How to design Resumes using Canva?

New to job-hunting? Tired of combing through numerous pamphlets? Want to make your resume stand out but don’t know how?

Canva may just be the answer to these questions. Canva is a graphics design platform which gives you the option to optimize the visual elements of your resume according to your requirements and also provides a vast array of templates that give you a much needed head start while creating your resume.

Why design your Resume using Canva?

The design of your resume though not as crucial as the content is still very important. A well designed resume helps in making the content more readable, and helps the important information stand out. For majority of people thinking happens visually hence a resume with a better visual aesthetic always forms a better impression.

Creating a such a resume can be a huge time sink and that’s where canva's free resume builder tool comes in, it gives you a sleek and attractive resume without having to go through the fuss of painstakingly formatting and going through thousands of complimentary fonts for your resume

How to Create a Resume using Canva?

Method 1 − Creating a Resume from scratch

First, type the word "Resume" in Canva’s search bar. This leads to a set of templates; we use the option to create a blank resume.

A page appears with the blank resume and taskbar with various options. You can change the background colour of the page by clicking on Background colour present in top left corner of your workspace this presents an array of colours to choose from.

Select the elements of your resume by selecting the Elements options which present shapes, lines, and graphics that can help spruce up your resume. And drag the selected element to the desired location on the document.

After you are done with the elements, select Text. Different ways to insert written content can be found here.

There are options to insert heading/subheading or insert a little body text present here. If the box is misplaced it can be fixed by holding the anchor points and dragging the box inwards. Once it's resized the text box can be dragged to the desired location by holding the cursor over the text box.

The font, font size, font color, and other attributes can be changed by selecting the text and using the various formatting options that appear on the top part of the workspace. Add other professional details in your resume by using Add a little bit of body text option.

You can also add some simple and non-obtrusive infographics to enhance your resume.

Method 2 − Creating a resume using a pre-existing template

For using this approach while creating the resume a thorough knowledge of your job market and the jobs you are applying for is necessary as it helps you optimize your resume accordingly.

In Canva’s search bar, search Resume and it will call up a list of templates. These templates are divided into categories such as minimalist, modern, creative, etc. Choose the category which appeals to the job market you are approaching.

Pick a resume that will mirror the jobs for which you are applying. A clean yet eye-catching design is the key to a good resume.

Add in your professional details. Customize your template accordingly. You can change the fonts and color of the template to replicate the company’s branding. Your resume is now complete.