How to Write a Resume in the Philippines (Step by Step)

Start with the job post, not a blank page

A resume is not a record of everything you have done. It is a one or two page answer to a single question: can this person do this job? So before you type anything, read the job post twice and mark three things.

• The job title they use, word for word.
• The requirements that appear first or more than once. Those are the ones they screen for.
• The tools, licenses and skills named in the post, such as MS Excel, Zendesk, PRC license or NC II.

You will use these words in your summary, your bullets and your skills section. This is also what makes a resume readable to hiring software. If that part is new to you, read how to make an ATS-friendly resume after this.

Step 1: Write your contact details

Put these at the very top. Your name is the largest text on the page. Everything else fits on one or two lines.

• Full name
• Mobile number you actually answer
• A plain email address based on your name
• City and province (no need for a full street address)
• LinkedIn or portfolio link, if it is up to date

Leave out age, birthday, civil status, religion, height and weight unless the employer specifically asks. City and province are enough for an address.

Step 2: Write a three-line summary

The summary sits right under your contact details. It says who you are professionally, what you are good at, and one result that proves it. Write it last, when the rest of the resume is done, because it is easier to summarize something that already exists.

The weak version could belong to anyone. The better version names a job, a scope and a result. For more models you can adapt, see these resume summary examples.

Step 3: Describe your work experience as results

List your jobs from most recent to oldest. For each one, write the job title, company, city, and the months and years you worked there. Then add three to five bullets.

Each bullet follows a simple pattern: action verb + what you did + the result or scale. Numbers help because they let the reader picture the size of your work. Use counts, percentages, peso amounts, time saved, or how often you did something.

No numbers on hand? Estimate honestly and say so with words like "about" or "an average of". How many customers a day, how many reports a week, how many people on the team. Only write figures you could explain in an interview.

If you have never had a job, this section becomes internships, OJT, school projects and volunteer work. Our guide on writing a resume with no experience shows how.

Step 4: Add education and skills

For education, give your degree or course, school, city and graduation year. Add honors, a relevant thesis or a board exam rating only if they help your case. Once you have a college degree and work experience, you can drop high school.

For skills, list eight to twelve that match the job post, grouped so they are easy to scan. Favor skills someone could test over personality traits.

• Tools: MS Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP), QuickBooks, Canva
• Job skills: Accounts payable, bank reconciliation, month-end closing
• Languages: English (fluent), Filipino (native), Cebuano (conversational)

Step 5: Add optional sections only if they earn the space

These go after skills. Include one only when it adds something the reader needs.

• Licenses and certifications: PRC license, civil service eligibility, TESDA national certificates, vendor certifications. Give the name, issuing body and year.
• Trainings and seminars: only recent ones related to the job.
• Awards: with the year and what they were for.
• Character references: include them if the job post asks. Otherwise bring a separate list to the interview.

Length, layout and file format

• Length: one page for students, fresh graduates and anyone with only a few years of experience. Two pages when you have a longer history that is still relevant.
• Layout: one column, clear section headings, 10 to 12 point text, and enough white space that the page does not look crowded.
• Font: a common one such as Arial, Calibri or Helvetica.
• File: PDF, unless the employer asks for Word. Name it with your name and the role, for example Reyes-Joanna-Admin-Assistant.pdf.

If you would rather not fight with margins and spacing, start from one of our ATS-friendly resume templates and fill in your own details.

Check it before you send it

1. Read it aloud once. Awkward sentences and typos are easier to hear than to see.
2. Check that your mobile number and email are correct.
3. Make sure dates are in the same style throughout.
4. Compare it with the job post one more time. Are their main requirements visible in the top half of page one?
5. Ask a friend to read it for one minute and tell you what job they think you want.

Then run it through a free ATS resume checker to catch formatting that software may have trouble reading.