Crafting a resume that catches the eye of potential employers while showing off your skills and experience is an art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The format of your resume plays a critical role in this process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are the essential dos and don\u2019ts of resume formatting to help you create a polished and professional document.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Selecting the appropriate resume format<\/strong><\/a> is key.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chronological, functional, and combination formats each serve different purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The chronological format is best if you have a consistent work history. The functional format emphasizes skills and is suitable for career changers or those with employment gaps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The combination format highlights both skills and experience, offering flexibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A clean, simple design ensures readability. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Use a professional font like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman in 10-12 point size.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adequate white space, consistent margins, and clear headings make your resume easy to navigate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Customize your resume for each position you apply for<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Highlight the most relevant skills and experiences that match the job description.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This demonstrates your attention to detail and genuine interest in the role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bullet points make your resume more readable by breaking down information into digestible chunks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Use them to list job responsibilities, achievements, and skills. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Start each bullet point with an action verb and quantify achievements where possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ensure your resume includes up-to-date contact information: your full name, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile (if applicable).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Place this information at the top so it\u2019s easy to find.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Spelling and grammatical errors can undermine your professionalism. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Proofread your document multiple times and consider asking a friend or mentor to review it as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While creativity is valuable, resumes should prioritize professionalism and readability. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Avoid using fancy fonts, graphics, or images that can distract from the content. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Stick to a traditional, easy-to-read font and avoid unnecessary embellishments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keep it short.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Aim for one page if you have less than 10 years of experience, and two pages if you have more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Focus on the most relevant and recent experiences, and avoid including outdated or irrelevant information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Resumes should be written in the third person, without personal pronouns like \u201cI\u201d or \u201cme.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead of saying, \u201cI managed a team of five,\u201d simply write, \u201cManaged a team of five.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Details such as age, marital status, religious affiliation, or a photo are unnecessary and can lead to potential bias. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Stick to professional information that is relevant to the job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to screen resumes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Including relevant keywords from the job description can help your resume pass through these systems. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ensure your skills and experiences align with the keywords used in the job posting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Need Career Advice? <\/strong>Get employment skills advice at all levels of your career<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Regularly update your resume to reflect your latest achievements, skills, and experiences. <\/p>\n\n\n\n An up-to-date resume is ready to go whenever new opportunities arise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By following these do\u2019s and don\u2019ts of resume formatting, you can create a professional, polished resume that effectively showcases your qualifications and makes a strong impression on potential employers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Remember, your resume is often the first interaction an employer has with you, so make it count.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Follow us on <\/strong>X<\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>LinkedIn<\/strong><\/a>, and <\/strong>Facebook<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Crafting a resume that catches the eye of potential employers while effectively showcasing your skills and experience is an art.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":13929,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13927","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-resume-cv-writing-advice"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/co.whatjobs.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13927","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/co.whatjobs.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/co.whatjobs.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/co.whatjobs.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/33"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/co.whatjobs.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13927"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/co.whatjobs.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13927\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/co.whatjobs.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13929"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/co.whatjobs.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13927"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/co.whatjobs.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13927"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/co.whatjobs.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13927"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Keep It Clean and Simple<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Tailor Your Resume for Each Job<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Use Bullet Points for Clarity<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Include Contact Information<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Proofread Thoroughly<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
The Don\u2019ts of Resume Formatting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t Use Unconventional Fonts or Graphics<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t Overload with Information<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t Use Personal Pronouns<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t Include Irrelevant Personal Information<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t Neglect Keywords<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t Forget to Update Regularly<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n