American Resume Tips on U.S. Style Format (+Template)

American Resume Tips on U.S. Style Format (+Template) A job opening in the U.S. has your name written all over it so you sit down to write your resume.And you realize you dont know how.What does an American resume look like? Whats a U.S. resume format?Let me start off with some good newsAmerican resumes arent all that difficult to write.Want the even better news?Weve gathered all you need to know about a U.S. resume in one spot.Follow along as we go through several expert tips and tricks and youll have a brand spanking new American resume in minutes!Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. Its fast and easy to use. Plus, youll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here.Sample resume made with our builderSee more templates and create your resume here.One of our users, Nikos, had this to say:[I used] a nice template I found on Zety. My resume is now one page long, not three. With the same stuff.Create your resume nowCheck out these other writ ing guides about resume formats and structure:Resume Writing Made SimpleThe Best Resume Styles to Wow EmployersHow to Structure a Resume to Land an InterviewU.S. Resume Template: Tips for an American Style ResumeFor the most part, American resumes look quite similar to resumes in other countries.Keep your original resume handy it might turn out that you just need to do a few cosmetic changes and youll be good to go in no time!American Resume Template1. USA Resume FormatThe most popular resume format in the U.S. in the reverse-chronological format which puts the focus on your professional work experience.If youre fresh out of school and just starting your career, a skills-based or functional resume format might be a better choice since it focuses more on your knowledge and skills and less on your job experience.If youre unsure what format to choose, read on: Best Resume Format (+Samples)2. Header with Contact InformationAdd your contact information at the top of your resume so that r ecruiters know how to get in touch.This should include your name, contact phone number, and email.If you have a relevant website or online portfolio or an up-to-date LinkedIn profile, add that too.Pay very close attention to information that should not be found in an American resume since it can exclude your resume from the start. Well mention this later on.Read more: Resume Header Examples3. Resume ProfileYour resume profile should be a short, relevant paragraph about yourself and why youre applying for the position.If youre already an experienced professional, use the resume summary statement that will focus on your job experience.If youre just starting your career, use a resume objective statement that focuses on your skills and your career goals.Remember to keep it brief. Your resume summary or objective shouldnt be any longer than 5 sentences.Check how to write a resume profile: Resume Profile Samples and Tips4. Work ExperienceThis section will be the main part of your American resume and include your relevant work experience.You should include the name of the company you worked for, its location, your employment dates, the title of your position, and a short list of your primary job responsibilities.Here are a few tips:Mention your relevant job responsibilities in bullet points using action words.Add 6 bullet points for your most recent position and fewer as you go back in time.Dont go back further than 15 years in your career experience.Use resume keywords to raise your chances of passing computerized recruitment systems that scan your resume for specific phrases.See how to craft the perfect work experience section for your US resume: Resume Work Experience, History Example Job Descriptions5. EducationAs the name suggests, this is the section where your education goes.Mention your degree (if applicable), school name, and location (city, country).Different countries have different degrees and mastery so make your level of education as clear as possible (avoid abbreviations or jargon).If you lack job experience, feel free to mention relevant coursework youve done to boost your credentials.Theres no need to add a GPA or your grades. Most internationally grading systems most likely wont be understood by U.S. recruiters anyway.School yourself on how to add your education to your resume the right way: Education on a Resume Made Simple6. SkillsList the job skills you have. Then take a look through the job ad and highlight the skills the employer is looking for.Do any of the skills on both lists match? Mention those skills on your U.S. resume.Dont mention every skill you ever had.Remember to make your skills section a nice balance between hard and soft skills since employers value both. In fact, its demand for soft skills thats on the rise!Go more in depth on skills, their different types, and what employers value in this guide: Work Skills That Should be on Your Resume7. Additional SectionsThis section is the perfect place to add any ex tra interests or accomplishments that hiring managers might be interested in and that will make you stand out from the crowd.These can usually be divided into the following categories:Certificates and LicensesHobbies and InterestsForeign LanguagesAchievements and AwardsRemember, this isnt a chance for you to show off in front of your mother who will think that the fact you like cats and collecting buttons is wonderful. Keep it relevant to the job youre applying for.Read more: What Sections and Categories to Add to a ResumeU.S. Resume FormattingIts not enough to just fill the page with a bunch of information and then just sit back and wait for recruiters to start calling.You need to make sure that it looks professional and clean as well.Thats where formatting comes into play.Here are some quick tips to make your American resume look its best:Use 1.15 line spacing.Have 1 inch resume margins on all sides of the page.Keep the length of your resume to 1-2 pages.Use an easy-to-read, profe ssional resume font. Use 12 pt for the body of the resume and 14-16 pt for you resume section headers.Divide your resume into clear, separate sections through the use of larger font size and formatting options like bold or underline.Dont try to fill up the entire page. Leave some white space in your resume to make it more pleasant to read.For the ultimate guide on what your resume format needs to shine, check this out: Best Resume Layout (+Examples)When making a resume in our builder, drag drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building your resume here.Create my resume nowWhen youre done, Zetys resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.What Not to Include on American ResumesHere are some very important differences as to what should never be on an American resume.1. Personal information on a U.S. ResumeThere is certain information that is considered normal on international resumes, but is actually a severe no-no on resumes in the U.S.A.You should remove all of the below information from your U.S. resume:Date of birthMarital statusNumber of childrenSexParents namesPersonal identification numbersPhotoAgeReligionEthnicity/Country of originAll of these can be grounds for discrimination and so recruiters will simply reject any resumes with the above information without even reading them.2. Authorization to Work in the U.S. on a ResumeSome job seekers may think its a good idea to add a social security number or their immigrant status to their resume to prove that they can work legally in the U.S.Its not.Under federal law, its illegal for employers to ask for proof of your eligibility to work in the U.S. until after giving you a job offer.3. Phone Number on a U.S. ResumeAdd your phone number only if you have an American phone number you can be contacted under.If you do, do not add the country prefix (+1).Your American phone number should be entered like this:507-350-1213 (mobile) o r (952) 238-1027 (landline).4. Address on a U.S. ResumeIts not wise to have your detailed address floating around everywhere. Writing down the city in which you live plus the zip code should be enough (e.g. Peoria, AZ 85345).If you live in a large metropolitan area, feel free to narrow it down to a given district or area (e.g. Lower Manhattan, New York, NY 10011).6. References on a U.S. ResumeIts not customary to mention references on an American resume. The employer will ask for them if interested.Key TakeawayNo matter where youre coming from, an American resume is not hugely different than the resume you probably already have.Forget the special vocabulary for different parts of your resume, dont worry that you dont know the terminology.Instead, keep your your eye on:Using the correct resume sections and order (header, profile, work experience, education, skills, additional sections).Formatting your resume correctly with proper fonts, spacing, and size.Making sure that you dont inc lude information that is unusual or illegal on your American resume.Focus on putting your best foot forward in the right way and soon enough youll be walking through the door to your U.S. interview!Thanks for reading! Do you have any other questions concerning U.S. style resumes? Let us know down below!