How Do You Look on Paper?

When people write their resume, they tend to focus only on the content. And while it’s true that the content is extremely important in convincing potential employers of your competency, the appearance of the resume is just as important.

The reality is most hiring and HR managers don’t have the time to read through every resume they get in great detail, especially if they have numerous openings going on with many applicants for each position. They have to make a judgment call within only a few seconds as to whether they even want to continue looking. The way your resume looks could be the difference between whether you yourself get a closer look or get put into the rejection pile. It’s the paper version of a first impression, and first impressions are incredibly strong.

Consider some of the following questions before you send in your resume to a potential employer:

• At first glance, does your resume look appealing, neat and have a professional appearance?
• Did you use an appropriate margin width for your resume?
• Do you use a consistent, readable font throughout the whole page?
• Do you use bold, italics and underlines to help break up and organize your resume?
• Does the spacing between each section look appropriate?
• Is it easy to quickly scan over your resume and still get the most important information?

Taking all of this into account will help you ensure your resume looks professional and draws the attention of potential employers. It will make for an inviting document that wants the interviewer to get to know you better.