Guide · 7 min read
How to Write a US Resume: Format, Sections and ATS Tips
A practical guide to the American resume: one or two pages, no photo, the sections recruiters expect, how applicant tracking systems read it, and how to tailor it to each job.
Updated
What makes a US resume different
A US resume is a short, focused marketing document, not a full record of your life. Recruiters often spend very little time on a first read, so the resume has to show quickly that you match the role. Most people need one page early in their career and two pages once they have substantial experience; longer academic CVs are used mainly for research and faculty roles.
American resumes leave out personal details that are common in other countries. Do not include a photo, date of birth, age, marital status, nationality, religion or a full street address. Employers avoid this information because of anti-discrimination laws, and including it can work against you. City, state, phone, email and a LinkedIn or portfolio link are enough.
The sections recruiters expect
Use clear, standard headings so both people and software can find information. A typical order is below; recent graduates often place education above experience.
- Header: name, city and state, phone, professional email, LinkedIn or portfolio URL
- Summary: two or three lines about who you are and what you offer for this kind of role (optional, but useful for career changers)
- Skills: the tools, technologies and abilities the job asks for that you genuinely have
- Experience: job title, employer, city, dates (month and year) and three to six bullet points per role
- Education: degree, school, graduation year (optional if long ago), relevant certifications and licenses
- Optional: projects, volunteer work, languages, awards
Write bullet points that show results
Each bullet should start with a strong verb and show what changed because of your work. A useful pattern is action, task and result: what you did, how you did it, and the outcome. Numbers help when they are real and you can explain them in an interview: time saved, customers served, error rates reduced, budgets managed, tickets resolved.
Compare 'Responsible for customer emails' with 'Answered 60+ customer emails a day and cut average response time from two days to same-day by building reply templates.' The second tells a recruiter what you can do for them. Never invent numbers; an estimate you can defend is fine, a made-up figure is not.
How applicant tracking systems (ATS) read your resume
Most medium and large employers use an applicant tracking system to collect applications, and recruiters search them by keywords. An ATS does not magically reject everyone, but a resume it cannot read cleanly is harder to find. Keep formatting simple so your information survives.
- Use a standard file type: a .docx or a text-based PDF, unless the employer asks for something else
- Avoid tables, text boxes, columns, headers and footers for key information
- Use common section headings such as 'Experience' and 'Education'
- Mirror the exact wording of skills in the job posting where it is true for you (for example 'Salesforce' rather than 'CRM software')
- Spell out acronyms once, such as 'Search Engine Optimization (SEO)'
- Skip graphics, skill bars and icons that carry meaning
Tailor every application
Sending the same resume everywhere is the most common mistake. Keep a longer master resume with everything you have done, then for each application copy it and trim to what matters for that job. Read the posting, highlight the required skills and responsibilities, and make sure your summary, skills section and top bullets speak to them in the same language.
Tailoring does not mean exaggerating. If a job requires a license or skill you do not have, do not claim it. Instead, highlight related experience and show how quickly you have learned similar things.
Common mistakes to avoid
A careful final check catches problems that cost interviews.
- Typos and inconsistent dates or formatting
- An unprofessional email address
- Listing duties without outcomes
- Including references or 'references available upon request' (employers will ask)
- Explaining every employment gap at length; a short, honest line is enough if needed
- Sharing your Social Security number or other ID numbers on a resume
Tools that can help
AltFTool's free Resume Maker lets you build a clean, ATS-friendly resume in your browser, and the Cover Letter tool helps you draft a matching letter. If you post your resume publicly on job boards, the Resume PII Stripper and Job Board Profile Cleanup Guide help you remove personal data scammers could misuse.
General information only, not legal, financial or immigration advice. Written by the AltFTool team; last updated .