Resume Layouts: Examples and Design Tips

Resume layout guide: margins, font size, line spacing and style

A great resume layout is clean, well-organized and easy to read. Organizing your resume effectively is one of the most important ways of impressing an employer and getting your document through those pesky applicant tracking systems (ATS).

All you need to do is follow a few basic formatting rules to create a professional layout. Once you’re done reviewing the tips here, you can find even more in our resume formatting guide.

Set your margins and spacing

Resume margins should always be about 1 inch on all sides. Going above or below 1 inch will quickly make a resume look too cramped or too padded. Using 1-inch margins strikes the right balance.

However, in the event that you’re trying to get your resume length down to one or two pages, feel free to adjust the margins on the sides to about .6 inches. Never make them smaller than that, and only do so cautiously. If you aren’t confident in your formatting abilities, we recommend sticking to the basic 1-inch margins for the sake of simplicity.

Another vital consideration is line space. Line spacing should be set between single space and 1.5 spacing. The important thing to remember here is consistency. Your line spacing should be the same throughout your document. Finally, every section must have a line break after the section header.

Choose a professional font

No matter how well you lay out your resume, a poor choice of font can make you look unprofessional. Limit yourself to safe, reliable font types.

Any of these fonts would be appropriate on a resume:

• Arial
• Calibri
• Cambria
• Garamond
• Georgia
• Helvetica
• Times New Roman
• Veranda

On that note, be careful about font size. Your font should be no smaller than 10 points and no larger than 12 points.

Keep the design simple

While it may be tempting to try to stand out with a complicated design, you’re much better off sticking with one of our simple resume layouts. Unless you are applying for a graphic design role, employers will mainly consider whether your resume is easy to read. They won’t care as much about your use of color or impressive design tricks.

We offer templates in a variety of styles, all of which are compatible with Google Docs and Microsoft Word. Browse our library of resume templates to find the perfect resume for you!

Make an eye-catching header

Contact info is one of the most essential parts of your resume, so you’ll want to make it easy to spot. The last thing you want is for recruiters to have a hard time contacting you because of a wonky header.

Prioritize having a prominent header with clear and accurate contact information at the top of your document. As long as you don’t overdo it, a simple pop of color can help your header stand out on the page.

There’s no need to go overboard — we still advocate for a simple design — but you do want to be noticed. Here’s an example of a fittingly attention-grabbing header:

Organize content into easy-to-scan sections

A well-organized layout will draw the eye from section to section using clearly defined headers, all using the same line spacing and font size and type.

As for which sections to include, every resume should have:

• Contact info.
• Professional summary or resume objective.
• Work experience.
• Skills, featuring hard/technical skills and soft skills.
• Education credentials.

Depending on what you have to offer, you may want to consider including additional sections like certifications, volunteering, languages, awards and professional associations.

Use bullet points effectively

Bullet points are a great way to make your document easily scannable. You can use them in the following areas:

• Four to six bullet points for each job in your work experience section.
• Listing your skills in your skills section.

Ultimately, use bullet points whenever you need to break up the text to highlight key points. Just be mindful of the length of your bullet points. If your resume layout uses columns, longer bullet points can take up a lot of lines.

Be mindful of length (no more than two pages)

Unlike CVs, which list your entire professional history, resumes don’t need to be exhaustive. Instead, they should focus on your most recent (and relevant) history.

If you have fewer than five years of experience, your resume should be no longer than one page. After that, you can consider adding a second page if you need more space for your accomplishments.

In the end, never go longer than two pages. Eliminate more distant work experience or shorten your skills section — whatever you need to do (within reason) to get your resume to the appropriate length.

It can be tempting to throw in any detail that you think might help your job search, but your resume isn’t intended to tell your entire professional story. It’s meant to be a concise overview to give potential employers an idea of how well you match their needs.