Anatomy of a Perfect Resume

If I see one more objective statement or GPA on a resume, so help me, I may murder someone.

A resume is a glance, people. It’s a preview of why you’re qualified for whatever job you’re applying for. It shouldn’t take any time at all for a hiring manager to scan it and determine if you can move on to the next stage.

I’ve spent a lot of time talking to people who know things about how to improve my resume. I’ve spent even more time looking at other people’s resumes. I am, dare I say, good at resumes.

There are hard-and-fast rules when it comes to resumes, like don’t have typos and don’t lie. But there are also soft rules. Personally, I’m a hard ass on the belief that all resumes, I don’t care who you are, should be one page maximum. But I also get it: sometimes there is a lot of experience you want to showcase. But before spilling into multiple pages, ask yourself: is this relevant to the job I’m seeking?

Resumes should be tailored to each job for which you’re applying. You might not have to change it all, but it’s a good idea to work your audience. There is no rule that everyone gets one resume attached to their name.

Here’s what I judge every resume that comes across my desk by:

The Name and Contact Section

📞 Keep phone and email, dump the rest

Your home address is a waste of space. If you really want a hiring manager to know where you’re located, you can put your city and state. A phone number and an email – never a school email or work email – should be included.

Objective Statement

❌ Never include

Your objective is to find a job that pays the bills so you aren’t homeless. Skip this. No one reads them and they don’t impress anyone.

Education

🎓 College and certificates only and skip the GPA

No one needs to know about your high school diploma or GED. No one needs to know about your GPA. No one needs to know about your relevant coursework. Employers need to know school, degree, date degree conferred, and maybe any special recognitions. If your resume is a little light on professional experience, you can list clubs. No version of my resume lists that I was the founding treasurer of my collegiate bowling club.

Professional Experience

💼 Relevant experience only

Only list jobs relevant to the position you’re applying for. Do not pad it. If you’re early in your career, list volunteer experiences.

Skills

🛠️ Rarely

Unless you’re applying to a job with highly specialized skills, skip this. No one needs to know you’re proficient at Microsoft Office, because we assume you’re a human with a heartbeat that was born after 1930. The hiring manager might need to know the other languages you speak, the software you can code, or the airplanes you can fly.

Overall Format

✨ Keep it simple, except for rare cases

Unless you’re applying for a job in communications or as a graphic designer, your resume should not be distractingly stylized. And it should always, without exception, be a .pdf format.

Overall, you’re in good shape if you remember that your resume should be a glance and immediately scream that you’re qualified for the job. More pages do not equal more qualifications, and hiring managers know that. If you have something you want to explain but not sure you should include, tuck it in the cover letter. And don’t get me started on those.