Résumé

A résumé (also spelled resume or resumé) is a document that individuals create to showcase their background, skills, and accomplishments, primarily when applying for a job within an organization or elsewhere. Along with a cover letter and an employment application, it is typically one of the first materials a potential employer reviews before deciding whether to interview the candidate. A standard résumé includes a summary of relevant work experience and education.

The word "résumé" originates from the French verb *résumer*, meaning "to summarize." Leonardo da Vinci is sometimes credited with creating the first résumé, which was actually a letter written around 1481–1482 to a prospective employer, Ludovico Sforza. For the next 450 years, résumés remained simple descriptions of a person’s abilities and past jobs. By the early 1900s, they often included personal details such as weight, height, marital status, and religion. In the 1950s, résumés became a standard requirement and typically began with personal interests and hobbies. The 1970s, marking the start of the Digital Age, saw résumés adopt a more professional appearance and content. The early 2000s brought further changes, as the internet and social media enabled faster distribution. LinkedIn launched in 2003, allowing users to post their résumés and skills online. Since then, many SaaS companies have offered free online résumé builders, which provide templates for users to insert credentials and experience, then download the result or share a portfolio link via social media. With YouTube’s launch in 2005, video résumés became more common, particularly among high school students applying to colleges and universities.

In many contexts, a résumé is limited to one or two A4 or letter-size pages, highlighting only the experiences and qualifications an employer seeks, as listed in the job description. Many résumés include keywords or skills that employers look for, often identified by applicant tracking systems (ATS). Effective résumés also use action verbs to describe duties and accomplishments favorably. Acronyms and credentials after the applicant’s name should be spelled out fully in the relevant section to improve the chances of being found in a computerized keyword scan. Today, a résumé is viewed as a marketing tool, with content tailored to each job posting or industry. In late 2002, interactive résumés emerged, featuring links, clickable phone numbers, and email addresses. After YouTube’s 2006 launch, multimedia and video résumés also appeared. Job seekers began bypassing standard application processes by emailing résumés directly to employers or using résumé blasting—mass distribution to increase visibility. However, mass distribution often hurt applicants’ chances because those résumés were not tailored to specific positions. As a result, résumés have become narrowly focused on the skills, keywords, and personal characteristics requested by employers. To keep track of all experiences, individuals often maintain a "master résumé"—a living document with no page limit that includes all education, work, internships, volunteer roles, groups, certifications, honors, awards, and more, with bulleted statements showcasing what was learned and accomplished. The complexity or simplicity of résumé formats varies by occupation and industry. For example, medical professionals, professors, artists, and others in specialized fields may use longer résumés or CVs. An artist’s résumé, for instance, often focuses on artistic experience and achievements, listing solo and group exhibitions and including a portfolio.

Résumés can be organized in different ways. One common format is the reverse chronological résumé, which lists employment history in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent position. It typically includes employer names, job titles, and employment dates, with the current position shown as ongoing. This format emphasizes recent work experience and career progression and is often used by applicants with continuous employment or clear advancement.

In the EMEA and Asian countries, a curriculum vitae (CV) is used for similar purposes. This international CV is more like a résumé—a summary of education and experience—than the longer, more detailed CV expected in U.S. academic settings. However, international CVs vary by country. For instance, many Middle Eastern and African countries, as well as some parts of Asia, require personal data such as a photograph, gender, marital status, and children, while this is not accepted in the UK, U.S., and some European countries. In South Asian countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh, a biodata document is often used instead of a résumé.