Resumes are marketing tools. They often make your first impression with a new or prospective employer.
You should use your resume to highlight what you can do and to get noticed. The average hiring manager or recruiter spends less than 10 seconds looking over individual resumes. It can be an art form trying to figure out how to make someone want to look at yours for longer.
You want to draw them in and keep them interested, but you don't want to come off too flashy or over the top either. It can be a delicate balance.
Resume style is one of the ways to get noticed and help you stand out a bit from the slew of resumes a recruiter has to look at. You don't want to be so out there that they toss it without so much as a second glance, but you also don't want to blend in with all the others.
Formatting is important. Keep your resume clean, simple, and easy to read.
Your resume should be tailored for the job you are applying for. The best length depends on your experience and the job description.
If you are a recent graduate, are changing careers, have less than five years of job experience, or are looking at an entry-level position, stick to one page. When looking for mid-level to upper-level managerial or executive positions, or if you have been in the field for longer than five years, employers expect to see a resume that is at least two pages. If you have a lot of technical skills and the job demands these skills, you must ensure they are all included, resulting in a longer resume.
In addition to length, font, formatting, and margins are all important. You want your resume to be clean and not cluttered. Every inch of space is important. Avoid flowery language, and stick to the facts while highlighting your experience, skills, and accomplishments in a precise format.
In general, there are three main resume types: chronological, functional, and a combination of the first two. All resume formats should include your contact information near the top of the resume. This information should be clear and easy to find.
- Chronological: A chronological resume is one of the most common types. It works well if you have a strong work history with a career trending toward the type of job you are applying for. If your career path shows upward mobility and the job you are seeking seems like a natural progression, this resume format is ideal.
With a chronological resume, you may wish to include a resume introduction or career objective close to the beginning to grab the recruiter's attention right away. This should be followed by:
- Work experience listed in reverse order, with the most current job listed first
- A skills section (skills may also be woven into professional experience)
- Education and credentials
- Additional relevant information, such as awards or honors
- Functional: If you are looking to change jobs, have some gaps in your employment history, or wish to highlight skills over experience, a functional resume may be the best choice. This format focuses more closely on abilities and accomplishments over work history.
With a functional resume, you will generally include a summary of your qualifications near the beginning and then include:
- Relevant skills
- Work history (consider omitting dates if there are significant gaps)
- Education and credentials
- Awards, honors, and additional pertinent information
- Combination: If you are a highly skilled job applicant who is a master at what you do and are looking to showcase your significant set of skills, you may want to use a combination of a reverse chronological resume and a functional resume.
With a combination resume format, you will typically begin with a resume introduction or professional profile and then segue into:
- Work experience
- Skills section
- Educational background
- Additional skills, honors, awards, and/or credentials
No matter what type of job you are going for, your level of experience, or the resume format you choose, there are several resume "rules" that should be followed when it comes to style. You want to stand out, but you don't want to get too creative and put off a potential employer.
The goal is to use your resume to get your foot in the door. A resume with too much flash may have the opposite effect. You want to be professional no matter what. Keep your resume easy to read, clean, and free from clutter and fluff.
Here are some general guidelines to resume style:
- Use proper margins. Maximize your use of white space. Professional documents generally have margins of 1 inch on all sides. You can also leave blank spaces between sections to make them pop more. You can go up to 1.5 inch spacing and margins if you have less content.
- Choose a readable font. Font point should be 10, 11 or 12. If you decide to use more than one font, stick to one type for your headings and another for the bullet points. Don't use more than two fonts. It can be distracting and make your resume harder to read.
- Style appropriately. Use bold and italics to highlight headings. Refrain from underlining text. Use bullet points and break up your text to make it easier to read, then separate all your skills and accomplishments into different bullet points.
- Be consistent. Your formatting and punctuation should remain the same throughout the entire resume.
- Order properly. Job titles should be listed before dates when detailing career experience. Education should list the degree first; then, the school; and finally, the graduation year. If you have a college degree, high school is implied and should not be listed.
- Keep it honest. Stick to accomplishments and skills you possess. Use active language, and avoid exaggeration or inflation of abilities.
- Stay relevant. Keep your resume organized, current, and applicable. Know industry keywords and include them when applicable.
- Have references ready. References should separate from your resume and you should provide them upon request only.
Your resume is your first chance to get noticed by a potential employer. It needs to grab attention while remaining professional. Style it well, and it could get a longer look from the hiring manager.
