To land a perfect job, you need the best-looking resume. This guide will show you what should a good resume look like, and what you need to do to have one.
Most hiring managers only take one look at a resume before deciding whether this candidate deserves their attention.
So you need to have a resume that's as breathtaking as the view from the top of a mountain. There'll be no second chance to make the first impression.
In this article you’ll learn:
And if you’re looking for a step-by-step guide on how to make a perfect resume, check: Resume 101—How to Write a Resume [Templates and 25+ Examples]
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Before we discuss what makes this resume example a particularly good one, consider this: Studies show recruiters spend only about 7 seconds initially scanning a resume.
The resumes that recruiters favor have several things in common:
In fact, this last element is something the recruiters spend the most time looking at. But this isn’t everything.
To fully grasp what a good resume should look like, you must also know what bad resumes have in common:
Thanks to such findings, we were able to compile a list of actionable formatting hints to help you make your job resume look professional.
By studying over 500,000 resumes crafted with our builder, we found that*:
- 2.65% of our users report having no previous work experience, and 39.72% of users show over 10 years of experience.
- Problem-Solving, Teamwork, Collaboration, Adaptability, and Multitasking are the most popular skills overall.
- The median creation time for a resume on ResumeLab is just 21.3 minutes.
- 29.73% of our users include certifications on their resumes.
* The data comes from the last 12 months (August 2023-August 2024).
This is how to make your resume look great:
Even though this may seem pretty obvious, many job seekers don’t realize that setting the wrong margins will ruin the balanced look of their resume. So the optimum size for margins is one inch on each side.
If you want to find out how exactly this works, and what the other acceptable sizes for resume margins are, read our dedicated guide.
You don’t want your resume to look either crammed or empty. The safest line spacing is in the range between 1 or 1.15. And avoid double-spacing.
Even though adding white space is necessary, too much of a good thing is not such a good thing.
What are the best fonts for a resume? Since we have a dedicated guide on the subject, let’s just put it this way: Simple and easy on the recruiter’s eyes.
Helvetica, Arial, Roboto are all great choices. Comic Sans, Papyrus, and suchlike—you’d better give a wide berth to.
Your resume must reflect your experience and skills in the most relevant way. That’s why choosing the right resume style is vital. Without it, the recruiter won’t be able to find the information they’re looking for.
The three most popular resume formats are:
Each of them is suitable for different kinds of job seekers.
Outlining a resume is a crucial part of the resume writing process. Once you know what sections to put on your resume, you’ll find it much easier to give the document a good flow and coherent look.
Remember: The most effective resumes are tailored to a specific job offer. So, see to it that you don’t send a generic-looking document to multiple employers.
Expert Hint: The length of a resume matters. Entry-level candidates or those applying for junior positions may opt for one-page resumes. However, recent studies show that recruiters may have a preference for two-page resumes, so there’s no need to cram if you find it hard to fit everything into a single page.
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Now that you’ve seen what a good resume should look like, and learned some basic formatting rules, let’s see what sections a resume should consist of and what order you should put them in. The first four sections are the most important ones on your resume, and they comprise the resume’s main body:
It doesn’t matter what kind of resume you’re writing—The topmost section is always the same, and it’s called the resume header.
It’s where you put your contact details and other basic information to let the recruiter know who you are and how to get in touch with you.
The next section of your resume is the so-called resume profile. Think of the resume profile, as a brief rundown of your entire resume that’s supposed to serve a sales pitch of a sort.
Your resume intro can take the form of a:
The meat and potatoes of your resume. The way you present your experience on a resume could be a make or break factor in your job search.
This is where you have a chance to use resume keywords in context and show the recruiter you’ve got what it takes to succeed in the role.
Expert Hint: Avoid the so-called keyword stuffing on your resume. Mindless copy-pasting sections of the original job offer into your document may help you get past the ATS scan, but you’ll be shooting yourself in the foot. Once the recruiters see what you’re up to, they may not only reject your resume but blacklist you eventually.
Depending on how much experience you have, the education section on a resume could be either just a formality or your main selling point.
Plus, if you’re fresh out of college, you may consider putting your education on a resume before the experience section.
The skills you put on a resume must testify to one thing—You have the knowledge and expertise necessary to succeed in the role. You can either place the skills section in a sidebar on your resume, just like you can see in the example above or put them in the main body if you have enough room.
The sections listed above can be found on the vast majority of resumes.
But, you can consider including other sections as well. Just make sure they actually add value rather than simply fill in the blank space:
Remember: Relevance is the name of the game.
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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.
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.
Here’s all you need to remember about how should a resume look:
Do you have any questions? Would you like to share your observations on what does a resume look like? We’d love to hear from you! Give us a shout out in the comments below!
At ResumeLab, quality is at the crux of our values, supporting our commitment to delivering top-notch career resources. The editorial team of career experts carefully reviews every article in accordance with editorial guidelines, ensuring the high quality and reliability of our content. We actively conduct original research, shedding light on the job market's intricacies and earning recognition from numerous influential news outlets. Our dedication to delivering expert career advice attracts millions of readers to our blog each year.
Experienced in the education management industry, Maciej shares his knowledge for every step of your job hunt, from landing an internship to moving to an executive position. 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.
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