Tuesday’s Tip: Does My Resume Need to Be Pretty?

Everyone has their own opinion about your resume, and if you ask 20 different people for advice, you'll get 25 different answers! Most are "right" that it should be changed, but clueless on what to change and WHY to change it. You must ask yourself if your resume is a History document of your career (which is the wrong answer) or if it is a carefully "strategized" marketing and sales document that makes it easy for employers to see the full value of what you bring to the table.

A goal for all marketing departments is to make their product attractive. Studies have shown that candidates with visually attractive resumes get far more more interviews. So by having the right information on your resume and taking it to the spa for a complete makeover, you will provide it with the "double punch" needed to getting you closer to that offer. Some things to consider when beautifying your resume:

Choose a layout and font that emphasizes readability (both in printed form and online).

Do not choose a "fancy" font (ie. cursive...) or one that is not one of the standard choices in MS Word.

Use a 10pt or 11pt font size. A 12pt font looks too much like a children's book and a 9pt font is too small for most to read. However, the "right" size of the font also depends on which font you choose, since not all fonts are created equally.

Attach appropriate job related logos, certifications, and job related pictures that will demonstrate "visually" who you are and the skills you provide.

The bottom line is that most people are visual learners, and if you portray to the employer that you are an "attractive" catch (both with quality verbiage and a pretty resume), you will rise to the top of the YES pile!