How to Create a Resume That Gets Interviews (Step-by-Step Guide)

Creating a resume that actually gets interviews requires more than listing your job history. According to a TheLadders eye-tracking study, recruiters spend an average of just 7 seconds scanning a resume before deciding whether to read further. And before a human even sees it, your resume must first pass through an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) — software that 98% of Fortune 500 companies use to automatically filter out unqualified candidates.

This guide walks you through exactly how to create a resume that clears both hurdles — the ATS filter and the recruiter's 7-second scan — and lands you in the interview pile.

Before writing a single word, gather everything you need. This makes the process faster and ensures nothing important is missed. Collect:

• Past job titles, company names, locations, employment dates, and key responsibilities
• Measurable achievements and awards received at work
• Hard and soft skills tailored to your target job
• Degree, school name, graduation year
• Certifications, issuing organizations, and dates earned
• Volunteer work, extracurriculars, or relevant side projects

There are three main resume formats. Choosing the wrong one is one of the most common resume mistakes that leads to instant rejection.

For most job seekers, reverse-chronological is the safest choice. It is the format recruiters expect and ATS systems parse most reliably. Start with your most recent position and work backwards. Browse Resumaly's free ATS-friendly templates — each one is designed to pass both automated systems and human review.

Not all resume templates are created equal. Many visually attractive templates — with columns, tables, graphics, and fancy fonts — are completely invisible to ATS software. Choose a template with:

• Single-column layout (no text boxes or columns)
• Standard section headings: Work Experience, Education, Skills
• Professional fonts: Calibri, Arial, Garamond, or Georgia
• Clean, consistent spacing with no images or graphics

Your contact section must be clean and professional. ATS systems parse this section first. Include:

• Full name — large and clear at the top
• Professional email address — firstname.lastname@email.com format
• Phone number — one you check regularly
• City and State only — no full street address (privacy concern)
• LinkedIn URL — customized, not the default random URL
• Portfolio or GitHub — only if directly relevant to the role

Your professional summary is 2–4 sentences at the top of your resume. It is the first thing a recruiter reads in those 7 seconds and the first thing an ATS scans for keyword relevance. Make it count.

The strong version is specific, quantified, and keyword-rich. Write yours using the same formula: role + years of experience + biggest achievement + top skills.

Your work history section carries the most weight in a hiring decision. Use reverse-chronological order (most recent job first). For each position include:

• Job title, company name, city/state, and employment dates
• 3–6 bullet points describing your responsibilities and achievements

How to Write Strong Bullet Points

Use the Action Verb + Task + Measurable Result formula. Vague bullets are the number one reason experienced candidates get rejected.

Strong action verbs to use: Led, Drove, Generated, Reduced, Increased, Launched, Negotiated, Developed, Managed, Optimized. Avoid overused words like "Responsible for," "Helped with," or "Assisted in."

Skills fall into two categories:

• Hard skills — technical, measurable abilities gained through training or experience: Python, SEO, Project Management, HubSpot, Adobe Photoshop
• Soft skills — interpersonal traits: Leadership, Communication, Problem-solving, Time management

Only list skills that are relevant to the job you are applying for. Adding irrelevant skills signals to a recruiter that you haven't read the job description carefully.

For most professionals with work experience, the education section is short. Include your degree, institution name, and graduation year. That is all that is needed unless you are a recent graduate.

If you are a recent graduate or student, your education section can include: relevant coursework, academic honors, GPA (if above 3.5), and extracurricular leadership roles.

Place education after work experience unless you have less than two years of experience, in which case education can come first.

This section validates your skills and differentiates you from candidates with similar experience. Include:

• Professional certifications with issuing organization and date
• Industry licenses (required for nursing, teaching, contracting, healthcare)
• Awards or formal recognition received at work or school
• Relevant volunteer work that demonstrates transferable skills

Before sending your resume anywhere, complete this checklist:

• ✅ Proofread for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors
• ✅ Check formatting consistency — same font, sizes, and spacing throughout
• ✅ Ensure the keywords from the job description appear naturally in your resume
• ✅ Confirm your contact information is correct and professional
• ✅ Chec k your ATS score before submitting

Not sure if your resume will pass ATS? Run it through Resumaly's free ATS Checker — it scans your resume and tells you exactly what to fix. No account required.

The Role of Keywords in a Resume

According to a 2025 ATS Usage Report by Jobscan, 98% of Fortune 500 companies use ATS software in their recruitment process, and that adoption is growing rapidly among smaller companies too.

ATS systems scan resumes for specific keywords — skills, job titles, tools, certifications, and phrases — that match the job description. Applications that lack the right keywords may be rejected automatically before a recruiter ever sees them.

Not sure how long your resume should be? Read our guide: How Long Should a Resume Be? One Page vs Two (2026 Guide).

Last updated: April 2026. This guide is reviewed regularly to reflect the latest ATS technology and hiring practices.