What Should My Resume Look Like?

There are a few things you need to make sure you address when choosing a job-winning resume template or creating an appealing resume.

Remember, the goal of the resume’s appearance is to enhance the content, make it easy to read, and present yourself in a professional and organized manner. Tailor the design to match the industry you’re in while maintaining a clean and modern look. It’s crucial to make it visually appealing and easily scannable for ATS systems and hiring managers.

Table of Contents

Clean margins for easy scanning

To make sure that you have white space, or at least a clean and balanced appearance on your resume template, make sure you set standard margins to 0.5 to 1 inch.

Easily understood headings and subheadings

Your headings and subheadings should be clearly differentiated. Use clear and bold headings to separate sections (e.g., "Contact Information," "Professional Experience," "Education"). Use subheadings to organize information under each section (e.g., "Work Experience," "Skills," "Certifications").

Bullet points that lead with action verbs

As you outline each job that you have held, include bullet points that outline the achievements, responsibilities, and skills that you had. Remember to format the bullet point by focusing on what you did, why you did it and what result you achieved to demonstrate your impact.

Only a few pages at most

Your resume should be only one to two pages, so focus on the most relevant and recent experiences and accomplishments that you have. You can always go into more detail in the interview. For those with extensive experience, it's acceptable to have a longer resume, but prioritize the most important details.

Use an industry-relevant template

Make sure that you research typical resume formats and designs in your industry - whatever you choose, you want to make sure the template aligns with the standards a potential employer expects. If you’re wondering what templates work best for your industry, use our resume builder.

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