Professionally designed resume templates that are highly legible and simple to read will highlight your most important work experience in an elegant way.
Professional resumes have a clean, crisp look that incorporates only one or two accent colors. The focus is solely on the text, pulling the recruiter into your experiences and accomplishments. As a result, your name and contact information is placed at the top in large, bold lettering. This also highlights your credentials while adding an air of confidence. The fonts on a professional resume are clear and sharp, improving scannability. This also means that your content is the focal point of the piece, so your resume must be strongly written.
Tip: Choose action-packed verbs and be sure to quantify your experiences when appropriate. Lastly, professional resume templates are crisp and spartan, so there are no images or extraneous details.
When to use a professional resume format?
First, research the company you’re applying to in order to get a feel for their culture. Check out the company’s website, their social media, and employee reviews. If the company seems straight-laced and serious, or mandates a suit and tie dress code, then you should use a professional template. A professional resume can show recruiters that you’re the right fit for their conservative company.
Tip: Don’t neglect a company’s social media when you’re doing your research. These platforms are a popular way for a company to build its brand. As a result, scrolling through a few of their posts can give you a better feel for how the company tries to promote and push its image. Also read a few of their audience’s comments to discern the level of engagement. Are the replies serious? Are people interested in and supportive of what this company does?
The 10 most important parts of a professional resume
Subtle Color Palette. Professional resumes rely on subtle colors to accent the theme. This keeps the focus on the text and prevents the recruiter from being distracted by the design.
White Space. The standard margins and clean space direct your attention to the bulleted information, making the text the most important factor.
Classic Fonts. The fonts are clear and legible, improving the readability of the resume and making it easy to scan. Clean fonts also minimize distractions and lend to the seriousness of the resume.
Your Name as the Title. By making your name the centerpiece of the resume, it demonstrates your confidence and reminds the reader of your credentials (i.e., doctor or CPA).
Contact Information. Your contact information is immediately available at the top of the resume. This saves the recruiter from having to hunt for the information, and it shows that you anticipate their needs and are standing at the ready.
Work Experience. The professional resume has few design elements in order to amplify the body of the resume itself. This means your work experience is the focal point, and you should include all relevant positions. However, leave out entry-level positions or student experiences in order to maximize the professionality of the resume (unless you’re just starting your career, in which case, you have to use those!).
Focus on Skills. The professional resume template highlights your skills in order to emphasize your competency. Be sure to include your top skills, namely “hard skills” --- those that are more technical-based. These include software knowledge or specific capabilities like client relations, technical writing, or foreign languages.
Qualifications. Since the professional resume template is designed to underscore your talents, you should list all relevant certifications and education experiences. Leave off your high school and any certifications that don’t pertain to the job at hand.
Profile Summary. Write a concise resume summary about your qualifications and how it relates to the position you’re seeking. The professional resume template places this summary at the top so as to catch the attention of the recruiter and entice them into reading the rest of your resume.
Where to download a professional resume template?
Easy Resume offers a variety of professional resume templates that are customizable through our online resume builder.
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