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Matt Grant for Congress — Missouri — District 2
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Resume Template Reference

Resume Template Reference

Access to Jobs — Workforce Navigator — Module 2

flowchart TD JD[Job Description] -->|Extract keywords| R[Your Resume] R --> ATS{ATS Software<br/>Scans for Keywords} ATS -->|Keywords match| HUMAN[Human Reviewer<br/>Sees your resume] ATS -->|Keywords missing| REJECT[Filtered Out<br/>Never seen by human] HUMAN --> INT[Interview Invitation] R --- S1[Professional Summary<br/>2-3 sentences with JD keywords] R --- S2[Core Skills<br/>10 skills mirroring JD] R --- S3[Experience<br/>Action verb + task + result] R --- S4[Education + Certifications] style JD fill:#2563eb,color:#fff style ATS fill:#d97706,color:#fff style HUMAN fill:#059669,color:#fff style REJECT fill:#dc2626,color:#fff

ATS RULES

  1. Use standard section headings (Summary, Skills, Experience, Education)
  2. No tables, columns, text boxes, headers/footers — ATS cannot parse them
  3. Font: Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman only
  4. Mirror exact keywords from the job description
  5. Use bullet points, not paragraphs, for experience
  6. Dates format: MM/YYYY or YYYY only
  7. File format: .docx or plain text (not PDF unless specified)

FULL TEMPLATE

[FIRST LAST NAME]
[City, State] | [Phone] | [Email] | [LinkedIn URL if provided]

─────────────────────────────────────────────────
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
─────────────────────────────────────────────────
[2–3 sentences. Lead with years of experience and role type.
Include 2–3 top skills that match the JD. End with value delivered.]

─────────────────────────────────────────────────
CORE SKILLS
─────────────────────────────────────────────────
[Skill 1] | [Skill 2] | [Skill 3] | [Skill 4] | [Skill 5]
[Skill 6] | [Skill 7] | [Skill 8] | [Skill 9] | [Skill 10]

(Include hard skills + soft skills relevant to JD. Mirror JD keywords exactly.)

─────────────────────────────────────────────────
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
─────────────────────────────────────────────────
[Job Title] | [Employer Name] | [City, State] | [MM/YYYY – MM/YYYY or Present]
• [Action verb + task + result/impact. Quantify if possible.]
• [Action verb + task + result/impact.]
• [Action verb + task + result/impact.]

[Job Title] | [Employer Name] | [City, State] | [MM/YYYY – MM/YYYY]
• [Action verb + task + result/impact.]
• [Action verb + task + result/impact.]

─────────────────────────────────────────────────
EDUCATION
─────────────────────────────────────────────────
[Degree or Certificate] — [Institution Name] | [City, State] | [Year]

─────────────────────────────────────────────────
CERTIFICATIONS (if applicable)
─────────────────────────────────────────────────
• [Certification Name] — [Issuing Body] | [Year]

─────────────────────────────────────────────────
VOLUNTEER / COMMUNITY (optional)
─────────────────────────────────────────────────
• [Role] — [Organization] | [Year]

ACTION VERB BANK

Leadership: Led, Managed, Directed, Supervised, Coached, Coordinated Operations: Streamlined, Implemented, Maintained, Operated, Processed Customer: Served, Assisted, Resolved, Responded, Supported Results: Increased, Reduced, Improved, Achieved, Delivered, Generated Communication: Presented, Trained, Documented, Reported, Collaborated

COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID

  • Using "responsible for" (weak — replace with action verb)
  • Listing duties instead of results
  • Generic summaries with no keywords
  • Including photos, birthdate, or marital status
  • Unexplained employment gaps (address in cover letter instead)

ENTRY-LEVEL GUIDANCE

If user has limited work experience:

  • Lead with Education or Skills section instead of Experience
  • Include internships, volunteer work, school projects
  • Emphasize transferable skills from any context (retail, childcare, community)
  • Add a "Relevant Projects" section if applicable

Nonpartisan informational resource for Missouri — District 2 — not legal, medical, or financial advice. Source: dougdevitre/access-to-jobs.

Paid for by Matt Grant for Congress.