From Self-Portrait to Structure:
The guidelines below apply to a general or “backbone” resume — the version you continuously adapt, amend, and polish for specific applications. It serves as your reference document, but is rarely sent in this form.
Core Components
Name and contact details
Clear, complete, and professional. Neutral email address.
Your current profession
State your current or most recent job title, provided it reasonably matches the role you are applying for.
Don’t lie. Don’t inflate.
Introduction / Summary
Tell the reader what they are going to find when they read your resume. This is a summary of what you can do for them, not a career objective.
Include keywords that reflect your real experience in your general resume. When applying to a specific company or job, your selection of keywords changes to a bespoke subset matching that particular company or job. Avoid buzzwords and talk like a human.
Professional Experience
(From current or most recent role, working backwards)
Recent roles (typically the last 10 years)
For each role, include:
Company name
Business activity
Job title
Period of employment
Describe your core responsibilities, with a clear indication of scope.
Achievements and projects
Each line should tell a short, relevant story. Results matter, but so does context. The reader should be able to understand — and visualize — what you actually did.
Earlier roles (if applicable)
These can be summarized more briefly, but should still mention the company name, job title, and period of employment.
Education and Skills
Education
Academic or professional education is usually most relevant early in a career. After the first job, it rarely plays a decisive role unless it is directly relevant to the position.
Qualifications, languages, and computer skills
These are enabling skills. Be specific. Don’t lie.
Certificates
Only include certificates that are relevant to the role you are applying for.
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Four Non-Negotiable Rules
Don’t lie.
Personalize. Paint your self-portrait so the reader sees what is relevant — in focus.
Don’t lie by purposeful omission. Clearly list periods of non-employment and related activities.
Avoid meaningless buzzwords at all costs.
Employers want evidence, not adjectives. What you can do is usually reflected in your experience. Two qualifiers always matter: how long you have done something, and how recently.
Style and Layout
Layout is left to the writer, with one caveat: it must be easy to read.
Limit yourself to two pages. Anything longer will almost certainly be lost on the reader.
Closing Thought
A resume built on exaggeration may survive an initial screening, but it rarely survives real scrutiny. Over time, credibility compounds — and so does the lack of it.
A good resume does not try to impress at all costs. It tries to be accurate, legible, and honest.
Paradoxically, that is exactly what makes it effective.
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Related articles in this series
- Don’t Lie: Your Resume Is a Self-Portrait – reframes the resume as a credibility and risk signal.
- Your Digital Footprint – shows how inconsistent online visibility can undermine even a strong resume.
- When and How to Apply? Application Tactics for Success
