A well-structured, professionally presented resume allows a prospective employer to gather information about you quickly. You want this process to be as easy as possible so you can turn an initial opportunity into positive engagement: a phone call, an interview, and more. A good resume builder will help keywords be quickly found and give your resume a clean design and a professional layout. Many of these useful tools will have a subscription fee, with most being a few dollars a month or lifetime subscriptions between $50 and $100. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the resume builders we love and think you will too. 

1. Resume.io

Resume.io is one of our favorite resume builders if you are applying to several jobs, with a few edits each. Plus, the service makes it easy to track all of your applications. With a neat and clean interface, using it is easy. All you need to do is enter your content and then choose your template and colors. Once you’ve built your resume, it’s ready to download. However, unlike other builders on our list with lots of customizable options, Resume.io only has a handful of templates. The good news is that you can check out the services with a  seven-day trial for only $2.95. With the trial, you can export your file in DOCX or PDF format. If you need a longer subscription, it is comparably priced to competitors. Read full review.

2. VisualCV

VisualCV is great because it’s tech-oriented. You can quickly import your work history and credential information off of your LinkedIn profile, for example. Nearly all of us have a version of our resume online, and VisualCV allows you to use pre-existing information to craft your new version. Another helpful feature is that the system lets you track employer interaction on your resume using a variety of metrics, including the time and frequency your resume is accessed. Using this information, you can get a feel for the version that drives engagement up and make changes accordingly. You will need to get the paid plan to get these features, but there aren’t any matching free alternatives.

Rather than leaving you on your own, VisualCV offers sample resumes, layouts, etc., to help you target your industry. It is super easy to edit text, and you can make changes worry-free since they save automatically. Fonts, margins, sections, and more can all be edited with a single click. To help you appear professional, the Pro plan also gives you a personal domain, or you can add in your own custom domain. The Pro plan is only $12 a month with a quarterly cycle. 

3. Zety

If you’re looking for a resume builder that is simple and easy to use, then check out Zety. Start working on your resume right away without having to sign up or pay. If you’re looking for a resume that stands out, there are plenty of options to customize, including font size, color, date format, and more. Zety makes resume building fun and easy with its drag and drop interface. You can even pick a theme using “professional,” “creative,” “simple,” and “modern” templates. However, we fear that the quirkiness in the Zety output may result in an ATS rejection. (ATS stands for Applicant Tracking System, which is simply software for screening candidates.) This being said, you may want to consider other resume builders that are more ATS optimized to make your resume more machine-friendly since with Zety, you may have to do that optimization yourself.

4. Resumonk

Want a beautifully designed template where you can simply plug in your info? Resumonk gives you access to an extensive library of templates, and it’s affordable! The yearly option is only $29, or the forever plan for just $89. Resumonk keeps an updated list of 500 keywords most commonly used in resumes, helping your resume make it through the AI filters recruiters use. Like other resume builders, Resumonk makes it as easy as possible. There is even an option to import data from your LinkedIn profile. Again, multiple versions of your resume are supported, giving you the option to target a variety of employers. They even give you cover letter templates too. On the flip side, the site’s user experience is a bit on the low-frills side. With the employment marketplace getting more competitive, this service can be helpful. Opting for the lifetime plan means as you move on to bigger and better things, you’ll always have the tools to create a great resume. 

Which One to Use? 

With so many great options, it can be hard to figure out which one to pick. The first thing you need to do is make a game plan and figure out how long you think you’ll be on the market. Then, you’ll want to consider what features you want. Not all resume builders let you import data from professional social media like LinkedIn. Likewise, some builders have more templates, keyword help, etc. Armed with this info, you can find the builder that best fits your needs based on features and price. Then simply choose and begin creating a resume that is sure to stand out from the crowd.

Choosing a Resume Builder that Fits Your Needs

Crafting a resume gets easier because of the availability of a number of resume building services. However, not all resume builders are created equal, nor will they all deliver exactly the results you need. To guarantee greater satisfaction in the resume building service that you will eventually get, it is best to review your options and choose wisely. Here are a few things to look for when choosing which resume builder is right for you:

1. Effectiveness – you want to choose a service that will create an effective output, namely that the resume you are paying the service to provide you with is one that will get you noticed by prospective employers.

2. Value – check your expectations. Are you getting the kind of resume that you expect for the money that you invest?

3. Support – one of the most important things you can expect to get from a good resume building service is support. Make sure you pick a provider that gives you an extra hand when there’s something you need help with, or if there’s a particularly challenging aspect of the resume building process that you want to be guided with.

More Resume Builders To Consider

To give you an idea of what resume building services are out there and what critics have to say about each one, we’ve scoured the Internet for reviews of prominent names in the business. Here is a list of resume builders and their accompanying user reviews.

• Pongo – Pongo has an organized website allows greater ease of use for clients. Aside from a commendable resume building service, they also have a good resource center of articles and essays on resume writing tips.

• ResumeEdge – though it offers great options for creating resumes and offers thorough and professional services, ResumeEdge is pricier than its counterparts and may be a little out of range for those on a tight budget.

• Amazing Resume Creator – this service claims to guarantee your new resume will result in interviews. Their website is not as user-friendly as others and they don’t provide as many resources as necessary for clients to be able to get the resume that they ought to be getting.