Better Presentation Starts on Your Resume

John Krautzel
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Most resume tips given by experts focus on the type of information you should put on your resume. To make the best impression with recruiters and hiring managers, you should also put some effort into making sure your resume is presentable. Here are a few tips for ensuring your resume makes the right impression.

Legibility is important: Employers can't determine if you're a good fit for their company if they're not able to read your resume. In fact, your application will likely get tossed if it's illegible. One of the best resume tips you can follow is to make sure it is readable. Use an evenly spaced font like Arial or Garamond that's easy on the eyes. The font size shouldn't be less than 10 points. Headings can be a little bigger to make them stand out.

Well formatted: Part of good resume presentation is ensuring the page is formatted properly. This is particularly important if you are submitting your resume electronically. Reading on a computer screen strains the eyes more than reading a piece of paper, so you should use white space to make the content easier to read. Another one of the good resume tips related to formatting is to use headers to demarcate sections. This lets readers quickly skim the document to find the information they're looking for.

Proofread your work: Spelling and grammar errors are unacceptable on a resume and can cost you the job. You could be the hiring manager's dream candidate, but you'll never land an interview if you submit a resume riddled with misspelled words and grammatical mistakes. Take the time to proofread your work several times. Out of all the resume tips you'll read, this one is the most important. If your grasp of spelling and grammar is shaky, have someone more knowledgeable proofread your resume for you, or you can even use a resume writing service.

Use high-quality paper: For paper resumes, you want to use good quality stock. Not only does it look more professional, it will make your resume stand out. Good quality paper feels nice, and this simple detail could be the thing that gets an employer lingering over your resume. Despite what other resume tips may have you believe, you can print your resume on colored paper other than white or ivory. You still want to be conservative when choosing an alternative color, though, especially if you're applying for a management job. Hot pink will put most employers off, but a pale blue may catch their eyes.

The art of resume presentation is not difficult. The hardest part is setting aside the time to put these resume tips into action. If you find yourself struggling to create a great-looking resume, it may be worth the money to hire a professional to develop a dazzling resume that helps you land the job of your dreams.

 

(Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net)

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