My account

You control your data

We use cookies to tailor the experience of creating resumes and cover letters. For these reasons, we may share your usage data with third parties. You can find more information about how we use cookies on our Cookies Policy. If you would like to set your cookies preferences, click the Settings button below. To accept all cookies, click Accept.

Settings Accept

Cookie settings

Click on the types of cookies below to learn more about them and customize your experience on our Site. You may freely give, refuse or withdraw your consent. Keep in mind that disabling cookies may affect your experience on the Site. For more information, please visit our Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

Choose type of cookies to accept

Analytics

These cookies allow us to analyze our performance to offer you a better experience of creating resumes and cover letters. Analytics related cookies used on our Site are not used by Us for the purpose of identifying who you are or to send you targeted advertising. For example, we may use cookies/tracking technologies for analytics related purposes to determine the number of visitors to our Site, identify how visitors move around the Site and, in particular, which pages they visit. This allows us to improve our Site and our services.

Performance and Personalisation

These cookies give you access to a customized experience of our products. Personalization cookies are also used to deliver content, including ads, relevant to your interests on our Site and third-party sites based on how you interact with our advertisements or content as well as track the content you access (including video viewing). We may also collect password information from you when you log in, as well as computer and/or connection information. During some visits, we may use software tools to measure and collect session information, including page response times, download errors, time spent on certain pages and page interaction information.

Advertising

These cookies are placed by third-party companies to deliver targeted content based on relevant topics that are of interest to you. And allow you to better interact with social media platforms such as Facebook.

Necessary

These cookies are essential for the Site’s performance and for you to be able to use its features. For example, essential cookies include: cookies dropped to provide the service, maintain your account, provide builder access, payment pages, create IDs for your documents and store your consents.

To see a detailed list of cookies, click here.

Save preferences

Resume Layouts: Best Examples for 2023 (+Writing Tips)

Your resume layout needs to be clean and scannable. Otherwise, recruiters will reject your resume in 7 seconds. Luckily, this guide will show you how to do it right.

Maciej Duszyński, CPRW
Career Expert
Resume Layouts: Best Examples for 2023 (+Writing Tips)

First impressions are important.

 

That's why you need to choose the best resume layout there is.

 

Truth be told, hiring managers don't read all resumes, they scan them. That's why if you want the job, your resume needs to help them to make the right choice.

 

In this guide we’ll show you:

  • Three most popular resume layouts for different types of jobs. 
  • How to pick the best resume layout for your needs.
  • Different layout templates - simple, professional, creative, basic, and modern 

 

Save hours of work and get a job-winning resume like this. Try our resume builder with 20+ resume templates and create your resume now.

 

Create your resume now

 

CREATE YOUR RESUME NOWresume layout example

 

What users say about ResumeLab:

I had an interview yesterday and the first thing they said on the phone was: “Wow! I love your resume.”
Patrick

I love the variety of templates. Good job guys, keep up the good work!
Dylan 

My previous resume was really weak and I used to spend hours adjusting it in Word. Now, I can introduce any changes within minutes. Absolutely wonderful!
George

Create your resume now

 

Looking for more information on resume writing? See our other articles:

 

Looking for more resume examples? Check out these ones:

 

1. Basic Rules for Resume Layout

There are certain basic formatting rules that can help you create a good resume layout in no time.

 

Set the Document Margins

 

If the resume is a picture of your professional life then the margins are the frame—you need to make sure they don’t dominate the whole. The best size for resume margins is 1 inch all around. If you need more space, don’t make the margins smaller than 0.5 inch.

 

Prepare an Eye-Catching Header

 

The resume header is the topmost section of a resume that includes your contact details. See to it that it has all the relevant (and up-to-date) info. Make it pop out so that the recruiter won’t have to fumble for your phone number if they want to give you a call.

 

Pick the Best Resume Fonts

 

Comic Sans, Papyrus, Neuland Inline. None of those should end up on your resume. Not even if you go for the most creative resume layout. So what resume fonts to use? Simple and legible. Your resume is a professional document, so don’t spoil it with a theme park font that’s difficult to read.

 

Also, you need to strike the right balance between the font size and document length. Don’t make the font look minuscule to be able to fit in as much as you can on a single page (if you have too much information, write a two-page resume). For body text use the font size of 11–12pts. For section headings, use 2–4pts larger fonts.

Expert Hint: Studies reveal that it’s recommended to avoid extremes when it comes to line spacing. So stick to single-line and if your text looks too dense increase the spacing to 1.15. But avoid double-spaced lines.

Use Relevant Section Headings

 

The most important thing about your resume layout? It has to be scannable. One way of making it easy for the recruiter to scan is to use appropriate resume section titles. So, put the word Experience above the experience section, don’t call this section My Life in Numbers, for example. With simple headings, you can rest assured that both the ATS and recruiter will know exactly where to look for the information they’re after.

 

Pick a free MS word resume template or a Google Docs resume template if you want to speed up the process. 

 

Include the Right Sections in Your Resume Layout

 

Typically, resume layouts consist of several separate but interrelated sections. Here’s a list of most commonly used ones:

 

Depending on the section, you will want to use different formatting to make the most of the space you have. For example, the career summary works best as a short paragraph, whereas a list of bullet points is perfect for presenting your experience and key achievements.

 

Set the Right Limits on Length

 

Einstein famously said everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler. As to the length of a resume, it should be as long as necessary, but not longer. Don’t try to squeeze everything into a single page and don’t write a novel. Two pages should be more than enough to present your expertise.

 

2. How to Choose a Good Resume Layout for Your Professional Needs

 

Now that you know how to format your resume layout properly, let’s have a closer look at how to make the most of your document.

 

There are three common resume layouts: chronological resume, functional resume, and combination resume. Each of them has certain strengths and weaknesses, and you should be aware of them before you start making your resume.

 

Resume Layouts: Three Most Popular Types

 

Three Types of Resume Layout

 

The chronological resume is the most universal type of resume layout. It’s suitable for job seekers at all stages of their careers: from students to entry-level applicants to seasoned pros. This kind of layout recounts your professional life in a reverse-chronological manner. However, since it’s based on a timeline of your employment history, it may not be the number one choice for those with employment gaps.

 

Here’s a chronological resume layout example:

 

Create your resume nowresume layout chronological

 

The functional resume brings your skills to the fore. In contrast to the previous resume layout type, this one isn’t preoccupied with chronology or dates. In fact, you can skip dates entirely if you’re not comfortable using them. Functional resumes are a good choice for creatives who treat a resume as an addition to their portfolio, or those who want to mask gaps in employment.

 

Here’s a functional resume layout example:

 

 

Create your resume nowresume layout functional

 

 

The combination resume, as the name suggests, brings together the best elements of each of the other resume layouts. It usually consists of a large section that summarizes your skills and smaller experience and education sections.

 

Here’s a combination resume layout example:

 

Create your resume nowresume layout combination

 

Now you know the three most popular resume layouts. 

 

However, if you're still struggling with resume writing, read our comprehensive guide on how to write a resume

 

You may also want to check our resume examples for different types of jobs and industries. It'll definitely help you get started. 

 

Let's now move to the gallery of resume layout examples 

 

Expert Hint: When should you use a resume, and when is it better to use a curriculum vitae? It depends. CV and resume actually have a different meaning across languages. Read about the difference between a resume and a CV.

 

The ResumeLab builder is more than looks. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Easy. Improve your resume in our resume builder now.

 

CREATE YOUR RESUME NOW

 

CREATE YOUR RESUME NOWcreate your resume now

Nail it all with a splash of color, choose a clean font, and highlight your skills in just a few clicks. You're the perfect candidate, and we'll prove it. Use our resume builder now.

 

3. Best Resume Layout Examples: Gallery

 

Have a look at these resume layout ideas:

 

Professional Resume Layout

 

Create your resume nowprofessional resume layout

 

This resume layout consists of three distinctive sections—each of a different color. The main part of the resume is where the resume profile, experience, education, and certification sections are. The gray sidebar on the right gives you extra space for presenting your contact details and extra skills.

 

Simple Resume Layout

 

Create your resume nowsimple resume layout

 

This single-column resume layout is versatile enough to appeal to both experienced and inexperienced candidates writing an entry-level resume. Simple resume icons next to each section’s heading make it easy to navigate. The bars representing your level of proficiency make the resume skills section pop out.

 

Creative Resume Layout

 

Create your resume nowcreative resume layout

 

This creative resume layout incorporates an infographic-like timeline that guides the reader’s eye from section to section. The prominent resume header makes it easy for the recruiter to quickly find your personal details.

Expert Hint: Not all Free Resume Builders are ATS friendly. To make sure your creative resume reaches a human reader, send it directly to the recruiter's inbox.

 

Modern Resume Layout

 

Create your resume nowmodern resume layout

 

This two-column resume layout combines modernity with classical elegance. The main resume section gives you a lot of space for the details of your experience and education. Notice how visible the job titles are. The sidebar is where you can put your contact details and accentuate key skills.

Expert Hint: Studies show that recruiters only spend about 7 seconds scanning a resume. In this time they look at specific areas and search for particular information. Use bold and italics to direct their attention to the most important bits.

Basic Resume Layout

 

Create your resume nowbasic resume layout

 

This layout is minimal in form but utilizes the space on a single page to the maximum. Also, the qualifications summary section stretches from margin to margin giving you plenty of room to highlight your top achievements.

 

Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.

 

CREATE YOUR COVER LETTER NOW

 

CREATE YOUR COVER LETTER NOWcreate your cover letter now

Want to try a different look? There's 21 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.

 

Key Points

 

The best resume layouts highlight just the information recruiters look for as they’re scanning the resume for the first time.

  • See to it that your resume layout is simple and clear. Mark resume sections clearly and add relevant section titles.
  • Stay away from fancy fonts. Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
  • Make sure your job titles stand out. They’re one of the things the recruiters are most interested in.
  • Do add a resume summary or objective. They serve as a short overview of the entire document.
  • Avoid messy look. Write short sentences and leave plenty of white space.
  • Pick the right resume format. Chronological resumes are the most versatile but you may want to consider functional or combination too.

 

Do you have any questions? Would you like to share your observations on the best resume layouts? We’d love to hear from you! Give us a shout out in the comments below.

Rate my article: layout
Thank you for voting
Average: 5 (10 votes)
Maciej Duszyński, CPRW
Maciej Duszynski is a career advice writer and a resume expert at ResumeLab. With over 8 years of experience in recruitment, hiring, and training, Maciej shares insider HR knowledge to equip every job seeker with professional advice to nail the job hunt. His insights have been featured by the Chicago Tribune, SparkPeople, Toggl, Referral Rock, and Databox, among others. Maciej has helped job candidates at all stages of their career paths, from interns to directors to C-suite members, to thrive in their job. His mission is to help you find the right opportunity and create a job application that gets you the career you deserve. Maciej holds a Master’s degree in English with a specialization in communication and education management.

Was it interesting? Here are similar articles

The Best Resume Outline Examples & How-To Guide

The Best Resume Outline Examples & How-To Guide

A professional resume outline can help you structure your resume and make the writing process as easy as 1-2-3. Let our resume outline examples and expert tips guide you through.

Roma Kończak
Roma Kończak
Career Expert
What is a Resume: Definition, Examples & How-to

What is a Resume: Definition, Examples & How-to

Job hunting can be confusing. You know you need a resume, but what is it exactly, and how to even write one? Deep breaths. Read on to learn everything you need to know.

Michael Tomaszewski, CPRW
Michael Tomaszewski, CPRW
Career Expert