The American resume has conventions that differ from resumes elsewhere, and getting them wrong costs you interviews.
What to leave out
This is where international applicants most often go wrong. Do not include:
- A photograph
- Your date of birth or age
- Marital status or number of children
- Nationality or place of birth
- Social Security number
These are omitted deliberately. Anti-discrimination law makes employers wary of information tied to protected classes, and including it can get a resume set aside.
What to include
- Name and contact — phone, professional email, city and state
- Experience — employer, title, dates, and what you accomplished
- Education — degree, institution, graduation year optional
- Skills — concrete and relevant
- Certifications and licenses, with state where relevant
Getting past the ATS
Most applications are screened by software before reaching a person:
- No tables, columns, text boxes or graphics
- Standard section headings — Experience, Education, Skills
- Use the exact terms from the job posting
- Submit as a .docx or a text-based PDF, not an image
If the posting says "Salesforce", write Salesforce — not "CRM platform".
Lead with accomplishments and numbers
American resumes are results-oriented in a way that can feel immodest elsewhere. Use numbers.
"Managed a team" says little. "Managed a team of 9 and reduced order processing time by 30% over two quarters" says a great deal more.
Length
One page for early career, two pages beyond roughly ten years. Longer than that is unusual outside academia and federal applications.
Tailor for each application
A generic resume performs poorly against keyword screening. Adjust the wording to each posting.
Cover letters
Often optional but frequently read when submitted, particularly at smaller employers.
Keep it current
A complete profile means recruiters find you in searches, even when you are not actively looking.