How to Use Minimalist Resume Templates This Year

Minimalist resumes are accessible and widely effective in a range of industries. This makes them suitable for any job search. Minimalist resume templates offer a range of benefits to job seekers, but the most important are:

• Readability
• ATS-friendliness

Minimalist templates are easier for applicant tracking systems and hiring managers to scan quickly. This means that they are more likely to rank well in ATS and, therefore, more likely to make it to a recruiter in the first place. Once your resume hits a hiring manager’s desk, it will have around 60 seconds to impress them; an easy to scan template makes this more likely.

What Makes a Resume Template Minimalist?

There can be as much variation in style between minimalist resume templates as there is between creative resume templates. Nonetheless, the features common to most minimal resume templates are:

1.  Plenty of white space
   A minimal resume template should have plenty of white space on the page. Whereas other resume designs may use more complicated graphic design elements, minimalist resumes will not. This is what gives the clean and tidy appearance that makes them so popular.
2. Limited use of infographic elements
   A minimalist design may not look like it has been taken straight from MS word, but it shies away from bold or complex infographic elements. These kinds of features are more likely to be found on a creative resume template. Whatever resume format you choose, minimalism means a clean resume template.
3. Use of muted colors
   Minimalist, simple resume templates may use some colors (for example, to help the header stand out), but they should be muted and understated. Muted flashes of color on a minimalist template will be used to highlight important details such as contact information and professional social media details (e.g., your LinkedIn profile).
4. Simple font choices
   While you should aim for a professional, legible font such as Helvetica or Verdana in any resume, minimalist resume templates will generally feature more traditional fonts like Calibri and Arial. These fonts are a safe choice for any curriculum vitae (CV) or resume.

The simplicity of minimalist resume templates makes them perfect for job seekers who want to create a coherent, cross-document look. Minimalist designs can be carried over to resume templates and even business cards to give your job application a professional, tailored appearance.