Why Choosing “Pretty” Resume Templates over ATS-friendly Ones is a Mistake

I get the appeal. Those modern, two-column resume templates you see on Canva and Etsy are genuinely beautiful. Sleek icons, creative layouts, and carefully chosen fonts make them feel intentional and elevated. They quietly suggest that this is how you stand out from the crowd. I’ve even bought an Etsy template myself, just to understand what the magic looked like behind the PDF.

But part of my job, as a resume writer, is knowing the difference between what looks good and what actually works. And those two things don’t always overlap. After reviewing hundreds of resumes over the years, I still recommend a relatively simple, traditional structure. Not because it’s boring, but because it does what a resume is supposed to do.

That realization is part of what eventually led me to build Paige Careers. But before we get there, it’s worth unpacking why these templates cause so many issues.

The Three Hidden Dealbreakers in "Pretty" Resume Templates

1. The Font Problem

Those custom fonts that give templates their polish don’t always translate. When a recruiter opens your resume — whether in Word, PDF preview, or within an applicant tracking system — there’s no guarantee they’re seeing the same font you are. If the font isn’t embedded or supported, it can default to something entirely different, subtly altering spacing, alignment, and overall professionalism.

2. The ATS Black Hole

First, there is no single applicant tracking system (ATS). There are dozens of off-the-shelf and custom systems, many of which are now growing more complex with the incorporation of AI.

Despite that evolution, many ATS platforms still struggle to reliably read icons, text boxes, multiple columns, headers, footers, and other decorative formatting elements. When parsing fails, critical information can be skipped, misread, or stripped entirely. A beautifully designed but sparse resume often communicates little beyond a timeline and a list of credentials — which isn’t enough to move a candidate forward.

Using a beautiful, sparse resume like the above shows little beyond a timeline and list of credentials.

3. The White Space Problem

White space matters. A resume that’s too dense is exhausting to read and easy to dismiss. But many trendy templates swing too far in the opposite direction.

Large margins, oversized headers, and decorative elements take up valuable real estate. What remains is often a handful of short bullet points that show where someone worked, but not what they actually accomplished.

A clean layout alone doesn’t explain why someone is qualified. A timeline isn’t enough.

Why This Struck a Nerve on LinkedIn

When I posted on LinkedIn showing this image last year, it struck a nerve. The post crossed 18,000 impressions and sparked a thoughtful, often passionate discussion in the comments. Some people defended their templates. Others shared stories about resumes that looked great but went nowhere.

Nearly everyone agreed on one thing: resume formatting is confusing, and the stakes feel high.

One comment from a fellow resume writer stuck with me: “Something so thin in content is rarely effective.” That observation captures the core issue. These templates often don’t give candidates enough space to articulate why they’re a strong fit for their target role. The generous white space may make the page easier on the eyes, but it often comes at the expense of substance.

The Resume's Real Job (Hint: It's Not to Look Pretty)

A resume isn’t meant to be a design exercise. Its job is to make a hiring manager say, “Let’s bring this person in for an interview.”

It’s a marketing document with a specific purpose: to show that you have the experience, skills, and track record to succeed in the role you’re pursuing. Design should support that goal by improving readability and directing attention to your strongest points — not by distracting from them or hiding them.

Where Paige Fits In - ATS-Friendly Resume Template

When I eventually built Paige Careers, I didn’t want dozens of templates to choose from. I wanted one structure that worked consistently.

Instead of offering endless trendy designs that prioritize style over substance, Paige imports your existing resume content into one clean, ATS-optimized template built to hold real detail. The goal is clarity, compatibility, and enough space to actually explain your work — not to decorate it.

Paige Careers onboarding process takes your messy resume content and imports it into our one clean template

The onboarding process takes messy, inconsistent resume content and organizes it into a single, professional structure that hiring systems and humans can both read.

The Real Magic - AI Resume Building

The template is just the foundation.

What sets Paige apart is the AI-powered strategic questioning that helps surface what most job seekers struggle to articulate on their own. Paige combines my methodology as a Certified Professional Resume Writer with AI to help you identify transferable skills, quantify achievements (even when they don’t feel obvious), craft bullet points that demonstrate impact, and position yourself strategically for the role you want.

You’re not just filling in blanks. You’re building a coherent narrative that makes sense to hiring managers.

The Bottom Line

Pretty resumes get compliments. Effective resumes get interviews.

You don’t need gimmicks to stand out. You need clarity, substance, and a structure that lets your experience speak for itself. If this conversation saves even one person from quietly sabotaging their job search with a resume that looks good but underperforms, it’s worth having.

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Margaret Gerety is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW), Certified Digital Career Strategist (CDCS), and founder of Paige Careers. A Harvard graduate and former attorney, she has helped over 300 professionals navigate successful career transitions.