Two-Column Resume Template — Benefits, Risks, and How to Use It
Sunil Kalikayi4/8/20264 min read
Benefits of Two-Column Layouts
Fit 30–40% more content on a single page. Skills sidebar keeps experience section clean. Professional appearance for creative and design roles. Strong visual hierarchy.
The ATS Risk
Many ATS parsers read left-to-right, row-by-row. A two-column layout can get parsed as garbled text: 'Skills: JavaScript CompanyName: Acme Corp' jumbled together. Use ATS Safe Mode to export a single-column version for online applications.
Best Approach
Use two-column templates (Columns, Sidebar) for direct email submissions and networking applications. Use single-column templates for online portal submissions. The Resume Library lets you keep both versions.