30 Resume Do’s and Don’ts for 2025 + Examples

Q: What font and formatting should I use for my resume?

Use professional, easy-to-read fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman. Font size should range from 10-12 points for the body text and slightly larger (around 14 points) for headings. Maintain consistent formatting throughout your resume—align text evenly, use the same font style and size for similar sections, and create clear headings for different sections.

Q: How far back should my work history go?

How far back your resume should go depends, but typically, it should include work history from the last 10-15 years. If you have an earlier experience that’s particularly relevant to the role you’re applying for, you can include it in a separate “Additional Experience” section. Be concise and focus on accomplishments or skills that align with the job requirements. Remember, your resume is not an autobiography — it’s a marketing tool designed to highlight the qualifications most relevant to the job at hand.

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Table of contents

Resume Do’s: 15 Best Practices for Writing a Resume
Resume Don’ts: 15 Common Mistakes to Avoid
Resume Do and Don'ts Examples
The Importance of Design
Key Takeaways
FAQ

Get the job 2x faster^*

Your resume is your ticket to landing an interview and getting your next job, so you obviously want to make it the best you can.

But with so many tips and rules floating around, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. What should you include? What should you avoid?

Understanding the do's and don'ts of resume writing is key to properly showcasing your skills and experience so hiring managers can easily see that you are the most qualified candidate for the job.

In this article, you'll learn:

The top resume do's to create a strong, effective document.
Common resume don'ts and mistakes that can hold you back.
Practical examples to help you strike the perfect balance.
Design tips to ensure your resume looks professional and is ATS-friendly.

Want to save yourself the trouble? Try Resume-Now's AI Resume Builder. With customizable templates and expert suggestions, you can have a high-quality resume in minutes that's tailored to your career goals.

Resume Do's: 15 Best Practices for Writing a Resume

Follow these tips to create a resume that captures attention and sets you apart from other candidates:

Make it ATS-friendly: Many employers are increasingly relying on applicant tracking systems (ATS) to automate much of the recruiting process. Many ATS work by scanning resumes for keywords and specific parameters set by the hiring manager. Then, they rank and filter out those that do not score high enough, sending the best resumes along for the hiring manager to assess.

Tailor your resume for each job: Use keywords and phrases from the job description to align your experience with the employer's needs. This helps both the applicant tracking system (ATS) and hiring managers quickly connect your qualifications to the job, underscoring your value as a potential employee.

Only provide relevant information: Don't just tailor your resume; keep it relevant. Everything on the page should, in one way or another, relate back to the job, whether it is explicitly stated in the description or you can somehow draw a connection to it.

Incorporate keywords naturally: Include job-related terms to pass ATS screening, but don't overstuff your resume with irrelevant keywords. If the keywords are incorrectly used, your resume will come across as unfocused and insincere.

Use a clean, professional design: Unless you are applying in a creative industry that expects more, choose a simple format with professional fonts and consistent spacing to focus your resume on its content and keep it ATS-friendly.

Quantify responsibilities and achievements: By providing measurable data on your work experience, you provide unique context and credibility to your abilities. Additionally you demonstrate your tangible value and impact, which hiring managers are looking for. Use the format "[action verb] + [quantifiable responsibility] = [quantifiable achievement/impact]", such as: "Coordinated team of eight analysts to perform regulatory audit which was delivered two weeks early."

Keep it concise: Limit your resume to one page unless you have extensive relevant experience or applying for academic or executive positions, in which case it can be up to two pages long. Anything longer and you will want to consider writing a CV.

Proofread thoroughly: Simple but often overlooked, make sure to double-check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors to maintain a polished, professional image.

Balance relevant skills: List both hard and soft skills that are specifically relevant to the role, such as technical expertise and teamwork, to show that you are a well-rounded employee.

Organize your work history chronologically: This is especially true if you are using the chronological resume format. List your most recent job first and work backward to create a clear timeline of your experience.

Add a profile: Begin with a concise, tailored statement of two to four sentences that introduces you to the reader. Choose between either a resume summary, which provides a brief overview of your most relevant experience and accomplishments, or an objective statement that explains your strengths and motivations for applying.

Use action verbs: To describe your responsibilities, start bullet points with strong action verbs like "managed," "developed," or "achieved." This provides clarity to your experience.

Highlight certifications or awards: List relevant courses, training, or certifications to showcase your commitment to professional growth or any awards that show recognition for your abilities.

Add links to online profiles or portfolios: Include links to your LinkedIn profile or portfolio if they demonstrate your professional skills or accomplishments. This also reduces the pressure of trying to add everything to your resume.

Use standard margins: In general, you should keep your resume margins to 1 inch; however, anything between 0.5 and 1 inch is acceptable. Adjusting margins can help you fit in information without the resume looking too cramped.

Pro tip

Use our ATS Resume Checker to help you determine whether or not your resume is ATS-friendly and our AI Summary Generator to write a tailored resume summary. Such tools will save you valuable time and help you perfect your resume.

Resume Don'ts: 15 Common Mistakes to Avoid

Along with the things you should do when writing a resume, avoid these common resume pitfalls so you don't hurt your chances of getting your next job.

Don't include irrelevant work experience: Focus on jobs and achievements that are most relevant to the position you're applying for. This takes up valuable space and most likely will just be ignored by the hiring manager.

Avoid generic summaries or objectives: Your profile needs to make it clear to the reader right away that you are a qualified candidate who deserves further attention.

Don't use unprofessional email addresses: Avoid any email address that can come across as childish, insensitive, or spammy. Create a simple email address with your name, such as firstname.lastname@email.com.

Don't overuse buzzwords: Avoid clichés like "hard worker" or "team player" unless you provide specific examples to back them up. Instead look for specific words from the job description.

Don't include personal information: Don't include your mailing address, marital status, nationality, or other details that aren't relevant to the job. If you are thinking of sharing a picture of yourself on your resume, first check the expectations of the industry and country in which you are applying.

Don't lie or exaggerate: It's not worth lying about education, experience, or anything else. Hiring managers often verify your claims and false information can lead to disqualification or termination.

Don't use overly complex designs: Avoid flashy graphics, decorative fonts, or excessive colors that can distract from your qualifications and make it harder to be scanned by applicant tracking systems.

Don't list outdated or irrelevant skills: Focus on current, in-demand skills and tools; skip outdated tech or irrelevant abilities. For example, if your technical skills involve software that is no longer used, it would be better to get trained in the new technology and promote that on your resume.

Avoid long, dense paragraphs: Break up your content into bullet points for better readability and scannability. Save the detailed explanations for your cover letter.

Don't forget to update contact information: Make sure your phone number, email, and LinkedIn profile are current and accurate.

Don't include salary expectations: Unless specifically requested, avoid discussing salary on your resume. This is something you should wait to do until the interview or after you have been offered the job.

Don't submit a generic resume: A generic resume will likely be ignored because the hiring manager will have a harder time seeing what makes you qualified for their role. Tailor your resume for each job application instead of sending out a one-size-fits-all version.

Avoid using personal pronouns: Omit "I," "me," or "my" to keep the tone professional and consistent.

Forgetting to proofread: Even if you feel pressed for time, it's important to read over your resume before submitting your application. Spelling and grammar mistakes can leave a negative impression and hurt your chances of getting an interview.

Don't neglect formatting consistency: Ensure fonts, spacing, and heading styles are uniform throughout your resume. This helps establish your identity as a quality professional.

Pro tip

If you need help getting started, check out our free and premium resume templates that can give you a framework to build around. Simply fill in the template with your own info, and you're good to go!

Resume Do and Don'ts Examples

It can help to visualize the dos and don'ts of resume writing. You can always check out our collection of resume examples that are organized by industry and job title to see what it looks like when you follow best practices.

Take a look below to also see what you don't want to do and what you can do to correct it.

Example 1: Generic vs. tailored resume summary

Generic Summary:

"Hardworking professional seeking a position where I can use my skills to contribute to company success."

Why it's bad: This summary is too vague, lacks specificity, and does not align with a specific job. It doesn't mention key skills or achievements that make the candidate stand out.

Tailored summary:

"Results-driven marketing professional with 5+ years of experience developing successful digital campaigns. Skilled in SEO, PPC, and data analysis with a proven track record of increasing ROI by 25% for previous employers. Seeking to leverage expertise in a Marketing Manager role to drive brand growth and engagement."

Why it's good: This summary is tailored to a marketing role, highlights specific skills and accomplishments, and directly addresses how the candidate can add value to the employer.

Example 2: Vague work experience vs. Action verb and quantified experience

Vague work experience:

Sales Associate
Constant Consumption Retail | June 2022 – Present

Helped customers find items.
Worked on the sales floor.
Completed transactions.

Why it's bad: The descriptions are generic and lack measurable achievements or action-oriented language.

Action verb and quantified experience:

Sales Associate
Constant Consumption Retail | June 2022 – Present

Delivered personalized customer service, resulting in a 15% increase in repeat customers.
Managed a high-volume sales floor, consistently exceeding monthly sales targets by 20%.
Trained 5 new team members, enhancing team productivity and efficiency.

Why it's good: The good example uses strong action verbs ("delivered," "managed," "trained") and quantifies achievements to demonstrate impact and value.

Example 3: Cluttered work experience vs. Bullet point work experience

Cluttered work experience:

Graphic Designer
Cliche Creatives | January 2018 – December 2023
"At this job, I worked on designing logos, websites, and promotional materials. I collaborated with clients on multiple projects and helped develop branding strategies. I also created presentations for client pitches and managed social media graphics. I contributed to team brainstorming sessions and occasionally trained interns."

Why it's bad: This example is written as a long paragraph in the first person, making it difficult to skim. Important details may get lost.

Bulleted work experience:

Graphic Designer
Cliche Creatives| January 2018 – December 2023

Designed 50+ logos, websites, and promotional materials for clients in various industries.
Collaborated with clients to develop customized branding strategies that enhanced brand visibility.
Created presentation decks for client pitches, contributing to a 30% win rate for new accounts.
Managed social media graphics, resulting in a 25% increase in engagement.
Led brainstorming sessions and mentored 3 interns on design best practices.

Why it's good: This example uses concise bullet points, highlights key achievements, and quantifies results, making the information more readable and impactful.

Example of a good resume

When you put all the best practices in place and avoid common mistakes, you can get a resume that looks something like the one below.

Create your resume

The Importance of Design

A big part of resume do's and don'ts is your resume design. A well-designed resume ensures that your information is presented in a way that's easy to read, visually appealing, and professional.

Poor formatting or cluttered layouts can distract hiring managers, while a clean and organized design helps highlight your qualifications and makes your resume stand out.

Why formatting and design is important

First impressions count: Hiring managers spend an average of just a few seconds scanning a resume. A polished design ensures that they can quickly find the information they need.

Improves readability: Clear formatting with plenty of white space, consistent alignment, and organized sections makes your resume easy to skim.

ATS compatibility: Proper formatting ensures your resume passes through applicant tracking systems without errors, increasing your chances of being noticed.

Resume design best practices

White space: Leave enough space between sections and around the edges to avoid a cluttered look. This makes your resume visually balanced and easier to read.

Consistent alignment: To maintain a professional appearance, use the same alignment style (e.g., left-aligned text for dates and job titles) throughout your resume.

Headings and bullet points: For better scannability, use clear, bold headings to divide sections and bullet points to break down information, such as responsibilities and achievements.

By following these tips, you will end up with a clean and professional layout that can make your resume stand out to both ATS and hiring managers.

Key Takeaways

Tailor your resume for each job:

Customize your resume to include keywords and skills from the job description.
Focus on clarity and professionalism:

Use clean formatting, white space, and bullet points to create an easy-to-read and polished resume.
Highlight measurable achievements:

Quantify your accomplishments to showcase your impact in previous roles.
Avoid common mistakes:

Skip irrelevant information, overly complex designs, and unprofessional elements like informal email addresses.
Proofread and optimize for ATS:

Eliminate errors and ensure your resume is formatted for applicant tracking systems to increase your chances of success.

FAQ

Last Updated: January 29, 2025

The most frequent resume mistakes include spelling and grammar errors, using an unprofessional email address, and listing irrelevant work experience that doesn't align with the job. Additionally, formatting issues, like inconsistent fonts or misaligned sections, can leave a bad impression. To avoid these mistakes, proofread thoroughly, use a professional format, and customize your resume to highlight the most relevant skills and achievements for each application.

When detailing your work history, aim to strike a balance between providing enough information to highlight your contributions and keeping your resume concise. Focus on your most recent and relevant positions, and for each role, include your job title, company name, location, dates of employment, and key responsibilities. Use bullet points to list achievements and quantify them with numbers whenever possible.

Tailoring your resume starts with analyzing the job description to identify keywords, skills, and qualifications the employer values most. Integrate these keywords naturally into your professional summary, skills section, and work history. Highlight achievements that directly relate to the role, emphasizing how your experience meets the company's needs.

Yes, using color can be a great way to make your resume visually appealing, but it should be done thoughtfully. Stick to subtle accents, such as using a single color for section headers or lines to create separation. Neutral tones like navy, gray, or dark green work well for maintaining a professional look. Avoid bright, flashy colors or excessive use of color, as this can distract from the content. If in doubt, keep it simple and focus on readability.

Use professional, easy-to-read fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman. Font size should range from 10-12 points for the body text and slightly larger (around 14 points) for headings. Maintain consistent formatting throughout your resume—align text evenly, use the same font style and size for similar sections, and create clear headings for different sections.

How far back your resume should go depends, but typically, it should include work history from the last 10-15 years. If you have an earlier experience that's particularly relevant to the role you're applying for, you can include it in a separate "Additional Experience" section. Be concise and focus on accomplishments or skills that align with the job requirements. Remember, your resume is not an autobiography — it's a marketing tool designed to highlight the qualifications most relevant to the job at hand.

Including hobbies or interests on your resume is optional and should only be done if they're relevant to the job or demonstrate valuable skills. For example, if you're applying for a team-oriented role, mentioning your involvement in community sports can highlight your teamwork skills. Similarly, listing volunteer work or leadership roles in organizations can showcase qualities like leadership or commitment.

Conor is a writer for Resume Now. He has over five years of professional writing experience and professional development training. Conor has written on a range of career development topics.