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Resumes look different depending on which part of the world you're located in. Sometimes, what's seen as professional in one country is considered unprofessional in another.

We'll help you navigate the US resume writing process from beginning to end. The tips below will equip you with the knowledge you need to write an application that maximizes your chances of landing a job in America.

In the US, the terms CV and resume are not used interchangeably. While a resume is used to apply for all kinds of jobs, a curriculum vitae refers to a CV that is used to apply for positions in academia.

US resume format

Most American resumes are written using a chronological resume format, which means that your work experience is listed in the order you've held each of your jobs, with the most recent position at the top.

If you're an entry-level job seeker, career-changer, or have decades of experience, consider using a different resume format.

This is what a chronological resume layout looks like:

1. Resume introduction

US resumes have an introduction placed at the top of the page, underneath the header. What type of introduction you should use depends on your level of experience.

These are the most common ways to begin a resume:

Career objective

A career objective is ideal if you're a recent graduate applying for an entry-level position, or if you're changing careers. It allows you to focus on the transferable skills and experience you have that make you suitable for the position instead of job-related accomplishments.

Resume summary

Resume summaries are the most common resume introductions hiring managers see, because they can be used by anyone with relevant work experience. This type of introduction summarizes your professional background and highlights one or two achievements from your career.

Resume profile

Opt for a resume profile if you're writing a general resume to upload to online job boards like LinkedIn. It doesn't target a specific role but provides an overview of your skill set and achievements.

Summary of qualifications

Qualifications summaries are best suited for seasoned professionals. So, if you've got several years of experience in your field, use a resume summary to introduce yourself and your greatest accomplishments.

2. Work experience

In the work experience section of your resume, list your job titles from most recent to least recent. Under each entry, include 3-5 bullet points that showcase your strengths. Hiring managers look for evidence that you'll be an effective employee, not just a list of previous job duties.

If you're applying from abroad it's especially important to have a compelling application to be able to compete with American candidates, because bringing in foreign talent is more complicated than hiring someone locally.

To convince hiring managers that you're worth the extra effort, make sure that each of your bullet points highlights skills and accomplishments that prove you're the most qualified candidate for the job.

Adding hard numbers to your resume is an easy way to make it stand out.

3. Education

The education section of a resume for a job in the US should provide a quick overview of your educational background. Include the following information:

Name of your school or university

Degree

Major

Graduation year

GPA (if you graduated from an American university)

If your country's education system doesn't use GPAs (grade point averages), don't worry about converting your grades. Employers care more about your degree and work experience, so having a GPA on your resume is optional.

4. Skills

Use this section to list your top relevant skills. You don't need to list every skill in your arsenal, simply focus on the ones that will help you execute the responsibilities of your target job.

Having a mix of hard skills and soft skills on your resume is typically recommended, but depending on the type of role you're applying for you might want your skills section to include more of one or the other.

For example, a software engineer will want to focus more on hard skills like integration testing and debugging, while a customer-facing professional should highlight soft skills like conflict management and communication abilities.

5. Additional sections

Sometimes it's necessary or beneficial to add other sections in addition to the ones mentioned above. Some examples of additional resume sections to include are:

Keep in mind that these sections are optional. If they're not relevant for the position you want, it's better to not include them.

However, if you just graduated from university and are struggling to fill an entire page, demonstrating what you learned from a volunteer position or personal project can help you add length to your resume while showcasing your skills at the same time.

US resume sample

Below is a US resume example that follows the traditional chronological format:

Download This Free Example

American resume writing tips

Now that you know what a US resume looks like, here are a few tips to help guide you as you put your resume together:

Choose the right formatting - A standard American resume has ½"-1" margins and a font size of 10-12pt.

Use American spelling - Remember to use American spelling when writing your US resume. If you're used to British spelling, changing your Google Docs or Word settings to American English can help you prevent mistakes.

Limit your resume to one page - Keep your resume to one page to ensure hiring managers read it from beginning to end.

Use simple language - Avoid the temptation to show off the full range of your vocabulary. Let your accomplishments speak for themselves and stick to simple, straightforward language.

Write a targeted resume for each position - Look for resume keywords in the job ad to incorporate into your US resume. This tells employers you've done your research and understand the needs of the company.

What not to include on a resume in the US

Finally, here are four things you shouldn't include on your resume when applying for a job in the US:

1. Personal information - Employers don't need to know about your sexual orientation, age, race, or religious beliefs. Employment discrimination based on these factors is illegal in the US, but it's better to leave such information off your resume anyway.

2. Photo - In some countries it's common to have photos on your resume, but not in the US.

3. Graphics - Graphics can distract from your achievements and make your resume harder to read.

4. Immigration status - Employers shouldn't inquire about your citizenship or ask you to provide evidence of your employment eligibility before extending a job offer. However, if you want to make it clear that you're applying from abroad (or mention that you don't require employment sponsorship), write a cover letter to submit with your resume that explains your circumstances.

Are you a foreign national without authorization to work in America? Check the USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) page on requirements for working in the United States to ensure you're eligible for visa sponsorship before submitting your job application.

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How to Write a US Resume [Format & Free Sample]

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Want to pursue career opportunities in America? Then you need to write a US resume proving you're the right person for the job. We'll teach you how.

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a shiny, new browser.

MindMeister uses the latest technology to ensure a fast and intuitive user experience. Please upgrade your browser to take full advantage of our app. Here a three of our users' favorites:

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MindMeister uses the latest technology to ensure a fast and intuitive user experience. Please upgrade your browser to take full advantage of our app. Here a three of our users' favorites:

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Louisiana Purchase - Definition, Facts & Importance

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The Louisiana Purchase of 1803 introduced about 828,000,000 square miles of territory from France into the United States, thereby doubling the size of the young republic. Explore the facts about this important acquisition and its lasting legacy on Thomas Jefferson’s presidency.

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13 American Colonies | US History | Kids Academy

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In a short paragraph, summarize all you have learnt about the USA.

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In a short paragraph, summarize all you have learnt about the USA.

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It is located between ... and ...
It has a common border with...
By the Pacific Ocean
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Population/ flag/ motto/ symbols/type of landscapes/

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What does this tool do?

The Interest Assessment matches your interests to careers. You answer 30 short questions by saying how much interest you have in different activities. Those answers create your Interest Profile. Then you see a list of careers that are good matches for your unique Interest Profile.

From there, you can explore the careers on your list of matches. You can learn about the outlook (new job opportunities expected) for jobs in that field, average pay, and the typical education needed.

How do I get started?

Get started by answering the questions. There are three pages of 10 questions each. Each question lists an activity that some people might do in their jobs.

For each question, click the box under the word or phrase that best describes how much you think you would like the activity listed. Your choices are Strongly Like, Like, Unsure, Dislike, or Strongly Dislike. Please note that if you select all "Strongly Dislike" or "Strongly Like" the system will not be able to match you to occupations.

One you've answered the questions on each page, click "Next" to see the next page of questions. When you click "Next" after the third page, you'll see your career matches.

Can I change my answers while I'm taking the Interest Assessment?

Yes, you can change any answer at any time by clicking a different box. To go back or forward to a new page, use the "Back" and "Next" buttons at the bottom of each page.

Are there right or wrong answers?

No, there are no right or wrong answers in an interest assessment-there are only answers that best describe you. Try to answer honestly whether you would like that kind of work rather than whether you would be good at it, if you have enough education, or whether you would make enough money at it. For activities you have no experience with, try to imagine what the work activity would be like, and answer to the best of your ability.

How does the Interest Assessment come up with my career matches?

The Interest Assessment uses your answers to the 30 questions to make a profile of your interests. Your profile takes into account the activities you like as well as those you dislike. Then your profile is compared to the profiles of different careers, and the most similar matches are listed in your results. O*NET, which powers the Interest Assessment, provides more details.

What is the Interest Assessment based on?

The Interest Assessment is based on the O*NET Interest Profiler, which is based on Dr. John Holland's theory that people's interests and work environments can be loosely classified into six different groups, Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. Download the RIASEC interest descriptions to learn more. By determining your interests, the assessment can identify the types of work environments most likely to match.

For most people, two or three interest groups are stronger than the others. For example, if your profile is Social, Artistic and Enterprising, you probably most closely resemble the Social work environment, next most closely the Artistic type, and not quite as much the Enterprising type. The other types, not in your profile, are the types you resemble least.

Like people, most careers reflect a combination of two or three of the Holland interest areas. People are usually most satisfied if their work environment and their interests share some aspects in common.

This system has been tested and used with a wide variety of people, and has been found to be consistently reliable, meaningful, and easy to use.

My list of career matches looks wrong for me-can I take the assessment again?

If you think that the careers on your list of matches are not a good fit for you, you may want to take the assessment again or change some of your answers. From your page of career matches, click on "Change answers" in the upper left-hand area. You'll go back to your previous page of questions but you will see that your first answers are still selected. You can now change all or some of your answers. When you finish, you will have a new Interest Profile and a new set of career matches.

What can I learn from my list of career matches?

You can use your list of occupation matches to explore career ideas that may be right for you. At a glance you can see some important information about each of these careers:

Match: You can see if this career is:

Best (a very close fit for your interests)

Great (a good fit for most of your interests)

Good (fits some of your likes or dislikes but not as closely as Best and Great)

Use the choices to the left of the table, called filters, to show only Best or Great matches.

Career: Click on the name of any career to find more detailed information about that career.

Outlook: Here you can see whether the career listed is expected to be in demand. Each career is either:

Bright (new job opportunities are very likely in the future)

Average (a small number-less than an 8 percent increase-of new job opportunities are likely in the future)

Below average (new job opportunities are less likely in the future)

Hourly wages: See the median hourly wage for each career. Median wage means one half of all workers in this occupation earns less than this wage and one-half earns more

Education: See the level of education usually needed to enter this career.

How can I see career matches that fit my level of education?

You can choose to see only career matches that fit your education and experience level. To do this, click on one of the links under "Education and experience needed" to the left of your table of career matches, under Show Only. You can view careers that require a variety of preparation, from very little to extensive. Preparation includes a combination of school, work experience, and on-the-job-training. Learn more about these levels of preparation from O*NET's job zone descriptions.

Where does this information come from?

Data on this tool come from various sources:

Who can I contact for help?

If you have questions about career planning, please contact your local American Job Center. If you have questions about how the Interest Profiler works, please contact the CareerOneStop Service Center at info@careeronestop.org.

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find help to use the interest assessment

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The Interest Assessment matches your interests to careers. You answer 30 short questions by saying how much interest you have in different activities. Those answers create your Interest Profile. Then you see a list of careers that are good matches for your unique Interest Profile.

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Special case

How to write an entry-level American resume

If you're in a situation where you've just graduated from college or university, or you're transitioning to a different career, you won't have relevant work experience to highlight in your resume.

In this case, you will want to focus on education, side projects and skills, rather than experience.

The functional resume format is perfect for these special cases. This resume layout focuses on skills and education, rather than employment history.

To stand out from other candidates, write about side projects or university coursework that represents your skills in your industry.

For example, let's say you've grown your Youtube channel as a hobby and have gone from 0 to 10,000 subscribers in 6 months. If you're applying for an entry-level Marketing position, this would be an amazing accomplishment to mention, since it proves your skills as a marketer and your passion for the role.

Talking about related projects and hobbies will help to boost your credibility as an entry-level candidate.

Key takeaways: what makes a great American resume?

A job-winning US resume needs to cover these points:

Use a reverse chronological resume format, and stick to one page.

Don't include overly-personal information like your full address or a photo of yourself.

Read the job description and mirror the same keywords they use in your skills and experience sections.

Include a mix of soft skills and hard skills to impress hiring managers

Add real-life data about your accomplishments to back up your claims.

If you're just out of college or university, focus on your education, skills and side projects in your American resume.

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This ultimate guide will walk you through how to write an American-style resume that will get you hired in the USA.

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National Symbols & Icons | State Symbols USA

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A man is on a quest to show America what kind of jobs are out there. To follow his journey, visit http://www.livingthemap.com/Living_the_Map/This_Week/This_Week.html

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Read more Read more about Boston: A City Steeped in U.S. History

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