The best look for a resume is not any particular formatting; it’s a particular kind of formatting: simple and readable. Unless you’re applying to be a print designer, the format is only important as a vehicle to convey the content. Below is a resume format that can easily be tailored to any position.
This resume format has many advantages.
1.) Its header can be reused for a cover letter, salary history page, writing sample, etc. Placing the same header on all of your application documents signals professionalism through consistency; it makes you appear detail-oriented and well-organized.
2.) Its sections (e.g., SELECTED PROFESSIONAL SKILLS, EDUCATION, etc.) can all be easily re-organized or even substituted out entirely. For example, you may be a recent graduate whose academic history trumps employment history—in that case, you would be well-served with the EDUCATION section at the top.
3.) It easily fits all of the necessary components of the resume, allowing you the room to write what you need to; however, the format rightfully punishes you for being overly verbose—resumes are advertisements, not detailed histories.
4.) It’s limited to 1 page.
5.) It’s simple to create.
Note that your resume does not have to appear exactly as the one above does; just make sure that whatever format you choose has all of the advantages that I listed above. I give credit for this resume format to a popular Reddit post by Cainman2K3.
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Thanks for posting this, I found the thread on Reddit but couldn’t locate the resume template.
Much appreciated.
Thank you for the feedback, grey_cardigan–I’m happy to help! It does appear that the original link to the resume template leads to an empty image album. That’s a shame, but now it’s here for posterity.