your education and accomplishments (think publications, awards, and honors) and even has a section for you to include "Areas of Interest."

The best way to describe a CV is that it's a career biography. The biggest significant difference is that a CV is arranged chronologically in a way that gives a complete overview of your full working career. It also doesn't change based on the career or position for which you're applying.

Layout

To make things easier for the hiring manager to digest the content of your resume, it should be laid out in a specific way to ensure that the right information is in the right place.

Hiring managers don't READ resumes. They skim through until they find something that piques their interest and then they stop to read

Contact information

Title

Professional summary , core competencies, experience , education and credentials , awards, certificates, and volunteer work .

Since the reverse-chronological resume is the one that the majority of people will use to apply for jobs, and because it's the format that hiring managers want to see, we'll focus this article on showing you how to make a resume using that style.

Current contact information

Location | Phone | Email | LinkedIn | Portfolio (if applicable)

You can be creative and use bold font in your contact information and even put a border under it to separate it from the body of your resume.

Name: Be sure to list your name the same across all professional documents (e.g., resume, cover letter, thank you note, LinkedIn profile). Don't get hung up with whether to use your legal name (i.e. the name on your birth certificate or driver's license). Write your name in the manner you want people to address you. Also, if you use any abbreviated credentials after your name (e.g. Jane Smith, MD), remember to include them on all professional documents. You can also include any shortened versions of your name in quotations (e.g. Christopher "Chris" Smith). Just make sure to list it the same way everywhere you put your name.
Address: It is no longer customary to include your full address on your resume. There have been instances of discrimination against job seekers based on their address. As far as your address is concerned, all you need is the City, State, and Zip Code. A lot of people leave off the Zip Code; however, hiring managers can query the ATS for all resumes within a radius of a Zip Code. If you exclude the Zip Code or put something like, "Greater New York Metro Area," your resume won't be included in the query.
Phone and email: Put the telephone number and email address where you can easily be reached. Also, be sure that your email address is professional. Using something like [email protected] just won't cut it. The best idea is to use some form of your name. If you're paranoid about having your name in your email address, then you can use some form of the type of position you seek, like [email protected].
LinkedIn URL: You don't have to spell out the entire URL on the contact line. You can put the words “LinkedIn URL” and hyperlink those words. Before you include your LinkedIn URL, be sure that your LinkedIn profile is optimized for the career you want - because you can bet if they have access to it, the hiring manager will look at it.
Portfolio: If you're applying for a position like Graphic Designer or Software Designer, you may have a portfolio of work that you want to make available to someone reviewing your application for employment. Include a hyperlink to the portfolio in your contact information.
Headshot / photo: There is no reason to include a headshot on your resume . Actually, it's seen as taboo and could be the thing that gets your resume rejected, because the hiring manager might assume you think you can get the job based on your looks. However, there are some exceptions, like if you're applying to be a model or actor.

Do you want a hiring manager to be able to tell immediately what type of candidate you are? Put a title at the top of your resume. Center the text on the line, put it in bold font, and put a blank space above and below. The white space and the small amount of words will help it to jump off the page and immediately be noticed. It will also be the first step in helping you stand out in the sea of sameness.

Also, be sure the title on your resume mirrors the title on the job description that you're applying to, but add a bit of panache to it so that it's not too boring. For example, instead of writing “Financial Services Associate,” write “Client-Centric Financial Services Associate Dedicated to Customer Engagement and Revenue Growth.” Just remember to keep it on one line.

The very next thing on the page should always be your Professional Summary. But how do you write a summary for a resume?

It's a three to five-sentence statement about you. Where you've been in your career, where you're going, and how you'll use your experience to get there.

While the professional summary is sometimes referred to as the resume objective , you must remember that the days of writing a resume objective are dead . Never, ever include an objective on your resume. They are a waste of space and don't relay any information that markets you as the best candidate for an open position.

Let's take a look at an example of each:

Sales Representative seeking a challenging position that will use my skills and provide opportunities for growth in a dynamic and rewarding company.

As you can see, the objective is very inward-facing and only talks about what you want out of your career. It provides no value to the hiring manager and eliminates any possibility for them to be able to tell what you bring to the table for them.

Professional Summary:

Ambitious sales professional offering 10+ years' experience in customer retention and aggressive revenue growth. Conquers goals and quotas through a keen awareness of the human buying motive that allows for quickly overcoming objections. Used historical data and consumer trends to reach new customers and grow territory by 24%. Innate ability to work independently or as a member of a cross-functional team.

The best use of resume space is to write a summary of your career. The effectiveness of this summary comes from the fusing of three things:

Relevant keywords – customer retention, revenue growth, and quotas

Hard and soft skills – overcoming objections and working independently

An achievement – 24% territory growth

With this professional summary, the hiring manager will be able to tell in an instant what you have to offer their team.

Even though the skills section of your resume is small, it packs a powerful punch! The skills you list in this section highlight your key abilities and show potential employers what you bring to the table.

It should contain approximately 12 ATS-friendly keywords and phrases that align with the keywords in the job description. Meaning, this is a fluid section that will need to be tailored to every job that you apply to. Technically speaking, your entire resume should be customized to align with each job description. That's one thing that will help you get past the ATS.

Be sure to include a good mix of hard and soft skills because prospective employers not only want to know that you can perform the tasks related to your job (hard skills), but they also want to gain a clear understanding of how you'll fit within the culture of the company (soft skills).

Tips for building your Core Competencies section:

Include skills that are relevant to the job that you're applying to

Avoid creating a laundry list of everything you know how to do – be selective so that the section is more impactful

Group similar competencies together using categories – technical skills, soft skills, and languages

Prioritize your top skills based on their relevance to the job you want

Update frequently

Be consistent with the formatting

Here is a sample Core Competencies list that contains both hard and soft skills:

Core Competencies

This section is meant to show how your career history lends itself to the skills you have that make you the perfect candidate for a given job. There are some general rules of thumb on how to make a resume with a great professional experience section:

Don't go further back than 10 to 15 years

Use no more than 3 to 5 bullets per work listing

Incorporate at least 5 measurable achievements per 10 years of experience (the more the better)

Use stacking for companies where you held more than one role

10-15 Years

The 10-15 years of experience is the most relevant – you can list more than that, but avoid using bullet points for roles over 10 years old. Begin by listing your most recent position first and work your way backward to your oldest position, within that 10-15-year range. If you have 30 years of experience, you can use achievements or skills you learned during that time as talking points during the interview. Listing those older experiences on your resume will only dilute the content.

As you write out your bullet points, keep two words in mind: “so what?” The hiring manager is going to be thinking it, you might as well be thinking it, too. Every time you write something on your resume, think, “So what? Why am I writing this? What value will it bring to my new employer? Will this be THE THING that lands me an interview?"

Achievements

Remove “Responsible for…” from your resume-writing vocabulary. That's because it's crucial that you talk about what you achieved, instead of just what your responsibilities were. Let's face it, there are a lot of things that people are “responsible for” that never get done. So, be sure to talk about things you actually accomplished, as that will be the proof the hiring manager needs to take the next step and call you for an interview.

1. Use numbers whenever possible

The best way to call attention to your career accomplishments is to use numbers. Numbers add credibility to your claims and provide a clear picture of what you bring to the table.

Don't write this:

Conducted cold calls to expand client base

Write this instead:

Increased sales by 15% by making approximately 20 cold calls per day to expand the client base

The latter makes an unmistakable assertion that you had a positive impact, not only in your role but on the company as a whole. You can take it a step further and talk about things like problem-solving skills and how you addressed challenges to lead to team success. These types of soft skills are highly valued by employers and could be the thing that lands you an interview.

PRO TIP: Use the CAR method for building achievement statements into your resume.

2. Use action words to convey accomplishment

A lot of people make the mistake of copying bullet points from the job descriptions of the roles they've held. This practice makes you sound detached from achievements and focuses more on responsibilities. Using passive language is too generic and doesn't allow a hiring manager to see what you'll be able to accomplish in the new role.

It's better to use action language to show that you're an achiever rather than a doer. Here are some examples of action words you can use on your resume:

Worked with others: Advised, Aided, Assisted, Chaired, Coached, Collaborated with, Consulted with, Helped, Instructed, Interacted with, Mentored, Motivated, Supported

Communicated: Addressed, Advertised, Answered, Briefed, Corresponded with, Debated, Explained, Facilitated, Informed, Interpreted, Interviewed, Persuaded, Responded to

Analyzed data: Assessed, Appraised, Audited, Calculated, Computed, Estimated, Evaluated, Forecast, Inspected, Measured, Researched, Surveyed, Tested

Operated equipment: Installed, Maintained, Programmed, Ran, Serviced, Used

Worked with money or contracts: Administered, Appropriated, Authorized, Balanced, Controlled, Directed, Enforced, Financed, Funded, Governed, Invested, Monitored, Oversaw, Purchased

Organized something: Arranged, Assembled, Catalogued, Compiled, Coordinated, Itemized, Routed, Scheduled, Stocked, Tracked

Created: Composed, Customized, Designed, Directed, Established, Founded, Illustrated, Originated, Shaped

Researched: Analyzed, Collected, Criticized, Detected, Diagnosed, Evaluated, Tested

How to make your professional experience section: The formula

There's a formula for writing your professional experience section in a way that focuses on achievements. You'll start by asking yourself these questions about every job you've had:

What was the name of the company?

What was the title of your role?

What dates were you employed? (*Hint: use the MM/YYYY format for your dates)

What did you do every day? (*Example: Leveraged management skills to direct operations of 5 separate but concurrent projects by delegating tasks to staff based on employee acumen and monitoring / controlling budgets)

What is one thing you did at the company that you're really proud of?

What is another thing you're really proud of?

What is one more thing you did that you're really proud of?

When you put all of that together, it should look like this:

Company Name | MM/YYYY to Present

Position Title

Balanced competing priorities on multiple and concurrent projects and program management initiatives using data-driven strategies in Agile environments. Managed key accounts, onboarded new accounts, and oversaw organizational process adoption for nursing facilities, emergency departments, and pharmacies.

Developed $2M Provider Incentive Program that increased community provider partnerships

Saved $800K by using Six Sigma skills to implement DMAIC approach

Coached and mentored 2 direct reports, creating an open environment of communication that facilitated future-facing decision-making

Many people will create separate sections for education history and certifications. That's not necessary. You can include all of it in one section. You can also include extras like relevant coursework , projects, and achievements. These extras can be truly beneficial for your application if you have little to no work experience.

There are some general rules of thumb for the education section:

Spell out acronyms (BS, MS, PhD) and school abbreviations

It is no longer customary to include graduation dates unless you're still in school or graduated within the last year

Never include high school, unless you're still in high school - listing high school doesn't say “ I finished high school, ” it says, “ I didn't go to college .”

List your degree first and then your school, unless you've obtained multiple degrees at the same institution.

Here's what a regular education section looks like:

EDUCATION AND CREDENTIALS

Master of Business Administration (MBA) | ABC University

Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) | XYZ University

Six Sigma Black Belt | Council for Six Sigma Certification

If you don't have a lot of experience and need to include some relevant coursework or major projects to inject relevant keywords into your resume, then this is what that would look like:

Relevant coursework: Marketing, Operations Management, Accounting, Corporate Finance

Capstone project: Let a team of 4 to execute a market analysis project to expand the Brooms and Handles company into new regions. Used market and consumer analysis data to identify gaps and achieve a 15% projected revenue increase and a 20% increase in customer satisfaction within the pilot program.

You can include educational information about a degree program even if it's still in progress. Here's what that would look like:

Expected completion: 05/2024

It is important to list what you do outside of work and school. It helps to demonstrate that you're a well-rounded person.

Were you the president of a fraternity or sorority?

Did you get involved with showing new students around campus?

Have you headed a sales team that produced top awards?

Were you an employee of the month?

Do you speak multiple languages?

Did you volunteer for an organization?

Did you perform some major research that ended up being published?

All of these extras allow prospective employers a sneak peek into your life outside of work. They can also go a long way to breaking the ice during an interview, especially if something you do outside work is important or interesting to the hiring manager.

Keep in mind to list only those volunteer positions, projects, or affiliations that are related to your career goals.

How long does it take to make a resume?

If you're going to use the resume wizard that MS Word has, you can slap your information together in a day or two. It will get to employers. The bad thing is that it probably won't get a whole lot of attention.

The "just right resume" can take weeks, because of how much background work goes into it. You'll write it, rewrite it, and write it again, and may even have multiple versions. Ultimately, the exact amount of time that goes into putting your resume together depends on your level of experience, how complex your history is, and the specificity of the job you're applying to.

Entry-level resumes take the least amount of time, simply because there's less information to include

Mid-level resumes take a few days because of the amount of detail in your work history

Executive resumes, or those for specialized positions, can take weeks - especially if you have to do some digging to come up with accomplishments from your previous positions

Updating an existing resume that's well-maintained can be done in just a few hours

While the time spent can seem like a lot, if you're truly marketing yourself for that “just right” position, do you want your resume to say “This was thrown together in a couple of hours using a template” OR do you want it to say “I know this document is important and a significant amount of time was spent on it to make it perfect?”

The first and foremost thing that will get your resume tossed in the garbage can are typos. The number of resumes with errors that are turned in every day to employers across the globe is so astounding that it bears discussing.

You must proofread your resume!

The major problem with typos and grammatical boo-boos is that your eyes will read what you intended to type. So, after you've read through your resume a few times and think it's perfect, get a friend to read it. Make sure the friend is one of those brutally honest types. It's better to get it back marked all over with bright red ink so you can fix it before you send it out, than to send it out and then realize there's a mistake in it.

How to make your resume seem more professional

Lazy words: Do you see words like "etc" or “other duties as required” on your resume? Delete them immediately. If you take shortcuts in the language of your resume, hiring managers will wonder if you'll be taking shortcuts at work.

Cookie cutter resumes: Your resume has to stand out. Because of that, you should avoid throwing something together that you find a sample of online. Make it yours, make it represent you. Many people rely on the resume wizard that comes loaded with MS Word and, while that is a good tool to use to help you remember the sections to include, it shouldn't be the end-all-and-be-all of your resume design.

Specificity: You've had three jobs in the last 10 years and you've listed every detail of everything you've done during your tenure at those jobs. That makes you a Jack (or Jackie) of all trades, but a master of nothing. You have to be specific to the job for which you're applying. What value do you bring to that employer for that job? What achievements can you highlight?

Tailoring: Considering the rampant use of ATS by companies big and small, you have to take the time to customize your resume so that it gets past those scanners. Remember to use relevant keywords from the job descriptions throughout your resume.

PRO TIP: You can check to see how to make your resume better! Have it checked against an ATS and get a free, personalized, and professional resume review .

Theory in practice – 10 resume examples

It's one thing to have someone tell you how to make a resume, it's another thing to see an example – proof that all of this information can come together in a practical way that makes sense.

1. Software Engineer resume example

Click here for an example of a Software Engineer resume.

2. Data Scientist resume example

Click here for an example of a Data Scientist resume.

3. Cybersecurity resume example

Click here for an example of a cybersecurity resume.

4. Digital Marketing Manager resume example

Click here for an example of a Digital Marketing Manager resume.

5. Nurse Practitioner resume example

Click here for an example of a Nurse Practitioner resume.

6. Finance Director resume example

Click here for an example of a Finance Director resume.

7. Attorney resume example

Click here for an example of a Attorney resume.

8. Administrative Office Assistant resume example

Click here for an example of an Administrative Office Assistant resume.

9. Information Technology Expert resume example

Click here for an example of an Information Technology Expert resume.

10. Chief Executive Officer resume example

Click here for an example of a CEO resume.

Now you know how to make a resume for your next job!

It may seem like it takes a lot of work to make a good resume, but if you've followed along this far there are a few things that should be ingrained in you that will help you write a professional resume:

Know what you want to do – be specific

Make your resume with the right format

Use a standard layout, whether you are writing your first resume or 50th

Use action words to make your resume stand out

Quantify your achievements to prove that you have what it takes to succeed in a new role

Tailor your new resume to each job

Double and triple-check for errors, typos, and grammar mistakes

If you're still unsure how to make a perfect resume, TopResume has you covered. Our team of professional resume writers has the know-how and experience to write a resume for you that will win interviews.

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Prepare for your Job Interview Using Your Resume

You have spent time writing a winning resume and applying for jobs, now it is time for the final stage, the job interview. They can be nerve-wracking and there are many traps that candidates fall into during the process.

However, correctly preparing for a job interview can significantly improve your chances of success. If you can anticipate which questions will be asked, you will not be caught out by surprise questions and be able to give considered answers.

It is vital to understand the importance of the resume in the interview . Knowing how to prepare for your first job interview by using the job description and your professional resume , can improve your performance in the interview.

By this stage, you should have already produced an attractive, professional-looking resume . If not, use a resume builder to make sure it is up-to-scratch.

Research the company

Doing some homework on the company is essential . Go onto the company’s website and find out as much as you possibly can about them before the first interview. If you appear not to know anything about the company it will seem like you’re uninterested in the job.

Definitely don’t rely just on the company website research though. Look them up online – read articles about them or written by them, watch YouTube videos about the company made by third parties or videos of the company’s executives. Check out their social media profiles – what message are they trying to put forth? What are they posting and tweeting? Can your experience be relevant to one of their current initiatives?

Researching the company ahead of time will help you target your answers to fit what the employer is looking for, it will also help you to ask some insightful questions in the latter stages of the interview.

Prepare answers for resume based interview questions

First of all, make sure you know your resume backwards . Familiarize yourself with every detail including job titles, dates, and responsibilities. If you get these details mixed up in the interview it will give the wrong impression.

Secondly, the trick is to imagine you are the employer looking at your resume. Often employers follow the resume in a job interview or prepare the interview using the resume.

What questions would you ask? Have you got any unexplained gaps on your resume? By anticipating the job interview questions it will be easy to prepare answers.

Thinking of a good answer to an interview question is easy when you have time and are not under pressure. Try to anticipate as many of the questions as possible to avoid finishing the interview wishing you had answered a question differently.This is a key part of how to prepare for a job interview.

Analyze the job and match your skills

Read carefully through the job posting and identify the required skills, attributes, and work experience . Use the keywords in the text to help you. Then make a comprehensive list of all the qualities required by the employer.

Using your resume, think about your strengths and how they match those wanted by the company. Think of specific, tangible examples when you have demonstrated skills and abilities and prepare yourself to talk about them . Make sure you use STAR format when preparing these examples.

The interviewer will ask you to give examples of when you have shown certain qualities. This preparation technique of using your resume to prepare for a job interview will help you to answer job-specific interview questions.

Practice the job interview using your resume

The main thing you want to avoid is being caught out and having to rack your brains for job interview answers. Review typical job interview questions and spend time practicing answering them. Follow our top job interview tips to make sure you are fully prepared.

Think about how to answer job interview questions about your resume and focus on your strengths. It is important to practice actually speaking your answers too. This will help you to give more concise answers in the actual interview and it will give you confidence.

Ask someone you know to give you a mock job interview using your resume and the list of questions you have prepared. If it is a phone interview, do it over the phone or if it is a video interview, do it via Zoom or Google Hangouts to practice.

Struggling with Resume Writing?

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16 Resumé Tips That Will Get You an Interview

8 Min Read | May 10, 2024

Believe it or not, creating a solid resumé is just as important as prepping for and nailing your job interview. After all, your resumé is your chance to make a strong first impression on the recruiter! But before you get too freaked out, know this: Building the perfect resumé is actually a lot simpler than it sounds. And once you’ve read these 16 tips, you’ll be ready to move forward into the job search with confidence.

1. Keep it one page.

Do you know how much time a recruiter spends looking at your resumé on the first go-around? About 7.4 seconds. 1 Whoa . So, if they have to flip or scroll through pages of your accomplishments and past experience, this party could be over before it even starts. Keeping things simple, relevant and to the point will earn you some respect right off the bat. If things go well here, you’ll have the opportunity to answer the most common interview questions in person !

2. Link to online portfolios.

Some job applications may ask you to send samples of your work, but even if they don’t, there’s still a classy way to show off what you do best. Try including a link to an online portfolio or professional website if you have one—that way you’ll be able to showcase more of your work without taking up space on your actual resumé.

3. Make sure your contact info is professional.

Nobody wants to send an email to sk8rboi2002. Don’t use your college email address either. Just a normal, boring email account with your first and last name will get the job done. And don’t forget to include your phone number (but make sure your voicemail greeting isn’t anything funny or clever).

4. Include relevant social media accounts.

I know I’m talking to adults here, but I just have to say it: Double-check all your social media accounts to make sure they’re recruiter-friendly, especially if you include any of your social media handles on your resumé. But even those should only be on your resumé if they’re relevant to the position you’re applying for. For most jobs, your LinkedIn account is the only one you need to include.

5. Skip the bio.

It used to be trendy to put a paragraph about yourself at the top of your resumé , but let that trend die—especially if you’re also submitting a cover letter with your application. You don’t need to put an elevator pitch or your life story under your name at the top of your resumé. Remember, we’re keeping this relevant and to the point!

6. Evaluate whether you need a photo.

When it comes to photos, be strategic about whether or not you put your picture on your resumé. It could make sense to include one if you’re applying for a modeling or acting job, but accounting? Yeah, they probably don’t care what you look like or if your resumé is fun .

And even though recruiters aim to stay as unbiased as possible during the interview process, a less-than-great-quality photo could subconsciously affect their impression of you, even if they don’t mean for it to. So, if you do decide to go with the photo option, make sure it’s not pixelated, blurry or too small to see.

7. Keep the job listing in mind.

Recruiters post job descriptions for a reason—they want to be clear and specific about what qualities and skills they’re looking for. Look for those buzzwords and find ways to work them into your resumé (doing that will help you beat the applicant tracking system ). Be honest about your skill set and don’t get discouraged if you don’t have every skill on the list. It could actually be a good thing to be slightly underqualified. You want to be challenged in your new role! And many employers are willing to work with you and train you when you first step into the job—as long as you have a growth mindset.

8. Tweak your resumé for each role.

I know it might sound like a lot of work to tailor your resumé to each job application, but that effort will really pay off. Recruiters will know that you took the time to read all the info and are seriously interested in their company, not just sending a cookie-cutter application to hundreds of different jobs.

9. Tell the truth.

Okay, this one is a no-brainer application and interview tip in general, but enough people have lied or “stretched the truth” on their job applications to make it worth mentioning. Don’t say you know someone at the company if you’ve never talked to them before. Don’t say you know how to use Excel and PowerPoint if you really don’t. It’ll just make you look shady when the recruiter asks you for more specifics (or worse, if you do get hired, and then they have to show you how to make a spreadsheet).

10. Make it easy to read.

When building your resumé, put yourself in the recruiter’s position. What would you be looking for? You’d probably want something that’s clear and easy on the eyes, right? Here are some things that can help with that:

Use 10- to 12-point font.
Use a professional font, like Helvetica, Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman, etc. (no Comic Sans unless you’re going for the community-center-bulletin-board look).
Keep your headers simple and use concise bullet points below them.
Don’t use too many variations in font size, color and style (bold, italics or underline).

Sure, there’s room for some creativity, but nothing too crazy—think streamlined and classic. Recruiters will love you for it, because you’ll make their job easier! For extra help with formatting, check out my free Resumé Guide .

11. Use active words.

Recruiters are used to seeing words like managed or led on resumés, and there’s nothing wrong with those words. But what if the language was just a little more engaging? Here are a few active, interesting and not-too-fancy words to use where it makes sense:

Coordinated

You get the picture. Again, you want to make sure the words you use to describe what you did are truthful, but spend some time with a thesaurus to see if there’s a more descriptive way to say it.

You deserve to win at work. Our new book and assessment will show you how.

12. Explain why you’re a good fit.

Remember when we talked about tailoring your resumé to each job you’re applying for? Your resumé should include a few words about why you want to work for this company. It’s one thing to know that someone wants to work for you, but if you see that they genuinely care about the company and its mission, wouldn’t you be way more likely to want them on your team? I know I would.

13. Give concrete examples.

When talking about your past experience, it’s a good idea to quantify it by using some kind of number or measure of success. That will give recruiters a clear picture of the kinds of results you deliver! Here are a few examples:

Increased sales by 200% in one year.
Structured, wrote and posted four to five articles per week.
Served 20 to 30 clients per week and generated $10,000 in revenue per month.

Even if your past experience wasn’t in sales or you don’t know how much revenue you brought in, you can find some way to explain the work you did in terms of numbers.

14. Proofread your resumé.

Spelling and grammar are your friends! Even just one case of using the wrong their can sway a recruiter’s opinion, so read over everything more than once. Proofreading is like making sure you don’t have a mustard stain on your interview outfit before you walk inside!

Ask a few other people you trust to give you some feedback too—not just on the tiny details, but on the clarity and appearance of your resumé as a whole.

15. Put your education last.

Ken, are you crazy? Education is the first thing you’re supposed to put on your resumé. Wrong! Always put the most important and relevant information first—and in most cases, that’s who you know at the company and why you want to be there, not your education. Most recruiters don’t care where you went to school, as long as you’re educated in your field.

And don’t forget to include any other training or educational courses that are relevant to the job you want (especially if you don't have lots of work experience )!

16. Don’t be afraid to use a template.

There’s no shame in using a template to help you build your resumé—in fact, it will make your life a whole lot easier. I’ve included six different templates in my Ken Coleman Resumé Templates that will help you get your resumé where it needs to be in no time.

These templates are something my team and I put together to give you more in-depth tips on creating the perfect resumé. You’ll also get instructions for using the templates, plus a list of do’s and don’ts when it comes to applying for jobs. I hope this helps you through the job search process. Happy resumé building!

Did you find this article helpful? Share it!

About the author

Ken Coleman

Ken Coleman is the author of the national bestselling book From Paycheck to Purpose and the #1 national bestseller The Proximity Principle. He hosts The Ken Coleman Show, a caller-driven show that helps listeners find the work they’re wired to do. Ken also co-hosts The Ramsey Show, the second-largest talk radio show in America, and makes regular appearances on Fox News and Fox Business. Through his speaking, broadcasting and syndicated columns, Ken gives people expert advice, providing strategic steps to get clear on their unique purpose and grow professionally. Learn More.

12 Interview Tips to Impress Any Hiring Manager

Get ready to ace your interview using these 12 job interview tips. Learn what to wear, what to bring, and what questions to ask to leave a lasting impression.

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Here are the 30 most common job interview questions—and how to answer them to impress any hiring manager.

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Resume Preparation

How to Present a Resume in an Interview

Last Updated: February 21, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Colleen Campbell, PhD . Dr. Colleen Campbell is the Founder and CEO of The Ignite Your Potential Centers, Career and Life Coaching based in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. Colleen received her MA and PhD in Clinical Psychology from Sofia University and has been career coaching since 2008. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 84,793 times.

The interview is one of the most important parts of the process of finding a job. Notably, it’s also a great opportunity to present your resume in a way that will make you stand out as an applicant and will emphasize the strongest aspects of your career experience. By following simple formatting techniques and assembling your resume in a professional way, you can make sure your resume is presented in a way that makes you a strong contender for the job you’re applying for.

Assembling and Presenting Your Resume

Step 1 Make sure your resume is formatted correctly.

For example, consider centering your name and contact information instead of having it extend from the left. Your name should also be in a slightly larger font than the rest of the resume.
Make your resume as skimmable as possible. The people reading your resume may have to read dozens, or even hundreds, more like it and inevitably will have to skim them. Thus, making your resume easily skimmable will make the reader appreciative and give you and your resume more attention as an applicant.

Step 2 Get a portfolio or folder to hold your resume and other papers.

For example, if the company is more artistic and expressive in its content, consider using a portfolio with creative designs or that you can personalize with your own designs. If you want to appear organized and professional, use a simple black portfolio.

Step 3 Print your resume on quality paper.

Use this paper to print out your references sheet and any other materials you plan to bring to the interview.

Step 4 Purchase business cards on paper that matches your resume.

Make sure your business cards are printed on the same type of paper that you used to print out your resume. This will give your documents a consistency that will reflect positively on you during your interview.

Step 5 Place your resume, references, and card in your portfolio and bring it.

If your portfolio doesn’t have a card-holder slot, simply bring your business card with you and give it to the people interviewing you if the opportunity arises.

Step 6 Bring multiple copies of your resume and cover letter.

You should also bring multiple copies of your cover letter and any other relevant documents you plan to bring to your interview.

Discussing Your Resume During the Interview

Step 1 Clarify what parts of your resume your interviewer is most interested in.

For example, ask your interviewer something like, “What part of my educational background or work experience is most interesting to you?”
To be even more precise, you can also ask your interviewer how much time they would like you to spend discussing specific portions of your resume.

Step 2 Prioritize discussing your most relevant work experience first.

This strategy has the added benefit of preventing you from being rambling in your answer. Moreover, if your interviewer remains interested in other aspects of your prior experience, they will most likely ask about them in a follow-up question.
In any case, do mention your two most recent jobs and explain why you ultimately ended up leaving them and applying for this new job.

Step 3 Emphasize the parts of your resume that highlight what you bring to the position.

For example, if one of your previous jobs was very similar to the job you’re currently applying for, talk about the relevant experience and skill sets you acquired through that job and how you could bring them to bear on the new position.
Don’t try to summarize each prior position or educational experience in its entirety; instead, focus on describing those aspects of the job or training that are most relevant to this position.

Colleen Campbell, PhD

Address what the interviewer is looking for. Colleen Campbell, CEO of Ignite Your Potential, says: “When building your resume and preparing for the interview, look at the posting and address what they’re looking for in some way. Build a list of your wins at other companies and create a narrative around them to prepare yourself for the interview. Always have things to talk about that are related to the elements in the posting .”

Step 4 Avoid skimping on the details of your resume.

For example, spend ample time discussing any previous jobs that were similar in responsibilities and required skills to the job you’re currently applying for. Meanwhile, spend as little time as possible on prior jobs that aren’t relevant to this position at all.
If you skimp too much on the details of your resume, your answers may come across to the interviewer as superficial.

Expert Q&A

Answer What Areas Need Improvement Examples

↑ https://www.wikihow.com/Present-a-Resume-in-an-Interview
↑ https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-include-your-contact-information-on-your-resume-2063308
↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/build-your-work-portfolio
↑ https://careertrend.com/how-4517241-present-resume.html
↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/walk-me-through-your-resume
↑ https://news.efinancialcareers.com/us-en/272689/how-to-nail-the-walk-me-through-your-resume-interview-question
↑ https://www.monster.ca/career-advice/article/walk-me-through-your-resume

About This Article

Presenting your resume in an interview is an important part of making a good impression. It’s also a good way for you to highlight the strongest aspects of your career experience. Bring a basic, black portfolio to the interview with multiple copies of your resume, cover letter, references, and business cards. That way, if there are multiple interviewers they’ll all be able to follow along. If you know which aspects of your resume the interviewer is most interested in, focus on those areas. If not, don’t be afraid to ask! In general, you’ll want to focus on your most relevant work experience to the position you’re interviewing for. Instead of summarizing each of your prior positions, focus on specific examples of skills you learned. For example, if you led a successful project at your last job, explain how you managed it, what you learned, and how you could apply those skills to this new position. To learn how to ensure your portfolio matches the company vibe, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How To Write A Resume In 7 Steps (With Examples)

How To Write A Resume
Resume Skills Section
Resume Objective Section
Career Objective Section
Resume Reference Section
Resume Summary Section
Resume Summary Example
Resume Interests Section
Address On Resume
Relevant Work Experience
Anticipated Graduation Date On Resume
Education Section On Resume
Contact Information On Resume
Statement Of Qualifications
How To List Publications On Resume
Accomplishments On Resumes
Awards On Resume
Dean's List On Resume
Study Abroad On Resume

Resumes are still the most important document in your job search . Generating a professional and interesting resume isn’t easy, but there is a standard set of guidelines that you can follow. As hiring managers usually only spend a short time looking over each resume, you want to make sure that yours has a reason for them to keep reading.

If you’re looking to write a resume, rewrite a resume you already have, or are just curious about resume format, then you’ve come to the right place. This article will go through the steps to writing an excellent resume, as well as offering examples for what sections of the resume should look like.

Key Takeaways:

A resume is a short document that details your professional history in a way that tailors your experience and skill set for the particular job you’re applying for.

Resumes follow a few standard formatting practices, which hiring managers and recruiters expect to see.

Highlighting your work experience, skills, and educational background with relevant keywords can help you get past applicant tracking systems and into more interviews.

How to write a resume

Writing a resume involves using the proper formatting, writing an introduction, and adding your work experience and education. Stuffing your entire professional life into a single page resume can feel overwhelming, but remember that you’re distilling the relevant parts of your professional experience in order to catch the eye of the recruiter .

Formatting your resume. To start, use a word processor such as Microsoft Word or Google docs. Standard resume formatting calls for:

1 inch margins

10-12 point font

A professional, commonly-used font

Additionally, there are three resume formats that are commonly used. Most people should stick with a chronological resume format , but the combination resume format and functional resume format can be effective for more advanced workers or those who have significant gaps in their resume.

Write a resume header . It doesn’t matter if you have the best resume in the world if the hiring manager can’t contact you. Every single resume should include the following contact information:

Your full name. First and last.

Your phone number. Use a personal phone number, and make sure your voicemail is set up properly.

Your email address. Nothing inappropriate — [email protected] is a safe choice.

Location. City, State, Zip Code is fine, but you can include your full mailing address if you think it’s appropriate.

Your social media (optional). LinkedIn is the obvious one you’d want to include, but make sure your profile looks good. If you have an online portfolio , either on a personal blog/website or on a site like Journo Portfolio , feel free to include that here as well.

Your job title. Also optional, but can be useful for applicant tracking systems.

Resume introduction. You have four options for your resume introduction: a resume objective, summary statement, resume profile, or qualifications summary. For most job-seekers, a resume summary statement is the best choice. Regardless of which resume introduction you choose, avoid first-person pronouns (I/me/my).

Resume objective. A resume objective is the goal of your resume. Since the objective of every resume is to land a job, this is not the most original or impressive opener you can have.

On the other hand, it’s a good choice for an entry-level applicant or someone who is changing career paths . This should be a 1-3 sentence summary of why you’re motivated to get the position you’re applying for.

Who should use a resume objective: Entry-level applicants, career-changers, and recent college graduates.

Resume summary. This is the best opener for most job-seekers. As the name suggests, a resume summary highlights the most salient aspects of your resume.

It should include your current position, how many years of experience you have, some of your biggest achievements, and possibly your career goals. This should be a 1-3 sentence spiel and should include some quantifiable experiences.

Who should use a resume summary: Most job seekers; anyone with quantifiable accomplishments to emphasize and a broad range of skills.

Qualifications summary. A bullet point list (4-6 points is the sweet spot) of your qualifications for the position. It’s best used by applicants going for jobs that require a fixed skill set. It’s not a great choice for entry-level applicants who lack quantifiable achievements.

You’ll notice that a qualifications summary takes up more space than a resume objective or summary, but it can actually save the hiring manager time if you provide a bunch of valuable information right off the top.

Who should use a qualifications summary: Those applying to a job with requirements for certain skills and job-seekers who have a lot of experience in their industry and/or field.

Resume profile. A resume profile is similar to a resume summary, but goes into more detail about your accomplishments at your current or former job, while also telling the reader about your career goals. Think of a resume profile as a section that pulls all the best parts of your work experience section into one place.

Who should use a resume profile: Anyone with significant accomplishments under their belt, expertise in a niche field, or applying to a job in the same industry that they have lots of experience in.

Resume headline. Resume headlines aren’t necessary, but you can include one alongside any of the four types of resume introduction listed above. A resume headline comes between your contact information and the resume introduction of your choice.

Headlines can be used by entry-level applicants and experienced job-seekers alike. The important point is that your headline should be short and to the point. Additionally, you should use title case when writing your resume headline (capitalize words as you would for a book title).

Who should use a resume headline: Any job-seeker who wants to showcase their experience or unique value right off the bat.

Work experience. Your work experience section is the place to let hiring managers know that you have relevant experience that would allow you to handle the job you’re applying for.

If you’re using the chronological resume format, your work experience section would come after your resume summary/objective. In a funcitonal reumse, it would follow your skills section. Either way, work experience should be listed in reverse-chronological order (most recent experience at the top).

When listing your work experience, you should include all of the following information:

Job title. Start by stating the position you held at the company. These are easy cue for the hiring manager to look at and determine whether your past positions would help you succeed at their company.

Company Info. Include the name of the employer, the location where you worked, and perhaps a brief description of the company, if it isn’t a well-known name.

Dates Employed: Use the mm/yyyy format if you want to be sure that most applicant tracking systems (ATS) will pick it up. Whatever format you use for dates, be consistent, or your resume will look sloppy.

Job Description. Don’t just list your job’s responsibilities; hiring managers and recruiters already have an idea of your duties based on the job title. Instead, list your most important and impressive responsibilities/achievements at the job with bullet points. Determine which of these are most relevant for your new role based on the job description.

Ideally, each bullet should be no longer than a single line. However, two lines is acceptable, if used sparingly.

Always start with a strong action verb, followed by a quantifiable achievement and a specific duty. For example: “Developed ad campaigns for clients, increasing sales by an average of 27%.” Each job title should include 3-5 bullet points.

The order that you include this information can be changed around, as long as you are consistent throughout your resume. However, the bullet points detailing your job’s achievements should always be the last item for each entry.

It’s important that you tailor your resume’s work experience section to the job you’re applying for. We recommend reading the job description carefully and highlighting the action verbs in one color and the skills, adjectives, and job-specific nouns in a different color.

Educational background. In almost all cases, your education section should come after your professional history. If you’re a recent college graduate with limited work experience, you may choose to put your educational achievements first.

Like the section on your professional history, educational experiences should come in reverse-chronological order, with your highest level of education at the top. If you have a college degree, you don’t need to add any information about your high school experience. If you didn’t finish college, it’s okay to give a list of what credits you did complete.

Each educational experience can be listed in the following format:

Degree/Program Name College/University Name Dates attended

You don’t need to add anything else, especially if your resume is already impressive enough. But if you’re struggling to fill up the page, or you feel that aspects of your educational experience will help make you a standout, you may consider also including:

Minor. If you think it rounds out your not-exactly-relevant-to-the-job major nicely.

GPA. Only if it was 3.5 or higher. Otherwise, it’s not going to do you any favors to include this.

Honors. Dean’s List, Cum Laude, etc.

Achievements. If you wrote a killer thesis/dissertation that showcases intimate knowledge relevant to the job to which you’re applying, you can include its title and a very brief description.

Extracurricular activities. Only include if they’re relevant. For example, if you’re applying for a management position and you were president of your student government.

Certifications/Licenses. If the job you’re applying for requires/likes to see certain certifications or licenses that you have, you may include them in this section as well.

Skills section. Your impressive skills should be scattered logistically throughout your professional history section, but you should also include a section solely dedicated to highlighting your skill set . Skills can be broken down into two categories:

Hard skills are skills you learn through training and indicate expertise with a technical ability or job-specific responsibility.

Soft skills are your personality traits, interpersonal abilities, and intangible qualities that make you more effective at your job.

Your resume should have a healthy mix of hard and soft skills, as both are essential to job performance. However, since soft skills are harder to prove in the context of a resume, we recommend leaning more toward hard skills. Additionally, whenever you list a soft skill, make sure that it has a correlating item in your work experience section.

For example, if you say you are skilled in collaboration, you should mention a time when a team project was a major success somewhere in your work experience section.

Optional sections. If you still have space left or there’s more you want to show off that doesn’t quite fit in any of the above sections, you may consider adding an additional section covering one or more of the below categories:

Language . Being bilingual is always impressive, and can be included on a resume for any company. Highlight this more if your position involves liaising with international distributors and/or clients. Don’t lie about your proficiency level.

It may be best to not mention it if you’re not particularly proficient speaker . Such as if you took courses in school, or haven’t really managed to gain fluency. It can end up looking like an attempt to inflate your credentials, which you want to avoid.

Volunteer experience . Always a good thing to include. It shows you’re a team player who behaves in a way that promotes the greater good, without thought of personal gain. Especially good for entry-level candidates and those applying for jobs at a non-profit. If you have gaps in your work history, you can also consider including volunteer experiences in your work history section instead.

Personal projects. A personal blog, published works, or a portfolio of your past projects are all good things to include. They show you take initiative, enjoy and take pride in your work, and that you can handle the responsibilities of the job, if relevant.

Certifications/licenses. If you didn’t include these in your education section, this is another good place to list relevant certifications or licenses that you have.

Interests . This is largely just a space filler if your resume is light in other areas. However, if your hobbies are directly related to the job that you’re applying for, it’s not a bad idea to include them. And it might draw a recruiter’s attention if you end up sharing some of the same interests as they do.

If you have several seemingly random items that are valuable, but don’t warrant creating a whole separate section for, you can also make a section called “Additional Experience.” Here you can include all of the above categories in one place. Just make sure that each item is clear and easy for readers to understand.

Resume samples

Now that we have a good idea of how to write a resume, let’s take a look at some example resumes:

Jack Pilgrim Washington , DC 14015 – (555) 444-3333 – [email protected] – www.linkedin.com/jpilgrim Resume Summary Graphic designer with 3+ years of experience creating and implementing promotional materials and social media graphics. Worked with sales and marketing teams to increase inbound calls by 23% YoY through compelling digital media. Adept at planning, managing, and prioritizing multiple deadlines at once, and thrives in fast-paced work environment. Work Experience Creative Designs | Washington, DC Lead Graphic Designer | June 2018-Present Worked with sales and marketing teams to create landing pages, sales proposals, and supporting media elements to drive sales by over $250,000 per quarter Trained, managed, and mentored team of 4 junior designers to fulfill 40+ project orders on a weekly basis Conducted UX research through surveys, usability testing, and data analysis to plan content marketing strategy, driving organic search traffic by 12% Presented proposals, results, and status updates to set of 4-7 clients, ensuring customer satisfaction at or above 95% for 3 years straight Happy Place | Alexandria, VA Junior Graphic Designer | July 2016-May 2018 Translated client needs and branding strategies into design and content strategy, increasing client retention by 22% Reduced project turnaround time by 8% by Utilizing web-based ticket system for completing and archiving finalized pieces Posted digital artwork to network IPTV using web interface to produce high-end info-graphics and other materials Happy Place | Alexandria, VA Marketing Intern | September 2015-July 2016 Assisted marketing team with data collection, analysis, and presentation using Google Analytics Drew up storyboards for new marketing campaigns alongside sales team, increasing brand awareness through social media Wrote 500-1000 word articles to pair with graphical elements on page, leading to a 40% boost in engagement on company website Education Savannah College of Art and Design | Savannah, Georgia May 2016 Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design Skills Adobe Creative Suite Typography HTML/CSS WordPress Collaboration Organization

Allison Neederly Chicago, Illinois , 60007 | (333) 222-1111 | [email protected] | www.linkedin.com/allison.neederly Resume Summary Dedicated customer service representative with 4+ years experience resolving customers’ needs in-person, online, and over the phone. Top achiever at XYZ Inc. with a 100% customer satisfaction rate for Q1 of 2020. Friendly personable, and knowledgable about company’s products and services. Relevant Skills Customer Service Responded to upwards of 200 customer queries daily with XYZ Inc., reducing the average wait time by 56% and increasing customer satisfaction rates by 13% Ability to resolve conflict and create a positive atmosphere for shopping for both new and existing customers through technical proficiency Expert product knowledge and communication skills, and experience training and mentoring new customer service staff Web Chat and Phone Skilled in 3 web chat platforms for helping online customers resolve their queries quickly and accurately Achieved fastest call resolution rate at XYZ Inc., with an average resolution time of under 5 minutes per customer Performed outbound calls for customer satisfaction surveys, as well as writing web-based surveys for 10,000+ customers Troubleshooting Detailed product knowledge allowed for customer technical issues to be resolved at rate within top 5% of all customer service associates at XYZ Inc. Created manual for step-by-step directions for troubleshooting that was implemented for team of 100+ customer service reps Positive attitude took average tech-related negative response from 1/5 stars to 4/5 stars, increasing trust in brands and services Work Experience XYZ Inc. | Philadelphia, PA Customer Service Associate New Look Global | Burlington, VT Junior Customer Service Representative L.L. Bean | Burlington, VT Sales Associate Education University of Vermont | Burlington, VT May 2012 Bachelor of Arts in Humanities

Priya Laghari New York, NY | (222) 111-0000 | [email protected] | www.priyabizdev.com Resume Profile Strategy Development: Grew John Deere’s international sales by 13% by tapping into undeserved countries in Southeast Asia Management: Oversaw a team of managers representing marketing, sales, and product teams. Streamlined collaborative, cross-functional communications through agile and scrum management system CRM: Developed, customized, and implemented new customer relationship management database for accounts totaling over $10M in value Work Experience Business Development Manager 01/2015-Present Microsoft | Redmond, WA Developed product strategies and roadmap for Google AdWords, increasing inbound traffic by 26% YoY Reduced time training on new software by 50% for new and existing employees by implement e-learning programs Spearheaded digital marketing campaign worth $1M that saw a return of 200% in first year by qualifying leads earlier in the sales funnel Regional Sales Manager 11/2012-01/2015 Big Things Inc. | St. Louis, MO Managed territory encompassing 29 regional locations with an annual revenue of approx. $55M Worked with C-level executives to plan business strategies, resulting in 20% reduction in overhead costs Increased client retention by 12% in first year by implementing a CRM approach based on account profiling and elevating levels of relationship selling Account Manager 02/2009-11/2012 Solutions Corp. | Chicago, IL Implemented and developed CRM strategic plans, increasing retention of long-term clients by 22% Maintained 50+ accounts totaling over $35M in value Generated leads through one-on-one consultation via phone inquiries, online check-ins, and meeting office walk-ins Relevant Skills CRM: Proficient with Salesforce, Zoho, and HubSpot; some experience with Keap. Used various CRM software over a decade to successfully manage customer relations and quick to adapt to new software and tools that aid in quality of customer experience. Salesmanship: Negotiated and closed over several deals worth $1M+ and skilled in upselling and cross-selling. Adept at working closely with marketing and product teams to maximize the efficiency of the sales funnel for both inbound and outbound traffic. Presentation: Represented Microsoft Northwest Region at quarterly board meetings, ensuring all stakeholders were kept abreast of new developments and opportunities. Also deliver monthly presentations to big clients and vendors to maintain positive relationship. Data analytics. Expert at integrating data from various analytics platforms, including Google, Microsoft Power BI, and SAP BusinessObjects Education Colgate University | May 2008 MBA Fordham University | May 2006 Bachelor’s Degree in Business

For more resume examples and templates:

Resume examples by job

Google docs resume template

Resume templates

Resume builder

Resume Headers Samples:

Tip : Never put your contact info in the header of your document; some applicant tracking systems might miss it.

For more on how to write a resume header:

Resume Header

Resume Titles

Resume introduction examples

Entry-Level Resume Objective.

Recent graduate with a bachelor’s in Marketing from the University of Virginia seeking an entry-level role in content marketing. Excellent copywriter with 2+ years experience editing content as a member of the UVa Writing Center.

Career Change Resume Objective.

Eager to apply 7+ years of experience with customer success management to make successful outbound B2B calls, deliver customized business solutions to new and existing customers, and provide expert product knowledge in the role of Account Manager for XYZ Inc.

Example Resume Summary Statement.

Accountant with over 8 years of experience in the medical industry. Adept at advising on management of cash deficits, reconciling departmental accounts, and creating new accounts and codes. Coordinated invoice preparation system for ABC that reduced contractor overhead by 19% YoY.

English teacher with a love of language and 6 years of experience teaching high school students. Developed new curriculum that boosted freshman reading comprehension scores by 12% and created after school book club for AP Lit class, resulting in 100% of participating students achieving a 5 on the AP Lit test.

Example Qualifications Summary.

Executive assistant with 5+ years experience helping maintain efficiency in an office of 25 employees Communicated directly with internal and external stakeholders, helping Senior Vice President manage projects worth $5M+ Proactively managed office schedules, identifying and prioritizing changes to ensure client satisfaction Recognized in a company of 500 for “Outstanding Achiever” in May 2019

Example Resume Profile.

Detail-oriented IT Specialist with 4 years of experience overseeing and improving the infrastructure of IT systems. Adept at building and running troubleshooting systems and testing services. Decreased security risk by 47% through continual optimization, while also improving the speed of client portal by 22%. Excellent communicator both internally and for client-facing discussions. Achieved 98%+ customer satisfaction ratings through weekly and monthly check-ins with accounts valued cumulatively at $500,000.

Entry-Level Resume Headline.

Bilingual College Graduate with 80 WPM Typing Speed and Tutoring Experience

Experienced Resume Headline.

Business Development Specialist with 6+ Years Experience Scaling Start-Up Tech Teams

For more on resume introductions:

Resume objective statement

Resume summary statement

Resume summary statement examples

Qualifications summary

Sample resume work experience sections

Work Experience XYZ Industries | Seattle, WA Marketing Associate | May 2019-Present Delivered weekly presentations to client-base to communicate brand messaging, increasing client retention by 11% Served as liaison between marketing and product teams, resulting in projects finishing 2 weeks early, on average Leveraged Excel skills to create and maintain spreadsheet to track consumer insights, emergent trends, and inform decisions of marketing team through competitive analysis Managed team of 5 contractors to juggle multiple priority projects simultaneously, never missing a deadline Initiated an affiliate referral program that PR team went on to turn into a revenue-generating stream valued at $30,000 annually ABC Corp | Seattle, WA Marketing Intern | September 2018-May 2019 Developed, maintained, and processed 20+ digital consent forms and distributor forms Worked collaboratively with a team of 10 marketing professionals, closely aligning our goals with the PR team Provided data analysis using Google Analytics and performed keyword research to increase blog traffic by 56% over six months Answered up to 50 customer queries by phone and email each week

For more on building the perfect resume work experience section:

Resume work experience section

First resume (no experience)

Examples Of Education Resume Sections

Graduated recently from a 4-year program.

Western Illinois University | Macomb, Illinois May 2020 Bachelor of Arts in Sociology | Minor in Psychology 3.95 GPA magna cum laude Dean’s List all semesters

Two degrees.

Fordham University | Bronx, New York April 2016 Master of Chemical Engineering Stony Brook University | Stony Brook, New York April 2014 Bachelor of Science in Chemistry

Anticipated graduation date (not yet graduated).

DePaul Univeristy | Chicago, Illinois Bachelor of Arts in History – Degree anticipated May 2021 Current GPA: 3.8

Older job seeker (graduated 10+ years ago).

University of Chicago | Chicago, Illinois Bachelor of Business Administration

High school graduate (no college degree).

Johnston High School 2016-2020 Head of Computer Club

More on crafting the perfect resume education section:

Education resume section

GPA on resume

Dean’s list

Magna cum laude

Examples Of Skills For Resume

Examples of hard skills include:

Examples of soft skills include:

Here’s more information on how to incorporate skills into your resume:

Resume skills section

Hard skills

Soft skills

Top skills for professionals

Skills-based resume

Resume writing FAQ

What is a resume?

A resume is a one to two-page document that focuses on professional experience, past achievements, education and certifications, and specific skills tailored to the job you’re applying for.

Almost every job application requires a resume, and hiring managers use them as a first impression in determining which applicants get a shot at an interview.

Whether you’re fresh out of college or have 30 years of professional experience, this guide should help craft a resume that stands out from the crowd and get you one step closer to landing your dream job.

What is the format for writing a good resume?

Most people will want to use a chronological or reverse-chronological resume format. This format is compatible with most applicant tracking systems (ATS) and is easy for employers to read. Additionally it helps highlight your experience, which helps prove your qualifications.

How far back should a resume go?

A resume should go back no further than 10 to 15 years. However, it is important that all your information is relevant. Therefore, do not include job experience that is irrelevant to your application, even if it’s fewer than 10 years old. Save that information for later discussions.

Should you personalize your resume for each job?

Yes, you should personalize your resume for each job you apply to. Many recruiters use ATS now, which will search for keywords in a resume and reject those that don’t have them. That means that the skills you choose to highlight as well as your opening, such as your resume summary, should be altered to suit each job you apply to.

You don’t need to rewrite the entire resume for each job, but it does show attention to detail and initiative to make sure that your resume is customized. It also makes it more likely that you’ll get past the first step of the process.

State of New York Department of Labor – Resumes, Cover Letters and Job Applications

Harvard University – Create a Resume/CV or Cover Letter

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Matthew Zane is the lead editor of Zippia's How To Get A Job Guides. He is a teacher, writer, and world-traveler that wants to help people at every stage of the career life cycle. He completed his masters in American Literature from Trinity College Dublin and BA in English from the University of Connecticut.

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10 Common Job Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

Vicky Oliver

Use this guide to stand out from the crowd and land the role you want.

Interviews can be high stress, anxiety-driving situations, especially if it’s your first interview. A little practice and preparation always pays off. While we can’t know exactly what an employer will ask, here are 10 common interview questions along with advice on how to answer them. The questions include:

Could you tell me something about yourself and describe your background in brief? : Interviewers like to hear stories about candidates. Make sure your story has a great beginning, a riveting middle, and an end that makes the interviewer root for you to win the job.
How do you deal with pressure or stressful situations? : Share an instance when you remained calm despite the turmoil. If it’s a skill you’re developing, acknowledge it and include the steps you’re taking to respond better to pressure in the future.
What are your salary expectations? : Before you walk in for your first interview, you should already know what the salary is for the position you’re applying to. Check out websites such as Glassdoor, Fishbowl, or Vault.com for salary information. You could also ask people in the field by reaching out to your community on LinkedIn.

Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend here .

Resignation numbers have remained abnormally high in the U.S. between July 2021 and October 2021, with millions of Americans quitting their jobs — which also means there are millions of new openings up for grabs. If you’re entering the market for the first time, or just looking to make a change, use this guide to prepare for your next interview.

Vicky Oliver is a leading career development expert and the multi-best-selling author of five books, including 301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions , named in the top 10 list of “Best Books for HR Interview Prep.” She’s a sought-after speaker and seminar presenter and a popular media source, having made over 900 appearances in broadcast, print, and online outlets.

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35+ Job Interview Questions and Answers for 2024 [Full List]

The time has come!

After creating a killer resume and cover letter and passing the first round, it is time to face the final challenge:

Your job interview .

And that scares even to the best of us .

Being judged and evaluated by people who have your future in their hands is more anxiety-inducing than meeting the in-laws.

You’ve heard the interviewers and hiring managers say there are no right or wrong answers to calm you down before an interview.

But here’s the thing:

They are almost always looking for a specific way of answering .

Which brings us to this guide. We’re going to cover the most common interview questions and answers, turning you into a bona fide interview expert by the time you’re done reading.

So, let’s get started!

To make this guide as practical as possible, we covered just about every interview question out there.

Don’t let that put you off, though. You don’t have to read the whole thing end-to-end. To get the most out of the guide, we’d recommend:

Going through all the common interview questions
Checking out the situational interview questions section and learning how to answer questions that are relevant for you
Learning what’s the idea behind behavioral interview questions, so you’re prepared to answer whatever the HR manager shoots at you

Most Common Job Interview Questions:

Tell me something about yourself .
How did you hear about this position?
Why do you want to work here?
Why did you decide to apply for this position?
What is your greatest strength?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
What do you know about this company/organization?
Why should we hire you?
What is your greatest accomplishment?
What are your salary requirements?
Do you have any questions for us?
What are you looking for from a new position?
Are you considering other positions in other companies?
What is the professional achievement you’re most proud of?
What kind of working environment do you work best in?
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Situational Job Interview Questions:

Why haven’t you gotten your Bachelor’s Degree/Master’s Degree/Ph.D.?
Why have you switched jobs so many times?
Why did you change your career path?
Why did you decide to leave your previous/current job?
Why is there a gap in your work experience?
Why were you fired?
How do you feel about working weekends or late hours?
How would your boss describe you?
Do you have any serious medical conditions?
What would your first 30, 60, or 90 days look like in this role?
Are you a team player?
Are you a risk-taker?
How do you deal with pressure or stressful situation?
Do you think there is a difference between hard work and smart work?
How quickly do you adapt to new technology?
Do you have any interests outside of work?
What do you think our company/organization could do better?

Behavioral Questions in a Job Interview:

Give an example of how you have handled a challenge in the workplace before.
Give an example of when you performed well under pressure.
Give an example of when you showed leadership qualities.

How to Answer 14 Most Common Job Interview Questions [+ Sample Answers]

These questions are the ones you’re bound to hear at just about any job interview - whether you’re an intern or a senior professional with a decade of work experience.

All of these questions are used to learn more about you, both as a person and a professional.

You might have heard the popular idea that there’s no right or wrong answers for job interview questions .

Well, while that might be true, there ARE a set of rules you need to follow when answering these questions.

If you understand what, exactly, the interviewer is looking for with each question, you’ll be able to give the right answer (and rock that interview!)

In this section, we’re going to go through 14 of the most common job interview questions and answers. We’re going to explain what the HR manager wants to see in you, as well as give you sample answers you could use.

So, let’s get started!

1) Tell me something about yourself.

How hard can it be to talk about yourself? We do it on a daily basis without much thought to it.

However, recruitment managers are not looking for your whole life story, your third-grade achievements, or what you had for dinner last night. Instead, they are looking for a pitch .

This is usually the first question asked in an interview, so it acts as your introduction. Make sure your answer is relevant to the position you are applying for. What you should be aiming for here is to present yourself as the ideal candidate for the job.

A good rule of thumb is to structure your talking points as follows:

Briefly introduce yourself: What’s your name? How long have you been working as [profession]?
What do you love about your job?
What are your top 2-3 achievements that are relevant to the job you’re applying for?

Now, let’s go through some examples:

Sample Answer 1:

Hey! So, my name is John Doe and I’ve worked as a business analyst for 5+ years in Company X and Company Y.

I have some background in data analysis, having studied Information Systems at [Made-Up] University.

Throughout my career, I’ve done some pretty impressive stuff (if I do say so myself, haha).

For example, at Company X, I led a project for migrating all operations data to a new data warehousing system to cut down on costs. The new solution was a much better fit for our business, which eventually led to savings of up to $200,000 annually.

Sample Answer 2:

I am Jane Doe, a recent college graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

I have just graduated with honors in Biochemistry. I know my way around a lab and have had multiple opportunities to put my knowledge into practice as a chemistry research assistant.

The lab felt like home, which is why I’d love to work as a lab assistant. I am passionate, hard-working, and extremely responsible. I am also looking forward to putting to practice all the things I learned during my time at university.

2) How did you hear about this position?

Although at first glance this might seem like a straightforward question, you should grab any opportunity you can to show your interest in the company.

Even if you haven’t been continuously refreshing the company’s website for job listings, make it seem like you have (in a professional way, of course). Show excitement and curiosity.

If someone inside the company told you about the position or recommended that you apply, definitely make sure to mention that.

You’ll have a much better chance at getting hired if someone credible can vouch for your skills.

So, mention his/her name and his/her position inside the company and give their reasoning for inviting or recommending you to apply for the position. Tell the hiring managers what excites you about the job opportunity or what exactly caught your eye.

Sample answer 1:

“I’ve known about [MadeUpTechnologies] for a long time - I’m a big fan of your products. I even own one of your latest phone models!

I love the company’s passion for creating super intuitive, beautiful hardware, and I would love to be a part of it.

So, when I saw your job ad at [RandomJobBoardWebsite], even though I wasn’t actively looking for a job at the time, I couldn’t help but apply!”

Sample answer 2:

“I heard from Jim Doe, my old colleague and college friend, that [Company X] was looking for a new sales director. He encouraged me to apply, saying that my experience managing a sales team at [Some Software Company] would be helpful for [Company X].

I’ve heard a lot about [Company X] from Jim, and I’m a big fan of the way you do things there. I’ve always wanted to work for a company with a flat organizational structure.”

3) Why did you decide to apply for this position?

Through this question, the interviewers want to assess how passionate you are for the position. And no, the answer isn’t:

“Well, I’m very passionate about not starving to death.”

“Well, I needed the money, and you guys tend to pay a lot.”

What the interviewer is looking for here is to see how passionate you are about the job or the company. After all, job performance is directly linked to job satisfaction. The happier you are about your position at the company, the more productive you’ll be.

And here’s the kicker - your passion will be very evident during the interview.

When you’re talking to a person that’s passionate about something, you can pretty much feel them glow as they talk. And if you’re an HR manager who’s interviewed hundreds of people, this is a very good sign to hire the candidate.

So, use this knowledge to your advantage.

When asked this question, your answer should include 2 things:

What motivated you to apply for this position, specifically .
Why this company? Have you heard of them before?

I’m very passionate about sustainability and renewable energy . In fact, I minored in Environmental Science at [XYZ University].

I’ve always wanted to put my engineering degree to a good cause - and the position as a Sustainability Coordinator at [Company XYZ] is just the right thing.

I’ve been following your company for the past few years, and I love how you’re changing the renewable energy landscape in America.

Keep in mind, though, that if you don’t know much about the company or the position - that’s OK too. Just be honest and show your passion for the job. However, it’s always better to do your homework before going to an interview..

I’ve always wanted to get into marketing. Having done promotional jobs here and there, I never had an opportunity to do something more serious.

I do believe, though, that I have just the right skills to get started: copywriting, basic photoshop, and of course, lots of creativity.

So, I thought that an internship at [Company X] would be an awesome start to my career in marketing.

Want to find more samples answers to this question? Check out our article on 10+ best answers to “ Why do you want to work here? ”

4) What are your biggest strengths?

There are two answers you could go for here: what your actual strengths are, and what you think the hiring manager or HR representative wants to hear. We would most certainly suggest you go with the first answer.

For this question, you would want to narrow your answer down to at most three strengths . Pick 1 or 2 skills that would help you really excel at the job, and 1 or 2 personal (more or less unrelated) skills.

Not sure which ones are your top strengths? Check out the table below to learn which one’s perfect for your field:

After picking your strengths, back it up with a situation or story that shows how you have used it to benefit you on the job.

After all, words are just that - words. The HR can’t know whether your “natural leadership” is an actual strength, or just means that you were super active in your high school class.

As you probably already know, this is one of the most common interview questions out there, so make sure you’re prepared for it before facing the HR manager!

My biggest strength is that I’m good at picking up new skills. I’ve worked a variety of different odd jobs - things like working as a waiter, house-keeper, cook, and a lot more (as you’ve probably seen on my resume).

For most of those jobs, I ended up picking up all the needed skills within 1 or 2 weeks (with basically no previous experience).

So, I’m pretty sure while I don’t have any experience as a bartender, I have the right certification , and I believe I can get good at it within a week or two.

Possible answer 2:

My biggest strength is that I’m very efficient at working under pressure. No matter the crisis or stress, I can make the right decisions on-the-spot.

As an event manager at Company X, we were organizing an IT conference for a client. There were a ton of last-minute hiccups - some speakers canceled and the catering company said they’d be late for the lunch break. On top of that, we were understaffed because 2 of our volunteer organizers got sick and couldn’t show up.

At that point, things looked so bleak that we were considering canceling the event or postponing it. Instead, I took the initiative in my hands and sorted through the problems one by one.

5) What is your biggest weakness?

Ah, this is always a tricky one!

After all, you don’t want to mention your flaws during an interview, so it’s guaranteed to be a tough question.

The trick to answering this one is realizing that the interviewers don’t expect you to be perfect. Everyone has flaws, weaknesses, and things to improve on.

When asking this question, the HR manager is actually seeking to learn:

Whether you have the right skills for the job. If you’re applying for the position of a server in a busy restaurant, and you say your biggest weakness is performing under pressure, then you’re definitely not getting a callback.
If you’re self-aware and really know what your sticking points are.

And NO: fake humble-brag weaknesses don’t count as weaknesses. You can’t just say that your biggest weakness is that you work too hard, or that you’re a perfectionist.

The key here is to mention a weakness that’s real , but not something that would get in the way of you doing your job. You wouldn’t want to say you’re bad at math if you’re applying for an accountant position, would you

It’s also good practice to mention how you are working towards overcoming this weakness and realizing how it affects you negatively. If you can, just balance it with a positive side effect: treat it like two sides of the same coin.

My biggest weakness has always been my communication skills. I’ve been pretty shy and anxious as a kid. Over the years, however, I’ve been really working on the issue.

At this stage, I’m much better than I’ve ever been, but I’m still far from perfect.

This, however, won’t have any impact on my job as a programmer. Despite lacking communication skills, I’m very good at working in a team.

Well, as a recent graduate, I’d say my biggest weakness is the lack of real-life work experience.

While I’ve worked on a dozen software projects in the university, I don’t have the experience of working in a fully agile environment with an experienced team.

I am, however, willing to do my best and catch up as fast as I can.

Looking for more samples answers about your strengths and weaknesses ? Check out our full guide!

6) What do you know about this company/organization?

A quick search in the “About” page of the company/organization you are applying for should be enough, right? Well, yes and no.

Think of this as an open-ended question. There’s no real wrong answer here, other than:

I don’t know anything about this organization. In fact, how did I end up here? Can you guys call me a cab real quick?

However , the more you actually know about the company, the better your chances of getting hired.

Imagine 2 equally competent candidates:

One who doesn’t particularly care much about your company, and is only applying because they know you pay good salaries
Another who’s been following your company blog for ages, loves your product, and has several friends already working in the company

Which one would you pick? Exactly, the second one!

So, with this job interview question, you want to convince the recruiter that you’re the candidate #2.

Now, how do you do that? Well, a rule of thumb here is to do some Googling before the interview and learn the following about the company:

What does their product or service do?
What impact does the product / service have?
What’s the company culture like?
What are the latest news about the company? How are they performing?
...And pretty much whatever other type of info you can dig up.

I hadn’t heard about you until recently, actually. I found out about [Company X] through your job ad on RandomJobBoard.

After doing some brief research on you guys, I ended up falling in love with your software and your mission.

Now, I’ve worked with a ton of different project management software - Example Software 1, Example Software 2 - but none of them were as intuitive and as Example Software 3.

Well, I know that you’re one of the biggest investment banks in [town / state / country]. Company X pops up on news pretty often - I’ve read that you’ve invested in some of the hottest tech IPOs, and have several up-and-coming biotech companies in your portfolio.

I got particularly interested by your recent investment in [Startup X], I found that interesting because of [Y Reason].

7) Why should we hire you?

Ah, the ultimate humble-brag question.

Now, the real question is, how do you sell yourself without trying to look arrogant, desperate, or needy?

A good rule of thumb here is to stay away from the extremes. Think you’re a good fit for the job? Say that “you have the right experience.”

Whatever you do, don’t oversell yourself:

“I’m the best salesman you’ve ever met!”

Instead, make a general statement (I’m a great fit for the position because…) and talk about your experiences and achievements.

Here are 3 general points you can mention:

How you’re super passionate about working for the company (and why).
How your skills fit their requirements.
How you’re going to help the company solve their existing problems. Improve a metric, setup a process, etc.

Well, as a start, I have all the skills and work experience required for the job. I’ve worked as a Sales Manager for 5+ years, and over the past 2, I’ve closed several deals totalling in 6-figures.

Oh, and on top of that, I have experience working with tech companies, so I’ll be able to pick up all the product specifics much faster than the other candidates.

I have just the right skill-set to excel as an executive assistant. While I haven’t previously worked as a personal assistant, I pretty much fit the bill for the role.

I’m extremely organized, having managed several project teams in my university. I led the organization of Event #1 and Event #2. This involved continuous communication with 12+ companies, 30 speakers, and 15+ sponsors.

I’m very meticulous and organized, and I’m more than capable of helping the CEO get the most our of their free time.

Looking for more sample answers? Check out these 10+ answers to “ Why should we hire you? ”

8) What are your salary requirements?

This is always a tricky question. You don’t want to lowball yourself, but at the same time, you don’t want to be told “No” because you gave such an outrageous number.

When answering, keep these 3 things in mind:

What’s the average salary for someone of your skill-level?
How much does the company pay employees of your skill level? GlassDoor should be super helpful here.
Finally, how much are you getting paid in your current company? In most cases, you can probably negotiate a pay bump from what you’re currently getting.

The final number you tell them should incorporate all 3 of the points we just mentioned. Do you know for a fact that the company is doing well (and compensates employees accordingly)? You’d quote a higher salary.

Is your skill-level above average? This should be reflected in your salary.

As a rule of thumb, you can figure out 2 numbers: what’s the “good” scenario, and what’s the “best” scenario?

Answer the interviewer with your “best” pay, and worst case scenario, they’ll negotiate it down.

Or, you can also answer with a range, and chances are, they’ll pick the number somewhere in the middle.

My salary expectation is around $70,000 annually.

My salary requirement is in the $30,000 - $40,000 range annually.

9) Do you have any questions for us?

You’ll hear this question in every interview you will attend.

While there isn’t a right answer, there IS a wrong answer:

Nope, all good! Thanks, I’ll go show myself out.

Instead, with this question, you want to show your enthusiasm about the company. Imagine they’ve already hired you and you’re starting tomorrow - what would you like to know about them?

Keep in mind, though, that the questions shouldn’t be too easy (So, what does your company do?).

Other than showing the recruiter that you’re really interested in working for them, this is your opportunity to really find out more about the ins and outs of the place.

The answers you get from the interviewer could also be an indicator of whether you really want to work there or not .

So, what kind of questions can you ask? Here are some of the most essential ones:

What does a regular day in this company look like?
What’s the best thing about working for the company?
What’s the worst thing about working for the company?
What would you say are the biggest challenges a person in this position might face?
What are the most important skills and qualities one must have to succeed in this position?
What do you like best about working in this company?
What are the most pressing issues and projects that need to be addressed?
Do you have training programs available to employees?
What sort of budget is there for my department?
What kind of opportunities do you have for future development?
What are the performance expectations for someone in this position?
Do departments usually collaborate with one another?
Do you celebrate birthdays or retirements in the office?
Do employees usually hang out with each other outside of work?
Is there anything else I can help you with at this stage?
What is the next step in the hiring process?

For the complete list of all the questions you can ask the interviewer , check out our article!

10) What are you looking for in a new position?

The easiest way to answer this question would be to simply say that you’re looking for whatever the company is offering.

Look at it from the point of view of the potential employer. Would they hire someone if they answered this question with:

A good salary. And uhh, well, that’s about it!

This answer pretty much says that the moment they get a higher paying offer, they’re going to jump ship!

Instead, explain to the interviewer that this job at this company is the perfect fit for you. Mention what your short-term and long-term career goals are, and how this position ties to them.

I’m looking to further apply my machine learning skills that I developed during my 2+ years of work at [Startup X]. There, I used to do programmatic ads model design.

Now, I’m looking for an opportunity to work on a larger scale project that involves setting up programmatic ads for audiences of more than 10 million people.

I believe that worked with such a large-scale project will allow me to progress significantly faster in my career .

11) Are you considering other positions in other companies?

Here’s a tricky one: How much does the HR manager need to know here?

If you admit to having interviews with other companies, it might look like you’re not 100% dedicated to this one.

On the other hand, if you say you are not considering other positions, it might make you seem like you don’t have other options (and the company has the upper hand in salary negotiations).

The right way to go about here is to find common ground between the two answers.

The interviewer is probably asking because they want to know whether they have competition in hiring you. They also want to know if you are serious about the industry and are legitimately looking to be employed in this field of work.

If you do have other interviews lined up for other companies, express that you are keeping your options open but that you favor this job in comparison to the others.

Don’t have many other options? Stick to the same approach.

Whatever you do, don’t make it seem like you’re desperate or that you don’t have any other options.

I have had two interviews during the past week with companies in X and Y industries.

However, as I’m very passionate about both your industry and the work you have done during the past several years, I am more inclined toward working for you, if everything works out.

Not yet - I wasn’t really actively looking for a job until my friend, [name], recommended your company. I’m not looking for just any company - I’m interested in an interesting, engaging project such as yours.

12) What is the professional achievement you’re most proud of?

This is another version of the “Why should we hire you” question, but with a focus on one very specific achievement.

This one’s pretty straightforward, just mention your #1 professional achievement and you’re good to go.

As a given, the achievement has to be related to the job you’re applying for. Let’s say you’re applying for the position of Sales Manager :

[Incorrect Example]

“I’m very good at underwater basket-weaving, having woven 20+ baskets in the past year.”

[Correct Example]

“In my previous sales position, I managed to hit and exceed department KPIs by 50%+ for 6 months in a row”

Keep in mind, though, that you want to be very specific with your answer. To get this right, try using the STAR method . It goes something like this:

S: Situation - Set the scene and context.
T: Task - Describe what your challenge or responsibility was.
A: Action - List and dwell on all the actions you took towards addressing the challenge or responsibility.
R: Result - Explain what the outcomes were and how they fit with the overall goal of the project or company.

So, find a work-related achievement that showcases your contribution through your skills and experience to something that matters to the company.

Sample Answer 1:

My biggest achievement is the fact that I went from being an intern to managing company X’s entire marketing over 2 years.

As an intern, I basically had 0 instructions on what to do - it went like “hey, go learn social media advertising and get it going.” The founders didn’t exactly expect me to achieve much, and didn’t particularly care, as they were 100% focused on making the product work.

Instead of just complaining about a lack of direction, I started reading up on digital marketing - pretty much anything I could get my hands on. I learned how to do content marketing for example, from Neil Patel’s blog, and started putting everything into practice.

My first success was getting an article to go viral, generating over $5,000 revenue in a single day. While that’s not much for a software company, it felt like a lot for an intern.

After that, the founding team gave me a lot more trust, and assigned me a small marketing budget of $1,000 per month. With a lot more confidence in my abilities, I started experimenting with other strategies.

Then, over the next 2 years, I got promoted to Head of Marketing. After making a couple of hires, I managed to scale up our marketing efforts, growing the company from $2,000 to $30,000 monthly recurring revenue.

Sample Answer 2:

My greatest accomplishment so far is graduating from [University X] within 4 years, with a GPA of 3.9. My family was unable to support me financially, so I had to take care of all the university bills on my own.

Through hard work and dedication, I ended up graduating with almost no student loans. I managed this through a combination of:

Working part-time while studying
Doing seasonal full-time work during the summer
Maintaining a high CGPA and winning 2 scholarships over 4 years

13) What kind of work environment do you like best?

The aim of this question is to assess whether you’ll fit in the company’s working environment .

For example, some organizations are pretty structured and hierarchical, they require tight organization and have a well-planned day filled with rules and guidelines on how to do things.

If you’re the creative, think-out-of-the-box type who likes to break the rules and innovate, this is probably not going to cut it for you.

On the other hand, some companies are more laid back, with a lot less bureaucracy. “Go get us more sales” can actually be your main duty for the week if you’re working in an early stage startup.

If you’re the type who prefers to have strict to-dos and objectives, you probably won’t enjoy such a job.

So, the takeaway? Different people work best in different environments, and that’s okay.

Before you go to the interview, go through the company’s website and social media pages to get a sense of the general vibe and environment there.

Look at employee reviews on GlassDoor, or if you know someone already working there, ask them.

Depending on what you learn, answer accordingly.

I work best in smaller companies. I really dislike the corporate world - rules, guidelines, SOPs, and so on. I perform best when I have a certain level of freedom to do things. Want to find innovative solutions to problems you didn’t even know you had? I’m your guy.

Want someone to just blindly follow instructions and do what they’re told? Then we’d probably not be a good fit.

I love working in a youthful, energetic environment. You know, when you’re working on a common goal with a team of people who are as passionate as you are?

I like to think of my work as a second home, and my coworkers as family.

The last company I worked at had such an environment, and I excelled at the job.

I get that exact feeling about Company X, since the moment I walked in here for the interview. So, I’m pretty excited to get to know how you guys work!

14) Where do you see yourself in five years?

Sometimes the honest answer to this is “Hopefully not doing this.” especially with entry-level jobs.

Don’t think the hiring manager doesn’t know it, though. There are diplomatic ways to go around it.

In general, the motivation behind this question is for the interviewer to assess whether you are an ambitious person or not and whether you have realistic expectations for your career.

Make sure to avoid any of the cliche answers such as…

“In your seat!”

“As the big boss man”

Instead, think realistically about what the next step after this position is, and whether it is possible to reach it within the company you are applying at.

Within the next 5 years, I’d like to reach the position of a Senior Business Consultant. During the time period, I would like to accomplish the following:

Help 20+ organizations improve their business

Create a personal network of highly specialized professionals

Learn as much as I can about optimizing and improving clients’ businesses, as well as the essentials of operating a company

As a start, I want to learn if accounting is the right field for me. While I loved what I studied at the university, I want to see if working in the field feels the same.

If I do end up enjoying it, I’d like to specialize in either internal auditing or forensic accounting, as I really like to discover and solve problems. From what I’ve seen from your job ads, you guys are hiring for both, so I hope it’s going to be possible to move up from the position of an “intern” within the next few months!

Still not sure how to answer this one? We don’t blame you! Sometimes, you might not know what you’re doing next week, let alone next year! Check out our guide to answering the “ Where do you see yourself in 5 years? ” job interview question to find more possible answers.

How to Answer 18 Situational Job Interview Questions

You’re past the hard part.

You already know the most common job interview questions, and can probably deflect whatever the interviewer throws at you.

Depending on your specific situation, though, you might also need to learn how to answer these situational job interview questions...

1) Why haven’t you gotten your Master’s Degree/Ph.D.?

As a start, keep in mind that the interviewer isn’t judging you for your decision.

After all, if they were looking for someone with a better degree, they wouldn’t have invited you to an interview. The degree is not the dealbreaker here, but your answer to the question might be.

When asking this question, the interviewer is trying to see your reasoning for pursuing a career instead of getting another degree.

Heck, there’s a chance that if you give them the right answer, they’re even going to like you more than someone with 3 Phds!

So, simply explain why you didn’t think that another degree was the right thing for you at the time.

Don’t say you were lazy or didn’t feel like it, or that it’s a waste of money (even if that might be the case).

Instead, give compelling arguments, such as…

You wanted to see whether your field was the right one for you.
You didn’t have the financial resources at the time.
You wanted to get some practical work experience before committing to another degree.

At this stage of my life, I decided to pursue my career instead of further education. On the one hand, I want to make sure that Marketing is what I want to do with my life.

On the other hand, I believe that in my field, practical work experience is a lot more valuable than academic.

So far, my decision has paid off pretty well - I’ve already gotten a lot of experience doing online marketing for 3+ companies and delivering awesome results to boot.

I might eventually decide to pursue a masters, but at this point, I really don’t see the point in that.

Because it’s not in sync with my future career path. I believe that for software engineering, practical experience matters a lot more than having a degree.

I’ve already done an internship as a Junior Javascript Back-end Developer, and I believe that it gave me a lot more knowledge than my B.A. in Computer Science.

While I am eventually planning on getting a Masters, it’s going to be in a more theoretical field, such as Artificial Intelligence.

2) Why have you switched jobs so many times?

If you’ve switched jobs in a very short period of time (2 or more full-time positions in 1 year), the interviewer is bound to ask about it.

After all, job-hopping is one of the biggest red flags for HR managers.

True, you might have had a reasonable cause. Maybe the second company you got hired in just wasn’t a good culture fit for you.

Well, you’ll have to communicate that.

Companies tend to be skeptical because of the following reasons…

You might be a job hopper . Some people tend to switch jobs the moment they get a better salary offer.
You might be unqualified for the job and you quit because you couldn’t deliver.
You get bored easily and your solution to that is quitting.

So, your job here is to convince the interviewer that you don’t belong to any of those 3 categories.

You need to make them realize that you will not jump ship a few months after getting hired just because some recruiter PM’d you on LinkedIn with a better offer.

The best way to answer this question is to explain the reason you switched jobs. It could be one of the following:

The company culture wasn’t a good fit. This happens to the best of us - sometimes, the company just isn’t the right one.
The job description was misleading and you ended up doing something you either didn’t enjoy, or were not qualified for.
You learned that you simply didn’t enjoy the job, and are not willing to try out something different. While this isn’t the best potential answer, it’s honest and chances are, the HR manager will understand.

The last company I got hired in just wasn’t what I expected. The hiring manager didn’t communicate the role well enough.

As you already know, I’m a copywriter - I write sales copy. I work with:

-Landing pages

-Email marketing

-And sales pages

Around a week after I started work at the company, I realized that they were actually looking for something completely different. They asked me to write generic blog and social media posts, which is pretty far off from what I do.

This was really not what I expected, and not something I find interesting.

Well, as a start, my first job was in a big corporation straight out of university. While I did learn a lot there about Software Engineering practices, I also learned that a huge company with lots of regulations, rules, and the like isn’t for me.

So, at the end of my internship there, I decided to try working at a startup. I enjoyed that job a LOT more, as it gave me a lot of freedom when it comes to problem-solving. I wasn't told HOW to do it. Rather, I was given the option of coming up with my own solution.

Unfortunately, the company went belly-up after failing to raise money, putting me back on the job market.

And here we are - [Company X] is pretty much THE place I’ve always wanted to work in. I’ve heard a lot about your company culture, and thought I’d really belong there.

3) Why did you change your career path?

If you recently changed your career path , the interviewer is sure to ask about it.

Don’t worry - there’s nothing wrong with this.

A lot of people go through a career change . Some even do it several times in their lifetime!

As long as you’re good at what you do, no one cares if you were a pediatrician in one year, and a professional chef in another.

When asked this question, all you have to do is answer truthfully. Explain how your old job just wasn’t for you, and how the job you’re applying for is so much more interesting.

Sample Answer

I realized that being a doctor is not for me. While I did enjoy my 3 years in med school, the 6 year study period was too much.

I wanted to start making money and help out my family way before that, so I dropped out of university and started taking online courses in accounting.

At this point, I’m pretty good at it, having done 2 internships so far in [Company X] and [Company Y].

Sample Answer 2

Simply because I enjoy doing sales much more than accounting. After 5 years of working as an accountant for Firm X, I decided I wanted to try something new.

I asked my boss at the time to let me transition to the sales team, and I ended up liking it AND being pretty good at it.

4) Why did you decide to leave your previous/current job?

When asking this question, the interviewer wants to learn:

Did you have a good reason for leaving your last job? The HR manager doesn’t want someone that just jumps ship the moment things go bad.

“Oh, well, the company started bleeding cash and was on its way to bankruptcy.”

“I felt like it was time - I got to a point where everything I was doing felt monotonous. I learned as much as I could at this position while delivering amazing results. It was, however, time to switch to something new.”

Did you leave on good terms? Meaning, did you go through the offboarding process, instructing your coworkers on how to take up your responsibilities? Or did you just say “Adios” and stopped showing up at work?

“Things started to get really boring, and the boss man was kind of mean. I totally deserve better, so I just ghosted them and now I’m looking for a new company. Hi!”

“I didn’t feel like the company’s values coincide with mine. The management was too controlling and micromanaging. I prefer to have some control over my work, and being able to contribute by going above and beyond my requirements.”

Of course, I went through the off-boarding properly. Meaning, gave a timely resignation notice , and transferred all the essential company knowledge to my replacement.”

Did you leave voluntarily, or were you fired?

“I got fired for missing work for a week without an excuse.”

“I was fired, actually. The fault was in my communication skills at the time. I misunderstood my supervisor’s instructions and ended ended up setting a higher monthly spend on ad account for the client. The losses were not more than 3-figures, but apparently, the relationship with the client was already strained, so they ended up leaving.

Of course, I really took this to heart and worked very hard on improving my communication skills, to ensure that I don’t make any mistakes of this nature ever again.”

5) Why is there a gap in your work experience?

In most cases, a gap in your work experience doesn’t really mean anything. You probably have a very good reason for it.

The interviewer, however, will definitely ask about it, and you should answer adequately.

There’s no secret sauce to answering this question, just let the recruiter know about your situation, whatever that may be:

Maternity leave
Health issues
Caring for a sick family member
Time off to pursue further education
Relocating to a different city
Working on a personal project

Whichever the case may be, just explain the situation in brief and move on.

One thing to keep in mind, however, is that if you were laid off at work, or you quit and had trouble getting a new job , you should be very subtle about it.

If the interviewer knows that you’re struggling to find a job , you’re going to give them the upper hand in salary negotiations.

“I had a baby and had to take maternity leave.”

“My father was sick, so I had to be the one to take care of him full-time over a few months.”

6) Why were you fired?

Now this is a tough one.

Getting fired is pretty much never good.

Keep in mind that we’re talking about getting fired, not getting laid off. There’s a huge difference between the two:

Getting laid off means that you got let go for something that had nothing to do with your competence. I.e. budget cuts, company down-sizing, etc.
Getting fired , on the other hand, means that you got let go for a reasonable cause. And chances are, it’s probably your fault.

If you got fired and the interviewer asks you about it, you should be honest. After all, they can easily check-in with your previous employer.

Your best shot here is to be critical about your mistakes, and explain what you’ve done to improve.

“None of it was my fault. My boss is a total tool, and he hates me for no real reason. He yelled at me for no real reason!”

In the example above, the interviewee gets defensive. That’s a pretty huge red flag for the HR manager.

Instead, try saying something that shows that you’re aware of your mistakes.”

“The main fault was in miscommunication. The interviewer was unclear about the job responsibilities - from what I understood, they were looking for a senior-level marketer to oversee their email marketing operations.

At the end of the day, though, it turned out that the company was looking to experiment with email marketing, and specifically for someone to set it up from scratch.

While I did my best to deliver, in the end it turned out that their niche doesn’t actually need email marketing. This was against the management’s vision, so that decided to let me go.”

7) How do you feel about working weekends or late hours?

You’re gonna get asked this question in one of the following 2 cases:

1) You’re applying for a job that requires working odd hours.

In this case, your answer is pretty straightforward - since you’re applying for such a job, you probably don’t have any problems working odd hours.

“Sure! I’m OK with working late hours or weekends, as long as you let me know about it at least a few days in advance.”

2) You’re applying for just about any other type of job.

Now, you should look at this as a red flag. Is the employer just checking your dedication, or are they looking for someone that’s going to work 24/7 with no overtime pay?

In this case, ask them to clarify what they mean.

“Given enough warning, sure. Is that something I’ll be required to do often? Do you offer overtime pay for this kind of situation?”

8) How would your boss or coworkers describe you?

This question is pretty much the same as “ what are your greatest strengths ,” the only difference is that it should be from the point of view from your boss or coworkers.

Here, you want to focus on your traits and achievements that you’ve previously been praised for (After all, the interviewer might ask for a reference!).

There are at least 2 ways to answer this question:

1) Describe a specific situation where you excelled at work (and received praise from your boss and coworkers)

“They’d say I’m super hard working. During my weekend-off, not one, but three of my coworkers got sick, and I had to spot for them.

The weekend was peak season in Nantucket, so the restaurant was getting seriously overwhelmed. All of a sudden, we went from being very prepared for the season, to complete panic.

Had to jump between serving, bussing, and line-cooking, but overall, managed to survive through the weekend successfully.”

2) Quote a performance review

If you’ve previously worked in an office job, you’re probably all too familiar with these.

Did your boss give you a glowing performance review? Make sure to mention it here!

“Well, in my last performance review in September, my boss described me as someone who takes initiative.

My position as a PR manager involves constantly keeping track of our clients brand reputation, and if something goes wrong, dealing with it as fast as possible.

In a lot of cases, you need to be very proactive - if you wait for your entire team to have a meeting on how to deal with the issue, it might already be too late.

There were 4-5 different situations where I had to take charge and react to problems literally the moment they arose, whether it was during my work hours, or not.”

9) Do you have any serious medical conditions?

When asking this question, the interviewer wants to learn if you have any medical conditions that could impair your ability to do the job correctly.

In most cases, you’re not obliged to give an answer. If you do have a health condition, and it doesn’t have anything to do with your career, you can simply choose not to answer, or to say “No.”

However, you might want to disclose anything that could potentially have an impact on how you perform.

For example, if the job requires you to lift heavy boxes, for example, and you’re not able to do so because of a condition, you should let the HR manager know.

[Sample Answer 1]

“I don’t have any serious medical conditions”

[Sample answer 2]

“I’m unable to lift heavy objects because of issues with my back, but it won’t have any impact on how I perform at an office job”

10) What would your first 30, 60, or 90 days look like in this role?

If you’re applying for a senior or leadership role, you’re probably going to get asked this question.

Chances are, at this stage of the interview, you already know a lot about your future position and the company.

Now, it’s time to show off your knowledge in your field, and explain how you’re going to start making things happen at the company.

So, here’s how to answer the question:

You’re probably going to need to get to know the company first. You’re going to be learning as much as possible, including information on:

What does the company do?
What are the key processes?
What does your department do?
What are the current problems and challenges?
Where can you help?

You’ll start start making things happen. From all the info you gathered, suggest a handful (3 to 5) initiatives you could take on:

You’d audit the company email marketing strategy and suggest improvements
You’ll help come up with better ad copies for Facebook marketing
You’ll help the team with their ongoing marketing initiatives

You’re already have started making an impact. Describe several things you think are going to be functioning better:

Online ads are going to be performing better by 10-20%
Email marketing operations are going to be more streamlined, taking significantly less manpower

11) Are you a team player?

Wherever you’re applying, the answer to this question should be a “Yes!”

Even if you’re applying for a completely solo role, chances are, you’re still going to have to work in a team occasionally .

We’d recommend being very specific about your answer here - don’t just say yes. Give the interviewer an exact example of when you excelled at working with a team.

“I’m much better at working in a team than alone, actually. That’s what I love about working in advertising - everyone has their own specific type of a creative spark, and when you combine it all, magic happens!

I’m good at both leading and following in terms of creativity and brainstorming. I’m also super receptive to others ideas, and do my best to help them execute it without nay-saying or criticism.”

“Yep, definitely. I excel at team-work.

This one time while working at [Company X], I was assigned to an existing team working on a web application for a business process management company.

They were working on a tight deadline, and needed help on the API side.

I optimised their development cycles and oversaw a team of three developers while collaborating with the other two dev teams.

Everything went pretty well, and we managed to finish the project on time.”

12) Are you a risk-taker?

This one’s pretty tricky, as the answer here depends on your profession and field.

Ask yourself - is risk-taking a valuable skill for the job?

If you’re a pilot, for example, the answer should be a strict “No!”

If, on the other hand, you’re a day trader, then risk is an essential part of your job.

So, depending on how valuable risk is for your job, answer accordingly.

You could also give a more strategic answer. Let’s say, for example, you work in investment banking. You need to be a risk taker to an extent, but being too risk-friendly might make the entire company go bankrupt.

The strategy in such a case would be to show that you’re all about calculated risk . You’re willing to take chances, but only when the odds are in your favor.

As with most interview questions, you should give examples of situations where you had to take risks, and what the end-results were.

“Yes, I’m a risk-taker. I believe that to achieve real results, you always need to be willing to take a certain level of risk.

Pretty much any marketing initiative you launch is tied to risk. You can plan everything from beginning till the end, but no matter how well you plan it out, things might just not work out.

It’s just part of the job - in order to succeed, you need to take launch risky campaigns on a regular basis, and hopefully, one in every 5 is going to bring you massive results.”

“I’m not a risk-taker, I’m more of a risk-manager. As someone who’s been in finance for years, I can say with a lot of confidence that there’s risk in everything.

The most important things are to one, minimize your risks, and two, minimize potential damages if everything goes very, very wrong.

While working at Investment Bank X, we had a very interesting policy for investing in new fintech projects. We used to avoid moon-shots, high-tech projects, as well as anything that had an experimental business model.

Our strategy was to invest in proven tech. As in, proven product-market fit, business model, etc. In most cases, these were runner up companies. We wouldn’t invest in that one innovative company that was all over the news - we’d instead invest in their latest competitor. More often than not, this ended up being more profitable, and significantly less risky.”

13) How do you deal with pressure or stressful situations?

If you’re applying for a high-stress job, you’re guaranteed to get asked this question.

The aim of this question is to see if you’re the type of person who’d survive working at the job, or fall through the cracks when the first signs of trouble show up.

Obviously, you wouldn’t answer with the following…

“Well, I end up having a panic attack, crying, and running away from work.”

Instead, answer as follows…

Say that yes, you do tend to perform well during stressful situations
Give 1-2 examples of a situation where you had to perform well under pressure

Now, let’s go through some real-life examples:

“Though I can’t particularly say I enjoy stressful situations, I AM very good at working under pressure.

During chaos and panic, I tend to take a step back, think, plan, and prioritize.

For example, there have been times I’ve had to juggle multiple university projects and assignments at the same time. I would break up large assignments into small, individual tasks, and prioritize based on:

How fast I could complete each task
Figuring out which task would take the longest
Which project had the earliest deadline

This way, my work became a lot more manageable. The most times I had to experience such situations, the better I performed overall.”

“I actually prefer working under pressure. I look at it as a challenge - a situation where I really have to up my game to succeed.

As a cook, working under pressure is pretty much part of the job. I’ve been in several situations where the restaurant was understaffed for the occasion. Heck, it’s pretty much a constant thing during peak season.

When there’s a ton of orders coming in and we can barely keep up, I tend to get significantly more productive than usual.”

14) Do you prefer hard work, or smart work?

By definition, hard work is when you, well, work hard. It’s when you’re willing to put in a lot of work to get the job done.

Smart work on the other hand, means doing the work efficiently. If you manage to get the job done in 2 hours instead of 5, with the same end-result, you’re doing smart work.

Keep in mind, though, that by asking this question, the interviewer is looking to understand what your work ethic is like. Meaning, they’re looking for a healthy combination of both, not just one.

That is, they want you to be the candidate who not only thinks smartly but works hard as well.

So, your answer here shouldn’t be one-sided...

“Oh, I looove smart work. That’s when you come up with what to do, and make other people do it, right?”

Instead, explain how you excel at both:

“I don’t particularly have a preference - I believe that both hard and smart work is important to get the best results.

Smart work, on one hand, lets you figure out the best and most efficient way to get things done.

Hard work, on the other hand, means that you’ll do the job right. Even if there’s no way to do it smart or efficiently, you’ll be willing to put in long hours of work to get it done.

I’m the type that does both.

For an example of smart for, during my time at [Made Up Corporation], I was in charge of the sales department. As a process improvement initiative, I migrated from an outdated, in-house CRM, to Pipedrive. This improved the department’s productivity by around 20%.

On the other hand, the whole migration process took around 3 months of hard work. As the software we were using was outdated, trying to learn how to map and migrate our data was a lot more complicated than we’d expected.”

15) How quickly do you adapt to new technology?

Today, whether you’re applying for a software engineering job, or as a cashier in a supermarket, you’re going to need to use technology at least on some level.

It’s very common for a company to adopt new tech - new point of service system, self check-out kiosks, customer management software, and whatever else.

So, you should be able to pick up new tech ASAP . Any new change shouldn’t completely disrupt your work.

So, when answering this question, you should talk about how tech-savvy you are.

Sample Answer:

“I’m pretty tech-savvy. I’ve worked with a lot of different Point of Service systems so far, and have zero difficulties learning how to use new ones.”

As a given, I own a PC, have used Office 365, and all the usual stuff.”

“I’ve always been interested in tech. In fact, I’m the type of person to actively seek out new software to help solve business problems at work.

I’ve worked with 3 different Customer Management Software in the past, such as PipeDrive, SalesForce, and Zoho CRM.”

16) Do you have any interests outside of work?

If the interviewer asks you this question, take it as a good sign!

It means that they liked your professional background, and now they’re just trying to get to know you and see if you’re a good fit for the company culture.

It’s pretty hard to go wrong here, unless you’re going to answer something like:

“I have literally no hobbies.”

“All I do is play video games all day.”

Just talk about your hobbies and interests , and you’re all set!

Bonus points if you can mention something that’s also relevant to your job (creative writing if you’re applying for a copywriting job, for example).

Sample Answer 1

“I’m a big fan of creative writing. I have my own personal short-story blog, and contribute actively to several online writing communities (such as Writing Prompts on Reddit).

Oh, and I’m also a huge fan of the New York Giants.”

“Well, I’m very interested in all sorts of sports. I like to keep active, as it really helps keep me productive. Over the past 2 years, I’ve done a bit of everything - fencing, archery, hiking, and several other things.”

17) What do you think our company/organization could do better?

Well, this one’s interesting!

While not too common for most organizations, it’s a favorite amongst tech companies.

How come? Well, answering this question shows a couple of things…

That you’re really passionate about the organization, and have done your research
Are not afraid of giving feedback

Obviously, you should be very political about your feedback. You can’t just say that:

“Well, a lot of things really. I’m not enjoying this interview right here, for example.

And your product kinda sucks, no offense. But hey, there’s always room for improvement, am I right?”

Instead, you want to show off the research you’ve done. Talk about anything that might seem off about their product or business:

“I actually went through your resume builder before coming to the interview, and found several things that seemed kinda counter-intuitive.

Not to say that it’s too hard to understand, or something, but it took me a while to figure out some stuff.

If you want, I can open up my laptop and show you what I mean.”

How to Answer 3 Most Common Behavioral Questions in an Interview [w/ Possible Answers]

Finally, behavioral job interview questions are questions that focus on how you’ve performed in the past, or how you’d perform in a specific situation.

They’re used to understand your thinking patterns, and whether you can think on your feet.

Remember the STAR interview method we discussed all the way up? Well, it can be used to answer just about any behavioral interview questions.

To brush up your memory, the main idea behind the STAR method is that each answer should involve the following:

Here are 3 of the most common behavioral interview questions (with sample answers):

1) Give an example of how you have handled a challenge in the workplace before.

What the interviewers want to know in this case is how well you handle conflict and difficulties.

So, the answer here should be pretty straightforward. You should describe a challenge you faced at work, and explain how you solved it.

“During my last job as a Google Ads expert, one of the company clients had accidentally butchered their own ad account. I noticed this over the weekend and saw that they were basically wasting money on nothing.

I took the initiative and immediately got in touch with the client to let them know about the issue. Then, we set up an impromptu meeting on the same day, and fixed the account before any real damage could be done.”

“During my last job, I was managing the creative and web dev team in charge of creating an online store for a client. Two days before deploying, we found a major bug that messed up the whole front-end user experience.

Now, we could have pushed the deadline a bit, but that would have messed up the relationship with the client. The project was already postponed once because of unforeseen circumstances, so this one was a do or die.

I assembled a task force consisting of web developers from my team, as well as some software engineers from another department. We focused 100% of our time on fixing the issue, and actually managed to launch on time at the end.”

2) Give an example of when you performed well under pressure.

For any high-stress work environment, you’re guaranteed to get asked this question.

“I actually perform a lot better when under a lot of pressure. The sense of urgency and importance really motivates me to up my game and make sure everything works out right.

When I worked as a Financial Analyst at [MadeUpFinanceCompanyInc], most of the work was very high pressure. I had to go above and beyond the line of duty to make sure we met the tight deadlines set by our clients. This often meant working 12 hour work days, and sometimes, working over the weekend.”

“As a seasonal worker, my entire career is high-pressure, haha... My last position was as a line cook during the summer at the SomeRestaurant in JacksonHole, Wyoming.

Around 3 out of 4 of the months were super high stress - there was a LOT of work, and the restaurant was pretty much always full. Heck, I’ve even had to skip breaks just to make sure we wouldn’t be understaffed.”

3) Give an example of when you showed leadership qualities.

Applying for a leadership position? You’ll definitely get asked this behavioral interview question.

Keep in mind, though, that this question doesn’t necessarily mean that you should have held a managerial position.

What the interviewer is asking for is a situation when you took the initiative and led a project or an initiative.

“As an entry-level marketer, there was not much expected of me at SoftwareCompanyInc.. My main to-dos involved doing research, and completing whatever tasks were assigned to me.

During a content marketing brainstorming session, I came up with an awesome idea to market the company. The gist of it was, we’d interview company clients who were very successful at using the software, create case studies on what exactly they’re doing, and include it in our email marketing strategy.

The Chief Marketing Officer loved the idea and put me in charge of executing the project, which I did with flying colors.”

[BONUS] Job Interview Infographic

Now, it’s time for a quick recap! Check our our new infographic on some of the most common job interview questions (and how to answer them):

interview questions and answers info graphic

Additional Interview Preparation Tips

And we’re finally here!

If you managed to get to this point, you definitely deserve a high-five!

Now, before we wrap up the article, let’s go through a couple of essential tips on acing your interview…

Make sure you’re prepared to answer all the common job interview questions. Wherever you’re applying, you’ll likely be asked several of these questions.
Think of the answers you’ll give for the situational interview questions (whichever ones apply to you). I.e. gap in your work experience, why were you fired, etc.
Understand how to answer behavioral job interview questions. If you know how the STAR method works, this shouldn’t be difficult at all.
Follow basic interview etiquette. Make eye-contact with the interviewer, but polite, and so on.

And finally, good luck on the interview! You got this!

The Ultimate Guide on How to Prepare for a Job Interview

J ob interviews play a crucial role in the hiring process, as they provide an opportunity for employers to assess a candidate's qualifications, skills and cultural fit. It's a chance for job seekers to make a strong impression and showcase their suitability for the position. Interviews go beyond what is written on a resume, allowing employers to gauge an individual's communication skills, problem-solving abilities and professional demeanor.

In today's competitive job market , standing out from other candidates is essential. A well-executed interview can make a significant difference in securing the desired job offer. It is not just about answering questions; it's about presenting oneself as the ideal candidate, building rapport with the interviewer and demonstrating enthusiasm for the role and the company.

Related: How To Prepare For A Job Interview | Entrepreneur

How do hiring managers and recruiters contribute to the hiring process?

Hiring managers and recruiters play crucial roles in the hiring process. But what exactly do they do, and how can understanding their roles better prepare you for an interview?

Recruiters, often the first point of contact, look for potential candidates, match their skills and experiences with the job description and arrange the initial stages of the interview process.

Hiring managers, on the other hand, make the final call. They evaluate your interview answers, gauge your fit within the company culture and decide if you're the one who will receive the job offer.

Knowing the role these key players have can shape how you approach the interview. Recognizing the recruiter's role can help you tailor your cover letter and resume. Understanding the hiring manager's expectations can aid you in crafting specific examples during the interview to demonstrate you're the right person for the new job.

Related: Job Interview Preparation Checklist | Entrepreneur

How can researching the job and company enhance your interview performance?

The importance of researching the job and company before an interview cannot be overstated. A thorough understanding of the job description allows you to highlight how your work experience and certifications align with the job requirements. Furthermore, researching the company culture enables you to demonstrate how you would fit within the company.

LinkedIn is a valuable tool in this research process. It can provide insights into the company and potential interviewer and even offer networking opportunities with current employees who could share useful tips. The company's website is also a crucial resource that gives a more formal view of the company's mission, values and recent achievements.

Finally, checking the company's social media platforms offers a less formal view of the company and its culture. Observing how the company represents itself on social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter can provide a comprehensive picture of the company, preparing you to impress the potential employer with your detailed understanding during the interview.

Related: Job Seekers: Questions to Ask in an Interview | Entrepreneur

What are the different types of interviews and how do you prepare for them?

Job interviews come in many forms , and knowing what to expect can significantly impact your performance.

The three most common types of interviews are phone interviews, video interviews — typically conducted over platforms like Zoom — and in-person interviews.

Phone interviews

Phone interviews are often an initial screening tool used by recruiters. Preparation for this type of interview involves ensuring a quiet environment and having a copy of your resume at hand for reference. It's essential to listen carefully to the recruiter's questions and answer clearly, keeping in mind that without visual cues, your tone of voice carries extra weight.

Video interviews

Video interviews have become more prevalent in recent years, and they require unique preparation. Just like an in-person interview, dressing professionally is crucial — even if only the upper half of your outfit will be visible. Choosing a quiet, well-lit environment with a neutral background ensures that focus stays on you. Practicing with a family member can help iron out any technical issues and get you comfortable with talking to a camera.

In-person interviews

In-person interviews call for more traditional preparation. This involves planning your journey to the interview location, dressing appropriately and carrying multiple copies of your resume.

Remember, a firm handshake and maintaining eye contact make a positive first impression. Also, mock interviews with a family member can help reduce nerves and fine-tune your interview skills.

Related: Phone Interview Questions: What To Expect and How To Prepare | Entrepreneur

How can you master the art of answering interview questions?

Answering interview questions effectively is an art that you can master with practice and strategy. Most interviews involve common interview questions like, "Tell me about yourself," or "What are your strengths and weaknesses?" Preparing for these gives you a chance to showcase your qualifications and enthusiasm for the role.

Some interviews feature behavioral interview questions. These aim to understand how you've handled specific situations in the past under the premise that past behavior can predict future performance.

Using the STAR method — Situation, Task, Action and Result — can help structure your responses effectively. This approach involves describing a situation, the task you had to accomplish, the action you took and the result of your action.

It's vital to incorporate specific examples into your responses. This demonstrates to the hiring manager that you have real-world experience that translates into potential success in the new job. If you're a recent graduate with limited work experience, don't hesitate to use examples from internships, school or extracurricular activities.

Related: 15 Interview Questions You Should Be Prepared to Answer | Entrepreneur

What are the key aspects of presentation during an interview?

During an interview, your verbal communication is just as crucial as your non-verbal cues. Experts recommend maintaining positive body language — this includes maintaining eye contact, giving a firm handshake and using open postures. These non-verbal cues can project confidence and engagement.

Your interview outfit also plays a part in your presentation. Dressing professionally, irrespective of the company culture, shows respect and interest in the role. It's always better to be overdressed than underdressed.

Another aspect of the interview presentation is discussing salary expectations. This can be a tricky part of the interview process. It's generally best to research beforehand what similar roles in your location pay and be prepared with a range if asked.

Lastly, prepare a list of questions to ask at the end of the interview. This shows that you're genuinely interested in the job and engaged in the process. Questions could be about the company culture, the role or the next steps in the hiring process. Remember, an interview is a two-way street — it's as much about the company impressing you as you impressing the company.

Preparing for common interview questions is essential to boost your confidence and improve your interview performance. While specific questions may vary depending on the job and company, certain types of questions are commonly asked. These include questions about your work experience, skills, strengths and weaknesses, problem-solving abilities, teamwork and your fit for the role.

Related: 6 New Rules for Acing Your Job Interview | Entrepreneur

How can you stand out post-interview?

While the interview itself is crucial, your actions post-interview can set you apart from other job seekers. Sending a thank-you note to your interviewer is a great way to show your appreciation for their time. A brief, well-written email within 24 hours of the interview is usually adequate. This is also an opportunity to reiterate your interest in the role and the company.

In the thank-you note, reference a part of the interview conversation that stood out to you. This personal touch shows that you were attentive and engaged. Also, if there was something you wished you'd explained better during the interview, this could be a chance to clarify briefly.

After the interview, be sure to follow up professionally. If you were informed of the next steps in the interview process, be patient and wait for that period to pass before reaching out. If you weren't given a timeline, waiting for a week before sending a polite follow-up email is a good rule of thumb.

Lastly, regardless of the outcome, view each interview as a learning experience. If you're offered the job, great! If not, seek feedback where possible, refine your approach and remember, the goal is to find the right fit for you and the employer.

Related: 6 Reasons This Is the Perfect Thank-You Email to Send After a Job Interview | Entrepreneur

Landing your next job

In conclusion, navigating the job search and acing a job interview requires strategic preparation. By considering these interview tips, understanding the kind of interview you're facing and mastering your responses to common job interview questions, you're setting yourself up for success.

It's important to keep in mind that the next interview you face could be the one that lands you your dream job. Keep refining your interview prep strategy, pay attention to the feedback you receive and never stop learning. Remember, each interview is a stepping stone, bringing you closer to your ultimate career goals.

If you're interested in learning more about how to land your dream job, then check out some of t he other articles at Entrepreneur for more information.

The Ultimate Guide on How to Prepare for a Job Interview

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I've Been Offered Every Job I've Interviewed For. Here Are 5 Questions I Ask Interviewers. Career consultant Kendal Lindstrom says these five questions are the winning formula for landing the role.

By Tim Paradis • May 9, 2024

Key Takeaways

Kendal Lindstrom started a career-change consultancy after struggling to change jobs.
She shared her strategy for acing job interviews, which includes having five key questions ready.
They focus on areas such as company culture, team dynamics, and the employer's long-term plans.

This article originally appeared on Business Insider .

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kendal Lindstrom, 25, who lives in Scottsdale, Arizona. She runs a career-change consulting firm named Doux and works in tech. She recently posted a TikTok about five questions she has ready for a job interview. Lindstrom says she believes asking at least some of these questions is why she's always landed a role she interviewed for. The following has been edited for brevity and clarity.

I started Doux because I never liked to be put in a box in terms of my career. Coming out of college, I thought, "I just want to be known as the girl in fashion." I was so wrong. But I didn't know how to pivot into a new industry . It took me two years of connecting, trying, and failing. I found the framework of what Doux is now by failing.

After working in fashion, I got myself into medical sales. I then switched to tech because that's where my passions lie. It took me two years to go from fashion to medical sales. But from the day I decided I wanted to be a tech consultant, it only took me three weeks to get my offer letter.

The difference was I knew how to write my résumé. I knew how to become the candidate that they needed.

My formula is to map your résumé to the career you're going to, not the career you've been in. To get to my current job, I created a résumé that was unstoppable.

Usually, I tell my clients to reach out to the hiring manager. In this case, the hiring manager got to me within minutes of me submitting my résumé. The interview process was extensive, but, like I always tell my clients, it's about follow-ups.

I followed up three times because they had great candidates. But I needed to stay in front, and I needed to be the person they chose.

I had the drive

It's funny when I look back and talk to the executives who hired me. They're like: "You had no business being in tech. You had nothing on your résumé that told us that you would do a good job in this. But the way you presented yourself, it was a no-brainer to hire you because we knew you would get it." So, it's often more how you're presenting yourself in a professional realm rather than what you're saying to answer the questions.

I had drive, and that's what they were looking for. They were looking for someone young to grow with the company. If they wanted someone young, they weren't going to get all the experience in the software that they needed. But I was eager to learn, and however many hours outside work that took, I was willing to do it. I really drove home that it doesn't stop at 5 p.m. My job stops when my job is done.

Each day after work, I spent 30 minutes reading a training book my company had given me. Then, I tried to apply the knowledge for 30 minutes. The next day, I would get time on my boss's calendar and say: "This is what I learned yesterday. Tell me how you have seen this applied in scenarios with a client."

It took me about a year to really digest everything. It was tough, but it came down to whether I was willing to ask questions when I needed help rather than having too much pride and not asking anyone.

I've done a lot of interviews for my age because I kept my options open no matter where I was in my career. I've never wanted to be stagnant. So I have done upwards of 10 or 11 interviews, and I've never been told no because my goal was to make an employer feel like I had their best interests at heart and I wanted to be part of their company, which meant I needed to sell myself as a solution. And it's more about the questions you ask than the answers you get.

I have pretty thick skin

When I worked in medical sales — or even with some of the comments on my TikTok — so much was about my image. I was like, "What does my blonde hair have to do with the knowledge that I have?" Not that it ever hurt my feelings because I have pretty thick skin. In any industry, there will be people who would want to discredit someone's abilities because of how they look. But at the end of the day, I can use my brain to where people are like, "We need to listen to you."

@kendallindstrom it's more about the questions you ask than the answers you get. people want to talk about themselves. #interviewquestions #jobinterview #resume #careerchange #womeninbusines ♬ original sound - DOUX | CAREER CHANGE MGMT

Some of the comments on my TikTok have been so far off the mark. At the time of my interviews for my current job, I didn't have a website, and my social media wasn't publicly available. So, I got the job because of the things I said and the questions I asked, and not because of my appearance.

These are my five key questions:

What's the company culture like?

The first thing I tell people to ask is about company culture. That's a big one. It's such a make-it-or-break-it for enjoying your job. I wanted my audience to know that asking about it is so important because if you're miserable in your job, you're only setting yourself up to fail.

What's the lowdown on my predecessor?

The second one is, "What did the person who held this role before me do that was appreciated but not required based on the job description?" I suggest this one because I want my audience to put themselves in the role already. It's an assumptive selling tactic. I always say go into the interview and sell yourself.

I asked that question one time — "What are you going to miss most about this person?" — and the interviewer said, "Oh, they got Starbucks all the time." And I was like, "Great, I guess we'll be getting Starbucks for the office all the time."

What do my colleagues require?

The third question was, "How can I best suit the needs of my direct counterparts?" That came from wanting to understand — in the most professional way — the team you're walking into. It helps me understand and identify how I would fit into the team.

I've seen teams before where they just don't get along. But you don't know that until you sit down on the first day. And at that point, it's already too late. You're either leaving, or you've got to deal with this until you can figure out another job.

How successful is the team?

No. 4 is what the current state of the department is in reference to the bottom line. That has to do with asking about sales, of course, but I'm also asking: "Am I walking into a failing department? Are you expecting me to turn things around? Are you expecting me to just take the blame for something that's already failing? Or are you guys seeing numbers you've never seen before and need more people?" And, if so, "What did you do to see those numbers?"

What does the company's future look like?

My fifth question is my favorite. It's, "What's the company's three-year, five-year, and 10-year plan?" I love this one because I've never walked into a job and thought, "I'm only going to be here for one year," or "I'm only doing this to collect a paycheck." I always say, "Think like the CEO." I never want to go into a job and strive to just be an associate. That's just where you start.

All you really need — or maybe have time for — is one of these questions. So many people on my TikTok said, "That is too many questions. You're so high maintenance." I was like, "Just use one of them, and they'll be blown away." Because you're starting a whole other conversation that doesn't have to do with their questions for you. These are just concepts that I hope people can take with them as they go — little nuggets — to nail these interviews.

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How To Succeed in an Interview With Your Resume (With Tips)
3. Match the job description with your skills. Before sending your resume, it might help to analyze the required skills for the role and then prioritize the skills you have that match the employer's list. This process can also help you during the interview, as it may inspire the interviewer to ask about specific skills.
How To Make A Resume 101 (Examples Included)
Be concise. Be brief. Be clear. Be professional. The best way to determine how long your resume should be is to follow these simple rules: If you have less than 10 years of experience, are in the middle of a career change, or held multiple positions with one single employer, keep your resume to one page.
How to Make a Resume: Beginner's Writing Guide with Examples
Use a standard layout, whether you are writing your first resume or 50th. Use action words to make your resume stand out. Quantify your achievements to prove that you have what it takes to succeed in a new role. Tailor your new resume to each job. Double and triple-check for errors, typos, and grammar mistakes.
How to Write a Resume for a Job in 2024
3. List your name and contact information. To start writing your resume, create an eye-catching resume header that quickly highlights your contact information and job title. Your name should always be the largest element on your resume to make it stand out, so use a font size larger than 20 points.
How to Make a Resume in 2024: Writing Guide + Examples
Make it distinctive to highlight your name and contact information. Organize your resume sections in the following order: summary/objective, work experience, education, skills, and extras. Use bullet points for your entries under each section. Find resume icons for each section or skip them altogether. File format.
60 Resume Tips to Help You Land Interviews
Use exact matches when possible. Get too creative with design (i.e., fancy fonts, tables, formats). Submit your resume before spell-checking or having someone else review it. Meta Description: Write a knockout resume to land interviews for your dream job using these 60 resume tips!
How to Make a Resume in 2024
Create Resume. Choose a resume format carefully. In 99% of cases, we recommend the reverse-chronological format. Add the right contact details. Leave your headshot out and make sure to include your job title, a professional email address, and any relevant links.
How To Write A Résumé That Gets You An Interview
Here are three ways to make your résumé showcase your strengths and help you stand out. 1. Focus less on what you've done and more on what you want to highlight. Your résumé is all about ...
Prepare for your Job Interview Using Your Resume
Prepare answers for resume based interview questions. First of all, make sure you know your resume backwards. Familiarize yourself with every detail including job titles, dates, and responsibilities. If you get these details mixed up in the interview it will give the wrong impression. Secondly, the trick is to imagine you are the employer ...
30+ Best Tips on How to Prepare for a Job Interview
31. Get a good night's sleep. Don't underestimate the power of a good night of sleep—and likewise, don't underestimate how much a bad night's sleep can impact you. Sleep plays a key role in memory retention and attention span, so you want to clock at least seven to eight hours the night before a big interview.
16 Resumé Tips That Will Get You an Interview
9. Tell the truth. Okay, this one is a no-brainer application and interview tip in general, but enough people have lied or "stretched the truth" on their job applications to make it worth mentioning. Don't say you know someone at the company if you've never talked to them before.
How to Make the Perfect Resume (With Examples!)
5. Don't Forget Your Education. If you're still in school or just graduated, your education can go at the top of your resume, but for pretty much everyone else, this goes near the bottom. Most people include their school, graduation year (for folks less up to about a decade out of school), major, and degree.
10 Interview Tips to Help You Land a Job
Shake your interviewer's hand firmly to show you're a professional applicant. Keep your posture upright but relaxed while sitting so you look comfortable and confident. Make eye contact with the interviewer and smile or nod when it's appropriate. Be polite and keep your tone professional as you're speaking.
How To Make A Resume (With Free Template)
Choose 1.0 or 1.5 inch line spacing. Set margins to 1 inch on all sides. Save your résumé as a PDF or Docx, using your full name and sometimes the job title as the file name. Adhere to the ...
Ultimate Job Interview Guide for 2024
This job interview guide will provide the advice and examples you need to maximize your chances of job interview success. From researching the company and its culture to preparing answers to common questions and compiling a list of questions to ask, you'll find all the information you need to make a great impression and land the job. We'll ...
How to Present a Resume in an Interview: 10 Steps (with Pictures)
Bring your portfolio as assembled to use in your interview as a reference. [6] If your portfolio doesn't have a card-holder slot, simply bring your business card with you and give it to the people interviewing you if the opportunity arises. 6. Bring multiple copies of your resume and cover letter.
How to Write a Resume for a Job: See a Good Sample & Guide
List your jobs, starting with the most recent or current one. Add your job title (preferably in bold to make it stand out), the name of the company and its location, and the dates (month and year) for each entry. Write up to six bullet points describing what you accomplished in each role.
How To Write A Resume In 7 Steps (With Examples)
It doesn't matter if you have the best resume in the world if the hiring manager can't contact you. Every single resume should include the following contact information: Your full name. First and last. Your phone number. Use a personal phone number, and make sure your voicemail is set up properly. Your email address.
10 Common Job Interview Questions and How to Answer Them
Vicky Oliver is a leading career development expert and the multi-best-selling author of five books, including 301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions, named in the top 10 list of "Best ...
35+ Job Interview Questions and Answers for 2024 [Full List]
Improve a metric, setup a process, etc. Possible answers: Sample Answer 1: Well, as a start, I have all the skills and work experience required for the job. I've worked as a Sales Manager for 5+ years, and over the past 2, I've closed several deals totalling in 6-figures.
Online Resume Builder: Quick, Easy & Free
Create a resume for free, easily. Pick a template, use built-in content, and download with one click. Tools. Resume Builder Create a resume in 5 minutes. Get the job you want. ... Job Interviews Prepare for any interview and ace it. Career Advice Improve your career with expert tips and strategies.
The Ultimate Guide on How to Prepare for a Job Interview
Preparation for this type of interview involves ensuring a quiet environment and having a copy of your resume at hand for reference. It's essential to listen carefully to the recruiter's questions ...
Five Questions to Ask in a Job Interview to Land the Role
The first thing I tell people to ask is about company culture. That's a big one. It's such a make-it-or-break-it for enjoying your job. I wanted my audience to know that asking about it is so ...
What Are the Best Questions to Ask in a Job Interview?
The first thing I tell people to ask is about company culture. That's a big one. It's such a make-it-or-break-it for enjoying your job. I wanted my audience to know that asking about it is so ...
How to Write a CV (Curriculum Vitae) for a Job in 2024
Decide on a CV format and style. Before you start writing your CV, you need to format it properly. Open a new document in Microsoft Word or Google Docs and use the following settings: Set ½ - 1" margins on each side. Use a font size between 10 and 12 points. Select a professional font such as Times New Roman or Arial.
Ex-NVIDIA recruiter's best resume advice: Create a 'Rolodex of ...
She suggests having one of two documents handy at all times: either a continuous list that you can add or refer to at any time or an ongoing resume in which you add bullets under the job title ...

How To Make A Resume 101 (Examples Included)

By Mike Simpson

What Is a Resume?

Why Do I Need a Resume?

Section 1 – How To Make a Resume (or Proper Resume Format)

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)

Resume Fonts

Mike's Tip:

Resume Categories

Types of Resumes (And 3 Resume Samples)

Chronological Resume

Functional Resume

Combination Resume

So How Long Should A Resume Be?

Section 2 – How To Write a Resume

Tailoring Your Resume

Action Verbs and Power Words

Here Are Our Top 10 Resume Tips

1) Tailored

2) Aesthetically Pleasing

3) Complete

4) Accurate

7) Relevant

8) Professional

10) It Is YOURS

11) BONUS TIP – Your Resume Contains A Link To Your Personal Website

What Not To Put On Your Resume

Resume Templates

Putting It All Together

FREE : "Perfect Resume" PDF Checklist

CLICK HERE TO GET THE "PERFECT RESUME" CHECKLIST

About The Author

How to Make a Resume: Beginner's Writing Guide with Examples

The purpose of a resume

What is your career target?

A major resume no-no: typos

Avoid rejection by the ATS

Chronological resume

Functional resume

Combination resume

Curriculum Vitae

Layout

Title

Current contact information

Tips for building your Core Competencies section:

10-15 Years

Achievements

How to make your professional experience section: The formula

How long does it take to make a resume?

How to make your resume seem more professional

Theory in practice – 10 resume examples

1. Software Engineer resume example

2. Data Scientist resume example

3. Cybersecurity resume example

4. Digital Marketing Manager resume example

5. Nurse Practitioner resume example

6. Finance Director resume example

7. Attorney resume example

8. Administrative Office Assistant resume example

9. Information Technology Expert resume example

10. Chief Executive Officer resume example

Recommended reading:

Related Articles:

Career Advice Newsletter

Prepare for your Job Interview Using Your Resume

Research the company

Prepare answers for resume based interview questions

Analyze the job and match your skills

Practice the job interview using your resume

Related Posts

16 Resumé Tips That Will Get You an Interview

1. Keep it one page.

2. Link to online portfolios.

3. Make sure your contact info is professional.

4. Include relevant social media accounts.

5. Skip the bio.

6. Evaluate whether you need a photo.

7. Keep the job listing in mind.

8. Tweak your resumé for each role.

9. Tell the truth.