How to Write a Resume for Office Jobs

The one-page rule

For any role with fewer than ten years of experience, keep your resume to one page. Hiring managers spend about six seconds on the first pass. Everything on the page should earn its space.

The five sections every office resume needs

1. Header: name, city + state, phone, professional email, LinkedIn URL.
2. Summary: two or three lines describing who you are and what you're looking for.
3. Skills: a compact list of hard skills (software, typing speed, 10-key KPH, languages).
4. Experience: reverse-chronological, with bullets that lead with an action verb and end with a number.
5. Education & certifications: degrees, credentials (MOS, QBO ProAdvisor, CPC, FPC).

Bullets that actually work

Every bullet should follow the same shape: verb + what you did + a number that shows scale or outcome. Numbers are the difference between a resume that sounds like everyone else's and one that stands out.

• Weak: 'Answered phones and helped customers.'
• Strong: 'Handled 80+ inbound calls per day with a 96% CSAT score.'
• Weak: 'Entered data into the system.'
• Strong: 'Keyed 12,000 KPH at 98% accuracy processing 300+ invoices weekly.'

Formatting rules

• One page, one column, black text on white.
• 10.5–12pt font in Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, or a similar sans serif.
• Consistent margins (0.5–1 inch), consistent spacing, consistent bullet symbols.
• Save and send as PDF unless the employer explicitly asks for .docx.
• Name the file 'FirstName LastName Resume.pdf' — nothing else.

ATS-friendly writing

Most companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) that parse your resume into fields. To play well with them: no tables, no headers/footers, no columns, no images. Use standard section headings ('Experience', 'Education', 'Skills'). Mirror keywords from the job posting where they honestly apply to you.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Objective statements that are about what you want. Use a summary about what you offer.
• Listing every job you've ever had. Cut anything older than 10–15 years unless directly relevant.
• Photos, marital status, birthdate — none of that belongs on a U.S. resume.
• One giant paragraph. Use bullets.