Recruiters see hundreds of resumes every day. But they don’t read them all. Some of them they can’t even bear to look at. The funny thing is that recruiters are just waiting for something to finally catch their eye.
Why can’t that be your resume?
This quick guide will show you all the tips and tricks you need to know in order to write an eye-catching resume that will definitely get noticed. You will also see a gallery of eye-catching resume templates that will help you get that dream job.
Let’s get started!
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Looking for more inspiration on making your resume stand out? Check out our other aesthetic guides:
- Simple Resume Templates
- Minimalist Resume Templates
- Unique Resume Templates
- Visual Resume Templates
- Infographic Resume Templates
- Creative Resume Templates
- Modern Resume Templates
- Two-Column Resume Templates
- One-Page Resume Templates
- Blank Resume Templates
- Resume Examples for Any Profession
The Most Attractive Resume Templates That Will Get Noticed
Now that you know what you want to say, it’s time to dress your resume up so that it can go places.
Here are 8 amazing and stylish resume templates that will have recruiters picking their jaws up off the floor.
1. Cascade by Zety
One of our bestsellers, this is one of the leaders of eye-catching resume templates. Take notice of the skill progress bars on the left-hand side of the page. That’s a sight for sore eyes when most resumes require the recruit to dig around for information. Use that to your advantage.
2. Concept by Zety
A nearly empty blue side bar draws the reader’s attention to the center of the page. Note the smart use of icons that capture the roving eye and lock it on what’s important—you.
3. Crisp by Zety
Crisp as the autumn air, this fresh design is more than aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Icons and the lack of color focus the recruiter’s attention instead of being distracting and annoying.
4. Diamond by Zety
The Diamond template is what you get when you put pressure on experience and top job skills. It screams professionalism from a mile away and that’s exactly how to get your resume noticed.
5. Modern by Zety
If this attractive resume template pops up anywhere, all eyes will be on it. A smart, professional use of icons and geometric shapes puts emphasis where it needs to be—your experience and expertise.
6. Valera by Zety
If you want a stylish resume, Valera can help. This template adds a fancy creativity to get your resume noticed and put a gleam in the recruiter’s eye. A soft, flowing font gives this template a more personalized feel and is definitely one of the top eye-catching resumes out there.
7. Vibes by Zety
Vibes is one of those eye-catching resumes that hiring managers can’t keep their eyes off of. Squared away and organized, Vibes demonstrates that you know your stuff and are a professional. Icons, progress bars, neat sections—it’s all you need to get your resume noticed today.
8. Minimo by Zety
A minimalist’s dream, this eye-catching resume draws attention for not being full of colors, bells, and whistles. The cold, hard facts is what you get with this template, showing the hiring manager that you mean business. A welcome sight for any recruiter.
When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional resume template here for free.
When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.
How to Write an Eye-Catching Resume That Will Get Noticed
Not interested in the tips and want to skip straight down to the “easy on the eyes” templates? You can do that here (but let me tell you, you’re missing out, these tips will get your resume noticed!)
So let’s break eye-catching resumes down into 20 key elements that will have your resume turning heads.
1. Crunch some numbers
Nothing is more eye catching than numbers on a resume. The benefit is twofold: numbers make a stronger, easier to understand statement than words do and they take up less space on the page. Instead of saying “increase in sales and revenue” say “15% increase in sales and increase in revenue of $27K.” See the difference?
2. Use bullet points
You’re looking for a job, not writing the next great, American novel. Keep it short and snappy and make it easier for the hiring manager to skim and read. They’ll thank you for it.
3. Write a strong resume summary or resume objective
If you botch this part up then the recruiter isn’t going to read the rest. Go for the resume objective if you’re new on the market and highlight your skills and goals. The resume summary is right for you if you have several years of work experience and you can lean on your job experience and know how.
4. Include your soft skills
In today’s workforce, soft skills are actually more important than hard skills. Why? Hard skills can be taught on site if need be. Soft skills take a lot more effort to develop. Recruiters are going to be ecstatic when they see the soft skills they want on your resume.
5. Add your hard skills and technical skills
You’ll always find hard skills requirements in any job ad so leaving them out on your resume will have you taking a major hit. Don’t list all the hard skills you have though. Keep it relevant to what the recruiter wants.
Technical skills are always useful to add since nearly everything has something to do with technology. Don’t be vague about it either. “Good computer knowledge” doesn’t really mean anything. Get specific, add in level bars or resume icons if you can.
6. Tailor your resume
Generic resumes? “Yes, please” said no hiring manager ever. Tailoring your resume to the company and position you’re applying to will show that you’re serious and not just spamming recruiters left and right.
7. Show off your LinkedIn profile
A LinkedIn profile can be pretty powerful in terms of getting a hiring manager to learn more about you before they even ask you for an interview. Before you put it in your resume header, make sure it’s up to date—otherwise you can hurt your chances.
8. Include volunteer experience
Volunteering is often overlooked because people think that no one cares about it. Not true. Volunteering can actually prove that you have the skills and experience the employer is looking for. It doesn’t matter that you did the work for free—work is work. This is especially valuable for candidates with little to no work experience.
9. Don’t be afraid to add your internships to your resume
The approach to internships is very similar to that of adding volunteering on a resume. Especially if you’re writing a recent grad resume, internships are a great way to smuggle in proof that you have the experience and skills the employer is looking for. Make sure they’re relevant and pack them with action verbs and things you learned.
10. Studied abroad? Mention it
The reasons you chose to study abroad will be the same reasons that the employer will be intrigued by it. You’re open to challenges, probably know a foreign language, and aren’t afraid of stress. That’s powerful.
11. Use action verbs
No one’s going to hire you to just sit around all day so let the verbs you use show just how ready and engaged you are to work. Toss out weak verbs like “did, wrote, held” and replace them with action words like “devised and introduce, created, spearheaded.”
12. Include resume keywords
Resume keywords can make or break your resume since lots of companies use an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) to scan resumes and fish out keywords that they’re looking for and rate resumes on the basis of that. Use industry keywords and those in the job ad to raise your chances.
13. Show yourself through your projects
Projects are a great way to show your skills and expertise at work and they’re not just for project-focus positions either. Mention what you did, how it worked, and how you overcame the struggles along the way. Recruiters will love it.
14. Always flaunt your foreign language skills
In today’s day and age of globalization, the knowledge of foreign languages is something that plays hugely in your favor. Make sure to make it clear what level your foreign language knowledge is at. And don’t lie about it, recruiters will check.
15. Hobbies & interests can ramp up your resume
While no recruiter is interested in your bug collection, they might be interested in other hobbies that relate to the position you’re applying for. Let’s say you’re applying to be a content writer— the fact you write short stories shows that you really love writing and could bring a lot of enthusiasm to the role.
16. Include your achievements & awards
This isn’t about boasting and mentioning your gold star at your 5th grade spelling bee. Add those awards and achievements that will show recruiters that you’re really an expert in your field.
17. Don’t be too quick to add your photo
Gone are the days when adding a photo to your resume was compulsory (unless you’re a model, actor, or similar). Now it’s seen more as something that can potentially lead to hiring discrimination. Keep your photo off, they’ll see you during the interview.
18. Make things pretty with resume icons
This is a quick and simple way to really give a modern vibe to your resume and make it stand out from other resumes sporting walls of text. Use them to differentiate between sections or to showcase your skills or additional information.
19. Use a professional resume font
You may think that your font choice doesn’t really make much of a difference, but let me ask you this—how many resumes written in Comic Sans do you think are accepted monthly? Yup, zero. Choose a professional, modern resume font that will give your resume some style.
20. Format your resume like a pro
Take a look at any professional in any field—they all look the part. The same goes for your resume. Make sure your resume format is clear, concise, and sleek and that your resume margins, spacing, and fonts are all perfect.
You don’t have to include every single tip to make an eye-catching resume, but sprinkle in those that make sense in your specific situation and watch recruiters stand up and take notice.
Read more: What Makes a Good Resume?
There you have it! Armed with this set of tips and tricks you can make any resume a professional version of drop dead gorgeous and have the top eye-catching resume in the biz.
Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:
See more cover letter templates and start writing.
Thanks for reading! Do you have any hacks to make sure your resume gets noticed? Share them in the comments below!
