Submitting a resume is a common prerequisite for finding a job. Yes, you might skip it when searching for a job on LinkedIn, or if your prominence and brand are sufficient for a direct job offer. But even in those cases, companies oftentimes require it for a background check or candidate comparison. And, although the entire process is predominantly done online nowadays, you might have to print one out too. In both cases, it needs to be honest, concise yet informative, and attractive but distinctive.
To check all of those boxes, here’s how to create a resume online.
Step 1. Choose an online resume builder and begin the process
Picking the right online resume builder is perhaps the most important decision you must make. CNET has a pretty good list of the best resume builders out there. We’ll use Zety Resume Builder for demonstration, even though we’re not affiliated. It’s beginner-friendly and offers a variety of beautiful free templates. With that said, begin to create a resume online like this:
- Visit Zety’s Resume Builder (https://zety.com/resume-builder) page.
- Click on Create Your Resume Now.
- On the “Just three simple steps” page, click on Create My Resume.
Step 2. Select a template and color palette
Now’s the time to pick a template and decide on a color palette for your resume. Follow these steps on the website to continue creating your resume.
- On the “How long have you been working?” page, select your experience level.
- Note. If you chose 0-3 Years, you will be asked “Are you a student?” Answer by clicking Yes or No. This will affect the template suggestion.
- Based on your answer, Zety will propose 2 templates marked as Recommended and one marked as Most Popular.
- Tip. You can also select any of the remaining 15 templates, for a total of 18.
- Select the color for the template at the top of the page, and all of them will adjust instantly.
- When you decide on one, click on Select Template.
Based on your requirements, you might want to look at some resume examples based on the industry. For example, if you are applying for a tech job, your CV will be different from other forms of jobs. So, be sure to find the appropriate template for your resume before moving to the next step.
Step 3. Decide whether to start anew or upload an old resume
In this step, you have to pick between two options. You can either choose to create a new resume and start everything from scratch, or upload an old resume that you already have with you.
- Create a new resume. Fill out the information from scratch using Zety’s tips and auto-fill data.
- I already have a resume. Upload a .doc, .docx, .pdf, .rtf, .txt, or .htm file with your personal information or an offline resume you made in the past. Zety will analyze the keywords and auto-fill the information it discovers.
Step 4. Fill out the personal information
We’ll assume you want to start from the ground up. Note that you can click on Preview to see changes at any moment. With that said, start making your online resume by entering your personal information:
Personal data
Type the following data about yourself:
- Your first and last name as well as the profession.
- City, state, and province will be auto-filled based on your IP Address. Edit if necessary.
- Enter your zip code and phone number (No need to add + in front).
- Enter the e-mail address employers will use to contact you. We strongly recommend creating a new e-mail address if your existing one uses an immature or vague username.
- Optional. Click on Add Social Links to add social media account handles/profile links.
Work history
After clicking on Next: Work History, then Next, start typing:
- Data about your most recent job such as the job title, employer, city, state, and start and end date.
- Optional. Click on I currently work there if you’re still employed.
- Click on Next to proceed.
- Zety will suggest bullet points that you might or might not have to fill out. Click on them to add them to the text editor.
- You’ll be asked to create a new account to save your resume. Do so, and click on Save & Next.
- Optional. Click on Add another position to expand your job history.
Education, skills, background, extras
After clicking on the Next: Education, then Next buttons, you can enter the details such as:
- School name and location, degree, field of study, and graduation start and end date.
- Click on I currently attend here if you’re a student.
- Optional. Click on Add a description to this section to add bullet points, identical to step 4 in work history.
- Select Add another degree to finish your education summary. Alternatively, continue to the next step.
- After clicking on Next: Skills, then Next, you can add a list of skills as bullet points, identical to step 4 above.
- Proceed to click Next: Summary > Next, then add bullet points that fit your background as an employee.
- Optional. Selected Next: Extra Sections? You can insert and elaborate on (via their text editor) bonus sections for:
- Accomplishments
- Affiliations
- Additional Information
- Software
- Certifications
- Interests
- Languages
- Hobbies
Step 5. Finalize the creation of your resume
After you click on Next: Finalize, you’ll be taken to the final page where you can preview your template, add details you might have missed, configure formatting and color, or even test other templates. Then, choose how to finish creating an online resume:
- Click on Save to save a copy in the Zety cloud storage.
- Click on Download in the left sidebar. Enter a name, select file extension, (.pdf, .docx, or .txt) and click on Download.
Depending on the complexity, you might have to use a 14-day trial. However, there’s a 14-day money-back guarantee, so you can get a full refund immediately.
In this article, we used the Zety resume builder. It is just for demonstration purposes. You can use any resume builders out there based on your preferences, available templates, and the features they offer. If you are looking for a job, you might be interested in the best job search engines.
Things to add to your resume
Creating a resume online might have become much easier, but that doesn’t mean you can simply add anything that you want to your resume.
To create the perfect resume, the applicant has to understand what he can and cannot add to it. Thus, we have brought to our readers a list of things that they can add to their resumes to make them more impactful.
1. A professional header
Many job seekers simply don’t appreciate the value of a professional header. And those who do are confused regarding the content.
You should know that, despite being one of the most common elements across any resume, a professional header, if done incorrectly, can put your resume in jeopardy. Why? Because it is the first thing a recruiter looks at. When it comes to professional headers, one should keep it simple.
Start with your name as the title, and then proceed to add things like your email and phone number. Remember to avoid adding multiple phone numbers as it can lead to confusion, and also try to use a professional email instead of something like “[email protected].”
2. Professional Summary
Then comes the professional summary, which is basically a brief statement that explains your professional history, highlights key skills, your highest level of education, and anything else that helps you stand out, but in the professional sense. Avoid longer or wordy summaries, and do not mention things like hobbies or interests. Keep the summary short and to the point, and use bullets if needed.
3. Education
When it comes to the education section, many applicants even list their primary and secondary schooling, which serves no purpose. As any job has a certain education requirement, there is no point in mentioning anything that comes before it.
Yes, you can always add more or higher levels of education, parallel degrees, certificates, or anything else that might seem like a plus, but refrain from adding anything that might be a distraction.
You have to mention not only the name of the course or degree that you have attained but also the educational institute from which you obtained it. Lastly, remember to add these things in reverse chronological order, with the highest degree at the top.
4. Work experience
Work experience can also be considered one of the most important sections of a resume, as it is a testimony to your credibility. Sometimes a suitable work experience might be even more valuable than a certain degree. So it needs to be showcased properly.
You have to list what jobs you have done previously and your roles, responsibilities, duties, and job duration. Also, try to emphasize your work ethic and dedication in this section.
5. Skills
And finally, you must add an exclusive section covering the skills you possess. These skills might be a result of your hobby, a previous job, education, certification, and so on, but if relevant, you should add any skills you possess under this particular section. You can add both hard and soft skills if you think they are relevant to the job you are applying for.
What not to add to your resume?
And finally, we have things one should never add to a resume or mistakes one should avoid. Since space is considered a premium in a resume, you have to be meticulous with what you share and how. Provide the information that can aid your recruitment and avoid anything that might not. As such, here are a few points to remember:
- Never fill the resume with solid walls of text. Remember to keep the writing to a minimum, use short, precise points, and use bullets when needed.
- A resume has to be well-structured and readable.
- Use certain keywords instead of lengthy descriptions, as many recruiters use software to filter resumes.
- Avoid sharing unnecessary information such as your age, hobbies, and personal interests. Save it for the interview.
- Also, remember to avoid filling the skills sections with tons of soft skills, which might sound a little bit unbelievable.