Resume knowledge base
Practical resume advice, organized by the question you are trying to answer
Skip the hacks and start with the work: understand the role, choose relevant evidence, make the document easy to read, and check the file before you send it.
Understand the hiring software
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A few short answers
- What belongs at the top of a resume?
- Your name and direct contact details, followed by the information most relevant to the role. A short summary can help when it adds context; it is not mandatory.
- What makes a strong experience bullet?
- It tells the reader what you changed, how you approached it, and why the result mattered. Use numbers when you know them, not because every bullet needs one.
- How far back should experience go?
- Include older work when it supports the role or explains your path. Reduce detail for positions that are less relevant instead of following an arbitrary cutoff.
- Should every application use a different resume?
- Keep one detailed master copy. For each important application, select and reorder the material that best answers that employer’s needs.
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