A first resume is one page: your name and contact, a short summary, your education, any experience (jobs, volunteering, projects, clubs), and your skills. Lead every bullet with an action verb and a result. You have more to say than you think.
The sections you need
- Header — name, phone, professional email, city, and a LinkedIn URL if you have one.
- Summary — two lines on who you are and what you're looking for.
- Education — school, expected/earned date, and relevant coursework or honors.
- Experience — any jobs, internships, volunteering, or sizable projects.
- Skills — software, languages, certifications, tools.
Turn 'no experience' into experience
You've done more than you think. Babysitting is responsibility and reliability. A group project is collaboration and deadlines. Running a club's Instagram is marketing. Volunteering is real work. List it.
Write bullets that land
Use the formula action verb + what you did + the result. Numbers make it real.
- Weak: Responsible for social media.
- Strong: Grew a club Instagram from 200 to 800 followers in one semester by posting weekly.
Many employers use software to scan resumes for keywords from the job post. Mirror the exact skills and titles in the listing, keep formatting simple, and save as a PDF unless they ask otherwise.
Pair this with the cover-letter guide and the STAR interview method to go from resume to offer.
Get your DadgreeQuick rules
- One page. Really.
- A clean, simple layout — no photos or wild fonts.
- A professional email (firstname.lastname, not xxgamerxx).
- Proofread twice, then have one other person read it.
- Tailor it to each job — match their words.
Common questions
Should I include a GPA?
If it's strong (≈3.5+) and you're early-career, yes. Otherwise leave it off and let experience speak.
Do I need a fancy template?
No. Clean and readable beats flashy, and plain layouts survive the ATS scanners better.