Category: Employment

Employments covers the self-employed business person and/or entrepreneur as well as salaried individuals working on various shifts, including the standard “9 to 5” shift. Transitioning from employed to self-employed is one of the biggest hurdles to folks owning and operating their own business; the others being start-up capital and an operating budget.

Resume Design Grabs Employers’ Attention


You, your resume and the job

Job hunting can be one of the most exhilarating, and yet agonizing experiences in an individual’s life; and while many of us, as young adults, look forward to opening a new chapter in our professional lives, finding a way to stand out from other job applicants who are at least equally qualified for a given position, is often a difficult task. If you’ve been in the job hunt recently, you can probably relate directly to this sentiment.

You understand that your resume is the first contact potential employers will have with you; and as such, a well formatted and well-written resume will often make a difference between getting an interview followed by getting the job, and being passed over. Most employers receive a stack of resumes from qualified candidates and scan them relatively quickly before they decide whether or not they want to read further.

Therefore you only have a few seconds to make a positive and/or lasting impression; but don’t panic! Instead, focus on the design of your resume as it is the first impression your potential employer will have of you, whether the resume is on paper or in electronic form.

Avoid using outdated templates

The most commonly made mistake in resume design pertains to using ready made templates that are available in Microsoft Word. While these templates are resume tools designed for quick formatting and consisting of easy to follow instructions on how to create your resume, they are often outdated and will make your resume appear generic and uninviting. Additionally, such templates, while well formatted in Microsoft Word, will not translate well when emailed or uploaded to job search engine web sites.

The second most commonly made mistake in resume design is the inclusion of graphics on the page. Your picture and/or other graphics are not appropriate for a resume, because including anything outside of plain text will make you stand out in a way that could cause the employer think that the seriousness with which you take yourself as a professional is sorely lacking, and this is certainly not the first impression you’d want to make.

That having been said, however, you might wish to obtain a few resume samples which can easily be done with a quick search on the Internet under the particular industry in which you’re pursuing employment, or under the category that makes the most sense for the job you are seeking. After that you can work on a blank page to replicate the look and feel of the resume you like. Take a look at the following basic formatting rules for your resume:

The resume features list

  • Limit the length of the resume to two pages.
  • Page margins should be one inch; top, bottom, right and left.
  • Use left justification only – as a rule, and resume content should not be centered.
  • The font and font size should be consistent.
  • Bullet points should be basic. –Use circles or squares, but never any symbols that may not translate well when sent electronically.
  • Headlines can be in all caps; but the remaining text should not have special formatting.
  • Do not underline any of the information in your resume since it could be mistaken for a hyperlink.
  • Headline font size should not exceed 14 points; and font size for the remainder text should not exceed 12 points.
  • Use the Tab key instead of your Space bar to create spaces between the text in your resume.

Check and recheck resume for errors

As a last formatting check point, ask your friends or family members for help in reviewing (critiquing) your resume. Simply email resume file via email to a few of your friends and– ask them to review it resume to make sure nothing seems out of place. Print out the resume and review it to make sure that margins are accurately set, and the content doesn’t appear crowded on the page. Keep in mind –that when it comes to your resume, a sleek simple appearance, and great writing will help you obtain your sought after job.

About the Content and Formatting of Resume Headings


The basics of resume headings

The first and most prominent item on your resume is your name and contact information. Your name is typically in the largest font, standing apart from all other text on your resume. A common mistake made by many professionals is trying to emphasize their name in a special font type. As it is difficult to anticipate which software and version your potential employer is using, you run a risk of not knowing exactly how your name will appear on their screen.

In view of the above it is advisable to stick with basic font types like,– Arial and Times New Roman which are two of the most commonly used, and are least risky when it comes to formatting your resume, and you should also be mindful not to go overboard on the font size. For example, your name should be in point size 14 or 16 and all other headings should be in 12 or 14 point font, while the remaining text of your resume should be in the range of 10 and 12 point font.

Along with your name, the very top of your resume should contain your mailing address, your email address, and at least one phone number where you can be reached. It is best to include a physical mailing address instead of a P.O. Box, whenever possible; and you should never include an email address at your current place of employment (yes, it happens). A helpful hint about listing your email address is to make sure that it contains your name, as this helps you appear more professional.

Resume inclusions reflect professional image

You can create a free email account with one of the leading providers of such service, e.g. Gmail, MSN, Yahoo, etc. and it might be helpful to have one email address as a point of contact for your job search. At least one phone number should be listed; but make sure to indicate if you are listing a home or a mobile number. If you have a professional website, the site address can also be included along with your contact information.

Please note that you should only provide a website address if the website does not contain anything that is personal, or any personal identifiable information (PII) because the only reason a potential employer may want to look at a website is if your professional portfolio or a copy of your resume can be found there.

Whether you decide to create a chronological resume or a functional resume, you will need to separate the information by with the use of headings; and the best advice you’ll get anywhere is to keep the section headings professional and stick to the basics. Don’t try to come up with creative titles for your professional summary, or for your qualifications. If you use a chronological resume the following sections/titles should be featured:

Contrast in resume heading styles

  • career objective
  • professional summary (optional)
  • professional experience/work experience/experience
  • education
  • publications/special achievements (if applicable)
  • qualifications/skills
  • references/references and portfolio

A functional resume is slightly different, and the headings you choose will really depend on the skills you’re trying to highlight. Features should include:

  • career objective
  • education
  • professional skills/professional qualifications (this section will include sub-headings as they relate to specific qualifications you want to promote, such as communications, customer relations, management positions, etc.)
  • work experience/work history (if applicable; should only include dates, titles, companies and locations without listing responsibilities)
  • volunteer work/activities (if applicable)
  • references

To conclude with…

The above mentioned features are typically those that are found in chronological and functional resumes; but you might want to do a little research on resume styles to find sample resumes of professionals in your industry; and if the need arise, simply adjust these headings based on your field, but be mindful of keeping the content consistent across industries.

Stick to the basics, and don’t try to be creative in order to stand out, because a professional and polished resume will get you noticed. So do your best to create a resume that is error free, and which best supports your career objective.