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The Best Colors For Resume (Examples & Tips)

The best colors for resume (with examples).

Recruiters initially review each resume for less than a minute. If you send a well-designed document with a touch of color, it can pop out from the pile and draw attention.

Generally, it is a good idea to use color on your resume as long as you choose colors strategically to highlight key information and showcase your personal brand.

But how exactly do you use color to make your resume stand out? What colors are best for your resume, and what are considered less professional? Keep reading for specific tips on how to use resume color.

Want to impress the employers with your creative skills? Submit a professionally designed, bright infographic as a resume. Our designers can create a personalized resume infographic that showcases your experience in a bright way using graphics, charts, and images. You can post it on your LinkedIn profile, your website, or send it to employers. Chat with us to learn more.

Why are resume colors important?

Your resume color scheme is just as important as the content and structure. Colors can draw attention to the most important elements, key achievements, or section headings. Here are a few reasons why adding a splash of color to your resume is worth it:

• Grab the recruiter's eye.  Colors naturally draw the eye. When a recruiter sees a bright, well-designed resume template, they are likely to choose your resume from the pile and review it closely.
• Show your creative skills. Most jobs in the modern world require creativity. By adding resume color, you can showcase your creative ability and out-of-the-box thinking.
• Communicate your cultural fit. According to color psychology, each color symbolizes specific traits and qualities. By using specific colors, you can make the right impression on recruiters nonverbally.
• Help readability. If you use color on your resume to highlight important content, the recruiter will notice the information you've emphasized. Thus, you can be sure the reader won't miss an important accomplishment or a degree.

Choosing colors for a resume: Good and bad color scheme examples

Before we dive deeper into how different colors work on your resume, let's look at some resume templates using different color schemes.

Bad resume example

Let's start with an example of how NOT to use colors for your resume. This resume uses colored fonts, and colors do not match with each other, thus giving an impression of sloppiness. Moreover, bright colors on a light background are difficult to read. As a result, colors, as well as the unprofessional picture, make the resume pop - but not in a good way.

This resume is difficult to read because of the colors, and it looks unprofessional. If you are not sure what colors to use, it is best to submit a black-and-white resume. Or, keep reading to find out how to use colors to stand out among other job-seekers.

Good resume example #1

This color scheme with bright yet neutral tones will work great for creative professionals, such as graphic designers, illustrators, copywriters, marketers, and more. Colors make this resume visually appealing and can help stand out in your job search. At the same time, colors do not overwhelm the reader and are easy on the eye.

Good resume example #2

This monochromatic color scheme works well for more traditional industries. People in such industries as law, finance, nursing, or academia will benefit from color schemes using dark gray or navy blue.

The resume template is black and white with a touch of gray to highlight important details. Dark, neutral colors communicate professionalism and confidence. The resume has bold elements in the body text and a traditional format that also contribute to this impression.

In good resumes, colors are used sparingly to highlight key information and draw the reader's attention. Let's see how people perceive different colors - and then use this knowledge to choose the best colors for your resume.

Using color psychology to stand out to hiring managers

According to color theory, human beings associate colors with different emotions. Blue shades are calming, orange exudes positivity, and red stimulates action. When adding the color on your resume, think about what impression you'd like to make on hiring managers. Here are the most popular colors and their meaning.

Tips to choose the right colors for your resume

Keep your industry and position in mind.

Keep your color choice relevant to the industry and the position you're after. What is considered creative and appropriate in the illustrator's resume can be off-putting in the resume of a senior accountant. Different industries have varied standards about what a good resume should look like.

First of all, keep in mind whether you are in a traditional or a creative industry:

In the  creative industries , using bright colors can add visibility and give you a competitive edge. Submitting a well-designed resume proves your creativity and shows interest in the role. As long as the design looks professional the use of color is welcomed.

In  more formal industries , it is best to stick to a black-and-white color scheme or use muted, darker colors (such as dark green, grey, or blue). Being too creative can turn off the hiring manager, so use resume color carefully.

Make sure the colors match

When using more than one color on your resume, make sure that the colors you've chosen match with each other. Use complementing or contrasting colors to make your resume pop.

If you don't have advanced design skills, use black as a primary color for your resume text, and light blue or green as the secondary color to emphasize important details. Or, use the ready-made professional design schemes below.

Use the company's brand colors

Another way to stand out to hiring managers is to use a color palette of the company's brand. Say, if the company's website and logos use dark blue shades with white elements, design your resume using the same colors.

You will non-verbally communicate that you share the company's values and show you've done your research. Thus, the recruiters can see you as a potentially good fit.

Focus on readability

When adding color, use the black text in your resume for easy reading. Use colors sparingly to highlight the resume header, emphasize headlines, or make achievements pop from the rest of the text. Make sure that color elements guide the eye rather than distract.

Whether you choose warm or cool colors, check that your resume is easy to scan. If you are not sure if your resume colors look professional, consult a professional resume writer.

Is it a good idea to use bright colors?

Using bright graphic design is a good idea in creative fields. When applying for a job as an art director, illustrator, or writer, a resume design shows creative skills. Plus, bold, vivid colors will surely get you noticed and inspire the recruiter to pay closer attention to your resume.

On the flip side, sending a colorful resume to the bank can make the wrong impression. In formal settings, it is best to use a standard resume in black and white.

How to use resume colors right?

When applying a resume color scheme, follow these recommendations:

Use no more than three colors

Experts recommend using three colors - primary, secondary, and accent color. For example, you can use black for text, light blue as the primary one, and highlight details using dark blue. Thus, your resume design will look balanced and not overloaded with color.

Unless you are a professional designer who knows how to match multiple colors successfully, do not use more than three colors.

Use a white background

Do not use resume templates with the colored background. Opt for a plain white background. It makes the resume look neat and keeps the text readable. Plus, it is traditional and professional, which makes it suitable for every industry and job.

Add only one accent color. Two colors will distract attention from the resume content and make a sloppy impression.

Use professional resume formatting

No resume color scheme will improve your resume if it looks cluttered and unprofessional. Clean up your resume formatting and structure using these tips:

• use bullet points, not paragraphs, to list your job duties and accomplishments
• keep margins to 1 inch for better readability
• use the same font type and size for the text in the document
• define resume sections clearly using bigger font and color
• keep the punctuation consistent (full stops or no punctuation at the end of each bullet).

Adapt for the applicant tracking system

If you are applying to a large company, optimize your resume content for ATS software. Such software screens incoming resumes, and if yours doesn't have relevant keywords, it gets tossed.

Many modern resume templates don't open correctly with ATS systems, which means that formatting can be destroyed. For this reason, keep the resume formatting plain - one column, no images, graphs, and charts. Resume colors are not a problem for ATS as long as the formatting is simple and you use plenty of relevant keywords.

Adding color to your resume can give you a competitive edge, emphasize your creativity, and help you land an interview. However, be sure to use color professionally, adjust the color choice to your industry standards, and use matching colors for a perfect result.

Polish your resume before sending

As you have worked on colors and formatting, make sure the content is up to scratch, too. Here are some tips to review your resume before sending it:

• Keep it to two pages maximum. You needn't list all your jobs and projects in a resume. If it is too long, remove jobs you had over 10 years ago, and irrelevant activities, and shorten the job description. Your resume is a marketing document, not a career track record.
• Tailor it to the job posting. Customized resumes bring better results than generic ones. Insert the keywords from the job listing to the resume, and focus on the qualifications the employer asks for.
• Focus on results over duties. Employers look for measurable results. Add at least one achievement for each role mentioning numbers, percentages, or the positive outcome you've delivered to your former employers.
• Proofread. 59% of recruiters reject resumes with mistakes. Take the time to proofread it yourself, or show it to a trusted friend. Use an online spell checker to do it faster.
• Use the same color for your cover letter. Use the same formatting and colors so that both documents look consistent and send the same message.

Make your resume stand out with professional help

If you have any questions about adding color to your resume, improving the content and getting better results in your job search, our experts are here to help. At ResumePerk, we have written thousands of resumes for every industry.

We will match you with a writer who can tell your career story, emphasize your achievements, and use custom design to help you stand out. The writer works one-on-one with your and delivers a custom document that showcases your value and strengths.  Try our services today with a special welcome discount!  Claim your code in chat.

Our experienced writers can create a powerful resume suitable for each position. However, you may also request a specific resume depending on the job you are applying for, thus it will be tailored individually for your profession:

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The Power of Resume Colors: Here are Things You Need to Know

Not the text, but it’s the overall look of your resume that employers will notice at first glance, including layout, design, font, etc. What color is best for a resume is one of the most frequently asked questions of many job seekers, especially fresh graduates. 

When used correctly, resume colors can be a major advantage in making employers want to read the entire document. However, picking inappropriate colors can sometimes come across as unprofessional and cause your resume to get rejected. 

Thus, pay attention to the colors used on your resume and avoid common mistakes when picking resume colors.

Table of Contents:

When to Use Color in a Resume

5 tips for choosing what is the best color for a resume, extra tips for creating a good resume with colors, 5 common errors to avoid when adding colors to a resume.

Is the color on a resume bad? The truth is, it is not always bad. When used appropriately, color on a resume can help you stand out and increase the overall quality of your resume.

In general, colors can help improve or reduce the readability of a resume, depending on how it is used. Adding color to your resume makes it either look more appealing or out-of-place. The answer depends on the career you’re pursuing and the position you’re applying for. 

Here, we have divided professions into two categories: creative industries and formal industries.

1. Creative Industries

For certain creative careers, designing colorful CVs/resumes seems to be an exciting process. 

The pros are your application can be more eye-catching, stand out from other candidates, and reflect your creativity. Using different resume colors is also a great way to draw employers’ attention to certain sections in your resume. Besides that, you can impress them better by incorporating the same color with the branding of the company into your resume. 

On the other hand, some argue that color should not be a crucial part of a good quality resume. Spending too much time picking resume colors can make you forget about the actual content. It is also confusing as you may not know how many colors or what colors you should add to your resume. If you’ve got it wrong, you may lose the chance of getting to the next round. 

10 creative career areas that can benefit from adding colors to CVs/resumes :

• Advertising & Marketing
• Architecture
• Film & Video 
• Photography
• Writing & Publishing

2. Formal Industries

If you’re working in a formal, traditional, “old school” industry, a muted color palette will make your resume more professional and easier to read. You also don't have to spend much time and effort into finding the best colors for your resume as black and white or grayscale are always a good bet. 

In contrast, some employers find black-and-white CVs boring and too ordinary to read. Your CV blends into many other documents and you also can't guide them to the important parts of your application.

10 formal industries that should avoid colorful resumes:

• Administration
• Finance & Accounting
• Engineering
• Construction
• Government Officials 

1. Create and follow a CV color scheme

“Color scheme” is a basic term in color theory, referring to the choice of colors used in various artistic and design contexts. 

To ensure the readability of your resume, it's important to stick to a CV color scheme. That means selecting a primary color for the header, a secondary color for the subheadings, and an accent color for important bits of information.

Note the following things if you wish to adopt the best color scheme for your resume : 

• How many colors do you use? 
• Do you use high or low contrasting colors? 
• Do you want to use colors to highlight important parts? 
• What colors will be used for the background, headings, and main text?

2. Refer to emotion colors to create the most fitting color scheme for your resume

Emotion colors belong to “ Color Psychology ” in which certain colors can affect mood and emotions. 

How to choose emotion colors depends on your personal taste, the employer brand, and the industry you're working in, which can help maintain the balance between creativity and professionalism. 

11 colors and the emotions they evoke :

• Black : Powerful, sophisticated, edgy
• White : Clean, virtuous, healthy
• Grey : Neutral, formal, gloomy
• Red : Passionate, aggressive, important
• Orange : Playful, energetic, cheap
• Yellow : Happy, friendly, warning
• Green : Natural, stable, prosperous
• Blue : Serene, trustworthy, inviting
• Purple : Luxurious, mysterious, romantic
• Pink : Feminine, young, innocent
• Brown : Earthy, sturdy, rustic

3. Arrange the colors hierarchically

To add professional colors to your resume, make sure you know about hierarchy, one important color theory principle. Simply put, arranging the colors hierarchically helps direct the reader's attention and makes your resume easy to navigate.

You can use an accent color for the following elements in your resume:

• Job title/Resume title 
• Headings & Subheadings

4. Select a contrasting color for subheadings and important parts

As mentioned earlier, the drawback of a black-and-white resume is you can't highlight important bits of information you want employers to notice first. Thus, you can give them a boost by choosing the right color combinations for your resume. It should be the colors with high contrast like blue-white, gray-black, etc. 

Additionally, using the resume colors with high contrast can prevent your resume from being rejected by the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) .

5. Refer to resume samples for the same position

No need to panic when it comes to professional resume colors. The Internet has a wide range of information and knowledge for job seekers like you - where you can find great resume examples online. By looking up other jobs resume examples created by either resume experts or applicants, you can get a sense of the best color combinations for your resume.  

Cake provides  free resume builder tools  & free resume templates download to help you create the perfect resume for your job hunt. Take your career journey to new heights - create a resume online now!

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💡 Use a resume background color

When it comes to resume design , go for a white background, black for text, and a third color to place emphasis on important parts.

💡 Change the resume font color

Keep in mind not to use more than two colors for text and resume font color should remain consistent throughout your resume.

💡 Paint the header background

If you want a simple, yet appealing resume, it’s a good idea to use color for the resume header and white for the parts below. This way, employers will first notice your resume summary with key points about your professional experience, qualifications, achievements, and career objective. 

💡 Try a border

Another simpler way is adding color to the border of your resume. By doing so, it will help brighten up your resume and you don't need to worry about overdoing it.

💡 Use online resume builders

Whether or not you're familiar with making resumes, you can get your resume well-designed and ready to go in just 10 minutes with online resume builders like Cake ! All you need to do is create an account, select a suitable resume template among hundreds of built-in designs, and customize it to your preference. 

1. Adopting more than 3 colors

Adding too many colors to your CV will make it look tacky and unprofessional. Remember, writing quality content should be a key aspect of any powerful application!

2. Choosing the colors that have low contrast

As mentioned earlier, resume colors with low contrast affect not only the readability but also the parsing of ATS. 

See the table below for the best color combinations for your resume:

3. Using pale on pale

Note that your resume/CV may be printed out in black and white. Thus, DO NOT use pale fonts on pale backgrounds as it will be printed out very similarly and will be very hard to read.

4. Overusing colorful or quirky graphics

Making an ATS-friendly resume can't be stressed enough. If overused, graphics can cause your resume to get rejected right in the first place. 

5. Adopting different colors with the cover letter

Last but not least, match your resume to your cover letter in terms of color schemes, font sizes, and font types. That will make your application look as consistent and professional as possible.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

• All things considered, resume colors can help your application look more appealing and unique. How to choose colors to use in a resume depends on what industry you're working in and what role you're applying for.  
• It might be confusing when selecting professional colors for a CV/resume. Some elements you need to pay attention to include: CV color scheme, resume background color, resume font color, etc. 

--- Originally written by  May Luong  ---

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