Choose a clean, practical template that shows your work history clearly. For a Power Lineworker, pick reverse-chronological layout so employers see your recent field work and certifications first.
Keep your resume to one page if you have under 10–12 years of relevant work. If you have long utility experience or supervisory roles, two pages can work, but stay concise and relevant.
Use ATS-friendly fonts like Calibri, Arial, Georgia, or Garamond. Set body text to 10–12pt and headers to 14–16pt. Keep consistent margins and line spacing so sections breathe.
Use clear section headings: Contact, Summary, Certifications, Experience, Skills, and Education. Put certifications like NESC, CPR/First Aid, and a CDL near the top. List equipment or crew-lead roles under Experience.
Favor simple bullets over dense paragraphs. Start bullets with action verbs and show results with numbers when possible. For example, note miles of line maintained, outage response time, or crew size you led.
Avoid heavy graphics, multiple columns, or unusual fonts. Those elements often break ATS parsing. Also avoid long blocks of text and tiny margins that cram content together.
Common mistakes include inconsistent date formats, missing contact info, and burying certifications. Don’t mix lots of colors or embed photos. Keep everything readable on screen and in print.