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Resume Examples for 2024 & Guides for Any Job [90+ Examples]

In today’s competitive job market, having an impactful resume is more essential than ever. 

However, many job seekers struggle to craft a resume that effectively highlights their skills and experience and, in turn, misses out on potential job opportunities. 

This is where our extensive library of resume examples comes in. 

By looking at examples of resumes for different industries and professions, you can gain great insight into what works and what doesn’t, get inspired to present your own qualifications, and stand out from the competition.

Let’s dive in!

15+ Resume Examples

#1. architect resume example.

Here’s what this architect resume example does right:

• Lists related experience. This resume highlights the relevant professional experience the candidate gained in the field during their internship.
• Mentions achievements and responsibilities. The candidate backs up their claims by going into detail about their achievements and responsibilities. 
• Focus on personal projects. By dedicating a section to their personal projects, this candidate makes up for their lack of work experience and shows off their dedication to the industry. 

#2. Business Resume Example

Here’s what this business-related resume example does right:

• Prioritizes work experience. The work experience section is arguably the most important section in every resume, which is why this candidate has given it a priority by giving it enough resume space and going into detail about their previous positions. 
• Highlights accomplishments. To make their professional experience even more impactful, this candidate has supported all their claims with quantifiable achievements. 
• Lists the right optional sections . The candidate adds more value to their resume by including the organizations, honors, and conferences as optional sections.

#3. Computer Science Resume Example

Here’s what this computer science resume does right: 

• Prioritizes technical skills. Technical skills are essential when it comes to IT-related roles, which is why this candidate has prioritized them over soft skills.
• Keeps the education section concise. With such extensive professional experience in the field, the candidate has opted to keep their education section short. 
• Lists relevant social media profiles. Listing websites like GitHub and LinkedIn is a great way to provide recruiters with additional information about your skills. 

#4. Data Analyst Resume Example

Here’s what this data analyst resume does right: 

• Includes a strong resume summary . This candidate showcases their key skills and qualifications from the get-go, which is much more likely to get recruiters to read their resumes from start to finish. 
• Highlights technical skills. Data analysts work with “big data,” so this candidate prioritizes their quantitative and technical skills over other resume sections. 
• Lists relevant professional certifications . The resume lists the candidate’s most noteworthy professional certificates. 

#5. College Resume Example

Here’s what this college resume example does right: 

• Lists relevant social media profiles. By including their Medium and LinkedIn accounts, this candidate gives the hiring manager a chance to know them more professionally. 
• Highlights achievements . Although they lack work experience, the candidate has listed everything they’ve achieved during their academic career, thus showing they’re a promising candidate. 
• Mentions the right optional sections. Adding hobbies and interests and foreign languages to a resume is a huge plus for a candidate with no work experience.

#6. Customer Service Resume Example

Here’s what this customer service resume does right: 

• Includes both soft and hard skills . Customer service roles require a mix of soft and hard skills, so this candidate has listed both. 
• Mentions quantifiable achievements. To make their achievements more impressive, the candidate has backed up their work achievements with data and numbers. 
• Lists foreign language skills. Foreign languages are a huge plus when you’re working in customer service and this resume does a good job highlighting the candidate’s foreign language skills. 

#7. Digital Marketing Resume Example

Here’s what this digital marketing resume does right: 

• Follows the reverse chronological format . This format is the most popular one worldwide and is easily the safest choice.
• Grabs attention with a resume summary. In a single glance, the recruiter can tell that the candidate is a digital marketing professional with the right amount of experience.
• Lists relevant skills. The digital marketing specialist resume above lists in-demand marketing skills like Google Ads, SEO, and others.

#8. Graduate Resume Example

Here’s what this graduate resume example does right:

• Starts off with a well-written resume objective . The resume objective does a great job of showing off the candidate’s promise and industry-related experience. 
• Includes work experience. The candidate has gained professional experience while they were a student and they’ve made sure to include that in their resume. 
• Takes advantage of optional sections. Sections like volunteer experience, and personal projects and achievements can help make up for the lack of extensive experience in the industry. 

#9. HR Resume Example

Here’s what this human resources resume example does right: 

• Follows the right format. The reverse chronological format lists the candidate’s latest experience and achievements first, which is exactly what recruiters want to see. 
• Highlights professional experience. With so many years in the industry, this candidate has dedicated the biggest part of their resume to their work history. 
• Includes courses and certificates. To make their achievements even more impressive, the candidate has included all their courses and certifications. 

#10. Medical Assistant Resume Example

Here’s what this medical assistant resume example does right: 

• Starts off with a memorable resume summary. The candidate lists their years of experience, skills, and passion for the industry, making it more likely for the hiring manager to read the rest of their resume. 
• Lists the candidate’s certificates. There are many certifications one can obtain in the medical field, and this candidate proves how professional they are by listing theirs. 
• Highlights the candidate’s extensive work experience. Experience speaks louder than a thousand words, which is why this resume example provides the work experience section its due space. 

#11. Project Manager Resume Example

Here’s what this project manager resume example does right: 

• Uses bullet points. The candidate uses bullet points to organize and present the information which makes this project manager resume example look neat and structured.
• Keeps their education section relevant. The candidate only includes their key education details, such as their Bachelor’s degree and a field-related minor.
• Takes advantage of additional sections. The candidate takes advantage of the extra space on their project manager resume by including relevant additional sections, such as their industry-related certifications and academic achievements

#12. Bar Manager Resume Example

Here’s what this bar manager resume example does right:

• Includes relevant social media profiles. Details such as your LinkedIn profile or Instagram handle make you look more professional (as long as they’re work-related). 
• Mentions industry-related skills. Instead of listing a bunch of unrelated skills, the bar manager resume example above only lists industry-relevant skills.
• Quantifiable achievements. This applicant quantifies their achievements as much as possible, showing the bar owner how they stand out amongst other candidates.

#13. Supervisor Resume Example

Here’s what this supervisor resume example does right: 

• Lists relevant contact details . The supervisor resume example above leaves out redundancies like marital status or age and includes relevant information, like a LinkedIn URL. 
• Features as many accomplishments as possible. To really highlight their candidate’s professional experience, the supervisor example lists achievements over responsibilities. 
• Lists the right kind of skills. This supervisor's resume example doesn’t list every skill under the sun. Instead, they keep the section relevant by only listing skills required from a supervisor. 

#14. Teacher Resume Example

Here’s what this teacher resume example does right:

• Mentions industry-relevant skills. The candidate lists all the soft and hard skills a teacher should have. 
• Includes hobbies and interests . By including hobbies and interests, the hiring manager will see the candidate as more than just a resume. 
• Lists volunteer experience. The candidate reinforces their teaching experience by including their teaching volunteer gigs and experience. 

#15. Writer Resume Example

Here’s just what this writer resume example does right: 

• Impressive resume summary. The resume includes a brief but effective resume summary that highlights the candidate’s skills and top achievements.
• Relevant contact details. This writer resume example contains relevant contact information, including the candidate’s name and surname, email address, phone number, location, professional website URL, and LinkedIn URL. 
• Short education section. A writer’s skills and experience matter more than their education. For this reason, this candidate kept their writer resume’s education section short and sweet. 

#16. Web Developer Resume Example

Here’s what this web developer resume example does right: 

• Focuses on technical skills. Technical skills are essential for web development, which is why this candidate has prioritized theirs.
• Grabs attention with their work experience. Their rich work experience, listed in reverse chronological order, shows the candidate is a promising professional.
• Keeps their education section minimal. With such extensive work experience and training, the candidate has kept their education section concise.

65+ More Resume Examples and Guides 

Couldn’t find a resume example for your field? Worry not!

Below you can find a number of other resume examples for different fields and industries:

• Accountant Resume
• Administrative Assistant Resume
• AI Engineer Resume
• Animator Resume
• Babysitter Resume
• Banking Resume
• Bank Teller Resume
• Barbie's Resume
• Barista Resume
• Bartender Resume
• Bookkeeper Resume
• Business Analyst Resume
• Career Change Resume
• Caregiver Resume
• Cashier Resume
• College Application Resume
• College Freshman Resume
• Consultant Resume
• Construction Project Manager
• Creative Resume Examples
• Data Entry Specialist Resume
• Data Scientist Resume
• Dentist Resume
• DevOps Engineer Resume
• Digital Marketing Manager Resume
• Editor Resume
• Electrical Engineer Resume
• Elon Musk's One-Page Resume
• Engineering Resume
• Esthetician Resume
• Europass CV
• Event Planner Resume
• Executive Assistant Resume
• Federal Resume
• Financial Analyst Resume
• Flight Attendant Resume
• Game Designer Resume 
• Graphic Designer Resume
• High School Resume
• Illustrator Resume 
• Interior Designer Resume
• Internship Resume
• Java Developer Resume
• Military to Civilian Resume
• Marketing Executive Resume
• Minimalistic Resume Examples
• Nanny Resume Example
• Nurse Resume
• Office Assistant Resume
• Office Manager Resume
• Operations Manager Resume
• Paralegal Resume
• Pharmacist Resume
• Photographer Resume
• Program Manager Resume
• Real Estate Agent Resume
• Receptionist Resume
• Recruiter Resume
• Research Assistant Resume
• Restaurant Manager Resume
• Retail Manager Resume
• Richard Branson's One-Page Resume
• Sales Resume
• Sales Associate Resume
• Satya Nadella's One-Page Resume
• Server Resume
• Social Worker Resume
• Software Engineer Resume
• Stay-at-home Mom Resume
• Student Resume
• Student Resume Templates
• Taylor Swift Resume
• Video Editor Resume
• Volunteer Resume
• Waiter/Waitress Resume
• Warehouse Worker Resume
• Web Developer Resume
• Welder Resume

5+ Examples of Resume Templates

Your resume template can play an important role in helping you make a great first impression on the hiring manager. 

Specifically, your industry, work experience, or skills all impact how your resume should look, so make sure to choose the right template when making your resume: 

#1. Traditional Resume

A straightforward format that gives equal importance to all resume sections , emphasizing skills and work experience.

#2. Creative Resume

Land your dream job in the creative industry by using this creative resume template. 

#3. Minimalist Resume

A simple and easy-to-follow resume template. Perfect for more conservative industries which prefer less flashy templates.

#4. Basic Resume

This easy-to-personalize basic resume layout can be ready in under ten minutes through our resume builder .

#5. IT Resume

One of the best resume layouts to choose when you wish to showcase your IT expertise.

#6. Modern Resume 

It can be hard to stand out from the crowd, but this modern resume sample will take care of this.

#7. General Resume

5+ Resume Examples by Career Level

#1. no experience resume .

Are you a student with no experience ? Learn how to write a compelling resume with our guide! 

#2. College Freshman Resume

Learn how to ace your college freshman resume with our comprehensive guide! 

#3. Graduate Resume

Fresh out of college? Write an impactful graduate resume to land your first gig after college. 

#4. Career Change Resume

Going through a career change? Perfect your career change resume to make the transition as smooth as possible. 

#5. Manager Resume

#6. Executive Resume

The Perfect Resume Structure 

Not sure how to structure your resume?

Here’s our tried-and-tested resume layout :

• Choose the right resume format or pick a template. If you’re formatting your resume yourself, follow the reverse-chronological format and make sure to follow the right layout rules. Alternatively, you can use one of our premade resume templates and not have to worry about formatting your resume one bit. 
• Add relevant contact details and make sure they’re mistake-free. You shouldn’t be missing information such as your full name and job title, e-mail address, and where you’re based. Optionally, you can also include some relevant social media profiles, such as your LinkedIn.
• Include a resume summary or a resume objective. Done right, a resume summary will show the hiring manager you’re a relevant candidate from the get-go and have them read the rest of your resume.
• List your work experience, placing special focus on your achievements. Your work experience becomes more meaningful if you include your achievements in your past roles and manage to make them quantifiable.
• Mention your top soft and hard skills. List any skills you have that are relevant to the job you’re applying for in a seperate section. 
• Keep your education section short and concise. Unless you’re an entry-level candidate with little-to-no work experience, keep your education section short and to the point. 
• Leverage optional sections like “Languages,” “Certifications,” or “Hobbies and Interests.” Fill up the rest of your resume space with optional sections that can highlight your strengths and qualifications as a candidate (e.g. foreign languages you speak, certifications you’ve obtained over the years, or your hobbies and interests).

3 Examples of Resume Formats 

#1. reverse chronological resume format.

This resume format highlights your experience and key professional achievements by listing your latest position and acquired skills first. It’s the most popular resume format among recruiters and the one we advise job seekers to use in 99% of cases. 

#2. Functional Resume Format

A functional resume , also known as the skill-based resume, is a resume format that focuses on your professional skill test as opposed to work experience. You’re better off using a functional resume if you’re a recent graduate with no work experience, if you’re switching careers, or if you have a long employment gap . 

#3. Hybrid Resume Format

A combination resume combines the two traditional resume formats: the reverse-chronological resume and the functional resume.

As such, this format places emphasis on a candidate’s skills and work experience. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Resume Examples

1. Are resume examples helpful?

Resume examples are helpful for several reasons. For starters, they can inspire you to write an A+ resume that meets the industry’s requirements. 

Also, resume examples can show you the best practices for listing your work experience and achievements, can guide you through your resume formatting and can help you understand exactly what the end result should look like.

2. How were these resume examples created?

All our resume examples and resume templates were created in full collaboration with industry-leading HR professionals.

This means that they meet all job market requirements, are modern and impactful, and meet recruiters’ standards worldwide.

3. What if I can’t find a resume example for my job?

While we’ve tried to list as many resume examples as possible for different jobs across several industries, it might happen that you can’t find the resume example that perfectly matches your needs. 

If that’s the case, you can check out our guide on how to write a resume , and learn to create an effective resume regardless of industry.

4. What is the best resume format in 2024?

The reverse-chronological format is still the best resume format in 2024. It remains the most widely used and preferred format by employers and recruiters alike. In this format, you list your work experience in reverse chronological format, starting with your most recent position and working backward.

This format showcases our most recent and relevant experience, making it easier for employers to see our career progression and accomplishments. 

5. Are these resume examples free? 

Yes, most of these resume examples can be used for free in the Basic account, while there is also a selection of templates included in the Premium account. All of them though can be tested for free in our editor. 

6. Do you also have cover letter examples?

Yes, we have an entire article dedicated to cover letter examples for different fields and jobs. Not just that, but you can also find tips on how to write a great cover letter and an FAQ section to answer any question you may have. 

7. Should my resume and cover letter match?

Yes, having a cover letter that’s consistent with your resume in terms of style, tone, and content can be a plus for your overall job application. In a nutshell, a matching resume and cover letter can increase your chances of getting an interview by demonstrating your professionalism, attention to detail, and suitability for the role. 

Conclusion 

And that’s a wrap!

We hope the examples and guides provided in this article can help you create a powerful and effective resume that highlights your unique qualifications and experiences. 

Whether you're a recent graduate, a mid-career employee, or a seasoned professional, there are tips and templates here to help you create a compelling resume for any job.

For more career advice, make sure to check out our career blog . 

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Free Resume Examples by Profession

Get Done with Resume Writing Faster!

Use Our Strategic Advice and Winning Resume Samples to Craft a Stellar Job Application in No Time 

• Resume format and layout guidance
• Tips for making your application stand out
• Best advice on turning a "meh" resume into a "wow"!

Popular Resume Samples

Resume for Freshers

Engineering Resume

Manager Resume

( Full list of resume examples ⇓ )

You know that writing a resume isn’t easy.

You have already made several attempts and still don’t feel fully satisfied with the results. But is it really that difficult to get a pack of job application done?

Yes, and no.

Clearly, you are feeling pressure as a lot is at stake. You have just one page to summarize all your accomplishments, work history and credentials. Or, on the contrary, you feel that you don’t have much to offer yet as a recent graduate or entry-level candidate.

But there’s also a no . Writing a resume can be simple when you have great examples at hand. And that’s what you’ll discover here.

Resume Examples to Browse by Jobs!

If you are still stuck and overwhelmed with writing your document, here’s your shortcut to cracking out your resume in no time. All of these samples created by our pro team come with a set of bonus resume design tips, job hunting advice and guidance on formatting and wording.

Below you’ll find the best resume examples with additional step-by-step instructions. We have included examples for different niches, experience levels and resume styles.

Entry Level Resume Examples

Secure the first job with confidence! Use our tips to craft a compelling resume even if you don’t have tons of industry experience.

No College Degree

Unfinished Degree

College Student

Stay at Home Mom

Combination

Medical Resume Examples

Make a mark with a one-page resume with our tips for organizing, formatting, and optimizing all the key information.

Medical Assistant

Dental Assistant

Medical Biller

Dental Hygienist

Physical Therapist

Phlebotomist

Occupational Therapist

Psychologist

Management & Executives Resume Examples

Learn how to organize your long track of competencies and main accomplishments with our resume samples.

Project Coordinator

IT Services Resume Examples

Break the code of resume writing by using our detailed IT resume examples and bonus tips!

Project Manager

Web Developer

Data Analyst

Java Developer

Product Manager

DevOps Engineer

Network Administrator

Cyber Security

UI Developer

Education & Academia Resume Examples

Make sure that your resume passes a pensive cursory scan and a thorough review from a potential employer in the education sector.

Undergraduate Research Assistant

School Counselor

Sales & Retail Resume Examples

You won’t sell yourself short to an employer with strategic resume writing tips from our team!

Assistant Property Manager

Marketing & Creative Resume Examples

Feeling blocked when it comes to resume writing? That happens with the best creative minds. Get re-inspired with our resume examples.

Graphic Designer

Data Science

Digital Marketing

Video Editor

Program Manager

Professional Services Resume Examples

Working in the service industry? Show that you are an excellent asset to have for any business owner.

Public Relations

Hair Stylist

Peace Corps

General Laborer

Interpreter

Truck Driver

Personal Trainer

Esthetician

Hospitality & Customer Service Resume Examples

Extend a warm first impression and make your people skills shine through with our resume writing tips & examples.

Hospitality

Call Center

Customer Service

Administrative Resume Examples

Don’t settle for an average resume! Craft a professional and persuasive job application with our tips & samples.

Receptionist

Administrative Assistant

Human Resources

Business Analyst

Engineering Resume Examples

Don’t fret over resume writing. Grab an engineering resume example and use our quick tips to customize it.

Engineering

Mechanical Engineer

Civil Engineer

Finance Resume Examples

Increase your odds of getting an interview callback by using our market-tested resume examples.

Investment Banking

Chief Financial Officer

Personal Banker

Financial Analyst

Essential Resume Writing Tips

When organized correctly, words can press all the right buttons and motivate action. That is persuading a hiring manager to call you in for a job interview .  

So are you ready to improve your resume, and by that, we mean raising the roof on the results you are getting out of every job application you dispatch? Let’s make this happen.

Tailor your resume to each position and company to which you’re applying by highlighting the skills and experience you have that match the desired skill set. Be sure to showcase achievements and accolades you may have received in previous jobs and how those can transfer over to the desired position.

Certified Senior HR Consultant Arizona, United States

Step 1: Decide on the optimal resume format .

Resumes and CVs come in different shapes:

–  The chronological resume format – the classy one. Lay out all your information in reverse chronological order. Best suited for anyone with a coherent, long-ish career history.

– The functional resume format – drop the timeline and place your skills and experience in the limelight. Best suited for recent graduates , students, interns and anyone changing fields or having employment gaps .

– The combination resume format is a mix of the previous two. It lays out the skills themes, complemented by career/education information. Best suited for startup job applicants, and experienced professionals with transferable skills who want to change industries.

The majority of resume samples we provide use chronological resume format as it’s always a “safe” choice.

Step 2: Get Your Contact Info Sorted Out.

Here are a few tips to nail your contact information on a resume.

– List your first, then the last name. You can drop the middle name if you want to.

– Get a professional email and list it.

– Add a personal or business cell phone number.  

– Add a link to your LinkedIn profile, but only if it’s glossed up and up-to-date.

The don’ts:

– Drop the mailing address. It’s necessary in today’s connected world.

– Don’t add a home landline number.

– Unless you are applying to a job in another state/country, don’t include your personal address.

– Add a title –  if you are applying to a more hip company, add a brief title or personal branding statement next to your name. Example: Joanna Eliason – Social Media Manager; Columnist at Forbes, INC and HBR.

– Add social media links – Twitter is fine if you are active there, as well as account links to niche professional communities such as GitHub (for software developers) or Dribble (for designers).

– Link to your website, blog or portfolio. Only makes sense if you are writing professionally and/or have some work to showcase there. If you run a hobbyist blog, about gardening and applying for a managerial position, your employer doesn’t need to know this.

Step 3: Craft a resume objective or professional summary.

On top of your resume, include a quick paragraph explaining who you are and what you can offer to the organization. Writing resume objectives and summaries are a bit of an art, so check our more detailed guide on this.

Step 4: Jot down your work experience section.

This will be the “meat” of your resume. Make sure that you spend enough time laying out the best bits here. Here are the essential resume writing tips for the work experience section:

– List achievements, instead of duties and responsibilities for each position.

– Add some bragging rights and accomplishments (backed with numbers when possible)

– Tailor your resume to every job posting and add relevant resume keywords taken from job descriptions.

– Spice it up with some resume power words .

Need more help? Hop to our ultimate guide to writing a resume .

When writing a resume, utilize metrics and supporting data whenever possible to show hiring managers not simply WHAT you have done but instead HOW WELL you have done it. Providing high-impact context to experience conveys immediate value to the employer.

Career Consultant, CPCC, CPRW Colorado, United States

Step 5: Showcase your educational background.

Present what you have learned at school, what degrees, certifications and coursework you have completed and how all of this makes you a better candidate than others!

Step 6: Sprinkle the skills.

Again, refer to the job posting to make a list of desirable skills . Next, add those strategically in your resume and highlight the most important ones in a separate section. Be sure to curate both soft and hard skills .

And you are almost done! If you have some space left, you can also include an extra section on your resume that will mention your hobbies, volunteer work , industry awards and accolades.  

Common Mistakes To Avoid When Writing a Resume (and Using Resume Samples)

Resume samples are a great way to get some direction for your job application. But, by no means, you should blindly copy-and-paste an example without giving it many thoughts.

Do “copy” the overall resume format and style, and feel free to pick out some phrases you like. But don’t submit a recycled resume to every job application in your industry.

The biggest resume mistake job seekers make is forgetting to customize.

And to make your resume bullet-proof here’s an additional checklist highlighting the most common resume writing mistakes:

1. Typos and grammatical errors . No one likes sloppiness. Always double proofread your resume.  

2. Getting too lengthy. Try to keep your resume to one page. Two pages are fine for experienced pros going after exec positions. Do not include outdated information from ages ago.

3. Going superfluous. Don’t make claims you cannot bake with data/examples. Also, don’t inflate your title to appear “more important” or “experienced”.

4. A poor resume summary can kill your application immediately . Writing a resume objective which doesn’t match the job or a career summary that doesn’t match the job requirements are major blunders.

5. No action verbs . Be bold and decisive! Use power words, action verbs and active voice.

6. Visually busy resumes will not get read . Get a professional resume template that is easy-to-read and skim.

7. Incorrect contact information. Re-check your phone number and email!

8. Listing irrelevant, generalistic duties. You must show your accomplishment, and key skills that are related to the job, not some general filler statement that no one will read into.

Psst... Maybe You Also Need a Resume Template to Wrap Your Texts?

It’s so much easier to write a resume when you have a sample in front of you…plus a professional resume template where you just fill in the gaps. Save yourself heaps of time by using a premade template instead of struggling with a layout in Word.

Check out some of the best (free!) resume templates created by our team.

• Resume Tips

Best Resume Formats for Successful Job Applications (with Examples)

18 min read

An eye-catching, informative resume has the unique power to change the entire trajectory of your career — for the better. Whether you’re looking to change jobs, step things up a gear, or take the next step on the ladder, the first step is nailing your next application. 

Ahead of working on your resume, you have a crucial decision to make: Which format should you use? It may come as a surprise to learn that there is more than one option in the mix. As you will see in the following guide, there are three solid approaches you may want to take. 

If you want to knock the hiring manager’s socks off, you’ve come to the right place. In the following guide, we will take a look at the best resume formats, when to use each of them, and how you can get started. Plus, we have some resume format samples for inspiration. 

Resume formats, explained 

Before we take a look at the most popular resume formats, let’s deal with the first hurdle. What exactly is a resume format? 

In the simplest of terms, this is the structure that you use when laying out your resume. It is where each section goes on the page. It dictates which sections take priority over the others, depending on what aspects of your career history you want to showcase.

While most people are familiar with the chronological — or reverse chronological — resume format, there are two alternatives that you may not have considered. In the following guide, we will be delving into each of these formats and explaining when you should use them.  

The 3 basic resume format styles 

Now that you understand what a resume format is, let’s break the options down for you. The three main types of resume format that you may use are as follows: 

Chronological resume format (or reverse chronological)

Functional resume format

Combination resume format (or hybrid format)

The above formats differ slightly from one another and each works in a specific scenario. When deciding which resume format to use, it’s important to consider a) the job you are trying to land, and b) the experience you have in that particular field. 

Of course, it’s also worth noting that there may be times when you create different versions of your current resume. Depending on the specific job at play, it may be smarter to go with a functional resume format, for example. 

As you read through this comprehensive guide, you will learn when it is best to use each resume format for an upcoming application. 

Chronological resume format 

Chances are, you’ve written a chronological resume before now. Most people have as this is the standard resume format that they teach you how to write in school. It includes all of the basic information about your career history in a clear, easy-to-read layout. 

The name “chronological resume” is something of a misnomer. For this structure, you actually lay out your experience and education in reverse chronological order. That means that you start with your most recent accolades, and then work your way back in time. 

Confused about how to get started? You don’t need to be. To create a chronological resume format, you simply need to know which elements to include (and what order to put them in). Luckily, we have you covered. Let’s take a look at what this resume format includes: 

Resume header 

Summary section

Work experience section

Education section

Skills section 

Optional sections (e.g. voluntary experience)

The above sections make up this resume format, giving you the space to concisely show off your education and experience so far. 

Want to  bolster your existing expertise? You can add optional sections. For example, if you have undertaken unpaid work that aligns with the job, add a “voluntary experience” section.

Resume format sample: 

When to use this resume format 

Think that this resume format is right for you? Most of the time, this is the best resume format for those on a traditional career path. If you have always stayed in the same lane, this approach allows you to highlight your wealth of experience in the industry perfectly. 

So, if you work in marketing, have always worked in marketing, and plan to continue doing so, this is the best resume format for you. The reason is clear. 

A chronological resume format places your work experience front and center. This section takes up the most room on the page and is the star of the show. Yes, it’s all about what you’ve done and where. 

Of course, that doesn't mean that this resume format neglects your other attributes. Your education and skills are also displayed on the page too. 

When the hiring manager glances at your resume, they will quickly be able to determine what your most recent experience is. They can also see what top talents you have and the certificates you have aquireded. 

Since this is often the resume format that hiring managers expect to see, it is the safest option. However—as we will cover in the rest of this guide—there are times when other resume formats suit you better. While it may be tempting to default to this format, take the time to consider the other options before choosing the right one for your next application. 

Tips for writing a chronological resume format

If you’re certain that a chronological resume format is right for you, it’s time to get working on yours. You can use the resume format sample above for inspiration when it comes to laying out your document. Here are some additional tips that will help you get it right from the start: 

1. Make your resume summary shine 

First things first, you need to write your resume summary. This is a short blurb that sits directly below your header and tells the hiring manager what you bring to the table. If you want to write a winning summary, it should include the following elements: 

Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

Between three and five key skills that align with the role 

One measurable accomplishment from your experience 

The language you use here matters. As the only freeform part of your resume, your summary is your chance to show some enthusiasm. With that in mind, picking the right words for this part of your application could make all of the difference. 

2. Show off your workplace accomplishments 

As we have already covered, your work experience is the main event in a chronological resume. However, you need to make sure that you make the most of this section. The secret to getting that right is focusing on your accomplishments rather than just your duties. 

When you are including a position, start with the basics: the company name, its location, your dates of employment, and your title. Beneath that, use bullet points to add the details. 

One of the biggest mistakes that people make here is including a standard list of their tasks and duties. That tells the hiring manager what you had to do on a daily basis, but not what you accomplished. Switch the narrative and talk about your biggest achievements instead. 

3. Include the right keywords for the job 

Before writing any type of application, it pays to do some keyword research. That’s because many employers now use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to scan incoming resumes. 

The software checks each resume to see how well it fits the criteria of the vacancy. Only the applications that best fit the role will make it into the hiring manager’s inbox. If you want to make sure that your resume gets past the ATS , including the right keywords is essential. 

To get an idea of which words and phrases to use, go back to the original job posting. Pick out any words that apply directly to the job or industry. Sprinkling these throughout the body of your resume may mean that your application is more likely to beat the bots. 

Functional resume format 

Next up, let’s talk about a functional resume format. This resume puts the spotlight on your skills and expertise, rather than focusing so heavily on your prior work experience. 

Much like a chronological resume and the combination resume, it includes a summary and a skills section toward the top. However, before you dive into the work experience and education, there is an additional “transferable qualifications” (or similar) section here. 

Thanks to the addition of that extra section, there is less space available for your work experience. That’s perfectly okay. The entire point of this resume format is that it draws attention to the transferable skills that you have. Here’s what it should include as standard:

Transferable skills (or areas of expertise)

Spoiler: The most popular skills employers are looking for span from career to career. So, if you’re looking to switch to a new path, this is the best resume format for you. 

A large chunk of the document is dedicated to your area of expertise or specific strengths. Use this format to let the hiring manager know that you have what it takes to hit the ground running. You will have the space to share the range of skills you have picked up so far. 

The functional resume is the best resume format for career changers . If you’re looking to move into a new sector, you can use this layout to show the hiring manager that you have skills and expertise that will be useful in the new role or, indeed, industry. 

Since your work experience won’t directly align with the job for which you are applying, a functional resume side-steps the issue. You can show that you have the right skills to meet the demands of the role without having worked directly in this particular field. 

It doesn’t end there. If you have taken a career break — for whatever reason — you may find that the functional resume format works well. This approach draws the hiring manager’s attention away from the gap in your resume and toward the skills that you possess instead. 

While you don’t want to cover up the fact that you have had a break, emphasizing your skills rather than your discrepancies is a smart move. Should you want to do so, you can explain the gap in your cover letter or, as many people choose to do, in an interview setting. 

Finally, if you are a recent graduate, you may find that the functional resume works for you. It’s likely that you don’t have a wealth of work experience. That is perfectly okay since we all have to start from somewhere. If that’s the case, use this resume format to show your value.

Tips for writing a functional resume format 

Ready to get started and create a functional resume format? As you can see in the resume format sample, this structure allows more space for your skills and expertise than your work experience. Before you start writing your resume, here are some tips to keep in mind. 

1. Select the specific skills for the job 

Since your skills are the most important aspect of this resume format, you need to make sure that you choose the right ones. This part of the process comes down to research. 

Consider what skills the vacancy requires and take things from there. It’s helpful to go through the skills one by one, and think about whether you have gained them elsewhere. 

Using the same phrasing that the hiring manager uses is the way to go. As we have mentioned, using the right keywords in your resume will help you get past the ATS. You can include these skills in your summary, the skills section, and the additional section too. 

2. Include a selection of soft skills too 

Soft skills are vital no matter which career path you take. These are the attributes that allow you to work well with others and get the job done. It’s no wonder that 41% of Americans say they use soft skills most frequently in either their current or most recent role. 

Examples of soft skills include teamwork, problem solving, and communication. When you’re writing a functional resume, it’s useful to stress these skills. The hiring manager will be looking for someone who not only meets the job criteria but also fits the team dynamic.

3. Keep your work experience short and sweet 

Sure, your work experience section is not the main focus of this resume format. However, that doesn't mean that you can leave it off entirely. You still need to include a section dedicated to your previous formal work. However, it can be short and sweet. 

Make sure you include the basic information. That is your company name, location, job title, and dates of employment. You can also add in some bullet points below each of these parts but you don’t have to. If there’s not the space to do so or it’s not relevant, leave it out.

Taking this approach means that your work experience will take up less space on the page. That looks neater while also freeing up some extra room for the important additional section. 

4. Emphasize your education and certificates 

If you are a recent graduate who is using the functional resume format, be sure to emphasize the certificates that you have. Training or education that will help you land the job at hand should be clearly outlined as part of your resume structure.

You can simply list your education and the qualifications you gained. That’s fine. However, if you want to take things one step further, consider including any details that will see you a shoe-in for the job. For example, you may want to namecheck your thesis, any extended projects, or modules that relate directly to the role for which you are applying. 

Combination resume format 

Can’t decide between a chronological resume or a functional resume. Why not go for the middle ground? A combination resume — sometimes called a hybrid resume — offers the best of both worlds. To create this resume format, you blend elements of the two above. 

For this type of resume, both your skills section and your work experience will be featured prominently on the page. You give equal weight to the two, meaning that the hiring manager gets a well-rounded picture of your professional prowess. You need to include: 

Skills summary section 

As you can see here, the order changes slightly when you choose a hybrid resume format. This small tweak allows you to focus the reader’s attention on your dazzling skills before they get into the meat of your work experience and education. 

The combination resume format is the least popular out of the three… but that doesn’t mean that you should overlook it entirely. If you are side-stepping in your career, you might find that this is the best resume format for your next application. 

For example, you might have years of experience in your field but want to transition to a slightly different role. In that case, both your work experience and the transferable skills that you have will be valuable. Using the hybrid resume format allows you to show off both.

Additionally, if you are looking to step up your game — to, say, managerial level — you can use this resume format to do so. Your work experience section will highlight your experience of the industry, while you can use the skills summary to pinpoint your leadership skills . 

Tips for writing a combination resume format

Writing a combination resume format means taking elements from a functional resume and a chronological resume. But how does that look in practice? Take a peek at our resume format sample above. You can also use these simple writing tips to help you along the way. 

1. Split your skills into two distinct sections 

You don’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to spot something different about this resume format. Yes, it has two separate skills sections: your general skills section (that you find on any other resume), and your skills summary. 

Your general skills should include those that apply directly to the job or industry. However, your skills summary allows you a little more space. You can write short bullet points describing the skills, why they fit the role criteria, and how you apply them. 

In your skills section, you may write “Microsoft Excel proficiency” while you would include a line, such as “Proficient in using Microsoft Excel for bookkeeping” in your skills summary.

2. Shorten your work experience, if needed 

If you are limited on resume space, you can cut back your work experience section. You may do this by only including a handful of bullet points beneath each position. Consider what your most notable achievements are in each case and include solely those below each role. 

You might need to play around with this section to ensure that it fits well on the page. As a general rule, you should note around three former positions or go back around 10 years into your career history. Figure out what works best for your combination resume format here.

3. Don’t be afraid to be flexible

The best thing about the combination resume format is that it is flexible. The structure of this resume allows you to create a structure that aligns with your short-term career goals. 

With that in mind, when you’re working on this resume format, move sections around as you need to do so. You may find that there is a specific approach that works well for the application that you are submitting. Give yourself the freedom to find a format that suits your needs. That way, you will have the best chance of landing that job interview. 

Which format do most employers prefer for resumes?

Generally, employers expect to see a chronological format when they are reviewing resumes. This is the most commonly used format and the easiest for them to understand. If you have a linear job history and you’re ready to take the next step, this format will work. 

However, that doesn't mean that you should rule out the other resume format options. As we have covered in this guide, there are times when either a functional or a combination resume format will be the best way to go. Before deciding which one is right for you, consider what you are hoping to achieve with your resume and what you want to highlight. 

Advice on how to choose the best resume format 

Now that you’re clued-up on the best resume format options, let’s talk about how to choose the right one for you. You might find there are times when you need a chronological format and times when either a combination or functional approach works better. When you’re making the decision, here are some tips that you can keep in mind: 

Consider the experience you have. When you’re choosing which format to use, the level of experience you have plays a vital role. If you don’t have much experience in the field, you may want to go for a functional resume format. On the other hand, if you have oodles of work experience, a chronological format could be the way to go. 

Put yourself in the hiring manager’s shoes. One of the best ways to approach this conundrum is to think like the hiring manager. What are they looking for in a candidate and how can you best align your resume with that? Refer back to the job posting and read the criteria. Next, consider which format will help you meet it. 

Try out different approaches. Don’t confine yourself to one resume format — try out all three at different times. You should always tailor your resume to the vacancy you are applying for. So, when you start editing it, consider switching up the format. The more energy you put into this process, the more likely you are to succeed.  

Final words 

Understanding what the three most common resume formats are is the first step in your journey. In this guide, we have given you an in-depth explanation of the best resume formats you can use and why you should use each of them. Now that you have the inside scoop, you should feel prepared to pick one of them for your upcoming application. Get started now! 

Writing a stellar resume is the first step in landing more interviews and getting hired faster. If you want to make sure that your application hits the mark, use our free resume checker tool now. Getting ahead of the competition has never been so easy!

Recommended reading: 

50 Resume Dos and Don’ts You Need to Know in 2024

Resume Bullet Points or Paragraphs?

The Best Fonts and Size to Use on a Resume

Ken Chase, Freelance Writer

During Ken's two decades as a freelance writer, he has covered everything from banking and fintech to business management and the entertainment industry. His true passion, however, has always been focused on helping others achieve their career goals with timely job search and interview advice or the occasional resume consultation. When he's not working, Ken can usually be found adventuring with family and friends or playing fetch with his demanding German Shepherd. Read more resume advice from Ken on  ZipJob’s blog .

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Applying for a job at Amazon? Here are 4 ways to improve your resume.

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Amazon receives tens of thousands of resumes a year—so it’s critical that you submit one that really stands out from the crowd. We know that creating the “perfect” resume is easier said than done. The entire process can be nerve-racking and filled with a list of never-ending questions, like “One page or two?”; “Am I providing enough information?”; or “How do I explain professional gaps?” Most people struggle with crafting their resume, but with a bit of guidance, anyone can learn how to best present themselves on paper.

With this in mind, we reached out to several Amazon recruiters to get their best tips. Here’s what they had to say.

While it may seem counterintuitive to lean into design simplicity when you are hoping to create a resume that stands out, it’s truly in your best interest.

At Amazon, we are looking for resumes that are well-organized, use straightforward language, highlight measurable data, and are streamlined for maximum readability. A concise resume allows a recruiter to get a clear idea of who you are as a candidate and what you have to offer through your professional experiences, strengths, and education.

Anna Duong, manager of Americas Stores Tech Talent Acquisition, recommends sticking to the basics. Duong said, “While there are no hard rules, it’s best to keep a resume text-forward, black and white, and simple.” Remember we’re most interested in your accomplishments and less concerned about font styles, decorative borders, and non-essential information.

“A successful resume should focus on your actions and results,” said Bhavishya Lingam, senior recruiting business partner at Amazon Stores. Whenever possible, ensure you are including relevant data to help quantify your success and show how you have been able to drive impact at scale for the business. Focusing on quantifiable actions strengthens your resume significantly.

For example, instead of saying, “Responsible for introducing new tech stack into our organization,” you can make this stronger by saying, “Successfully led the acquisition and integration of innovative efficiency software that reduced errors by 25%, resulting in a reduction of customer complaints by 37% YoY.” We understand that every bullet point on your resume might not have a quantifiable measurement, but Amazon is a data-driven company so the more ways you’re able to quantify your success the better.

“You don’t need a completely different resume for each role you apply to, but it is a good rule of thumb to take the opportunity to align your professional accomplishments with the key elements of the role you’re pursuing,” said Patti Cudney, senior recruiting business partner. To do this, we suggest that you look at the key words and phrases within the “Basic and Preferred Qualifications” sections, and use this as a guide to help you determine what you should focus on in your resume.

Remember that not all experiences and skills are equally relevant to every job opportunity that you will eventually apply to, so continually reference the job description to make sure you’re prioritizing the right information. By taking the additional time to tailor your resume to match the job requirements, you demonstrate your genuine interest and suitability for the position.

Jen Paradise, RC manager talent acquisition, suggests you detail how you made a difference in previous positions. “Be sure to include specific stand-out accomplishments of what you’ve been able to achieve in each role,” she said.

Job responsibilities highlight what you do, while accomplishments showcase the tangible outcomes and results you achieved while fulfilling those responsibilities. At Amazon, we are a company of builders who bring varying backgrounds, ideas, and points of view to decisions and innovations on behalf of our customers. It’s this type of culture that encourages us to seek talented people who are invested in the outcomes of their work and want to deliver results.

Highlighting your accomplishments gives you the opportunity to tell the hiring manager something they don’t already know about you. In most cases, we can easily determine what are the associated responsibilities for a particular job description, but that doesn’t tell us anything about you as a candidate. However, when you provide accomplishments instead of responsibilities, we’re able to clearly see a snapshot of your strengths and ability to drive impact at scale.

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24 Resume Summary Examples That Get Interviews

By Biron Clark

Published: November 8, 2023

Biron Clark

Writer & Career Coach

A resume summary statement usually comes right after a job seeker’s contact info and before other resume sections such as skills and work experience. It provides employers with a brief overview of a candidate’s career accomplishments and qualifications before they read further. Because of how early it appears on the document, your resume summary statement (or your CV “profile” in the UK) is one of the first places recruiters and employers look. And without the right information, they’ll doubt that you’re qualified and may move to another resume.

So I got in touch with a select group of professional resume writers, coaches and career experts to get their best resume summary examples you can use and adapt to write a resume summary that stands out and gets interviews.

As a former recruiter myself, I’ll also share my best tips to write your resume summary effectively.

Why the Resume/CV Summary is Important

You may have heard that recruiters only spend 8-10 seconds looking at your resume. The truth is: they spend that long deciding whether to read more. They do glance that quickly at first and may move on if your background doesn’t look like a fit. However, if you grab their attention, they’ll read far more. Recruiters aren’t deciding to interview you in 8-10 seconds, but they are ruling people out in 8-10 seconds. And this is why your resume summary is so crucial. It appears high up on your resume (usually right after your header/contact info) and is one of the first sections employers see. So it’s part of what they’ll see in the first 8-10 seconds.

Your resume summary statement is one of your first (and one of very few) chances to get the employer to stop skimming through their pile of resumes and focus on YOU.

Watch: Resume Summary Examples That Get Interviews

10 resume summary examples:.

These career summary examples will help you at any experience level – whether you’re writing a professional summary after a long executive career, or writing your first resume summary without any experience! After you finish this article you’re NEVER going to have to send out a limp, weak resume summary statement again (and you’ll get far more interviews  because of it).

1. Healthcare Sales Executive Resume Summary Example:

Turnaround & Ground Up Leadership – Concept-to-execution strategies for untapped products, markets + solutions that yield 110% revenue growth – Negotiates partnerships with leading distributors + hospitals—Medline to Centara + Novant Health to Mayo Clinic –  Revitalizes underperforming sales organizations via scalable, sustainable infrastructures emulated as best practice –  C-Level networks of clinical + supply chain leadership acquired during tenures with XXX, XXX and XXX

Why this resume summary is good:

This resumes summary example’s strength lies in the detailed, unique information that has been included. By including revenue stats, names of past employers and partners, the reader right away sees that this person will bring to the role a strong networking ability with key players in his industry, and more importantly can build, grow and revitalize a sales organization, market or product.

By:  Virginia Franco, Founder of Virginia Franco Resumes  and Forbes contributor.

2. 15+ Year Business Owner Resume Summary Statement:

Dynamic and motivated marketing professional with a proven record of generating and building relationships, managing projects from concept to completion, designing educational strategies, and coaching individuals to success. Skilled in building cross-functional teams, demonstrating exceptional communication skills, and making critical decisions during challenges. Adaptable and transformational leader with an ability to work independently, creating effective presentations, and developing opportunities that further establish organizational goals.

Why this is a good summary section:

This is a resume summary statement that was for  a candidate returning to work after having her own business for 15+ years. Because of this, we needed to emphasize her soft skills and what she can bring to this potential position. In addition, we highlighted the skills she has honed as a business owner so that she can utilize these qualifications as a sales professional, account manager , and someone knowledgeable about nutrition, medicine, and the overall sales process.

By: Dr. Heather Rothbauer-Wanish. MBA, Ph.D., CPRW, and Founder of Feather Communications

3. Human Resources Generalist Resume Summary Example:

Human Resources Generalist with progressive experience managing employee benefits & compliance, employee hiring & onboarding, performance management processes, licensure tracking and HR records. Dependable and organized team player with the ability to communicate effectively and efficiently. Skilled at building relationships with employees across all levels of an organization. Proficient with HRIS, applicant tracking and benefits management.

Why this is a good resume summary:

The applicant highlights their experience across a wide range of HR functions from the very first sentence, and continues this pattern throughout the rest of the summary. They then use easily digestible langue to showcase their hard skills (in the first & fourth sentences) and soft skills (in the second & third sentences). They also integrate a variety of keywords to get past automated job application systems , without sounding spammy or without overdoing it.

By: Kyle Elliott, MPA/CHES,  Career Coach and Consultant

4. Social Media Marketing CV Profile Example (UK):

Social media expert with successes in the creation and management of social media strategies and campaigns for global retail organisations. Extensive experience in the commercial utilisation of multiple social media channels including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube; I build successful social strategies that increase brand awareness, promote customer engagement and ultimately drive web traffic and conversions.

Why this summary is good:

This summary is well-written, short, sharp, and gives recruiters a high-level explanation of the candidate’s core offerings in a persuasive and punchy style. A quick scan of this profile tells you the exact type of social media platforms the candidate is an expert in, as well as the campaigns they have experience running and types of organizations they have worked for. Most importantly, the summary is rounded off by showing the results that this person achieves for their employers, such as increased web traffic and conversions.

Editor’s note: This CV profile summary was written for the UK market… this is a great one to use/copy, but make sure you put it through a spell-checker if you’re applying for jobs in the US (utilisation vs. utilization, etc.)

By: Andrew Fennell, Director at StandOut CV , contributor for The Guardian and Business Insider

5. Marketing Manager Professional Summary Example:

Marketing Manager with over eight years of experience. Proven success in running email marketing campaigns and implementing marketing strategies that have pulled in a 20% increase in qualified leads. Proficient in content, social media and inbound marketing strategies. Skilled, creative and innovative.

This resume summary stands out because it gets straight to the point. By immediately introducing the number of years of experience the candidate has, the HR manager doesn’t need to spend time adding up years. The candidate also jumps right into his or her strongest skill, provides a statistic , then gives additional skills.

By: Sarah Landrum, career expert and contributor at Entrepreneur.com and Forbes

6. Warehouse Supervisor Resume Summary Example:

Warehouse Supervisor with Management, Customer Service, & Forklift Experience –  Dependable manager with 15+ years of experience in warehouse management and employee supervision. –  Skilled at managing inventory control, shipping & receiving, customer relations and safety & compliance. –  Certified Power Equipment Trainer, Forklift Operator and Reach Operator skilled at coaching other staff. –  Promoted to positions of increased responsibility given strong people and project management skills.

The applicant was applying for a warehouse supervisor position that required them to have demonstrated management, customer service and forklift experience. As such, the applicant showcased their experience in these areas with a few keywords in the title, followed by additional details in the accompanying bullet points. Their final bullet shows a record of promotions, while reinforcing the applicant’s customer service and project management skills.

7. IT Project Manager Resume Summary Example:

Experienced Project Manager with vast IT experience. Skills include computer networking, analytical thinking and creative problem solving. Able to apply customer service concepts to IT to improve user experience for clients, employees and administration.

Because this candidate is switching career paths, it’s important he or she take skills used for previous positions and apply those skills to the new job listing. This is a great example because the candidate makes it clear that his or her experience is not in the new field, but that they are still able to bring relevant experience to the table. When writing your resume summary, keep these tips in mind: Use writing that is straight to the point, clear and concise, you’ll have a higher chance of getting noticed by the hiring manager.

8. Career-Changer Resume Summary Example:

Earn trust, uncover key business drivers and find common ground as chief negotiator and identifier of revenue opportunities in sales, leadership and account management roles spanning e-Commerce, air travel and high-tech retail. Navigate cultural challenges while jumping time zones, lead international airline crews and manage corporate accounts to deliver an exceptional customer experience. A self-taught techie sought after as a go-to for complex billing systems and SaaS platforms alike—bridging the divide between technology and plain-speak. – Tenacious Quest for Success + Learning . Earned MBA and BS in just 3 years while working full-time – gaining hands-on experience in research- and data-driven product roadmap development, pricing and positioning. – Results-Driven Leadership. Whether leading Baby Boomers, Gen X or Millennials—figures out what makes teams tick, trains and transforms individuals into top-performers. – Challenger of Conventional Wisdom. Always ask the WHY. Improve the user experience through smart, strategic thinking that anticipates outcomes. Present cases that influence, and lead change that drives efficiency and profitability.

This client was eager for a career change and had moved from role to role and industry to industry. After completing her Master’s degree, she was eager to tie her skills together to land a role – which she did – as a Senior Technology Account Strategist for a global travel company. Although a bit longer than a traditional summary, its strength lies in the details. Without ever getting to the experience section, the reader gets a clear idea of the scope of responsibility, and hard and soft skills the candidate brings to the table.

By: Virginia Franco, Founder of Virginia Franco Resumes  and Forbes contributor.

9. Project Management Executive Professional Summary Example:

15+ years of initiating and delivering sustained results and effective change for Fortune 500 firms across a wide range of industries including enterprise software, digital marketing, advertising technology, e-commerce and government. Major experience lies in strategizing and leading cross-functional teams to bring about fundamental change and improvement in strategy, process, and profitability – both as a leader and expert consultant.

Why this resume summary is good:

“Project Manager” is one of those job titles that’s REALLY broad. You can find project managers earning $50K, and others earning $250K. The client I wrote this for was at the Director level, and had worked for some of the biggest and best tech companies in her city. So this resume profile section shows her level and experience, and the wide array of areas she has responsibility for in her current work. You can borrow or use some of the phrasing here to show that you’ve been responsible for many important areas in your past work.

By: Biron Clark, Founder of  CareerSidekick.com.

10. Startup And Finance Management Consultant Career Summary Example:

Experienced strategist, entrepreneur and startup enthusiast with a passion for building businesses and challenging the status quo. 8+ year track record of defining new business strategies, launching new ventures, and delivering operational impact, both as a co-founder and management consultant. 

Why this resume summary example is good:

This summary was for a highly-talented management consultant looking to break out of finance, and into trendier tech companies like Uber . His track record and educational background were great, so the goal of this summary section was to stand out and show he’s more than just the typical consultant with a finance background. So we emphasized his passion for startups, and his ability to think outside the box and challenge the status quo. That’s something that companies like Uber and other “disruptive” tech companies look for.

14 Resume Summary Examples for Various Industries

Compassionate and effective 5th-grade teacher with experience overseeing the classroom and preparing lessons. Extensive experience encouraging students through positive reinforcement and motivational techniques. Collaborate well with school administration and other members of the teaching team. Ensure all students meet learning requirements, including literacy, social, and arithmetic skills.

2. Teacher’s Assistant

Goal-oriented teacher’s assistant with ten years of experience working with elementary school children. Aid teachers with lesson planning, classroom settings, and group instruction. Model positive behavior and maintain order in the classroom. Willingness to take on additional responsibilities to meet learning objectives.

Tech Industry

3. computer programmer.

Innovative computer programmer with a proven track record of writing high-quality code and supporting team needs with subject matter expertise. Adept in multiple programming languages, including Python, JavaScript, and C++. Ability to troubleshoot complex programming issues with inventive solutions. 

4. Cybersecurity Analyst

Dedicated cybersecurity analyst with ten years of experience in online security research, execution, planning, and maintenance. Proven track record of identifying business risks and proactively resolving them. Experience designing and instituting layered network security for large-scale organizations. Train users and other staff members on IT safety procedures and preventive techniques.

Skilled healthcare professional with ten years of experience in patient care, diagnosis, and providing appropriate treatments and medical services. Manage medical staff and resolve complex medical cases with maximum efficiency. Communicate the patient’s condition and treatment plan in easily understood terminology. Remain current with the latest advancements in medicine and research to ensure patients receive proper care.

6. Registered Nurse

Seasoned registered nurse offering comprehensive patient care in emergency room settings. Experience handling diverse patient populations and caring for various conditions. Proven leadership managing nursing teams and other staff. Focus on enhancing patient care and satisfaction through empathetic communication and excellent customer service. 

7. Digital Marketing Manager

Forward-thinking digital marketing manager experienced in all facets of digital marketing, including social media management, PPC advertising, SEO, and email marketing. Proven experience creating comprehensive marketing plans that improve lead prospecting and enhance brand awareness. Up to date with the newest tools available for digital marketing campaigns.

8. Marketing Analyst

Industrious marketing analyst well-versed in analyzing marketing campaign analytics and making recommendations to improve performance. Collaborate with account managers and use KPI metrics to explain the results of marketing initiatives. Meticulous with a strong work ethic and robust communication skills.

Food and Service Industry

Experienced wait staff member capable of managing orders, processing payments, and upselling menu items. Ensure restaurant guests feel welcome with attentive service catered to their needs. Remain current on updates to the menu and assist guests with selecting orders to meet their dietary requirements. Maintain a positive attitude and focus during busy restaurant periods.

10. Hotel Receptionist

Friendly hotel receptionist with extensive experience handling guest check-ins, check-out, and payments. Facilitate a positive guest experience with polished customer service skills and a readiness to address common inquiries and complaints. Collaborate well with other hotel team members, including executive administration and on-site restaurant staff.

Business/Office Jobs

11. financial analyst.

Highly motivated financial analyst with a proven track record of recommending appropriate financial plans based on financial monitoring, data collection, and business strategizing. Experienced in qualitative and quantitative analysis, forecasting, and financial modeling. Excellent communication skills for building and fostering long-term business relationships across the organization.

12. Tax Accountant

Experienced tax accountant with ten years of experience preparing federal and state tax returns for corporations and partnerships. Monitor changes in laws to ensure the organization properly complies with reporting requirements. Assist with tax audits, ensuring the team receives proper supporting evidence for tax positions. Analyze and resolve complex tax issues. Look for available tax savings opportunities for corporations with an aggregate savings of $500K last year. Excellent analytical skills and attention to detail.

Sales and Customer Service

13. sales representative.

Enthusiastic sales representative with expertise in identifying prospects and converting qualified leads to paying customers. Provide quality customer service and contribute to team sales success. Offer exceptional communication skills and seek to understand client needs before making the appropriate product recommendations. Continually meet and exceed sales goals. Leverage extensive knowledge of available products to provide appropriate client solutions and enhance customer loyalty and retention.

14. Customer Service Associate

Knowledgeable customer service professional with extensive experience in the insurance industry. Known as a team player with a friendly demeanor and proven ability to develop positive rapport with clients. Maintain ongoing customer satisfaction that contributes to overall company success. Highly articulate, with a results-oriented approach that addresses client inquiries and issues while maintaining strong partnerships. Collaborate well with the customer service team while also engaging independent decision-making skills.

Now you have 24 professional resume summary statements and some explanations of why they’re effective. Next, I’ll share tips for how to write your own in case you’re still unsure how to begin based on these examples above.

How to Write a Resume Summary: Steps and Hints

We’ve looked at 10 great resume summary examples above. As you begin writing a resume summary for yourself, here are some helpful tips to keep in mind:

• Read the employer’s job description. Your career summary shouldn’t be a long list of everything you’ve done; it should be a refined list of skills and experiences that demonstrate you’re a fit for their job.
• Mention your current job title if relevant. One common way to begin your resume summary is to state your current job title.
• Explain how you can help employers achieve their goals or solve their problems.
• Consider using bold text to emphasize one or two key phrases.
• Include any relevant metrics and data like dollar amounts, years of experience, size of teams led, etc. This helps your resume stand out.
• Focus on making the employer want to read more. The goal of your resume summary isn’t to show everything you can do, but to grab their attention and show enough that they continue reading.

Creating a Customized Resume Summary

While general summaries are appropriate when applying for jobs requiring similar skills and experience, a customized resume summary can enhance your chances of moving on to the next step in the hiring process. 

That’s because most companies use automated tracking systems (ATS) to review submitted resumes for content directly related to the job posting. If you use keywords and natural language phrases in your summary that interlink to the job description, you’ll have a much higher chance of passing the ATS review.

Let’s look at an example of a resume summary that is customized for the specific job description below:

“Highly motivated social media specialist with strong project management skills. Creative marketer skilled in crafting innovative social media campaigns that resonate with a target audience. Regularly develop compelling copy and social media content to enhance lead generation and brand awareness. Detail-oriented with extensive project management skills that ensure proper prioritization of tasks and projects. Work with various social media management and analytics tools to examine results and make adjustments as necessary.”

This summary directly addresses the key points in the job description but rewrites them so the customization is natural and flows well. It’s personalized for the open role and uses similar terms with a few strategically placed keywords, such as “social media content” and “project management.”  

How Long Should a Resume Summary Be?

As you read the resume summaries above, you probably noticed there are some short single-paragraph resume summary examples and much longer career summaries that are two to three paragraphs plus bullet points. So how long should YOUR professional summary be? If you have relevant work experience, keep your summary to one or two paragraphs. The piece you really want the hiring manager to read is your most recent work experience (and you should make sure you tailored that info to fit the job description). The resume summary is just a “bridge” to get the hiring manager into your experience.

If I were writing my own career summary right now, I’d likely use one single paragraph packed with skills, accomplishments, and exactly why I’m ready to step into the job I’ve applied for and be successful!

Even for a manager resume summary, I recommend a very short length. However, if you’re changing careers, or you’re looking for jobs without any work experience , the summary section needs to stand on its own, and should be longer. That’s why some examples above are a bit longer.

Formatting Your Resume/CV Career Summary

You may have noticed a variety of different formats in the career summary examples above. There isn’t one “right” way to format this section on your resume or CV. However, I recommend either using one or two brief paragraphs, or combining a short sentence or paragraph with bullets. Avoid writing three or four long paragraphs with no special formatting like bullet points. That’s simply too much text for your summary section and will cause recruiters and hiring managers to skip over it in some cases.

Should You Include a Resume Objective?

You do not need to include an objective on your resume, and doing so can make your resume appear outdated. Use a resume summary instead of an objective. Follow the resume summary examples above and focus on discussing your skills, qualifications, and achievements, rather than stating your objective. Employers know that your objective is to obtain the position you’ve applied for, and the resume objective has no place on a modern resume/CV in today’s job market.

Examples of Bad Resume Summaries

Now that we’ve seen a few exemplary resume summaries, let’s look at some that you should avoid at all cost.

1. Typos and Grammatical Errors

“Experienced cashier who knows how to run the register cash. Responsible with the money and can talk with the customer. Knows when to stoc up the invenory and checks it all the time. Can count change and run credit card tranactions. Get the customer happy by good service. I am always cheerful and organized.”

Why this resume summary is bad:

If you read the summary carefully, you’ll notice several spelling errors. The words “stock,” “inventory,” and “transactions” are all spelled wrong. Grammatical errors make the summary choppy and difficult to follow (“Get the customer happy by good service”).  A summary like this probably won’t fly with a company looking for a detail-oriented cashier responsible for managing in-person sales.

2. Lacks Relevant Keywords

“Talented worker with experience managing a team of staff. Creative and responsible with knowledge of organizational processes. Can keep up with the busiest of environments. Stays focused when at work, ensuring prompt task completion. Dependable and willing to collaborate with a team to get things done.”  

In this example, the chef doesn’t use keywords relevant to cooking, restaurants, or kitchens. The summary is very generic and can apply to nearly any job. A manager who receives the application isn’t likely to understand what value the candidate can bring to the restaurant.  To fix the summary, the applicant must rewrite it to include relevant keywords and phrases. 

3. No Numbers to Quantify Achievements

“An experienced and hardworking manager ready to align procedures for maximum revenue and profits. Proven track record of streamlining and strengthening processes, resulting in higher sales and better customer satisfaction. Collaborate well with sales team members, ensuring they have the resources and knowledge to support customer purchases and inquiries. Develop strong rapport with clients and maintain ongoing relationships.”

This isn’t a terrible summary for a sales manager, but it has room for improvement. For one, the first two sentences essentially duplicate each other, mentioning an aptitude for improving processes with the objective of higher sales. The other issue is a lack of quantifying achievements. 

The applicant mentions they have a proven record of increasing sales, but they could strengthen the summary by quantifying their results. For example, they might say, “Proven track record of streamlining and strengthening processes, resulting in a 25% increase in sales over the past year.” The quantifier provides additional credibility. 

4. Not Targeting the Specific Job

“Looking for work in a role that requires great customer service, project management, and communication skills. Able to collaborate with people from diverse and varying backgrounds. Highly organized and reliable worker with a strong work ethic. Responsible and reliable worker you can count on.”

While the candidate lists various skills they have, including customer service and project management, there’s no indication of prior roles held or what position they’re applying for. The summary could apply to numerous positions in a variety of industries. To improve the resume summary, the applicant must specify the job they’re applying for and indicate their prior experience in a similar role, if they have any.

After You Start Getting Interviews, Make Sure to Take Advantage…

If you follow the advice above, you’ll have a great professional resume summary to make your qualifications stand out to employers. But landing the interview is only half the battle… So make sure you go into every interview ready to convince employers that they should hire you, too! If you write a great resume summary example that gets employers excited to interview you, they’re going to ask you questions like, “tell me about yourself” early in the interview to learn more about your background. So make sure you’re prepared with an answer.

I also recommend you review the top 20 interview questions and answers here.

Your resume caught their interest, so naturally, they’re going to follow up with a variety of questions to learn more about your professional background.

The bottom line is: A strong professional resume summary, followed up by other well-written resume sections will get you the interview, but your interview performance is what determines whether you get the job offer!

About the Author

Read more articles by Biron Clark

More Resume Tips & Guides

Crafting the perfect resume for teens (template & expert advice), how to beat applicant tracking systems with your resume, what do recruiters look for in a resume, what happens when you lie on your resume 10 risks, don’t say you’re a quick learner on your resume, guide to resume sections, titles, and headings, 12 resume formatting tips from a professional, how artificial intelligence (ai) is changing resume writing, 22 resume bullet point examples that get interviews, are resume writers worth it, 41 thoughts on “24 resume summary examples that get interviews”.

I would recommend to customise the skills section of your resume, and ensure that it matches the job posting. The higher the number of phrases within the resume matching the job requirements the more are the chances that the recruiter will pick you for the job.

I just wanted to say, “thank you!”. This was very helpful. Instead of jumping from one website to the next there’s so much useful, relevant information right here.

Hi, I have been having trouble creating a resume as My old one is so long, I’ve worked for a government agency for the past 14 years and held multiple positions doing many different duties for each and now I have to relocate to another area where they do not have an agency like mine in my new area within a 3 hour drive, how can I squeeze all my experience and duties on one page and where do I even start, I’m so nervous, it’s been so long since I’ve attempted the job hunt. So I’m wondering, I do not want to cut anything out that may hurt my chances and I can’t afford to have my resume rewritten by a professional. Can you guide me as to where you think would be a good place to start, I’ve been staring at this laptop for weeks trying to decide on a resume template, there are so many. I thank you for your time and any input will help.

Hi, I am a new graduate and do not have any experience in my field which is Nursing. I want to apply for the jobs but I have no idea about what to mention in my resume.

Hi, this article should help with the resume summary, at least: https://careersidekick.com/summary-for-resume-no-experience/

Other than that, you need to put your academic experience. And internships/part-time jobs if you’ve had any.

Dear Biron,, Thanks for sharing the 10 examples of professional summaries in your article, and especially the reasons why they were considered to be good. However, as a HR professional, I would most likely skip over most of them and would not read much past the first or second sentence. The summaries were mostly too wordy and boring, and did not demonstrate ‘oomph’ at first cursory reading. Simply indicating certain skills or behaviors does not give an idea of the level of expertise, and could simply be wishful thinking on the part of the resume writer.

Just goes to show that there are many ways to see what makes a good summary.

I am a chemical engineer and project management professional with 15+years experience. My experience is between process engineering and project management . How can I marry the two in my profile summary?

It’s not about showing everything you’ve done. It’s about showing employers evidence you’ll succeed in their job. You can show a bit of both but focus heavily on what’s most relevant for the jobs you’re applying for right now. 80/20.

This was absolutely helpful and amazing! Thank you very much!

Hello, I am an active job seeker. I hold a law degree from a foreign country and currently in college for an associate degree. My question is, how do I blend both my foreign job experience with that of the United States in my resume. Thank you.

I’d put your work history in chronological order, starting with the most recent up top. That’s what I’d recommend for 95% of people actually. Then it doesn’t matter where you held each job.

And then in your Education section, I’d include your foreign degree and the current degree you’re pursuing in the US, too (for the US degree, you can say “in progress” or “graduating May 2019” for example).

I am 40 years old & B.A degree holder I have experience in many fields.I would like to join any one fields

I am a fresh graduate, who has five years teaching experience and some months customer service representative experience. Pls kindly assist me to put the resume summary together

I’m an active duty service member and finding in a little difficult creating a good transitional summary from 20 year profession in tactical communications to a drug and alcohol counselor. Do you have any recommendations how I should approach this? Any assistance would be helpful. Thanks

Great piece

How to write the CAREER ABSTRACT in resume for ware super visor retail business?

Just wanted to say thank you.Your advise and information was clear and easy to understand , sometimes there is nothing pertaining to what im looking fot in particular, buy you have sermed to cover everything I n a short quick easy to understand method.It will help tremendously.

Thanks! Glad to hear it helped :)

Very informational

What if you have work experience, but the job your going for(teachingeducation) has nothing to do with warehouse work? How should I build my resume?

In the summary, describe yourself and then say, “…looking to transition into ___” (the type of work you want to be doing now).

This is a bit like a resume “Objective”. I normally don’t recommend an Objective section (and I recommend a Summary section instead), however the one time an Objective does make sense is when you’re trying to change industries or make a big change in the type of role you have.

So that’s why my advice here might seem like I’m telling you to combine an Objective with your resume Summary.

Then “tailor” your previous work to be as relevant as possible. Even if you worked in a different industry you can still show things like leadership, accountability, progress/improvement, hard work, achieving goals, strong teamwork skills, etc. You can do all of that in your resume bullets and work history.

Don’t u have Resume Summary of legal secretary/legal assistant?

No, sorry about that. There are hundreds of different professions/job titles, and we aren’t able to include an example for every scenario out there. These resume summary examples are designed to give you a general idea of how to write yours.

The summaries listed are excellent example and have helped me develop a stand out summary for a new position.

Hello, I been trying to land the job of my dreams. I need help with my resume if i want the recruiters in airlines to notice me. I’ve applied before but haven’t had complete success to making it to a face-to Face Interview. It is a career change – yet i feel i am a great candidate bc i have had many customer service and I even attended an academy for that specific position. Can you please tell me what I am doing wrong on my resume ?

what if i never had a job experience?

Great question. If you don’t have any work experience, take one of the formats/examples above and put your accomplishments and qualifications from your academic studies.

Your headline could say: “Motivated Bio-Sciences Graduate With Expertise in ____”.

And then you might talk about accomplishments in school, group projects you worked on or led, etc.

Basically, when you have no work experience, your school/studies BECOMES your recent work. You should talk about that like it’s a job, because that’s the experience you do have.

really amazing article and too useful , thanks

Hi Mr. Clark, I have been out of the work force for about 18+years and I have been a small business owner for the same number of years. However, I want to go back to the work force. But my problem is that, I don’t know how to prepare my resume or resume summary statement. I had a degree in Communication,Arts and Sciences and a postgraduate degree in Public Administration. I’m a bit confused as to how to incorporate all these experiences into my resume. Please can you help?

Hi Dorothy, I can recommend a professional resume writer if you want. But they’re typically not cheap, so it’s something you’d have to be willing to invest in. If not, there’s a lot of free info online about how to “tailor” your resume for specific jobs. I can’t help one-on-one unfortunately, but I’d recommend thinking about which type of jobs you want, and think of what experience you have that is most relevant. that’s what to put on your resume. Your resume isn’t only about you, it’s about them – what do they want/need? (if you want to get a ton of interviews, that’s how to do it :) ).

Can I have a professional resume writer?

I use a similar format when writing my opening statement for my coverletter. How do you recommend differentiating the two? Or is it ok to use largely the same language?

I think it’s okay to use something similar. I might be more brief in the cover letter… it needs to be about them just as much as it’s about you. Whereas the resume is all about you, at least in the summary section. (The later sections should still be tailored to THEIR needs..)

Struggling to write a Summary Statement for a Secretary/Administrative Assistant position. I have 15 years government experience but have been away from the government since 9/1993 and have spent 15 years as a Substitute Teacher after taking off for 10 years to raise my children.

Hiya! I am a mother of three attempting to return to the workforce. I have been a stay at mom for about 13 years, so I have a (large) gap in my employment history; which doesn’t look great. I have a college education and have obtained a few certifications whilst not employed, plus many volunteer hours. I know that I should probably use a functional resume format. Would love some advice on what I should include in my summary statement.

Hi Juniper,

I rarely like functional resumes, but it might be worth trying. I’d “split-test” it (a marketing term). Create two resume styles, send out 50% one way, 50% the other way, and track results for a week.

I’d treat the resume summary statement just like any other resume. Highlight your skills and past wins/accomplishments.

how do i explain long term gaps in employment? leave them out?

Hi Paulette,

Don’t mention them on a resume summary. But do mention the gaps on a cover letter or lower down on the resume. Here’s an article on how to explain gaps in employment:

https://careersidekick.com/explaining-gaps-in-employment/

I am student in civil engineering field. Have 1.5 yrs of work ex. How should i structure my resume. Thanks.

Hello My name is Shataka and I’m a current job seeker trying to land my dream job as a Counselor. I have Master degree in Counseling Psychology and a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work. My experience lies in many different fields. I’m currently a Substance Abuse Counselor, with a teaching background and over 5 years of social service experience. I guess my question is how would I sum up all my experience to help me find a job as a Counselor.

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10 Good Weaknesses for a Job Interview That Aren’t “I Work Too Hard”(+ Sample Answers)

• Julia Mlcuchova , 
• Updated March 28, 2024 11 min read

How to answer the classic interview question "What is your greatest weakness" ? And do you really need to prepare your weaknesses for job interview?

Believe us, you do! Because knowing your weaknesses is equally as important as knowing your strengths . 

When it comes to job interviews, we’re constantly encouraged to present our finest selves to seem like the absolute best candidate for the job. So talking about your flaws may seem counterintuitive.

Yet, this question seems to be one of the recruiters’ most favourite . 

That's why it's a good idea to get ready for this eventuality and prepare yourself to frame the answer in your favour . 

If you want to learn more, keep reading our article and discover: 

• Why are recruiters asking this question;
• How to know what is your greatest weakness;
• What NOT to say when answering;
• A list of good weaknesses for a job interview;
• Examples of how to answer “What is your greatest weakness?”

Table of Contents

Click on a section to skip

What the recruiters really want to know

Top 10 good weaknesses for a job interview.

• How to answer “What is your greatest weakness?” in 4 steps

What is your greatest weakness sample answers

How not to answer “what is your greatest weakness”, key takeaways: top 10 best weaknesses for job interview.

Honestly, this feels like a trap, inviting you to reveal your shortcomings and ruin your chances at getting hired. 

But, regarding job interviews , nothing is ever haphazard! So, you probably won't be too surprised when we tell you that there's more to this question than meets the eye. 

When recruiters ask about your weaknesses, here's what they actually want to know : 

• Whether you're self-aware and capable of introspection. Can you look at yourself and recognize your deficiencies? And can you be self-critical? Because both of these are key qualities of anyone's dream employee. 
• Whether you're reliable. Not in the sense of being able to do anything and everything. But in the sense of knowing your limits and being honest about communicating them. Because employers need to know that you won’t bite off more than you can chew. 
• Whether you have a “growth mindset". Next is their interest in your ability to face challenges. Do you perceive them as opportunities to grow and develop professionally? Or avoid them completely? 
• Whether you're a good fit for the company culture. Lastly, they want to gauge how well you work with others. For example: Would you be able to own up to your mistakes, learn from them and move on? Or are you more likely to play the blame game? 

As you can see, your response can offer a glimpse into your resilience, workplace attitude and adaptability . Qualities that are invaluable in any professional setting.

Have a job interview coming up?

Upload your resume and generate sample job-specific interview questions in seconds.

A “good weakness” is one that isn't core to the job in question , is believable, and is possible to work on .

Of course, there's no one-size-fits-all set of weaknesses because everyone's experiences and challenges are unique. However, there are a couple of common vulnerabilities that you may find relatable AND are suitable.

In case you're struggling to identify yours, this list may help you find it: 

• Lack of professional experience with non-essential skills.  
• Taking criticism too personally. 
• Imperfect presentation skills. 
• Struggling to ask for help. 
• Discomfort with giving criticism. 
• Difficulties delegating tasks to others.  
• Impatience with slow processes. 
• Difficulties with prioritizing tasks. 
• Inability to let go of projects.
• Being too blunt. 

And now, let's look at each of these in more detail. Plus, we'll also briefly discuss how you can try to fix them. 

#1 Lack of professional experience with non-essential skills

In other words, not having a deep understanding of a skill that may be beneficial, but not indispensable. For example, while a project manager isn't required to have proficiency in graphic design, knowledge of Illustrator may be useful for creating simple visual materials for presentations.

This weakness is relatively safe, yet it still communicates your “growth mindset.” Plus, it's an easy fix – just mention a particular course that targets the skill in question .

#2 Taking criticism too personally

This one is pretty real and believable. The ability to receive feedback and objective criticism is necessary for any professional, yet it's not something that comes naturally to many.

For instance, you could say that in the past, it was difficult for you to distinguish between criticism of you as an employee, and criticism of you as a person . But through a conscious shift in mindset, you came to recognize it for what it really is – an opportunity to improve.  

#3 Imperfect presentation skills

Another fairly common weakness is the fear of public speaking . Whether it be presentation for teams, your management, or clients, some degree of public speaking is necessary for pretty much any corporate position.

To improve upon this weakness, you can enroll into a course (such as this Harvard University course via EdX) where you can hone these skills and earn a certificate.   

#4 Struggling to ask for help

You simply can't be a lone wolf in a corporate setting. So you can talk about your inability to ask your colleagues or supervisors for help because you don't want to add to their workload and seem like a burden.

But after several negative experiences you've realized that seeking assistance is the responsible thing to do, because it facilitates the completion of projects . So, you've decided to work on your communication skills , and now you’ve become more productive.

#5 Discomfort with giving criticism

If you happen to occupy a leadership position, it doesn't matter to what capacity, there are times when you have to put your foot down if something isn't working . And not everybody is comfortable with that.

There might’ve been situations where you avoided giving your junior colleagues criticism out of fear of being too harsh. But mention that you're working on this problem by going through a leadership and communication programme . 

#6 Difficulties delegating tasks to others

Another weakness you could mention is reluctance to pass tasks to others . Whether it stems from your desire for perfection, not wanting to increase your colleague's work load , or your need to have things under control, this weakness of yours has caused a decrease in overall team efficiency.

But soon enough you've come to recognize your own faults. You've started by delegating small, low-risk tasks at first. Gradually, you've established open communication for any question or feedback, and learned to trust your colleagues more. As a result, the productivity, efficiency and job satisfaction of your entire team increased. 

#7 Impatience with slow processes

For instance, your lack of patience manifested whenever you felt that your own work pace was hindered by your colleague’s slower tempo. And sometimes, it caused tensions within the team.

So, you did a bit of research and discovered that there are stress-reduction techniques you could learn that target your impatience management. Additionally, you developed a habit of using the extra time between projects by tackling smaller tasks which keep you occupied and productive.

#8 Difficulties with prioritizing tasks

Maybe you're that type of person that says “yes” to everything and then ends up struggling to juggle all the tasks you took on. Because of this, you've reached out to a professional who advised you to work on your time management skills .

Maybe you've gone through a training in the ABCDE method , and now you're able to categorize your tasks based on their urgency. You felt the results of your effort immediately – you became less stressed, which improved your productivity, as well as your relationship to work itself. So now you feel more confident and in control. 

#9 Inability to let go of projects

Imagine this: you've managed to complete your project ahead of time and instead of marking it as complete and moving on to a new task, you just keep coming back to it. Even if the project is executed to perfection.

And this was a problem, because it prevented you from working more efficiently and not wasting any time. But, after you've completed a project management programme , you've learned how to curb this behaviour. Now, you practice setting yourself clear criteria for project evaluation which help you not to dwell on one task for too long. 

#10 Being too blunt

Lastly, you can say that, in the past, you're too direct in your communication with your colleagues. You've realized that your communication skills could use some training when several of your co-workers accused you of being too harsh.

So, to fix this weakness, you completed a course that taught you how to deliver your comments in a more sensitive way. For example, to insert criticism (constructive, of course) in between two positives to make the impact of your words less biting. As a result, the awkward workplace tension disappeared and your co-workers became more receptive to your feedback. 

How to answer “ What is your greatest weakness ?” in 4 steps

Essentially, you should approach the weaknesses for job interview question as an opportunity to demonstrate that you're not only aware of your faults but that you're also actively trying to overcome them . 

So, the perfect answer to "What is your greatest weakness" should follow these 4 steps:

First, select a real weakness that you’ve actively worked/are working to improve. For instance, do you tend to take criticism too personally? Can you be impatient with slow processes? Do you struggle to ask for help?

Next, describe how and when you noticed this weakness. Maybe you received feedback from your supervisor? Or a project you worked on didn't go as planned? In any case, outline what exactly was the problem.

Then, you have to show that once you became aware of this weakness, you rose to the challenge and decided to work on yourself. Being aware is not enough. You must also show willingness to grow. For example: enrolling in a course, mentorship programme, workshop, or developing new habits and practices.

Finally, share the results of your efforts. Ideally, you'll be able to show how your newly sharpened tools contributed to your team or project. And don't be afraid to acknowledge that you're still working on them, if that's the case.

Although this structure is fairly simple, it works wonders! Feel free to use it when preparing your answers. And remember, the narrative is entirely in your hands! 

And finally, we should take a quick look at these 4 example answers.

Notice that all of them follow the structure we've outlined above (weakness, context, improvements, results). 

And if any of these correspond with your own weaknesses, you can just copy and tweak them so that they reflect your own experience. 

Weaknesses for job interview: Presentation skills

“My biggest weakness is my presentation skills. It was only last year that I realized my public speaking skills needed improvement. I was really struggling to overcome my nervousness during team presentations. I realized very quickly that I have to do something to get better at it. So I enrolled in a public speaking course and practiced at every opportunity I got: presentations, reports, even family gatherings! After two months I noticed that I became more confident and comfortable during presentations. I’m by no means perfect, but I received positive feedback from our clients recently. ”

Weaknesses for job interview: Delegating tasks

“The thing I really struggled with in the past was my ability to delegate tasks to my co-workers. I’ve always felt this need to ensure that every single task is completed to a certain standard. And I used to have problems trusting my team even though they always did a stellar job. Eventually, this caused unnecessary tension among us. I realized that it was me who was at fault. So, I decided to work on myself. I improved my communication skills and made sure that my team knows that they can turn to me with any questions. After some time, our relationships and mutual trust improved. And we were able to complete complex projects well ahead of deadlines . If I recall correctly, our overall productivity improved by some 20% . ”

Weaknesses for job interview: Asking for help

“ I remember that when I started out as an accountant, I suffered from a serious imposter syndrome. I was self-conscious of my lack of experience, so I felt that I needed to prove myself. Plus, I really didn’t want to seem like a burden, so whenever I was struggling with new systems or processes, I simply wouldn’t ask anyone for help . Of course, now I know how unfounded and unprofessional this behaviour was. The key thing I’ve changed was my own mindset . I started to look at these challenging moments as opportunities to foster stronger teamwork. I feel that by reaching out to others, I learned a lot about the importance of collaboration. And it also made me more patient with newcomers ! Now, I always make sure they know that they can reach out to me with anything and not feel bad about it.”

Weaknesses for job interview: Being too blunt

“When I look back on my previous work experience, I can definitely say that I used to be pretty blunt when it came to giving feedback to my colleagues. See, I’ve always valued honesty and transparency above everything. And I thought that that’s what makes effective workplace communication. But I was so wrong! My co-workers often felt that I’m being too insensitive, and that caused tension between us. To address this, I enrolled in a leadership programme that taught me how to better phrase my concerns. I’ve found the ‘praise-criticism-praise’ technique especially useful! Soon, all that awkward energy was gone. And my co-workers actually became more receptive to my feedback and we worked much better together as a team .” 

Now that we've gone over the best answers, let's also talk about how NOT to present your weaknesses.

Again, it's pretty simple, just avoid doing these things: 

• Saying that you have no weaknesses. Who’re you trying to fool my friend? Certainly not the recruiters! Indeed, if there's one way to communicate your lack of awareness, it's this! 
• Trying to pass your strengths for weaknesses. Not even Michael Scott can pull off a Michael Scott. So, skip saying you're too much of a perfectionist, or that you work too hard! 
• Using a skill/quality that's essential for the job as your weakness. For example, if you're applying for the job position of an accountant, don't say you're bad at maths or that you pay no attention to details. 
• Oversharing personal information. Just to be clear, recruiters don't care much about the details of your weaknesses. Maybe your nervousness about public speaking is rooted in a bad experience from childhood. Even if so, keep this detail to yourself. Instead, go into lengths about how to address and correct your weakness.  

To sum it all up, the weaknesses for job interview question isn't a strategy to reveal your faults, but an opportunity to show that you're self-aware , introspective , and determined to continue improving on your weak areas. 

When preparing your answer, try sticking to this simple, yet effective structure:

• Introduce your weakness.
• Provide a real-life professional context.
• Demonstrate your effort and determination to improve.
• Mention the results of your improvement (if possible). 

In case you don't know what your weaknesses are, you can draw inspiration from our list of the most appropriate weaknesses for a job interview : 

•  Being too blunt. 

If you're preparing for a job interview, be sure to also check out how to answer these common questions:

• Why are you interested in this position?  
• Why should we hire you?
• Why did you leave your previous job?
• Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
• Why are you looking for a new job?

Julia has recently joined Kickresume as a career writer. From helping people with their English to get admitted to the uni of their dreams to advising them on how to succeed in the job market. It would seem that her career is on a steadfast trajectory. Julia holds a degree in Anglophone studies from Metropolitan University in Prague, where she also resides. Apart from creative writing and languages, she takes a keen interest in literature and theatre.

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