A well-chosen resume template can be the difference between getting your dream tech job or missing out like so many other candidates.
But how can I choose the best resume template, you’re probably asking? That’s what you’re about to find out.
In this guide, you’ll be able to learn how to find, modify and send in a perfectly prepared resume that’ll help you land the tech job you’ve been craving.
Where Can You Find Resume Templates?
Unless you fancy yourself a designer it’s easier and a lot faster to use a premade or customizable template to create your resume. This not only speeds up the process a lot but also can help you get your layout properly optimized with the right sections.
It’s possible to find free templates around a lot of places on the internet. Most notably Microsoft Word and Google Docs offer a few layouts that you can use by replacing the preview text with your own details.
But you’re out to get your dream job and these templates probably won’t make the grade for that. They can be finicky to edit and aren’t necessarily optimized for online tools like Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), which 98% of Fortune 500 companies use.
Instead, it’s better to use a professional resume builder tool. These can help you choose an easily customizable professional design. They will also often help you with important preparation tips to make sure you get the most responses possible from your sheet.
Chronological or Functional Formats?
The format you choose for your resume is a big decision to make. In most cases, this is easy to figure out as the conventional wisdom is to use a reverse-chronological design.
This works well as it shows your most recent (and therefore most relevant) experience first of all. It also helps build a sense of narrative to your career showing where and how you’ve grown directly.
However, sometimes a different approach is necessary. You may in some cases find that a functional resume works better for you.
This places a lot more emphasis on your skillset rather than your experience. In tech, this can sometimes help give you the edge over the competition, especially in situations where you have less recent experience but still have relevant abilities or specialized skills.
We all need to start somewhere and if you’ve developed skills in a field that’s hiring a lot of candidates but have no practical experience it might be worth trying a functional template out.
Whichever you choose, make sure it fits your personal situation and also the job you’re aiming to get.
Tips For Choosing the Best Resume Template
Ok, so you’ve chosen your format. How do you make sure the rest of your resume lives up to your professional promise?
To choose the right template for a tech job you need to consider what’s going to be in it. For most jobs in tech this will include:
• Proven work experience in your field
• A broad and specialized skillset
• Formal qualifications for your area of focus
What Should My Resume Template Look Like?
Tech sector resumes need to cram in a lot of detail. So you need to choose a template that can display all that properly without cluttering the information.
It’s best to choose a template that either arranges all the information in one or two main columns. This will allow you to create neat sections that will help organize all of your data.
Ideally, for a tech job, you should add the following sections:
• Work experience
• Skills Education
• Certifications
These will always vary depending on your background or if you have any special achievements such as awards to promote or you’ve done volunteer work in the past.
How “Good” Does My Design Need to Look?
Another consideration is making your template eye-catching. It’s fair to say that less is more in this case. The most important thing is that it’s professional and easy to read.
You don’t need to overdesign a resume. Most successful resume templates will just use a little color to make the headers and dividing lines stand out.
Some resume templates you find online will even include a few little icons to add a touch of visual spark to your doc. Just make sure that these designs are properly prepared for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
Let’s take a look at what this means in practice.
What About Getting Past ATS?
Last but not least you need to choose a template that won’t run into trouble against ATS.
As we’ve already mentioned, the grand majority of top employers today will use this software to quickly filter through the many applications they receive.
What does that mean for your resume exactly? Well, it basically signifies that you should:
-
Choose an ATS-friendly file format
-
Use simple, machine-readable template designs
-
Avoid custom fonts or graphics
-
Include plenty of relevant keywords
The best file formats are simple ones that software won’t have too much trouble parsing. A word file is all fine and good in most cases but it’s better to use a clean file type like .PDF or .TXT.
As we’ve already mentioned, you also want to keep your basic template design on the simpler side. Don’t include too many custom columns or dividing lines as these might confuse the ATS software.
The same is true with custom fonts or graphics you include. These will not only make it harder for the machine to read, but it’ll also make it tough for any people reading it which is the last thing you want.
A little of the effort also relies on the text you include in your finished file. ATS usually scans for relevant keywords and if you don’t include enough related to the position it’s curtains for your application.
This is also true if you stuff in too many relevant terms too, so don’t get too trigger-happy adding too many of the same job-specific words.
In Summary
Choosing the best resume template to secure your next tech job isn’t too complicated in practice. However, you have to take special care to make sure that you find an option that is stylish and conveys everything you need to show why you’re the best candidate for the job.
What matters most of all is that your template:
• Stands out
• Is organized
• Has a machine-readable file format
As long as you take care of those fundamentals you’ll be on the right track.