How to Write a US Resume(2023): Tips, Requirements & Examples

15-02-2023

Resumes play an important role in the job hiring process. A good resume is what recruiters ask for when they give job vacancies in the US. Depending on the location, the resume can differ. So, if your resume is considered professional in one country, it doesn't need to be considered the same in other countries as well. Here we have discussed what you need to follow to satisfy the US recruiters. So, let's begin.

What US resume specifies?

US resume is not like other country resumes. There are a few things that you need to satisfy while writing a resume. Moreover, it is quite relevant to the European CV. Both are one-page documents that summarize your relevant experience, tailored altogether for a specific job you want to apply for. Tip: Resume and CV are not used interchangeably. A resume focuses on all jobs, whereas, a curriculum vitae (CV) refers to applying for positions in academia. Some important US resume-specific things include

The common length of a US resume is between 1-3 pages. Unless you hold an experience of more than 5 years you should maintain the 1-page resume format. The page's resumes are rarely encouraged and are uncommon as well.

Standard American English is preferred, for instance, the extra U's are avoided. (E.g. 'color instead of colour).

Personal information is grounds for discrimination hence, not mandatory, like marital status, birthday, gender, photo, number of children, age, religion, personal identification numbers, and ethnicity/country of origin.

US resumes don't justify references unless the recruiter specifically asked you to do so.

English as a foreign language is not entertained in the US resumes.

Other things like GPA, SAT, TOEFL, or ACT scores should be avoided for US resumes.

Step-by-step guide for your high-standard US resume

Now that you know the specifics of the US resume, let's start writing one with the followed step by step guide: #1. Format- Choosing the appropriate resume format for US resume. Usually, US recruiters prefer the chronological format (also called the reverse chronological format). This format focuses on your work experience by starting with your most recent job and moving back. 99% of the time it is recommended to follow a reverse-chronological resume for both US and international jobs. Formatting Tips: While maintaining the chronological format, you can follow the professional and reader-friendly aspects. Some tips for your perfect US resume format include:

Divide the resume into clear and separate sections.
Use 1-1.15 line spacing in the resume.
The length should be between 1-2 pages.
Choose professional yet easy-to-read resume font.
Opt for ample white space in the resume.
The length of the page size should be US Letter size (8.5 * 11 inches).

Resume Template No matter what format you choose writing the best format in MS word is always painful. To avoid time and pain, you can always opt for free US resume templates and fill up the resume instantly. #2. Contact Information- Add your contact information as it is the priority of your resume. The contact information includes

Name and Surname
Phone number (US number)
Address (permanent city and state)
Email

Additionally, you can also include links to a personal website, online portfolio, or even a LinkedIn profile, but this has to be updated. #3. Work Experience- Unless you are a graduate, your work experience section is mandatory. The work experience section highlights your previous works. It specifically highlights your past accomplishments and responsibilities. Here, you can include:

Add Job Title/ Position- It gives recruiters the right and relevant experience for the job.
Add company name and location- It describes more about your previous works.
Add employed dates.
Add your accomplishments and responsibilities.

Work Experience Tips: The tips for writing your work experience will help you stand out from a pool of applicants.

Use action words to mention your responsibilities.
Add more of your achievements.
Describe your achievements or responsibilities in detail.
Add 4-6 bullet points pointing to your most recent jobs.
Even with more experience, don't go back further than 15 years.
Tailor your resume to the job description.

#4. Education Details- Your education matters to your recruiters. Add this section underneath your work experience. Some essential points you need to cover while framing Education details include:

Program Name, Like "B.A. in Business Administration"
University Name, Like "Penn State University"
Years attended Like "08/2015 - 202019"

Education Writing Tips:

If you lack in your work experience, you can prioritize your education.
Add courses that are relevant to the industry you have applied for.
Mention your recent education entry on top. For instance, add M.A. and then B.A.
A university degree plays great importance, so if you have that you don't have to add your high school degree.

For Example

"EDUCATION

B.A. in Business Administration NYC State University 08/2016 - 05/2019 Magna Cum Laude Minor in Finance" #5. Skillset- Next you need to add your top relevant skills. Don't focus on your arsenal, rather add the ones that are relevant to your targeted job. Skills represent your qualities. So adding a mix of hard skills and soft skills to your resume is great. But add one or the other respectively depending on the job you are applying for.

Hard Skills are measurable abilities of a candidate.
Soft Skills are more like personal skills.

For instance, a software engineer focuses on hard skills like integration testing and debugging. While a client acing professional adds sot skills like conflict management and communication abilities. #6. Represent Yourself- Your Resume is a portion that tells about yourself. It should be well represented in short and focused languages. Based on the way you are representing your resume is called the Objective or Resume summary.

Resume Summary- The introductory portion of your resume that entitles everything in your resume in short and relevant ways.
Resume Objective- It is the motivation and goal of every candidate.

Being seasoned professional, who has several years of experience should use a resume summary that highlights more of their experience and achievements. On the other hand, if you are in the beginning phase of your career you can choose Resume Objective. Add a brief description of yourself and always try to be on point. For Example:

“Marketing manager with 4+ years of experience in a corporate environment. Good eye for design, with experience in creating marketing materials with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Canva. Intermediate copywriting skills, having worked on the company website, flyers, and several other content pieces.”

#7. Additional Sections- If you want to attract US recruiters, then, you can add some sections to your resume. Although, it is not a mandatory area, but can help you attract more recruiters. Some added sections include:

Languages
Internships
Hobbies & Interests
Volunteer experience
Certification and awards
Publications
Projects

To say, these sections can help recruiters decide the capability of the candidates. So, the above things are the most important ones you need to follow while writing a US resume. Also, there are some particular things that you need to avoid.

What do you need to avoid for US resume?

It is equally vital to understand what you should avoid while writing the US-proposed resume.

Personal status should be avoided like marital status, birthday, gender, photo, number of children, age, religion, personal identification numbers, and ethnicity/country of origin. These are proper grounds for discrimination.

By US law, recruiters can ask about your eligibility after making a work offer. So you can avoid the authorization to work in the US, including your Social Security Number or immigrant status.

Adding references is not standard practice, especially for US recruitment. So avoid the reference unless the recruiter has said so.

A key Takeaway

For US job hiring, you need to submit the US resume maintaining the proper grounds of the resume. In this blog, we helped you understand how you can create a compatible US resume and compete against other candidates.

US resume is similar to the European Resume standards

The US resume should follow a chronological format.

Don't add in your resume: personal information, references, and authorization of work.

Follow the steps and tips to curate the best US resume for your next or first job.

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