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What This Resume Guide Covers

Indeed offers a free guide about resume writing that anyone can view without paying or signing up for additional services. This resource covers the basics of how to structure and present your work history, skills, and education in a way that hiring managers often look for when reviewing applications. The guide is designed for people at different career stages—whether you are writing your first resume, returning to work after time away, or switching to a new field.

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The material in this guide addresses common questions people have about resume format, length, and content. It explains what information belongs on a resume and what typically does not. The guide walks through real examples of how to describe past jobs, list technical and soft skills, and highlight accomplishments. It also addresses common mistakes people make that can hurt their chances of getting noticed by employers.

Because the guide is available at no cost on Indeed's website, you can review it at your own pace. There is no registration required, no subscription needed, and no fees involved. You can read through the entire guide in one sitting or return to specific sections as you work on your resume. This flexibility makes it useful whether you need a quick refresher on one topic or want to understand resume writing from the ground up.

Practical takeaway: Start by reading through the guide's table of contents to see which sections match your current needs. If you are unsure about resume basics, read the foundational sections first. If you already have a resume, you can focus on the sections about improving specific areas.

Resume Format and Structure Basics

One of the most important things the guide explains is how to physically organize your resume on the page. A well-organized resume is easier for hiring managers and automated screening systems to read. The guide typically recommends using a clean, simple format with clear sections and adequate white space. This means avoiding overly decorative fonts, excessive colors, or complex layouts that can confuse both people and computer systems that scan resumes.

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The standard resume structure includes several key sections in this typical order: contact information at the top, followed by a professional summary or objective (optional), work experience, education, and skills. Some resumes also include sections for certifications, volunteer work, or awards. The guide explains how each section should be organized and what level of detail to include.

Contact information should be straightforward and current. This includes your full name, phone number, email address, and city and state where you live. Some people add a LinkedIn profile link if they maintain one. The guide notes that you do not need to include your full street address or personal details like age, marital status, or a photo (unless you are applying for specific industries where these are standard).

The work experience section should list your previous jobs in reverse chronological order—most recent first. For each position, include the job title, company name, dates you worked there, and a description of what you did. The guide explains how to write these descriptions in a way that shows your value rather than just listing tasks. This is where many resumes miss an opportunity to impress employers.

Practical takeaway: Review your current resume and check that all sections are present and clearly labeled. Make sure your contact information is easy to find at the top, and that your jobs are listed with the most recent first. If your resume does not have clear sections and white space, reorganizing it using the guide's suggested structure can make a big difference.

Writing Strong Job Descriptions and Accomplishments

How you describe your past work is where many resumes fall short. Instead of simply listing tasks you performed, the guide teaches you to focus on accomplishments and the value you brought to each role. For example, rather than writing "responsible for managing social media accounts," a stronger description might be "increased social media followers by 40% in six months through targeted content strategy and community engagement."

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The guide often recommends using action verbs to start each bullet point about your job duties and achievements. Words like "developed," "managed," "created," "improved," "increased," "reduced," and "led" paint a clearer picture of what you actually did. These verbs are more compelling than passive phrases and help employers understand your level of responsibility and impact in each position.

Quantifying your achievements—using numbers, percentages, or specific outcomes—makes your accomplishments more believable and memorable. The guide provides examples of how to incorporate metrics into your descriptions. If you increased sales, cut costs, saved time, or grew a team, these numbers tell a concrete story. Even if you do not work in a field typically measured by numbers, most jobs have outcomes that can be described more specifically than general task lists.

The guide also addresses how to handle resume gaps or jobs where you did not have obvious achievements. If you were unemployed for a period, many employers understand this is normal. The focus should be on what you did accomplish in the positions you held. If a job felt routine, the guide suggests thinking about how you made processes more efficient, supported your team, or improved customer or client experiences in small but meaningful ways.

Length matters too. The guide recommends that each job description be concise—usually three to five bullet points that highlight your main contributions. This keeps your resume focused and readable rather than overwhelming with too many details. The goal is to give employers a clear sense of what you did and why it mattered.

Practical takeaway: Take one job from your current resume and rewrite the description using action verbs and one specific accomplishment with a number or outcome. Compare the new version to what you had before. The difference will likely show you how to improve other job descriptions on your resume.

Highlighting Skills and Qualifications

The skills section of your resume deserves careful thought because many employers look for specific abilities when reviewing resumes. The guide explains the difference between hard skills—technical or job-specific abilities like software knowledge, certifications, or machinery operation—and soft skills like communication, teamwork, or problem-solving. Most jobs require both types, and your resume should reflect that balance.

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Hard skills are often what hiring managers search for first. If a job posting asks for proficiency in specific software, a particular programming language, or industry certifications, these should appear clearly on your resume. The guide notes that listing only the skills you genuinely have prevents awkward situations in interviews where an employer asks you to demonstrate a skill you listed but do not actually possess.

Soft skills are harder to prove on a resume but still important. The guide suggests backing up soft skill claims with evidence from your job descriptions. For example, if you list "strong communication skills" but your job descriptions show you led presentations, trained new employees, or coordinated across departments, that evidence makes the claim more credible. Similarly, if you claim to be detail-oriented, your descriptions might mention that you caught errors, managed complex projects, or maintained quality standards.

The placement and amount of detail for skills varies depending on your career. Early-career professionals might have a more extensive skills section to show what they learned in school or training. Experienced professionals might keep skills shorter and let their job descriptions show their expertise. The guide helps you understand what makes sense for your situation.

The guide also covers industry-specific or technical skills. If you work in a field where certain certifications or qualifications are standard, these should be prominent. Healthcare, technology, finance, and skilled trades all have specific credentials that employers look for. Showing these clearly on your resume helps employers immediately understand your qualifications.

Practical takeaway: Make a list of all the skills that appear in job postings for positions you are interested in. Compare this list to the skills section of your current resume. Add any relevant skills you have but did not list. Then, check your job descriptions to make sure you have included evidence that supports each skill you claim.

Education, Certifications, and Professional Development

The education section of your resume needs to include relevant degrees and the institutions where you earned them. The guide explains how to format this information clearly. Typically, you list the degree type (Bachelor of Science, Master of Arts, High School Diploma, etc.), your field of study, the school name, and the year you graduated. Some people add their cumulative grade point average if it is particularly strong and recent, though this is becoming less common for experienced professionals.

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If you are still enrolled in a degree program, the guide suggests indicating your expected graduation date. This shows employers that you are building toward additional qualifications. Similarly, if you took relevant courses or earned honors like Dean's List recognition, these can be mentioned, especially if you are early in your career and do not have extensive work experience yet.

Professional certifications and continuing education