What Does a Good Resume Look Like? Tips and Tools for a Standout Resume

Have you ever wondered, what does a good resume look like? The path to your dream job is forged with an exceptional resume. Though the content added to your resume is highly important, the design can also play a vital role in getting you qualified for the resume.

Hence, in this guide, let's learn and see what does a good resume look like -  

What a Resume Should Look Like According to Modern Hiring Standards

A good resume shows not only your qualifications but also your ability to give information clearly and concisely. As hiring processes change, so must your resume. Let's take a look at what a modern resume would look like.

1. Professional and Clean Design

A professional and clean design is essential for a resume. Use a professional font, avoid decorative fonts, and maintain consistent formatting for headings, bullet points, and spacing. Adequate white space, typically 1 inch on all sides, prevents clutter and makes the resume easier to read.

2. Tailored Content for the Role

A well-written resume should include a tailored objective or summary, targeted keywords, and relevant experience. The objective should be concise, impactful, and relevant to the job. ATS scans may scan resumes, so include industry-specific keywords. Focus on tech-related roles and projects, or transferable skills for new careers. 

3. Quantifiable Achievements

Quantify achievements by stating their impact with numbers, like managing a team of 10 and increasing productivity by 20% over six months, and use results-oriented language to effectively describe responsibilities and achievements.

4. Clear and Concise Content

Use bullet points for a concise resume, focusing on your experience and skills, and keep it between one to two pages long, ensuring recruiters can easily understand key points.

5. Modern Design Elements

To enhance your resume's visual appeal, use subtle design elements like lines, icons, or color. For data-heavy roles, consider infographics for data presentation, such as charts, graphs, or icons, but ensure they don't distract from the content.

Actionable Tips and Tricks to Have the Best-Looking Resume

Now that we know what does a good resume look like, let's look at some practical advice on how to make yours stand out from the crowd.

1. Use a Resume Template

A professional resume template, available on websites like Canva, Microsoft Word, and Google Docs, can save time and ensure a clean, organized layout. Customize the template to fit your personal style and job application, adjusting colors, fonts, and layouts to suit your industry and brand.

2. Optimize for ATS

Avoid using headers and footers in resumes, as some ATS may not scan them. Keep contact information in the main body. Use standard section titles like "Work Experience," "Education," and "Skills," as unconventional headings may confuse ATS systems.

3. Highlight Transferable Skills

When transitioning careers, highlight transferable skills like project management, communication, or leadership across various industries. Include a "Core Competencies" or "Skills" section at the top of your resume to demonstrate your qualifications to recruiters, even if your work experience is in a different field.

4. Avoid Common Pitfalls

Maintain relevant experience and skills, avoiding outdated positions. Avoid over-designing resumes with flashy graphics, excessive colors, and complex layouts, as they can distract from the content and may not be ATS-friendly.

5. Proofread Meticulously

To maintain professionalism, proofread your resume multiple times and use a grammar tool to catch any errors. Ensure consistent tenses, past tense for previous jobs and present tense for current roles, to avoid disorganization and ensure professionalism.

Bonus Resume Design Resources to Make Your Resume Look Good and Stand Out

Beyond the fundamentals, there are numerous resources available to help you enhance your resume design. Here are some that can give your resume the edge it needs:

1. Canva: Canva resume builder is a professional builder that offers customizable templates, allowing users to adjust colors, fonts, and layouts to create a unique resume that reflects their brand. It also provides access to design elements like icons, shapes, and lines.

2. Adobe Spark: Adobe Spark is a high-quality design tool that enables the creation of professional, clean, and visually appealing resumes, even for those not skilled in design, thanks to its intuitive interface.

3. Microsoft Word: Microsoft Word is a familiar platform with built-in resume templates, making it easy to customize and professional. It also offers flexible formatting, ensuring clean, organized, and error-free resumes, making it ATS-friendly and easy to create.

4. Google Docs: Google Docs is a free, cloud-based platform that provides professional resume templates, is accessible from any device, and ensures your resume is always online. It also offers real-time collaboration features for feedback.

5. Online Portfolios: In creative fields, linking to an online portfolio in your resume can showcase your work and provide employers with context about your skills. For tech-savvy job seekers, creating an interactive or video resume can be a unique way to stand out, especially in creative or tech industries.

Introducing HireQuotient AI Resume Builder

Resume building has become more sophisticated, and HireQuotient's AI Resume Builder is at the forefront of this evolution. This tool is designed to help you craft a professional, ATS-friendly resume with ease. It offers over 1000 resume templates and ensures your resume not only looks good but also meets the standards required by modern hiring processes.

Key features of the HireQuotient AI Resume Builder include:

Automatic Formatting: The tool ensures your resume is formatted to industry standards, including optimal margins, font sizes, and spacing.

Keyword Optimization: The AI scans job descriptions and suggests keywords to include in your resume, increasing your chances of passing through ATS filters.

Customization Options: You can tailor your resume to specific job roles, ensuring that it highlights the most relevant skills and experiences.

Real-Time Feedback: As you build your resume, the tool provides instant feedback on content, structure, and overall presentation.

How Does It Assist in Creating a Good Resume?

It might be difficult to balance design and substance when creating a strong CV. By taking care of the technical parts, HireQuotient's AI Resume Builder streamlines this procedure and frees you up to concentrate on your skills and expertise, which are what really count.

The tool walks you through every stage, helping you choose a template and tailor your resume to fit particular job applications. It guarantees that your resume is optimized for the job you want in addition to being aesthetically pleasing. This translates to more time spent honing your content and less time fretting over formatting.

Benefits of Using AI for Resume Building

There are various benefits to using AI for resume construction:

Efficiency: The AI Resume Builder expedites the process of creating a resume, enabling you to create a professional CV in minutes as opposed to hours.

Accuracy: The tool makes sure your resume is formatted to match ATS requirements and has the appropriate keywords by examining job descriptions and industry trends.

Personalization: AI makes it simple to adapt your CV to diverse job requirements, so every application is maximized for success.

Confidence: You may be confident that your resume satisfies the most recent recruiting criteria because it has been created and evaluated by AI.

Conclusion

It takes careful consideration of both content and design to create a resume that not only satisfies current hiring criteria but also makes an impression on potential employers. You may write a resume that is suitable for the position you're seeking, professional, and visually appealing by using the advice and techniques provided in this tutorial.

Keep in mind that your resume represents you. It ought to be convincing, succinct, and unambiguous. You can write a resume that will help you get hired if you have the correct tools and a little bit of creativity.