Blank Resume Template

To get the job you want, you need to impress your potential employer — and to do that, you need a well-written resume that pushes all the right buttons. We can help. Follow our step-by-step guide to write your resume from top to bottom, and use our expert tips to make sure your resume is a perfect fit for the job.

How do you write a perfect resume?

Follow the below steps when you are creating your resume:

1. Keep your resume concise: Most employers only take a few seconds to read a resume, so the last thing you need is a resume with mounds of text. Just follow these rules of thumb:

• Shoot for two pages at maximum.
• Focus on skills and work examples that directly address what the job needs.
• Limit your work history to the last 10 years (unless you’re applying to a job that specifically requests more than 10 years’ experience).
• Use punchy phrases and bullet points rather than complete sentences.

2. Keywords are key: Employers will inspect your resume for important keywords that relate to the job, and so will applicant tracking systems (ATS) that recruiters use to scan resumes. To make sure you’re covered on keywords, go through the job description and find phrases and words that spell out what the job requires, including specific tasks, as well as hard and soft skills. Then find experiences and skills of your own that match these keywords, and include them throughout your resume.

3. Keep your layout straightforward: You may be tempted to “dress up” your resume using fancy graphics, charts and striking fonts. But doing so runs the risk of confusing recruiters as well as ATS scans. When in doubt, it’s always best to go with a straightforward, easy-to-read design. The one thing you don’t want is employers being unable to find the content they’re looking for because they’re thrown off by unusual fonts or images. For more expert advice on resume layouts, see our special section How to Design a Resume. To make extra sure your layout is employer-ready, you can also base your resume on an expert-designed template.

4. Don’t use too much jargon: You might want to prove you’re a seasoned professional who knows all the lingo, but loading your resume with too many acronyms and specialized terms can work against you, especially if your resume is being reviewed by a recruiting manager who might not be familiar with the job. If the job posting features a technical term or acronym (e.g., “PostgreSQL” for a software engineer position), you’re probably safe to use it; otherwise, spell out your jargon (e.g., “proficient in government-off-the-shelf (GOTS) software”).

A resume is the first document a recruiter reads when looking to hire someone, so it needs to be impressive and easy to read. This blank resume template already has everything lined up and you only need to add your own information to complete it. Bizzlibrary.com has many more documents that would be ideal for your business.