Have you recently been asked to review a resume? Do you coach learners on resume writing? When did you last update your own resume?
The word “résumé” originates from the French word résumer, meaning “to summarize” (Burdick, 2023). It is a single document that could be the difference between landing an interview or missing an opportunity. Whether or not it’s the most effective way to hire strong candidates, it is the method commonly used to begin the hiring process. Today, though, there seems to be a growing frustration around the quality of resumes submitted across industries.
Many of the most widely used professional networking sites offer free, web-generated resumes. These resumes are available for use within seconds. However, web-generated resumes lack detailed information about the applicant and their skills. It’s easy to spot generated resumes because they often use identical templates with minimal formatting and start with “eligible to work in the United States.”
Resumes can be rejected for lack of job-specific information, poor formatting, failure to highlight relevant skills, or errors in spelling and grammar (Pelczarski, 2025). Website-generated resumes are often responsible for many of these blunders. Current resume trends show an increased use of software, like Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), to assist employers in filtering resumes (Simpson & Gillis, 2025). This means that web-generated templates are more likely to be rejected than personalized ones.
So, how do you help your students out of the classroom and into their careers? The following three considerations can make all the difference in successful resume writing.
Personalization
Resumes are like a blank canvas for your future but features your past. The best way to personalize a resume is NOT to use a template. You have some flexibility in how you format the information, so long as it’s simple, clean, and professional (Pelczarski, 2025). To personalize your resume, you should tailor your accomplishments to the desired job to which you are applying. Cruthers (2025) recommends highlighting something you did in your experience that no one else did or featuring something you excelled in at that time. Share this information in a visually appealing format with an easy-to-read font.
Keep in mind that personalization is not synonymous with creativity. The traditional resume tends to follow an expected format (heading, experience, education, certifications), so don’t stray too far from the standard. You should also ensure your resume meets digital components such as being mobile compatible, easy to scroll and pleasing to the eye. Formatting such as tables, images, or text boxes can be completely overlooked by an ATS system and rejected on the spot (Simpson & Gillis, 2025).
In the past, it was popular to personalize a resume with an objective statement, or summary of one’s goals and experiences. Today, the objective statement is a nonspecific waste of space. The Interview Guys recommend the “3 Line Fix” that will offer personalization and focus. The fix includes a brief statement about your personal experience, your biggest achievement, and what unique value you bring to that specific role. The outdated objective statement, typically at the top of a resume, may also get overlooked by keyword screening software (Simpson & Gillis, 2025).
A final recommendation for personalizing your resume is to quantify your achievements or skills. Numerals tend to attract the eye more than words, especially during a quick 6-second scan (Simpson & Gillis, 2025). You can include a statistic or metric with some of your experience statements to add credibility. When formatted consistently, numbers can make the information more concrete.
Proofreading
Even though the words on the resume show skills and experiences, the actual writing structure tells a lot about the person. It is critical to pay attention to the details of the resume. Other than inconsistent formatting or discrepancies in font or color, Simpson and Gillis (2025) state that grammatical or spelling errors are commonly a reason for a rejected resume. To avoid rejection, consider the following:
- Is the text font and size the same throughout?
- Are the dates (month and year) formatted consistently?
- If punctuation is used, is it used consistently?
- Are all bullets the same size?
- Does every job include a company, job title, and city, state?
- Are relevant action verbs used?
- Is the contact email professional?
- Is a professional voicemail attached to the phone number provided?
A resume should be reviewed by at least two other sources before submission. An ideal reviewer includes a peer, an instructor, a leader, a human resource professional, someone who works in another industry, or artificial intelligence. Remember, like any feedback, suggestions can vary from source to source.
Time
Frustration can occur when a resume that took over 6 hours to develop is viewed by a recruiter for an average of 6 seconds (Simpson & Gillis, 2025). You can curb that frustration by setting an expectation that effective, non-generated resumes take time to develop. Dedicate class or meeting time to teach resume standards and build-in time to write, rewrite, and review. One suggestion is to start your course with resume expectations and aim to have a finalized draft by the end of the course. This will allow plenty of time to move through the writing process.
If someone is interested in three different jobs, then three different resumes should be written. Each job application should include a unique resume that demonstrates a genuine interest in the position and an ability to meet the requirements of the work. Don’t forget to consider the time needed to personalize each resume. The review process also takes time so, when you ask someone to provide feedback, give them a reasonable deadline. Finally, resumes should be updated at least once a year. Maintaining an up-to-date resume ensures you are ready for the next exciting opportunity.
Amanda Vermeulen, AHI, MA, CCLS, is an instructor for the UW Health Medical Assistant Apprenticeship Program. Amanda teaches courses in communication, administrative procedures, digital literacy, medical law and ethics, clinical procedures, medical office insurance and finance, and job readiness.
References
Burdick, C. “The History of The Resume.” Davron. April 17, 2023. https://www.davron.net/history-of-the-resume/#:~:text=The%20word%20r%C3%A9sum%C3%A9%20is%20derived,the%20recruitment%20process%20for%20centuries
Cruthers, A. “Writing an Effective Resume.” In Strategic Business Communication: A competency-based approach to writing, speaking, and research, edited by All Open Educational Resources, 286-291. Kansas: Fort Hays State University, 2025.
Pelczarski, K. (2025, July). “Dos and Don’ts When Writing Your Resume.” Tribology & Lubrication Technology, 81(7): 84-86.
Simpson, M., & Gillis, J. “The 6-Second Resume Test: What Hiring Managers Actually See.” The Interview Guys. March 26, 2025. https://blog.theinterviewguys.com/the-6-second-resume-test/
Simpson, M., & Gillis, J. “The Resume Objective Mistake That’s Killing Your Job Applications (And the 3-Line Fix That Gets You Interviews).” The Interview Guys. June 10, 2025. https://blog.theinterviewguys.com/resume-objective-mistake/