Resume Format - How to Do it Right

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Resume Articles : Resume Format - How to Do it Right by Mike Woods

Your resume format is something that you should give importance aside from all the details in your resume. In this highly competitive job market, it is very probable that for every position you apply to, you will be competing with a number of hopeful candidates. It is no wonder then that most employers would only give submitted resumes a quick scan and decide whether to continue reading or not. Aside from all the usual skills and experiences being thrown at him, the resume format is one thing that he will normally notice first.

You may send your resume by mail or as an email attachment. Whatever the case, if your resume format is not very appealing, chances are the employer will reject it outright after giving that quick scan.

The internet is teeming with programs and templates promising to offer the best resume format applicable to today's job market. It is just a matter of doing your careful and thorough research. While these easily accessible resume formats are a good guide in making your own, there are a few items you need to keep in mind to ensure that your resume is worth reading.

Guidelines for a Good Resume Format

Avoid writing a resume that feels and looks like a novel. Your resume format must be arranged so that you will have at most two pages. Come on. Employers are busy people. You won't really expect them to spend their whole time reading your resume. Even if you have a lot of other stuff you want to include, focus on putting only the experiences and skills that will apply to the position you are seeking.

If you are contemplating on adding some images on your resume, don't. It is completely unnecessary and will distract the employer from your most important assets. You can present your creativity in other ways. The best resume formats are those that are simple but professional.

Allow for margins on your pages. A good resume format uses a margin of about an inch on all sides, and the top and bottom of the content. Use left-justification. Do not make all your resume content centered. It doesn't look very professional. Keep the font size and style uniform. It is best to use one font style while varying the font size among headlines and other content. Presentable resume formats normally have headlines that are set at a maximum font size of 14 points while the font size of other contents are generally set at a 12-point maximum.

Know how to make effective use of tabs and spaces. Understand that the employer might be reading your resume using another word processor. Consider this when formatting your resume or otherwise he will be reading a disoriented jumble of content. That is why it is best to use basic fonts, styles, spacing and markers.

After you have finished modifying the resume format to your satisfaction, get a print out. Don't use colored papers. Use a white and clean paper. Ensure that the resume format from the print-out appears exactly like the one set in your computer - correct margins, font styles and spacing. Make good use of white space. Avoid crowding the contents on one side while leaving another side with plenty of white space. It won't appear attractive.

After you are completely satisfied with the resume format you are using, ask for constructive criticism from your friends or family. Their view may differ from yours and you will definitely be able to gain a lot of useful insight. This is especially true if they have some experience regarding resume writing.

Following these basic guidelines will ensure that your resume format is pleasing to the reader.

About the Author
Most of the resumes submitted will end up as trash. Don't let that happen to you. Learn about effective resume writing and how to make a good resume format.

Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=868389