Polishing a resume

Whether you’re trying to nail down your very first job, pivoting into a new industry, or vying for a promotion, turning in a properly formatted, error-free job application is key. Discover why going the extra mile to deliver an impeccable resume has the power to make or break your job search.

What is a polished resume?

A polished resume is a well-written, professionally formatted resume that is tailored to the position you are applying for. It must be free of errors, and it should clearly and concisely highlight your relevant skills. 

Some job seekers may wonder whether all of this attention to detail matters. It certainly does — many employers care deeply about these things when selecting candidates for interviews and offers.

The typical job applicant will submit a basic, formulaic cover letter and resume. These applicants give minimal attention to design elements and formatting, provide the same generic summary to every employer, and list past roles with no actionable or quantifiable evidence of achievement and experience. Their documents may include awkward word choices and poor grammar.

As a job candidate, a polished resume has the potential to set you apart. Ensuring your document is concise and error-free enhances its clarity, which helps hiring managers better see why you’re the right candidate for the job. 

The proper resume format ensures that readers can easily find essential information about your qualifications and experience. It also shows that you are a detail-oriented candidate who goes above and beyond — qualities that employers appreciate and are often looking for.

Key elements of a polished resume

Before you attempt to polish resumes for job applications, you should decide which aspects of the document to focus on. An effective resume includes four key elements:

• Clear Organization and Formatting: Make sure that all of your personal and professional information can be easily found
• Well-Written Professional Summary: Open with a clear, concise, and compelling overview of your experience and accomplishments
• Actionable Bullet Points: Showcase your responsibilities and results with powerful and attention-grabbing language
• ATS-Friendly Resume Language: Ensure that an applicant tracking system (ATS) will recognize that your resume and experience are tailored to the job

Focusing on these resume formatting guidelines will help you create a highly professional resume that gets the right kind of attention from recruiters and hiring managers.

Step-by-step guide to crafting a polished resume

Creating a polished resume doesn’t have to feel daunting. Here is a simple process that will allow you to submit your best work with every application. 

Step 1: Start with a clean layout 

A clean resume layout is one that prioritizes simplicity and readability. Hiring managers in most industries appreciate the predictability of clean layouts because they make it easy to find critical information quickly and easily.

In addition to choosing the proper layout, you should also choose a resume font that is easily readable on-screen and in print. This is important whether you’re dropping off, mailing, or emailing a resume. Consider using a standard sans serif font like Calibri or Arial. If you use a serif font, stick to one that is relatively common, such as Times New Roman. 

Additionally, many polished resume templates maintain standard margins of one inch on all sides and line spacing between 1.0 and 1.15, which means you should do the same. This allows for plenty of white space without compromising scannability.

Step 2: Write an impactful summary that showcases skills and goals

Your summary is your formal introduction. It expounds on your resume headline by offering an overview of your job title, years of experience, and unique expertise. It should be no more than two to three sentences and include powerful, quantifiable examples of your professional accomplishments.

Step 3: Highlight achievements in the work experience section

Use the space under each job title to highlight what you accomplished in the role. Instead of focusing on generic tasks, use action verbs and provide examples of how your day-to-day responsibilities produced tangible results for the company. Where possible, use quantifiable metrics to demonstrate competency.

Step 4: Optimize for ATS by tailoring resumes to job descriptions

Your resume must include relevant words and phrases that are aligned with your industry and match what the target employer is looking for in a candidate. Include keywords from the job description throughout your resume, as this can help your document pass filters in ATS systems and make it to the hiring manager’s desk.

Step 5: Proofread and use tools to polish 

Finalize your resume by reading it over and having a friend or colleague do the same. Use AI-powered tools like Grammarly to spot and fix errors in grammar, punctuation, word usage, style, and tone. Going the extra mile to correct these issues can make your application shine bright.

Common mistakes to avoid

When tweaking your resume and cover letter templates, steer clear of the following pitfalls:

• Creating confusion by including irrelevant experiences and details
• Using generic phrases like “team player” instead of actionable phrases that demonstrate your traits 
• Using inconsistent formatting and design elements, such as fonts, line spacing, and margins
• Not correcting typos and grammatical mistakes, which can cause you to come across as careless

Keeping your resume free of these mistakes will result in a polished and professional document that hiring managers will appreciate.

Tools and templates for a polished resume

When creating your polished resume, you need the right resources to ensure success. Jobseeker not only provides you with plenty of advice for drafting your resume but also offers professional resume examples and templates for just about any industry. 

Jobseeker’s Metro template is an excellent example of a polished resume you can use to apply for jobs in industries that prefer a bold and updated look, such as fashion or hospitality. For administrative positions, you might consider the Elegant or Professional template to highlight your professionalism. 

Customize each template by adding accurate details and relevant sections for your industry. For example, a project manager might include a hard skills section that highlights their proficiency in specific communication and project management platforms.

For the ultimate polished resume, you can also use tools like Grammarly to check your grammar and tone, as well as AI detectors like GPTZero or Originality.ai to ensure that your language is clear and free of technical jargon.

Advanced tips for taking your resume to the next level

All you truly need to create a standout resume is to follow a simple step-by-step process. However, there are a few advanced resume tips you can use to really wow recruiters and hiring managers: 

• Include a portfolio link or LinkedIn profile to showcase your work, expertise, and endorsements from colleagues
• Use design elements sparingly to grab the hiring manager’s attention and demonstrate your visual and creative skills
• Connect with recruiters and hiring managers on professional networking sites and attend industry mixers to ensure your name stands out among the crowd

Use these next-level tips to indicate your eagerness for the opportunity, your fit for the position, and your ability to get the job done.

A polished resume makes your application stand out in the best way

Although there have been many debates over whether a basic resume, polished resume/CV, or stylized resume is best, research continually shows that polished resumes are the most effective at helping candidates quickly land new roles.

Whether you’re starting with resume and cover letter examples or building your application from the ground up, a polished resume will provide clarity, highlight your understanding of your potential employer’s expectations, and show that you are willing to go above and beyond.

When creating your polished resume, make sure to stick closely to the steps outlined in this guide and take advantage of the recommended tools and templates. With the right resources and a spirit of tenacity, you could be just one polished resume away from getting the role of your dreams. 

Sources:

(1) MIT Sloan School of Management: Job Seekers With AI-Boosted Resumes More Likely to Be Hired