RÉSUMÉ BASICS

How to start when you have not written a resume in years

Do not begin with fonts, templates, or trying to fit everything on one page. Begin by collecting the facts of your career.

Make a private master list

List each employer, title, date range, major responsibility, important project, and result. This private list can be long. It is your source material, not the resume you will send.

Record accomplishments, not only duties

A duty explains what the job required. An accomplishment explains what changed because of your work. Ask yourself: What problem did I solve? What improved? Who benefited? What risk, time, or cost was reduced?

Choose a direction before editing

A useful resume is written for a kind of job. Pick one real posting and identify the responsibilities that matter most. Then choose the parts of your history that best demonstrate those abilities.

Use clear language

Company-specific titles and abbreviations may not mean anything outside your former employer. Translate them into language another employer can understand while keeping every claim accurate.

Leave room to explain

You do not need to include every task from every year. Earlier experience can often be summarized. Keep the strongest detail for work that supports the job you want now.