Your resume is often your first impression on an employer. A well-written resume can significantly improve your chances of being shortlisted for interviews. Follow these best practices to create a professional, ATS-friendly resume.
1. Keep Your Resume Professional
- Use a clean and simple layout.
- Avoid unnecessary graphics unless relevant to your profession.
- Use readable fonts such as Calibri, Arial, or Times New Roman.
- Maintain consistent font size and spacing.
- Save your resume as PDF unless another format is requested.
2. Include Complete Contact Information
Your resume should include full name, mobile number, professional email address, city & state, LinkedIn profile (if available), portfolio or website (if applicable), GitHub (for developers), and Behance/Dribbble (for designers). Avoid including sensitive information such as Aadhaar, PAN, passport number, bank details, marital status, religion, caste, or personal identifiers unless specifically required by law or the employer.
3. Write a Strong Professional Summary
Start your resume with a short summary (3–5 lines) highlighting years of experience, key skills, industry expertise, major achievements, and career goals.
Example: "Results-driven Accountant with 5+ years of experience in GST compliance, taxation, and financial reporting. Skilled in Tally, Excel, and statutory compliance with a strong focus on accuracy and client satisfaction."
4. Highlight Your Skills
List both technical and soft skills.
Technical: Microsoft Excel, GST Compliance, Python, AutoCAD, SQL, Java, Digital Marketing.
Soft: Leadership, Communication, Teamwork, Time Management, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Adaptability.
5. Describe Experience with Achievements
Instead of listing duties, highlight accomplishments.
Less effective: Managed accounts.
Better: Managed accounting for 150+ clients with 99% compliance accuracy.
Use numbers wherever possible.
6. List Education Clearly
Include degree, institution, board/university, year of completion, and percentage or CGPA (optional).
7. Add Certifications
Mention relevant certifications such as Google, Microsoft, AWS, Cisco, ICAI, NISM, Coursera, Udemy, or LinkedIn Learning.
8. Showcase Projects
Describe important academic or professional projects — project title, technologies used, your role, and key outcomes.
9. Use Keywords
Many employers use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). Include keywords from the job description naturally throughout your resume.
10. Keep It Concise
- Freshers: 1 page
- Experienced professionals: 2 pages (generally)
- Senior professionals: as needed, focusing on relevance
11. Proofread Carefully
Before submitting, check spelling and grammar, verify dates and employment history, ensure contact information is correct, and test all hyperlinks.
12. Avoid Common Mistakes
Do not exaggerate qualifications, include false experience, use unprofessional email addresses, upload blurry photographs, use decorative fonts, or include irrelevant personal information.
13. Tailor Your Resume
Customize your resume for each application by emphasizing the most relevant experience, skills, and achievements.
14. Keep Your Resume Updated
Update your resume whenever you complete a course, earn a certification, receive a promotion, change jobs, learn a new skill, or complete a major project.
15. ATS-Friendly Resume Checklist
- Contact information is correct
- Professional summary included
- Skills match the job
- Achievements are quantified
- Resume is free from spelling errors
- Formatting is consistent
- Saved as PDF (unless instructed otherwise)
16. Tips for Freshers
Highlight internships, projects, and academic achievements. Include extracurricular activities that demonstrate leadership or teamwork. Emphasize transferable skills and enthusiasm to learn.
17. Tips for Experienced Professionals
Focus on measurable achievements. Showcase leadership, process improvements, and business impact. Remove outdated or irrelevant information.
18. Final Advice
A resume should present an honest and accurate picture of your qualifications. Employers often verify information during the hiring process. Misrepresentation may result in rejection of your application or other consequences.
For additional guidance, explore Aruday's Interview Tips and career resources. For questions about your Aruday profile or resume services, contact support@aruday.com.