A resume, also known as a curriculum vitae (CV), is a document that highlights your skills, work experience, education, and more. It is presented to employers when applying for a job with their company or organization.

Employers review your resume to determine if you're qualified for a position. They look at whether you've had similar jobs in the past, and if you have the education or skills that match the job description. After reading over your resume, the employer either decides to contact you for an interview or keep searching for a more suitable candidate.

A resume builder asks you a series of questions related to your past job experience, skills, education level, and other personal details. From there, it uses the information you provided to generate a custom, formatted resume.

Resumes should be no longer than one to two pages, but that can change depending on your level of experience. Employers prefer to see a resume that is easy to read and uses concise bullet points rather than paragraphs.

When writing your job responsibilities, achievements, and skills, put the most important points at the top and list only those that are most relevant to the position that you are applying for.

There is no limit to how many jobs you can include, but as a general rule of thumb, you shouldn't exceed more than ten years of work history.

If you are applying for a position in a specific industry and wish to leave out jobs that are irrelevant, you may do so. Listing positions that are directly related to your job search will not only help to keep your resume short by omitting needless information, but it will also increase your chances of employment by targeting it toward the job you're pursuing.

It's not uncommon for candidates to include links to their social media profiles if they are relevant to the position or if including them adds value to your resume. For example, many individuals will include their LinkedIn profile because it has employer recommendations and peer-endorsed skills. However, do not include links to personal social media pages that you wouldn't want an employer to see.

When describing your job responsibilities at a previous position, use facts and figures. Limit yourself to your main responsibilities and put emphasis on the results of those tasks. You may also want to include only duties that are directly related to your job search.

When phrasing a responsibility, use action words and include measurable results. For example, created a customer loyalty program that resulted in 40% repeat business.

When writing a career objective, think about the employer's needs rather than your own. If you need help getting started, look at the job posting, and pull out keywords and phrases that you can include in your objective.

For example, if the employer is searching for an "ambitious graphic designer who can provide clients with outstanding print and web graphics," use that in your objective like so:

Looking for a challenging position as a graphic designer where I can use my print and web design skills to exceed client expectations.