6 Great Tips for Improving Your Resume's Format

Your resume format is quite possibly one of the most important points of your resume. I say this because it is the very first thing a recruiter or employer sees. Therefore, it is your first impression and as first impressions go it should be a strong, positive one. Lousy and hard to read formats will not do you justice. In fact, you will be lucky if your resume gets a second glance never mind an in-depth review. You can pretty much count on it going straight to the trash. In these tough times resumes are weeded out by the hundreds and it only takes one small thing to get your resume sent to the NO pile.

1. Choose a format that is attractive to the eye, something that engages the reader and one that is very easy to read.
2. Choose a font that the hiring manager can actually read. Nothing really fancy but choose something creative and not boring.
3. Create your resume layout in a way that looks structured, and uses up the most space without seeming overcrowded. This isn't a college term paper so you won't need 1 inch margins. Try something smaller, the less white space and the more structured your format the better it will seem to the reader.
4. On titles, employment dates, and company names change up the lines so one is bold, the other is italics. The difference will draw attention.
5. Use bullet points, but not too many. Everything in moderation. Try changing it up with a paragraph format then bullets beneath it.
6. Review samples of professionally written resumes and take clues from them. By all means do not copy them but you will see similarities in style then apply what you like.

If you are not a Microsoft Word whiz, and know absolutely nothing about resume formatting, margins, fonts, bullets, spacing, justifications and more don't fret, there are professionals out there who do this for a living.