Job-Winning General Resume Examples & Writing Tips 2023

Following this comprehensive resume guide with expert tips and examples can help you land the job you want, whether you are a fresh graduate or an experienced professional.

We have gathered tips and examples to create an impressive resume that grabs hiring managers' attention.

To make sure that your resume is both visually appealing and useful; it consists of topics like layout, content, and language.

Moreover, to help you understand what a compelling resume should look like, examples of successful resumes in multiple sectors and positions will be shared.

An ATS-friendly resume's fundamental objective is to get you past the first stage of review through the applicant tracking system and into the hiring manager's hands.

These guidelines can help you improve your chances of passing the ATS and getting an interview.

Include relevant keyword phrases: Use terms and words from the job description in your resume to show that you have the necessary knowledge and abilities. Use a clear & concise format: Use basic and professional fonts like Times New Roman or Arial, and stay away from graphics, images, and tables that may not work with ATS. Make use of bullets: To break up long paragraphs and make it more simple for the ATS to read your resume, use bullet points. Don’t use acronyms and abbreviations: Use whole words rather than acronyms unless they are commonly used in the field or for the job title. Proofread: Check for spelling and grammar mistakes in your resume. These may cause the applicant tracking system (ATS) to get confused, which will lower your chances of being selected.

General Resume Examples

Example of General Resume

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Top 5 General Resume Templates

Insert Images of 5 General Resume Templates

Choosing the best resume format for a general resume

Functional, chronological, and combination resume formats are the three basic categories of resumes. Here is a comparison of each format to help you decide which is best for a general resume:

Chronological Resume Format

The most common resume style is chronological, which lists your employment history in reverse chronological order, beginning with the most recent position. It reflects your professional development and achievements. If you have a steady work history and want to highlight your professional development, use this approach.

Functional Resume Format

This format puts more emphasis on skills and accomplishments than your employment experience. It categorizes your relevant skills. You must use this option, if you have gaps in your job history or if you are changing careers.

Combination or Mixed Resume Format

This design combines aspects of functional and chronological resume styles. If you want to highlight your abilities and accomplishments while still offering a thorough job history, use this structure.

Take into account your work experience, skills, and the position you're looking for choosing the correct format for a generic resume.

A functional or combo resume could be more helpful if you are changing jobs or have relevant abilities from experiences outside of work.

General Resume Summary Examples

For Resume Summary, you must prepare an elevator pitch. It frequently acts as an excellent catcher during the interview selection process.

The ability to introduce yourself when new chances arise in daily life is another advantage of having a personal elevator pitch.

You can confidently convey what you have to give rather than waiting for the other side to lead the conversation.

Use these guidelines to create a strong resume summary for a generic resume:

• A resume summary should be short and clear, offering simply a quick overview of your experience and qualifications.
• Showcase your most important accomplishments and talents in the summary.
• Ensure that you customize the summary for the position you're applying for. Make use of the job description's keywords when you describe your relevant experience.
• Your summary's opening line should capture readers' attention and emphasize your standout achievement or skill.
• When you are a fresher, you may emphasize in the resume aim how valuable you are for the position by highlighting your best qualities.

Tips to Make Your Resume Summary More Appealing

• Start by grabbing the listener's attention with a powerful first line.
• Emphasize your unique selling proposition (USP) and describe how you may benefit prospective employers.
• Prioritize the most crucial facts because you only have a limited amount of time to make an impression.
• Make your pitch specific to the person or business you are speaking with.
• Add a call to action at the end by requesting an interview or promising to follow up with further details.

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General Resume Objective

Your resume objective should express what you hope to achieve for the company, should you be hired.

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Write the Perfect General Resume Job Descriptions and Skills

A well-written resume and job description may give hiring managers significant information about you as an employee and the potential value you can add to a company.

Highlight a history of using the skills and experience that you have obtained during your internships or volunteering work to increase your chances of landing an interview.

Example

General Resume Sample Education Section

The below steps should be followed to list your education:

• Emphasize more on the education section if you're an entry-level candidate or a recent graduate.
• If you have a wealth of professional expertise, you may want to reduce the focus on your educational background and increase it on your work past.
• Any pertinent licenses or certifications should be listed and added after your schooling in a separate section. Your suitability for the position and degree of expertise can be determined in this way.

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Skills for a General Resume

It's vital to customize your skills while writing them for a general resume and the position you're looking for. The following are some tips for crafting strong job descriptions and skill lists:

• Utilize the job description's keywords while describing your experience and qualifications.
• To quantify your accomplishments and demonstrate the influence you made in past employment, use measurements and data.
• Give priority to the experience that is most applicable to the position you are looking for.
• Find strategies to emphasize your transferrable talents that will be useful in the new position if you have expertise in a different industry.
• Be careful to emphasize your soft talents with the respective instances.
• Use an action verb at the beginning of each bullet point to make your descriptions more lively and interesting.

Hard Skills

• Computer programming
• Graphic design
• Data analysis
• Project management
• Foreign language proficiency
• Technical writing
• Database management
• Digital Marketing
• Social media management
• Accounting

Soft Skills

• Communication
• Leadership
• Problem-solving
• Teamwork
• Time management
• Adaptability
• Creativity
• Emotional intelligence
• Conflict resolution
• Active listening

General Resume Sample Extra Sections

Extra sections on a resume highlight your additional abilities that might not fit in the common sections, such as projects, volunteering works, and certifications.

While adding extra sections to your resume, ensure they apply to the position you are applying for and showcase your skills and accomplishments about it.

Consider including the following areas in your resume:

• Certificates
• Volunteer Experience
• Awards and Accomplishments
• Professional Memberships
• Technical Proficiencies

Summarization

• The summary portion of your generic resume is where it has the most potential to stand out and display uniqueness.
• If you are a student or entry-level employee, your education section has more importance. Consequently, it is not too disadvantageous to lack professional expertise.
• The skills section of your resume will be determined by the position you are looking for within a certain industry. Update it according to the job description and your industry knowledge.
• Utilizing a professionally designed template makes creating a resume much easier and helps you avoid hidden technical mistakes.
• It is possible to make your resume easy to read by carefully arranging it.
• If you have a lot of professional experience, prioritize the reverse-chronological format and then follow the best content layout principles.

How To Write A Cover Letter for a General Resume?

Since most applicants forget to include one, including a cover letter with your resume can increase your chances of being called in for an interview.

• It helps in being chosen during the first review stage of the applicant tracking system procedure.
• The following advice will help you write an engaging cover letter that stands out from the competition:
• Include the name of the business and the position title you are applying for in the letter's greeting to the hiring manager.
• Your cover letter should emphasize your most pertinent qualifications and work history that meet the needs of the position.
• To make the content easy to read and split up, use bullet points or brief paragraphs.
• Requesting an interview or meeting to go over your qualifications further, thank the hiring manager for taking a look at your application.

Generic Cover Letter Template