What Does the Best Resume Look Like?

A great resume is a clear, focused snapshot of your professional story. The best resumes are clean, easy to read, and tailored to your desired job. They highlight accomplishments with real results, use keywords that match the job posting, and present your experience in a logical format. Whether you’re just starting or have years of experience, knowing what makes a resume stand out can land more interviews and move you closer to your career goals.

How a Well-Designed Resume Can Boost Your Job Search

Your resume is usually the first thing a recruiter sees. A well-designed resume clearly presents your qualifications, guiding the reader’s eye and helping key information stand out. It also plays a big role in how your resume performs in applicant tracking systems (ATS), which scan for structure, keywords, and formatting. While getting creative is tempting, the best resumes strike a careful balance between style and professionalism. Clean lines, consistent formatting, and thoughtful use of white space can help your resume feel both modern and easy to read. Design isn’t just about looks, but about making your resume work harder.

Key Features of a High-Quality Resume

1. A clean, professional layout 

The layout of your resume plays a big role in how both humans and ATS receive it. Choosing the right format — chronological for clear job progression, functional for skill-based roles, or a combination of both — sets the foundation. Use easy-to-read fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Georgia, and keep font sizes between 10 and 12 points for body text, with slightly larger headings. Proper line spacing and generous white space help avoid visual clutter and make your resume easier to scan quickly. Consistent alignment, margins, and section headers create a polished look that feels professional and ensures ATS can easily parse the content. A clean design ensures your resume is accessible, readable, and effective.

2. A strong, well-structured header 

Your resume header should be easy to locate and instantly provide the information employers need to reach you. Include your full name, phone number, professional email address, LinkedIn profile, and a portfolio link if you’re in a field like design, writing, or development. Skip your full home address, which is outdated and unnecessary. Instead, list your city, state, and zip code. Ensure your email is simple and professional (e.g., [email protected]). This section may seem basic, but a clean, well-structured header sets the tone for your resume and ensures you’re easy to contact.

3. A compelling summary or objective 

Your opening statement should introduce you in a few clear, targeted sentences. Experienced professionals should use a summary to showcase their top skills, key accomplishments, and career direction. Entry-level applicants or those making a career change can use an objective to express their goals and how they plan to contribute to a company. A good summary might say, “Detail-oriented marketing analyst with 5 years of experience driving campaign performance and boosting lead conversion by 40%.” An effective objective could be, “Recent finance graduate seeking an analyst role to apply data modeling skills and support strategic business decisions.” Whether it’s a summary or an objective, this short section sets the tone and helps recruiters quickly understand your value.

4. A well-organized work experience section 

The work experience section is where you prove your impact. List your roles chronologically, starting with your most recent job. For each entry, include your job title, employer, city and state, and dates of employment. Use bullet points to describe your responsibilities and, more importantly, your achievements. Start each bullet with a strong action verb and, whenever possible, back it up with numbers — for example, “Increased team productivity by 25% through streamlined workflow.” Address employment gaps briefly and positively, such as highlighting freelance work, volunteering, or continuing education. Career changers should focus on transferable skills and results that show readiness for a new direction.

5. A relevant skills section showcasing hard and soft skills

Your skills section should be more than a generic list; it needs to reflect the specific qualifications the job posting asks for. Prioritize hard skills, such as software tools, programming languages, or industry-specific knowledge. Soft skills like leadership or time management can be included, but back them up in your work history rather than listing them alone. Tailor this section for each job application, matching your skills to the keywords in the job description. For example, a digital marketing resume might include “SEO strategy,” and “Google Analytics.” Avoid outdated skills or overused terms like “proficient in Microsoft Word” as they don’t add much value.

6. A clear and concise education section

Your education section should be straightforward, with degrees in reverse chronological order. Include the degree name, institution, city and state, and any relevant certifications. You don’t need to include graduation dates unless you’re a recent graduate. For students or entry-level applicants, including GPA (if 3.5 or higher), relevant coursework, or academic honors can be helpful. Certifications should be listed with the issuing organization and the date earned, if it shows your current qualifications. In technical or regulated industries, certifications like CPR, CompTIA, or PMP, can help your resume stand out quickly.

Additional Resume Features That Make an Impact

7. Certifications and licenses

Certifications and licenses can give your resume a competitive edge, especially in technical, health care, and project-based fields. If your certifications are a key part of your qualifications, list them in their own section. For example, Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Project Management Professional (PMP), or Google Ads Certification are immediately recognizable credentials. Use a consistent format: include the full title, issuing organization, and year earned, such as “Certified Scrum Master (CSM), Scrum Alliance, 2025.” If your certifications are minor or closely tied to your education, including them under your education section is fine. Ensure all certifications are current and relevant to the role you’re applying for.

8. Professional memberships and affiliations 

Listing professional memberships shows you’re engaged in your field and committed to staying current with industry trends. This can be especially useful in roles where ongoing learning or networking is important — like engineering, education, or marketing. Include the name of the organization and your role if you held a leadership position. For example, “Member, American Marketing Association” or “Chapter Treasurer, National Association of Social Workers.” Leave memberships off your resume if they aren’t relevant or you’re no longer active in the group. Highlight the affiliations that align most closely with the job you’re targeting.

9. Awards and honors 

Awards and honors can help distinguish your resume by showcasing exceptional performance or recognition from past employers, schools, or industry organizations. Include anything that reflects your strengths, such as “Employee of the Year,” or “Top Sales Performer.” Where you place this section depends on the type of award. Academic awards can go under education, while professional achievements might be listed near your work history or in a separate section. Describe the award clearly and, if needed, provide context for why it was given. A well-placed award can provide strong, immediate evidence of your value.

10. Optional sections 

Optional sections can add depth to your resume, especially if they reinforce your fit for a particular job. If you speak multiple languages, list them with your proficiency level. This can be especially valuable in customer-facing or global roles. Volunteer work that’s relevant or demonstrates leadership, teamwork, or dedication can also strengthen your application. Include publications if you’ve written articles, reports, or research in your field. Put these details toward the end of your resume and format them clearly, using bullet points or short descriptions. Only include optional sections that support your professional goals and keep your resume focused and concise.

Resume Design Mistakes That Can Cost You the Job

Design can make or break your resume. One common mistake is cramming too much text onto the page, making it hard to read. Long paragraphs, tiny fonts, or excessive bolding can overwhelm recruiters and cause them to miss key details. Another issue is using overly creative designs. Bright colors, headshots, and graphic-heavy layouts may look appealing but often confuse ATS, which prefer simple, clean formatting. Choosing the wrong resume format can also hurt you, like using a functional layout when a chronological one better shows your experience. Finally, spelling and grammar mistakes create a poor impression. Always proofread carefully or ask someone else to. A great resume blends strong content with smart design choices.

Frequently Asked Questions About What Does a Resume Look Like?

What makes a resume stand out to employers?

A strong resume is clear, well-organized, and tailored to the job. It highlights achievements using numbers and relevant keywords.

What should the best resume include?

The best resume includes a professional summary, work history with measurable impact, education, relevant skills, and certifications.

What is the most effective resume format?

The reverse-chronological format is the most effective. It emphasizes recent experience and shows a clear career progression.

Best Resume Examples

1. Project Manager Resume Example

Why it fits: This resume shows leadership, results with metrics, and a clean format that works well for ATS.

2. Entry-Level Marketing Assistant Resume Example

Why it fits: Clear layout, tailored summary for a beginner, shows relevant internships and transferable skills.

3. Registered Nurse Resume Example

Why it fits: Industry-specific terminology, proper formatting for certifications, highlights results in patient care.

Kara Dennison

Head of Career Advising

Kara Dennison, SPHR, CPRW, EC is an Executive Career and Leadership Coach, Organizational Strategy Consultant, and CEO of Optimized Career Solutions. With certifications as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), Professional Resume Writer (CPRW), and Encouragement Consultant (EC), Kara brings a unique blend of strategic insight, behavioral science, and personal development to her work. Her career began in corporate recruiting and HR leadership, where she partnered with C-suite executives to hire top performers and reviewed more than 500,000 resumes. That experience ignited her passion for helping high-achieving professionals clarify their path, tell their story with impact, and advance into roles they love.

Today, Kara coaches executives and consults with organizations on culture, communication, and leadership development. She’s been named a Top 101 Global Employee Engagement Influencer by Inspiring Workplaces for 2023, 2024, and 2025, and contributes regularly to Forbes on topics like career growth, leadership trends, and the evolving workplace. Her work has appeared in Fast Company, LifeHacker, Thrive Global, and other leading outlets. Through one-on-one coaching, brand strategy, and organizational consulting, Kara’s mission is simple: empower professionals and leaders to live impactful lives, showing up with clarity and confidence so they and their teams can thrive.