Why You Need to Change Your Resume Format Now Plus Modern Resume Format Templates
In the quintessential checklist for a job interview or job application, the first document that you need is your resume. After all, your resume is considered to be the gateway to understanding who you are as a person and your professional profile. And it is this piece of paper that can often determine whether you get an initial interest from the recruiters for your dream job.
Yet, updating your CV can feel drab and tedious. It is indeed hard to distil words into concise points that can retain attention, yet communicate the richness of your experiences.
Let’s spend a moment to understand what good looks like when it comes to resumes and then review ways you can create highly effective resumes leaving the tedium behind.
In this blog, we will talk about
How to think about Resumes?
What everyone knows is that the resume is a summary of all your qualifications, past work experiences, skills, and achievements. Most people know that the potential employer will use the resume to understand if one will actually fit in with the stated purpose of the job description. Some people go further and realize that if the resume is not very impressive, you may find it difficult to even get a foot in the door.
Very few people however see a resume as an advertisement to the potential employer. Not everyone recognizes that the audience of the resume is likely to give similar attention spans as people give to advertisements in the media. This means we are talking about seconds — Most resumes will barely get a blip of the all-important attention span.
What is a Creative Resume? How is it Better than Traditional Resumes?
A creative resume is any resume that deviates from the traditional and standard forms of CVs. They usually incorporate more design elements, including tasteful shapes, fonts, and colours, to attract attention without any gimmickry.
A traditional resume is a list of all your qualifications, usually organized chronologically, in a monochrome palette with minimal to no design elements. It was meant to be functional and utilitarian, with no major deviation from the format to gauge information quicker. And these worked great for some time, even in the 21st century, as they are mostly ATS (Applicant Tracking System) compliant. However, these resumes were limited in their functionality and scope for individualization.
This is where creative resumes come in. They are resumes that often work with different layouts and orientations, using colours and shapes, to build resumes that contain more information in a limited amount of space, and are engaging for a hiring manager to look over and differentiate in a sea of bland resumes. And as ATS systems evolved, they were able to read creative resumes as well, making them ideal for pursuers of jobs that wanted their resume to also reflect their personality.
Additionally, creative resumes are great at catering to people looking to work in the creative field. They can incorporate portfolios and have embedded links to any prior work done by the candidate. They also work well for those that are new to the job market and have not racked up a significant amount of work experience. A creative resume can highlight your skills and proficiencies while hiding the deficiency in your work experience.
Thus, creative resumes are replacing the traditional resume every day, as more and more people gravitate towards giving their CVs their own unique flair.
Tips for Making Engaging Creative Resumes
A creative resume, while being better than a traditional resume in many ways, requires careful consideration to be effective and engaging. Here are some tips that can make your creative resumes stand out from the crowd
Layout
Use columns and different layouts to include as much information as possible within a single page. Columns can effectively utilize a lot of the blank space that otherwise would have been unutilized in a traditional setup. A common multi-column layout is a narrower left column and a wider right column. The left column contains information that can be stated in words or small phrases, such as contact information, personal information, portfolio links, language skills, etc.
Balance of Information
A resume should be top-heavy. What this means is that all your important information, which you think will be critical to the position, should be stated in the top half of your resume. For instance — work experience, education (for new graduates) or achievements.
Links and URLs
Often resumes are asked to be submitted online and are perused online as well. As such, a great way to provide additional context is by directly linking your LinkedIn profile, portfolio or website. Creative resumes allow for linking to become part of the effectiveness of your resume, and it’s a good idea to provide a direct link for the recruiters to click on and look at your work samples.
Fonts and Colours
Gone are the days of monochrome. Incorporate colours in your resume that is understated, yet allow for highlighting and space divisions in your CV. Moreover, using different fonts for different parts, such as heading and content, can break the monotony of your CV by incorporating different visual elements, making it more interesting for a recruiter. Don’t overdo it though, as that can take away from the professional and clean look of a resume.
Keep it Simple
At the end of the day, your work should speak for itself. And your resume needs to reflect your professionalism and seriousness to work. Using graphics, fonts and colours can make for an effective resume, but only when it’s done in moderation and done right. It can be a difficult thing, knowing when to stop. An easy alternative to making your own CV is using templates that are formulated while keeping these principles in mind.
Content tips…
As you consider your layout options, it is critical to never lose sight of the content. A great layout needs to be complemented with great well-thought-through content. The content must not only carry essential information but also create a narrative that illustrates where you’re coming from and where you intend to go with your career.
We highly recommend your resume includes the following content at a minimum
- Contact Information — Name, Phone Number, Email, and LinkedIn Profile URL.
- Portfolio Link (if any) — Google Drive, Dropbox, Website link, or any other portfolio hosting service URL.
- Objective Statement — The purpose of your resume, i.e. your purpose for applying for jobs vis-a-vis your goals and career ambitions.
- Employment History — Your work experience so far. For new graduates, internships and part-time work experience also count.
- Achievements and Major Successes — List of any major accomplishments made in previous places of employment. This can be added within employment history, or as a separate section.
- Educational Qualifications and Achievements — Degrees, certifications, diplomas, professional training certificates, and any other educational qualification which is relevant to the overall job description.
- Keyword from JD — Read and analyze the job description for the job you’re applying for. Identify the keywords mentioned in the requirements of the job. Make sure to include them in your CV in case there is an ATS system that automatically checks for those keywords.
- Other Information — This can include language skills, vocational training, volunteer works, academic accomplishments, or any other information that may not fit in the previous categories but can prove to be beneficial for a particular job listing.
Try to use action words, verbs that indicate your direct contributions, and actions in your prior experiences. Explain what you did and how you did it concisely, rather than using adjectives to build up your accomplishments without substance. Take a look at the STAR Interview methodology to communicate key points in your resume.
Also, include metrics wherever possible. Quantify information that can be quantified, as they can provide a better understanding of your work ethics, experience, and expertise than abstractions and textual descriptions. As an additional tip for your interview, go prepared with your 30 60 90 day plan for a new job.
SlideUpLift Resume Format Templates
Making good and effective creative resumes, without compromising on the clean and professional look required for one, is difficult. As such, using SlideUpLift’s fully editable and visually engaging resume format templates make sense. These resume format templates are built keeping in mind the principles of vision science to gain attention, differentiate your candidacy and increase the likelihood of success.
Source: Animated PowerPoint Resume by SlideUpLift
The above template is an example of a resume format template that are animated and showcases all your personal and professional highlights in an engaging manner.
Source: Resume Timeline by SlideUpLift
The above type of resume format templates focuses on the timeline of your career progression.
Source: Resume PowerPoint Template by SlideUpLift
Source: Resume PowerPoint Template by SlideUpLift
Find more collections of creatively designed Resume Format Templates and CV Templates.
Conclusion
Creative resumes are a trending way to make an impact during the recruitment process. Making a successful creative resume however requires a lot of attention to detail and a clear vision of what you intend to portray. That’s where SlideUpLift resume format templates can help speed up the process for you and help you get your foot in that door.
About SlideUplift:
SlideUpLift is an online platform to help professionals make compelling presentations using principles of vision science and storytelling. The platform contains an online library of pre-designed presentation templates that can be used across industries and functions.
Check out our library of free PowerPoint templates, which are weekly updated to serve professionals’ presentation needs. You will find out the simplicity and ease in downloading the editable template, filling it with your content, and building world-class presentations in just a few clicks.
Originally published at https://slideuplift.com on August 13, 2021.
