The US Resume Format — Everything You Need to Know
What to include, what to leave out, and how to format your American resume to beat ATS and land interviews.
US Resume Format at a Glance
US Resume Sections — In Order
1. Contact Information
Include your full name, city and state (not full address), phone number, professional email, and LinkedIn URL. Do not include a photo, age, marital status, or Social Security Number.
2. Professional Summary
2–3 sentences at the top. State your job title, years of experience, and top 1–2 achievements or skills. This is your 10-second pitch to the hiring manager.
3. Work Experience
List jobs in reverse-chronological order (most recent first). Include company name, your title, dates (month/year), and 3–5 bullet points per role. Start each bullet with an action verb and include a metric where possible.
4. Education
List your highest degree first. Include institution, degree name, graduation year. GPA is optional — include it only if above 3.5 and you graduated within the last 5 years.
5. Skills
List technical skills, tools, and languages relevant to the job. Use the same keywords from the job posting — this is critical for ATS systems. Group them logically (e.g., Languages, Frameworks, Cloud).
6. Optional Sections
Certifications, awards, volunteer work, publications, or languages. Only include them if they're relevant to the role. Never pad your resume with irrelevant extras.
Do Include
- Use US English spelling (realize, not realise; honor, not honour)
- Quantify achievements with numbers, percentages, and dollar amounts
- Tailor your resume to each job posting — match the keywords exactly
- Use standard section headings (Work Experience, Education, Skills)
- Save and send as a PDF unless the job posting asks for Word format
- Include work authorization status if you're not a US citizen (e.g., 'Authorized to work in the US')
Never Include
- Do not include a photo — this is different from many countries
- Do not include age, date of birth, or marital status
- Do not use a full street address — city and state are enough
- Do not include 'References available upon request' — it wastes space
- Do not use tables, columns, or graphics — ATS systems can't parse them
- Do not write in first person ('I managed a team') — omit pronouns entirely
US vs. Canadian Resume Format
| Element | US Resume | Canadian Resume |
|---|---|---|
| Photo | Never | Never |
| Length | 1–2 pages | 1–2 pages |
| Spelling | American English | Canadian English |
| Work authorization | Include if non-citizen | Usually omitted |
| Objective vs Summary | Summary preferred | Summary preferred |
| References | Not included | Not included |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the standard US resume format?▼
Should I include a photo on a US resume?▼
What is the difference between a US resume and a CV?▼
How is the US resume format different from the Canadian format?▼
What should I not include on a US resume?▼
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