The way your resume looks at a glance is just as important as the content it contains. Clear and simple is the way to go. Try not to stray from the standard. Innovative could just spell irritating to the employer. The design should project professionalism and direct the eye to the most important skills and related job titles.

Fonts

A standard typeface like Arial and Times New Roman are universal, but take note that there may be different versions. It’s sometimes considered somewhat drab and taboo to use Times New Roman since it’s a default font in Word. Georgia, Trebuchet, Helvetica, and Verdana are popular fonts that are email and web-friendly. Avoid sloppy or choppy fonts like Comic Sans or Courier. Try to stick to one typeface throughout the document (although in some cases, people apply a newspaper model to their resume with a serif font (e.g. Georgia) to break up content and a sans serif font (e.g. Verdana) to emphasize sections and subsections).

Bullet Points

Start off with a bang! Bullets make it easier for the employer to skim through content. Take note that bullets are not universal. For this reason, choose the typical round bullets over squares or arrows. Try to keep it to 3-4 bullet points per job title.

Templates

Templates are great time savers when you’re putting your resume together. You can create a table to plug in content but hide the gridlines when you send it. Try not to stack too much data into each section. A little white space is good. It’s common to see your name and contact info at the top of the page and your dates of employment in a column along the side. Though there are infinite ways to arrange copy, it’s advised to keep the layout clear and simple.

Name and Contact Info

Your name should be slightly larger than the rest of your resume. If applicable, include attractive credentials such as MBA or B.Sc. Hospitality and Tourism Management. Your city and state or province, contact numbers, and email address go below. Make sure to have a professional email address.

Skills

List out both your hard and soft skills that relate to the position you are applying for. Include any programs, software or technical knowledge you have as well as any languages you speak.

Subheadings

If you’ve got it, flaunt it. Put the most important information first. If you’ve got a whack of Education, put that section first. If you’ve got an impressive Employment History, put that first. And don’t say it, if you can’t prove it.

Summary of Qualifications

Create a short paragraph (2-3 sentences) that summarizes your qualifications and what you can bring to an organization. Assume that a recruiter or hiring manager is only going to read this section and nothing else on your resume. What will get them to want to talk to you further?

Education or Training

List your certificates, diplomas, degrees, or completed courses. Include the name and location of the institution, the title of the program/course, and the completion date.

Experience or Employment History

In reverse chronological order include the most recent dates of employment. Clearly mark the dates, perhaps in a separate column. Don’t add months if you have many short-term jobs. As a rule of thumb, stick to years. Display the name of the company, your job title, and a brief list of your responsibilities.

Include locations, whether you want to show stability or a willingness to travel. International employers will look for cultural adaptability and multilingual skills. Volunteer work or internships are significant if they relate to the desired position/industry.

Awards or Accomplishments

If you’re a chef, include a great restaurant review from a newspaper. If you’re a sales manager, include record-breaking deals. If you’re a server or customer service representative, include positive testimonials.

Personal Interests or Hobbies

Omit this section, unless your hobbies directly apply to the industry or position you’re looking to fill. For example, if you want to be a travel agent, include your interest in scuba diving or whitewater rafting. If not, save these details for the interview. You’ll need an icebreaker!

References

Never include references on your resume, or “reference available upon request”. That’s just assumed in every interview process.