The Modern resume template

The idea

Section labels sit in a left column, content in a wider right column. Your eye runs down the labels to find the section it wants, then across into the detail. It is the same principle as a well-set reference book, and it is why this shape has lasted.

Compared with Professional, this layout is quieter — no timeline spine, no markers — and slightly more spacious. It suits a history where the roles speak for themselves.

Filling it well

The label column is narrow, so keep headings short. "Work Experience" fits; renaming it to something longer will wrap.

Write the summary as positioning, not personality. Two or three lines that say what you do and at what level.

Group skills instead of listing everything. Because they sit in the sidebar, around 12-18 items is the readable limit. Pick the ones relevant to the specific application rather than everything you have touched.

Watch the widow lines. With a wide main column, a bullet that spills to a second line by two words is visible. Cut two words.

Accent colour

The accent lands on section labels, employer names and the job title. That is three appearances — enough for hierarchy, not enough to be loud. All six presets work; Ink turns it into a mono document suitable for printing.

When to pick something else

• Portal application where software screens first — ATS Friendly or Chronological.
• Long career that must fit one page — Compact.
• You want the sidebar on the right instead — Clean Sidebar or Modern Right.
• You want more visual force — Impact or Metro.