Resume Format
USA — Format it the way recruiters expect
The expected structure, length, and conventions for a resume in USA.
Document Structure
1
Contact Info
Name, phone, email, city/state, LinkedIn — no photo, age, or marital status
2
Summary / Objective
Optional 2–3 line summary tailored to the role
3
Education
Degree, university, GPA (if strong), graduation date
4
Experience
Reverse chronological, bullet points starting with action verbs, quantify results
5
Skills
Technical and relevant soft skills, keyword-matched to the job description
6
Projects / Certifications
Especially useful for students with limited work experience
Dos & Don'ts
Do's
- • Use strong action verbs and quantify impact ("increased X by 20%")
- • Tailor keywords to each job description — many employers use ATS screening
- • Keep formatting simple and ATS-friendly (avoid tables/graphics in the parsed text)
Don'ts
- • Do not include a photo, date of birth, or marital status
- • Do not exceed one page as a student or early-career applicant
- • Do not use a generic objective statement with no role-specific detail
At a glance
Document type: Resume
Length: 1 page (2 only with 10+ years experience)
Photo: Not expected