The Winning 2018 Resume Template for Career Success

Makeda Waterman is a career blogger whose work has been featured on Glassdoor, CNBC, and other media outlets. Here, she shares her advice and tips for creating a resume that will impress potential employers.

As I stepped into my first college class, I had a dream of completing my degree so I could find my ideal job. Back then, however, I had no idea how to write a resume that would gain the attention of human resource recruiters and hiring managers. At the time, my experience in the workforce included being a note-taker and news writer for a college newspaper.

Through my college and career experience, I gleaned resume tips that helped me land a good job. The next time you are ready to embark on a job search, consider these helpful ways to get started.

Tailor Your Resume Template

To help a recruiter get a feel for the types of skills you can offer his/her company, I recommend writing a resume in your own words. There are useful resume templates that provide a format, colored font and a place to upload a headshot (if needed).

Color or No Color? That is the Question.

The idea of adding color to fonts on a resume is a good idea for a student pursuing a creative career. For example, a writer, graphic designer, artist, or photographer can use solid colors to show personality. If you are in healthcare, criminal justice, or IT, it is best to use black for the font color.

Font Types and Sizes

The font types that most recruiters appreciate are Calibri, Times New Roman, Arial, and Palatino Linotype. Font sizes to consider are 11pt or 12pt, with headings at 16pt.

Three Types of Resumes

The three main resume types used by job seekers are functional, chronological, and combination. Here is a brief explanation of what these resumes entail:

1. Chronological. A chronological resume serves as the template that reflects work experience. List your most recent internship or job first and continue listing your employment history in order of recency.
2. Functional. The best use of the functional resume is to highlight your experience and skills. I recommend writing Professional Experience as a heading, along with another heading that describes accomplishments and activities. Accomplishments may include  receiving scholarships, winning a college contest, being selected as an organizer for an event on campus, or interning at a reputable company. Activities include memberships in relevant professional or student organizations, tutoring, and volunteer work.
3. Combination. The combination resume starts with a description of specific qualifications and skills that can be used at work. The work history can start with the most recent opportunity, and include up to five previous internship or work experiences.

What if you have no work experience?

Have no fear. Some college or university experiences can be considered transferable skills, worthy of a resume. For example, if you conducted a science project within a group, include your efforts  that will show you’re a team player. If you started a side business of writing essays for students, list this experience, as well. The skills and qualities recruiters want to see on a resume are listed below:

• Collaborating with others.
• Communication skills.
• Problem-solving.
• Working under pressure.
• Creativity and innovation.

While the ability to write an award-winning resume is not essential, these tips can be applied throughout the entirety of your career. Good luck!