How to Build the Best Resume

Whether you’re a career changer or just in the market for something new, it pays to know how to build the best resume. It’s a tool that can set the tone for an interview and determine your chances of landing the job, but it’s also one that needs to be updated for every position you apply to in order to make sure you’re hitting the mark.

Ultimately, what hiring managers are looking for is not just a list of your previous job duties, but concrete examples of how you made an impact in those positions, Sade says. For example, she suggests including a short description of a particular project you worked on in your employment history that highlights the “outcomes” you achieved. You can also use action words like “created,” “designed,” or “improved” to add a little more life to your bulleted list of responsibilities and accomplishments.

Another area to consider tweaking is your education section, if applicable. While listing your GPA in a top-tier college is always a plus, Sade recommends highlighting the skills you acquired in school, such as foreign language proficiency or software knowledge.

Finally, she warns against using words like “go-getter” and “team player” in your resume, as they can come off as trite and insincere. Instead, she advises applicants to include relevant certifications in the education section and to try to avoid listing too many jobs in reverse-chronological order, as this can confuse hiring managers. how to build the best resume