CV, Cover Letter and Resume Questions

What do I get with Full Access?

Our Resume Builder features two settings: Free and Full Access. Here’s what you receive with each option:

What is an applicant tracking system (ATS)?

An ATS is an online software program that most companies rely on to screen resumes and cover letters for suitability to a job opening. They scan your documents for keywords, phrases and experiences that match the job description’s requirements.

The ATS then scores your resume and cover letter according to keyword matches and either passes you up to the recruiter or hiring manager, or automatically terminates your application before human eyes see your resume.

What if I need more help writing my resume?

As certified resume writers and job seekers, we set out to create an easy online tool that can act as your expert career coach. Our Resume Builder offers the following resume-writing help:

Do you staff experienced resume writers?

All members of the Hloom team stay informed on the best practices in resume and cover letter writing, as well as the recent employment trends for finding jobs, interviewing, and building a career.

Content strategist, Gabriela Barcenas, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and is a member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches.

Free Downloadable Resume and Cover Letters Templates

What is a free downloadable resume template?

Our downloadable resume templates are professionally designed, preformatted documents that you can download to your personal computer or cloud storage. You can choose to keep our preformatted fonts, page layouts, and color schemes or customize them using your preferred programs.

Our downloadable templates are compatible with popular word processors, including Microsoft Word, Google Docs and Open Office.

Do I have to pay for the downloadable resume templates?

No, there is no charge for our free downloadable templates.

How do I use a downloadable resume template?

What is the difference between a downloadable resume template and the Resume Builder templates?

Hloom offers two types of resume templates: Resume Builder templates and free downloadable templates.

What is a downloadable cover letter template?

As we created additional templates and learned more about the hiring process, we created a select library of cover letter templates to complement our most popular resume downloads.

Our downloadable templates are compatible with popular word processors, including Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and Open Office.

How do I use a downloadable cover letter template?

What is the difference between a downloadable cover letter template and a Cover Letter Builder template?

Hloom offers two different cover letter templates: Cover Letter Builder templates and free downloadable templates.

Are Hloom downloadable templates recruiter-approved?

Each of our downloadable templates and Resume Builder templates are created by expert designers and approved by certified professional resume writers (CPRW). Our CPRWs follow recruiter requirements to give you recruiter-approved documents.

Are your downloadable resume templates capable of passing applicant tracking systems (ATS)?

Here at Hloom, it’s protocol to test all our templates to ensure they are ATS-friendly. You can rest-assured that your resume is optimized to make it through an ATS scan and give you a better chance of making it to a hiring manager.

Resumes and Resume Builder

How many builder resume templates does Hloom offer?

At the time of publication, we’re proud to announce that our Resume Builder offers 29 resume templates with over 2,300 customizable options, along with additional cover letter templates.

What style templates does our Resume Builder feature?

Our builder offers resumes and cover letter templates in the following design styles:

What is a resume example?

A resume example is a tool you can use to see how other people have chosen to style and format their resumes so that you can understand the best way to do it yourself.

You can also learn how other job seekers have used certain phrasing on their resumes and adapt this wording to fit your situation.

How do I use a resume example?

Use examples to see what you like and don’t like. Then make decisions about how you want your resume to look. Hloom has hundreds of up-to-date resume examples.

What are the main resume formats?

Recruiters are familiar with and prefer these popular resume formats:

How do I select a resume format?

Although we mention which job seekers might benefit from each resume format, choosing a format depends on your career path, professional experience and skills.

We have an in-depth guide on the three main formats as well as specialized writing guides for chronological, functional and combination resumes to help you write the perfect resume.

How long should a resume be?

A well-written resume should be detailed, concise, and no more than two-pages long. We recommend that you dedicated one page for every 10 years that you’ve worked.

How does your Resume Builder work?

Our Resume Builder streamlines the writing process by using a simple step-by-step process. You simply select a resume template that you like and follow the automated process to fill in each resume section.

In addition, our builder will:

Do I need a different resume for each job?

You need a personalized resume for each job application to pass an ATS successfully. You need to customize your information for each job opening, company and industry using the open job post as your resume-keyword guide.

Read the job description carefully, locate repeated or emphasized responsibilities, and carefully reflect that in your new resume if you have matching experience.

Can I easily customize my resume for different jobs?

Our Resume Builder makes it easy to customize a resume based on job requirements. One of our main features is a job match program –– type in the job title you’re pursuing, and our builder suggests everyday responsibilities and requirements related to that job. You can further tailor these suggestions by reflecting the job ad’s description.

Should I add my photo to my resume?

Although some jobs benefit from this, such as acting or modeling, we advise that you avoid adding a photo to your resume.

Should I use graphics and fancy fonts to stand out?

At Hloom, we strongly encourage you to break away from the standard Times New Roman font while writing and designing your resume. Although it’s a tried and true font, Times New Roman has become an expected cliche in the hiring world and can lend a boring narrative to your professional history. We recommend trading out this generic font with simple, professional san serif fonts like Arial, Helvetica, Futura or Calibri. Avoid elaborate fonts that might strain the eyes or distract from your professional experience.

We also advise against using graphics like rankings, bar graphs, charts or infographics if you’re applying online. Most online applications are powered by ATS that can’t read these graphics. Feel free to include graphics if you’re applying in person or have a direct referral.

How do I show my accomplishments on my resume?

It’s one thing to describe your job qualifications; it’s another to prove your experience with quantifiable evidence of your accomplishments. You can demonstrate your achievements by using data or statistics to show how your experience and knowledge resulted in increased profitability or productivity.

For example, if one of your responsibilities was to maintain office supplies and reduce budget, hiring managers can learn more about how you analyze solutions by stating that you “executed and organized a new system for ordering supplies” rather than writing that you were “responsible for placing orders.”

How do I determine the skills to show on my resume?

Your resume’s primary goal is to demonstrate how your skills and knowledge match an open position’s requirements. Carefully analyze the job ad for any responsibilities or keywords.

These repeated or emphasized responsibilities are known as resume keywords and should be featured prominently under your skills section.

How many years of experience should I show on my resume?

We recommend that you dedicate one page of your resume to every 10 years of experience, with a higher focus on your most recent and relevant experiences. Since resumes should not extend beyond two pages, you should cut off your resume after 20 years and focus less on those earlier experiences.

How long does it take to write a resume in your builder?

You can build a resume in 15 minutes using our Resume Builder.

• Curriculum Vitae (CVs)

  What is a CV?

  More commonly known as a CV, a curriculum vitae isn’t as expected in the U.S. as a resume. However, you’ll use this format when applying to any of the following industries:

  • Academics
  • Research
  • Medical
  • Entertainment
  • Federal Employment

  This detailed document is much longer than a standard resume and includes publications, research projects, speaking engagements, conference attendance or participation, grants and lectures.

  What is the difference between a resume and a CV?

  A resume is a concise summary of your professional experience. It is commonly used in the United States to rank and access job seekers. It typically includes the following information:

A CV is a lengthy and detailed description of your entire professional and academic experience. You’re more likely to use a CV for job applications outside of the U.S. as well as the industries in the U.S. we mentioned above. It can contain any combination of the following sections:

What is a CV example?

A CV example is a tool you use to see how other people phrase and format their documents so that you can discover the best way to do it for yourself.

How do I use a CV example?

Use examples to see what you like, don’t like, and which CV section combinations you can use to highlight your experience. Generate ideas for information you want to include in your CV. Then make decisions about how you want your document to look. You can see some of our educational and academic templates as a starting point.

How do I use the Resume Builder to create my CV?

To create a CV in our Resume Builder, follow the standard instructions to build a resume. You’ll build on this foundation by adding sections to tailor your CV. Once your resume document is complete, you’ll edit it into a CV by following these steps:

• Click the left-hand drop-down menu.
• Click “Add a section.”
• Click the “Add your own” option and name your section. For demonstration purposes, let’s say you’re creating a Language Skills section.
• Name the section “Language Skills,” and click NEXT.
• Follow the same structure as a general skills section.
• Highlight your spoken language in bold, followed by your fluency level in regular font.
• Repeat this formula until you finish listing your languages.
• Click NEXT: FINALIZE and move to the next section.
• Repeat until you add all the relevant skills.

Cover Letters and Cover Letter Builder

What is a cover letter template?

A cover letter template is a pre-formatted document with an optimized design so that all you have to do is input your personal data.

You can search through our database of hundreds of cover letter templates that are compatible with Microsoft Word. Once you find a format and style that you like, input your personal information and you’re ready to start applying for jobs.

How do I use a cover letter template?

Are Hloom cover letter templates recruiter-approved?

Recruiters and hiring managers who read cover letters admit that these letters can increase their opinion of job candidates. Our cover letter builder pairs recruiter-approved templates with personality driven drafts that can showcase your professional achievements in the following working styles:

Are your cover letter templates capable of passing ATS?

Our cover letter templates follow standard letter formats that can be properly read and parsed by ATS. Our Cover Letter Builder also utilizes job-related resume keywords to increase your ATS score and increase your interview chances by using the following skills:

• What is a cover letter example?

  A cover letter example is a tool you can use to see how other people have chosen to style and format their cover letters so that you can discover the best way to do it for yourself.

  Use examples to see what you like and don’t like. Generate ideas for things you might want to include in your cover letter. Then make decisions about how you want your cover letter to look.

  It’s easy; Hloom has hundreds of great up-to-date cover letter examples.

  How should I address my cover letter if I can’t find the hiring manager’s name?

  We strongly recommend that you personalize your cover letter heading by researching a hiring company’s staff directory, LinkedIn, and social media accounts for clues to the hiring manager’s name. However, if you can’t identify this information, you can still personalize your cover letter by addressing the hiring department and general hiring title.

  For example, if you’re applying for an HR position, you can address your cover letter to “Courtesy of Human Resources, Department Lead,” or “Human Resources, Department Hiring Manager.” This greeting demonstrates that you conducted some research into the function and structure of the company. Avoid generic and impersonal greetings such as “To Whom It May Concern,” “Dear Sir or Madam,” or “Dear Hiring Manager,” that indicate minimal effort or care.

  How does your Cover Letter Builder work?

  We set out to make a simple, straightforward tool to help job seekers like you write a compelling cover letter. Answer a few questions and we’ll reflect your answers in an elegant draft:

  • Choose a template. Don’t worry; you can always switch up the design.
  • Do you have a specific job in mind? This information will help us reflect the common language used in these job descriptions.
  • Choose three skills that make you a good fit for this position.
  • Choose your top three strengths.
  • How many years of experience do you have?
  • What is your current or last job title?
  • What’s your working style?
  • Review, edit and approve your new cover letter!

  How long does it take to write a cover letter in your builder?

  Our easy-to-use Cover Letter Builder offers you a finalized document in 15 minutes.

  Do I need a cover letter?

  A well-written cover letter can elevate your resume, offer clear examples of your qualifications, and lend personality to your application. You should include this document in your application, even if it’s an optional addition.

  Job market sites and servers claim that most recruiters and hiring managers don’t read cover letters. However, the percentage of recruiters who do read these documents state that a cover letter is an essential factor in inviting job seekers to the interview process.

  Do I need a different cover letter for every job?

  Absolutely! A resume is a summary, but your cover letter creates a bridge between your accomplishments and the company’s culture. Your cover letter introduces your personality alongside select examples of how your achievements align with the company needs. Since all hiring companies have different company cultures, work ethics and goals, your cover letter needs to be personalized to each application in order to make a strong impression.

Contact Us

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We can help you troubleshoot common issues with a detailed self-service guide and share our contact information for uncommon issues. Let us know –– we’d love to help!