Is ResumAI free to try?

Yes. You get 30 free AI optimizations — no signup, no credit card. After that, Pro gives you unlimited access to all features for just €7.99/month.

Do I need to create an account?

No. Start building immediately. An account is only needed if you want to save your CV and access it later from another device.

Will my CV pass ATS systems?

All our templates are tested against major ATS systems including Workday, Greenhouse, Lever and iCIMS. Our ATS score engine checks 7 dimensions of ATS compatibility in real time so you can see exactly what to fix.

What file formats can I export?

PDF (all users) and a shareable live link (all users). DOCX export is available today and rendering is prioritized for Pro users.

How is this different from Canva or Google Docs?

Canva and Docs create beautiful documents that ATS systems often cannot read. ResumAI creates ATS-safe CVs that look great to humans and pass automated screening — not a compromise between the two.

Can I use it on my phone?

Yes. The full builder works on mobile. Create, edit and download your CV from any device.

How does the AI work?

Our AI analyzes your experience, the job description you're targeting and widely-used CV writing conventions and ATS-parsing best practices to suggest improvements, rewrite bullet points and identify keyword gaps. It never invents experience you don't have.

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Resume Writing · 20 min read

How to Write a Resume in 2026: Step-by-Step Guide and Examples

A complete, no-fluff guide to writing a resume that actually gets read in 2026. Format, sections, ATS rules, tailoring, and a full example you can copy.

Short answer: a modern resume is one page (two if you have 10+ years), single-column, in reverse-chronological order, with a clear headline, a 2–3 line summary, achievement-focused bullets under each job, and a skills section that mirrors the exact wording of the jobs you're applying to. That's 90% of it. The rest of this guide is the details, plus a full worked example.

If you'd rather skip the writing, the [free AI resume builder](/) drafts a first version from your LinkedIn or an existing resume in about 30 seconds. Then edit.

[Step 1: Pick a resume format](#format)
[Step 2: Contact information](#contact)
[Step 3: Headline](#headline)
[Step 4: Professional summary](#summary)
[Step 5: Work experience](#experience)
[Step 6: Achievement bullet points](#bullets)
[Step 7: Skills](#skills)
[Step 8: Education](#education)
[Step 9: Optional sections](#optional)
[Step 10: ATS formatting rules](#ats)
[Step 11: Tailor to the job description](#tailor)
[Full example resume](#example)
[Examples for different career stages](#stages)
[Final resume checklist](#checklist)
[FAQs](#faqs)

<a id="format"></a> ## Step 1: Pick the right resume format

Three exist. Only one is safe to use in 2026:

**Reverse-chronological (recommended).** Most recent job first. Every recruiter and every ATS expects this. Use it unless you have an unusual reason.
**Functional (avoid).** Groups content by skill instead of by job. Recruiters read this as "trying to hide something."
**Hybrid.** Only useful for career changers with a specific reason to lead with skills. Rare.

For the full breakdown see the [ATS resume format guide](/blog/ats-resume-format-2026).

<a id="contact"></a> ## Step 2: Contact information (10 seconds)

Top of the page. Single line if possible:

> Alex Morgan · alex.morgan@email.com · +1 415 555 0142 · San Francisco, CA · linkedin.com/in/alexmorgan · github.com/amorgan

Rules: real email, real phone, city + state/country only (no full address), one URL that adds context (LinkedIn is default; add GitHub or portfolio if relevant). Skip the photo unless you're applying in a country where it's expected — the [photo-or-not guide](/blog/cv-photo-or-not) covers regional norms.

<a id="headline"></a> ## Step 3: Headline

One line under your contact info. Not "Resume." Your role and specialism.

> Senior Product Manager · Growth & Activation · B2B SaaS

If you're job-hunting for a different level or specialism than your current title, the headline is where you signal it.

<a id="summary"></a> ## Step 4: Professional summary (2–3 sentences)

Skip the "objective." A summary is more useful for anyone with more than one year of experience.

Formula: [level + specialism] with [years] in [domain]. Known for [specific strength backed by a metric]. Looking for [role type] at [company shape].

Example:

> Senior product manager with 7 years across B2B SaaS growth teams. Led the activation redesign at Segment that lifted paid conversion from 3.1% to 5.4%. Looking for a Head of Growth role at a Series B–C SaaS.

Full library of samples in the [resume summary examples guide](/blog/resume-summary-examples-2026). If you're early in your career, use a [resume objective](/blog/resume-objective-examples) instead — a summary with no experience underneath reads thin.

<a id="experience"></a> ## Step 5: Work experience

For each role:

**Company, city, dates (Month YYYY – Month YYYY).**
**Title** — the one on your contract or paycheck. Don't inflate.
**One sentence of context** (optional) — "Series B fintech, 60 engineers, $28M ARR." Recruiters need this if the company isn't famous.
**3–6 achievement bullets** — most recent role gets more; older roles get fewer.

Reverse chronological. Group internships and part-time roles under a single "Early experience" heading if they crowd the page.

<a id="bullets"></a> ## Step 6: Achievement bullet points

Every bullet follows one of two shapes:

**Verb + what you did + measurable outcome.** "Cut checkout drop-off from 41% to 26% by simplifying the guest flow."
**Verb + what you did + concrete detail if no metric exists.** "Rewrote the on-call runbook across 14 services; adopted by three sibling teams within a quarter."

Aim for 60% of bullets to have a number. If you're stuck, the [performance metrics guide](/blog/performance-metrics-on-resume) has 40 metric templates you can steal, and the [200 resume action verbs](/blog/200-resume-action-verbs) list handles the verb problem.

Don't write duties. "Responsible for managing a team of five" is a duty. "Grew the team from 5 to 12 while keeping quarterly OKR completion above 80%" is an achievement.

<a id="skills"></a> ## Step 7: Skills

One clean block, near the top or bottom depending on the role. Group them:

**Technical:** Python, SQL, dbt, Snowflake, Looker
**Product:** A/B testing, activation funnels, PLG motion
**Leadership:** cross-functional planning, hiring, mentorship

Rules:

Only list what you've actually used within the last 3 years.
Mirror the exact wording of the JD (if they say "GCP" don't write "Google Cloud").
Skip skill bars. ATS can't read them and recruiters don't trust them.

Full breakdown: [how to list skills on a resume](/blog/list-skills-on-resume). To find the right words for your target role, run your resume through the [resume keywords guide](/blog/resume-keywords) or the [CV keyword optimizer](/cv-keyword-optimizer).

<a id="education"></a> ## Step 8: Education

School, degree, graduation year (or expected year).
Add GPA only if you're within 3 years of graduation and it's ≥3.5.
Add relevant coursework only in your first job hunt.
Move education below experience the moment you have any full-time job.

<a id="optional"></a> ## Step 9: Optional sections (only if they earn their space)

**Certifications.** Only current, only relevant. (AWS SA, PMP, CFA, etc.)
**Projects.** Great for early-career, engineers, designers. Link to the artifact.
**Publications / talks.** Great for research, dev-rel, senior IC roles.
**Affiliations.** See the [professional affiliations guide](/blog/professional-affiliations-on-resume).
**Languages.** With honest level (B2, Native, etc.).

Don't add "Interests" unless one is genuinely rare and interesting.

<a id="ats"></a> ## Step 10: ATS formatting rules

Non-negotiable:

**Single column.** No sidebar.
**Standard section headings:** Experience, Skills, Education. Not "Where I've Made Magic Happen."
**No text in images, no icons for skill levels, no tables.**
**Standard font** — Inter, Calibri, Helvetica, Arial. Size 10–11 body, 12–14 headings.
**Save as PDF from a real text source.** Not a scanned image.
**File name:** FirstLast-Role-2026.pdf.

For the deeper technical breakdown, read [how ATS systems actually work](/blog/how-ats-systems-actually-work).

<a id="tailor"></a> ## Step 11: Tailor to the job description

Every role needs a slightly different resume. Not a rewrite — a re-emphasis.

Copy the JD.
Highlight the top 5 requirements.
For each requirement, find the strongest matching bullet in your resume and move it up.
Mirror the JD's vocabulary (their words, not synonyms) — but only where it's honestly true.

The [tailor-resume-to-job tool](/tailor-resume-to-job) does this automatically against a pasted JD. If you'd rather see what's missing first, run it through the [ATS resume checker](/ats-resume-checker).

<a id="example"></a> ## Full example resume (mid-level PM)

> Alex Morgan > Senior Product Manager · Growth & Activation · B2B SaaS > alex.morgan@email.com · +1 415 555 0142 · San Francisco, CA · linkedin.com/in/alexmorgan > > Summary > Senior PM with 7 years in B2B SaaS growth. Owned activation and paid-conversion at Segment through the CDP category peak. Known for shipping small, measurable changes over big-bang launches. > > Experience > > Segment (Twilio) — Senior Product Manager, Growth · Jan 2023 – Present · San Francisco > · Led the free-to-paid activation redesign; paid conversion 3.1% → 5.4% over four quarters (+$4.2M ARR). > · Introduced weekly activation review with data, growth, and product. Cut experiment cycle time from 6 weeks to 2. > · Shipped 27 A/B tests in 2024; 9 winners, 12 nulls, 6 losers. Winners consolidated into a new default onboarding. > > Segment — Product Manager · Jul 2021 – Dec 2022 > · Owned the SDK version-check prompt that reduced churn on the developer plan by 11%. > · Ran the first pricing test on the workspace plan; validated a $20 price increase with no measurable churn impact. > > Intercom — Associate PM · Mar 2019 – Jun 2021 > · Shipped the "resolution bot" onboarding sequence; adoption rose from 14% to 41% in six months. > > Skills > Product: activation, PLG, A/B testing, funnel analysis, pricing > Data: SQL, Amplitude, Mixpanel, Snowflake, dbt basics > Craft: written specs, weekly reviews, hiring, cross-functional facilitation > > Education > B.S. Computer Science, UC Berkeley, 2018

That's a full resume in ~250 words. No filler.

<a id="stages"></a> ## Examples for different career stages

**First job / no experience.** Follow the [resume with no experience guide](/blog/resume-with-no-experience). Lead with projects, coursework, and a clear objective.
**Career changer.** Follow the [career change CV guide](/blog/career-change-cv). Lead with transferable outcomes, then a short "why this switch" line in the summary.
**Executive.** Lead with scope (team size, budget, revenue) in every role. See [executive resume tips](/blog/executive-resume-tips).

<a id="checklist"></a> ## Final resume checklist

[ ] One page (or two if 10+ years).
[ ] Contact block on one line.
[ ] Headline under contact block.
[ ] Summary is 2–3 sentences with a metric.
[ ] Every job has 3–6 bullets; most recent has the most.
[ ] 60%+ of bullets contain a number.
[ ] No duty language ("responsible for").
[ ] Skills mirror the JD's exact vocabulary.
[ ] Single column, standard headings, PDF from text source.
[ ] File named FirstLast-Role-2026.pdf.
[ ] Read out loud, sentence by sentence. Cut anything that made you cringe.

How to Write a Resume in 2026: Step-by-Step Guide and Examples

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