Last Updated: March 28, 2026
Resume Best Practices: Get Hired Faster in 2026
Your resume is the first thing a hiring manager sees. Whether you’re applying at McDonald’s or Amazon, a well-crafted resume dramatically increases your chances of getting called for an interview. This guide covers the essentials of building a resume that gets results.
Resume Basics
Keep your resume to one page if you have less than 10 years of experience. Use a clean, professional font (Arial, Calibri, or Georgia) at 10-12pt size. Include your name and contact information at the top, followed by a brief summary, work experience, education, and skills.
Contact Information
Include your full name, phone number, email address, and city/state. You don’t need to include your full street address. Make sure your email sounds professional.
Professional Summary
Write 2-3 sentences summarizing your experience and what you bring to the role. Tailor this to each job you apply for. For entry-level positions, focus on your work ethic, availability, and relevant skills.
Work Experience
List your most recent job first. Include the company name, your job title, dates of employment, and 3-5 bullet points describing your responsibilities and achievements. Use action verbs like “managed,” “trained,” “increased,” and “maintained.”
Education
Include your highest level of education completed or in progress. For high school students, list your expected graduation date and any relevant coursework or activities.
Skills
List 5-10 relevant skills. For retail and food service, include customer service, cash handling, POS systems, inventory management, food safety, and teamwork. Match your skills to the job description.
Tips for Entry-Level Applicants
If you don’t have much work experience, emphasize volunteer work, school activities, and transferable skills. Many fast food and retail employers value reliability, a positive attitude, and willingness to learn over prior experience.
Consider including a “Relevant Experience” section that covers babysitting, lawn care, volunteer work, school projects, or sports team participation. These demonstrate responsibility and work ethic.
Common Resume Mistakes to Avoid
Don’t include an objective statement (use a summary instead). Don’t list every job you’ve ever had if they’re not relevant. Don’t use flashy templates that may not parse correctly in applicant tracking systems. Don’t include personal information like age, marital status, or a photo.
Proofread carefully. Spelling and grammar errors are the fastest way to get your resume rejected. Have a friend or family member review it before submitting.