How to make a resume in 2026

What you need before you start

Before opening a resume builder, gather this information. Having it ready cuts your build time in half:

• Your contact details (email, phone, LinkedIn URL, city and state, never your full address)
• Job titles, company names, and dates for your last 3 positions
• 3–5 bullet points of key responsibilities and achievements per job (quantify with numbers where possible)
• Your highest level of education (institution, degree, graduation year)
• A list of 8–12 relevant hard skills and tools
• The job description you are applying to (copy it, you will use it for ATS keyword matching in Step 7)

1Choose the right resume format

There are three main resume formats. For 95% of job seekers, reverse-chronological is the right choice — it is what recruiters expect and what ATS systems parse most reliably.

2Add your contact information

Include at the top of your resume:

• Full name (large, prominent)
• Professional email address (firstname.lastname@gmail.com)
• Phone number with country code for international applications
• LinkedIn URL (customize it: linkedin.com/in/yourname)
• City and state/country, never your full street address
• Portfolio or GitHub URL (if relevant to the role)

Do not include: photo, date of birth, marital status, or national ID number unless specifically required by the country you are applying in.

3Write a resume summary

A resume summary is a 2–3 sentence paragraph at the top of your resume. It tells a recruiter who you are and why you are qualified in under 30 seconds.

For freshers: use a resume objective instead — state your career goal and what value you bring to the role.

4Add your work experience

This is the most important section. List jobs in reverse-chronological order (most recent first). For each role, include:

• Job title, company name, city, and dates (Month Year – Month Year)
• 3–5 bullet points per role for recent positions (1–2 for older jobs)
• Each bullet starting with a strong action verb (Led, Built, Increased, Reduced…)
• At least one number per role: percentages, dollar amounts, team sizes, timelines

5List your education

Include your highest degree first:

• Degree name (e.g. Bachelor of Science in Computer Science)
• Institution name and location
• Graduation year (or 'Expected May 2027' if still enrolled)
• GPA, only if 3.5 or above and you graduated within the last 3 years
• Relevant coursework, only for recent graduates or if directly relevant
• Honors, awards, or distinctions

6Add your skills section

Your skills section is the section ATS systems scan most aggressively. List hard skills — tools, languages, frameworks, and certifications — not soft skills like "team player" or "good communicator."

7Run a free ATS check before applying

Over 98% of large companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to filter resumes before a recruiter sees them. A resume that looks perfect to a human eye can score zero in an ATS if it is missing the right keywords.

Before you apply, use our free ATS resume scanner to check your resume against the job description. One scan is free; unlimited scans are Pro.

Target an ATS score above 70%.Scores above 85% put you at the top of the recruiter's filtered list.

8Download your resume PDF for free

Once your resume is complete, download it as a PDF. FreeResume.me gives you pixel-perfect exports with a free account — zero watermarks and no paywall.

Always send your resume as a PDF unless the job posting specifically asks for a Word document (.docx). PDF preserves your formatting exactly across every device and email client.

Browse our free ATS-friendly resume templates — 10 resume templates, watermark-free PDF on the free plan.