Pick a clean, professional template with a reverse-chronological or hybrid layout. Those layouts show your fiscal ownership and recent results quickly, and they parse well for ATS.
Keep length to one page if you have under 10 years of relevant experience. Use two pages only if you have many direct budget projects or leadership roles tied to financial outcomes.
Choose an ATS-friendly font such as Calibri, Arial, Georgia, or Garamond. Set body text to 10–12pt and headers to 14–16pt for clear hierarchy.
Give each section breathing room. Use consistent margins, 1.0–1.15 line spacing, and 8–12pt space between sections to improve scanning.
Stick to simple formatting. Avoid complex columns, images, or fancy icons that break ATS parsing and distract hiring managers.
Use standard headings like Contact, Summary, Experience, Skills, Education, and Certifications. Put quantifiable budget achievements in bullet lists under each job.
Avoid these common mistakes: long dense paragraphs that hide results, inconsistent date formats, and overuse of color or unusual fonts. Also avoid vague duties without numbers.
Proofread dates and numbers carefully. Recruiters expect accuracy and clarity from anyone managing budgets.