Essential Resume Dos and Don'ts for 2023 Job Seekers



by Kevin Philips · Published Nov. 8, 2022

Updated Nov 22, 2023

Resume Dos & Don’ts You Must Know

Candidates need to submit a resume to land a job. Does every resume work? The answer is very simple. No! Only a few among hundreds and thousands of works wonder. Following the proper resume dos and don’ts sparkles your resume and makes them stand out in the list.

A successful resume is a short, concise, one-page document containing all the necessary information and excitingly highlights the candidate’s personality. It convinces the recruiter to call you back in a few seconds. To make it this impressive, you must write an all-rounder resume or ask our affordable resume writers for instant help.

We have consulted multiple expert resume builders, career coaches, recruiters, and hiring managers about best-performing resumes. Through our extensive research, we will provide you with helpful tips and ways to write a perfect resume.

We have guided you about every minor to significant thing ranging from formatting, vocabulary, and sentence structure to many more. We divided this guide into resume dos and don’ts. Without any further delay, Let’s study them,

Resume Writing Dos-Secrets Of Job-Winning Resume


1. Do Research About The Job

Before writing a resume, research the job position. Focus on the objective and customize your resume according to the job. Mention the objective and relate it to your personality. Do not include already prepared irrelevant objective that does not matches the job description.

2. Do Use The Right Format

The resume format is the first thing that the recruiter comes across. Using the proper resume will increase your chances of selection. The layout of the resume matters a lot. It may entice the hiring manager’s interest or put the resume in the basket. Therefore, focus on the layout and presentation of the resume. You can choose any resume format from chronological, functional, or hybrid type.

Simply start with your basic details like name and contact information. Then divide the remaining data in small sections.

3. Do Highlight Important Information

Mention all your information but highlight the important information, like the most relevant work experience. This will make the recruiter realize that you are a perfect fit for the job. Bold, italic, underline, or shading are the best-performing features to emphasize the most relevant information.

4. Do Create ATS Friendly Resume

Nowadays, most companies use ATS-friendly resumes to analyze the relevancy of the resume with job descriptions based on keywords and phrases used. Include the relevant keywords in your resume so naturally that it does not give a fake or awkward feel. This way, you will not only create ATS friendly resume but also attracts the hiring manager.

5. Do Make Your Resume Interesting

An overstuffed and complicated resume seems so boring to read. Chances are, the recruiter throws it away without reading it. To avoid this, make your resume visually appealing and exciting to read. Use a friendly format and write in short sentences. Add powerful and catchy headlines.

5. Do Make Your Resume Interesting

An overstuffed and complicated resume seems so boring to read. Chances are, the recruiter throws it away without reading it. To avoid this, make your resume visually appealing and exciting to read. Use a friendly format and write in short sentences. Add powerful and catchy headlines.

6. Do Focus On Your Achievements

Include your most relevant experience and the results you achieved in your last job. Highlight your success and the targets you achieved. This will increase your credibility and the manager’s trust that you can manage the position beautifully.

7. Do Mention Employers’ Benefits By You

Relate your skills and experience to the employers’ benefit. Do not circulate your resume around your needs. Tailor your resume to employers’ advantage. Show them how you are the perfect fit for their company and benefit them in the short and long term.

8. Do Mention Relevant Soft Skills

Adding soft skills with your work experience is the cherry on top. Mention all your soft skills like leadership skills, management abilities, team work efficiency, etc. This will indicate your personality as a complete package.

9. Do Add Your Extracurricular Activities

You can mention extra curricular activities like interest in sports, volunteer work, collaborations, internships, or any other task that highlight your personality. This will truly help you in getting a job if you do not have much experience.

10. Do Keep It Simple

Simplicity is the key to a perfect resume. It's not about adding fancy vocabulary or adding design elements. It's all about readability. You can have a look at words and phrases to avoid in resume Break down the resume into small paragraphs. Use simple and easy-to-understand words.

11. Do Proofreading

Proofreading is the savior in writing. It is the most important step in resume building. Don’t forget to proofread the resume. Double check it for the relevant information, grammar, spell check, and other syntax issues. It is preferred to get it checked by an expert.

Resume Writing Don’ts-Things That Can Destroy Your Resume


Here are some of the things thatb must be avoided while building your resume.

1. Don’t add irrelevant or unecessary things

Adding irrelevant or unnecessary information may distract the manager from the center point. It may waste his time, and he will not consider your resume anymore. Only stick to the exact and on-point information. Remove all the extra stuff.

2. Don’t copy the job description

Job descriptions usually contain required skills as keywords and phrases mentioned. Make sure you are not pasting the exact words as your expertise. Try to convey the same message in other words. This will highlight your creativity.

3. Don’t panic if you don’t have any experience

Sometimes, candidates do not have enough experience—no need to be worried. You can use an attractive layout. Include your qualification and achievements excitingly. Add your internships and volunteer work as well. Presenting these details will give you a chance to land a job.

4. Don’t add anything controversial

Usually, companies avoid hiring people with controversies. Therefore, do not add any such thing to the resume. Try to avoid giving political references in your resume. This may devalue your personality

5. Don’t lie about anything

Hiring managers are professionals and experts in filtering out the truth. Therefore, do not go overboard to add the lie. Always mention the fact and your actual credentials.

6. Don’t add media

Although images are visually appealing, keep in mind that a resume is a short one-page document containing all the information. Adding photos or videos will extend it and take the recruiter’s attention. Therefore avoiding images is preferred.

7. Don’t exaggerate it

Keep your resume short. Do not add the content simply to exceed the length. Your every word and sentence should add value to the resume. Do not exaggerate it. Simply keep it short and to the point.

8. Don’t sound negative

Positivity attracts positivity. Sounding negative in the resume is a big NO. Recall your past achievements and sound confident, happy, and positive in your resume.

9. Don’t apply with single resume to every job

It is the most common mistake seen in candidates while applying for a job. Never apply with a single resume to every job. Read the description carefully and tailor your resume to the specified position.

Mentioned above are the lists of helpful resume writing dos and don’ts. Successful candidates are very peculiar about following these tips and techniques while writing their resumes. Implement these in your resume building and get a sparkling resume. However, if you don’t have enough time or find it difficult, do not worry. Simply contact our experts at Resumewritingworld. They will provide you with the best-performing resume in no time. Give your details and leave the rest to professionals.

Other Related Blogs: