Monster Resume Builder Review: Features, Pros, & Cons (With Examples)

If you're on the hunt for a simple, efficient tool to create a professional resume, you've likely come across the Monster resume builder. Monster is one of the most recognized names in the job search industry, and its resume builder promises to streamline the resume creation process. 

But does it deliver? We tested their resume builder, evaluating its features, user experience, templates, and pricing to provide a comprehensive review. Read on to find out if this popular tool is the right answer to your resume-building needs.

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Key Features of Monster’s Resume Builder

Here's a look at the core features that make the Monster resume builder a popular choice for job seekers creating or updating their resumes.

Professional Templates 

Monster offers hundreds of professionally designed resume templates built to impress hiring managers and optimized to pass applicant tracking systems (ATS). 

Key benefits of Monster’s resume templates include: 

ATS Optimization 

ATS is software used by nearly all major companies to scan, filter, and rank resumes before a recruiter ever sees them. If your resume isn't ATS-friendly, it could be rejected automatically. 

The resume builder provides content suggestions featuring keywords and qualifications important for your industry and target role. For example, "M&A" for finance, "CI/CD pipeline" for software development, and "HIPAA compliance" for healthcare. 

Monster’s resume templates are also optimized with Smart Apply to improve your resume’s structure and content and increase your chances of passing screening software.

AI Writing Assistance

The Monster resume builder integrates AI to provide real-time suggestions and assistance to fix mistakes or enhance the grammar, clarity, and impact of your content. 

The AI-powered suggestions are designed to improve the quality and relevance of your content, helping you make a personalized resume that aligns with a specific job you’re targeting:

The builder also features an AI resume summary generator that produces tailored summary suggestions, highlighting key skills and qualifications that align with your experience.

You can add an AI-generated summary to your resume or opt for any of the professionally written options suggested for your target role: 

Mobile-Friendly Editing Tools

The builder has a mobile-responsive interface, allowing you to easily access, edit, and download your resume directly from a smartphone or tablet. Key mobile-friendly features include:

Pricing

The Monster resume builder is free to use. You can build a new resume or update your existing one and download it in PDF, DOCX, or TXT format. 

All resume templates are also available as free downloads that you can save to your desktop or mobile device and customize with your preferred word processor.

Monster also offers free career advice articles on topics ranging from resume and cover letter creation to interview preparation and salary negotiation.

If you’re looking for additional resume builder options, you can explore how to use MyPerfectResume for free to create and download TXT format resumes. 

Monster Resume Builder Review

Ease of use is essential for online resume builders. We tested the Monster resume builder to evaluate its user experience and functionality across devices and experience levels.

User Interface 

The builder has a clean and simple user interface that’s easy to navigate for job seekers of any experience level. 

Its intuitive and visually pleasing design allows you to focus on your resume content without distracting visual clutter or complex layouts.

You can preview your work at any step to get a clear idea of what your resume will look like and make adjustments before you finalize and download the document.

User Experience

The clear layout and step-by-step guidance contribute to a positive user experience, making the process of building a professional resume straightforward and efficient, with no glitches.

The platform offers targeted questions and template recommendations based on your selected experience level, ensuring the generated content is relevant and professional.

You can upload an existing resume to instantly transfer your information to a professional template and improve your content, or start fresh with step-by-step guidance:

Monster Resume Templates Review

The builder offers hundreds of templates available in various layouts and designs. You can download Monster’s resume templates for free or customize with the resume builder. See some of our favorites below for a creative, modern, or traditional approach. 

Creative 

This creative resume template is perfect for job seekers in fields such as design, marketing, or media who want to showcase their personality and stand out from the competition. 

Featuring unique layouts, subtle use of color, and graphic elements, it draws the eye and effectively highlights key accomplishments and skills. 

Modern 

A modern resume template like this one is best suited for professionals in contemporary fields like tech or startups, and anyone who wants a clean, sophisticated look. 

Monster’s modern resume templates use strong typography, clear section dividers, and ample white space to create a polished document that conveys forward-thinking professionalism.

Traditional

Monster’s selection of traditional resume templates is ideal for applicants in fields like law, finance, or government, as well as those with extensive professional experience. 

Templates like the one above emphasize a classic, chronological structure with minimal design elements, focusing entirely on the content to present a highly professional image. 

Pros & Cons

Final Verdict

The Monster resume builder is a robust and effective tool, particularly for job seekers looking for a reliable, completely free, and user-friendly experience. 

Its greatest strengths are its mobile-responsive design and the inclusion of modern features like ATS-optimized templates and AI-powered content suggestions. 

While the platform currently lacks a dedicated cover letter builder and its template library is somewhat less extensive than some competitors, its core functionality provides a straightforward path to building a professional, ATS-friendly resume quickly and efficiently.