Many job seekers focus on ‘what’ to put in their resume however neglect ‘how’ to put it in their resume. Resume layout can make or break your chances and should be relevant to the role you are applying for.
Think for a moment how many resumes a recruiter might shift through for ‘one’ recruitment campaign…100’s. Your resume is a marketing tool and should be presented in the best possible way to not only showcase you as a ‘stand out’ candidate but to also make a recruiters job easier and put the relevant information right in front of them. The formatting and layout of your resume is just as crucial as your skills and experience.
Here are some simple guidelines on ‘how’ to layout your resume:
- Chronological vs Functional. Arrange your information in a practical and easy to read format and relevant to your purpose.
- Be succinct! For whatever role you’ve done, you should be able to sum up the key accountabilities within 5-6 outcomes objectives. A general rule of thumb is that a resume should be no more than 3 pages max. Any longer than 3 pages may indicate your ability (or inability) to present relevant information. Keeping in mind, this is just a general rule, some resumes will exceed 3 pages due to sheer experience and or achievements and good way around this is to include an addendum to support your resume.
- Include your personal contact details not your current employer details. This is not appropriate.
- Have a clear and targeted objective that adds value to the employer.
- Embellishments should be left to your clothes. Do NOT oversell yourself or fluff up your resume with ‘white lies’. These will trip you up and is easily see through for experienced recruiters.
- Content is key. Remember you are writing a resume not a job description. If you are applying for an administration role, chances are the employer recruiting for the role will have a fair idea of what is involved in their own role. This is your chance to show how you excelled and what you ‘achieved’ in the role.
- Design. A tip I always like to advise is that unless you are applying for a creative role such as ‘Graphic Designer’, it is best to keep your resume in a standard, simple format. Arial, Calibri or Verdana are good fonts and no less than 11 point. Also, as mentioned in the previous blog ‘Use Keywords’, some big name companies use ‘Applicant Tracking Systems’ (ATS). Fancy resumes with logos, pictures and script text can be automatically excluded due to the ATS not registering the resume.
For information on our resume service and how we can assist you in presenting your resume in the best light for the right purpose, contact us today! We are always ready to assist!