Using a Resume Template
The previous section and subsections on “Resume Structure” cover how to format your resume and the role of each component. This section provides recommended resume templates that are generally consistent with the advice provided in the previous section. While using these templates with little change will get you 80-90% of the way to a well-crafted resume, it is recommended folks still go through and adjust the contents and structure of the resume based on the advice of the rest of the sections.
Here are some recommended templates:
The first two use a markup language called LaTeX, while Ben’s Google Doc Template is a Google doc. For the LaTeX resumes I recommend using Overleaf, through which you can edit your resume, save multiple copies, and export to PDF.
In addition to applying the advice provided in other sections, and no matter which template you use, you should ensure the following:
- Do not use columns in your formatting
- Avoid icons
- Keep to one page
- Always submit your resume as a PDF
Not using columns and avoiding icons are for the benefit of ATS, as there is risk that some ATSs struggle with these. Keeping to one page is for the benefit of whomever is reading your resume, as most recruiters and hiring managers won’t make it past the first page anyway. As well, this forces you to keep your content concise and focused on your most impressive achievements. Finally, it’s important to always submit your resume as a PDF because, as opposed to other document formats such as .docx, PDF will be consistent no matter the device on which it’s downloaded.
