What should a modern resume look like

Search Career Advice. Jacqueline Lisk, Monster contributor. A modern resume is a must for today's job seeker. Related Articles. Browse articles by Find The Right Career Path.

Professional Development. Most Recent Jobs. See More Jobs. Close Looking for the right fit? Sign up to get job alerts relevant to your skills and experience. So what makes a resume visually appealing?

When you can quickly scan the document because it makes good use of white space, features clear and consistent section headings, and uses bullet points to make important items stand out. As you get your resume ready for a job search , take a look at our library of resume templates , and make sure to follow our design tips below.

Create at least one-inch margins on your resume. Also, leave some blank space between various sections of the resume's text, so several distinct chunks of information can be seen. What should a resume look like so that you are memorable in a good way and not because you embarrassed yourself? Stick with simplicity. It's tempting to use all of the typefaces at your disposal, but having more than two fonts in any document only lessens its readability. One font is all you really need.

If you use two, make sure they complement each other. For example, use one font for the headings and the second font for the body text. Keep in mind, though, all fonts are not created equal.

Check out our list of the best fonts for your resume. It's OK to use some bolding and italicizing in your resume text. Many resume writers may bold their previous job titles and italicize subheadings within each section of the document.

As for underlining—just don't. Go for a single page. Target your resume at a specific job offer and include only relevant details. Make every word earn its place on your resume. Two-page resumes are OK for experienced candidates. If you're in a rush, you might want to check out the following list now: Zety's Resume Templates.

So you know the basics of what the perfect resume should represent, design-wise. The first thing you have to do is include all the proper sections in the correct order - see What to Include in a Resume. If you want to learn more about how to write each section, just click on one of the links below, to see a dedicated guide with examples. See what a good resume looks like in practice on our handy infographic. Spell check? Start building professional resume template here for free.

Your resume can and should! One size does not fit all. Neither does a single resume format or design. For starters, learn more about each three types of resumes :. Or, see this handy overview of the three above with extra resume tips on how to pick the perfect one for you: Best Resume Format Want to explore more options? See one of our galleries and find a resume that looks the way you want it to:. Still not quite convinced why the looks of your resume are so important?

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here.

Here's what it may look like:. See more cover letter templates and start writing. Got more questions? Need further help?