This week the resume writing tip is all about presentation. In a conference call I had with other coaches this week, we were discussing common resume issues we have seen. What did we have in common? Let me put it this way, if you implement this week’s resume writing tip of the week, it will give you an immediate advantage. These are simple things you can do to make a great first impression with your audience and demonstrate other skills relevant to the position without having to state them! Are you on the edge of your chair yet? These are simple, yet profound!
This week’s Resume Writing Tip of the Week: Make a great first impression! Here are a few things for you to implement to accomplish this objective:
- Consistent font size – I reviewed a handful of resumes this week that were size 11 font in the job description of one position, while a size 10 font in the job description in another position. Maintain consistency of your font size.
- Consistent font style – if you are going with Times New Roman, maintain that consistently throughout. You can bold, italicize or underline for emphasis, yet keep your font style consistent throughout the document.
- Indenting/Margins – Although this is English 101, it needs to be repeated that all indenting and margins need to be consistent for maximum appeal. It provides a clean look and presents professionally.
- Watch your punctuation. If you are using periods, commas, hyphens or semicolons; use them consistently. I see too many resumes that use periods after some elements of their job functions, yet not after all of them. This is poorform.
- Stay away from templates. You will be modifying your resume a little for each position you apply for. Templates sometimes make it difficult to implement simple changes. Using a Word (or other word processing software) document is preferred.
This week’s resume writing tip may seem obvious, yet these tips are often overlooked. I mentioned earlier that they imply other relevant skills without having to verbalize them. This is true. By following these tips, you will demonstrate your attention to detail and your professionalism. First impressions are important, especially when you may be competing against a strong field. This is the first opportunity to advance through the field as the number of applicants is culled. Give yourself every opportunity to shine. Make it difficult for your audience to discard your resume.
I hope you have enjoyed this week’s resume writing tip. This is real world information provided with you in mind to help you shift the way you are looking at your resume in order to improve the results. As always, I encourage you to check back next week for another helpful installment.
