When you’re looking for a new job, professionally presenting your resume is integral if you want success. And while you need to excel at the interview, you’re never going to be included in that process if your resume design is subpar.

Resume design refers to how you will present your resume. It can add personality and edge to your application and effectively communicate information.

Did you know that 95 percent of resumes are not read by recruiters? Hitting the right mark with your resume design is important if you want to stand out from other candidates and create a lasting impact on managers. This can ultimately get your foot in the door, so you can land the job of your dreams. Whatever job you are applying for, you need to hire a resume designer.

What to Look for in A Resume Designer? 

Knowing how to design a resume is not easy. These are the things you need to look for when hiring a resume design expert.

Referrals

Have any of your family, colleagues, or friends used resume design experts? Did the professional’s work become helpful to get them interviews? Going for someone that has already worked with someone you know will give you peace of mind that your resume design will turn out great.

Their background

A resume design expert can have many backgrounds. This person may have worked before as a graphic designer or a recruiter. Examine if the professional has a Bachelor’s degree or Master’s in any field. There are even professionals that have distinctions and certifications when it comes to crafting a resume.

Their experience

Depending on your budget, you may want to hire an expert. Opt for someone who has been designing resumes for years. Do not be afraid to ask them how many people they have made resumes for. They may even offer some resume samples that you can look at.

Ensure that they’re familiar with your industry

If you want the output to be successful, you have to work with a resume design expert that has experience in writing a resume for your industry and job level. Many professionals work only with people in the field of medicine, law, or engineering.

Talk to them

Make sure that the resume designer you hire can understand your instructions. The amount of time it takes to design a resume varies, but you need to have at least a 30-minute conversation with them so your resume can be packaged well. Then, expect to get the design between two days to one week.

Resume Design Templates You Can Follow

There are millions of bland resumes from amazing professionals out there, and considering there are 118 applicants that submit a resume for any given job, you need to stand out. We’ve gathered some of our top resume design templates. Each of these designs we’ve listed highlights an aesthetic but still maintains its professional look.

Minimal resume

This type of resume is perfect if you want the hiring manager to immediately notice your education and experience without leaving visual appeal behind. If you opt for this design, make sure subtle breaks and spaces are placed by the designer in a way that is pleasing to the eye. The designer may also place icons in the header to communicate your information in a non-distracting way.

Bold yet still professional resume

If you want to make a bold and positive impression on your dream company, you can choose a playful yet elegant resume design. This type of resume has one to two bold colors that balance each other out while still reflecting your unique personality. Bold and colorful frames, lines, and headers in each section will also allow hiring managers to read the most important parts of your resume with ease.

Not only that, but this resume design does amazing if you want to deliver a visual punch. This way, the hiring manager will surely remember your name after reviewing your document.

Creative resume 

If you want to work in the creative industry as a photographer, UX designer, or video editor, you have to submit an artistic resume that will catch the company’s eye. This resume design must have a colorful header that will allow the recruiter to focus on your name and experience. If you want to take the extra mile, ask the designer to add bold splashes of color before every section. This will ensure that visual consistency is maintained while still guiding the reader on what they should read next.

Corporate resume

This type of resume should have a no-nonsense approach. It should look modern and sleek. For this design, you can ask the designer to use a sidebar to organize all your information. This way, your experience can have more room to take the spotlight. Corporate resume designs usually have a wide header that gives your name impact. This resume design is best used if you are applying for a high position.

Light and feminine resume

This resume will work for you if you are applying for a brand that caters to women’s needs and has a distinct feminine brand tone. It’s bold and serious, but it doesn’t look boring. The light and feminine resume design should use warm and subtle colors, as well as an italic font in the headings to offset the hard lines in the section. Its border should be solid so all content can be framed in a good way.

resume design

Trendy resume

Don’t want to submit a cookie-cutter resume? This is for you. Sport a shade of any color loved by millennials for a sleek yet professional-looking resume. If you want a trendy resume, ask the resume design expert to apply color theory and maybe even add a sidebar. This will make your resume look distinct. The sidebar is a refreshing take on the standard layout that most applicants use. The sidebar is also a good way to pack all your information so all the recruiter can focus on are your experience and skills.

Skills highlight resume

If you are working in a skill-driven industry such as voice acting, this is perfect. Keep in mind that if recruiters do not find what they are looking for in six seconds, your resume will be tossed. Move the skills section of your resume to the top and highlight each one in a bubble so when people look at it, their eyes will be automatically drawn to that section. Ask your resume design expert to showcase your contact information in the same way so your name can stick into the hiring staff’s mind.

Other Important Things to Keep in Mind

Even if you are hiring a resume design expert, you need to take control of your resume design. But how can you do this if you do not have any experience in design? Here are some things to talk about with your designer.

Font

Although it may seem like a minor thing, it’s so difficult to choose the font for your resume. While you can ask for tips from your resume design expert, the choice should always come from you.

Before you choose, note the formality level the company expects from you. Then, pick a font that matches that level. For instance, you can choose fonts such as Garamond, Cambria, and Arial. Fonts such as Courier and Comic Sans should never be included in your resume. Also, try to stay away from fonts that are too stylish since it can make it hard to read, or worse, confuse the applicant tracking system and eliminate your resume from being seen.

Length 

Length plays a big part in the design of your resume. Unless you have had decades of experience under your belt, keep your resume to just one page. It should be enough to summarize all your important professional experiences without boring the hiring manager. However, if you are applying for academia or government, it’s fine to have a longer resume since you need to share your experiences.

Margin

Another important part of your resume is the margin. Thankfully, your resume design expert will help you with this. Margins play such a huge role in your resume. If your margin is too wide, your resume will look sparse, and the information will be too condensed since you will be short on space. On the other hand, if your margin is too narrow, the information on your resume will look cramped.

Many applicants tell their designers to stick to a one-inch margin, which is also the industry standard. However, do not be afraid to adjust the margin depending on your needs. If you want more space, narrow it a little. Do not forget to print the resume to see how it looks in reality before approving it.

Visual emphasis

If you want the hiring manager to contact you and make the job easy for them, having design elements is something you should not miss. Make sure that you make your contact section more visually appealing and prominent by using icons or color. This technique is useful in sectioning off this part, but not in a distracting way. If you place icons, it will be easier for the recruiter to go from your phone number, email, or portfolio because it signals key areas.

Excited to Get Hired?

Searching for a job is tiring, so you need to take time and effort to tailor your resume to the specific jobs you are applying to. A thoughtful resume design that is pleasing to the eye and effectively showcases your skills and personality will increase your chance of getting hired.

To help you with this, hire a graphic designer.