How to Write a Resume: A Beginner's Guide with Examples

Your resume is arguably your most important financial document. Without a resume, you don't get the job, so you can't pay bills, support a family, have that weekend trip, or plan for retirement. Your resume is the doorway to your future, so let's ensure you know how to write a resume so you have the perfect one.

In this beginner's writing guide, we'll show you how to write a good resume and provide examples of what each section should look like. So, grab a cup of coffee and strap in because what you're about to learn could change your life forever!

What is the purpose of a resume?

The purpose of a resume is to sell your relevant skills, work accomplishments, and job qualifications to prospective employers. In a highly competitive job market, you need to stand out in a sea of candidates by creating a compelling narrative that tells a story of value. This is what your resume should do for you:

1. Introduce you to a new company

2. Underscore how your experiences and education are relevant

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

4. Win interviews

What should your resume look like?

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

• Someone with little to no experience will have a short resume – generally one page. 

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

It's not incremental, though:

• Just because you have 20 years of experience doesn't mean your resume should be three pages long. You should avoid having a resume this long unless you have a lot of career extras like publications, research, patents, publications, or public speaking engagements to talk about. 

Resume formats

Your resume format should stay consistent whether you're a new grad or gunning for the C-suite. It's not about reinventing the wheel—just choosing the layout that best highlights your strengths. Let’s break them down:

Chronological resume

The reverse-chronological format focuses on your career achievements, starting with your most recent role and going back 10–15 years. It’s the most widely used resume format: employers love it for clearly showing where, when, and what you did. Also, it works if you have a stable job history with clear progression.

Pro Tip: Skip overly designed resumes. While adding flair can help, too much formatting can trip up ATS (applicant tracking systems) and get your resume tossed.

Functional resume

This style puts skills and abilities front and center, rather than your job titles and dates. It’s often used to hide gaps or frequent changes in employment. But be careful: many hiring managers find it harder to follow and are skeptical of what’s missing. Try to avoid this format—unless you have a strong reason to use it.

Combination resume

A combination resume mixes skills and work experience. It starts with what you’re good at, then backs it up with where you’ve done it. It’s great for career changers or mid-career professionals with a solid track record. However, it can be dense to read, so use it when you really need to highlight both strengths.

Curriculum Vitae

A CV (Curriculum Vitae) is a longer, more detailed version of a resume, often used for academic or research roles. It includes things like publications, awards, and areas of interest. Unlike resumes, CVs don’t change for each job application. They tell your career story chronologically, serving as a professional biography.

How to write a resume: the main sections

Since most people use the reverse-chronological resume to apply for jobs, and it's the format that hiring managers want to see, we'll focus this article on showing you how to write a simple resume using that style. It will have these sections:

• Header

• Summary

• Skills

• Work experience

• Education

• Awards, certificates, and volunteer work 

Header

The header sits at the top of your resume and includes your name and contact details. Make it easy for hiring managers to find you—just add your city, email, phone number, and relevant links like LinkedIn. If you’d like to include a title in your resume, you can also do it in the header. For example:

“Chris Smith Vancouver, BC chris.smith@email.com | (604) 123-4567 | linkedin.com/in/chrissmith”

“Resume: Anne Rogers – Customer Care Representative

Anne Rogers

London, ON

anne.rogers@email.com | (519) 555-3210 | linkedin.com/in/annerogers

Summary

Your summary is a short, 2–3 sentence intro highlighting your experience, strengths, and what you bring to the table. Think of it as your professional elevator pitch. For example:

“Detail-oriented IT Engineer with 7+ years of experience designing, implementing, and maintaining complex systems and networks. Adept at solving technical problems, optimizing infrastructure, and supporting cross-functional teams. Known for a proactive approach, strong troubleshooting skills, and delivering results in high-pressure environments.”

“Friendly and solution-oriented customer care representative with 5+ years of experience delivering exceptional support across phone, email, and chat channels. Skilled at problem-solving, de-escalation, and building strong customer relationships in fast-paced environments.”

Skills

The skills section is a snapshot of your hard and soft skills. Tailor this section to match what’s listed in the job description, and focus on the ones that show off your strengths. For example, in the case of our IT professional:

• Network architecture & administration

• Cloud computing (AWS, Azure)

• Scripting (Python, Bash, PowerShell)

• Cybersecurity best practices

• Systems integration & automation

• Technical support & troubleshooting

• Virtualization (VMware, Hyper-V)

• ITIL framework and Agile workflows

Or, in our customer care representative example:

• Customer service & support

• CRM systems (Zendesk, Salesforce)

• Conflict resolution & de-escalation

• Order management

• Bilingual (English & French)

• Email & live chat support

• Technical troubleshooting

• Upselling & retention techniques

Work Experience

This is the heart of your resume. Use bullet points to highlight accomplishments and contributions, not just responsibilities. Start with your most recent job and work backward. For example, here’s the experience of our IT professional:

“Senior IT Engineer TechNova Solutions – Vancouver, BC May 2020 – Present

• Led the migration of on-premise infrastructure to AWS, reducing operational costs by 25%

• Designed and deployed scalable network solutions for enterprise clients

• Automated system monitoring and backup tasks, improving efficiency and uptime

• Provided tier 3 technical support and trained junior IT staff

IT Support Engineer Clearway Systems – Burnaby, BC June 2016 – April 2020

• Supported a user base of 300+ employees across multiple locations

• Diagnosed and resolved network issues, resulting in a 40% drop in support tickets

• Rolled out security updates and maintained compliance with company policies

• Assisted in implementing a company-wide helpdesk ticketing system”

And here, for our customer care representative:

“Customer Care Specialist Telessa Communications – Montreal, QC January 2021 – Present

• Handled 60+ customer inquiries daily, resolving issues on first contact 85% of the time

• Created templates and FAQs that helped reduce average handling time by 15%

• Collaborated with tech support and billing departments to streamline issue resolution

• Recognized as "Customer Hero" for exceptional service in Q3 2023

Customer Service Representative Maple Home Goods – Laval, QC June 2018 – December 2020

• Assisted customers with online orders, returns, and warranty claims

• Maintained a 95% customer satisfaction rating through surveys

• Trained new team members on customer service software and processes

• Handled bilingual customer inquiries, helping expand service to French-speaking regions”

Education

List your most recent and relevant education here. Include the degree, school name, location, and graduation date (or expected graduation date). Here, you can also include relevant coursework, projects, and achievements. For example:

“Bachelor of Science in Information Technology University of British Columbia – Vancouver, BC Graduated: 2016 Relevant Coursework: Cyber Security 101, Business Intelligence, Application Development, Networking and Telecom, Artificial Intelligence”

“Diploma in Business Communication Dawson College – Montreal, QC Graduated: 2016”

Awards, Certificates, and Volunteer Work

Use this section to show your growth outside of traditional roles. Certifications, volunteer work, and awards can help you stand out and show you’re engaged in your field. For example:

“CompTIA Security+ (2023) AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (2022) Volunteer IT Mentor – Canada Learning Code (2021–present)”

“Zendesk Customer Support Certification (2023) Employee of the Month – Telessa (March 2022- August 2023) Volunteer Hotline Responder – Youth Wellness Centre (2021–2022)”

How long does it take to make a resume?

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

The "right resume" can take weeks because of how much background work goes into it. You'll write and rewrite and may end up with multiple versions. So, the exact amount of time that goes into writing your resume depends on your experience level, how complex your history is, and what job you're applying to. 

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

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

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

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

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

What to avoid when writing your resume

Even a strong resume can be overlooked if it includes common mistakes. Here are a few things to watch out for before hitting "send":

• Typos and grammar mistakes – These can instantly turn off hiring managers. Always proofread carefully, and better yet, ask a friend with a sharp eye to review it for you.

• Overly complicated formatting – While design can help you stand out, too much styling can confuse ATS systems and make your resume hard to read. Keep it clean and simple.

• Listing responsibilities instead of accomplishments – Instead of saying what you were supposed to do, focus on what you achieved. Use numbers or outcomes when possible.

• Including outdated or irrelevant information – Leave off old jobs that don’t add value and skip personal details like your full address or hobbies that aren’t job-related.

How to avoid rejection by the ATS

Ever feel like your resume disappears into a black hole after you apply? That’s probably the ATS (Applicant Tracking System) at work. About 90% of companies—from startups to Fortune 500s—use ATS software to scan resumes for keywords pulled straight from their job descriptions. If yours doesn’t match up, it may never reach a human.

These systems help hiring teams filter through hundreds of applications by ranking candidates based on how closely they match the role. That’s why using the right keywords is so important.

Even once your resume passes the ATS, hiring managers usually spend just a few seconds deciding whether to keep reading. Make sure it’s clear, tailored, and easy to skim.

Pro Tip: Lay your resume on a table and glance at it a few feet away. Can you tell what the job is at a glance? If not, tweak it until you can.

Avoid being too vague or generic—if a hiring manager can’t quickly tell what you do and where you fit, they’ll move on. Your first goal? Make sure your resume actually gets seen. Start with a clear focus and the right keywords.

How to write a good resume: final tips

Before you send your resume out into the world, here are a few final reminders to help you polish it and make sure it’s working hard for you:

• Use action verbs – Start each bullet point with strong action words like led, developed, improved, or streamlined to show impact and confidence.

• Tailor your resume to the job – Avoid using the same version for every application. Align your skills, summary, and accomplishments with what the employer is looking for.

• Include keywords from the job posting – Many companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS), so make sure your resume includes relevant terms and phrases from the job description.

• Be specific, not vague – Skip lazy phrases like “etc.” or “other duties as required.” Focus on clear, relevant achievements that show your strengths.

• Make it your own – Templates are a good starting point, but your resume should reflect you. Show personality through strong content, not flashy design.

Theory in practice – 10 resume examples

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

1. Software Engineer resume example

Click here for an example of a Software Engineer resume.

2. Data Scientist resume example

Click here for an example of a Data Scientist resume.

3. Cybersecurity resume example

Click here for an example of a cybersecurity resume.

4. Digital Marketing Manager resume example

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

5. Nurse Practitioner resume example

Click here for an example of a Nurse Practitioner resume. 

6. Finance Director resume example

Click here for an example of a Finance Director resume. 

7. Attorney resume example

Click here for an example of an attorney's resume.

8. Administrative Office Assistant resume example

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

9. Information Technology Expert resume example

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

10. Chief Executive Officer resume example

Click here for an example of a CEO resume. 

How to write a resume: The takeaways

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

• Know what you want to do – be specific

• Make your resume with the correct format 

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

• Use action words to make your resume stand out

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

• Tailor your new resume to each job

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

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