Formatting Your Resume

Class Location: The Internet.

Description: This course gives students an overview of the different styles of resumes they can choose from.

Objective: Learn about the different styles of resumes and find out which one will be best for you.

Your resume is the first impression an interviewer will have of you. You want it to be professional but also make you stand out. If you're applying for a traditional type of job, keep your resume simple and straightforward. If you're applying for an artistic job, you can use your resume as the first place for the interviewer to see your creative side. In either case, your resume should be easy to read with the information laid out in a clear and logical format.

Resume styles range from conservative to progressive. You can also choose from a variety of fonts. Keep in mind that the font you select will affect the length of your resume. If you have a lot of information to present, stick with a font like Times New Roman, which takes up less space, and a conservative format. Other common resume fonts include Arial, Book Antiqua, Twentieth Century and Verdana.

You can choose from a number of resume styles:

• The conservative format. This style allows you to include a lot of information in a small space. Underneath your name, list your contact information neatly on a single line. List your experience, education and activities with the dates justified to the left and the location to the right. Indent the employer and job title (or school and degree) with your accomplishments outlined with bullets underneath.

• The traditional format. With this style, your name goes on the top left, with your contact information on the top right. Set off each section head with an underline going across the width of the page margins.

• Justify each job title (or degree) to the left, with the date justified to the right. Underneath, list the name of the employer (or school) with bullet points outlining your accomplishments.

• The traditional block format. This style is the same as the traditional format, except that your name is printed in white inside a black box.

• The executive format. With this style, your name and contact information are centered at the top of the page. Underneath each section head, the dates are justified to the left, with all the other information indented. Below the job title (or degree) and employer (or school) name and location, use bullet points to list accomplishments.

• The contemporary format. In this style, justify your name and contact information to the right, with the contact information on a single line. The section heads appear in blocks that cover the width of the page margins. You can choose a single color for the blocks if you want, giving your resume some pizzazz. Under the section head, list the job title (or degree), employer name (or school), location and dates of employment justified to the left, with your accomplishments outlined with bullets underneath.

• The progressive format. This format puts your name and contact information on the top left, with the sections all indented and starting next to your name. Under each section head, justify the job title (or degree), employer (or school) name and location to the left and the dates to the right. Then list your accomplishments below with bullet points.

• The designer format. Use this style if you're applying for a job that rewards creativity. In this format, your name and contact information run sideways along the left edge of the page. The section information appears the same as in the progressive format.