The Best Resume Format in 2026 (With Examples)
There are only three resume formats that matter — and the right one depends entirely on your career stage.
1. Reverse-chronological (default winner)
Lists your most recent role first. Recruiters and ATS love it. Use this if you have 1+ years of relevant experience.
2. Functional / skills-based
Groups bullets under skill themes instead of jobs. Looks suspicious to recruiters and confuses ATS. Avoid unless you have huge gaps you can't explain otherwise.
3. Hybrid (combination)
Skills section up top, then chronological experience. Best for career changers and people with 10+ year gaps.
One-page or two-page?
- 0–7 years experience → 1 page
- 8+ years → 2 pages max
- Academia / medicine → CV (no page limit)
Font, margins, file type
- Font: Inter, Calibri, Arial — 10.5–11.5pt
- Margins: 0.5–1 inch
- File: PDF, named FirstName-LastName-Role.pdf
Layout that always passes ATS
Single column, standard section titles, no graphics, embedded fonts. All QuickResume templates are built this way by default.