Formatting your resume
While the content of your resume should always be your primary focus, the visual presentation is also an important aspect. You want your resume to appear very “clean” and easy to read while still incorporating the key information that will best highlight your skills and experience.
Keep the following four things in mind when creating your resume:
Keep it concise—ideally, your resume should fit on one page. It is absolutely true that some recruiters will immediately ignore a resume that exceeds a single page. If you’re having trouble editing your resume, take a careful look at what you are including. Try to filter the resume so that only the strongest information is included. If your resume must exceed one page, limit it to two pages at most.
Choose a professional font—traditional fonts such as Times New Roman, Arial and Verdana are excellent options. Be consistent with your choice and don’t use more than two fonts in the resume. Make sure to use a readable font size as well—don’t be tempted to dramatically reduce the font size in order to fit more information on the page.
Use bold text to highlight key information— utilizing bold text is an easy way to draw the reader’s eye to specific information or sections within your resume. Don’t overdo it, and resist the urge to incorporate bold text, italicized text and underlining—a simple style is best.
Use bullet points effectively—they are best used for listing skills or specific accomplishments. Bullet points immediately draw the attention of the reader, so be sure to use them wisely.
Using multiple resumes
A resume simply isn’t a one-size-fits-all tool—a single resume should not be used for all employers in your job search. Each company is looking for something very specific, and to capture a recruiter’s attention, your resume should reflect the skills, experience and qualifications that he or she is actively seeking.
To do this, you must customize your resume. Every time you respond to a job posting, you should establish exactly what the employer needs and then tailor your resume to suit those requirements. This can be accomplished in several ways:
Adjust the title of your resume—make sure that it closely matches the position you desire.
Rewrite your career summary—highlight the most relevant experience and put that information at the beginning of your summary.
Edit your skills—organize your skills to reflect the employer’s needs. Important skills should be highlighted so that they can be easily identified by the reader.
Don’t exaggerate—as always, be truthful in your writing. You don’t want to give an inaccurate representation about your experience or abilities!
This may seem like a time-consuming practice, but it is well worth the effort. The more closely your resume reflects an employer’s requirements, the more likely you are to garner an interview—and a job.
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You can find even more tips to assist you in finding your new job by downloading our free Ultimate Job Seeker’s Guide from http://www.mybackgroundcheck.com/jobseekerguide/. The Ultimate Job Seeker’s Guide is packed with help from cover letters to growing you professional network. It’s a great tool for job seekers in any field. |