There are many theories about how a resume should be laid out, and all have merit. You will have to consider the many variables and decide what works best for you.  In the end, you want to utilize a resume style that will most effectively communicate your skills, strengths, and attributes to the reader.

Think of it from the reader’s perspective.  The first impression that your resume will make is the visual impression.  So you want your resume to have a strong visual presence with nice, clear, legible text in a font that is easy to read.   It should be informative, articulate, and concise.  The pages should flow well, without being overly crowded.

On the other hand, the total page count is important too.  Few employers get past the first page, unless they like what they see so far.  This fact might influence which headlines and categories you decide to feature on the first page, and the order in which you position them. 

If you are just starting your career, your education and academic achievements may be more impressive than the limited experience you have been able to acquire in your short work history.  In this case, placing the education category first may have more impact. 

However, regardless of how long you stayed at any given job, if you have made any notable achievements which you believe will strike a cord with a potential employer, then these achievements should be positioned front and center, with the job titles and dates appearing merely as secondary in significance.

There are many templates available to use as guides, but they are only that, guides.  There is no set of rules for laying out a resume.  You can start with a standard template and proceed to mold it and customize it to suit your individuality.  You can shuffle categories around based on pertinence, and you can choose to leave out entire headings if they lack relevance in your case.

Your resume is a very personal marketing tool, and it is crafted of unique and specific content that is pertinent in you.  If you ask ten people which resume template you should use, you will get ten different answers, and none is more correct or incorrect than the last.

What your resume absolutely must do is reflect and represent you in the most accurate way possible.  It must also clearly demonstrate why and how you are qualified to do the job.

The ideal resume layout is the one that best represents you, and that will stand the greatest chance of landing you an interview. It does not have to conform to any standard rules.  It does need to get noticed and convey a strong message.

If the content of your resume is clear and concise, and the information is pertinent, and if you are presenting your information in a professional manner, you have a good resume.  If you are able to maximize impact by strategically placing the most relevant information on the fist page, including achievements, then you have a great resume.