Choosing the Right Template For Your CV

Understanding the layout and format that highlights your unique credentials and skills can help you create a perfect resume that can make a positive impression on the employer. A resume template is a structural guide and design for professional CV writing. It includes the use of a variety of easy-to-read fonts and balancing white space and text. A combination of different layouts, distinguishing features, and format types create a perfect CV. Using the right templates can organise and highlight your experiences, abilities, and goals.

Template Options For CV Writing

• Traditional: this is widely used in professional CV writing. It usually features standard fonts like Courier and Times New Roman since they allow an ATS to read the resume easily. A traditional layout is made of a single colour and does not include any borders or graphics. It usually consists of a column that displays the applicant’s name and basic information in the header, followed by experience, certifications, education, and degrees. Underlined text, bold text, and italics can be used in such resume formats. This format is often used when applying to a company with conservative values. The single column in the layout allows more room to elaborate on the bullet points in each section. Thus it is a suitable choice for people with extensive experience and education.
• Creative: these layouts are expressive and bold and feature charts, columns, patterns, borders, applicant photos, and colourful graphics. This format makes use of multiple font types and sizes. It showcases the applicant’s creativity and personality to potential employers. Such formats are best for people applying for jobs where artistic talent, imagination, and design ability are valued.
• Modern: these are professional and contemporary and blend concepts from both creative and traditional layouts. Modern CVs are easy to read and scan. They feature two columns that separate basic and visual information from a person’s detailed history and experience. These templates use colours, geometric shapes, and hardlines to separate columns and subheadings. This layout is professional and stylistic, which makes it a good choice for skilled jobs.

Template Formatting Options

It refers to the structure and visual order of the resume sections. The two most common resume formatting options are:

• Functional resume format: this one focuses on the applicant’s skills and abilities and lists the goals sections towards the top of the document. It showcases how the applicant’s skills and talents relate or transfer to the job they are applying for. It is ideal for freshers and those seeking a major career or industry change.
• The chronological resume format lists job titles and educational endeavours in reverse chronological order. This means the most recent experiences are listed at the top of each section. This type of resume showcases the most recent work experience and educational accomplishments. It is perfect for those who have spent the bulk of their career working jobs related to the position they are currently pursuing, as well as for those with gaps in their employment. Chronological formats help to organise resumes that do not include dates. This ensures that the reader can easily see the applicant’s highest educational level, most influential job title, and highest rank when scanning.
• Storytelling resume: this format helps the applicant tell a narrative related to your career development, professional growth, and experience. It can describe the challenges the person has encountered, how they overcame them, and how it has prepared them for the prospective role. Storytelling resumes include characters, setting, obstacles and challenges, beginning, middle, and end, resolution, and the lessons learned.
• Human-voice resume: this helps the application documents be more memorable. This resume structure offers the reader a first-hand account of your professional development and career. It provides information about role-related skills, relevant experience, and how the applicant can apply the unique role-related knowledge.

How To Select The Right Resume Template For You?

• View Sample Templates: This will allow you the opportunity to see what options are available and which will be the most appealing. Use professional designs and free templates using Microsoft Word or Google Docs.
• Decide your objective goal: decide what you hope to achieve with your CV. Remember that your goals and objectives will likely change the formatting and layout.
• Analyse company culture and job type: company culture is the overall attitude, goals, and values of the company. It also defines the way people interact with each other at work. Find out whether the company you are applying to has a modern and upbeat culture or is more structured and traditional.
• Choose a professional introduction: a resume section summarising who you are as an employee so that the reader knows more about your experience, goals, and personality. The three most common professional resume introductions are resume summary, resume objective, and personal brand statement.
• Determine which features meet your needs: whether you want to include two columns, muted-colour geometric shapes, a professional photo, or a skills chart.

Conclusion

Make sure you research the company and the job role you are applying to and consider your professional goals for choosing the right resume template. Prioritise your interest and have a strong idea about your primary goals and desires.