What to Put on a Resume in 2024 (Examples + Tips)

Wondering what to put on a resume for your first job? If you are writing a resume with no work experience, there are several things you can include on your resume to showcase your skills, achievements and qualifications. Here are some ideas:

• Objective statement: Start your resume with a clear objective statement that highlights your career goals and what you hope to achieve in your desired position.
• Education: List your educational qualifications, including your degree, school and any relevant coursework or projects.
• Extracurricular activities: Include any extracurricular activities or volunteer work that you have done that demonstrate your leadership, problem-solving skills or teamwork.
• Projects: If you have completed any projects, either in school or independently, that are relevant to the job you are applying for, include them on your resume and describe your role and achievements.
• Professional development: If you have participated in any training programs, workshops, or seminars, include them on your resume to demonstrate your commitment to learning and professional development.

By including these sections on your resume, you can demonstrate your qualifications and showcase your potential as a candidate, even if you don’t have any work experience.

There are many skills to put on a resume, depending on the job you are applying for and your own qualifications and experience. Here are ten examples of skills that are relevant for most jobs:

• Communication: Verbal and written communication, active listening and interpersonal skills.
• Teamwork: Collaboration, cooperation and conflict resolution skills.
• Problem-solving: Critical thinking, analytical reasoning and creativity.
• Time management: The ability to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines and manage multiple projects.
• Leadership: The ability to motivate and inspire others, delegate tasks and resolve conflicts.

When listing skills on your resume, make sure to provide specific examples of how you have demonstrated these skills in previous roles or experiences. This will help to demonstrate your qualifications and showcase your potential as a candidate.

In most cases, it is not necessary to include your high school on your resume, especially if you have completed a college degree or higher education. However, there are a few exceptions when including high school information that may be relevant:

• Limited work experience: If you are a recent high school graduate with limited work experience, including your high school information may be helpful to showcase your academic achievements and extracurricular activities.
• Job requirements: If the job posting specifically asks for high school information, then you should include it in your resume.
• Relevant achievements: If you have achieved academic or extracurricular achievements in high school that are relevant to the job, such as winning a national competition or participating in a relevant club or organization, then you may want to include this information.

In most cases, however, it is more important to highlight your college education, job experience and relevant skills on your resume. See our high school graduate resume examples if you are a recent graduate. 

In general, it is recommended to include the most recent 10-15 years of work experience on your one-page resume or two-page resume. However, if you have a long work history with many jobs, you may want to focus on the most relevant and recent positions.

If you are a recent graduate or have limited work experience, you may want to include all of your relevant work experience to showcase your skills and qualifications. On the other hand, if you have several years of experience and have held many positions, it may be more effective to focus on the most relevant experiences and highlight your achievements in those roles.

Ultimately, the goal of your resume is to showcase your relevant experience and skills to the employer, so you should only include information that is relevant to the job you are applying for. 

Many employers use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to scan resumes for keywords such as skills, job titles or areas of experience.  

Including keywords from the job description in your work history section is an effective way to ensure that your resume gets past ATS and into the hands of hiring managers. 

Let’s say the job description for a marketing coordinator position includes the following requirements: “Experience managing social media accounts and creating engaging content for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.“

To incorporate this keyword into your work history section, you could include a bullet point that reads, “Managed social media accounts, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, creating content that increased engagement by 25%.”

We also recommend exploring our resume About Me examples for guidance on incorporating keywords into the introductory paragraph on your resume. 

There are a number of steps you can take to make an ATS-friendly resume, such as:

• Include keywords from the job description through your resume.
• Stick to a simple, easy-to-read layout with standard fonts and a clean design. 
• Avoid using images, graphics or other design elements that may confuse the ATS.
• Use standard section headings, such as “Work Experience,” “Education” and “Skills,” to make it easier for the ATS to scan your resume.
• Use bullet points to break up your text and highlight your key achievements and responsibilities. This will make your resume easier for the ATS to scan (and for people to read).

Use our free ATS resume checker to grade your resume and receive personalized feedback on how to optimize it for applicant tracking systems. 

By using strong and specific action words throughout your resume, you can show that you are a proactive and results-driven candidate who is ready to make an impact in your next role.

Here are a few examples of impactful action words to put on your resume:

• Adapt
• Coordinate
• Direct
• Facilitate
• Generate
• Improve
• Launch
• Manage
• Increase
• Maximize

Remember to tailor your work experience bullet points to the job you are applying for. A targeted resume that focuses on relevant work experience is much more likely to get noticed by recruiters and hiring managers. 

The work history section of your resume should include measurable achievements that provide concrete evidence of your skills and abilities. 

Here are a few examples of measurable achievements to put on a resume: 

• Increased sales revenue by 20% over the course of one year.

• Managed a team of 10 employees and achieved a 90% employee satisfaction rating.

• Reduced customer complaints by 50% through the implementation of a new customer service strategy.
• Achieved a 95% on-time delivery rate for a supply chain of 500+ vendors.

• Negotiated a new contract that saved the company $100,000 in annual expenses.

Having trouble deciding how to describe your work experience and achievements? Using an AI resume builder takes the guesswork out of this process. 

In addition to technical skills and work experience, employers often look for candidates who possess strong soft skills. These are personal attributes that enable individuals to work effectively with others and contribute to a productive work environment. 

Here are some soft skills that you can put on your resume:

• Communication
• Leadership 
• Teamwork
• Adaptability
• Problem-solving
• Time management 
• Creativity
• Attention to detail  

By putting soft skills on your resume, you can demonstrate your ability to work well with others, adapt to new situations and solve problems effectively.

Hard skills refer to technical abilities and knowledge that are learned through education, training or experience. They are specific and measurable skills that are relevant to the job or industry you are applying for. 

Here are some examples of hard skills for a resume: 

• Programming languages (e.g. Java, Python, C++, etc.)
• Database management (e.g. MySQL, Oracle, SQL Server, etc.)
• Web development (e.g. HTML, CSS, JavaScript, etc.)
• Graphic design (e.g. Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, etc.)
• Project management (e.g. Agile, Scrum, Waterfall, etc.)
• Data analysis (e.g. Excel, SAS, R, etc.)
• Financial analysis (e.g. budgeting, forecasting, financial modeling, etc.)
• Marketing skills (e.g. SEO, SEM, PPC, social media marketing, etc.)
• Technical writing (e.g. creating user manuals, technical reports, etc.)

Remember to tailor your list of hard skills to the specific job or industry that you are applying for and back up your skills with examples of how you have used them in your past work experiences.