The “Right Way” to Write a Résumé... Or Is There One?

Oct 18
3 min read

If you’ve ever tried to update your résumé, you know the feeling: a dozen tabs open, endless templates, and conflicting advice from every corner of the internet. Some experts say keep it to one page. Others say two pages are fine. One recruiter swears by creative design; another wants plain text only.

It’s enough to make anyone want to walk away from the keyboard.

So what’s the right way to write a résumé? Here’s the truth most people won’t tell you: there isn’t one single right way.

There’s the right résumé for you, your industry, and the stage of your career, and that’s what really matters.

The Real-World Truth: Résumés Are About Strategy, Not Perfection

A résumé isn’t a life story. It’s a marketing tool. Its only job is to get you to the next step, the interview. That’s it.

The best résumés don’t follow strict rules; they follow strategy. They connect your skills and results to what the employer values most right now. In other words, the secret isn’t the font or how fancy your bullets look; it’s alignment.

If you’re applying for a project management role, highlight your ability to lead timelines and deliver results. If you’re in education or human services, lead with impact and relationship-building. If you’re in IT or cybersecurity, show measurable outcomes, not just job titles.

The “right” résumé is the one that tells a hiring manager: “I understand what matters here, and I can do it well.”

Why There’s So Much Conflicting Advice

It’s not that the experts are wrong; it’s that they’re often talking to different audiences.

College career centers teach students how to build their first résumé, foundational and clean.
Corporate recruiters want quick, quantifiable results and metrics.
Creative fields (like design or marketing) value layout, voice, and personality.
Federal and government applications follow strict compliance structures.

So when you read advice online, you’re seeing different perspectives from people solving various problems. That’s why one-size-fits-all advice rarely works, because your career isn’t one-size-fits-all either.

A Personal Perspective

When I first started reviewing résumés for coaching clients, I used to think there must be a formula. Now, after reading hundreds across industries, from students to executives, I’ve learned something simpler and far more freeing:

Your résumé should sound like you, on your best professional day.

It should reflect your voice, your achievements, and the values that drive your work. The moment your résumé reads like a generic copy of everyone else’s, you lose your edge.

If you can confidently talk through every line on that document in an interview, then that’s the right résumé for you.

For Those Who Feel Overwhelmed

Here are a few grounded tips to help you cut through the noise:

Pick one or two reliable sources (like your university career center, a trusted coach, or a recruiter in your field). Don’t collect a hundred opinions; you’ll paralyze yourself.
Use job descriptions as your guide. Let employers tell you what matters most, then mirror those priorities in your language.
Focus on clarity, not complexity. Clean structure, short bullets, and measurable results always win.
Tailor, don’t reinvent. You don’t need ten different résumés; you need one flexible, focused version that adapts.
Remember: AI tools can help, but human judgment still matters. Always review what’s generated through your own lens of authenticity.

The Kalm Effect Approach

At The Kalm Effect, we believe resilience applies to careers, too. Writing your résumé shouldn’t feel like an identity crisis; it’s an opportunity to align your growth story with your goals.

There’s power in knowing that your career path, like your résumé, doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to be yours.