Formatting is Key!

In my previous post I talked about tweeking your résumé and making sure it fits the job you are applying for. Many people say they have several résumés on hand. This is just not necessary unless you are applying for jobs that are all over the map for you! However, if you are applying for jobs that are within your skill set, you need only to tweek the one you have. You can't be a jack of all trades and master of none.

The problem you may be having is your format. I've learned from taking résumé classes that formatting is key! If you don't think so just take a look at your own résumé and quickly glance over it. Does it appeal to you? Is it visually pleasing to the eye? Is is organized? Can you find the information you are looking for quickly without searching the entire document? Is there enough white space? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, then I would consider changing your format.

Here are a few tips for you:

• Your name should be in big bold letters at the top of your résumé. But, not so big it takes over the document. 
• Make sure your contact information is current, and your email address is a conservative one.
• Get rid of the "objective statement".
• Separate your categories by using "borderlines", not "underlines" but don't get too fancy.
• Bullets keep your document information organized and makes it easy to read and follow. Be careful not to overuse them.
• Your margins should be the same all around. Most people use 1" but I have used as low as 8.5" in some résumés but not less than that. Thin margins mean you have too much information in your document.
• Remember your résumé is a "highlight" of your career, not every single thing you did. Leave the rest for the job interview. You only want to get their attention so they call you into a job interview.

Another way to spark their attention is to put your best upfront, not at the end. I have learned this technique as well and it ALWAYS worked. Most people scatter their best throughout the document, I put the best upfront, by using a separate category for your strong skills or including it within the career summary, depending on what the job requirements are. This way it makes good use of the reader's time. If they like what they see and read quickly that's a win-win for you!

Lastly your font should also be conservative. Some examples are Times New Roman, Calibri, and Ariel. You want to be careful with this one because using a fancy font may not be available on another party's computer. Bolding important information adds to your format as well. I tend to bold my categories and make them a larger font than the information below them. I also sometimes bold the first few words in the experience paragraphs if they carry impact. Use words that carry impact. Meaning instead of saying "detail-oriented" you can say "acute attention to detail" instead. Doesn't that carry more impact? 

In my nest post I will talk more about searching for words or phrases that carry impact, instead of the usual phrases most candidates use. As always if you need your résumé critique, just send me an email at fairjoann@hotmail.com/