Saturday, March 16, 2024
HomeWhat Is The Best Resume Format For 2020

What Is The Best Resume Format For 2020

Make Your Font Size 10 To 12 Points

How To Write A WINNING Resume – Resume Examples INCLUDED

Another factor in making your words clear and readable is setting an appropriate font size. Generally, you should stay between 10 and 12 points. If you have a shorter resume and are trying to fill space, select a 12-point font. Anything larger might appear unprofessional. If you have a lot of information on your resume, start with a 10-point font and increase it if you have space.

If your resume is still more than one page with a 10-point font, avoid reducing your font further. Instead, see if there is an opportunity to make your ideas more concise. You can do this by removing any irrelevant or extraneous information, combining ideas or making your ideas briefer with shorter sentences and fewer filler words.

For example, heres a sentence in a resume that can be shortened:

Performed inventory audits every month and discovered issues with over-ordering executed an organization solution across all teams which resulted in a 10% increase in revenue over the next two quarters.

Make your ideas concise and remove filler words to include only the core value of your statement:

Performed regular inventory audits, identifying and solving over-ordering issues to achieve 10% revenue increase.

Here are a few other ways you can use to make a shorter resume:

Related:Q&A: How Long Should a Resume Be?

Titles And Employment Dates

Nows the time to be precise. No tall tales, fibbing, or fish-that-got-away stories allowed. Because youre dealing with history, you need to be rigorous with your presentation of the facts.

For each job, list your actual title, as it appeared in your offer letter or subsequent company promotion. It is quite important to be precise, as you are representing that you held this title at this company at this time. Small inflations can come back to bite you promoting yourself to regional sales manager;when you were, in fact, an account executive. Among the few things that companies review during background checks are titles, so it is both ethically and procedurally necessary to ensure that your resume matches the companys records precisely.

The common practice remains to include both month and year in the date. Personally, Ive long felt that year is enough, and we ought to drop the practice of including the month of your start and end dates on resumes. But the industry practice does not agree with my personal feelings on this, so you should stick with writing both the month and year for start and end dates. So January 2017 December 2020, for example, or Feb 2016 Apr 2020, both work.

Multiple jobs and promotions at one company require a careful presentation, both for the understanding of the people who will read your resume, as well as the software systems that will translate your resume into a storable version in the companys database.

The Information You Need On A Us Resume

Here is the basic information a hiring manager or employer is looking for on your resume:

  • Name and contact information

  • Skills

  • Career experience

  • Education

In a reverse chronological resume format, your experience section will be the bulk of your resume. You can optimize it with keywords tailored to the job position youâre applying for.

For more information on what your resume needs to include, check out these resources:

Read Also: Cna Objectives For Resume

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:

The Functional Resume Format

Best Resume Formats for 2020 [3+ Professional Templates]

Unlike the chronological resume format, this format enables you to give priority to your capabilities for the job. Your experience gets pushed back, ideally right on to the second page. Some experiences may be completely excluded from your resume if theyre not relevant.

As a result, this format is sometimes called a skills-based resume format. It helps you present your main achievements and thereby demonstrate your strengths.

Be aware that some recruiters are suspicious when faced with a skills-based resume. Thats because they fear a candidate may be trying to hide something.

Sections should typically show the following:

  • Contact details;
  • An additional summary of work experience ;
  • Other relevant interests or voluntary work.

Don’t Miss: Resume Language Skills

Why Is Resume Format So Important

As any good Interview Guys;student will tell you, a resume is a document used by job seekers to quickly and easily let a hiring manager know what skills they have, what their work history is, and any accomplishments they might have.

Seems simple, right?

Well, it is, but only if you know what youre doing. The tricky part of writing your own resume is its a deceptive document.

No, not deceptive as in you use it to lie to an employer about what you can do , but deceptive in that it seems like it should be really easy to write.

Trust me, its much easier to write a bad resume than a good oneand there are a LOT of bad ones out there, which, believe it or not, is a good thing.

Wait. Its good that there are bad resumes out there? That doesnt make any sense!

Yes, and the reason is, when a recruiter or hiring manager has to slog through a mountain of bad resumes, seeing a good resume is like a breath of fresh air. It stands out!

And if you follow our guide, that breath of fresh air resume is going to be yours!

But first, we need to figure out what type of resume format you need.

Formatting A Resume For A Remote Position

For many, remote work may be an entirely new experience but that doesnt mean its going anywhere anytime soon. Companies have seen the advantages of working from home in increased productivity, employee morale and a reduction in overhead costs. According to NPR, many of Americas largest companies are planning to free their employees from the walls of the office for the foreseeable future.

According to researchers at MIT, more than half of the American workforce is currently working remotely. Good luck finding a new chair for the home office!

Which resume format you choose for a remote position largely depends on the type of work you do. There are many industries where the fact that youre working from home wont mean you should jump ship on a chronological resume. However, if there are other factors in play, for example you are looking for part-time creative work while still holding another job, you may consider a combined resume format to paint a clearer picture of what you do. Just make sure to label remote positions as such so that a potential employer sees that you are comfortable in a digitally connected environment.

Also Check: What To Put On A Resume With No Experience

Modern Cv Format 2021

Modern CV templates like this one are the most eye-catching. Use it if you want to make an impression on recruiters.

The blocks and colors are a huge 2021 design trend. This modern CV format is easy to edit using Photoshop.

This contemporary resume is for the fans of color. If you like a joyful and bright touch, try this modern CV format.

This is another of our newest contemporary resume templates. It’s easy to customize using Adobe Photoshop.

The black and white design is always trending. This modern resume format has a distinctive touch: a pop of color and geometric lines.

You can edit this contemporary resume using Photoshop, Illustrator and MS Word.;

What Resume Format Works Best

Best Resume format 2020 | This Resume Selected For Job

This is one of the most common questions I get from people who are planning to write a resume. When it comes to an acceptable resume layout, there are four main templates to choose from:

Resume Format Option #1: Chronological

The chronological resume is one of the most common formats, and probably what you’re using right now. It focuses on listing out your professional experience starting with your current position and working your way back. If you’re leveraging a chronological resume format, you should aim to cap your experience at 10-15 years and don’t be afraid to include side projects or part time jobs.

Resume Format Option #2: Functional

Functional resume formats emphasize skills and experience over history. This resume is great for people who are chasing new industries that don’t have a clear cut path. The blockchain/cryptocurrency space is a great example here you can’t get a degree in blockchain and most of the hires in the industry are brand new to the space so companies prioritize transferable skills over work history.

Functional resumes are also great for people who have gaps in their employment. Focusing on your skills and tangible results reduces the spotlight on any lapses you might have and improves your chances of getting hired

Also Check: How To Build A Resume For Free

What You Should Include In Your Resume

  • Contact information and personal details

At the least, it should have your name, phone, and email. Include a website address if you have one but an actual address is not needed. You may consider adding and working visa information, but not personal details like age or marital status.

  • Objective, summary or introductory paragraph

This should be no more than a paragraph to introduce yourself and outline what sort of role youre after. You can specify whether you want a full- or part-time role, or mention your goals, ambitions, or even desired work environment. Personal attributes, like having a great attitude, might also good to mention.

  • Experience

For a chronological format, start with your most recent role and work backward. Keep it brief with the business, followed by the city or country, and the dates you worked there. Instead of listing what kind of tasks you did, talk about what you achieve with qualitative evidence where possible.

  • Relevant skills, education or certifications

The key here is relevance, so include skills, studies, or certification that is relevant to the role. Many people include the name of their high school, but this usually isnt necessary.

  • Relevant skills, appearances or awards

If you do have relevant skills, take the time to list them. You never know what skills recruiters are looking for, and you dont want to miss an opportunity. If youve been part of a panel or written an article about your industry, be sure to include it.

  • Additional skills

The Best Format For Your Resume Is The High Score Resume

The High Score Resume focuses your resume on sharing the high scores youve reached and the achievements youve unlocked throughout your career. It is a format that enables you to present yourself in the most effective way possible without worrying about bragging. And it provides hiring managers and recruiters concrete proof of what youre capable of.

The High Score Resume also is very clear to people reading your resume about what youd like to do next, i.e., what your next level is going to be. By showing what youve already achieved, its easy to explain what youre capable of next. So while there are other parts of your resume that will deserve attention, the High Score Resume focuses most of your time and effort on the two most important sections of your resume: your work experience and your professional summary.

Read Also: What To Put In A Summary On A Resume

What Do I Need To Focus On When Writing My Resume

Put yourself in the shoes of the recruiter. They’re looking for someone to be honest and give them the most relevant information about you that pertains to the job you’re applying for. As you write your resume keep this in mind and your potential employer will be happy to read your resume.;

Learn more about how to write a resume in this tutorial:

Whats The Best Format For Your Resume

Best Resume Format 2020

That depends on your career path so far.

  • Looking for a job in your industry in which you have lots of experience? Go for the reverse-chronological resume format.
  • Eying a creative gig where your portfolio of projects and broad skills set are more important than the work history? Pick a functional resume format.
  • Applying for a highly specialized position for very experienced senior candidates? A combination resume format will be perfect for you.

Lets discuss that on some real-life resume formatting examples.

Meet three job seekers: Frank, Thomas, and Christian.

Their resumes and how these correspond with their careers will guide you through the process of picking a good resume format for your situation.

Frank is an electrician.;Hes been working in his field for over 15 years.

Hes been with the same company since 2007.

Frank found an interesting opening for a master electrician position with a big, international corporation. The responsibilities listed in the job ad are very similar to his current duties and tasks.

To get recruiters attention, he needs to highlight his career progression and proudest professional wins. Thats why;Frank wrote a reverse-chronological resume. Scroll down to see it!

Thomas is an entry-level PR specialist. Hes been doing a lot of freelancing and participating in minor projects but has little full-time experience.

Christian is a Senior IT manager. Hes held leadership positions with the biggest IT companies in the world.

Recommended Reading: How Is Curriculum Vitae Difference From Resume

Top 5 Resume Formatting Tips

1.Keep your format simple: Remember, you have 10-20 seconds to snag a hiring managers attention. Presenting them with a resume thats overly crowded, hard to read, confusing or just plain messy isnt going to get you the jobits going to get you thrown out. Watch your spacing, font size and margins. Keep it legible!

2.Keep it professional: Avoid cute fonts, gimmicks, scented paper, glitter, odd shapes, or anything that could potentially make an employer look at your resume and question your sanity. Dont print on cheap paper. Show an employer youre serious about the job.

3.Focus on what you did for past employers, not just the job you held. Anyone can push a button. Why were you the best button pusher there was? What set you apart from every other button pusher who came before you and will come after you? Dont just outline the job description. What were your accomplishments while doing that job?

4.Make sure youre selecting the resume format that best reflects who you are, your work history, and the job youre applying for. Keep in mind employment gaps, career trajectory, where you are in your industry, and where you plan on going. Make sure youre selecting the right format resume .

Best Resume Formats For Internship

A functional or combination resume format would be the best format for internship resumes.

With the functional resume format, you will be able to showcase all the relevant skills that you have acquired during your academic years.

It will be easier to prove your suitability for the job based on your skillset using a functional resume format, as you are yet to gain any noteworthy job experience.

But if you have a bit of experience in related fields, be it extracurricular, voluntary, or part-time, you may opt for a slightly hybrid combination approach to increase the impact of the resume.

Recommended Reading: What Format Should Your Resume Be In

The Chronological Resume Format

This format works best for those with a long history of work experience. Each place of employment is listed in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent role first. Its followed by your education, skills, and any additional information. This makes it easy for recruiters to get an idea of your professional history, presented in an easily digestible format.

Why you should use a chronological format

  • If you want to show career progression
  • If you want to showcase different workplaces
  • If you want an easily-recognized format to tell your story

Chronological resume example

Use a classic font that is easy to read, avoiding anything thats too decorative.

  • Images

A resume is not the time to get creative with imagery. Depending on the role, a photo might help but anything else might distract from the information. Oh, and no emojis.

  • Section headers

Often a resume is filled with words so section headers make it easy to navigate. Its better to make these stand out with a bold text, box, or color.

Tips For Proofreading Your Resume

RESUME FORMAT FOR FRESHERS 2020 | Best Resume For Job | Download Resume Format
  • Read it line by line. Pay attention to how you have formatted the dates so they all look the same.
  • Read it out loud. Its amazing what you pick up on when you hear it aloud.
  • Use an external spellcheck tool. There are plenty of online sites you can use, or even better, enlist the help of a professional service.
  • Get someone else to read it. Youd be surprised what a second, or third pairs of eyes pick up on.
  • Print it out. Seeing things in printed form is different from reading on a screen, helping you notice errors previously overlooked.

Read Also: What To Put For Education On Resume

The Perfect Resume Format 2020: Samples For All Types Of Resumes

The perfect resume format for 2020 has to pass applicant tracking systems. Show off your value as a future employee. And help recruiters make the right decisioninvite you to the interview.

Pick the wrong one, and youll annoy those little bots and their human overlords

But which resume format is best?

Most importantly, how to pick the proper resume format for;you? The perfect resume format 2020

Contents

  • Key Takeaway
  • Combination Resume Example And Template

    Combination resumes are a mix of the chronological and functional resume formats. They provide a chronological list of ones work history, but they also have a section that focuses on different types of skills. This format shows employers both your skills and your experience. It’s a good choice if you’re changing careers or if you have a varied but steady work history.

    With this type of resume, you’d start with a section to show your skills. The next section would show your job experience, followed by your education. You might also include an objective or summary at the beginning. You can or review the example below.

    Juris Doctor , anticipated 2021Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Cleveland, OH

    Associate of Applied Business in Paralegal-Legal Assisting, 2013Rhodes State College, Lima, OH

    Certified E-Discovery Specialist , 2017

    Also Check: What Does An Actor’s Resume Look Like

    RELATED ARTICLES

    Most Popular