What Is the Correct Format for a Resume?
As a popular saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a good first impression. For jobseekers, a resume is often the first glimpse a prospective employer gets at who you are, what you've done, and whether you'd be an asset to the stability and growth of the organization. Unfortunately, a lot of resumes don't merit an invitation to come and chat about yourself in person because the content has been sloppily organized or fails to make a persuasive pitch. Here's what you need to know in order to get your foot in the door.
Other People Are Reading
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Function
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The purpose of a resume is to condense your work experience, educational background and career aspirations into a single document that will allow a reader to determine at a glance whether there is enough substance to justify a job offer. A resume, also known as a curriculum vitae or "CV" for short, is the first level of screening involved in establishing a pool of qualified applicants. This can either be for a specific job that is currently open or, as in the case of events such as theatrical auditions, to build a talent bank that can be drawn from in the future as the need arises. Resumes that make the first cut are photocopied and distributed to members of the hiring panel; those that don't are either filed or destroyed.
Types
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There are three different types of resumes. The most common resume is one used to seek employment and is either written in direct response to an advertisement for a job (classifieds, bulletin board, Internet post) or as an unsolicited query to an individual or company the person would like to work for. The second type of resume is one that accompanies an application to a university, vocational school or graduate studies program. These resumes focus on the writer's coursework and grades, her community service experience and how she plans to apply the knowledge she gains to her chosen career field. The third resume is in conjunction with a request for appointment to a committee or board and highlights a writer's achievements insofar as fundraising campaigns, leadership activities, volunteerism and the coordination of community events. It's this third type of resume that is often supplied to the press whenever PR pieces are written about the individual and any awards she receives for oustanding service.
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Size
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A well written resume should not exceed one typed 8-1/2 x 11-inch page. If it's longer than that, the author is probably rambling and including extraneous information that will not endear him to the reader. Resumes should always allow 1-inch margins on all sides, be printed in black ink on only one side of 20# white bond paper, and use a Courier, Courier New, Times New Roman, Bookman or Palatino 12 pt. font. The exception to a resume that goes to a second page is if the applicant is identifying references of previous employers/instructors (name, address, phone, and email) or if he has been asked to answer a hypothetical question or include supplemental information about himself that is not part of the standard resume format. In the case of theatrical or modeling resumes, the one-page summary of experience is reduced to a 90 percent image size and affixed with rubber cement to the back of an 8 x 10-inch headshot as a precaution against the photo and the CV getting separated. These resumes also include information such as age, height, weight, hair/eye color, clothing size and shoe size.
Features
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To facilitate reading, resumes are broken into distinct sections and have the appearance of an outline as opposed to a meandering narrative. Always centered at the top of the resume is the applicant's name, address, phone number, email and, if applicable, a website. Two lines below and at the left margin is the specific position or general type of employment being applied for. Two lines below that and either capitalized or underlined is the word "Experience." On a separate line for each entry under this category, the applicant identifies (in reverse chronological order) the titles of past jobs, the companies worked for, and a very brief description of the duties associated with each. The next major category may be "Awards and Recognition," "Community Service" or "Areas of Expertise." How you choose to categorize these "value added" elements depends on what type of job is being sought. The final category is "Education" and identifies educational institutions, degrees acquired, and majors. There are a number of variations on this formatting, all of which are considered "correct." How a resume is actually assembled, though, has a lot to do with what you personally feel is the most important thing you want to have jump off the page and what additional information an employer will want to know in order to consider you. For instance, she may want to know what your salary was in each position or why you happened to leave.
Considerations
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Always keep your resume up to date. You never know when an economic downturn is going to result in your job being outsourced, your company being downsized, or your fabulous boss being replaced by someone new you just don't feel comfortable working with. Employers view more favorably resumes that reflect initiative and results as opposed to a dull litany of duties that suggests your only contribution to past employment venues was just to show up everyday and not do anything stupid.
If you're new to the workforce or are returning after years of raising a family, don't overlook the skills you acquired in the course of volunteer work. Being able to raise lots of money, make speeches, or motivate others to get involved in a civic project are valuable assets you shouldn't leave off your credentials. Use different resumes for different jobs. While the content is basically the same, the objective is to move into the most prominent view whatever elements you feel are the most pertinent to a particular position. Wherever possible, try to insert buzz words that appear in the job specifications.
Warning
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Never lie on a resume, especially if you're trying to hide things like inappropriate or criminal behavior that got you fired from your past job(s). In this day and age, it's much too easy for prospective employers to dig up the truth. Many of them, in fact, are now making law enforcement background checks and fingerprinting a routine part of their hiring protocol, especially insofar as determining whether an applicant is legally authorized to work in the U.S. or if his past behaviors might constitute a safety or security risk to the company's operations.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Photo courtesy of morguefile.com
