How to Write a Professional Resume: Format, Tips & Examples

A professional resume gives recruiters a quick overview of your education, skills, experience, achievements and suitability for a job. A well-structured resume also makes it easier for recruiters and applicant tracking systems (ATS) to identify relevant information.

Whether you are a fresher, working professional or changing careers, the key is to create a resume that is clear, relevant and easy to scan. This guide explains how to write a professional resume, what sections to include, how to describe your experience and how to make your resume ATS-friendly.

How do you write a professional resume? 

To write a professional resume, choose a simple format, add accurate contact details, write a short professional summary, list relevant education and experience, highlight job-related skills and achievements, use keywords from the job description, and keep the formatting consistent. The final resume should be easy for both recruiters and ATS software to read. 

What are the essentials of a professional resume?

A professional resume should include the following essential sections:

• Contact Information: Start your resume with your basic contact details, which include your email address, contact number, alternative contact number, LinkedIn profile link, professional portfolio (if applicable) and current location. Make sure all the contact information is accurate and up to date so that recruiters can easily touch base with you.

• Academic Qualifications: Mention your 10+2 educational details, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree (if you have one) and any certification or diploma. Include the name of the institution, degree or course, and year of completion. If you are pursuing a degree, mention the expected year of completion.

It is advisable to mention percentages or CGPA only when they highlight your excellence in academic performance. 

• Professional Summary: The profile summary should be written in such a way that it catches the readers attention immediately, and clarify what your profile is and what you are looking for.  

Professional summary = Experience/education + key skills + area of work + relevant achievement/career focus 

Fresher example

Recent BBA graduate with knowledge of digital marketing, Excel and business communication. Completed an academic project on social media marketing and seeking an entry-level digital marketing role.

Experienced example

Digital marketing professional with 4 years of experience in SEO, Google Ads and lead generation. Managed performance campaigns and improved qualified lead volume through search and paid social optimisation.

• Work Experience: This section gets the maximum attention by the recruiters, it is very mandatory to mention the name of organization, the tenure of work, key responsibilities and your official designation. 

  Action + task + method + measurable result

For example:

Reduced website load time by 30% by optimising images and removing unused scripts

• Certifications: Include relevant professional certifications, online courses, or industry-recognised credentials that strengthen your profile and demonstrate your knowledge in a particular field.

• Core Competencies & Skills: Mention technical and soft skills that are relevant to the job description. Prioritize skills that match the requirements of the position and avoid adding skills that are unrelated to the role.

• Achievements: Highlight academic, professional, or extracurricular achievements that demonstrate your capabilities.

How to Make Your Resume ATS-Friendly

1. Use a simple layout.
2. Use standard headings such as Work Experience, Education, Skills and Certifications.
3. Use keywords naturally from the job description.
4. Avoid excessive graphics and decorative elements.
5. Avoid putting important information inside images.
6. Use standard fonts.
7. Keep dates and job titles consistent.
8. Check spelling and formatting.
9. Save the file in the format requested by the employer.
10. Review the final file to ensure the text is selectable and readable.

Is a photograph necessary in a resume?

A photograph is not generally required for most professional resumes unless the employer or application process specifically asks for one. Leaving it out also gives more space to focus on job-relevant qualifications and experience. 

Keep your resume as precise and to the point as possible, and avoid unnecessary details such as marital status, height, weight, religion, or any unprofessional information unless the employer asks for it.

However, if the employer demands a photograph in your resume, use a recent, high-quality headshot with a plain and well-lit background.

What Is The Best Template For A Professional Resume?

A template which has soft and professional color schemes like a combination of blue and white, light pink and white or grey and white suits best for professional resumes. Choose a template with a simple layout, clear headings, proper formatting and sufficient amount of white space. 

Avoid too many tables, graphics and complex diagrams so that your resume cooperates with the Application Tracking System (ATS). 

Format	Suitable for
Reverse chronological	Most professionals and freshers with internships/projects
Functional	Candidates focusing mainly on skills, although less common
Combination	Experienced candidates changing roles or highlighting both skills and experience

Some Tips For Your Resume

Here are a few do’s and don’ts:

• Mention all the roles and responsibilities under the work experience in bullet points. 

• Use action verbs like supervised, designed or increased to start every bullet point.

• Don’t use fancy fonts, use simpler and basic ones. 

• Keep the formatting of the resume template clean and consistent throughout. 

• Use relevant keywords according to the job description. 

• Try to quantify your achievements, example: Minimized loss by 90% implementing an effective sales strategy. 

• Do not mention your current or previous annual salary package on your resume. 

• If you have work experience of less than 5 years try to fix the entire resume in one page. 
• A one-page resume is often suitable for freshers and early-career professionals. Candidates with more experience can use two pages when the additional information is relevant to the job. The priority should be relevance and clarity rather than forcing every resume into one page. 

Final Verdict

A resume is the first step towards your dream job, make sure the resume has all the necessary academic and professional information. Nowadays, a resume has to be Application Tracking System (ATS) compliant to be screened and shortlisted by the recruiter. The above mentioned checklist and directions will help you prepare an ATS compliant resume for you. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How many pages should be there in a professional resume? 

Freshers should have a one page resume while individuals with relevant work experience can extend their resume to two pages if necessary. 

Should I add internships in a resume? 

Yes, internship is an important aspect of a resume in a fresher’s and early career professionals profile as it showcases candidates enthusiasm and dedication towards learning. 

Should I mention my address in a resume? 

There is no need for a full address or your hometown in your resume, just mention your current city.