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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

quentin
“Arno is a master of creating an achievement based resume that sets the candidate apart. He showcases one’s accomplishments in a professional, aesthetically pleasing presentation. His methodology for working with clients is logical and makes it easy for the client to focus on identifying their achievements. Arno is pleasure to work with in the process. I recommend him for any C-suite executive ne…
Quentin Smith, CPAChief Financial Officer (CFO)
Nitin Gogtay
Arno was very helpful in helping with with creating a linkedin profile, resume as well as his guidance and tips on how to make myself visible. He was always responsive, knowledgeable and fun to work with. I highly recommend him for his services
Nitin GogtayBoard Certified Psychiatrist
Matthew Getz
I have worked with Arno on two separate occasions. The first time was to create my resume and cover letter. He writes beautifully and taught me the importance of focusing on, not only what I want to be, but the best way to present it. His advice was invaluable and I landed a job quickly as a result. The second time was the creation of my LinkedIn profile, which I am delighted with. His input guide…
Matthew GetzVice President
V
“Hi Arno, The resume looks amazing.”
Raphael BouchereauSales & Marketing Manager
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Arno is genius in what he does.After reviewing my skills, experience and achievements, he prepared the best resume, cover letter and LinkedIn profile. Highly recommend
Shareef Kassim
Paula Gurnett
Arno did an incredible job of updating and putting my resume together. He worked closely with me to gain an understanding of my previous experience as well as my current career goals. He is highly skilled at writing resumes in a very clear and professional manner and I have had interviewers comment on the quality of my resume, before offering me a position. I believe that Arno’s resume work has he…
Paula GurnettCanadian Certified Counsellor
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“Hi Arno, My sincere thanks to you as I start my new job at Anthem. The resume that iCareerSolutions redid for me landed me this job with 25% increase in base pay. It really helped get my resume to the top of the stack of 200 applicants, out of which 40 video interviews were picked, and 5 were picked for second interviews. I just got the offer and I start July 6th. Thank you for your intervie…
Libby MathaiPrincipal Data Consultant
Men in blue shirt
Thanks for the draft. It looks good.
Balaji SanthanamMBA at Freddie Mac
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I have no comments. This looks great. You have captured everything.
Heather Adams
Man in black suit
I had the pleasure to work with Arno on my resume. I found him to be very professional and he provided good feedback. I am very happy with the my newly revised resume and actually just received an offer for a new role. I have been very impressed with Arno’s knowledge and skill. I fully recommend anyone seeking to update their resume to seek out his services. …
Tim PeeneyVice President

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