Choosing the Right Template

Choosing the right resume template is crucial for making a strong first impression. Different templates work better for different industries, experience levels, and personal styles. This guide will help you select the perfect template.

Template Options

Resumedit offers several professional templates, each designed for specific purposes:

Modern Template

Best for: Tech roles, creative positions, startups, modern companies

Features: Clean lines, contemporary design, color accents, modern typography

The Modern template uses a sleek, contemporary design with strategic use of color and whitespace. It's perfect for candidates in technology, design, marketing, and other forward-thinking industries. The layout emphasizes your skills and achievements while maintaining readability.

Professional Template

Best for: Corporate roles, finance, consulting, traditional industries

Features: Classic layout, conservative design, traditional formatting, professional appearance

The Professional template follows traditional resume conventions with a clean, conservative design. It's ideal for roles in finance, law, consulting, and other traditional corporate environments where a more formal appearance is expected.

Role-Focused Template

Best for: Product managers, executives, strategic roles, leadership positions

Features: Two-column layout, highlights section, achievement-focused, strategic emphasis

The Role-Focused template uses a strategic two-column layout that emphasizes your key achievements and impact. It includes a highlights section at the top and is designed for candidates who want to showcase their strategic thinking and leadership capabilities.

ATS-Optimized Template

Best for: All industries, large corporations, government positions, ATS-heavy applications

Features: Plain text format, standard sections, ATS-friendly, keyword optimized, maximum compatibility

The ATS-Optimized template uses a plain text format with standard section headings. It's designed specifically to pass through applicant tracking systems (ATS) used by many large employers. While less visually appealing, it maximizes your chances of being seen by hiring managers.

Why Choose ATS Templates?

Guaranteed compatibility with all major ATS systems
Higher parsing accuracy for your resume content
Better keyword recognition and matching
Reduced risk of formatting errors during upload

When to Use ATS Templates

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are software used by employers to manage job applications. Over 98% of Fortune 500 companies use ATS, and many smaller companies do too. Understanding when to use ATS-optimized templates can significantly increase your chances of getting an interview.

Use ATS Templates When:

Applying to large corporations: Fortune 500 companies, enterprise-level organizations, and companies with 500+ employees almost always use ATS
Government positions: Federal, state, and local government jobs require ATS-compatible resumes
Online applications: When applying through company websites, job boards (Indeed, LinkedIn, etc.), or applicant portals
High-competition roles: When hundreds of applicants are expected, ATS helps ensure your resume gets parsed correctly
When unsure: If you're not certain whether a company uses ATS, err on the side of caution and use an ATS template

Benefits of ATS Templates

✓ Maximum Compatibility

ATS templates are designed to work with all major ATS systems including Taleo, Workday, Greenhouse, Lever, and more. They use standard formatting that these systems can easily parse and understand.

✓ Better Keyword Recognition

ATS systems scan resumes for keywords related to skills, experience, and qualifications. ATS templates ensure your keywords are properly formatted and easily detected, improving your match score.

✓ Accurate Content Parsing

Standard section headings and formatting ensure that your work experience, education, and skills are correctly identified and categorized by the ATS, preventing important information from being missed.

✓ Reduced Formatting Errors

Complex formatting, graphics, tables, and special characters can confuse ATS systems. ATS templates use simple, clean formatting that translates perfectly when uploaded.

✓ Higher Application Success Rate

Studies show that resumes optimized for ATS have up to 75% higher chance of being seen by human recruiters. If your resume doesn't pass ATS screening, a human will never see it, regardless of how qualified you are.

Important Note

Even if a company accepts resumes via email or in-person, many still scan them through ATS systems for record-keeping and candidate tracking. Using an ATS-optimized template ensures your resume works in all scenarios.

How to Choose

Consider Your Industry

Creative Industries (Design, Marketing, Media): Modern template works best
Tech Startups: Modern or Role-Focused templates
Corporate/Finance: Professional template
Large Corporations: ATS-Optimized (strongly recommended) or Professional
Government/Non-profit: ATS-Optimized (required for most positions)
Healthcare/Education: ATS-Optimized or Professional (many use ATS systems)

Consider Your Experience Level

Entry-Level: Modern or Professional templates work well. Focus on education and skills.
Mid-Level: Any template can work. Choose based on industry and personal preference.
Senior/Executive: Role-Focused or Professional templates emphasize leadership and achievements.

Consider the Job Application Method

Online application portal: Almost certainly uses ATS → Use ATS-Optimized template
Email application: May still use ATS → Use ATS-Optimized template to be safe
In-person/networking: Less likely to use ATS → Can use Modern or Professional template
Recruiter referral: May bypass ATS → Can use Modern or Professional template

Pro Tip

Research the company culture and application process. Tech startups often prefer modern designs, while traditional corporations may prefer professional formats. However, when applying online or to companies with 100+ employees, always prioritize ATS compatibility. When in doubt, use the ATS-Optimized template to ensure your resume gets through applicant tracking systems.

Template Comparison

Template	ATS-Friendly	Visual Appeal	Best For
Modern	Good	High	Tech, Creative
Professional	Good	Medium	Corporate, Finance
Role-Focused	Fair	High	Leadership, Strategy
ATS-Optimized	Excellent	Low	All Industries

Customization Options

All templates can be customized:

Accent Colors: Choose colors that match your personal brand or industry
Section Order: Rearrange sections to highlight your strengths
Fonts: Templates use professional, readable fonts optimized for print and digital
Spacing: Adjust margins and spacing to fit your content

Remember

You can preview templates before committing, and you can always switch templates later. The content is preserved when you change templates, so experiment to find what works best for you.