Rules for Effective Resume Formatting
When formatting your resume it is important to highlight the
most relevant information and design a visually pleasing
document. Follow these rules to ensure a powerful impact.
Rule #1 - Keep the most important information first, and the
least important information last:
The importance and relevancy of your information should be
listed in descending order with the least relevant information
at the bottom of the resume. Focus on the top third of the page,
as this is the first, and often only, section hiring managers
look at. Your most important and compelling information needs to
be highlighted here. After an introductory statement or
paragraph, you need provide the credentials that employers will
be most interested in. Are you planning a career change? List
your transferable skills in this section. Did you just earn your
degree? Place your relevant education information in this
section. Maybe you have a list of exceptional achievements you
would like to highlight in this area, or maybe your current job
is so important that you should just begin into your work
history. Whatever the situation, prioritize your credentials and
DO NOT save the best for last.
Rule #2 - Choose the best way to format your work history:
The three most common resume formats are Chronological,
Functional and Combination. Chronological resumes list your
professional experience in chronological order, starting with
the most recent job first. In this case, your professional
background would begin immediately after the introductory
objective or summary because your best achievements and skills
were demonstrated through a solid work history. This is the best
format to use if you have enjoyed relevant and consistent
employment with no significant gaps in between jobs. This is
also a great format for demonstrating career growth if you have
moved up through the ranks with each new job.
Functional resumes focus more on your skills by providing
special categories in which to showcase them. A good strategy is
to list different job functions of the position you are applying
to (ex: Team Leadership, Office Management, Organizational
Development, etc.), and write paragraphs or list accomplishments
that support your expertise in those areas. By sectioning off
and creating more content regarding your best strengths, you can
shorten your work history significantly. This is a helpful
technique for those who are seeking a career change, or for
those who have gaps or inconsistencies in their work history.
Combination resumes combine chronological and functional
formats. On some level (no matter how subtle), most resumes end
up being a combination format. After the header there will
usually be an introductory objective or summary paragraph,
followed by a section that advertises specific skills or
achievements, which is then followed by a chronological work
history.
Rule #3 - Break up the monotony:
No one likes to read giant paragraph blocks or long bullet point
lists. It's overwhelming to look at and boring to read.
Therefore be sure that your paragraphs and bullet lists don't
exceed six lines. When your entire resume looks like a bullet
list with a couple of titles, add some paragraphs. If resume is
nothing but paragraphs, be sure to add some bold titles and
consider adding some bullet lists where appropriate. Mix it up
to create visual interest.
One effective technique is to break up your job descriptions
into two parts: day-to-day duties and achievements. Write out
your duties in paragraph form, and highlight your achievements
with bullets or bold face for maximum impact.
Rule #4 - Make sure the text fills the page appropriately:
Many people make the mistake of using left title formats or
generic Microsoft templates for their resumes. The left title
format, where you use almost a third of the left hand page to
list titles or dates, is a good way to fill up page length when
you don't have enough content. Therefore this format is best
suited for entry level candidates. If you have significant
experience, you should use the entire width of the page to
describe your background rather than adding pages unnecessarily.
On the other hand, be careful not to overload the page with
text. Your resume should have enough white space to keep your
text readable. To keep your document printable, frame all of
your text (including the header and footer) appropriately by
keeping all indents at least .5" wide.
Just remember that resumes are like snowflakes - no two are ever
exactly alike. Make sure that you present your unique
credentials in the most flattering way possible.