A resume is a one-page summary of the results you can bring to an employer. A good one is easy to scan, uses numbers instead of adjectives and matches the job posting.
This guide gives you the 10 steps to write a resume, then 3 examples for common jobs and a free builder with three starting points. Make your own, then print it or copy it. The examples are for people with work experience.
AdvertisementThe people, employers and numbers in these examples are fictional. Replace them with your own true information.
How to Write a Resume in 10 Steps
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1. Contact information | Give your name, city and state, phone and a professional email; Indeed advises leaving off your full mailing address |
| 2. Summary | Write 2 to 3 sentences with your job title, years of experience and top strengths |
| 3. Selected achievements | Add three results with numbers right under your summary so the reader sees your best work first |
| 4. Work experience | List your last 10 to 15 years, newest first, with bullets that start with action words and include numbers |
| 5. Education | List your highest degree, school and year |
| 6. Certifications | Add licenses and certificates that fit the job |
| 7. Skills | List about 10 to 15 skills you really have, using words from the posting |
| 8. Optional extras | Add awards or projects only if they help for this job |
| 9. Format | Keep it to one page, or two for a longer career; use a simple layout with no columns, tables or graphics |
| 10. Tailor and proofread | Match keywords to each posting and proofread twice |
3 Resume Examples
Quick jump: Customer serviceRegistered nurseAdministrative assistantFree resume builder
Customer Service Representative Resume Example
Charlotte, NC | (555) 010-1701 | sarah.mitchell@email.com
SUMMARY
Customer Service Representative who brings 8 years of solving problems for about 60 customers a day with a 95% satisfaction score. Skilled in clear communication, account records and first-call resolution, and trusted by customers and teammates to keep every conversation calm and productive.
SELECTED ACHIEVEMENTS
• Resolved 92% of customer issues on the first contact
• Earned a 95% customer satisfaction score across about 60 contacts a day
• Coached 6 new representatives a year on systems and call quality
EXPERIENCE
Customer Service Representative, Summit Insurance Group, Charlotte, NC | 2021 to present
• Handle about 60 calls and chats a day with a 95% customer satisfaction score
• Resolve 92% of issues on the first contact
• Cut average call time from 9 minutes to 7 minutes with a quick-answer guide
• Update about 40 customer records a day with 99% accuracy
• Coach 6 new representatives a year on systems and call quality
Call Center Agent, Brightline Communications, Raleigh, NC | 2018 to 2021
• Answered about 70 calls a day and kept hold times under 2 minutes
• Ranked in the top 3 for quality on a team of 25 for 4 quarters
• Resolved 85% of billing questions on the first call
• Logged every call in the system with 98% accuracy
• Covered 20 extra shifts during peak seasons
EDUCATION
Associate Degree in Business | 2018
CERTIFICATIONS
Customer Service Certificate | 2025
Microsoft Office Specialist | 2026
First Aid and CPR | 2025
SKILLS
Customer service | Clear communication | Problem solving | Account records | Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace | Reliability | Coaching
Registered Nurse Resume Example
Denver, CO | (555) 010-1702 | nicole.harris@email.com
SUMMARY
Registered Nurse who brings 9 years of safe, steady care on busy medical-surgical units. Skilled in medication safety, patient teaching, charting and teamwork, with a record of higher patient satisfaction and accurate documentation.
SELECTED ACHIEVEMENTS
• Raised patient satisfaction on a 32-bed unit from 86% to 94% in 18 months
• Kept charting errors under 1% across about 6 patients a shift
• Precepted 4 new nurses a year
EXPERIENCE
Registered Nurse, Mercy Valley Hospital, Denver, CO | 2020 to present
• Care for 5 to 6 patients a shift on a 32-bed medical-surgical unit
• Raised patient satisfaction on the unit from 86% to 94% in 18 months
• Give about 30 medications a shift and complete 100% of required safety checks
• Chart about 6 patients a shift with documentation errors under 1%
• Precept 4 new nurses a year
Registered Nurse, Lakeside Community Hospital, Aurora, CO | 2017 to 2020
• Cared for 6 patients a shift on a 28-bed unit
• Cut patient falls by 15% through hourly rounding
• Taught discharge instructions to about 15 patients and families a week
• Joined about 12 rapid-response calls and helped stabilize patients
• Covered 25 extra shifts during flu season
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science in Nursing | 2017
CERTIFICATIONS
Basic Life Support (BLS) | 2025
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) | 2025
Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification | 2024
SKILLS
Patient care | Medication safety | Charting | Patient teaching | Teamwork | Time management | Attention to detail
Administrative Assistant Resume Example
Columbus, OH | (555) 010-1703 | kevin.walker@email.com
SUMMARY
Administrative Assistant who brings 8 years of keeping busy offices organized for executives and teams. Skilled in scheduling, reporting, invoices and records, with a record of accurate work and on-time results.
SELECTED ACHIEVEMENTS
• Managed calendars and travel for 6 executives with fewer than 2 conflicts a month
• Processed about 80 invoices a month with 99% accuracy
• Cut document search time by 40% with a new filing system
EXPERIENCE
Administrative Assistant, Greenfield Financial Services, Columbus, OH | 2021 to present
• Manage calendars and travel for 6 executives
• Schedule about 25 meetings a week with fewer than 2 conflicts a month
• Prepare about 10 reports and presentations a month in Excel and PowerPoint
• Process about 80 invoices a month with 99% accuracy
• Train 3 new assistants a year
Office Assistant, Riverside Law Office, Dayton, OH | 2018 to 2021
• Answered about 50 calls a day and sent each to the right person
• Filed and scanned about 200 documents a week with 99% accuracy
• Cut document search time by 40% with a new filing system
• Ordered supplies for 30 staff and cut costs by 10%
• Covered the front desk on 25 extra days
EDUCATION
Associate Degree in Office Administration | 2018
CERTIFICATIONS
Administrative Professional Certificate | 2025
Microsoft Office Specialist, Excel | 2026
First Aid and CPR | 2025
SKILLS
Scheduling | Calendar management | Invoices | Reports | Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace | Record keeping | Accuracy
Free Resume Builder
Step 1. Which job fits you?
Step 2. Tap the skills you really have. They appear in your resume.
Step 3. Match the posting.
Replace the sample name, dates, numbers and employer details with your own true information, and use words from the job posting where they are true for you.
Step 4. Click any text in the resume below and type or modify to make it yours.
SARAH MITCHELL
Charlotte, NC | (555) 010-1701 | sarah.mitchell@email.com
NICOLE HARRIS
Denver, CO | (555) 010-1702 | nicole.harris@email.com
KEVIN WALKER
Columbus, OH | (555) 010-1703 | kevin.walker@email.com
Summary
Customer Service Representative who brings 8 years of solving problems for about 60 customers a day with a 95% satisfaction score. Skilled in clear communication, account records and first-call resolution, and trusted by customers and teammates to keep every conversation calm and productive.
Registered Nurse who brings 9 years of safe, steady care on busy medical-surgical units. Skilled in medication safety, patient teaching, charting and teamwork, with a record of higher patient satisfaction and accurate documentation.
Administrative Assistant who brings 8 years of keeping busy offices organized for executives and teams. Skilled in scheduling, reporting, invoices and records, with a record of accurate work and on-time results.
Selected Achievements
- Resolved 92% of customer issues on the first contact
- Earned a 95% customer satisfaction score across about 60 contacts a day
- Coached 6 new representatives a year on systems and call quality
- Raised patient satisfaction on a 32-bed unit from 86% to 94% in 18 months
- Kept charting errors under 1% across about 6 patients a shift
- Precepted 4 new nurses a year
- Managed calendars and travel for 6 executives with fewer than 2 conflicts a month
- Processed about 80 invoices a month with 99% accuracy
- Cut document search time by 40% with a new filing system
Experience
Customer Service Representative, Summit Insurance Group, Charlotte, NC | 2021 to present
- Handle about 60 calls and chats a day with a 95% customer satisfaction score
- Resolve 92% of issues on the first contact
- Cut average call time from 9 minutes to 7 minutes with a quick-answer guide
- Update about 40 customer records a day with 99% accuracy
- Coach 6 new representatives a year on systems and call quality
Call Center Agent, Brightline Communications, Raleigh, NC | 2018 to 2021
- Answered about 70 calls a day and kept hold times under 2 minutes
- Ranked in the top 3 for quality on a team of 25 for 4 quarters
- Resolved 85% of billing questions on the first call
- Logged every call in the system with 98% accuracy
- Covered 20 extra shifts during peak seasons
Registered Nurse, Mercy Valley Hospital, Denver, CO | 2020 to present
- Care for 5 to 6 patients a shift on a 32-bed medical-surgical unit
- Raised patient satisfaction on the unit from 86% to 94% in 18 months
- Give about 30 medications a shift and complete 100% of required safety checks
- Chart about 6 patients a shift with documentation errors under 1%
- Precept 4 new nurses a year
Registered Nurse, Lakeside Community Hospital, Aurora, CO | 2017 to 2020
- Cared for 6 patients a shift on a 28-bed unit
- Cut patient falls by 15% through hourly rounding
- Taught discharge instructions to about 15 patients and families a week
- Joined about 12 rapid-response calls and helped stabilize patients
- Covered 25 extra shifts during flu season
Administrative Assistant, Greenfield Financial Services, Columbus, OH | 2021 to present
- Manage calendars and travel for 6 executives
- Schedule about 25 meetings a week with fewer than 2 conflicts a month
- Prepare about 10 reports and presentations a month in Excel and PowerPoint
- Process about 80 invoices a month with 99% accuracy
- Train 3 new assistants a year
Office Assistant, Riverside Law Office, Dayton, OH | 2018 to 2021
- Answered about 50 calls a day and sent each to the right person
- Filed and scanned about 200 documents a week with 99% accuracy
- Cut document search time by 40% with a new filing system
- Ordered supplies for 30 staff and cut costs by 10%
- Covered the front desk on 25 extra days
Education
Associate Degree in Business | 2018
Bachelor of Science in Nursing | 2017
Associate Degree in Office Administration | 2018
Certifications
- Customer Service Certificate | 2025
- Microsoft Office Specialist | 2026
- First Aid and CPR | 2025
- Basic Life Support (BLS) | 2025
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) | 2025
- Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification | 2024
- Administrative Professional Certificate | 2025
- Microsoft Office Specialist, Excel | 2026
- First Aid and CPR | 2025
Skills
- Clear communication
- Teamwork
- Problem solving
- Time management
- Accuracy
- Record keeping
- Customer service
- Scheduling
- Training others
- Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace
- Reliability
- Attention to detail
To save your resume: press Ctrl+P (Windows) or Cmd+P (Mac) and choose Save as PDF. Only the resume prints. To copy it, select the text inside the resume and press Ctrl+C or Cmd+C.
Which Starting Point Fits You?
| Your job | Builder choice | What to highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Call center, service desk or support | Customer service representative | Satisfaction scores, first-contact fixes and coaching |
| Hospital or clinic nursing | Registered nurse | Patient satisfaction, safety and charting accuracy |
| Office support | Administrative assistant | Scheduling, reports, invoices and accuracy |
Best Order for Your Resume Sections
| Section | Experienced layout used in this page | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Summary | Top | Shows who you are in 3 lines |
| Selected achievements | Under the summary | Your 3 best numbers come first |
| Experience | Two recent jobs, five bullets each | Proves the summary |
| Education | After experience | Short and easy to scan |
| Certifications | After education | Shows current licenses |
| Skills | Last | Keywords for the hiring system |
What to Include and What to Leave Off
| Include | Leave off |
|---|---|
| City and state, phone, professional email | Full mailing address, photo, age or birth date |
| Results with numbers | Long lists of daily duties |
| Keywords from the posting | Skills you do not really have |
| Last 10 to 15 years of work | Jobs from decades ago |
| Simple one-column layout | Tables, columns and graphics |
Mistakes to Avoid
- Listing duties. Show results with numbers.
- One resume for every job. Tailor it to each posting.
- Fancy layouts. Keep it simple so any system can read it.
- Too long. One page is best for most people.
- Typos. Proofread twice.
Resume Checklist
Tick each item as you finish. Your resume is ready when the counter reaches 10.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I write a resume?
Follow ten steps: write your contact information, a short summary, selected achievements, work experience with numbers, education, certifications and skills, keep a simple one-page layout, tailor keywords to the posting and proofread.
How long should a resume be?
Indeed advises one page, or two for longer careers. Most people with under 10 years of experience should aim for one page.
What should I put at the top of a resume?
Your name, city and state, phone and email, then a short summary of who you are and what you offer.
Should I include my full address?
No. Indeed advises leaving off your full mailing address. City and state are enough.
How far back should my work history go?
About 10 to 15 years. Older jobs can be left off unless they are highly relevant.
How many skills should I list?
Indeed suggests about 10 to 15 skills. List only skills you really have, and use words from the job posting.
Do I need a different resume for each job?
Yes. Keep a master version and adjust the summary, bullets and keywords for each posting.
What format is best?
A simple one-column layout with standard headings. Indeed advises avoiding columns, tables and graphics.
Should I use a photo?
No. In the USA, photos are not expected on a resume, and they can distract from your work history.
Should I save my resume as a PDF or Word file?
Follow the posting. If it does not say, a PDF keeps your layout the same on every device.
Conclusion
A strong resume is short, specific and built around results. Follow the 10 steps, choose numbers you can prove and tailor the page to each job. Use the builder above to start your resume today.
Related Reading
- Resume writing trends
- Customer service resume sample
- ICU RN resume sample
- Call center representative resume sample
Sources: Indeed Career Guide, How To Write a Resume in 10 Steps. The example resumes, people, employers and numbers are fictional.