Trend 1: AI Formatting Becomes Standard
In 2024, AI resume formatting was an innovation. In 2026, it's table stakes. Two-thirds of staffing agencies now use AI-powered tools to format resumes, and agencies that don't are at a competitive disadvantage — not because the tool is fancy, but because their competitors submit polished resumes faster.
The shift happened because the ROI is undeniable: 90% time savings, perfect consistency, and instant output. When a client asks for 5 resumes by end of day, the agency using automation delivers in minutes. The agency using Word delivers in hours.
Trend 2: Skills-First Resume Sections
Skills-based hiring is reshaping resume content. Hiring managers increasingly care about what candidates can do rather than where they worked. This means resume formatting is evolving:
- Prominent skills sections: Core competencies grids at the top of the resume, before experience
- Skills tagging: Technical skills, soft skills, and certifications clearly categorized and scannable
- Achievement metrics over responsibilities: 'Grew revenue 40%' instead of 'Responsible for sales'
- Experience condensed for older roles: Detailed bullets for recent roles, brief lines for older ones
What this means for agencies: Your resume templates should prominently feature a skills or competencies section near the top. This matches how hiring managers are now scanning resumes.
Trend 3: Accessibility Requirements
Digital accessibility is moving from 'nice to have' to 'required.' Government contracts, enterprise clients, and organizations following WCAG guidelines now expect accessible documents. For resumes, this means:
- Structured headings: Use proper heading levels (H1, H2, H3) instead of just bold text — screen readers depend on this
- Alt text for logos: Agency logos in headers need descriptive alt text
- Readable fonts and sizes: Minimum 11pt body text, high-contrast colors
- Tagged PDFs: PDF output should be tagged for accessibility, not just flat images
- No text in images: Avoid infographic-style resumes where content is embedded in images
Trend 4: Minimal, Clean Design Wins
The trend toward minimalism has accelerated. Decorative elements — borders, graphics, multi-color schemes, sidebar layouts — are declining. What's winning:
- Single-column layouts (most ATS-compatible and mobile-friendly)
- Two font families maximum (one serif, one sans-serif)
- One accent color (navy, dark gray, or brand color)
- Generous white space (0.75-1 inch margins, clear section spacing)
- No photos (US/UK market) or icons that don't add information
This isn't just aesthetic preference — clean layouts parse better through ATS systems, render correctly across devices, and are easier for hiring managers to scan in those critical 6-7 seconds.
Trend 5: Multi-Format Output
Agencies can no longer submit just one file format. Different clients and systems need different formats:
- Word (.docx): Still preferred by many hiring managers who want to add notes or edit
- PDF: Preferred for visual consistency — looks the same on every device
- ATS-optimized plain text: Some VMS systems require simplified formats
- Online profiles: Some clients want candidate info in their own portal format
Modern formatting tools generate all of these from a single source, eliminating the need to maintain separate versions manually.
Trend 6: Blind/Anonymized Formatting Growth
Blind resume formatting is growing driven by DEI initiatives and data privacy regulations. More clients — especially in government, healthcare, and financial services — request anonymized submissions. Agencies that can't quickly produce blind resumes are losing these contracts.
What Agencies Should Do Now
- Adopt AI formatting: If you haven't already, the competitive gap is widening. Start with a tool that delivers immediate ROI.
- Update your templates: Add a prominent skills section near the top. Ensure your design is clean and minimal.
- Check accessibility: Run your resume template through a PDF accessibility checker. Fix heading structure and alt text.
- Support multiple formats: Ensure you can output Word, PDF, and plain text from the same source.
- Build blind formatting capability: Have an anonymization template ready for clients who request it.