Let’s put it simply; searching for a new job is stressful. Each time you submit your resume, you are asking someone to judge you and see if you can meet their needs, and that isn’t easy.
The goal is to make sure that, when you turn in your resume, you are showcasing yourself in the best light. How you design your resume impacts how you are perceived, so you want to make sure this critical document is on point.
In order to make sure your resume is the best it can be, here are eight design tips worth following.
- Choose the Right Font
The font on your resume does make an impression, so you want to make sure you pick one that will help you stand out in the proper way. Legibility is the most important factor, so you want to keep the font between 11 and 13 points and avoid anything that is overly embellished.
Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, and Times New Roman are traditional choices. However, you can deviate from those as long as it doesn’t harm legibility or come off as immature. Comic Sans, Papyrus, or anything that is supposed to mimic handwriting should be considered off-limits. However, Garamond, Georgia, Cambria, Trebuchet MS, or Book Antiqua can be nice alternatives to more commonly used choices.
- Make Your Contact Info Stand Out
When you’re trying to find a job, you want to make it easy for hiring managers to get in contact with you. This means making sure your contact information is at the top of the page and easy to read. Separating it from the body of the resume with a single horizontal line can help showcase it as its own section, so it can be a smart addition.
- Make It Skimmable
A hiring manager is only going to review your resume a few seconds initially, so you want to make the content skimmable. Use clear headings to guide the eye to key areas and use bullet points to separate content within each section. Columns can also be a helpful addition, especially if you would otherwise have a lot of whitespace along the righthand side of the page.
- Consider the Industry
The design of your resume should be influenced by your target industry. In creative fields, you can get away with bolder choices, like the addition of color or using an infographic approach. However, in more conservative industries, eschewing resume norms might work against you.
- Factor in Printing
If you submit a resume electronically, certain color choices might look great. However, if the resume is printed in black and white, those areas might not seem as bold or eye-catching, and may even be washed out.
Before you commit to a design, test print it in black and white. Many companies limit color printing, so the hiring manager might not have a choice in that matter. Once you have a test print, you can make changes before submitting it to a hiring manager based on how it comes out.
- Get the File Type Right
You can save most documents in several formats. With a resume, you usually want to stick with a document-based option (like .doc or .docx) or a PDF. If you are sending your resume directly to the hiring manager, using a PDF is best. Then, the document can’t be edited once it is received. Just make sure to check the PDF before you send it as the formatting can get a bit messed up when changing between file types.
If you are submitting to an ATS, then you might need to use a document format. Not all ATS systems can read PDFs effectively, so it could hurt you during the automated screening process.
- Name the File Properly
If you want to make your job search easier on yourself and the hiring manager, save your files with a name that aligns with who you are and the position you want to land. Listing your first and last name, the word “resume,” and an abbreviation for the position or company can work. For example, “JohnDoe_Resume_XYZCo” could be a great file name for a resume submitted to the XYZ Company.
- Don’t Rely on One Resume
You don’t want to send the exact same resume to every hiring manager. Instead, you need to target the content to the role, ensuring it is as relevant as possible based on the job description and requirements.
While you can use one resume as a template, always review it before applying to a different job. If adjustments are necessary, make them. While this can take a little more time, it is worth the effort.
If you’d like to know more, the team at TRC can help. Contact us to speak with one of our staff members today and see how our resume writing expertise can benefit you.