Quick answer: The resume tips that matter most are: tailor your resume to every job, lead with measurable achievements instead of duties, keep the layout simple and ATS-friendly, put your strongest and most relevant information in the top third, and proofread obsessively. Keep it to one page if you have under 10 years of experience, use a clear headline and short summary, start bullets with strong action verbs, include keywords from the job posting, and cut anything outdated, irrelevant, or generic. Don't include a photo (in the US, UK, Canada, or Australia), references, an objective that only says what you want, or fancy graphics.
There's no shortage of resume advice. The problem is that half of it contradicts the other half, and some of it hasn't been true since fax machines were the hottest tech in the office.
So here's a different approach: the resume do's and don'ts that recruiters and hiring managers actually care about. They're grouped by section, they explain why each one matters, and they include examples you can copy.
The 5 Resume Tips That Matter Most
If you only have 10 minutes, do these:
- Tailor it to the job. Match your headline, summary, and top bullets to the posting
- Show results, not duties. Add numbers to as many bullets as you can
- Make it easy to skim. Single column, clear headings, white space
- Put the best stuff first. Your headline, summary, and most recent role carry the most weight
- Proofread. Then proofread again, out loud
Everything below expands on these.
Formatting Do's and Don'ts
Do: use a simple, single-column layout
Recruiters skim, and applicant tracking systems (ATS) parse. Both prefer a clean layout with standard headings like "Experience," "Education," and "Skills." See ATS-friendly resume templates.
Do: choose a professional font at 10–12 pt
Calibri, Arial, Garamond, Georgia, and Helvetica are safe choices. Your name can be 16–24 pt. See best fonts for a resume and resume font size.
Do: keep margins between 0.5 and 1 inch
Enough white space to breathe, not so much that you waste room. See what should a resume look like.
Do: keep it the right length
One page for most people with under 10 years of experience. Two pages for experienced professionals. See how long should a resume be.
Do: save as a PDF (unless asked for Word)
PDFs keep your formatting locked. See resume PDF or Word.
Don't: use tables, text boxes, icons, or skill bars
They can scramble your information in an ATS, and "Excel: 4 out of 5 stars" tells a recruiter nothing.
Don't: add a photo (in the US, UK, Canada, or Australia)
It can introduce bias and confuse ATS. See photo on resume.
Don't: cram everything in with tiny fonts
Shrinking to 8 pt with 0.3-inch margins turns your resume into an eye exam. Cut words instead.
Header and Summary Do's and Don'ts
Do: include the right contact details
Name, phone, professional email, city and state, and LinkedIn. Add a portfolio or GitHub if relevant. See resume heading.
Do: add a headline that matches the job
Example: Customer Success Manager | B2B SaaS | 96% Retention on a $4M Book
Do: write a short, specific summary
Two to four sentences with your role, experience, key skills, and one measurable result. See how to write a resume summary.
Don't: use an objective that's only about you
"Seeking a challenging role where I can grow" says what you want, not what you offer. If you need an objective (students, career changers), make it specific. See resume objective examples.
Don't: include your full address, date of birth, or marital status
City and state are enough. Personal details aren't needed in the US and similar markets. See address on resume.
Don't: use an unprofessional email
firstname.lastname@email.com beats coolcat2007@email.com every time.
Work Experience Do's and Don'ts
Do: list jobs in reverse-chronological order
Most recent first. It's the format recruiters expect. See reverse-chronological resume.
Do: turn duties into accomplishments
Duty: Responsible for customer emails.
Accomplishment: Resolved 60+ customer emails daily with a 96% satisfaction score.
See accomplishments for your resume.
Do: quantify everything you can
Revenue, savings, percentages, volume, time saved, team size, rankings. Honest estimates ("100+ customers per day") are fine.
Do: start every bullet with a strong action verb
Swap "responsible for" for verbs like launched, reduced, built, grew, resolved. See managed synonyms, led synonyms, and helped synonyms.
Do: use the right tense
Present tense for your current job, past tense for previous jobs. See past or present tense on a resume.
Do: show promotions clearly
Recruiters love seeing growth at the same company. See how to show a promotion on your resume.
Don't: list every job you've ever had
Focus on the last 10–15 years and relevant roles. See how far back should a resume go.
Don't: write long paragraphs
Three to five bullets per job, one to two lines each. See resume bullet points.
Don't: use first person
Skip "I" and "my." Start bullets with verbs.
Skills, Education, and Extras
Do: tailor your skills section
List 8–15 relevant skills from the job posting, and make sure the important ones also appear in your bullets. See skills for resume examples.
Do: put education first if you're a student or recent grad
After a few years of experience, move it below work history. See how to list a degree.
Do: add certifications, projects, and volunteer work when relevant
They're especially valuable for career changers and early-career candidates. See certifications on a resume and projects on a resume.
Don't: write "references available upon request"
It's assumed. Use the space for an achievement. See references on a resume.
Don't: list generic soft skills without proof
"Hardworking team player" is on thousands of resumes. Show it instead. See team player resume.
Tailoring and ATS Do's and Don'ts
Do: use keywords from the job description
Mirror the exact wording for skills, tools, and job titles you genuinely have. See resume keywords optimization.
Do: check your ATS match
Run your resume against the posting with an ATS score checker.
Don't: keyword-stuff or hide text
White-text keywords and long skill lists that never show up in your bullets are red flags.
Don't: rely on unedited AI writing
Use AI for drafts, then add real numbers and your own voice. See does ATS detect AI.
Final Polish Do's and Don'ts
Do: proofread out loud and backward
Read it aloud, then read it bottom to top. Ask someone else to check it too.
Do: name your file professionally
Jane-Smith-Resume.pdf, not resume_final_FINAL_v8.docx. See how to name your resume file.
Do: keep LinkedIn consistent with your resume
Recruiters often compare them. See how to add your resume to LinkedIn.
Don't: lie or exaggerate
Background checks and interviews catch it. See is it illegal to lie on a resume.
Before and After: Applying These Resume Tips
Before:
Office Assistant, ABC Company
- Responsible for answering phones
- Helped with scheduling
- Did data entry
After:
Office Assistant, Brightline Dental Group, Denver, CO | 2023 – Present
- Answer 80+ patient calls daily and schedule appointments for 4 dentists with less than 2% double-booking
- Reduced no-shows by 18% by introducing text reminders
- Digitized 3,000+ patient records with 99.9% accuracy
Resume Tips Checklist
Before you hit "apply":
- Tailored headline and summary
- Numbers in most bullets
- Keywords from the job posting
- Single-column, ATS-friendly layout
- 10–12 pt professional font, 0.5–1 inch margins
- Right length for your experience
- Consistent dates and formatting
- No typos (read it out loud)
- Professional email and correct phone number
- Text-based PDF with a clear file name
See common resume mistakes and how to make your resume stand out for more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most important resume tips?
Tailor your resume to each job, show measurable results, keep the format simple and ATS-friendly, put your most relevant information first, and proofread carefully.
What should you not put on a resume?
A photo (in the US and similar markets), date of birth, marital status, full street address, references, salary history, unrelated old jobs, and anything untrue.
How long should a resume be?
One page for most people with under 10 years of experience. Two pages for experienced professionals with more relevant achievements.
What is the best resume format?
Reverse-chronological works for most people. Career changers and people with gaps may prefer a combination format. See types of resumes.
How do I make my resume stand out?
Use a specific headline, lead with quantified achievements, tailor keywords to the job, and keep the design clean. See how to make your resume stand out.
How often should I update my resume?
Every six months, or whenever you finish a major project, earn a certification, or get promoted. See how to update your resume.
Put These Resume Tips Into Practice
Our Resume Builder applies these do's and don'ts automatically, with ATS-friendly templates and AI-powered suggestions for stronger, results-driven bullet points.