Resume Formatting
General Formatting
For most professionals, one page is all you need for a well-written, professional resume
Top 1/3-1/2 of your resume should be tailored based on the position that you are applying to
Style and layout should be consistent throughout the resume including use of bullets, bolding, underlining, hyphens, punctuation and indentation
Vertical alignment is equally as important as horizontal alignment
Making use of “white space” on a resume is important. Be sure to use the space on the right side of the resume as well as the left side. It helps to create a better visual balance; makes the resume easier to read
The document should be single spaced
Color and graphics should be avoided (unless it is a design resume)
A bullet point is not a “stand-alone” item. You must have a minimum of 2 items listed to use bullet points
Information in your Education and Professional Experience sections should be listed in reverse chronological order with the most recent appearing first
Margins and Spacing
Use spacing and margins to create a full, 1-page resume
Margins between .5”-1”
Spacing between sections should be no less than 8-10 pt. font size
Spacing between information within a section should be no less than 4-5 pt. font
Using lines to separate sections can make it easier for the reader to distinguish specific informational sections, especially when there is a lot of information packed into one page
Font
16-20 pt. font sixe for your name; rest of the document should be 10-12 pt. font size.
Use BOLD font for your name, section titles, your credentials, certifications and job titles. Avoid using italics.
Choose a font size and style and stick with it. You may use an additional font style for your name or the headers of sections to help information standout and distinguish one section from the next.
Select a font style that is easy to read such as Calibri, Times New Roman, Georgia, Arial, Bell MT, Garamond, Calisto MT or Verdana.
Your name, section titles, your credentials, certifications and job titles should be listed in BOLD. Avoid using italics.
Grammar and Punctuation
If you decide to use periods at the end of statements on a résumé, make sure you use periods at the end of every statement. If you feel it is appropriate to use periods at the end of some statements but not others, then leave the periods out entirely.
Avoid abbreviations.
NO spelling to grammatical errors should be on your resume.
Resume Sections
Contact Information
Contact information of your resume should be listed at the top of the page with your name being the largest font size on the document (16-20 pt. font). There are many formatting options for this section, but some ideas could include the following examples below.
Image of resume contact information heading
Professional Summary
Professional Summary – or your Personal Brand Statement – should appear directly under your header and is a brief statement customized toward the industry in which you are applying. This statement should be unique for each position. This is your opportunity to show that you have what the employer wants. It is your personal sales pitch. Do not label this section “Objective”. Objective Statements are no longer used in current resume writing. Objectives speak to what you are seeking or hoping to gain. A Professional Summary speaks to what you have to offer the employer. This is a great place to include transferable skill information such as
Bilingual (foreign languages)
Customer service
Critical thinking
Communication
Computer literacy
Attention to detail
Diversity
Teamwork
Skills Section
You will also customize your Skills section for each position. Review the job description and create a bulleted list that fits your skills and what the company is seeking. Additionally, if you do not have a lot of work experience, this is a great place to list coursework, internship, externship or clinical experience that is applicable to the field instead. The title of your Skills Section may vary slightly depending on the structure and focus of your resume. Some formatting examples are as follows:
Image of resume skills section
Education
Education Section of your resume should include the education, credentials and degrees you have obtained; particularly those applicable to the position. If you have recently earned or are going to earn a credential that is field-related, be sure that your education section is near the top of the resume. If your schooling is a bit dated and you have recent experience in the field, then your education can appear near the bottom of your resume. Do not add education experiences where you did not receive a degree, unless it directly relates to certifications or trainings that are field specific. A relevant coursework section is optional, but most of the time you can highlight those proficiencies within your skills section.
Professional Experience
The Professional Experience section, or Work History, demonstrates your background and your growth as a professional. The title of your work section may vary slightly depending on the structure and focus of your resume. Use your employment history to emphasize relevant accomplishments that either relates to your field of interest or accomplishments that are transferable to your field of interest (i.e. customer service can relate to patient care).
Creating a well-formatted, one-page resume that is free from spelling and grammatical errors can be challenging. Be sure that you find 1 or 2 reliable individuals who can review and provide feedback to you about your resume. Your Career Services Advisor is always one of the best resource for you to gain professional feedback of not only your resume, but also other job search documents.
