21 Top Tips for Writing and Formatting a Resume 2026

Are you sending resumes to hundreds of employers and recruiters, only to get little or no response? Writing a resume, CV, and cover letter that attracts employers is a skill many people struggle with. This is why understanding how to write and format a resume in 2026 matters. It is your fighting chance to stand out from the crowd.

While recent studies show that most recruiters spend more than the widely quoted “7.4 seconds” scanning a resume, they still spend well under a minute on this task (Sources: InterviewPal & Jobseeker).

Further, ATS effectively filters and ranks applications, meaning up to 75% of resumes or CVs may never be seen by a human reviewer if they rank poorly against the job criteria. If your resume does not communicate relevance and value almost immediately, it is unlikely to progress.

This guide outlines 21 practical tips for writing and formatting a resume that gets noticed. It covers how to highlight achievements, use a clear structure, and format your resume so it works for both recruiters and applicant tracking systems. By the end, you will have a clear framework for creating a resume that improves your chances of securing interviews.

Key Takeaways:

• Keep it concise: Your resume or CV length should reflect your experience level. One page is often enough for early-career roles, while experienced professionals may require two pages.
• Tailor it carefully: Avoid using a generic resume or CV. Adapt your content for each role by aligning your skills and achievements with the job description.
• Quantify your impact: Numbers, percentages, and outcomes help employers quickly understand the value you brought to previous roles.
• Use strong action verbs: Start bullet points with clear, purposeful verbs that demonstrate responsibility and results.
• Use keywords naturally: Keywords should appear in context within your experience, not as isolated lists. This improves both ATS parsing and readability.
• Prioritise readability: Use a clean layout, professional fonts, clear spacing, and bullet points so recruiters can easily scan your resume.
• Proofread thoroughly: Spelling and grammar errors can undermine otherwise strong applications. Review carefully and consider using tools to catch mistakes.

What are the Top Tips for Writing and Formatting a Resume? (In Detail)

1. Your Resume Should Be One to Two Pages Long

For many years, jobseekers were told that a resume or CV should always be limited to one page. This advice is still widely repeated, but it is now outdated when applied universally.

In 2026, resume or CV length depends on experience level, role seniority, and regional expectations. The goal is not to hit a page limit, but to present relevant experience clearly and completely.

General guidance:

One Page

• Best suited to entry-level candidates, recent graduates, or those with limited work experience.
• Still preferred in many cases where roles are junior or narrowly defined.

Two Pages

• Increasingly standard for mid-career and experienced professionals.
• Appropriate when you need space to show progression, measurable achievements, leadership responsibility, or technical depth.
• Commonly expected in the UK, Ireland, much of Europe, and New Zealand, where a CV is often two pages by default.

More Than Two Pages

• Rarely recommended outside of academic, research, or highly technical roles.
• Only appropriate when publications, certifications, or specialist experience are directly relevant to the role.

A two-page resume or CV in 2026 is not a sign of excess. When done well, it reflects completeness rather than padding. What matters most is relevance. Every line should earn its place by showing impact, capability, or growth.

2. Keep Your Resume Concise and to the Point

• When it comes to resume writing, brevity is critical. 
• Keep your resume concise and to the point by including only relevant information that aligns with the job you’re applying for. 
• Avoid lengthy paragraphs and instead briefly list your qualifications and achievements. This will make your resume more straightforward and organized.
• A succinct resume is more likely to attract the attention of recruiters, who typically spend less than a minute during an initial scan.

3. Tailor Your Resume to the Role.

• Do not use the same resume for each role you apply for.
• Rather, examine the job description and tailor your resume or CV to highlight your relevant skills, experiences, qualifications, and knowledge.
• Further, leave off all irrelevant work experience, skills, and achievements.
• Finally, if you have yet to gain experience directly related to the job duties, focus on your transferable skills.

By tailoring your resume, you demonstrate to the hiring manager that you are a strong fit for the role, the company culture and have taken the time to understand the company’s needs.

4. Include a Brief Professional Summary or Personal Profile at the Top of Your Resume

• A professional summary, also called a personal profile, should appear at the top of your resume or CV and quickly communicate your value to the recruiter.
• Its purpose is to summarise your key skills, experience, and achievements in a few focused lines that encourage the recruiter to keep reading.
• Traditional career “objectives” are now largely considered outdated, as they focus on what the candidate wants rather than what they offer the employer. In most cases, a strong summary is far more effective.
• Avoid generic descriptors such as enthusiastic, hardworking, creative, or good communicator. Instead, use this space to highlight specific skills, experience, or outcomes that are directly relevant to the role.

5. Focus on Your Quantifiable Achievements in Your Previous Jobs Rather than Your Job Responsibilities.

• Quantifying your accomplishments on your resume or CV can significantly enhance its effectiveness because it helps recruiters visualize your contributions. As a result, you will make a compelling case for your candidacy.
• Quantifying your achievements with numbers or percentages can demonstrate an impact in previous roles. It also provides concrete evidence of your accomplishments, helping hiring managers gauge your performance. 
• Instead of vague statements like “increased sales,” specify the extent of your success, such as “boosted sales by 30% in Q2.”
• Quantifying accomplishments in the work experience and skills sections of your resume is essential. 
• Simply listing your job responsibilities is not helpful, as it does not demonstrate that you succeeded in the role or achieved results.

6. Incorporate Keywords on Your Resume

• You should incorporate keywords from the job description, your company research, and those relevant to the industry or field on your resume, as this helps demonstrate relevance to both recruiters and applicant tracking systems.
• Modern ATS typically ranks and organizes resumes rather than automatically rejecting them, so using relevant terminology in context can improve how your resume is surfaced to recruiters.
• Keywords are most effective when naturally integrated into your experience and achievements, rather than listed in isolation.
• By strategically incorporating relevant keywords throughout your resume, you align your qualifications with the job criteria and clearly communicate your suitability for the role.

7. Use Strong Action Verbs

• Strong action verbs to describe your work experience and achievements are essential when creating your resume. 
• Opt for powerful verbs like “orchestrated,” “pioneered,” and “executed” to convey your impact effectively. 
• Utilizing such verbs adds dynamism to your resume while also capturing the attention of hiring managers. 
• Select specific action verbs that match the skills and experiences required for the job you’re applying for. 
• Using varied, impactful action verbs can elevate your resume’s quality and make it more engaging to recruiters.

8. Avoid Clichés and Jargon on Your Resume

• Steer clear of clichés and industry-specific jargon because they may cloud your message and fail to communicate your value effectively. 
• Instead, opt for clear, straightforward language that compellingly articulates your skills and experience. 
• Further, avoid overused phrases such as “team player” or “detail-oriented,” and focus on describing your unique strengths and accomplishments. 

9. Use a Clean, Simple, and Readable Format.

• One of the most important formatting principles is to use a clean, simple, and readable layout that works well for both human readers and applicant tracking systems.
• Many resumes and CVs are first reviewed on screens or mobile devices, so overly complex layouts and decorative templates can reduce readability.
• Modern ATS systems perform best with clearly structured content, standard headings, and consistent formatting rather than visual design features.
• Unless you are applying for a role in a creative field, most hiring managers prefer:
  • A white or neutral background
  • A font size between 10 and 12 points for body text
  • Black or dark text for maximum contrast
  • Plenty of white space
  • Left-aligned content
  • A readable, modern font such as Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, Roboto, or Georgia
  • One consistent font throughout the document
  • Bold text to highlight section headings, job titles, or qualifications
  • Italics should be used sparingly where helpful, rather than for decoration.

10. Maintain Consistency in Your Resume Format

• Consistency in resume formatting is crucial to creating a professional and polished document.
• Ensure that the font, font size, spacing, margins, alignment, and style remain uniform throughout your resume to maintain a cohesive look.
• Maintaining uniformity in your resume formatting creates a visually appealing, easy-to-read document.

11. Use Bullet Points for Easy Scanning

• Use bullet points to organize information in a concise and easy-to-read format because they guide the reader’s attention to essential details, ultimately increasing the chances of your resume standing out.
• Bullet points can help the recruiting manager quickly scan your qualifications and work experience, highlighting key points effectively.

12. Ensure Proper Use of White Space

• White space, or the empty spaces on your resume, helps ensure it’s easy to read and enhances its overall aesthetics.
• Adequate white space around text and sections can also improve visual clarity and make your resume more inviting to the reader.
• Further, white space helps to guide the reader’s focus on key information.
• As a result, you should avoid overcrowding the document with excessive information, as it can overwhelm the reader and hinder information absorption.

13. Divide Your Resume into Clear Sections, Using Appropriate Resume Section Titles

• The Resume Section Title (sometimes called Heading) should be two font sizes larger than your text (i.e., size 14 font).
• You can also set apart the Resume Section Titles by making them bold and underlining them.
• Resume Sections which you should include on your resume include:
  • Resume Header (more info on this in the next point below)
  • Personal Profile
  • Skills / Competencies
  • Work Experience
  • Education History
• You may include additional headers, such as:
  • Licenses and Certifications 
  • Languages and Proficiency 
  • Awards and Achievements
  • Courses / Additional Training

14. Include a Professional-looking Header

• Your header should include your name and key contact information and appear clearly at the top of your resume or CV.
• In most cases, this includes your email address, phone number, and a link to your LinkedIn profile or professional portfolio where relevant.
• It is no longer standard practice to include a full street address. Listing your city and country, or city and region, is usually sufficient.
• Ensure your header is clear, concise, and visually distinct so recruiters can quickly identify your details.
• Using a consistent font and layout for your header helps create a strong and professional first impression.

15. Use a Professional Email Address

• Use a professional email address that includes your name or initials.
• Avoid quirky or informal email handles, as they can create a negative first impression.
• Ensure that your email address matches the name used on your resume and LinkedIn profile to avoid confusion.

16. Resume Margins Should Ideally Be About One Inch On All Sides

• If you need more space, reducing the margins to as low as half an inch can be acceptable, but you should never reduce them lower than that. 
• Resumes with margins of less than half an inch are hard to read, appear overcrowded, and are generally unappealing. 
• On the other hand, if your margin is larger than one inch, your resume will look bare, giving the impression you need more experience. 

17. Utilize Online Resume-building Tools and a Resume Template

• Use online resume-building tools and templates (if helpful) to create a professional and visually appealing resume.
• These tools and resources offer customizable layouts and design options to help you craft a standout resume easily.
• Select a resume template that matches both your industry and personal style.
• If you are uncertain whether you should use an AI Resume Builder to write and format your resume or CV, read Can AI Write My CV? Revealing the Truth!

18. Proofread Your Resume for Errors and Typos

• Before submitting your resume, thoroughly proofread it for any errors, typos, or grammatical mistakes. 
• Many Recruiting Managers immediately discard resumes with spelling and grammar mistakes.
• I also recommend using Grammarly to check your document. You can get free versions of Grammarly. 
• You can also use the spelling and grammar check in Microsoft Word or Google Docs. 

19. Seek feedback from peers or professionals

• Seek feedback on your resume from trusted peers or professionals in the industry.
• Constructive feedback can help you pinpoint what needs improvement in your resume or CV and enhance its overall effectiveness.
• Engage actively with Career Coaches, Career Advisers, or mentors to gain valuable insights into resume best practices and industry-specific trends. They guide you in tailoring your resume to meet hiring managers’ expectations.
• By seeking feedback from knowledgeable sources, you equip yourself with the necessary tools to refine your resume and increase its impact, ultimately boosting your likelihood of impressing prospective employers and securing employment opportunities.

20. Send your resume as a PDF

• Save the final version of your resume or CV in PDF format and keep an editable copy in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or your favorite word-processing app.
• Send the PDF version of your resume or CV (unless an employer specifically requests a different format) to the recruiting manager to ensure they can open it without the formatting changing.
• Some ATS prefer DOCX uploads, so employers may request a DOCX version or another format on occasion.

21. Regularly Update and Revise Your Resume

• Regularly update and revise your resume to showcase your recent accomplishments and skills.
• Keeping your resume current also ensures you can seize fresh opportunities and advance your career.

Conclusion: Writing and Formatting a Resume

Mastering the art of writing and formatting a resume is essential for standing out in 2026, as hiring processes have become increasingly competitive and selective. These 21 powerful tips can guide you in creating a professional resume that showcases your skills and experience and captures the hiring manager’s attention. Don’t settle for a resume that blends in. Take action today and ensure your CV is a powerful tool that secures interviews. Remember, your resume is your first impression. Make it a lasting one!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Writing and Formatting a Resume