DESIGN

Why is the design of a resume so important?

Employers will take, at most, only thirty-five seconds to look at this one-page representation of yourself before deciding whether to keep or discard it. Maximize readability. Clear and concise presentation is key.

Organization

• Name
• Contact Information (Address/Phone/Email)
• Subheadings
• Employment Dates
• Places of Employment
• Job Title
• Job Description

Layout

Lay Out Your Resume in a table to keep information lined up.

Where you put the information you want the employer to see is important.

The Quadrant Test

Readers typically read from left to right and from top to bottom when information is "balanced" (about an equal amount of text and white space) on the page. Being able to anticipate the reader's response to a resume in this way will allow you to manipulate information according to the quadrant test. First, divide your resume into four quadrants, as seen in the example below.

Imagine your resume split into quadrants.

Each one of your quadrants should have an equal amount of text and white space (empty space where there is no text). When your page is balanced, the reader will typically read anything in quadrant 1 first. So, you should put your most important information — anything you want the employer to see first — in this quadrant.

Style

Design your Resume using no more than two fonts, one kind of bullet and reserve bold type for sections and job title. Keep it clean.

Crazy colors, clip art, decorative borders and facinating fonts are distracting to the product being marketed: YOU and what you have to offer the company.

Site Development
Last Updated: 3/4/08
Designed by Lorali Deming Email