Getting Noticed – How to Format Your Resume

When applying for jobs, the first thing the employer or recruiter will see is your resume. A poorly written or ill formatted resume can prevent potential candidates from being noticed. A few simple revisions can dramatically increase your resume views. Take a look at these simple steps, and add a big splash to your resume.

1. Center your name and contact information – It looks cleaner and is easier to read.
2. Do not put your name in the header – Information will not capture properly, and your contact information could be lost.
3. Write an objective statement – It is an easy way for an employer or tracking system to catch whether you are a fit for the job or not. If you apply for a mechanical engineer role but your objective statement says mechanical drafter you may get pushed to the bottom of the pile.
4. Put your skills at the top of your resume not the bottom – If you have a niche skill set that not many people have utilized, an employer or recruiter will be able to find it faster.
5. Put ALL job experience together in chronological order – Make sure there are detailed bullets or a summary that accurately describes your duties and accomplishments.
6. Put your education at the bottom of your resume – This one seems weird but it does make a big difference for resume flow.
7. DO NOT USE PDF – Just don’t. Information can be lost and formatting can become jumbled, making it hard to read.
8. Use Sans Serif fonts – Arial is a good example. Please do not use Serif fonts as they do not format correctly.
9. Make sure everything lines up – It makes the resume look crisp and will certainly draw attention.
10. Do not add quotes or tag lines – They just look silly and will turn off employers/recruiters from contacting you.
11. Don’t be afraid to put down volunteer work/college activities – But only if you have been out of school less than a few years. Putting down volunteer work doesn’t hurt what stage you are at in your employment but is not necessary either.
12. And finally check for grammar/misspellings – One misspelled word and you went from a phone call to a no thank you pile.

These are just some simple ideas that can help draw attention to your resume. Hopefully they land you your dream job!

Author:

Eliana Janssen is a Recruiter with RCS Corporation.

For more information about our open positions or other job opportunities, contact Eliana at ejanssen@rcscorporation.com.