Are you struggling to build a resume that doesn’t sound wordy or confusing? Do you want to stop describing what you do (or have done) and instead, describe what you’ve achieved and the impact you’ve made? If this sounds like you, tune in!

Today, you’ll learn how to write a resume step-by-step and what you can do to make yourself sound professional and qualified for the job. Now is your time to prove that you are a great fit for the position.

If we’ve never met before, I’m Heather Austin from ProfessorAustin.com and The Career Club on Facebook and over the years I’ve taught thousands of students how to build their personal brand so they can find their dream job and grow in a career they love. 

Before we get started, grab the the 6-second resume template. This template will streamline the entire process of writing your resume. 

The 6-Second Resume

Your resume is one of the most important documents you’ll create in your lifetime. Download your free resume template to make yours stand out!

Step 1 – Contact Information

At the top of your resume, include a phone number where you can easily be reached and preferably only one that you answer. 

Next to that, place your city, state and zip. You don’t need to include your street address and in fact you can eliminate the mailing address altogether.

Instead of your mailing address, place your custom LinkedIn URL.

Step 2 – Professional Summary

The most important part of your resume is the summary section. This is a section that appears at the very top of your resume, right below your name and contact information. 

This is an overview of your most important career accomplishments. Use 2-4 sentences that list your key skills, your key outcomes and demonstrate how your professional background and experience will help the company solve a particular problem.

Step 3 – Professional Highlights

This section is an extension of your professional summary. Include at least three or four solid bullet point items that go deeper into your specific career accomplishments. 

Make sure the items you list directly relate to the position you’re applying for and for added emphasis, include a competency block.

This is a section dedicated to your professional core competencies. List your greatest skills, expertise and knowledge as they pertain to the position you are applying for. 

Use short keywords or phrases found inside of the job posting to help your resume get past applicant tracking systems.

Step 4 – Work Experience

List the company name first, followed by the dates you worked in that position. Then list the position title followed by the location.

To really grab the attention of a hiring official, divide each job description into a short paragraph outlining your main responsibilities.

Follow this with four to six bullet points showcasing your key accomplishments.

Quantify your accomplishments as best you can using numbers, percentages and dollar amounts. Hiring officials love to see this. 

You won’t have enough room to list everything, so only list the accomplishments that relate to the position you are applying for.

Not every bullet point needs to be a quantifiable responsibility.

Step 5 – Education & Training

If you are a student or recent graduate with less than 5 years of work experience, this section is the flagship of your resume and should appear at the top right below your summary.

By going into more detail here, you can really get a leg up on the other candidates.

Start by listing the name of the school you attended or are attending, followed by the location.

Then list the degree or major. If your G.P.A is 3.0 or higher, feel free to list that next.

To really make an impact with this section, add academic honors, relevant coursework or any clubs or societies you participated in. 

Step 6 – Other Important Sections

Use other sections on your resume wisely. For example, you could add a professional skills section or if you have volunteer experience, you can add that as well.

Other common sections include awards and honors, professional memberships and language competencies. 

In the 6-Second Resume, you’ll find exact examples of how to use each of these sections in your own resume. 

The 6-Second Resume

Your resume is one of the most important documents you’ll create in your lifetime. Download your free resume template to make yours stand out!