“Impact doesn’t always have to be measured by metrics,” she says. If you’re drawing a blank, she suggests adding resume skills that can help solve a “problem area” for the company you’re applying to. Statistics that build upon your skills section are most impactful - bonus points if they show a track record of growth, revenue, and profitability, Leavy-Detrick says. To prove you’re worth a hiring manager’s time, highlight recent examples of what you bring to the table. If you’re in a creative industry, design and communication skills might be your best bet.

If you’re in a tech-driven field, software and programming expertise is what employers want to see on your resume. Hard skills, tangible attributes that can easily be measured, take precedence here, so highlight them accordingly. The top of your resume should include 'critical keywords and a quick snapshot of your core strengths,” Leavy-Detrick says. “Stick to one color, and one color that’s going to print well.” Add a Skills Section in Your Resume If you do use color, “Use it sparingly,” she warns. “It’s very minimal, and gives a bit of a design element,” Leavy-Detrick says. But subtle pops of color, like the orange used here, will work for just about everyone. If you’re applying for an investment banking job, a hot-pink resume probably won’t do you any favors. Sans serif fonts usually work best - Franklin Gothic, Calibri, and Avenir (the last of which we used for the attached template) are three of Leavy-Detrick’s favorites.

You should use the same font style throughout, Leavy-Detrick says, but play with different weights and sizes to draw a recruiter’s eye to key parts of your resume. There is no one specific 'best' font for resumes. A recent study from the job site Ladders found that resumes with so-called F-pattern and E-pattern layouts, which mimic how our eyes tend to scan web pages, hold a recruiter’s attention for longer than those aligned down the center, or from right to left. When it comes to resume format and design, opt for a clean layout. Hawaii Alaska Florida South Carolina Georgia Alabama North Carolina Tennessee RI Rhode Island CT Connecticut MA Massachusetts Maine NH New Hampshire VT Vermont New York NJ New Jersey DE Delaware MD Maryland West Virginia Ohio Michigan Arizona Nevada Utah Colorado New Mexico South Dakota Iowa Indiana Illinois Minnesota Wisconsin Missouri Louisiana Virginia DC Washington DC Idaho California North Dakota Washington Oregon Montana Wyoming Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Pennsylvania Kentucky Mississippi Arkansas Texas Get Started The Best Resume Format

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