Professional Resume Templates: Samples, Templates, and Writing Tips

In today’s competitive job market, a professional, experienced resume format is indispensable. Every year a large number of graduates pass out in any given stream of subject. Science, Engineering, Humanities, Professional studies, etc. The next step these graduates take is to apply to the industry and get a job. Enter the Resume. A resume is relevant information about yourself. 

What is a professional resume format?

Today’s recruiters do not have the time to go through hundreds or even thousands of resumes that they receive in response to any open positions.  Therefore, the first thing to do is be visible. You can do this by being as brief and to the point as possible. The professional resume format will highlight your relevant skills and your work history. In short, the document is giving the most relevant information to the reader who can make a decision. It is a professional experience resume.

The brevity of your resume will decide whether it gets read at all by any recruiter. That is why it is essential to use a sample resume template for a professional resume.

Sample Resume Template

There are many sites online which cater to such a requirement. These sites will introduce you to a professional resume template which is your first requirement. They will tell you the types of formats that are prevalent in the industry. The sites will also give you tips for writing a professional resume.

One of the reasons why first-timers should follow the guidelines of the sites is that most of them are recruitment sites and are constantly in touch with the industry and the latest trends in recruitment.

For the same reason, even a seasoned professional with more than one job under their belt will do well to pick up a professional CV format from these sites.

First, one should read some professional resume samples, which will give an idea to the first-timer (and the professional). 

Three main resume formats are being used in 2021.

1. The Chronological Resume – As the name suggests, this goes by a specific order. 

• Contact Information
• Summary
• Education 
• Skills, 
• Experience
• Additional information (any work done, talents, etc.) 

The Chronological format is for anyone whose career shows constant progress. A steady rise in position and responsibility. This format reads well for a rising career graph. This format is also for entry-level graduates and academicians and those in fields that require research.  

1. The Functional Resume
   This format will focus more on relevant skills than your work history. The format helps tell the recruiters how well you fit into the job.

• Contact Information
• Summary
• Skills, 
• Experience
• Education 
• Additional information (interests, etc.) 

This format helps those who have a gap in their career. If you have changed career paths or even the industry, this format will quickly convince the recruiter that you have the necessary skills despite the break or the change in the industry. This format is handy for creative people who tend 

to have multiple skills or talents.

1. The Combination Resume – This is a combination of the above categories. It includes work history and relevant skills.

• Contact Information
• Overall summary
• Most relevant skills, 
• Work Experience
• Education 

This format is for those who are seeking a transition in their career. Here the format will highlight your work history and your relevant skills. In this way, the recruiter reading the resume will quickly gain insight into your career. They will know what you were doing earlier and how well you will fit into your new job role. Older experienced professionals will find this format most suitable to present their skills and experience with equal weightage.  

The Applicant Tracking System (ATS)

The recruitment process in most companies, especially those with a large pool of employees, is automated. The recruiters use the Applicant Tracking System to filter out the resumes which are not relevant. The key for any applicant is to get past this system and its intelligent bots. The ATS is why an applicant needs to follow a sample resume template for a professional resume.

The Professional Resume Email Template

One area where first-timers and often professionals tend to make mistakes is underestimating the importance of the email to which your resume is attached. The email is your cover letter which gets you the ‘foot in the door.’ The recruitment and the ‘write your cv’ sites will give you professional email writing examples.

Tips to Write a Professional Resume

Your resume format should be divided into broad categories. 

1. The format should have a professional introduction about yourself
2. Details of your education, any other achievements besides education. The section could also include your talents. 
3. This section should mention your professional goals 
4. Professional summary for resume. (read more often by recruiters)

The above are just the broad categories. When you sit down to write a resume, there are many other points that you need to remember to include in it. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, we can say that one has to prepare well enough before applying for a new job. The environment has become fiercely competitive. Be it for the fresher or the seasoned professional.  Some of the human element in the recruitment process has reduced, and bots now decide if your resume should reach any recruiter at all. This automated process has made it almost mandatory that you follow a professional experience resume format.  

Finally, what is a professional resume template depends on what it does for you. Any professional CV format you use should ensure that your resume reaches a recruiter who then calls you for an interview.

FAQs  

Why is a resume important?

A resume is like a portrait of a person, only in words. Like a picture, it will give a professional introduction to the recruiter and help him decide whether you are suitable for the post open with the company. Using a professional format will make your resume stand out and get the recruiter’s attention.

What is a professional resume format?

A resume format is a structure of the resume which is accepted in the industry. The format goes down to the details. You have to decide the length of the resume and the font. Then comes the header format, the footer if recommended. What margins to keep, how much should be the line spacing, and so on. It is best to look at a sample resume template to start with.   

What are the main resume formats? 

The three formats generally used are the Chronological format, Functional format, and Combination format. Using a sample resume template for a professional resume is vital to achieving the main objective of writing a resume. That is to get the attention of the recruiter. The formats cover all types of jobs and experience and help the applicant convince the recruiter of their suitability for the job. A format will put the applicant into perspective. 

How relevant is a professional summary for a resume? 

It is not recommended that you write a resume like an essay. A resume should be a professional introduction to who you are. If this becomes lengthy, the resume probably will not be read, leave alone selection. The summary becomes essential here. In a few words, if well written, the summary will convince the recruiter of the candidate’s suitability.

Why is a covering letter important?

A covering letter is supposed to introduce the applicant to the recruiter. It should highlight very briefly why the candidate is applying for the particular job.

A covering letter gives a gist of your resume, a trailer of what the recruiter will read in the actual resume. There should be enough in the covering letter to make the recruiter go and read the resume. Professional email writing examples are available on the internet, which can guide you on this topic. It is recommended that you look at a professional introduction about yourself before writing a cover letter or an introduction.

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