You know what keeps me up at night? Thinking about all the times I sent out resumes that vanished into the hiring black hole. Then I saw an example of a great resume from my friend who got three job offers in a week. Changed everything. Let's talk about what makes resumes work.
What Actually Defines a Great Resume Anyway?
It's not about fancy designs or stuffing every skill you've ever had. A truly great resume answers one question for hiring managers: "Can this person solve my problems?" I learned this the hard way when a recruiter friend showed me an example of a great resume versus my cluttered mess.
| Average Resume | Great Resume |
|---|---|
| Lists job duties like "managed social media accounts" | Shows impact: "Grew Instagram engagement by 73% in Q3" |
| Generic skills section with "Microsoft Office" | Tailored skills like "Salesforce CRM customization" |
| Uses passive language: "Responsibilities included..." | Action verbs: "Directed," "Transformed," "Spearheaded" |
| Typos and inconsistent formatting | Flawless with consistent styling |
Why Formatting Matters More Than You Think
I used to dump everything into Word and call it done. Bad idea. Most resumes get scanned by robots (ATS systems) before humans see them. If yours isn't readable by tools like Workday or Greenhouse, you're sunk. A good great resume example follows these rules:
- Single column layout only (no fancy columns)
- Standard fonts like Arial or Calibri (12pt)
- No headers or footers
- Section headings in plain text, not text boxes
Breaking Down a Killer Resume Section by Section
Let's examine a real example of a great resume from Sarah, a marketing manager who landed at Google. I've seen her "before" version – night and day difference.
Contact Information: Don't Screw This Up
Sarah's old contact block:
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: (xxx) xxx-xxxx
Her new professional version:
- Email: [email protected]
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahjohnson-marketing (custom URL)
- Portfolio: sarahjohnsonportfolio.com
See the difference? No one takes bunny92 emails seriously. And that portfolio link? She built it for free using Carrd ($19/year).
Pro Tip: Create a professional email using your name. Gmail's free. If your name's taken, try middle initials.
The Summary Statement That Doesn't Suck
Most summaries are junk: "Hardworking team player seeking growth." Here's Sarah's winning version:
"Digital Marketing Manager with 7+ years driving ROI for SaaS companies. Specialized in scaling organic traffic through SEO (300% increase at previous role) and reducing CAC by 40% via lifecycle email campaigns. Proven in HubSpot and Marketo ecosystems."
Why it works:
- Specific industry focus (SaaS)
- Quantifiable results (300%, 40%)
- Keywords for ATS (SEO, HubSpot, CAC)
Work Experience: Where Magic Happens
Sarah's old bullet point:
- Ran company social media accounts
Her revised version:
- Increased LinkedIn lead generation by 150% through targeted content strategy (saving $50k in ad spend)
- Managed $200K/year Meta ad budget with 22% lower CPA than industry average
Notice the formula? Action verb + metric + context. Always ask: "What changed because of me?"
| Weak Verb | Strong Alternative |
|---|---|
| Helped with | Implemented / Spearheaded |
| Responsible for | Directed / Managed |
| Worked on | Developed / Engineered |
Real Resume Examples That Crush It
Generic advice is useless. Here's what works right now in 2024:
Technical Resume Example (Software Engineer)
Mike Tanaka's resume got him into Amazon:
- Section: Technical Skills (split into Languages, Frameworks, Tools)
- Projects > Work History (since he's entry-level)
- GitHub link with pinned repositories
- Quantifiable project impact: "Optimized API response time by 200ms"
He used LaTeX template ($0) but I think Google Docs works fine if you're not design-savvy.
Career-Changer Resume Example
Janet switched from teaching to HR. Key moves:
- Combination resume format (skills first)
- Transferable skills section: "Training & Development"
- Volunteer experience: "Led diversity workshops for 200+ staff"
- Education section highlighted HR certificates (Coursera $79/month)
Personal Story: When I switched from finance to content writing, I put "Freelance Blog Writer" at the top even though it was side gigs. Got my foot in the door.
Tools to Build Your Own Great Resume
Don't pay resume writers $500. Seriously. These tools work:
| Tool | Price | Best For | Downsides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Docs | Free | Basic resumes, ATS-friendly | Limited design options |
| Canva | Free/$12.99/mo | Creative fields (design, marketing) | Can break ATS if overdesigned |
| FlowCV.io | $24 one-time | Modern templates, auto-saves | Fewer industry-specific examples |
| Teal Resume Builder | Freemium | ATS optimization tracking | Advanced features require $ |
I'm addicted to Teal's free Chrome extension for auto-filling job applications. Saves hours.
ATS Scanner You Need
Jobscan.co is my secret weapon. Paste your resume and job description – it shows keyword matching and fixes. Costs $49.99/month but worth it for serious job hunters. Free version gives limited scans.
Step-by-Step Resume Building Process
Stop starting from scratch. Follow this:
- Collect Raw Material
Dig up performance reviews, project notes, old emails with praise. - Clone Job Ads
Find 3-5 target job descriptions. Highlight recurring requirements. - Structure First
Outline sections before writing. I use sticky notes on my desk. - Bullet Point Draft
Write 8-10 accomplishment bullets per role (you'll cut later). - Murder Your Darlings
Ruthlessly cut anything not relevant to target jobs. - Design Last
Only format after content is perfect. Avoid Resume.io's flashy templates.
Tailoring Trick That Takes 7 Minutes
Open a new document when applying:
- Copy/paste job description into Word
- Highlight industry jargon (e.g., "Agile Scrum," "KPI reporting")
- Add these EXACT phrases to your resume summary
- Adjust 2-3 bullet points to mirror job duties
Did this for a client last week. Interview request in 48 hours.
Top Resume Mistakes That Get You Rejected
I've screened hundreds of resumes. Here's what kills your chances:
- Typos in Contact Info
Found email with "gmial.com" last Tuesday. Straight to trash. - Irrelevant Ancient History
Unless you're 25, delete that Starbucks job from 2005. - Photos (in the US/Canada)
Introduces unconscious bias. HR hates it. - References Available
Waste of space. They'll ask if needed. - Lie About Dates
Background checks uncover this. Instant termination risk.
Confession: I once sent a resume with "attention to detial" in the skills section. Never again.
FAQs About Crafting a Great Resume
How long should my resume be?
One page if under 10 years experience. Two pages only if you've got PhD-level work or executive roles. Recruiters spend 7 seconds scanning.
Should I include my GPA?
Only if >3.5 and you graduated in the last 3 years. Otherwise irrelevant. My cousin still lists his 3.8 GPA from 2010. Looks desperate.
How to handle employment gaps?
Own it briefly: "Career Break: Full-time parenting (2018-2020)" or "Professional Development: Completed Google Data Analytics Certificate."
Do keywords really matter for ATS?
Crucially. No matching keywords = no human sees it. Use tools like SkillSyncer to test ranking.
Can I use a creative resume template?
Only for design/art roles. Otherwise, stick with clean templates from Harvard's career site. Free download.
Final Reality Check
A great resume isn't written. It's rewritten. After reviewing thousands of resumes, I promise you: the difference between good and great comes down to specificity. Anyone can say they "improved sales." Winners prove it with numbers and context.
Just last month, a client added "negotiated vendor contract saving $18K/year" to her admin resume. Got a $7K salary bump. That's the power of a truly great resume example.
- Print it out and read aloud to catch errors
- Have a non-industry friend review for clarity
- Update every 6 months even if not job hunting
Your turn now. Go find one bullet point to quantify today. That paycheck won't grow itself.