Creating a resume can be a daunting task and sometimes lead you to be overwhelmed. It may lead you to start googling resume template ideas. Don’t get carried away with the options that are available. (Tip: MS Word has templates that are great picks.) Create a resume that any employer will be able to quickly glance at. Here are helpful tips we recommend as a staffing company. 

Avoid Graphics

Try to not use elaborate graphics or background pictures. Even bullet points should just be a simple circle or hyphen. If you use other types of bullets like a star, shadowed arrow, or diamonds they may not scan well with scanning software that companies use to keep resumes on file and your resume will be overlooked because it looks like a jumbled mess. Also, skip a headshot photo. Let your resume speak for itself. 

Choose a Standard Font 

Make sure the font is clean, clear and the size is not below 10pt. If a resume is too hard to read then it will be skipped in the screening process. If your font size is currently 10pt or 11pt throughout, think about increasing certain areas to 12pt. 

Use easy to read font when you are creating your resume. Employers have a short time looking at resumes so make sure yours is clear and easy to read. Stay away from hard to read fonts. It may look pretty and elegant, but it may lead you into the rejection pile. Stick with a simple font (we recommend Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman) and utilize only Bold, Italic, and underline to get the hiring manager’s attention. Avoid white space on your resume.

Eliminate White Space

If you have areas on the resume that can be used…use them! Try to add a new section for a summary, awards and achievements, or skills. Play and adjust the margins of the page or even the line spacing so you can fill up the white space. 

In with the new

Always put your most recent job experience first, then work your way down in reverse chronological order. Depending on your job skills, your resume should go back 10 to 15 years. 

Double check your resume before you send

Always take a second look at your resume before you send it off to see if there are keywords you can add that are specific to the job you are applying to. Use similar words that the job posting used. 

If you are updating your resume on your phone, email it to yourself before sending it to the company you are applying to. Why? There might be an issue with formatting when updating it on your phone. One last thing, when saving your resume, always save it as a PDF without a password. By having your reader input codes or access your personal cloud to open a resume will lead it to the reject pile. Recruiters review hundreds of resumes and will often skip to the next one if there are any technical glitches in opening a resume. Saving it as a PDF will also allow ease of sending for the new ways that are out there in applying for jobs: LinkedIn, the dozens of job board sites, and even Facebook…they all pull information from your resume to fit their platform.