What Are the Key Differences Between LinkedIn and a Resume?

1. Hook Them with a Remote-First headline

Start strong. Use your headline or summary to show you’re built for remote work:

Examples:

• “Remote Customer Success Specialist | Expert in Virtual Onboarding”
• “Digital Marketer | Proven Track Record in Fully Distributed Teams”

A good headline instantly tells recruiters, “I’m ready to work from anywhere.”

2. Highlight your remote toolkit

Don’t just list generic skills. Show you’re equipped to work independently and virtually.

Mention tools like:

• Slack, Zoom, Notion, Asana, Trello
• CRM platforms (Hubspot, Salesforce)
• Project management (Jira, Monday.com)

Add behaviors like:

• Time-zone flexibility
• Written communication
• Async collaboration

3. Turn Achievements into data

Recruiters love measurable results. Use numbers to validate your value:

• “Cut onboarding time by 40% via video tutorials”
• “Grew email list by 25k subscribers in 5 months”
• “Managed $250K in remote freelance projects across 3 continents”

Use verbs and numbers not vague descriptions.

4. Put Emotional Intelligence on display

Remote work = strong communication, empathy, and discipline. Let your resume reflect your soft skills:

• “Trusted by team leads to manage cross-cultural collaboration”
• “Known for proactive problem-solving and calm under pressure”
• “Able to work autonomously with minimal supervision”

Remote employers care deeply about these traits make them visible.

5. Add links that prove you exist online

Remote recruiters Google you. Help them out.

Include:

• LinkedIn URL
• Personal website or portfolio
• GitHub (for devs)
• Testimonials or case studies

These links act as trust signals in the digital hiring process.

6. Customize for every Remote Role

Yes, it takes extra effort but tailoring your resume for each job is essential.

Steps:

• Use keywords from the job description
• Mirror tone and language
• Emphasize the remote experience and tools they’re asking for

A tailored resume always beats a template one.

7. Keep it compact, not cramped

Remote hiring managers often read fast. Be brief but sharp.

• One page if under 7 years of experience
• Two pages if senior or technical
• Use bullet points, not paragraphs
• Avoid fluff include only relevant, recent, and remote experience

8. Add a “Remote Experience” section

This makes your resume instantly scannable for remote-readiness.

Example:

Remote Experience

• Led remote client onboarding calls (Zoom, Calendly)
• Coordinated across 4 time zones using Slack & Trello
• Attended weekly standups with global team (Zoom)

Make this a dedicated section so it doesn’t get buried.

FAQ: Remote Resume Edition

5 Steps to Create a Remote Job Resume

1. Make It Known You’re Looking for a Remote Job

• The contact information section. Instead of adding your physical address, you can specify you prefer working remotely by writing “working remotely from [location].”
• The resume summary. This is where you express your professional intent as an applicant and aim to grab the recruiter’s attention early on. As such, it’s one of the best places to mention your remote work experience and state you’re looking to work remotely.
• The work experience section. If you have previous remote work experience, make that known by writing “remote” under your professional title.

2. Choose the Right Resume Template

1. Have bad formatting
2. Don’t mention the right type of keywords

3. Write a Compelling Resume Summary

• Your job title and years of experience. (E.g. “Customer support agent with 6+ years experience in customer service and IT industry.”)
• Your top skills and achievements (or core responsibilities). (E.g. “Responsible and communicative, I specialize in user retention, technical support, and customer care.”)
• Your professional goals. (E.g. “Looking to apply my skills and experience as a lead support agent for your internet software company.”)

4. Highlight Remote Working Skills

• Tech-savvy
• Digital communication
• Intercom automation

• Check the job description to include any skills that you have that the company is looking for. If the position is remote, the employer may have also listed the exact remote skills required for the role.
• Research in-demand remote skills. Some remote work skills are nice to have for all types of remote jobs. You can find our list of such skills in the next section of this article.
• List your soft and hard skills separately. Don’t list all your skills in a bundle. List technical skills (industry-related and remote) under “hard skills” and the rest under “soft skills.”

24 Top Soft Skills for Remote Workers in 2025

1. Accountability
2. Assertiveness
3. Collaboration
4. Teamwork
5. Compliance
6. Flexibility
7. Creativity
8. Critical thinking
9. Leadership
10. Analytical skills
11. Originality
12. Problem-solving
13. Productivity
14. Time management
15. Self-assessment
16. Social awareness
17. Stress management
18. Supportiveness
19. Work ethic
20. Adaptability
21. Organization
22. Proactiveness
23. Tech-savviness
24. Problem-solving skills

10 Top Hard Skills for Remote Workers in 2025

1. Digital communication
2. Project management tools
3. Team management tools
4. Written communication
5. ClickUp
6. Asana
7. Hubstaff
8. Google Hangouts
9. Slack
10. Basecamp

5. Create an Attention-Grabbing Work Experience Section

• Stick with the reverse-chronological order. Begin with your latest professional experience and work your way back.
• Add your job title. Make sure the title properly describes your role and avoid buzzwords or “funny” job titles (e.g. “keyboard wizard” instead of “copywriter”).
• Include the company’s details. These include key information such as the company’s name and location (or “remote,” if you work online).
• Mention the employment period. Use the mm/yyyy format throughout the remote job resume.
• Write down your responsibilities and achievements. Use up to 5 bullet points for recent positions and 2-3 bullet points for older roles.

• Tailor your work experience to the position. If you have a TON of work experience, only mention the most recent (and relevant) roles. Rule of thumb, your last 3-4 work experiences are enough. If any of these were remote, make sure to mention that.
• Use numbers to back up your achievements. Quantifying your achievements can really take your work experience section from great to perfect. Reading “increased company client base from 3 to 8 within a year” will be much more convincing to recruiters than “managed to get more clients.”
• Take advantage of action verbs. Action verbs like “collaborated,” “proofread,” “edited,” “oversaw,” “managed,” etc., are much better at driving the point home than “was responsible for” or “achieved X and Y.”

What If I Don’t Have Remote Work Experience?

• Don’t like the loneliness associated with working from home
• Find it very hard to keep yourself motivated and productive without coworkers around
• Have a hard time getting inspired without face-to-face contact with your coworkers

• A website you’ve worked on in your free time.
• A game you developed in university.
• A personal blog you’ve maintained over the years.
• Illustrations you’ve done for a show/game that you like.

6. Write a Persuasive Cover Letter

1. Explain why you’re the perfect candidate for the role by mentioning your achievements, skills, or qualifications.
2. Explain why you’re a good culture fit for the company and talk about why you’re passionate about working for the company.

1. Check the employer’s social media profiles. What kind of content do they post? Who’s their target audience?
2. Read up about the company’s mission statement. Is it something you resonate with?
3. What’s their product/service? Is it something you’re passionate about working on?
4. Read their company news blog. What has the company been doing in the past year? Anything you particularly find interesting?

Why is a resume important: 19 Reasons

1. It showcases your qualifications for a job

A resume is important because it showcases all of your qualifications for a job. Your resume should include all the key details that make you qualified for a job. This might include relevant work experience with interesting accomplishments, certifications, educational background, and key resume skills. Overall, your resume will point out all the ways you’re capable of doing a job. It’s proof that not only can you do the job, but you’ve done it before (and well). That’s why sharing metrics and data can help elevate your resume better, so you improve your chances of landing that coveted interview. When writing a resume, put all of your focus on showcasing as many qualifications as possible that center around the role you’re applying for. You can tailor your resume for a job to better align that match.

2. It’s the gateway to getting an interview

To land an interview at a company, they first need to know you exist. Applying with a resume is the industry standard in the job search process so to get an interview, you’ll often need to create a resume that impresses a hiring manager enough to help you make your way into the company. To land an interview, your resume will need to showcase all the ways you’re a good match for this specific job. You’ll want to tailor your resume to include experiences they’re looking for, add relevant keywords that are in the job description, and include any relevant certifications or educational degrees. A resume is important because it details all that information that’s needed to know whether or not someone should interview you for the role they’re hiring for. This matters even more now, with AI agents for recruiting playing a bigger role in screening candidates.

3. It captures a hiring manager’s attention

A resume is important because it’s a document that can be used to help capture a hiring manager’s attention. You’re looking for a job in a specific field, and they’re looking to hire someone in that field. Your resume is almost like marketing material for your work experience. How you package yourself on that document can determine whether or not someone sends you an email immediately or doesn’t give you a second glance. Of course, you don’t want a resume that’s loud and distracting in its design. It needs to be professional, polished, typo and grammar free, and highlight your biggest accomplishments. Think like a marketer when writing and designing your resume and ask yourself, “Is this truly selling how great an employee I can be for this company?” Simply put, keep it brief yet appealing. There is no need to be fluffy while writing various sections of your resume. For instance, inserting lengthy text blocks in your resume’s summary is unnecessary. Only focus on highlights that can capture the hiring manager’s attention and present them in the best way possible. If you find it tricky, use a robust AI summarizer to keep it brief and appealing.

4. It shows your career progression

A hiring manager will use a resume to see how someone has progressed and grown in their career. Have you had impressive resume accomplishments that grow bigger with every job you work at? Seeing this progression and growth might make you a perfect candidate that they want to hire. Showing that you’re advancing in your career in resume format can help improve your career and job prospects.

5. It markets your strengths

A resume is important because it’s the kind of document that markets your strengths. When writing a resume, the goal is to convince someone you’re a great hire. You do this by sharing data and metrics of your biggest accomplishments to help you land your role. It can be hard to brag about yourself, but don’t be shy to share some of the best wins you’ve had in previous roles. What makes you a unique and exceptional hire for this company? Zero in on it on your resume. Add the skills and experience that make you a great hire for this company. Showcase how you’re not just great at your craft, you’re world class.

6. It allows you to own your career story

Throughout your career there’ll be ups and downs. You might get laid off from a job, need to take a leave of absence, or have some other employment gap that needs some explanation. Your resume is a document where you can own your career story and present the best aspects of what you’ve done in your career. It’s not someone else’s third-party opinion of who you are, but your own story in detail about what you’re like as an employee.

7. It proves that you can legally do the job

While most jobs require you to have some work experience to be able to land a role, in some cases not being certified or educated in an industry will limit your ability to get hired. A resume, particularly the education and certifications section can showcase that you’re legally able to do the job. For example, engineers need degrees to be able to work in certain roles after graduation. A medical doctor without a medical degree in that country can’t actually legally have patients. Listing your certifications and degrees can show hiring managers that legally you can do the job they’re hiring for. This weeds out anyone who doesn’t actually have the degree to work in the industry.

8. It matches your skills to a job

A resume is important because it can match your skills to a job. You can use a resume tailor to highlight the keywords on a job listing. Then, you can add these keywords to your resume in only a couple of clicks. You can use a resume to match your skills to a job. This not only helps you pass ATS filters, but also helps draw the connection between you and a job so you’ll increase your chances of getting hired. A resume will include skills in a skills section, throughout your work history, and even in your education if you work in the same field as you went to school for. The skills you possess will help you land a relevant job that requires those skills.

9. It’s a personal branding asset

Many people build their personal brand around their careers. You might speak at conferences, post content on social media, or something else entirely. What makes a resume important is that it’s an asset in your personal branding. Are you a go-getter? Your resume will showcase your growth and accomplishments getting bigger with time if that’s the case. Are you a high performer? Your results will speak for themselves. Overall, the way you position yourself on your resume will showcase what kind of hire you are. If you have tons of education, it might show you have a growth mindset, for example. Those little details all matter.

10. It shows recruiters what’s possible by hiring you

When a recruiter scans a resume, they only spend a few seconds looking at it. However, if you’ve got exceptional experience, you can leave a hiring manager or recruiter in awe of you. Companies have big goals. And many of them provide employees with equity so they own a share of the company. As a result, a hiring manager or recruiter is personally incentivized to hire the absolute best candidate. When you’ve got a great resume and that unique experience they’re looking for, you can help recruiters imagine what’s possible by hiring you. Whether you’ve done something that they want you to do again at this company or you have a track record of greatness, you can inspire someone to dream bigger when you’ve sold yourself well on your resume.

11. It provides critical information

Your resume is important because it provides critical information. For example, your resume not only includes your qualifications for a job but it also shares your contact information. Without your contact information, hiring managers can’t find you to reach out to you about the next steps in the process. Without applying to a job, a hiring manager might not even realize you exist. They might be looking for someone like you who can do the exact job they’re looking to hire for. Your resume and job application provides all those key details from how to get in touch with you to why they should hire you, so they can end that recruiting search for this specific role. A well-crafted resume is essential for standing out in a competitive job market, showcasing your skills and professionalism to potential employers. To ensure your application process is seamless and professional, tools like free fax can help you securely send important documents, complementing the polished image your resume conveys.

12. It can be easily tailored and customized

Your chances of being interviewed for a job increase when you tailor your resume. Your resume is important because you can customize it and personalize it for a job to truly showcase the best of you. Since it’s customizable, you can use it for many purposes and roles within the job search, making it the best and most important document you’ll ever create that could lead to financial rewards.

13. It adds a barrier for unqualified applicants

In the job search, a resume is important because not only does it help people get jobs but it also deters the wrong people from getting hired. A hiring manager needs to get resumes to know who’s looking for a job right now that’s qualified for the role. A person without the right resume won’t get the job, allowing the hiring manager to hire the right candidate so their company can flourish. A resume helps match people with the right jobs. Having a barrier for unqualified applicants helps them too. It prevents them from being in a wrong that isn’t a good fit for them so they can succeed when they find their own good match.

14. It’s the first impression someone will have of you

A resume is important because it’s someone’s first impression of you. How you present yourself on paper will dictate whether or not someone will want to meet you in person. If your resume is packed with grammatical errors or typos, a recruiter will overlook your resume and judge you for your lack of attention to detail. Writing that you’re fluent in Spanish and having a grammatical incorrect Spanish sentence will showcase that you’re lying on a resume. When it comes to your resume, you’ll want to overlook it multiple times to catch inconsistencies. You’ll also want to craft a resume that highlights your best qualities and attributes. This is going to be the first impression someone will have of you so you want to ensure it’s a positive reflection of who you are and what you can do for the company.

15. It showcases your work ethic

Most people will say they’re a hard worker. A resume will showcase if you really are. Your resume accomplishments will showcase what your work ethic is like. If you’ve got big results, you’ve probably worked hard, learned a lot, and developed skills to an advanced level. If your resume accomplishments are listed in the form of duties instead of accomplishments, then it’s likely that you haven’t had any big wins in your role, which might look underwhelming to a recruiter. If you list how much output you’ve done and the results of that output it’ll look more impressive to a hiring manager. For example, your resume might say “Wrote over 100 pieces of content which generated 10 million views.” This shows that you’ve done a ton of work and had an impressive accomplishment to go alongside with it.

16. It helps you with surprise opportunities

Having a resume that’s constantly being updated will help you when surprise opportunities make their way to your inbox. You shouldn’t only create a resume when looking for a job. You should also have one ready to go for when hiring managers reach out about new opportunities that you could be a great fit for. A resume is important, especially if you’ve got one ready to go because it can lead you down a fun adventure or help you advance in your career.

17. It highlights your unique value

A resume is important because it shows your unique value. Everyone specializes in a specific niche. What’s yours? When looking for a job, you want to tailor your experience to the job. For example, you could say you’re a marketer but that’s so vague that people it doesn’t stand out. However, if you mention on your resume you’re a startup marketer helping small businesses evolve into household names, you’ve got a clearly well-defined niche that makes you a more compelling hire for someone looking for just that. You could list your unique value in your resume summary to help carve out your specific niche and value, so you can better attract the right company to you.

18. It shares your core career goal

The importance of a resume helps you achieve your main career goal. In your resume summary, you can include your main goal in your career that you’re looking to work towards. For example, if you’re looking to grow professionally, you might say, “Results-driven sales professional with a proven track record of generating over $5 million in annual sales looking to grow into a sales leadership role.” That way, you showcase that you’re looking to transition from being a sales representative into a leader. It shows what you hope to achieve. If a company is looking to hire someone who will lead a team or is known to help elevate their talent and develop them professionally, they’ll be more likely to take you on. When getting rejected, it’s actually a good thing because those companies wouldn’t have invested in what you wanted. The company that says yes to you is open to the idea of helping you grow and that can be such a beautiful experience.

19. It’s a good way to promote your portfolio

Your resume is important because it can actually help you promote your portfolio if you have one. You can include links on your resume and a portfolio link is a good one to promote. Certain careers like writers, graphic designers, developers, and so on have a ton of work experience that they can show off. A portfolio can showcase your talent so that someone hires you quickly for what you excel at. Creatives have distinct styles which can easily compel someone to want to hire someone with a unique way of doing something. The more people who see your portfolio the more likely you’ll find work.

Hence, to help you sail the ship of your dreams, here are top resume mistakes you should avoid.

Spelling And Grammatical Error

No matter which document you are writing, you should always avoid making spelling and grammatical errors, especially if you are writing something as important as your job resume.

You want to make the right impression on the interviewer. However, a single mistake in your job resume can sabotage all your hard work. Moreover, it will make the interviewer believe that you are lazy and doesn’t have an eye for details.

Therefore, while resume writing, make sure that you proofread your resume as many times as you can. In fact, you should also make other people read your resume and ask for any valuable suggestions.

Uncustomized Job Resume

Every job role is different. Hence, when resume writing, you should customize your resume as per the job post. Moreover, sending the same resume to all the job vacancies will not only reduce your chances of getting the job, but it will also create an impression of you being lazy.

Missing Or Incorrect Contact Information

The first thing that you put on your resume is your contact details. Your contact details should include your address, phone/telephone number, email id, and more.
Now, the first thing, you should do when resume writing your contact details is to make sure they are correct and updated.

The second thing to keep in mind is to keep your email id professional. Formal email id might not increase your chances of bagging the job, but a terrible email id might reduce them.

Lastly, don’t mention any personal details such as your religion, picture, marital status etc

Plain Job Resume Format

The look of your job resume is as important as the content of the job resume. Moreover, your resume should compel the interviewer into putting it into the considering pile. Plus, an eye-catching resume will make your profile stand out from the crowd.

If you are going for a job role where creativity is required, then you should experiment with your resume and make it speak for itself.

Outdated Or Irrelevant Information

On average, the interviewer gives your job resume a window of 30 to 60 seconds to make the right impression. Therefore, you should only put information that adds up to your candidature and is relevant to the job role. Hence, mentioning outdated information will do you no good.

Moreover, putting unnecessary information on your resume will make it lengthy. An ideal job resume should not be more than two pages long.

Not Emphasizing Skills

When resume writing, the one thing you should keep in your mind is to emphasise your skills and job readiness. The being, it is your skills and abilities that make you employable. Plus, your skillset will show the interviewer that you are ideal for the job role and are capable of shouldering the responsibilities associated with the post.

Inappropriate Buzzwords Or Lack Of Keywords

When resume writing, you should always include keywords from the job description in your resume. Adding industry-related keywords makes your job resume more professional and customized.

However, that doesn’t mean that you have to overstuff your resume with keywords. Similarly, a lack of keywords can have an impact on your chances of getting the job.

Moreover, only use buzzwords that are relevant to the job role and are appropriate. Don’t mention any slangs in your resume when resume writing.

Problem-Solving on Your Resume

To develop strong examples of problem-solving on your resume, follow these steps:

To develop strong examples of problem-solving on your resume, follow these steps:

Step 1: Brainstorm past problems

For each relevant job in your work history, brainstorm the general business problems you’ve solved or alleviated. These may include:

• Cost increases
• Employee skill or knowledge gaps
• External audit findings
• High staff turnover
• Low employee morale
• New regulations
• Poor customer relations
• Process inefficiencies

Step 2: Pinpoint your actions

Now identify your core actions concerning those problems. The following verbs list can help you explore and determine how you’ve tackled past challenges. Notice how each verb indicates some problem or issue that hindered (or threatened to hinder) business performance, as opposed to more neutral/positive resume verbs like “Created,” “Enhanced,” or “Introduced.”

• Addressed
• Avoided
• Cut
• Decreased
• Eliminated
• Fixed
• Halted
• Isolated
• Lowered
• Mitigated
• Overcame
• Pared back
• Prevented
• Reduced
• Removed
• Resolved
• Restored
• Revitalized
• Stopped
• Troubleshot
• Turned around

Step 3: Explain measures you took

Having identified past problems and your core actions in response to them, try to be more specific. How did you solve or alleviate the problem? Describe the strategies or projects you developed. For instance, did you address skill gaps by devising a new training program? Or fix service issues by introducing a better way to engage with customers? If so, what did that new service approach entail?

After completing these steps, you should have the basis for one or more strong examples of problem-solving on your resume, such as:

• Developed a new training program that resolved critical gaps in the sales team’s product knowledge
• Restored positive relationship with a major client by paying regular in-person visits to demonstrate new product features and address any concerns

Step 4: Quantify your results

If possible, quantify the example with hard numbers. Show how your problem-solving made a tangible impact on $ revenue, % growth, or other business metrics. For example:

• Restored positive relationship with a major client by paying regular in-person visits to demonstrate new product features and address any concerns. Efforts prevented loss of a $500,000 account

Detailed bullet points like this one are the cornerstone of a great resume. Giving concrete examples of your problem-solving talents shows hiring managers you’re ready to tackle similar challenges at their organization.

(Optional) Step 5: Use the Problem, Action, Result method

You can further develop the example using the Problem, Action, Result (PAR) approach. This approach is a slight variation of the STAR interview method. With the PAR method, you write out one or more distinct lines to describe:

• The particular problem you encountered
• The action you took to solve the problem
• The positive result your solution produced

The PAR method is a great way to highlight your top achievements. However, remember that this structure takes up much more space than a regular bullet point and can be a bit ponderous if you overuse it. To keep your resume manageable, consider using PAR for just your top three achievements from your career so far.

Problem-Solving on Your Cover Letter

The four-step process above lets you feature problem-solving on your cover letter, as long as you’ve structured your letter to include bullet highlights. Copy over the examples you’d like to include in this document. Since the bullet points will appear on your letter out of context, cite the associated job and company in brackets at the end of the line. For example:

• Developed a new training program that resolved critical gaps in the sales team’s product knowledge [Sales Director, ESS Corp.]

Don’t worry about repeating these resume points on your cover letter. A little repetition across job search documents doesn’t undermine your application and can make it easier for the hiring manager to register your top selling points from your experience. Take care not to repeat more than a few sentences or bullet points. Keep the overall focus of your cover letter on why the job and company at hand appeal to you.

Side Note

You can also emphasize problem-solving in the introductory sections of your resume. Consider these four options:

• Incorporate one of your problem-solving examples in your Profile description. Add a sentence that starts with “Achievements include…” or “Recent achievements include…” and then plug in whatever highlight you’d like to showcase.

• Add a line to your Profile stating your general skill at problem-solving. For example:

Also, in your Profile section, include the adjective “Resourceful” or “Solution-focused” ahead of your professional title. For example:

In your Key Skills section, add one or more of these terms as they relate to your background:

• Complex problem-solving
• Cost reduction and elimination
• Operational turnarounds
• Risk management and mitigation
• Technical troubleshooting

Read on to find 16 resume tips for your next job application. From formatting to work experience to the often underused skills section, discover  suggestions for crafting a stand-out resume.

Formatting your resume

A resume’s format is one of its most important but overlooked features.  Outlined below are some top tips for ensuring your resume’s formatting stays impactful.

1. Keep the design simple and scannable.

Although it might be tempting to personalise your resume with eye-catching graphics and formatting, the reality is that simpler designs are almost always better.

The reason for this is simple: hiring managers only scan a resume for a handful of seconds before moving on to another one and a simpler design makes it easier for them to find the most important information. One study from 2018 found that recruiters spend an average of only 7.4 seconds looking at a resume, during which they look mostly at job titles and section headings.

To make a resume more impactful, the researchers suggest that job seekers format resumes in a simple manner, with clearly marked sections and job titles in bold. They also recommend using clear fonts and easily readable bullet point lists below job titles, leaving some white space around it.

2. Make it ATS ready.

Similar to the above tip, you should also make sure that automated applicant tracking systems (ATS) can easily read your resume. These automated systems scan resumes by converting them into plain text, which can lead to problems if you have a resume that relies heavily on graphic elements.

To make your resume ATS ready, do the following:

• Keep a simple design with clearly marked sections.
• Submit your resume as a word document or PDF.
• Include relevant resume keywords from the job description in your work experience, skills, and professional summary section. Make sure to only use the keywords in a context that makes sense.. Your resume runs the risk of being disregarded if it contains an excess of keywords.

3. Craft a professional summary or objective.

A professional summary lets you briefly outline your prior work experience, key qualifications, and skills to hiring managers, while a resume objective focuses on your career goals. These sections can be a good way to give recruiters an easy-to-read overview of your career and job preparedness.

4. Use a professional email address.

Your email is your digital calling card, inviting potential employers to contact you online. As a result, it’s important to have an email that is professional and easy to remember.

To create a professional email address, use a commonly accepted email provider, such as Gmail, and create an address using your name.

If your full name is already taken as an email address, use a variation that isn’t. For instance, you might put your last name before your first name or separate your first and last name with a period.

5. Omit the references section.

It was common to include a references section on your resume in the past, but today, it’s entirely optional. The same goes for the phrase “references available upon request”—it’s unnecessary for your resume.

The reality is that most hiring managers in this step of the process don’t have the time to call any references, so a references section just takes up too much space. Instead, you should use the extra space to flesh out more relevant information, such as your work experience.

If a hiring manager wants you to send over references, they will likely ask you before or after your interview.

Listing work experience

The work experience section of your resume is where you’ll highlight your relevant work experience. Follow the guidelines below for creating an impactful overview of your work experience.

6. Put it in reverse chronological order.

The most relevant work to many employers is your most recent work experience. List your jobs in reverse chronological order on your resume to highlight your most recent work. This helps recruiters notice the positions you held most recently and see how those positions prepared you for the job.

7. Tailor bullet points to jobs you are applying for.

The bullet points in your work experience section are meant to elaborate on your duties for each position you previously held. Rather than including every past responsibility, it’s wiser to tailor the duties you include in your work experience to match the skills and experience with those of the job description.

This way, you’ll highlight the key responsibilities that overlap with the advertised position, effectively highlighting your suitability.

8. Translate technical language into plain language.

If you are in a specialised industry, chances are you have a wealth of technical knowledge that the general population doesn’t know. While this will undoubtedly improve your capacity to do specific tasks, it can also obscure your abilities to hire managers who don’t have the same expertise.

As a result, you must translate your technical expertise into plain language so that recruiters and hiring managers can more clearly understand your prior experience. You can keep things comprehensible by focusing on the outcomes of your work that are easily understandable.

For example, if you created a digital project management system that required technical knowledge of databases that most don’t understand, then you might instead highlight the fact that the system was used by hundreds of employees at your former workplace.

That said, if a job description explicitly asks for a specific technical skill, then highlight that skill in your resume and cover letter. This is the knowledge a hiring manager seeks, even if they don’t always understand what it is in practice.

9. Focus on concrete achievements.

At its core, work is about getting the job done. Our daily actions at work accumulate into concrete outcomes later on, hopefully creating the desired impact for employers.

To help recruiters understand how you contributed to your previous places of employment, you should emphasise the concrete goals you achieved. For example, while noting that they made daily calls to potential clients, a salesperson might also note that their efforts led to a 150 percent increase in total revenue for the company.

10. Use action words.

Resume action words are verbs that describe your duties and responsibilities with impactful language. As you write your resume, make sure to use action-oriented verbs to help readers connect with the descriptions of your previous duties.

For example, rather than simply saying that you “led” a team of four, you might say you “managed” them. Active language allows the recruiters to see your work more clearly and imagine you in the advertised role.

Listing education

Your educational experience can prove your dedication to a particular field of study and underscore your academic achievements. Continue reading to learn how to use the education section of your resume to emphasise your skill set and qualifications.

11. Put experience before education (unless you’re a student).

Those with prior work experience should put their education below their work experience. Recent graduates and current learners, however, should put their education above their work experience section. Putting their educational background near the top of their resumes allows graduates and learners to highlight their ongoing training when work experience is lacking.

If you’re a learner, consider emphasising your skill set by adding a “relevant courses” section to your education section, where you can put a handful of courses you’ve taken that prepared you for the position.

12. Highlight awards or achievements.

If you received any unique academic awards or reached significant achievements during your time in school, you might consider including them in the education section of your resume. These could include scholarships, awards, or any other notable honours you received in school.

Such achievements demonstrate not only your hard work and dedication to your field of study but also recognition from others in the field.

13. Don’t put your GPA (usually).

Unless your employer specifically asks for it, you don’t need to include your GPA on your resume. Most employers are more interested in the fact that you meet the educational requirements for the position than in your grades.

If you did do particularly well, including your GPA could be a good way to catch an employer’s attention. For example, a 3.9 or 4.0 GPA on your resume can demonstrate your hard work and dedication.

Feel free to omit or include your GPA on your resume, but know that hiring managers don’t typically expect it.

Highlighting skills

The skills section of your resume is where you’ll put all the relevant skills you possess that make you a great candidate for the job. In this section, you’ll learn three tips to help you confidently craft this important section.

14. Include both technical skills and workplace skills.

The skills section of your resume should include both your technical (“hard”) skills and your workplace (“soft”) skills.

Many people mistakenly believe that only their technical skills are valuable to employers, but people skills are also incredibly important. Make sure to include both on your resume.

15. Tailor skills to the job description.

You likely possess a wide range of skills that are not immediately relevant to the jobs you’re applying to. Rather than including all those skills, it’s wiser to include only those relevant to the position.

You can find these skills by going through the job description and identifying the technical and people skills the hiring manager has emphasised. Afterward, review the list of skills and identify which ones you possess. Include those in the skill section of your resume. This will help hiring managers (and the ATS) see that you’re a suitable match for the job.

16. Highlight unique (but relevant) skills.

In some cases, you may possess unique skills that would be helpful to the position but are not cited in the job description. If you possess any such unique skills, it can be a good idea to include them in the skills section of your resume.

Examples of unique skills include fluency in a foreign language and variants of skills relevant to the position, such as being competent in Java and C# when a position only asks for an ability to code in Python.

How to negotiate salary

Here are a few tips to help you prepare for salary negotiation:

1. Start by evaluating what you have to offer

It’s important to know how much value you can offer an employer before beginning the salary negotiation process. Several factors can influence your compensation, such as:

• Years of industry experience: If the job description requires three to five years of experience and you meet the higher requirement, it might warrant a higher salary.
• Years of leadership experience: Similar to industry experience, if the employer prefers or requires leadership skills and you meet or exceed their expectations, it may justify higher pay.
• Education level: Relevant bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate or specialized degrees can impact your compensation.
• Career level: Generally, you can expect a higher pay range as you advance in your career.
• Skills: Niche or technical skills that take time to master may attract higher salaries.
• Licenses and certifications: An employer may require or prefer that you have specific licenses or certifications. If you already have them, you might be in a good position to request greater compensation.

When you begin your salary negotiation, be sure to reiterate why you’ll be a valuable employee and use the above factors to justify your desired salary.

2. Research the market average salary

This data, which is available using Indeed Salaries, can help support a more successful negotiation. The market average is a good baseline and justification for your salary request. This tool uses salaries listed from past and present job postings on Indeed as well as data submitted anonymously by other Indeed users. Here are some questions to consider as you begin your market research:

• What’s the national average salary for the position?
• What’s the average in your geographic location and cities nearby?
• How much do similar companies in your area pay employees in this position?

3. Prepare your talking points

As you’re developing negotiation notes, it might be helpful to consider why you feel you deserve a higher salary than the one the employer is offering. Use the answer to frame your discussion. Kate Palmquist, who’s held various roles in HR over the last decade, offers this advice about asking for additional compensation:

When asking for additional compensation, be sure to provide one to two solid examples of why the company should invest more in you. It’s important to avoid asking for more money without any reason, much as you wouldn’t spend more of your money without understanding the value of the product. Provide a relevant example from your past that can persuade the hiring manager to increase your income. Outside of income, you can also negotiate benefits, time off or other valuable perks.

Put together a few talking points before you contact the employer, and be as specific as possible. You might include information such as:

• Results you’ve achieved in previous roles, including goals you’ve met, revenue you’ve helped generate or awards you’ve earned. If possible, use actual numbers
• Years of industry experience, particularly if you have more experience than the employer stated as a minimum requirement
• Skills or certifications, especially if they are in high demand within your industry
• Average salaries offered by other employers for similar roles

4. Schedule a time to discuss

Contact the recruiter or hiring manager to set up a time to speak over the phone. While it’s acceptable to negotiate over email, it’s more effective to have a verbal exchange. Speaking over the phone, in a video call or in person allows you to have a back-and-forth conversation, express gratitude and clearly communicate your requirements. Be respectful and clear, as the recruiter or hiring manager will be the one advocating for your salary to the decision-makers.

5. Rehearse your salary negotiation with a friend

Practicing your talking points can help you gain confidence and identify areas for improvement. The best way to practice is in front of a trusted friend or colleague who can provide helpful feedback. You can also try recording your conversation on camera or speaking in front of a mirror.This step is especially important because talking about money can sometimes feel uncomfortable, but the more you practice, the more comfortable you’ll feel when the time comes.

6. Be confident

Speaking with confidence is as important as the words you say. The more confidence you convey, the more confident the employer will be in considering your feedback. Lack of confidence can also result in overexplaining or apologizing for your request, neither of which is helpful in a negotiation scenario. Confidence, an appreciation of our own abilities and qualities, should not be confused with arrogance, an exaggerated sense of our importance. Appearing overconfident or arrogant always gives a negative impression. Instead, confidently and simply state your requested salary with a brief summary of your reasons.

7. Express appreciation for the job offer

Once you reach the job-offer phase of the hiring process, you’ve probably invested a great deal of time and energy applying and interviewing for the position. The employer has also invested time in the process, so it’s crucial you recognize this and thank them for considering you. Be sure to share specific reasons why you’re excited about the job, such as the culture or the product.

Be courteous and cautious when requesting additional compensation with the company. You never want to come across as entitled or offend them with a salary far above what they initially offered.

—Kate Palmquist

Even if you end up declining the offer, it’s important to do so in a friendly and professional manner. After all, you never know what opportunities they may have available for you in the future.

8. Ask for the top of your range

One fundamental rule of salary negotiation is to give the employer a slightly higher number than your goal. This way, if they negotiate down, you’ll still end up with a salary offer you feel comfortable accepting. If you provide a salary range, the employer will likely err on the lower end, so be sure the lowest number you provide is still an amount you feel is fair.

9. Consider job-related expenses

Another reason you may ask for an increased salary is to cover any costs associated with taking the job. For example, if you’re relocating to a new city for the job, you’ll have to pay moving expenses as well as any costs associated with selling or leasing your current home. If you’re taking a position further away from home, you’ll have to factor in commuting expenses such as train fare or gas and wear and tear on your vehicle. It’s not unusual for candidates to ask employers to adjust their salary to account for expenses related to accepting the position.

10. Prepare for tough questions

Recruiters and hiring managers negotiate often, so they will likely be prepared to ask important, sometimes intimidating, questions to determine your motivation. It’s important not to get rattled by these questions and to remain honest. Some questions you can expect include:

• Are we your top choice?
• If we come up in salary, will you accept the position immediately?
• Do you have any other offers?

11. Consider other types of compensation

Even if the employer cannot provide the salary amount you want, they may be able to offer other forms of compensation. For example, you may be able to negotiate stock options, extra vacation days, a sign-on bonus or additional work-from-home days to combat a lengthy commute. Be ready to ask for alternatives if the employer immediately lets you know they cannot increase the salary offer. Sometimes, the alternatives may be just as valuable as a bigger paycheck.

12. Ask questions to keep the negotiation going

If the person you’re negotiating with seems surprised, reacts negatively or immediately rejects your counter, try to remain confident and calm. Respond to their reaction with open-ended questions to gather more information and keep the conversation going. Examples of questions include

• “What is the budget for this position based on?”
• ”What information do you need from me to make a decision?”
• ”Are there other negotiables available besides salary?

13. Don’t be afraid to walk away

Sometimes, an employer may not be able to meet your minimum salary requirement or offer additional benefits that make it worthwhile. Or the employer may counter-offer with a higher salary than their first offer, but not as high as your request. In this case, you’ll need to decide if the job is worth the lesser amount.If it’s less stressful than your current position, closer to home or offers you more flexibility or more free time, you may be open to a lower salary. If not, consider declining the job offer.

If you’re applying for remote roles, having a generic resume simply won’t cut it. To land a remote job today, you need to position yourself as someone who thrives in a digital, asynchronous, and independent work environment.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to build a remote-ready resume and portfolio that gets noticed so you can stand out in a crowded market and secure the opportunities you deserve.

Why a Remote-Specific Resume and Portfolio Matter

Remote roles require a different set of skills and behaviors than traditional office jobs. Hiring managers are not just evaluating your technical expertise, they’re looking for signs that you can manage your time, communicate clearly online, and work without constant supervision.

Your resume and portfolio are your first chance to show that you:

• Understand how remote teams function

• Have the tools and habits to succeed independently

• Bring value from day one, even without in-person interaction

Tailoring your application materials to emphasize these qualities increases your chances of landing interviews and job offers exponentially.

Creating a Resume That’s Remote-Ready

The first step is to tailor your resume for remote-first employers. If you’ve worked remotely before, this should be immediately clear. Rather than listing job titles in the standard format, specify which roles were remote. For example, instead of simply saying “Marketing Manager, ABC Ltd,” list it as “Remote Marketing Manager, ABC Ltd” or “Digital Marketing Manager – Fully Remote.”

Then, focus on how you contributed in a remote setting. Talk about how you managed your workday, collaborated with distributed teams, or hit KPIs without being in a physical office. If you’ve coordinated across time zones or managed asynchronous workflows, this is worth highlighting too. Hiring managers want reassurance that you can perform and contribute in a distributed setup from day one.

It’s also important to include the right keywords. Many companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to screen candidates, and these systems are trained to look for keywords that match the role. In the case of remote jobs, that includes terms like “remote,” “distributed team,” “telecommute,” “virtual,” “online collaboration,” and the names of remote collaboration tools. Sprinkling these naturally into your resume, especially in your summary and experience sections, can increase your chances of passing automated filters and landing in front of a real recruiter.

In addition to soft skills like self-motivation and time management, your familiarity with remote-specific tools will matter. Instead of just listing tools in a standalone section, integrate them into your job descriptions. Mention how you used Slack to lead project communication, Zoom for virtual client presentations, or Notion to manage documentation. This shows not only that you know the tools, but also that you use them effectively to get things done.

And finally, quantify your results. Remote employers are particularly interested in outcomes because they often rely on results, not visibility, to evaluate performance. Replace vague phrases like “helped improve social media engagement” with specifics like “Increased Instagram engagement by 40% in six months using a remote content calendar workflow.”

Building a Portfolio That Brings Your Resume to Life

In a remote job market, a portfolio isn’t optional, it’s essential. Your portfolio provides employers with a window into your work, your thinking, and your ability to operate autonomously. It turns claims into proof and helps employers envision what it’s like to work with you, even from afar.

Your portfolio should be focused, relevant, and accessible. If you’re applying for a role in writing, marketing, UX design, web development, or even project management, you should curate samples that reflect your best and most relevant work. Rather than uploading everything you’ve ever created, think about the specific needs of the role and showcase projects that align with them.

Each project in your portfolio should come with a short, clear explanation. Include the context of the project, your specific role, the tools you used, and the outcome. For instance, if you redesigned a website remotely for a client, explain how you coordinated over Zoom, shared updates on Trello, and achieved a faster load time or increased traffic after launch. This storytelling approach allows employers to understand not just what you did, but how you did it, remotely.

In terms of design, keep things clean and professional. A cluttered, outdated portfolio site can undermine even the best work. Platforms like Notion, Webflow, and WordPress offer user-friendly templates you can customize to match your personal brand. If you’re not in a design-centric role, don’t worry too much about aesthetics, clarity, ease of navigation, and good organization are what count most.

You can also take your portfolio to the next level by including a brief video introduction or a section explaining your remote working style. A short video can make your application more memorable, while a “How I Work Remotely” section can give employers confidence in your ability to manage tasks, time, and tools independently.

Keeping Your Resume and Portfolio Fresh

Building a great resume and portfolio isn’t a one-time task, it’s an ongoing process. Remote work is dynamic, and your skills, tools, and projects will continue to evolve. To stay ready for new opportunities, make a habit of reviewing your resume and portfolio regularly. After completing a major project or learning a new tool, take a few minutes to update your materials.

If you’ve been freelancing, consulting, or working on side projects remotely, include them. These experiences are valuable and show initiative, especially if they demonstrate remote-friendly skills like communication, self-direction, or digital collaboration.

One smart strategy is to block time on your calendar every quarter for a quick review. Even 30 minutes is enough to refresh your profile, check for outdated language, or add a new achievement. Keeping things updated not only saves time when you want to apply, but helps you stay confident in your evolving capabilities.

Final Thoughts: Stand Out, Remotely

Remote work gives you the freedom to work from anywhere but it also requires you to showcase your value without walking into a room. That’s why your resume and portfolio matter more than ever. When tailored well, they speak volumes about your ability to work independently, collaborate digitally, and deliver results from anywhere in the world.

So take the time to build and maintain them with care. Highlight your remote experience. Share the tools you use. Tell the story of how you’ve made an impact virtually. And remember, every project you complete is not just a task checked off, but a step forward in the story you’re telling potential employers.

With the right tools and strategy, your next great remote opportunity isn’t far away.