What Your Resume Should Look Like in 2024 [+ Example]

1. Use simple design and fonts

You never want the look of your resume to get in the way of its content.

Use a clean, simple layout so the hiring manager can instantly see your skills and experiences. A minimalist approach will make your qualifications the focal point.

Meanwhile, opt for a good, readable resume font. We recommend choosing a classic, professional font like Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman and avoiding any that are overly decorative or difficult to read.

But it’s okay to tailor your font choice to your field. Creative industries, like interior design or photography, might welcome more unique fonts. However, more traditional fields typically prefer standard fonts.

2. Maintain a consistent layout

Ensure your resume has evenly-set margins and consistent line spacing for a polished look. Clear section headings are also crucial for easy navigation.

How do you guarantee consistency? There are different types of resume templates that can help you maintain consistency without losing the style. Here are a few examples:

• Simple resume templates: These templates offer a clean, minimalist design, focusing on clear formatting and readability. They’re ideal for professions where concision is valued, such as in business, engineering and nursing.
• Modern resume templates: Modern templates blend sleek, contemporary aesthetics with professional layouts.These templates suit roles in occupations that value innovation, like marketing, information technology and biotech.
• Creative resume templates: Creative templates allow for more artistic expressions, using unique fonts, vibrant colors and unconventional layouts. They are best suited for industries where creativity is at the forefront, such as in the arts, graphic design and fashion.

Any of these can help you effectively showcase your professional information while ensuring the layout remains consistent and visually appealing.

3. Optimize white space

Balance the text with enough white space.

This makes your resume more readable and visually appealing.

If your resume is starting to feel cramped, consider adding a second page.

• Balanced margins: Start by setting your margins to a standard size, typically around 1 inch on all sides. This creates a clean frame for your text without crowding the page edges.
• Adequate spacing between sections: Ensure there’s sufficient space between different sections of your resume, like between your header and professional summary, and between your work experience and education sections.
• Avoid dense blocks of text: Large paragraphs can be overwhelming. Break them up into shorter, more manageable sections. This approach is particularly useful in your professional summary and job descriptions.
• Consider a two-column design: If you have a lot of information to include, a two-column layout can be an effective way to use space efficiently. This layout can help balance white space while fitting in more content.

All of the above should help you format your resume in a way that’s well-organized and easy on the eyes.

Ultimately, if your resume still feels cramped, consider adding a second page or cutting the least relevant information.

4. Incorporate the right keywords

You want your resume to look good, of course, but you know what’s even more important? Making sure it gets into the hiring manager’s hands.

Employers use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to screen out applicants who they feel don’t meet the desired qualifications. To bypass this, you’ll need to make an ATS-friendly resume.

How do you do this? First, read the job description closely. Highlight every keyword you find.

Then, insert the keywords throughout our resume, from the professional summary or resume objective to the skills section and resume profile.

Here’s a summary for a paralegal with keywords from the job description in bold:

Next, let’s talk bullet points.

5. Add bullet points for achievements

Bullet points are another way to help your resume breathe.

Most modern resumes include bullet points throughout the document, but this is especially true in the work experience section. Your job history shouldn’t simply list your duties and responsibilities. You should call out your accomplishments using bullet points.

Here’s what the bullet points in a work experience section look like: