Your resume is still your first impression. In 2025, it needs to do more than list your jobs. It needs to show who you are.

Most resume writing guides focus on formatting and keywords. But the best resumes today mix your unique personality with smart strategies.

Here’s how to write a resume that gets you noticed.

Pick the right resume format for your background

Good resume writing starts with picking the right format. There are three main types. Your choice depends on your career story:

  • Chronological format: Best for steady career growth. List your work experience from newest to oldest. Perfect if you’re staying in the same field and have consistent jobs.
  • Functional format: Focus on skills over job titles. Great for career changers, new graduates, or anyone with job gaps. This format puts your abilities first.
  • Hybrid format: Mixes the best of both. Start with your strongest skills, then show your work history. It’s good for experienced professionals with diverse skills.

Resume tip: Most hiring managers like chronological formats. They’re easy to read. Only use functional if you need to highlight skills over experience.

Build your resume section by section

  1. Contact information: Include your name, phone, email, and LinkedIn profile. Skip your full address; city and state are enough. Make sure your email sounds professional.
  2. Professional summary: Write 2-3 sentences about who you are and what you bring to work. This isn’t a list of skills. It’s your elevator pitch. Example: “Creative marketing professional with 5 years of experience, passionate about authentic storytelling. Known for driving customer engagement through data-driven campaigns and bringing energy and collaboration to cross-functional teams.”
  3. Work experience: Focus on what you achieved, not just what you did. Start with a short summary for each role that describes your job responsibilities. Then add bullet points that include action words like “led,” “improved,” “created,” or “increased.” Include a metric when possible and phrase it to show the impact you had, with a touch of personality woven in. Show percentages, dollar amounts, or team sizes that demonstrate your results.
  4. Skills section: Mix hard skills (technical abilities) with soft skills (like communication and teamwork). Modern resume writing means showing both what you can do and how you work.
  5. Education: List your degree, school, and graduation year. Recent graduates can include relevant coursework or academic achievements.

Use your personality to make your resume unique

Here’s where most resume advice falls short. It treats everyone the same. But your personality is what makes you memorable. Are you naturally good at teamwork? Mention how you “worked with cross-team projects.” More of an independent worker? Highlight how you “managed client relationships on your own.”

This is why modern resume builders with personality insights are so helpful. These tools offer personalized suggestions backed by science and AI insights. They help you choose which strengths to highlight based on your actual work style. Your resume becomes authentic to who you are, not just what you’ve done.

The personality advantage: When your resume fits your natural style, you’re more likely to get jobs where you will thrive. It’s not just about getting a job. It’s about getting the right job.

How to tailor your resume to each job

Smart resume optimization means adapting your existing content. You don’t need to rewrite everything, but you do need to make sure you’re adjusting your resume for each job. Here’s how to tailor your resume in a way that saves time:

  1. Read the job description for key requirements and duties. Look for repeated words and phrases. These are your resume keywords to include.
  2. Update your professional summary to mirror the role’s language. If they want a “team player,” make sure that it shows up in your description.
  3. Reorder your skills to put the most relevant ones first. Don’t add skills you don’t have. But focus on the ones that match.
  4. Adjust your work examples to focus on experiences that are most relevant to this role.

How to optimize your resume for ATS: Use standard section headings like “Work Experience” and “Education.” Avoid graphics or unusual formatting. These might confuse applicant tracking systems.

Extra sections that can set you apart

  • Certifications: Include industry-relevant certifications. Especially in tech, project management, or specialized skills.
  • Languages: In our global economy, language skills are valuable. List your skill level honestly.
  • Personal projects: Freelance work, side projects, and volunteer work show initiative and extra skills.
  • Professional development: Recent courses, workshops, or training show you’re committed to growth.

Key points: Only include these if they’re relevant to your target role. Quality beats quantity every time.

Tools that can help you build faster

myTrudy Resume Builder: It goes beyond templates. It uses your personality assessment results. You get tailored suggestions for highlighting your natural strengths and work style. It’s like having a career coach built into your resume tool.

AI resume writing tips: Tools like ChatGPT can help with initial drafts and phrasing. But here’s the warning: everyone’s using the same prompts. Your resume might end up sounding identical to hundreds of others. Use AI as a starting point, then make it personal.

Google Docs/Word: Simple and ATS-friendly. Good for basic formatting and easy sharing.

Remember: Generic AI-generated resumes are becoming obvious to hiring managers. The future belongs to resumes that showcase authentic personality alongside professional experience.

What to include on a resume when you have no experience

New to the workforce? Pay attention to your natural strengths. Your resume writing strategy should emphasize:

  • Transferable skills from school projects, internships, or part-time work
  • Personality strengths that align with your target role
  • Relevant coursework that shows you understand the field
  • Volunteer work or activities that show responsibility

Resume advice for job seekers just starting: Use personality assessments to find roles that match your natural strengths. Then build your resume around those qualities. Writing strong resume examples is easier when you target jobs that match who you are.

Best resume writing practices for 2025

  • Keep it short: Two pages maximum for most professionals. One page if you’re early in your career.
  • Use clean formatting: Simple fonts, consistent spacing, clear section breaks. Your content should shine, not your design skills.
  • Include keywords strategically: Use language from job descriptions. But don’t stuff keywords unnaturally.
  • Proofread thoroughly: Typos kill credibility. Read it aloud, use spell check, and have someone else review it.
  • Save as PDF: This keeps formatting the same across different devices and systems.

Your resume is your confidence blueprint

Writing a resume in 2025 means building confidence in your unique value. When your resume reflects your experience and true working style, you’ll feel more confident in interviews. You’ll also be more likely to find roles where you’ll succeed.

The best resume tip? Stop trying to sound like everyone else. The job market is crowded with generic resumes. Yours should feel distinctly like you.

Start building a resume that represents who you are. Head to myTrudy and create a free profile to begin. The right job matches both what you can do and who you are.

FAQ

How to write a resume with no experience?

Focus on your transferable skills, relevant coursework, and volunteer work. Use a functional resume format to highlight your abilities over work history. Include personality strengths that align with your target role. This resume writing tip helps new graduates stand out even without traditional work experience.

How to write a resume for your first job?

Start with a strong objective statement about your career goals. Include internships, part-time work, school projects, and extracurricular activities. Emphasize soft skills like communication and teamwork. Use resume examples for job seekers in your field as inspiration for formatting and content.

How to write a resume for a career change?

Use a hybrid resume format that highlights transferable skills first, then work history. Focus on achievements that relate to your new field. Include relevant training or certifications you’ve completed. This modern resume writing approach helps hiring managers see your potential in a new industry.

How to write a resume that gets interviews?

Tailor your resume to each job description using relevant keywords. Quantify your achievements with numbers and percentages. Keep it to one or two pages maximum. Follow best resume writing practices like using action verbs and proofreading carefully.

How to write a resume employers will notice?

Make your resume scannable with clear headings and bullet points. Include content that’s relevant to the specific role. Use a clean, professional format. Show your personality through your achievements and how you describe your work style.

How to write a resume for ATS?

Use standard section headings and simple formatting. Include resume keywords to include from the job description. Avoid graphics, images, or unusual fonts. Save as a PDF to preserve formatting. These resume optimization tips help your resume pass through applicant tracking systems.

How to write a resume step by step?

This complete resume writing guide breaks it down:

  1. Choose your resume format
  2. Add contact information
  3. Write your professional summary
  4. List work experience with achievements
  5. Include education and skills
  6. Add relevant extra sections
  7. Proofread and optimize for ATS.

Learning how to make a resume in 2025 means following these steps while incorporating your unique personality.