Resume Dos and Don’ts to Help You Land More Interviews

Just like every field influenced by technology, resume writing rules constantly evolve. Some of the things that were considered acceptable and necessary to include in your resume 10 years ago now look inappropriate. In this article, we will learn how to write a job-winning resume by following simple resume dos and don'ts. Edit your resume in line with the rules outlined below, highlight relevant skills, avoid grammatical and spelling errors, and you will get your resume noticed by recruiters!

Moreover, various online journals and career coaches sometimes share quite the opposite advice (you've probably heard the discussions about whether your resume should fit into one page). So, for an average job-seeker it can be a tough task to put the resume together. Which tips to follow and which are already outdated? Are there any universal tricks that can turn your resume into an attractive marketing document that can win an interview for you? Luckily, there are. Read below to learn the freshest, up-to-dated resume tips you can start using right now. Resume do and donts outlined below, especially resume don'ts, will help you avoid the most common mistakes and focus on relevant information only!

Why Resume Dos and Don'ts Matter in 2025

In 2025, understanding resume best practices is more important than ever. A well-structured, concise, and tailored resume remains your first opportunity to make a lasting impression on hiring managers. Key dos include using action verbs, quantifying achievements, and aligning your experience with the job description. Resume don'ts, on the other hand, cover common pitfalls like using generic templates, including outdated or irrelevant experience, or submitting a resume filled with typos.

The employment landscape has significantly evolved, shaped by technology, remote work, and shifting employer expectations. Job seekers today face stiffer competition. Roles may receive hundreds of applications within hours of posting. Resume facts are easily checked online by hiring managers and cannot add information that does not reflect your true experience. In such a competitive environment, even minor resume mistakes can be disqualifying. A job-winning resume becomes useless when your soft skills, adaptability, and upskilling in digital tools are not included.

Another major factor is the growing reliance on Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and the continued role of recruiters. Most companies now use ATS software to scan resumes for keywords before a human ever sees them. This means a resume must not only look good but also be formatted correctly and keyword-optimized to pass ATS filters. Thus, it is very important to know about resume red flads to avoid.

Want a quick way to make sure your resume follows all the right rules? We've created a concise, easy-to-use checklist that covers the most important resume dos and don'ts. Whether you're applying for your first job or pivoting your career, this list will help you avoid common mistakes and stand out.

Jump straight to the checklist

The Most Important Resume Dos (Updated for Today's Market)

• Resume section order

  Among the resume dos and don'ts, one important “do” is to follow a logical and standard section order. In 2025, hiring managers and recruiters still expect to see a professional resume format: contact information at the top, followed by a professional summary or objective, then work experience with relevant achievements, education, and finally skills or certifications. This resume layout readability helps decision-makers quickly locate the information they need. Check out reverse chronological resume example to understand the requirements better.

• Resume whitespace

  Another essential “do” is to make effective use of whitespace. According to current resume writing rules, a cluttered document with walls of text is hard to read and overwhelming, especially on digital screens where most resumes are first viewed. Adequate spacing between sections, bullet points, and headings improves readability and helps guide the reader's eye through your achievements. Do not forget to use action verbs for your employment section!

• Do use an attractive, easy-to-read layout
  Although the content matters most in a resume, it's the layout that determines whether your resume will be read carefully or not. Make sure your formatting is consistent throughout the entire document – the same font and size, the same type of content boldfaced, etc. Make sure your resume has enough blank space: 300-350 words per page are enough. Take care of the ideal resume length: it should not exceed 1-2 pages.
• Do organize the resume content
  Divide the resume into the clear sections with capitalized subheadings. List your education and professional experience in reverse chronological order.
• Do highlight your most relevant achievements
  Including achievements is a must if you wish to be seen as a top-performing individual. Outline the most impressive ones in 3-5 bullet points. Great if you can show them with numbers (see the next point) but if you don't, just follow the scheme: explain the challenge you've faced, the actions you've taken to handle it and the result you've achieved for the company. Akkencloud.com states it's important to include how your employer benefited from these achievements.
• Do impress the reader with figures
  If you can strengthen your achievements by including figures and percentages, use this opportunity. Achievements given with figures look more trustworthy; moreover, figures are a proven way to catch the attention of a reader as we pay more attention to figures rather than words when reading.
• Do use strong action verbs/adverbs
  Many applicants still start their bullet points with weak verbs such as ‘Led, ‘Responsible for' and ‘Participated in'. Although there's anything wrong in using such words, they significantly minimize your impact on the project or work in the eyes of the hiring manager. On the contrary, strong verbs such as ‘Orchestrated', ‘Influenced' and ‘Achieved' make you sound more confident and highlight your personal contribution.
• Do highlight your soft skills
  Themuse.com says that giving the proof for your soft skills is as essential as quantifying your accomplishments and hard skills. In other words, it makes no sense to say you're ‘an excellent communicator' or ‘proactive coach and mentor'. For example, if you want to emphasis your supervisory skills, show how many people you supervised and which results they achieved under your supervision.
• Do show professional growth
  Career advancement is one of the things a hiring manager will look for in your resume. If you've been promoted or awarded at one of your past jobs, make sure your resume indicates this. Good career progression is one of the best factors that will advocate in your favor.
• Do tell the truth
  If your education or career history aren't impressive, it's tempting to exaggerate some facts or, in other words, add some ‘white lies'. However, as the practice shows, this isn't worth doing at all, as the majority of hiring managers will dismiss a resume with falsified information. All the facts from your resume are easy to check online or by the phone. Most hiring managers don't tolerate resume lies, so you should avoid it as well.
• Do include professional email address
  Your resume starts with your name and contact details, so make sure they look professional, too. Don't include the number of your house/apartment as in the internet age employer doesn't' need this information. And, of course, use a professional email that contains your first and second name with minimal modifications.

The Biggest Resume Don'ts to Avoid in 2025

• Don't include false information

  Among resume don'ts, this one is very important. If you Google what not ot include on a resume, the first advice will not be about resume formatting, it will be about including false information. Even if you are a great team player and have all the necessary qualifications, you may lose a chance to get a job of your dreams if false information is included. Thinking about resume truth vs embellishment, always focus on the truth only!

• Don't include a resume objective
  Unless you've just graduated from the university, you don't need an objective. Your experience, skills and achievements will speak for themselves. In case of resume objective outdated, be sure to make it relevant to the job posting of your interest.
• Don't list the private information
  Your date of birth (and any other information that could indicate your age), political and religious affiliation as well as marital status don't belong to resume. The discrimination of applicants exists, and you can be discriminated against the facts of this kind. The same with your picture – leave it for your LinkedIn profile. The guide on rules to follow suggests keeping your resume as relevant ot the job posting as possible. Nobody cares if you have 10 children or won a regional chess competition.
• Don't make grammar or spelling errors
  Everyone makes mistakes. However, the mistakes on a resume make the hiring manger doubt the professionalism of the applicant. Don't let your well-written resume be destroyed by two or three minor errors – spend a decent amount of time proofreading the document. Or, which is even better, find a skilled resume editor.
• Don't exceed two pages in length
  A resume which is 3 pages or longer is only acceptable if you're applying for a job in academic settings (or, you're a CEO with 20+ years of experience). In all other cases, 1-2 pages are normal resume length which allows you to cover all key milestones of your career without overloading the reader with excessive details. Resume length best practices still do not advise 3+ pages for a resume, even if you are Elon Musk.
• Don't use tables or MS Word templates
  Although tables, charts and the formatting of templates you've downloaded from the Internet can improve the visual appearance of your resume, they share one big disadvantage. The fancy formatting isn't recognized by the ATS, so the content of your resume can be messed up after going through such software. So, opt for simpler designs and limit the formatting by using bulleted lists.
• Don't copy and paste job descriptions from the web
  Some applicants who struggle to describe their job responsibilities and skills in their own words simply copy and paste the descriptions of similar positions from the web or even from a job listing. Needless to say that such a resume makes no sense and will likely be thrashed.
• Don't include personal references on the resume
  Putting references as a separate section of your resume is extremely outdated. Neither professional nor personal references should be included in a modern resume. However, there's one exception from this rule: when an employer specifies in a job listing that the application should include a list of references. In this case, references are a must.
• Don't exceed 5-6 bullet points in each section
  When it comes to describing your job duties and achievements, more isn't better. The key to resume success is being relevant, not being overly detailed. Thus, keep each section of your resume to 5-6 points, 1-2 lines each. Remove the information which is irrelevant to the job you're applying for.
• Don't use abbreviations or jargon
  Many companies use specific software or give the names to the widely known software and processes. However, for the hiring manager outside of your company such jargon and abbreviations won't be familiar. So, to avoid messing up the potential employer, don't use any jargon on the resume.
• Don't include irrelevant hobbies
  If the skills you've learned from your hobby aren't transferrable to the workplace, it's recommended to delete the ‘Hobbies' section at all. Such hobbies as cooking, singing and reading make little sense to a hiring manager, so it's better not to waste the space of your resume.

Modern Resume Writing Tips and Layout Rules

In 2025, modern resume writing favors clean, structured layouts that balance readability with digital compatibility. Modern resume tips include the following:

1. A well-designed resume begins with a clear header containing contact information, followed by a professional summary, experience, education, and key skills. This resume structure is a golden standard that should be followed.
2. Bullet points, bold headings, and consistent formatting guide the reader's eye, while white space ensures a polished appearance. Resume bullet formatting rules are always relevant and will remain preferred in the next decade. How many bullet points per job resume to include? As many as needed to outline your experience, but preferably not more than 7 per experience.
3. ATS-friendly fonts like Calibri or Arial are preferred, and unnecessary graphics or columns are avoided to prevent scanning errors. Resume writing rules in 2025 emphasize resume whitespace importance and dominance of textual presentation.
4. The layout must be both visually appealing to recruiters and functionally optimized for software screening, making simplicity, clarity, and relevance the core principles of modern resume design. Writing a modern resume, keep in mind that excessive creativity is no longer an advantage!

Resume Content Strategy — What to Include and What to Skip

What should a modern resume include? A modern document should include the following resume section headers: clear contact information, a concise professional resume summary, relevant work experience with achievements, education, and a skills section. It should use a clean, ATS-friendly layout with consistent formatting, bullet points, and resume keywords tailored to the job description. Optional sections include certifications, languages, or volunteer experience. Things not to put on a resume are personal details like age, marital status, full address, or a photo on your resume, as they are unnecessary and may lead to bias.

Be sure to review the resume checklist posted below:

• Contact Information
• Professional Summary
• Work Experience
• Education
• Key Skills

Resume Objective vs Summary

Feature	Objective	Summary
Focus	Career goals	Career highlights and achievements
Tone	Aspirational	Professional and confident
Use Case	Entry-level or career change	Experienced professionals
Length	1 sentence	2–4 sentences
Content	What you seek	What you offer

ATS Optimization: Make Your Resume Machine-Friendly

One of the important aspects of resume writing is awareness of the applicant tracking system. ATS (Applicant Tracking System) is software used by employers to scan, filter, and rank resumes based on keywords and formatting before a human reviews them. In addition, ATS friendly resume tips suggest the importance of using keywords. Keyword Strategy (in resumes) is a method of incorporating relevant terms from a job description into a resume to improve visibility and match in ATS scans and recruiter reviews.

Do optimize your resume for the applicant tracking system It's not a secret that in big companies, your resume has to pass the software selection before it actually gets seen by a hiring manager. Your success in passing the ATS resume scan depends on the quantity of relevant keywords and the correct spelling. So, even if you're done writing a resume, it's a good idea to edit it and add keywords. In case you need help, we offer resume optimization service and resume ATS formatting assistance. When you order review service, you also get resume personalization tips preapred by our professional editors.

Final Resume Checklist Before You Apply

Resume Dos and Don'ts Checklist

Use this quick checklist to review your resume before sending it out:

Resume Dos

• Tailor your resume to each job posting
• Use a clean, professional format with readable fonts
• Start bullet points with action verbs
• Quantify your achievements with numbers and results
• Include a summary statement, not an outdated objective
• Optimize for ATS by including relevant keywords
• Keep your resume to 1–2 pages max
• Proofread for grammar, spelling, and clarity

Resume Don'ts

• Don't use creative templates or excessive design elements
• Don't include irrelevant personal details (age, photo, marital status)
• Don't lie or exaggerate your experience
• Don't overload your resume with every past job
• Don't repeat generic buzzwords without context
• Don't use the same resume for every job
• Don't forget to test your resume for ATS compatibility
• Don't skip formatting checks (alignment, bullet points, whitespace)

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There's one key point to making your resume look modern. If you incorporate the old rules of your resume writing, the hiring manager may think that you're older than you are and discriminate against you based on this fact. So, whether you write a resume by yourself or hire a resume professional, make sure your resume looks neat and attractive and can catch the hiring manager's attention! Order resume critique service and get help from resume writer who knows how to transform your resume into an impressive document!

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Frequently Asked Questions About Resume Dos and Don'ts

What are the biggest resume red flags to avoid?

Some of the biggest red flags include excessive use of jargon, outdated resume objectives, unexplained employment gaps, and formatting that fails ATS scans. Avoid generic language and show measurable impact through accomplishments and numbers.

Is it still necessary to use action verbs on a resume?

Yes, action verbs remain essential in 2025. Words like "orchestrated", "led", and "optimized" help highlight your contributions clearly. Weak phrases such as “responsible for” or “participated in” dilute your professional impact.

How many bullet points should I include per job on my resume?

Limit yourself to 4–6 bullet points per job. Focus on relevant, high-impact accomplishments. Each point should be concise and ideally include metrics to show your value. Quality matters more than quantity.

Should I include a resume objective in 2025?

Resume objectives are mostly outdated. Instead, write a summary statement tailored to the role you're applying for. It should combine your experience, top skills, and career focus in 2–3 concise lines.

Can formatting hurt my resume's chances with ATS?

Yes, complex formatting with tables, columns, or graphics can confuse Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). Use a clean, simple layout with clear section headings, consistent font size, and no embedded elements or charts.

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