Building your first resume can be hard because you are starting from scratch. After the first one, you will continue to update and enhance your resume throughout your academic and professional life depending upon the types of positions and companies you are applying for. You may even have many different resumes that highlight your relevant skills for different positions.
Resume Set-Up
While the most important information on your resume will be the content, the look of your resume may be the first thing to grab the attention of the reader. Employers receive many resumes for jobs they post, so it is important to make sure yours is easy to read and demonstrates that you have the relevant necessary skills for the job in order to make sure your resume is considered.
The following are common questions that may arise while formatting your resume.
What color paper should I use?
For 95% of all jobs the answer is white, cream, ivory or gray are all acceptable, however if you are applying for a job in a more creative field (e.g. - advertising, the arts, etc) people may be more receptive to an atypical resume.
How many pages should my resume be?
This will depend on both the position you are applying for and your own background. In most cases, stick with one page. It will be important to read the job description for details on length. Some may accept two or more pages; others may say “one page resume” only.
What font should I use?
Try printing your resume using different fonts and ask people you trust which they prefer. Times New Roman, Garamond (smallest and easiest to read), Calibri, and Ariel are all popular and polished fonts. A 12-point font is suggested, at the smallest 10-point font. You can also experiment with margin size to increase the amount of text you can add to your resume.
What text formatting should I use?
Formatting is a personal preference. Try not to overdo the formatting, and BE CONSISTENT throughout. Example: If you italicize the name of one employer, italicize the names of all the employers
Resume Resources
- Check out their resume, reference page and/or cover letter guide
- Students can also make an appointment with Career Services to have their resume, references and/or cover letter critiqued by a career consultant
Purdue University Online Writing Lab
- Offers over 200 free resources including: writing and teaching writing, research, grammar and mechanics, style guides, ESL, job search and professional writing
- “Job Search Writing” specifically covers: preparing an application, job search letters and resumes and vitas
The University of Buffalo, SUNY
- Resume writing tips, samples, resources and CV writing samples and resources