What Makes a Good Resume? The Core Characteristics of Success

Every job seeker wants to know the secret to creating a resume that gets interviews. With hiring managers spending mere seconds on initial reviews and applicant tracking systems filtering applications before human eyes ever see them, understanding what makes a good resume isn’t just helpful—it’s essential.

A good resume isn’t simply a list of jobs you’ve held. It’s a strategic marketing document that communicates your value proposition clearly, quickly, and compellingly. The best resumes share certain characteristics that set them apart from the hundreds of other applications competing for the same positions.

This comprehensive guide examines the core characteristics that define effective resumes. Whether you’re crafting your first professional resume or refining an experienced document, understanding these principles will help you create a resume that works.

The Foundational Principle: Purpose Over Everything

Before examining specific characteristics, understand the fundamental purpose of a resume: to earn you an interview.

A resume is not meant to:

Tell your entire life story
Document every job you’ve ever held
Explain everything you’ve accomplished
Convince someone to hire you on the spot

A resume IS meant to:

Capture attention quickly
Communicate relevant qualifications
Demonstrate fit for specific roles
Motivate hiring managers to learn more through an interview

Every decision about your resume—content, format, length, emphasis—should serve this purpose. If something doesn’t help you get interviews, reconsider its inclusion.

Characteristic 1: Clear, Professional Formatting

First impressions matter, and formatting creates the first impression. Before reading a single word, hiring managers form opinions based on how your resume looks.

What Good Formatting Achieves

Scannability: Hiring managers scan resumes in 6-7 seconds during initial reviews. Good formatting creates visual hierarchy that guides the eye to important information quickly.

Professionalism: Clean, organized formatting suggests professional competence. Cluttered or chaotic layouts suggest the opposite.

ATS compatibility: Applicant tracking systems parse resumes based on formatting conventions. Standard formatting ensures your content is extracted correctly.

Readability: Information that’s easy to find and read gets absorbed. Information buried in walls of text gets ignored.

Elements of Professional Formatting

Consistent structure: Use the same formatting approach throughout—identical section headers, consistent bullet styles, uniform spacing. Inconsistency looks careless.

Appropriate white space: Balance text with white space. Cramped resumes overwhelm readers; overly sparse resumes waste valuable space. Margins of 0.5-1 inch typically work well.

Professional fonts: Stick with clean, readable fonts like Calibri, Garamond, Arial, or Cambria in 10-12 point size. Avoid decorative fonts that sacrifice readability for style.

Logical section order: Place the most relevant information first. For most professionals, this means contact information, summary, experience, education, and skills—in that order.

Strategic emphasis: Use bold text, slightly larger fonts, or section headers to emphasize important elements. But use these sparingly—when everything is emphasized, nothing stands out.

Formatting Mistakes to Avoid

Multiple fonts or excessive font variation
Dense text blocks without visual breaks
Tiny margins or fonts to fit more content
Tables, columns, or graphics that confuse ATS systems
Headers, footers, or text boxes that ATS may not parse

Characteristic 2: Tailored Content

Generic resumes produce generic results—typically rejection. Good resumes are customized for specific positions, demonstrating clear fit for the role in question.

Why Tailoring Matters

ATS ranking: Applicant tracking systems rank candidates based on keyword matches between resumes and job descriptions. Generic resumes miss relevant keywords.

Human relevance: When hiring managers scan resumes, they’re looking for evidence of specific qualifications. Content that doesn’t address their needs gets skipped.

Demonstrated interest: Tailored resumes signal genuine interest in the specific position. Generic resumes suggest mass applications without real investment.

How to Tailor Effectively

Study the job description: Identify required qualifications, preferred skills, key responsibilities, and important keywords. These become your customization targets.

Prioritize relevant experience: Lead with experiences most relevant to the target role. Place your most applicable achievements where they’ll be seen first.

Mirror language: Use terminology from the job posting throughout your resume. If they say “project management,” don’t substitute “program coordination” unless you include both.

Adjust your summary: Your professional summary should directly address what the employer seeks, positioning you as the solution to their needs.

Highlight matching skills: Ensure your skills section prominently features capabilities mentioned in the job requirements.

Balancing Customization and Efficiency

Tailoring every resume from scratch isn’t practical when applying to multiple positions. Instead:

Create a comprehensive “master resume” with all potential content
Develop templates for common role types you’re targeting
Customize key sections (summary, skills, bullet point order) for each application
Keep core experience descriptions consistent while adjusting emphasis

Characteristic 3: Achievement-Focused Content

Good resumes emphasize accomplishments, not just responsibilities. They answer “What did you achieve?” rather than merely “What did you do?”

The Difference Between Duties and Achievements

Duty-focused (weak): “Responsible for managing customer relationships and handling complaints.”

Achievement-focused (strong): “Improved customer satisfaction scores by 23% through implementation of new relationship management protocols and resolution of 150+ monthly inquiries with 95% positive feedback.”

The first tells what the job involved. The second demonstrates measurable impact—information that helps employers predict your future contributions.

The Value of Quantification

Numbers provide concrete evidence of your capabilities. Wherever possible, quantify your achievements:

Revenue impact: “Increased sales by $1.2M annually”
Efficiency gains: “Reduced processing time by 40%”
Scope indicators: “Managed team of 12 across 3 locations”
Cost savings: “Decreased operational costs by $500K through process optimization”
Volume measures: “Processed 200+ applications weekly”
Quality metrics: “Achieved 99.5% accuracy rate on financial reporting”
Growth rates: “Grew social media following by 300% in 18 months”

When exact figures aren’t available, use estimates with appropriate qualifiers: “approximately,” “roughly,” or “over X.”

Structuring Achievement Statements

The most effective achievement statements follow this pattern: Action verb + What you did + Result/Impact

Examples:

“Led redesign of onboarding process, reducing new hire training time from 6 weeks to 4 weeks while improving retention by 15%.”
“Developed automated reporting system that eliminated 20 hours of weekly manual data entry and improved report accuracy.”
“Negotiated vendor contracts resulting in $200K annual cost savings while maintaining service quality.”

Finding Achievements in Your Experience

Not sure what you achieved? Ask yourself:

Did you save time, money, or resources?
Did you improve processes or outcomes?
Did you exceed targets or expectations?
Did you receive recognition, awards, or promotions?
Did you solve problems others couldn’t?
Did you take on responsibilities beyond your role?
What would have happened if you hadn’t been there?

Characteristic 4: Appropriate Length

Resume length debates rage eternally, but good resumes share one characteristic: they’re exactly as long as they need to be and no longer.

General Guidelines

One page:

Entry-level candidates with less than 5-7 years of experience
Career changers with limited relevant experience
Anyone who can communicate their value effectively in one page

Two pages:

Experienced professionals with substantial relevant history
Candidates whose experience justifies expanded detail
Those whose achievements require space to communicate

Three or more pages:

Academic CVs where publications and presentations matter
Senior executives with extensive relevant experience
Certain industries or international contexts with different conventions

The Real Rule

Include what’s relevant and valuable; cut what isn’t. A packed one-page resume isn’t better than an appropriate two-page resume. An empty-feeling two-page resume isn’t better than a strong one-page resume.

What to Cut

If you’re struggling with length:

Remove positions older than 15 years (unless exceptionally relevant)
Eliminate obvious or universal skills (“Microsoft Word,” “email”)
Cut duties that don’t demonstrate value
Remove irrelevant jobs or reduce their detail
Eliminate phrases like “References available upon request”
Condense older positions into fewer bullet points

Characteristic 5: Error-Free Presentation

Nothing undermines resume credibility faster than errors. A single typo can eliminate you from consideration, fairly or not.

Why Errors Matter So Much

First impressions: Errors in a document meant to represent your best professional self suggest carelessness will appear in your work.

Competitive disadvantage: When hiring managers compare similar candidates, error-free resumes beat those with mistakes.

Communication signal: Many roles require written communication skills. Errors in your resume demonstrate poor performance before you’re even hired.

Types of Errors to Eliminate

Spelling errors: Use spell-check, but don’t rely on it alone. “Manager” vs. “manger” or “public” vs. “pubic” won’t be caught automatically.

Grammar mistakes: Subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, proper punctuation—all matter. Read your resume aloud to catch awkward constructions.

Formatting inconsistencies: Misaligned bullets, inconsistent date formats, varying font sizes—these errors suggest inattention to detail.

Factual errors: Incorrect dates, wrong company names, inaccurate job titles—these can be verified and cause immediate rejection.

Contact information errors: The most damaging errors of all. If your phone number or email is wrong, you can’t be reached for interviews.

Proofreading Strategies

Print and read on paper (catches different errors than screen reading)
Read backwards sentence by sentence (forces focus on individual words)
Read aloud (catches awkward phrasing)
Have someone else review (fresh eyes catch what you miss)
Use grammar-checking tools as backup (Grammarly, etc.)
Check again after any changes (edits introduce new errors)

Characteristic 6: Strategic Keyword Inclusion

Modern hiring relies heavily on applicant tracking systems that scan resumes for relevant keywords. Good resumes incorporate these keywords strategically.

Understanding Keyword Relevance

Keywords typically include:

Hard skills and technical competencies
Software and tools
Certifications and credentials
Industry-specific terminology
Job title variations
Action verbs from job descriptions

Finding the Right Keywords

From job descriptions: The posting contains the most important keywords. Terms in requirements, responsibilities, and qualifications are what ATS systems seek.

From industry research: Standard terminology in your field should appear throughout your resume. If everyone in your industry uses specific terms, use them too.

From multiple postings: Analyze several similar job descriptions to identify consistent terminology across the industry.

Incorporating Keywords Naturally

In your summary: Include 3-5 primary keywords in your professional summary.

In skills sections: List specific skills using exact terminology from job postings.

In experience bullet points: Weave keywords into achievement statements naturally.

In job titles: Use standard titles or add common equivalents in parentheses.

Avoiding Keyword Stuffing

Keywords must appear in context. Listing keywords randomly or hiding white text on white backgrounds (an old trick) gets resumes rejected when humans review them. Modern ATS systems can also detect keyword manipulation.

Characteristic 7: Compelling Professional Summary

The top section of your resume—often called a summary or profile—sets the tone for everything that follows. Good resumes use this space effectively to capture attention and communicate value.

What a Strong Summary Accomplishes

Immediate positioning: Within seconds, readers should understand your professional identity and level.

Value proposition: Your summary should suggest what you bring to employers, not just what you’ve done.

Keyword foundation: Strategic keyword inclusion here helps both ATS systems and human readers.

Relevance establishment: Connect your background to the target role explicitly.

Anatomy of an Effective Summary

A strong 2-4 sentence summary typically includes:

Professional identity and experience level
Areas of expertise or specialization
Key achievements or differentiators
Value proposition or career focus

Example: “Results-driven marketing manager with 8+ years of experience driving growth for B2B technology companies. Expertise in digital marketing strategy, demand generation, and marketing automation, with a track record of increasing qualified leads by 40%+ year-over-year. Seeking to leverage data-driven approach and team leadership skills to scale marketing operations for innovative tech startups.”

What to Avoid in Summaries

Vague descriptions (“hard-working professional seeking challenging opportunity”)
Objective statements focused on what you want rather than what you offer
Lengthy paragraphs that don’t get to the point
First-person pronouns (write “Results-driven professional” not “I am results-driven”)
Clichés and buzzwords without substance

Characteristic 8: Logical Information Hierarchy

Good resumes organize information strategically, placing the most important content where it will be seen.

The F-Pattern Reading Behavior

Studies show readers scan documents in an F-pattern: across the top, then down the left side, with decreasing attention to the right and bottom. Your most important content should appear where attention is highest.

Practical Hierarchy Applications

Section order: Place your most relevant section after your summary. For most professionals, this means work experience. For recent graduates, it might be education.

Within sections: Lead with your most impressive or relevant items. Your strongest achievement should be your first bullet point.

Experience entries: More recent and relevant positions deserve more detail; older or less relevant positions can be condensed.

Skills organization: Group skills logically and lead with the most relevant category for your target role.

Special Hierarchy Considerations

Career changers: Lead with transferable skills and relevant experience, even if from non-traditional contexts.

Career gaps: Structure your resume to emphasize strengths rather than highlight gaps. Functional or combination formats can help.

Diverse experience: Create clear categories that show coherent career themes rather than random job hopping.

Characteristic 9: Authentic Professional Voice

Good resumes sound professional but not robotic. They communicate personality while maintaining appropriate tone.

Finding the Right Tone

Professional: Appropriate for the workplace and the positions you’re targeting.

Confident: Presenting accomplishments without arrogance or false modesty.

Clear: Easily understood without jargon overload or unnecessarily complex language.

Active: Using strong action verbs rather than passive constructions.

Action Verb Power

Strong action verbs energize your resume:

Leadership: Led, directed, managed, supervised, coordinated, mentored Achievement: Achieved, exceeded, delivered, accomplished, attained Creation: Developed, designed, created, established, initiated Improvement: Improved, enhanced, increased, streamlined, optimized Analysis: Analyzed, evaluated, assessed, researched, identified

Vary your verbs to avoid repetition while maintaining energy throughout.

Avoiding Common Voice Problems

Passive voice: “Results were achieved through process improvements” → “Achieved results by improving processes”

Weak verbs: “Was responsible for managing” → “Managed”

Over-qualification: “Successfully managed” → “Managed” (if you’re listing it, it was presumably successful)

Jargon overload: Technical terms have their place, but excessive jargon creates barriers.

Characteristic 10: Visual Professionalism

Beyond formatting mechanics, good resumes create an overall visual impression of professionalism and competence.

Visual Elements That Matter

Consistency: Everything should match—bullet styles, spacing, emphasis techniques, date formats.

Balance: The page should look balanced, not top-heavy, lopsided, or crammed.

Breathing room: Adequate margins and white space prevent the overwhelmed feeling dense resumes create.

File presentation: PDF format preserves formatting across different devices and systems.

Modern Design Considerations

While some industries (design, marketing, creative fields) may appreciate more visual creativity, most professional resumes should prioritize clean professionalism over graphic design.

If you want to showcase visual skills, consider creating a more designed resume for direct applications while maintaining an ATS-friendly version for online submissions.

For roles where visual presentation of work matters, consider complementing your resume with a professional portfolio. Platforms like 0portfolio.com help you create polished presentations of your work that go beyond what any resume can show.

Putting It All Together: The Good Resume Checklist

Before submitting any resume, verify these characteristics:

Content Checklist

Tailored to the specific position
Achievement-focused rather than duty-focused
Quantified results where possible
Relevant keywords incorporated naturally
Compelling professional summary
Appropriate length for your experience

Format Checklist

Quality Checklist

Impact Checklist

Would you want to interview this candidate?
Is the value proposition clear within 10 seconds?
Does it answer “Why should we hire this person?”
Does it differentiate from generic candidates?

Common Obstacles to Good Resumes

Understanding why resumes fail helps you avoid common pitfalls.

The “Everything” Trap

Including everything you’ve ever done overwhelms readers and dilutes your strongest selling points. Good resumes edit ruthlessly, keeping only what serves the goal of getting interviews.

The Template Trap

Using templates isn’t inherently wrong, but following them blindly produces generic results. Templates should be starting points, not final products. Customize relentlessly.

The Mirror Trap

Describing what you did rather than what you achieved makes you interchangeable with everyone else who held similar roles. Focus on your unique contributions and results.

The Fancy Trap

Elaborate designs, unusual fonts, creative layouts, or unconventional formats often backfire. They confuse ATS systems and distract human readers from your actual qualifications.

The Length Trap

Neither “one page always” nor “as long as necessary” is absolute truth. The right length depends on your experience and what’s relevant to your target roles.

Continuous Improvement

Good resumes evolve. What works today may need updating as your career progresses, industries change, and hiring practices evolve.

When to Update

After significant new achievements
When targeting new role types
When industry terminology shifts
After receiving feedback from applications
Periodically (at least annually) even when not job searching

Learning from Results

Track your application outcomes. If you’re getting interviews, your resume is working. If not, something needs to change. Adjust, test, and refine based on real-world feedback.

Conclusion

What makes a good resume? At its core, a good resume is one that achieves its purpose: getting you interviews for positions you want.

This requires clear formatting that’s easy to scan, tailored content that demonstrates fit, achievement-focused language that communicates value, appropriate length that includes everything relevant without overwhelming, flawless execution that reflects professional competence, and strategic optimization for both human readers and automated systems.

No single element makes a resume good. The combination of all these characteristics, working together, creates a document that stands out from hundreds of competing applications and motivates hiring managers to pick up the phone.

The good news: creating a good resume is learnable. With understanding of what works and commitment to quality execution, anyone can develop a resume that effectively represents their professional value.

Your resume is often your first opportunity to make an impression on potential employers. Make it count by building a document that truly represents the best of what you offer—clearly, professionally, and compellingly.

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