How to Format Your Resume like a Pro

How to Format Your Resume like a Pro Creating a clean and readable resume draft can be difficult. However, with the right tips and tricks, you can let your resume be your ticket to a job interview.

When it comes to writing a resume, it is important to know what (and what not) to do to increase your chances of getting hired. Here are some tips to help:

Make it look professional. If you want your resume to be taken seriously, don’t cram multiple typefaces and bullet styles into one page. Choose a font that will be easy to read and attractive to look at. Avoid using a different font for every heading. Limit your resume to one to two styles, and make sure. If used, that the second one is complimentary to the first. (For example, you can use a serif font for the header and a sans serif font for body text).

Highlight the right skills. To grab the attention of the recruiter, place your most important information in the top third of your resume. Include your strongest skills in an eye-catching area to entice the recruiter to read the rest of the page.

Know how to use white space. White space refers to the parts of the page that do not contain any text or graphics. Make sure you know how to use the balance of white space in your resume to avoid producing a cramped and hard-to-read document.Lack of readability will likely cause recruiters to put your resume aside.

When choosing font size, don’t go smaller than 10-point type.Use bullets and tabs, and insert a space before and after headers, and keep your bulleted list short. Too many bullets can be as distracting as a long paragraph.

Use headers wisely. Include your name and contact information in your header with a gradation of heading sizes. Avoid using an excess of bold, italics or underlining; they should only be used when you are highlighting an important piece of information.

Make it readable. The easiest way you can ensure readability isby keeping your font size at 10 point (or higher, depending on the intended recipient). Put your name and contact information in an elegant and larger font. Keep the rest of the document in a standard font. Where applicable, create a simple yet attractive header to grab attention.

These tips should help you create a resume that will impress recruiters. As another important step, ask a friend or mentor to proofread your resume once it’s reached a final draft.

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Alan Carniol

Alan is the creator of Interview Success Formula, a training program that has helped more than 80,000 job seekers to ace their interviews and land the jobs they deserve. Interviewers love asking curveball questions to weed out job seekers. But the truth is, most of these questions are asking about a few key areas. Learn more about how to outsmart tough interviewers by watching this video.