Composing Your ResumeLayout and Appearance
Since your qualifications are likely to be evaluated in 20 seconds, you want to make your resume concise, easy to read, and attractive. In short, you want to ensure that it projects a professional image. Strategic use of positioning and graphic techniques can draw attention to your strongest points. Your resume should be centered on the page, with top, bottom and side margins at least 1/2 inch. Headings may be centered or placed at the left margin. Entries should line up along a single margin. Follow the same formatting approach with all entries and keep the number of different margins to a maximum of three. Phrases are recommended over complete sentences. Be consistent with punctuation throughout the entire document. Graphic techniques can be used to highlight your strengths. Use CAPITALIZATION or Bold Face type to emphasize your name, headings, and/or strongest leads. Use white space to make information stand out and your resume easy to read. Bullets can be used to highlight a list within a section. Use these various techniques sparingly; otherwise you'll end up with a resume that looks like a used-car ad. Choose a font style that is clean, sharp, and easy to read—do not use script styles or all caps. Proofread your resume at least twice before using it. There is no justification for misspelled words or typographical errors! |