Create a visual hierarchy
Good formatting makes the next piece of information predictable. Your name should be the strongest element, section headings should share one style, job titles and employers should be easy to distinguish, and body text should remain quiet and readable.
- Use consistent type sizes for equivalent elements
- Separate sections with spacing instead of decorative graphics
- Align dates consistently
- Keep bullet indentation shallow and uniform
Choose reliability over decoration
A simple one-column layout works across roles and reduces the chance that text will be read out of order. Avoid putting critical information in headers, footers, floating text boxes, charts, or images. Creative candidates can show visual work in a portfolio while keeping the application resume straightforward.
A useful test
Select all text in the exported file and paste it into a plain-text document. Names, headings, dates, and bullets should appear in a logical order.
Use readable type and deliberate spacing
Choose a common professional typeface and use one family throughout. A typical body size is around 10.5 to 12 points, depending on the font. Margins usually work best between roughly 0.6 and 1 inch. Do not compress the page until reading becomes work.
- Use bold selectively for roles, employers, or headings
- Avoid all-caps body text and long italic passages
- Keep line spacing and paragraph spacing consistent
- Let a second page happen when the alternative is unreadable text
Export and inspect the final file
Follow the employer’s requested file type. A text-based PDF preserves layout well; DOCX may be preferred by some application systems. Never submit a scanned image of a resume unless explicitly requested.
- 1Check the filenameUse a clear format such as Firstname-Lastname-Resume.pdf.
- 2Open the exportConfirm that bullets, line breaks, links, and page breaks survived.
- 3Check mobileRecruiters may review on a smaller screen; make sure the page is still legible.
Final checklist
- One main column and a predictable reading order
- Standard section labels
- No important text in graphics, headers, or footers
- Consistent typography, alignment, and dates
- Selectable text in the final file
Frequently asked questions
- Is a two-column resume always bad for ATS?
- No, parsing quality varies by system. But columns create unnecessary reading-order risk, so a single column is the safer default when reliability matters.
- Should a resume include a photo?
- Usually not for U.S. applications unless the role or local market specifically expects one. A photo uses space and can introduce bias without demonstrating qualification.
- PDF or DOCX?
- Follow the posting. If no format is specified, a text-based PDF is generally dependable for layout, while DOCX remains useful when an employer explicitly prefers it.