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Professional Resume Writers “Rule of Two” for easy to read resume formatting

Our certified professional resume writers suggest using this rule to maintain formatting that is pleasant to the eye. Unlike in flower arranging were odd numbers rule, in resume writing, we use “two” as the magic number. Unless you are a professional graphic designer, go by the “Rule of Two or less”:

  • No more than 2 fonts.– Defaults like Times New Roman, Arial, and Calibri are a safe bet, while Georgia and Cambria are great for headers. And don’t go lower than 10 pt in font size. Use the same font for all headlines or other sections that are repeated throughout the resume.
  • No more than 2 colors.– Aside from black or dark grey for the text, you may safely use light blue, grass green, or some other neutral color to embellish section headers. Take care not to pick hues that are too bright, as these are distracting. Now of course there are some exceptions, our executive resume writers can brand a client with a more dynamic presentation but it must be created using a professional designer. Here is a couple of resume examples created by our award-winning resume team. Chief Financial Officer Resume Example, VP of IT Resume Example, and Chief Technology Officer Resume Example.
  • No more than 2 types of bullets.– And only one of them should be fancy (i.e. a checkbox or an arrow). There are a lot of new options available so take some time to really match every element in the resume to your brand. This may seem like a minor detail but you only have one chance to make a first impression. Having a perfect resume might be the one thing that pushes you to the head of the line over the hundreds of other candidates.
  • Boldfacing, italicizing, underlining, and using small caps in a phrase all at once is overdoing it. Combining any two of the above-mentioned formatting tools is okay. We use boldfacing to drive the eye to the results of your achievements. Each of these formattings is used for specific reasons. We know that using all caps and boldfacing while texting is like screaming at your audience, so be careful to use them correctly. We emphasis certain words that we want the reader to remember. Even punctuation is a powerful tool to guide the reader!

And here are a couple of other helpful tips on resume formatting:

  • Regardless of how much (or how little) formatting you decide to apply, make sure you leave enough white space. Again it is about making your resume easy to read while guiding the reader to important sections.
  • Avoid lengthy paragraphs. Opt for bulleted lists and clearly defined sections instead. As stated before, this allows the reader to quickly scan your resume for information. Most recruiters only spend a few seconds to review your resume and will not read the entire document, unless they are very interested.
  • Make sure your formatting is consistent. That means the same design of headers, same font, and size for the main text, same intervals between sections, and so on. A messy resume represents an unreliable candidate. If you cannot take the time to have a perfect resume, then will you take the time to do my job successfully?

A well-formatted resume can help you get an interview!

So just like a spelling mistake on your resume can harm your chances of getting that dream job so will a poorly formatted resume. Take the time to make your resume perfect. If you are struggling reach out to a professional to assist you. Hiring a professional resume writing service can be the best money you spend on your career! For a free resume consultation, contact iCareerSolutions award-winning resume service use this booking link.

Let us help you land your next position by crafting the best ATS optimized resume or by managing your entire job search. Here’s more information about our Resume Writing Services and Reverse Recruitment Service. Book a call today to speak directly with our CEO and Founder, Arno Markus!

About iCareerSolutions

iCareerSolutions, America’s #1 Executive and Professional Resume Writing Services, Reverse Recruitment, and LinkedIn Profile Development Company. 28X award-winning resume writers deliver professional resumes that get interviews. We have successfully landed our executive clients senior-level leadership positions at companies like Apple, Amazon, EA, Oracle, GM, Google, Facebook, DoJ, Gap, and 2U just to name a few. iCareerSolutions has 200+ 5-star reviews and offers a 60-day interview guarantee. Every resume template created is Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) compatible and highly customized to meet your unique needs.

Active Members of The National Resume Writers’ Association (NRWA) │ The Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches (PARW&CC) │ Career Directors International (CDI) │ Career Professionals (CPC) │ Forbes Coaches Council

One of the Top Multi-Award-Winning Resume Writing Services in the country.

Book a complimentary consultation for your Professionally Managed Job Search now!

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Here are some of our Top Resume Testimonials

Ciprian Porutiu 1
Arno’s structured approach to eliciting details of my professional and personal background allow me to obtain a classy “business card” (aka Resume) that I have used as a template for my career advancement. Thanks Arno for the great way to connect with your clients and the outcome of your work. I would definitely recommend his professional resume writing services….
Ciprian PorutiuVice President
Laura Cocuzzi
I’ve had the pleasure of working with Arno over these last few years. Arno’s perspectives and expertise, coupled with a direct and honest approach brings forward great insights and quality in the work he delivers. Whether his clients are in junior to senior level roles, his adaptability and experience shines through in the resume package, so long as the client is open to receive feedback and d…
Laura CocuzziSupply Chain & Technology Change Leader
Marc De Luca
Hi Arno, I’ve read through the documents and I have to say I was quite humbled to read how you positioned my skills and accomplishments.  While I know I did these things or at least participated as one of the leads, it was still humbling to see them on paper. After reading through the documents 4 times, I struggled to find anything that needed update – you followed one of my mantras of doing…
Marc De LucaIT Business Enablement Leader
Hector Moran
I would like to remind how important could be an outstanding resume and a well-structured cover letter when you start a job search. Bear in mind how crowded is the job market nowadays. Having said that, Arnold is the quintessence in terms or professional resume writing, someone that identifies from the very beginning the key strengths of a person in order to present the best picture in a very conv…
Hector MoranSenior Portfolio Manager
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Hello Arno, Yes, I did. The finals look great!
Ernie Phillips
Oktawiusz Olszewski
I highly recommend Arno Markus for his exceptional service in creating my new resume and LinkedIn profile. Arno’s expertise and professionalism shone through every step of the process. He skillfully highlighted my strengths, resulting in increased attention from potential employers and connections. Working with Arno was a pleasure, and I am grateful for the positive impact he has had on my caree…
Oktawiusz Olszewski
Delores Clemons
I have been in my role for the last four years. My successful journey to land this position started with letting Arno and his team update my resume. They assisted me with rebranding myself and highlighting my skills and talents which emphasized my competitiveness. Thank you Arno!
Delores Clemons
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Arno helped me update my resume and LinkedIn profile. He was very effective, they look great, and he had great turn around time. I received several positive comments on both from recruiters so far.
Joseph Gresham
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What is a resume used for – Arno taught me that my resume is not just a list of positions I have held. It helps me in finding the position I am looking for and is a document that assist potential employers see who I am.
Brady Zagami
Kerri Schaffer
Arno was phenomenal – quick, knowledgeable and professional. He knows his stuff!
Kerri Schaffer

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