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What makes a resume instantly stand out?
What makes a resume instantly stand out?
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9 answers
Nadya Hall
Technology Consulting
9
Answers
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Updated
Nadya’s Answer
Here are some good 'technical' resume tips to ensure that your resume passes through the first round of screening usually done by an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), and general resume tips!
1. Save your resume as a PDF, with a straightforward name, like 'FirstNameLastName_Resume_2026'. Even if your formatting, line spacing, indentations look consistent on MS Word / Google Docs, there is a chance that when your file is downloaded, the formatting can get disrupted. Saving as a PDF ensures that your formatting stays consistent, and saving it with your first & last name makes sure that it's easy for reviewers to distinguish between your resume vs. others.
2. Use similar keywords as the job listing to make it 'easier' for the ATS to match the required skills of the job with the skills that you have. Make sure to tailor each resume to the job that you are applying for.
3. Describe the impact that you made instead of just describing the responsibilities of your role (if possible, using metrics or percentages). For example - 'Managed a social media profile for a local pizza restaurant, increasing engagement by 30%'
4. If you are a college student, don't underestimate the value of including class projects on your resume in lieu of internships! They show communication, leadership, and ability to apply the information that you've learned in the classroom.
5. Write everything in the 3rd person (ex: 'Managed a team of 5' instead of 'I managed a team of 5')
6. Keep it brief - resumes are typically 1 page
If you are a college student, I would recommend going to your career services office and meeting with an advisor who can give you more tips on crafting and editing your resume!
1. Save your resume as a PDF, with a straightforward name, like 'FirstNameLastName_Resume_2026'. Even if your formatting, line spacing, indentations look consistent on MS Word / Google Docs, there is a chance that when your file is downloaded, the formatting can get disrupted. Saving as a PDF ensures that your formatting stays consistent, and saving it with your first & last name makes sure that it's easy for reviewers to distinguish between your resume vs. others.
2. Use similar keywords as the job listing to make it 'easier' for the ATS to match the required skills of the job with the skills that you have. Make sure to tailor each resume to the job that you are applying for.
3. Describe the impact that you made instead of just describing the responsibilities of your role (if possible, using metrics or percentages). For example - 'Managed a social media profile for a local pizza restaurant, increasing engagement by 30%'
4. If you are a college student, don't underestimate the value of including class projects on your resume in lieu of internships! They show communication, leadership, and ability to apply the information that you've learned in the classroom.
5. Write everything in the 3rd person (ex: 'Managed a team of 5' instead of 'I managed a team of 5')
6. Keep it brief - resumes are typically 1 page
If you are a college student, I would recommend going to your career services office and meeting with an advisor who can give you more tips on crafting and editing your resume!
Neh S
Project Manager
39
Answers
Lexington, South Carolina
Updated
Neh’s Answer
An instantly standout resume is clear, concise, and well-organized, making it easy for hiring managers to quickly identify your key skills and experiences. It should be tailored to the specific job you’re applying for, highlighting relevant accomplishments and using strong, action-oriented language. Formatting plays a crucial role—clean layouts with consistent fonts, bullet points, and appropriate spacing ensure readability - make sure to not add a "table" in your resume as it may cause formatting errors while scanning/reading if the company has auto scan resume system at the initial stage. Including measurable results or achievements helps demonstrate your impact, while avoiding unnecessary information keeps the focus on what matters most. Lastly, a standout resume is free of errors and presents a professional tone that reflects your attention to detail and commitment to the role.
Josh Taylor
25
Answers
Cleveland, Ohio
Updated
Josh’s Answer
There are many great answers already provided. My goal is to add to how you construct your resume. Many answers before me are telling you what to put on there (to many I agree with).
List the sections of your resume in the order in which you qualify for the role based upon the job description.
- Why? As a recruiter is scanning applications, they are looking to see if a) you qualify; b) by how much you qualify? c) are you one of the most qualified applicants? You need to land near the top of every question.
If you make it hard for the recruiter to see how well qualified you are, you will probably lose their attention and will get passed over.
Example:
Company lists education first followed by experience, followed by references.
Put your education first (after contact info and your name of course) followed by experience, then references. Any other section goes after these.
Let's say the company lists education, experience, references as qualifications for the role. However, you don't meet the qualification of education but you nail it on experience, you'll list experience first. Reprioritize the remaining needs by the company to match your resume. Don't get me wrong, if something is listed as Required and not Preferred and you don't have the Required components, don't be saddened if you are rejected - you didn't meet what was required.
List the sections of your resume in the order in which you qualify for the role based upon the job description.
- Why? As a recruiter is scanning applications, they are looking to see if a) you qualify; b) by how much you qualify? c) are you one of the most qualified applicants? You need to land near the top of every question.
If you make it hard for the recruiter to see how well qualified you are, you will probably lose their attention and will get passed over.
Example:
Company lists education first followed by experience, followed by references.
Put your education first (after contact info and your name of course) followed by experience, then references. Any other section goes after these.
Let's say the company lists education, experience, references as qualifications for the role. However, you don't meet the qualification of education but you nail it on experience, you'll list experience first. Reprioritize the remaining needs by the company to match your resume. Don't get me wrong, if something is listed as Required and not Preferred and you don't have the Required components, don't be saddened if you are rejected - you didn't meet what was required.
Kim Igleheart
Career Counselor | Police Officer
1862
Answers
San Antonio, Texas
Updated
Kim’s Answer
Every profession is different. Every person reading a resume has different expectations and personal quirks.
For me, the things that make a resume stand out are:
1. Perfection. No typos, no slang. A professional email address and other contact info
2. Selling me on the applicant within the top 1/3 -1/2 of the page. Usually through a capsule "summary of qualifications" or other short bio
3. Mastery of the art of brevity - conveying a lot of information in a short amount of space. Being respectful of the reader's time.
4. A cover letter. Yes, I'm old-school. A well-written, one-page cover letter does what a resume cannot - make the applicant sound like a human being, and demonstrate that they understand what is required to excel in the position they are applying for
For me, the things that make a resume stand out are:
1. Perfection. No typos, no slang. A professional email address and other contact info
2. Selling me on the applicant within the top 1/3 -1/2 of the page. Usually through a capsule "summary of qualifications" or other short bio
3. Mastery of the art of brevity - conveying a lot of information in a short amount of space. Being respectful of the reader's time.
4. A cover letter. Yes, I'm old-school. A well-written, one-page cover letter does what a resume cannot - make the applicant sound like a human being, and demonstrate that they understand what is required to excel in the position they are applying for
Sam Halwani
HR Consultant
6
Answers
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Updated
Sam’s Answer
Hi,
A resume usually does **not** stand out because it looks fancy.
It stands out when the person reading it can tell really fast:
1. what job you fit,
2. what you’ve actually done,
3. and what results you got.
So the resumes that stand out most usually have 4 things:
**1. They are tailored to the job.**
Not a generic resume sent everywhere. It should feel like it matches that specific role.
**2. They show proof, not just duties.**
Instead of saying “helped customers” or “worked on projects,” say what you improved, built, solved, organized, or achieved.
**3. They are easy to scan.**
Clear sections, clean formatting, and strong bullet points are better than trying to be overly creative.
**4. They have zero obvious mistakes.**
A typo makes people question your attention to detail right away.
So if I had to put it in one sentence:
**A resume instantly stands out when it is clear, relevant, and full of real evidence that you can do the job.**
For example, this:
“Worked on social media”
is much weaker than this:
“Created 12 social media posts per month and helped increase club engagement by 30%.”
The second one stands out because it shows action and results.
So the goal is not to make your resume look impressive.
The goal is to make it easy for someone to quickly think:
**‘This person looks like they can actually do this job.’**
Good luck!
Pick one real job posting and highlight 5–8 important words in it, especially skills, tools, and responsibilities. Then revise the resume so those same ideas appear naturally in the document. That matches Harvard’s tailoring advice and ATS guidance from Purdue and Toronto. Read more here: https://careerservices.fas.harvard.edu/resources/create-a-strong-resume/
Rewrite every bullet to show action + task + result. The University of Michigan recommends a formula like Action Verb + What + How/Why/Impact, and MIT recommends leading with action verbs. Read more here: https://careercenter.umich.edu/article/resume-resources
Use simple formatting. Keep common section headings, reverse chronological order, and a layout that is easy to skim. Purdue, Michigan, and Toronto all emphasize clarity and simple formatting for both humans and ATS systems. Read more here: https://www.cco.purdue.edu/Students/ResumesAndCVs/
A resume usually does **not** stand out because it looks fancy.
It stands out when the person reading it can tell really fast:
1. what job you fit,
2. what you’ve actually done,
3. and what results you got.
So the resumes that stand out most usually have 4 things:
**1. They are tailored to the job.**
Not a generic resume sent everywhere. It should feel like it matches that specific role.
**2. They show proof, not just duties.**
Instead of saying “helped customers” or “worked on projects,” say what you improved, built, solved, organized, or achieved.
**3. They are easy to scan.**
Clear sections, clean formatting, and strong bullet points are better than trying to be overly creative.
**4. They have zero obvious mistakes.**
A typo makes people question your attention to detail right away.
So if I had to put it in one sentence:
**A resume instantly stands out when it is clear, relevant, and full of real evidence that you can do the job.**
For example, this:
“Worked on social media”
is much weaker than this:
“Created 12 social media posts per month and helped increase club engagement by 30%.”
The second one stands out because it shows action and results.
So the goal is not to make your resume look impressive.
The goal is to make it easy for someone to quickly think:
**‘This person looks like they can actually do this job.’**
Good luck!
Sam recommends the following next steps:
Gus S
Consultant
113
Answers
Los Angeles, California
Updated
Gus’s Answer
Here are 3 quick tips to make any resume standout:
- Quantify impact – Use metrics (e.g., “Reduced costs by x%,” “Managed $xM budget”).
- Use strong action verbs – Led, built, optimized, launched.
- Tailor your resume to the job – Mirror key skills/keywords from the job description.
- Quantify impact – Use metrics (e.g., “Reduced costs by x%,” “Managed $xM budget”).
- Use strong action verbs – Led, built, optimized, launched.
- Tailor your resume to the job – Mirror key skills/keywords from the job description.
Magan Pinzon
Nursing
60
Answers
Locust, North Carolina
Updated
Magan’s Answer
A résumé shines when it's neat, easy to read, and shows your achievements clearly. Employers glance at résumés quickly, so make sure the key points catch their attention. Here’s how to make your résumé pop: keep the layout simple and clear, use strong and specific bullet points, customize it for the job, avoid unnecessary details, and ensure it's free of errors.
ADP Volunteers
9
Answers
Updated
ADP’s Answer
Job experience + declutter. Be intentional with words - less is more. What's relevant to the position you're applying for? What is it about your extracurricular that apply to the position? I.e what did you do as VP or Secretary that gives you experience to do this job? Include any numbers. Managed a budget of $$. Managed ## number of people. Leaders love data and numbers. Good luck!!!
Raquel Batista
Global Communications Shared Services Senior Analyst
4
Answers
Homestead, Florida
Updated
Raquel’s Answer
Put your most relevant experience and/or courses as close to the top of your resume that you can. Make sure that your position titles, followed by the employer's name, the student organization's name, etc., are clearly listed. Recruiters scan quickly through the left side of the resume to search for relevant position titles. I would put the position title first in bold font, followed by a comma, followed by the name of the employer, student organization, etc. (all on the same line to save space). This makes it really clear for recruiters. If you are a STEM major, then you should definitely put the languages, tools, etc. that you know right below your education, so your resume would start with the Education section, followed by the Technical Skills section.