Common Questions About Resume Templates & Resume Writing

Our professional resume templates are perfect for anyone at any level in their work life. You can use them if you’re a new grad looking for your first job, an entry-level employee eager to take the next step in your career, or a seasoned pro with lots of experience.

These slick resume templates make it easy to include a sharp summary statement as well as your work history and all of your relevant skills.

• 1. How Do You Set Up a Resume?
  
  

  You can use our professionally created resume templates and one-of-a-kind resume builder to quickly and easily set up a standout resume. Our simple resume builder allows you to choose your favorite layout, and then it shows you what key sections you should include on your resume.
  
  With our builder, you’ll never worry about writer’s block again! It provides you with expert-approved text snippets that you can plug into your document and customize to reflect your own work story and meet the needs of the job at hand.
  
  Finally, our editing and formatting tools can help you polish your resume so that it’s ready to email to employers or print and bring to an interview.

• 2. How Do You Start a Resume?
  
  

  Before you sit down to write your resume you should do the following:

  • Make a list of the skills, qualifications, and experience listed in the job to which you’re applying.
  • Make a list of your most important accomplishments and abilities.
  • Compare the two lists and note what they have in common. Make an effort to highlight these skills and experience in your resume.

  Next, read our article on how to write a resume. You’ll learn which resume format is best for you, as well as what mistakes can be fatal to your application.
  
  Also, you’ll get the information you need to make sure that your resume will make it past an applicant tracking system (ATS), which is the automated system that many employers use to initially screen resumes and eliminate poor fit candidates.

• 3. What’s the Best Resume Template?
  
  

  There is no one-size-fits-all resume layout, and no single template will be best for everyone. In fact, there may be many resume templates that suit your needs.
  
  Think about the company you’re applying to and your line of work to choose the one that makes the most sense for your job search. If you’re applying to a big corporation or a very traditional firm, you will want to choose a template that also feels traditional. On the other hand, if you’re applying to a small business that has a fun vibe, a modern resume template may be better for you.
  
  The most important thing is to select a design that makes it very easy for a hiring leader to read your resume and pick out its key points quickly. Research shows that recruiters only spend six seconds on average reviewing each resume. Make those six seconds count.

4. What is the Best Resume Template for Students?



Students who don’t have much relevant work experience will want to choose a template that highlights the education and skills sections of their resume. Additionally, choose a simple and professional style that will show employers that you are a budding professional who can easily fit into the workplace.

Finally, do not select a resume template that includes a picture. This is a huge no-no since the inclusion of photos can invite unconscious bias into the hiring process. Besides, how you look has nothing to do with whether you’re qualified for the job.

5. What is a Functional Format Resume?



A functional format is a resume format that doesn’t include dates in the work history section. It also puts more emphasis on the skills section of your resume, and it often includes an achievements section.

This format is great for students who don’t have much work experience, those changing careers, and those with big gaps in their employment history.

Additionally, if you’ve had multiple jobs that have had the same responsibilities for many years, this format allows you to group your work experience based on the type of work you did rather than each place you worked.

6. What is a Chronological Format Resume?



A chronological format resume is the layout that most recruiters prefer. This lists your work history in reverse chronological order according to date, with your most recent job first.

Recruiters tend to like this format because they can clearly see your career progression on a timeline. For jobseekers, this format is perfect for anyone who has worked in the same field for awhile and who doesn’t have any major periods of unemployment.

7. Do You Have to Put All of Your Jobs on a Resume?



No! You should only put jobs on a resume that are relevant to the role at hand. So, for example, if you’re applying to a software developer job, don’t bother including your stint as a dogwalker if none of the skills you needed to walk dogs are relevant.

However, if you’re applying to be a customer service representative and you used to be a waitress, you could include this because being a server requires customer service skills that would also be applicable.

Also, we recommend only including the last 10 to 15 years of work on your resume. Going back further may unintentionally reveal your age, which could open you up to age discrimination, which unfortunately still exists in the workplace.

8. What Are Some Skills to Put on My Resume?



You should include a healthy mix of both hard and soft skills on your resume. Here’s the difference between those types of skills:

• Hard Skills are technical abilities that you can learn (for example, computer programs you know how to use, or fluency in a foreign language.)

• Soft Skills are personal qualities that help you interact with other people (for example, communication skills, problem-solving, or conflict resolution.)

Turn to the job posting to figure out which skills the employer most values. Then, if you have these skills, be sure to include them on your resume. It’s also important to mirror the language used in the job posting when listing these skills. For example, if a job calls for ‘oral communications skills,’ write that on your resume instead of ‘verbal communication skills.’

This echoing is important because many employers use an ATS to review resumes. These machines work on keyword matching, so it’s important to use the exact keywords used in the job posting.

9. What is a Good Free Resume Builder?



You can try Resume-Now’s one-of-a-kind resume builder for free today! Our resume maker, which has helped tons of jobseekers get the job twice as fast, is the only one that lets you upload your own resume or create one from scratch.

Here are just some of the awesome features that you’ll find in our resume builder:

• A variety of visually appealing design templates to choose from

• Hundreds upon thousands of text examples for every industry

• Writing tips from certified resume writing professionals

• Built-in proofreading and formatting tools

• Easy-to-download functionality