25 Jul
What newspapers can teach you about writing a resume.
Posted in advice, Business, career, employment, interview, job hunt, job search, Resume Skills, tips & tricks on 25.07.11
Our last post taught you what should be in your resume; this time we focus on the layout of that resume.
In these changing times, your resume has to stand out and fit all manner of medium (meaning it has to look good printed, as well within email and on various websites). So, how do you ensure that yours stands out amongst all others? Take a look at any newspaper for direction. Not only do they have to fit all mediums, they now have to compete with blogs, opinions and keep both readers and advertisers happy on a daily basis.
First thing you should notice on the newspaper is the layout. I can take one quick look and know where to find what I need. Make sure your resume is clean and easy to navigate. It may be fun to create a funky resume, but don’t go too far – if you’re not a graphic designer, you could be asking your reader to work too hard to find your information.
The most important spot on any resume is the top left corner. We read pages, regardless of website or printed piece, from top to bottom and left to right. The top left spot on a newspaper usually includes the company logo and should showcase the most important piece of your resume: your contact information. When I am scanning resumes, I always look at contact info first to see if the person is located in the correct area (more often than not, I want somebody to start immediately, so I can’t consider someone looking to relocate). Don’t use fancy fonts for your name or address (Georgia is always a good choice, easy to read and available on all computers). Again, unless you are showcasing design skills, make reading the resume as simple as possible.
The second most important spot is the rest of the top bar. This should house your objective. Hopefully you know which specific job you are applying for, so you should tailor this one sentence to that job and answer the question, “Why are you the best fit for this job?” If you are posting to a site and not for one particular job, answer that question about your ideal job.
Next, the actual content. When journalists write they use the inverted pyramid, meaning the most important information is at the top with more minor, more detailed information at the bottom. This way, editors and readers can understand the entire story from the first few sentences. Below your objective and contact information, your qualifications are next on the list of importance. Start with your most recent job and work your way backwards. If you are fresh out of college, use any positions you may have had on student government, campus newspaper or within your fraternity. Try to show how this has enhanced your education. Did you win any awards, learn organizational skills, did you have to stick to strict deadlines or come up with fresh ideas? Put this info here.
The next thing I like to put actually steps away from the newspaper layout. Put your additional info next: any volunteer work, community groups, any articles printed. The reason I put it here is habit. It’s habit to expect a newspaper’s contact information in the footnotes and it’s habit to expect education to be at the bottom of a resume. There’s a good chance that a reader will read the top of your resume and then skim to the bottom to see your education.
So, last on the list is your education and any awards or accolades (restate them if you have them in the detail of your previous jobs). Start with the highest level.
Thinking of your resume like a journalist might think of an article or an editor might think of the newspaper puts you in that competitive mindset, which in these tough times you need. To get the job you want, your resume is your lead story – make it easy to read, interesting and intriguing.
Stay tuned, next we will discuss how to Search Engine Optimize your resume.
