Which resume would you look at first?
If
you're like most employers who may have to evaluate hundreds of resumes
each week, you'll proceed directly to the second resume. Why? Because
it's inviting to your eyes and your attention span, while the first
resume is just the opposite.
If you want your resume to have a
good chance of being read by prospective employers, you must invest
time and energy not only in its content, but also in its look. Whether
you're creating your resume for the first time or in the process of
revising it, keep the following design tips in mind:
Use White Space Liberally
Create
at least one-inch margins on your resume. Also, leave some blank space
between various sections of the resume's text, so several distinct
chunks of information can be seen.
Stick with Two Fonts at Most
It's
tempting to use all of the typefaces at your disposal, but having more
than two fonts in any document only lessens its readability. One font
is all you really need. If you use two, make sure they complement each
other. For example, use one font for the headings and the second font
for the body text.
Use Bolding and Italics Sparingly -- Avoid Underlining
It's
OK to use some bolding and italicizing in your resume text. Many resume
writers may bold their previous job titles and italicize subheadings
within each section of the document. As for underlining -- don't.
Studies have shown that most readers find underlined text difficult to
read.
Use Bullet Points to Emphasize Skills and Accomplishments
Bullets
make it easier for employers to scan your resume quickly, since they're
intended to grab the reader's eye and lead it to key points you want to
make. Use them when you can, especially when you're highlighting skills
or accomplishments. For example:
- Increased student organization membership by 25 percent.
- Trained five new employees in restaurant operations and opening/closing procedures.
Be Consistent
If
you use all caps to present the name of your most recent workplace, for
example, use all caps to present the names of your previous workplaces
as well. Or if you use bold, centered text to present the first section
title of your resume, use bold, centered text to present the remaining
section titles too. If you're consistent throughout your document,
you'll subtly establish a reading pattern for potential employers that
will help them follow your resume easily.
In the end, you'll
still need solid resume content to really sell yourself to employers.
Even the most well-designed resume won't pass the employer's screen if
the information it presents isn't first-rate. Just make sure the
content you feature is visually appealing and quickly scannable so that
instead of passing it by entirely, employers will give it the attention
it deserves.
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