The Best Resume Templates For Each Industry To Help Yours Stand Out
Chances are that the resumes of a graphic designer and a biochemical engineer will look vastly different – not just in skill but in the layout, design, and feel itself.
What Is a Resume?
An employer’s first impression of a candidate
A professional get-to-know-you handout
A personal branding tool
A one-page document outlining your achievements and skills
However you want to define it, the bottom line is that your resume is an important professional tool that will come in handy when applying to and interviewing for jobs. Indeed defines it as “a formal document that displays an individual's professional background and relevant skills.” You can decide what you personally want to include or not include on a resume, but, traditionally, it will include education, awards, skills, and previous work experience.
The Evolving Resume
Before the age of social media and constant online connectivity, resumes were standardized: always a one-page, single-spaced, black and white, printed document with 12-point Times New Roman copy. But with the rise of social media and the personalization of online materials, resumes have evolved with the times. Now, resumes come in all types of styles, layouts, and platforms. Since candidates apply for jobs exclusively online, resumes have become a practice in the art of search engine optimization. They “are now written in ways that bring in a significant amount of web traffic, rather than written to please a general audience of hiring managers.”
Resumes are now written in ways that bring in a significant amount of web traffic, rather than written to please a general audience of hiring managers.
According to CNBC, 99% of large companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) which employ bots to scan candidates’ resumes for keywords. Based on the keywords found, a resume will either be rejected or moved along to the next step of the application process. These systems have become popular among large companies because they save hiring managers a lot of time reading resumes.
While it may be disheartening that a robot decides whether you’re qualified for a job, what’s even more difficult to digest is that slightly under half of resumes are not compatible with ATS. But that doesn’t mean that half of submitted resumes are unqualified for the job! This is why it’s critical to know how to work ATS to your advantage. Using keywords and phrases that match job descriptions and submitting your resume in the requested file format are some of the best ways to outsmart the bots.
Remember, the purpose of a resume is to highlight key information about your professional background, so try to keep the tone polished while still showcasing your personality. I know, easier said than done. So check out our collection of resume templates by industry below.
Resume Templates by Industry
Creating a resume from scratch is daunting. Not only is it difficult to decide what to include content-wise, but it’s even more of a challenge to choose a layout, font, and design that is professional yet showcases your personality. Don’t work harder than you need to; these templates are here for you to download and use at your leisure.
For Graphic Designers and Creatives: It’s common for creative jobs to treat resumes as a sampling of the candidate’s work. Allow your creative ideas, design skill, and personality to show through!
For Lawyers and Academics: Those who work in academia tend to prefer more traditional resumes. And in some cases, an institution or firm may even require specific formats for their candidates’ resumes.
For Doctors, Scientists, and Researchers: Similar to academia, doctors, researchers, and anyone in medicine stick with more technical resumes that showcase their skills and experience.
For Graduate School Candidates: A grad school resume could vary greatly depending on the type of schooling you’re seeking. But don’t be afraid to experiment with fonts and copy colors. It’s never a bad idea to ask for resume advice from a mentor or more experienced colleague.
For Businesswomen: Business resumes are another that vary greatly depending on what facet of business you belong to – finance and marketing will likely look quite different from one another. The linked templates are just a starting point, so feel free to edit and make them your own.
For Teachers: If you want to be a teacher, use your resume as an opportunity to showcase your background in tutoring, coaching, volunteering, or educating others.
For Engineers: There can be a lot of relevant skills that an employer of an engineer would want to see in a candidate. Use these templates to help narrow yours down and make it personal to your experience.
For Entrepreneurs: Entrepreneurs are known for being business owners or self-starters, but that doesn’t need to (and maybe shouldn’t) be the only information that an employer knows about you. Use your resume to tell your entire story.
For Entertainers: Like creatives, entertainers can be crafty and original with their resumes. Don’t be afraid to add color, images, or semi-personal anecdotes to your resume.
For IT Experts: Information technology is another industry in which hiring managers could be searching for specialized skills. Check out these examples for inspiration on how to put your best foot forward.
For Those in the Service Industry: The service industry operates very differently from the corporate world, which could mean that employers will be more accepting of different types of resumes. Learn more using the attached templates.
For Those Seeking International Employment: If you’re looking to work abroad, do some research first on the role of the resume in your desired location. Not all countries and industries treat them the same.
For First Job Applicants: Applying for your first job is full of unknowns. Part of this process is learning how much you don’t know about the professional world. Use online resources and templates like the attached to educate yourself on resumes.
Closing Thoughts
These templates are just starting points to stimulate ideas for your resume. They are meant to be edited with a heavy hand and personalized to tell your professional story. And while untraditional resumes are increasingly popular, remember that a resume is not a social media profile. Feel free to experiment with its design but keep content as the top priority. With the rise of ATS, now more than ever, content has become increasingly more important than design when it comes to resumes. While we’re in an age of evolving resumes and employers are more open to new resume styles, remember that a resume is still a professional document.
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