How to Create an Eye-Catching Polished Resume

What is a polished resume?

A polished resume is carefully created, edited, and proofread, including only the most impactful details and delivering them in an easy-to-digest manner. These documents help convey your qualifications so the employer understands your relevancy to a role, typically as quickly as possible.

While this may sound like a standard resume, traditional applications may be text-heavy, overwhelming, and list responsibilities in a disengaging way. Standard resumes may also spill over into two or three pages, while polished ones summarize all important information in just one page.

Polished resumes set candidates apart for two major reasons:

• They describe qualifications accurately, showing their value and impact
• They detail your information succinctly, saving a recruiter’s limited time

These documents correctly describe your background while showing respect to your potential employer. They’re also straightforward and simple to create with the right tips.

Key elements of a polished resume

A well-written, polished resume can be broken down into distinct elements. Review the following components and keep them in mind as you get started:

• Organized and logically ordered
• Clear, visually appealing formatting
• An engaging, brief resume summary or objective
• Qualifications that are strictly related to the job description
• Powerful work achievements described with quantified achievements
• Keywords and terms from the job post to help your resume pass the applicant tracking system (ATS)

Now, let’s dive into a step-by-step guide on how to incorporate these elements and build a polished resume.

How to polish resumes: Step-by-step guide

Here’s our in-depth guide on writing a polished resume, from choosing a format to editing and proofreading. We recommend bookmarking this page for a quick reference whenever you update your resume.

1. Choose the right format

Start with a clean, professional layout. It should have a simple header, a side column for small details, and a large central section for work experience and education. Make sure each section has clear, bolded headings and bullet points for straightforward organization.

Use appropriate fonts, like Arial, Calibri, and Georgia. These fonts are easy to read and commonly used, so hiring managers are comfortable with them. It’s also important to check your text spacing – it should be 1.0 or 1.15 to be properly readable.

2. Craft an impactful summary or objective

A resume summary or objective is the first thing a hiring manager reads, so the stronger you make it, the more likely they are to continue reading your resume.

This description should be two to four sentences long and contain the following elements:

• Your job title
• How much relevant experience you have (typically in years)
• Two to three essential role skills
• One measurable metric to display your competencies

Here’s a quick example:

3. Showcase your best work achievements

Next, continue to your Work Experience section. This is the most important section, so put your best efforts here.

List two to four previous job roles in a reverse-chronological format, starting with your most recent role and working backward. Write a separate header for each role unless you have held multiple positions at the same company.

For each work entry, provide the job title, company name, location, and date of employment. Underneath, provide a bullet list of achievements detailing your strongest accomplishments using numbered metrics. This shows a tangible outcome that the recruiter can really understand and compare to their open role.

Here’s a sample work entry to use as inspiration:

4. Optimize for ATS

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) scan resumes for appropriate keywords to ensure they’re relevant to the company’s open role. Including the right terms helps your application pass through this software and land in the hiring manager’s inbox.

How do you find the right keywords? Thoroughly read the job description and make note of the job title, responsibilities, and skills. List any achievements that align with their requirements and mimic the language to optimize your resume and increase your chances of landing an interview.

Read our complete guide on crafting an ATS-friendly resume for extensive tips and tricks.

5. Edit and proofread

Read your resume carefully and make edits, removing unnecessary words and clarifying wherever possible. Once you believe it’s ready, we still recommend asking a friend or colleague to review it. A second set of eyes is beneficial and can spot details you might miss, like confusing technical jargon.

We also recommend using AI-powered platforms and tools like Grammarly to check your grammar and enhance total engagement. These programs aren’t entirely reliable, so it’s a good idea to balance software and real human advice.

Looking for a solid example of a polished resume? Check out our resume samples and review realistic examples of our tips from different industries.

Common mistakes to avoid

Polished resumes aren’t just about adopting positive best practices – it’s also important to actively avoid pitfalls. Here are the most common mistakes, how they affect a polished resume, and tips on mitigating them:

• Listing irrelevant details: Some of your achievements are impressive but not strictly relevant to the role in question. Read the job description to make sure every detail you provide is appropriate.
• Using generic terminology: Avoid vague, overused terms like “team player” and “self-starter.” Instead, describe these qualities, such as a detailed achievement that showcases your collaboration skills.
• Neglecting typos and errors: Double-check your resume to make sure no grammatical or spelling mistakes are left behind. Small errors can leave a damaging impression on recruiters.
• Using inconsistent formatting: Ensure you use the same formatting throughout your resume. For example, if you bold work headings and italicize the details underneath, make sure to do it for each entry.
• Providing lackluster achievements: Don’t list simple role responsibilities in a rapid list. Instead, describe engaging achievements that measure your success with tangible numbers.

Tools and templates for a polished resume

A polished resume may sound a little intimidating, but not to worry – you aren’t on your own. Many useful tools are at your disposal to help you create an effective, optimized resume. Here are a few handy resources:

• Polished resume templates: Professional resume layouts have professional, premade formatting, subtle yet engaging splashes of color, and distinct sections.
• Resume builders: Tools like CVwizard walk you through the process, using a simple drag-and-drop interface to create new sections and edit fields, allowing you to download a complete resume quickly.
• Actionable guides: Learn and adopt best practices by reading resume tips. Our library contains dozens of articles on varied topics, so you can study unique situations and receive relevant information.

Advanced tips for taking your resume to the next level

Your polished resume should be good to go, but there are a few advanced tips and tricks if you want to add that extra something. Here are a few advanced strategies:

• Include a LinkedIn URL: Add your LinkedIn profile link to your contact details, alongside your phone number and email address. This gives more insight into your professional background and behavior and gives the recruiter another way to connect with you.
• Provide a portfolio link: Include a link to your creative portfolio or GitHub so hiring managers can see your work in action. 
• Incorporate creative elements: Build a creative resume and include design elements like extra colors and graphics. This works best for creative fields like graphic design and fashion.
• Build your network: Go beyond just a resume submission and take an active approach to your application. Connect with prominent members of the company on LinkedIn and send the hiring manager an email. You’ll stand out as an important candidate when you take such initiative.

Polish your resume and truly display your skills

A polished resume succinctly and accurately describes your qualifications, communicating your true skills to the hiring manager. Keep descriptions concise, add impactful statistics, and optimize for applicant tracking systems to build the most powerful resume you can.

Don’t forget to take advantage of all the tools available to you. CVwizard is a wealth of resources to help you craft a beautiful, polished resume that catches the recruiter’s eye.

Try our resume maker to craft a professional application in minutes. It’s lightning-quick and easy to edit, so you can update and tailor your resume for each application. Get started today and land your dream job.

References:

(1) Forbes, April 17, 2013: 7 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Your Job Search