An Alternative To The Functional Resume
I definitely want to see everything laid out in context, said the recruiter. Ive seen plenty of people that try to use a functional resume thats not in that context, and I tell them, Youre just shooting yourself in the foot.’
That said, recruiters understand that people change careers and cant always count on their work history speaking for itself.
If youre trying to make that transition, yes, youre going to want to try and list your transferrable skills, said the recruiter. But again, I wouldnt do it so much where youre listing everything at the top . Instead, the recruiter suggested taking a more blended approach.
Best Resume Fonts To Use
Choosing the right resume font can seem like an impossible task, especially as there are hundreds of choices available. Making sure your resume is readable is step number one.
You want to make sure that a potential employer can easily read it regardless of if its printed out or on a computer screen. Speaking of computer screens, not everyone is on the same operating system which means a unique or quirky font on your screen might show up as code or nonsense on someone elses.
And nobodys hiring nonsense.
Your resume is a professional representation of who you are, and as such, should look professional.
Many companies these days use an automated applicant tracking software to first pre-qualify candidates and the last thing you want to do is get sorted to the bottom of the pile, or worse, rejected, because the computer program didnt recognize your font or had difficulty reading it.
Sans Serifs fonts are fonts which are clean, crisp, sleek, and most importantly, scanner-friendly! Theyre also eyeball-friendly which means a hiring manager reading it wont have any issues trying to figure out what theyre looking at or run into eye-strain.
Stick to fonts like Arial, Verdana, Trebuchet MS, Century Gothic, Gill Sans MT , Lucida Sans and Tahoma.
Of course, over here at The Interview Guys, well confess that were partial to Helvetica. Its a flawless blend of style and clarity.
Try to stay between 10.5 and 12 points. Any smaller and its hard to read.
Fonts Margins & Spacing: Resume Formatting Tips
Also read: Should you use fancy fonts in your resume?
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Top 5 Resume Templates You Can Use
Okay, that was definitely a LOT of information to digest.
We understand that making sense of it all and learning how to put it into practice might feel overwhelming.
But fortunately, our resume builder can take all that off your hands.
All you need to do is pick a template you like, no, one you love, and fill in your content. Well take it from there.
Here are 5 of our best resume format templates for you to choose from, but dont forget, we have an entire library of resume templates for you to choose from.
Which Fonts Do I Use On My Resume
Using the right fonts, font-size, and color is important because of the scannability factor.
If your resume font is difficult to read, the recruiter is annoyed at the very first glance.
Here are some of the best fonts to use for your resume Calibri, Cambria, Garamond, Helvetica, Georgia, and Tahoma.
Also Check: How To Create A Resume On Word Without A Template
What Are The 3 Types Of Resume Formats
There are 3 types of resume formats that work in the job industry:
- Reverse Chronological Resume Format: This is the most commonly used resume format. That means you mention your most recent work experience on top of the professional experience section and mention the rest of your experiences in reverse chronological order.
- Functional Resume Format: It focuses more on the candidate’s skills than years of experience
- Combination Resume format: This is a mix of both the above formats. This focuses on both experience and skills of the candidate
In this guide, you’ll learn about all the resume formats and how to pick the right one for you.
Top Resume Formats: Tips And Examples Of 3 Common Resumes
Related: How to Format a Resume for Success in 5 Easy Steps
In this video, we show you how to craft the perfect resume in five easy steps so recruiters can find you.
A great resume can capture the attention of a recruiter or hiring manager and help you stand out from other applicants. There are different ways you can format your resume, but the three most common resume formats are chronological, functional and combination. Each of these resume types can be beneficial depending on your background and objectives. When making specific formatting decisions like margin size or font style your goal is to deliver an easily scannable document that allows employers to quickly see why youre a good fit for the job.
In this guide, we discuss the best ways to format your resume for your career objectives. Lets begin by looking at the three main types of resumes and which would be best for you. You can also start by browsing on Indeed, designed specifically with the format and fields that employers and robots look for.
Read Also: How To Build A Resume For A Job
Chronological Resume Example And Template
The most common resume format is chronological . It lists your work history in reverse chronological order, with your most recent work history listed at the top. You may also add a summary or objective, and you’ll want to include your education and credentials as well.
The advantage of this type of resume is that it highlights a linear progression in your career. In other words, if you’ve been focused on one type of career and you want to show how you’ve progressed on that path, a chronological resume is the way to go. It’s also standard for some types of jobs, like teaching or government positions.
To create your own chronological resume, you can below or review the example.
Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Cleveland, OH
Associate of Applied Business in Paralegal-Legal Assisting, 2013Rhodes State College, Lima, OH
Certified E-Discovery Specialist , 2017
Technical Proficiencies: Microsoft Office Suite, LexisNexis Concordance, Symantec eDiscovery Platform, Westlaw, MyCase Legal Practice Management Software, Clio, and Photoshop.
Best Resume Formats 2021 With Merits And Demerits
A strong CV may pique the interest of a recruiter or hiring manager and help you separate out among the crowd. There are other methods to style your resume, but still the three most frequent are chronological, functional, and combination. Based on your history and goals, any of these resume kinds might be advantageous. When it comes to precise formatting considerations, such as margins level or formatting, your objective is to provide a paper that is simply scan able and lets employers to rapidly discover why you are a good fit for the position.
In this article, well go through the best methods to construct your resume based on your professional goals. Lets start with a look at the three primary sorts of resumes and which one is ideal for you. You may also begin by viewing our free professional content templates, which are precisely prepared with the style and sections that companies and robotic systems seek for.
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How To Modify And Personalize A Resume Template
Templates are just templates, we still have to make the template our own resume, meanwhile, to make it stand out from thousands of resumes. And that is why we need to modify and personalize a resume template. But how?
If you are using Word resume template
It can be much easier to modify and personalize a resume if you are using a Word template, just open it in Microsoft Office Word and modify the file as you always do on a Word document.
The last step to process a Word resume template is exporting as PDF, as aforementioned, your resume should be saved and sent in PDF format. Yet, the conversion between Word and PDF will sacrifice the file quality to some extent, to save your trouble on messed formatting or layout in converted PDF resume, youd better use a professional PDF Converter.
If you are using PDF resume template
In this case, you will need a PDF editor to modify the PDF file. However, if you dont want to pay for an expensive PDF editor, such as Adobe, you can edit the PDF resume in Microsoft Office Word by converting PDF to Word first, then save the modified Word as PDF again.
As you may have noticed, no matter which resume template you are using, you will need a PDF tool to modify and manage the file to cut the time, and for your convenience, here we recommend PDF Converter OCR for you, it helps to:
Resume is indispensable in the course of job seeking, but can be much easier to create if you find some good templates. So, whats your best resume format?
Additional Sections: Resume Formatting Tips
Also read: How can you customize resume sections based on your work history?
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The 5 Best Resume Formats In 2022
Liz is a Certified Professional Resume Writer and career specialist. Together with Find My Profession, her work has been featured on sites like Forbes, Inc., Times, Fast Company, and more.
What difference does a resume format make as long as you have all the skills, right?
Wrong!
A lot depends on using the correct resume format for your situation.
After all, your resume is one of the most important elements of getting a job.
It is the first contact between you and your potential employer.
So, you have to get it right and show your skills and experience in the best light.
To help you with this, we have provided all the information you need about resume formats and when and how to use them.
Best Resume Format For Career Change
A combination resume format is undoubtedly the favorite for a career change scenario.
It allows you to highlight the transferable skills that you have gained from your job experiences.
You will also be able to prove those skills by showing the achievements of your previous jobs without actually putting them as job experiences.
So, this is the best way to make the most out of your previous experiences in case of a career change.
Moreover, you can still add a short experience section listing only the most relevant positions.
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How To Choose The Best Resume Format
Now that weve covered all 3 of the common resume formats, youre probably wondering which ones the right for you.
Heres what we recommend:
In 99% of the cases, wed recommend going with a reverse-chronological resume format.
In 2022, its the most common and useful format:
- Applicant tracking systems can read it without any problems.
- All recruiters and hiring managers are familiar with this format.
- Whether youre a recent graduate or a senior professional, its the easiest format to work with.
The only case wed recommend going with a functional or combination resume is if youre a career changer, and even then, its still quite risky.
True, a combination or hybrid resume will help you emphasize your skills over work experience. However, both of these resume formats are not really that popular in 2022.
Theres a good chance that the applicant tracking system wont be able to read your resume and automatically discard it – after all the time you put into creating the resume!
At the same time, recruiters might just not be familiar with these resume formats, or think that youre just trying to hide the fact that youre not experienced, and disqualify you based on that.
So, rule of thumb – when in doubt, go for the reverse-chronological resume.
Looking for CV writing tips instead? Here’s our full guide on how to write a CV!
What Are The Most Often Used Resume Formats
The chronological, functional, and mixture resume forms are the most frequent. Evaluate your work background as well as the job youre looking for when deciding on a CV layout. For instance, if you have minimal job experience, you may use a functional resume to highlight academic work, volunteer roles, or apprenticeships rather than a chronological resume, which focuses employment history.
In the following sections, well go through each resume format type in depth, including which one is suitable for frequent job search circumstances.
Also Check: How To Fill Out Resume With No Experience
The Best Resume Format For Freelancers In 2022
After having long struggled in a work world designed for traditional employees, in 2022 freelancers are finally ahead of the game. According to CNBC, the freelance market is booming, with more than one-third of Americans turning to freelance work this year and employers looking to hire them, especially in the fields of ecommerce, web and mobile design.
So for freelancers looking to have their day in the sun, whats the best resume format? It depends on your objectives. For freelancers looking to remain in their current situation, a functional resume might serve as a great way to show clients what they are capable of.
A combined resume can be a great choice if your skills are your selling point but you also have some impressive previous employers that cant be missed. Finally, if you are transitioning to full time work, a chronological resume may be the right choice.
Whats A Good Example Of A Resume
Heres a good example of a resume:
This resume works because it clearly advertises all the candidates qualifications in a concise, attractive format.
The resume immediately draws in the hiring manager with a convincing resume objective that highlights the candidates strenghts, before moving into a substantial overview of the candidates skills and experience.
Additionally, the candidate includes concrete examples of their accomplishments as a marketing specialist throughout their resume with hard numbers to back them up. This gives employers a clear idea of what theyre capable of achieving if hired.
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Do I Need A Different Resume For Every Job I Apply To
Absolutely! You need to customize your resume for each job you apply to. You’ll want to tailor your qualifications to each advertised job description. Include all the relevant experience that pertains to each particular job. This is one of the most important parts of filling out your resume so don’t be lazy here!
Learn how to tailor your resume to the job in this tutorial:
Which File Format Is Better To Save/send A Resume
Once you have compiled your resume, which format do you use to save or send the file? Word or PDF? I hope you are choosing adequately, the PDF.
Yes, everyone has Microsoft Word, it allows us to edit and modify the resume easily. I have to admit, Word is a good way to create and edit a resume, but it is not the best format to save or send a resume.
Word is Not Recommended to Save or Send a Resume
- The resume formatting will be in a mess if opened with another viewer
- The resume is editable in Word, it is not secure
- Word wont allow you to contain rich elements to express yourself in a creative way
PDF is the best Format to Save or Send a Resume
- PDF is highly accessible, everyone can open the PDF resume across different platforms
- A PDF editor is required to edit or modify the file, which prevents other deliberately alter your resume
- The resume formatting will be retained exactly as same as original when opening it
- Users can add passwords to protect their resumes from editing or printing
- Users are allowed to add rich PDF elements to the resume for a perfect presentation on experience, skills and achievements.
So, job seekers are recommended to submit resume in PDF, to make each part of the job seeking looks professional.
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Professional Modern Resume 2022
Show your maverick side with this Professional Modern Resume 2022 template. Its creative layout is anything but ordinary. The work experience section uses a simple timeline. Rank your skills with simple infographics and show your interests with flat icons. Aside from the contemporary modern resume templates, it also includes a cover letter and references page.
Which Resume Categories Do I Include
Organizing your resume is just as important as formatting it. Many resumes are put together by job seekers who arent sure of how to organize their information, resulting in a resume that lacks focus.
You always want to make sure that your categories are well defined and organized appropriately for not only who you are, but the type of resume that youre using .
Here are the categories that you need to include on your resume:
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