When creating a resume, there are many things to consider such as the format you should use, the templates that are available to you, how a resume should look and much more.
And I’m sure like many others you’re probably wondering how do you format a resume?
Well, in this post I hope to answer that as I’m going to show you how to format a resume and what templates you should use.
Additionally, I’ll also show you what makes a great format and template as we break them down with both pros and cons.
But before we get into that, let’s answer the question: does resume formatting even matter?
And to give you an honest answer, resume formatting does matter. Formatting matters because it has to pass both the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and the Recruiter Eye test, which we will cover momentarily.
Formatting also matters as the information on the resume is as good as its format.
Meaning Applicant Tracking Systems and Recruiters will reject your resume if you cannot present the information in a clear and coherent way.
Thus, leaving you without a job and frustrated with the job hunt. But before we get to that point, I’m going to show you how you can prevent all of this pain by this post’s end.
So let’s jump in and see why resume formatting matters.
Why Resume Formatting Matters
Why does the format of a resume matter? Resume formatting matters because when you go to submit your resume, both the ATS and recruiters need to be able to scan it.
And if you don’t have a scannable or organized resume, you won’t get a chance to interview as the ATS or recruiter looking at your resume will reject it.
And once this happens your opportunity for an interview goes out the window.
So to better understand why formatting matters, let’s break down the roles that both the ATS and Recruiters play when it comes to your resume.
Applicant Tracking Systems
The role that an Applicant Tracking System plays in the hiring process is to separate the qualified candidates from the unqualified.
With Applicant Tracking Systems, they don’t care about who you are as their main purposes are to scan resumes, find keywords and keep track of information about qualified candidates.
So if you have a poorly formatted resume that the ATS cannot properly scan, you will be disqualified immediately.
Today, more than 95% of Fortune 500 companies use Applicant Tracking Systems to screen resumes and candidates, according to a report conducted by Jobscan.
So it’s safe to say that a well formatted resume is imperative as it needs to pass the ATS first before you advance in the process.
Once your resume passes the ATS, then the next step that you will need to get through is passing the recruiters eye test.
Recruiters and The Eye Test
After you pass the ATS, you will then move onto the eye test that a recruiter conducts.
To explain what the eye test is, it’s basically when a recruiter scans your resume for the first time looking to see if you fit the job description.
And In this test, they look for three things, such as experience, skills, and achievements to see if you’re qualified for the job.
This is where formatting will definitely help you shine, as recruiters typically don’t spend too much time looking at resumes. Today, most recruiters spend about 7.4 seconds on average going over a resume, as reported by HR Dive in their Dive Brief.
So now that you understand the importance of formatting, let’s learn how to format a resume.
How To Format A Resume
When it comes to formatting resumes, there are many things that you need to pay attention to such as formatting rules, type of resume to use, templates, and many other things that play a part in formatting.
Now I know this seems overwhelming initially because the formatting plays an essential part in the resume itself. But don’t worry; we will simplify this process one step at a time.
And by the time you get through all these steps, you’ll have a well-formatted and polished resume that will catch the attention of recruiters.
So keep reading to learn more about resume formatting.
Formatting Rules for Resumes
The first thing you need to consider when formatting a resume is the formatting rules. I know this comes off as a formality, but you must follow these rules as they’ll help you create a well formatted resume.
10 Rules for Resume Formatting
And to list off the rules, here are 10 rules you must follow for resume formatting which are:
- Setting one-inch margins on all sides of the resume
- Use font sizes 10, 11, or 12 and stick to one size (For example, if you choose size 11 font, make sure that’s for all of the text on your document except for the heading at the top)
- Divvy up your resume into sections so that recruiters can scan it (Contact, Professional Summary, Education, Experience, Skills, and Activities)
- Use bullet points to describe responsibilities and achievements from past jobs (preferably 4-5 bullet points for each experience)
- Stick to the date formatting you choose to use! (It’s usually best to talk in terms of months and years such as “May 2020 – March 2022” when talking about start and end dates)
- Use single line spacing or 1.15 line spacing if you can afford to do so
- Keep your resume to 1 to 2 pages maximum as you need to be concise.
- Avoid first-person pronouns (I, me, and my)
- For current jobs, use present tenses and for past jobs use past tenses.
- And for the sake of the recruiter, check for spacing, grammatical, and spelling errors (you wouldn’t believe how often job candidates mess this up!)
With these rules, you should be able to create a sleek-looking resume that will be really easy to scan by recruiters.
Furthermore, following these rules will make your resume more concise, which is preferred by recruiters..
As of today, most recruiters actually prefer a 1 to 2-page resume as the hiring rates for these types of resumes are 42% – 58%, respectively, for entry-level jobs, as reported by ResumeGo.
So now that you know the rules, let’s see what type of resume fits the bill.
Best Resume Format To Use
When creating a resume, you must understand how to lay out the information. This step is crucial as a proper layout can increase your chances of catching the recruiter’s eyes.
Both Applicant Tracking Systems and recruiters need to be able to paint a picture of you as a person and worker.
And the best way they can do that is by following the layout you set, which will tell the story of your career.
So what’s the best resume format you need to use to tell your career story? Well, the best format you should use is the reverse chronological formatted resume.
Reverse Chronological Resume
A reverse-chronological resume is a resume format that’s focused on your most relevant work experience.
The reason why it’s labeled as reverse-chronological is because this format makes you list your work experiences from most to least recent.
Having a reverse chronological formatted resume allows you to show recruiters where you’re at now in your career and how you got to that point.
Using this type of resume is excellent as it brings with it a few benefits such as:
- Being highly recognizable by hiring managers
- Easily scannable as it emphasizes experience and achievements
- And it’s clear and concise as it doesn’t allow you to fluff up your resume with meaningless things
Additionally, with this type of format, your resume should be able to pass both the ATS and recruiters eye test easily, as these formats can be scanned within a matter of seconds.
Furthermore, reverse-chronological resumes make it easy for you as the job seeker to sell yourself in the interview as your career story will be laid out for you.
All you need to do is briefly discuss your experiences and connect the dots to make your career story exciting and coherent.
By now, you should know about the type of resume format you should use. Moving onwards, let’s explore the resume templates that’ll help you put all of this together.
Best Resume Templates To Use
Finally onto the best part, the templates. Now if you’re old school you can create your own template.
However, I’m sure you’re like me as time is of the essence. So if you don’t want to create your own template you should pick one out from Google.
But how do you pick out a template that will meet your needs and the formatting rules?
No need to worry about that as there are resources out there that have already done this for us.
And when you use these premade templates, they actually come with a few benefits such as:
- Being hassle free which saves you time
- Made by experts who adhere to all formatting guidelines
- Easy to fill in so you can apply for jobs faster
- Great for first impressions as they’re well laid out
- And no resume creation experience is needed as they give you step by step instructions
With these benefits, it should be a no-brainer as to why you should use a template.
In my career, I have made both resume templates from the ground up and used pre-made templates from Google.
And if I had to do it all over again, I would say go with a template 10/10 times as they’re much more effective!
Resumes Templates To Use
Here are the best resume templates that I recommend you use along with their pros and cons:
EasyResume Resume Template
Pros:
- Really easy to follow
- Easy to fill in all of your information as EasyResume gives you all the tools that you need
- EasyResume offers a preview option to see what it would be like as a PDF
- Export to PDF option for time savings
- ATS Friendly
Cons:
- Pay to-download option, which isn’t cheap ($19.95 a month)
ResumeGenius – Executive Resume Template
Pros:
- The minimalist design makes it easy for scanning
- A downloadable template that you can customize directly within Word or Google Docs
- Free download
- ATS Friendly
Cons:
- You have to fill in the information yourself and make sure it’s formatted correctly
Greater Profession Resume Template
Pros:
- Simple design that’s easily scannable
- A downloadable template that you can customize directly with Word or Google Docs
- Free download
- ATS Friendly
- Step by step guide that tells you what to fill in and where
Cons:
- You have to fill in the information yourself and make sure it’s formatted correctly
(If you want extra help creating a resume instead of creating one yourself, book some time with us through our Services page as we can help you format and write your resume).
NovoResume – Simple Resume Template
Pros:
- Easy Resume to Customize
- ATS Friendly
- A step-by-step guide that tells you what to fill in and where
- Interchangeable content that you can control and modify
- Optimizers to make sure your resume is in tip-top shape
Cons:
- A common theme that many people use, so you may have to get creative in your customization.
By now you should be able to pick out a template as everything is all laid out for you. But if you’re still undecided keep reading to see which one would best suit you.
Which Template Is The Best To Use?
You have a lot of choices to select here, but if you really want to know which one is the best, I would say all of them are.
Depending on what you’re looking for, choose the template that best suits your needs and creative vision. Picking any one of these templates will not hurt you, as they all help you get to the next step.
Which is to land the interview. And don’t worry, all of these templates follow the rules we stated earlier as they’re all made by experts who live and breathe resumes.
So whichever one you choose, you’ll be in good hands as the templates will take you to the next level.
Before we get done with the formatting though, let’s take one last look at what you need to do before you abandon your resume masterpiece.
Resume Formatting Checklist
The last thing you need to do before moving on to the next step with your resume is to double-check it. And how you can do that is by following our resume formatting checklist.
Once you’re done formatting your resume, here’s what you need to check for one last time for:
- Does your formatting adhere to all of the formatting rules?
- Can you quickly scan your resume in 7 seconds?
- Is your resume ATS friendly (with those templates, it should be)
- Have you saved and named your resume file (For example, save it as your name – resume)
- Does the formatting come out great in PDF format?
- Is your resume format and titles properly checked for spacing, grammatical and spelling errors
- Does it include a references section (If so, take this off as it takes up valuable real estate on your resume)
- Does it pass the Txt test? (really easy to do, copy and paste all the info of your resume onto a text editor and see how the formatting looks. If it seems nearly identical, then you’re good)
- Does it have your name and contact info?
- Lastly and I cannot state this enough, is grammar, spacing, and spelling error-free?
If you can answer yes to all of these questions, then you’re ready to move on to the next step.
Conclusion
With all the information in this post, you now have everything you need to properly format a resume.
To summarize, you have learned:
- Why resume formatting matters
- The rules of formatting
- The type of format you should use (reverse chronological)
- The templates you should use
- And the checklist to make sure all the formatting on your resume is in check
Once you have completed all the steps above and properly formatted your resume, you can continue this resume process. And the next step you should go through is to learn about the 14 Resume Mistakes to avoid to make your resume better!
So what are you waiting for? Move on to the next article so you can start job hunting!