The 7 deadly sins of résumé design

Chanpory Rith  Sep 26, 2006

So
you've labored with sweat and tears writing your résumé, and now you're
all set to turn it into a magnificently designed creation.
Unfortunately, with the freedom of modern computers and fancy software,
comes huge opportunities for abuse. When it comes to résumés, both
non-designers and professional designers commit some almost
unforgivable sins. Here are the 7 deadly sins of résumé design and how
to repent:

1. Fancy "résumé" paper


2. Times New Roman


3. Teeny tiny font size


4. Grey text


5. Excessive decoration


6. Weird paper size


7. Horizontal format

1. Fancy "résumé" paper

Take a tour of any office supply store and you'll see shelves of
extravagant "résumé" papers featuring special "linen" and "parchment"
finishes. Avoid these like dog poop on a New York summer sidewalk.
They're too expensive and don't make you look extra special.

To repent: Save your money and get paper with a
plain smooth finish. It can be slightly heavier than regular copy
paper, but not stiff as a board. An ever so slight hint of cream is
fine. It'll make your resume easier on the eyes than the
super-ultra-pure-snow-driven white paper many designers are fond of. I
prefer Neenah Classic Crest in Natural White with a Super Smooth finish. Never ever use pink paper with strawberry scent.

2. Times New Roman

The default typeface in Microsoft Word is Times New Roman, and thus
it's the default for most résumés. It's a tragedy, because Times's
letterspacing and wordspacing is wretched in Word. The result is an
unharmonious mess.

To repent: Choose a different typeface. I won't go into explaining x-heights or the difference between Humanist Sans and Geometric Sans. If you've got money to spare, pick any of the typefaces in FontShop's professional collection,
and you'll be a step above Times New Roman. If you're cheap, use
Matthew Carter's Georgia. It's free and already installed on your
computer. If you send your résumé electronically as a PDF, it also
looks quite good on-screen. If you need more guidance, check out Before
& After's tutorial on picking typefaces.

3. Teeny tiny font size

Designers fresh out of school love teeny tiny type. The belief is
that it looks elegant, refined, and allows for more white space on the
résumé. It's a shame. For all that elegance, no one can read it,
because most people in hiring positions won't have fresh baby eyes with
20/20 vision.

To repent: Set your résumé no smaller than 9 points
for sans-serifed type and 10 points for serifed type. Anything smaller,
and your résumé is at risk of being shredded.

4. Grey text

Designers also love grey type. On an inkjet printer, grey text looks
better because it reduces the appearance of noise. If you go too light,
though, it becomes illegible and unfaxable. But wait, should you really
be using inkjet to print your résumé?

To repent: Use a laser printer and print in 100% black for ultimate clarity. If you do go grey, don't go lighter than 75% black.

5. Excessive decoration

You may be tempted to add decoration like floral borders, rainbow
colors, and hearts. Perhaps, you want to use an illustration of a swan,
tiger or unicorn to represent you. This is great if you want to look
like a box of crayons melted on your résumé. Otherwise, don't try to be
cute.

To repent: Add some character by setting your name
slightly larger, or in a different weight as the same typeface as the
rest of your résumé. Use color, but very sparingly, if at all. No more
than one color in addition to black.

6. Weird paper size

If you live in the United States, the standard paper size is 8.5 x
11in. In Europe, it's 210 x 297mm. Anything else will fit awkwardly in
a binder or file. When it doesn't fit, it gets thrown out.

To repent: Keep to the standard paper size of your geographic location. It's easier to print and package.

7. Horizontal format

In an attempt to stand out, some designers format their résumés in a landscape format. This is more annoying than innovative.

To repent: Keep to a portrait format. The first
person who sees your résumé is usually a Human Resources person who
sees hundreds of resumes daily. Too much variation from the norm makes
it harder for them to make a quick assessment of you. If you want to
stand out, write a good cover letter instead.

So what does a good looking résumé look like? Check out my follow-up post, Give your résumé a face lift.

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101 Comments

• 
  

  Neil

  
  

  Sep 26, 2006
  6:51 am
  

  
  

  As
  somebody whose very recent redesign of their CV breaks both your colour
  and your horizontal rules, I couldn't disagree more. I've had people in
  human resources ringing me just to praise me for doing something
  different (as well as offer me an interview). What evidence is this
  based on?

  
  


• 
  

  Chanpory

  
  

  Sep 26, 2006
  7:10 am
  

  
  

  Neil,
  congrats on the interview. As with any rules of thumb, they can be
  broken if done well. However, I see many resumés coming in to our
  studio, and it's rare to see resumés with a rainbow of colors or in a
  horizontol format done well.

  
  


• 
  

  Neil

  
  

  Sep 26, 2006
  7:36 am
  

  
  

  Thanks Chanpory.

  
  

  It is more interesting, I think, to imagine the reverse of this post. "The 7 glorious virtues of resumé design". For instance:

  
  

  1. Balance
  
  2. Harmony
  
  3. Contextual fit (what kind of job are you going for)
  
  4. Clarity
  
  5. Flair
  
  6. Impact
  
  7. Correct spelling and grammar.

  
  

  (Also, I think horizontal CVs are going to become more popular in a
  world where people email PDFs that are going to appear on widescreen
  monitors. The fact that it is rare to see them done well should, if
  anything, encourage people that by doing so they can stand out.)

  
  


• 
  

  Al

  
  

  Sep 26, 2006
  11:19 am
  

  
  

  "When it doesn't fit, it get's thrown out."
  How about an article on the 7 deadly sins of apostrophication?

  
  


• 
  

  Adam of Waco

  
  

  Sep 26, 2006
  11:58 am
  

  
  

  I found this article witty and informative. Shame on those who feign superiority through mere contradictions.

  
  

  Neil, where is your resume? I didn't see a link to it. I'd like to who - as you say - is singing its praises.

  
  

  Al, if you want to play hardball, seven should be spelled out,
  because it is less than 10. So don't arrogantly correct one mistake and
  fumble one of your own. That isn't a recipe for making friends - or
  appearing intelligent.

  
  

  In the end - and most employers agree - the content of your resume is what's most important. You can impress through fabrication, yes, but shit still stinks, and it always will.

  
  

  Peace.

  
  


• 
  

  Jessica

  
  

  Sep 26, 2006
  3:27 pm
  

  
  

  The
  format and tone of this article make it seem informative at first
  glance, but I'm not convinced most people should take take these as
  rules of thumb by any means. The more I thought about it, the more I
  realized it sounds like it's coming from a jaded creative director who
  has looked at too many poorly designed resumés from untalented
  designers.

  
  

  Having been on the receiving end of many resumés myself, I can say
  that when I come across the occasional applicant who has taken the time
  to creatively and tastefully decorate and layout their resume, it
  certainly stands out from the rest in a pleasing manner.

  
  

  I can understand this article in the context of design jobs, where
  people are just doing TOO much.. but most jobs are not design jobs, and
  most people do not spend time working on the presentation of their
  resumé. When they do, it's been my experience that it's definitely
  appreciated by hiring managers.

  
  

  Note: I do agree with paper orientation and font size suggestions here, however.

  
  


• 
  

  Chanpory

  
  

  Sep 26, 2006
  3:41 pm
  

  
  

  Jessica,
  thank you so much for your thoughtful comment. I certainly agree with
  you that we should all take care into making our resumés stand out in a
  tasteful and pleasing manner. You're right about this post being
  targeted to designers who go way overboard on design. But I also know
  there are non-designers who've turned their resumés into a cornucopia
  of clip-art.

  
  

  Conversely, I've also seen designers who've poured so much attention
  into their portfolio's that they've neglected their resumé. My hope is
  that we all present our resumés in a way that is not default or
  generic, but also not overdesigned.

  
  


• 
  

  billwrtr

  
  

  Sep 26, 2006
  3:54 pm
  

  
  

  Not
  so clever.
  Who prints resumes anymore?????
  You send them as email attachments. Preferably as .pdf's, but sometimes
  Word .docs are requested.
  Therefore, on .pdf's make sure any fonts other than Times Roman and
  Arial (or their Mac equivalents) are embedded. On Word, stick to Times
  Roman, Arial, Trebuchet MS, Verdana and a couple of there Windows
  defaults. Any other fonts will be substituted and you know what that
  can bring!

  
  


• 
  

  Chanpory

  
  

  Sep 26, 2006
  4:00 pm
  

  
  

  Bill,
  in my tip about Times New Roman, I suggested Georgia, because it's made
  to look good on-screen. It's available on almost every computer, so it
  looks fine in Microsoft Word. Adobe's PDF format automatically embeds
  all fonts, so the range of typefaces you can use are wider. Also, at
  some point the resumé will likely be printed out by an HR department
  for reference or to file.

  
  


• 
  

  Mattymatt

  
  

  Sep 26, 2006
  4:00 pm
  

  
  

  Good tips. At first glance, that what-not-to-do example at the top looks like a menu at a vegan sushi place.

  
  

  If I may share a resume story of my own: I got an awesome new job a
  few months ago, and later had an opportunity to glance at a few of the
  other resumes that were sent in ... to my surprise, mine was the only one
  that specified the job that I was applying for.

  
  


• 
  

  Abe

  
  

  Sep 26, 2006
  4:29 pm
  

  
  

  Well,
  thanks for the article. I am a law student and I have had many well
  informed professionals and editors revise my resume over the past three
  years and while I would never really think of violating 1 and 3-7, I
  was suprised how much of a different it did make to apply Georgia font
  rather than Times New Roman. It is a bit bigger and bolder without more
  size or making it appear cluttered. Thanks for the tip!

  
  

  I agree with "Adam of Waco" that this is an informative and useful
  article, as do many people from Digg (where I found this linked). While
  some resumes are too dull and could use some "flair" most of the
  resumes which I see with too much variation from tradition are usually
  attempts to "make up for something" that is missing from the text of
  the resume or the background of the applicant. Even if your design is
  well thought out, the fact that the person reviewing your resume may
  see your variation from tradition as an attempt to make up for
  something is not what you want them to be thinking. The place to
  explain your lack of professional experience in a given area or
  genreally is in your cover letter or at the interview, not the resume.

  
  

  Please contribute the the Wikipedia page on resumes, you have excellent information the would be a worthy contribution!

  
  


• 
  

  Kimberly

  
  

  Sep 26, 2006
  4:53 pm
  

  
  

  I
  have to disagree with the "fancy resume paper" aspect. I've been a part
  of hiring committees where prospective candidates had standard white
  paper. In my opinion, it lacks professionalism and effort when you do
  it that way. It just doesn't seem like you care enough to print your
  resume one step better than what may or may not be accepted.

  
  

  As for the rest, not too sure. I've used Times New Roman and Arial font on mine and it comes out just fine either way.

  
  

  My one suggestion is that a piece of this nature ought to have
  research and evidence to back up the statements made. It just seems
  more of an opinion on how resumes ought to be composed rather than the
  way you're really supposed to write it. I think I'll trust
  professionals and books a little more than a site talking about
  "repenting" your resume writing sins.

  
  


• 
  

  Shiva

  
  

  Sep 26, 2006
  6:12 pm
  

  
  

  In this day and age of Ipods, Crackberry and PocketPCs, who is even using Paper Resumes ? Dinosaurs ??

  
  

  This article may have been useful 20 years ago. Not anymore !

  
  


• 
  

  Mattymatt

  
  

  Sep 26, 2006
  6:15 pm
  

  
  

  Of
  course, smartypants young hipsters like us don't use paper resumes, but
  all employers are old and cranky and don't understand electronic
  contraptions. If your attitude is "I don't have any reason to work for
  an employer that doesn't like to use PDFs," well, then, potential
  employers are probably going to agree.

  
  


• 
  

  zack

  
  

  Sep 26, 2006
  6:24 pm
  

  
  

  Great tips! Thanks much. I submitted this at howtohut

  
  

  http://www.howtohut.com/7deadlysinsofresume_design

  
  


• 
  

  Mike

  
  

  Sep 26, 2006
  8:36 pm
  

  
  

  I
  agree on plain white paper, especially for a large company - it
  photocopies better, and the decision-maker doesn't get the original.
  The original stays in a file in HR. Even today, even if it came in as a
  Word document or a pdf, I may get it as a photo-copy of a printout.

  
  

  I've been on the decision-maker side of things. I want a simple,
  clear format, because I have to skim through a hundred resumes for the
  first pass, pick out my top twenty for the second pass, and cut it down
  to three people to interview. (I'm an engineer, not a designer, so take
  my view with a grain of salt. I'm sure for a designer, the presentation
  flair is a valid aspect of the resume.)

  
  

  As far as content, besides your skills and what you've done, I try
  to see if you're the kind of person who will work well in my group and
  my company - have you worked in groups? Do you comminicate well? Can
  you work with others? Do you get along with people who are sometimes
  difficult?

  
  


• 
  

  Chanpory

  
  

  Sep 26, 2006
  10:30 pm
  

  
  

  @Kimberly.
  Thanks for the comment, I love hearing disagreement and appreciate all
  the other dissenting viewpoints on resumé design. I agree that plain
  copy paper is not the best choice. My recommendation was to actually
  use a fine paper like Neenah's Classic Crest, which has a smooth finish
  instead of a textured one. This is enough to stand out, without being
  opulent. I find paper that calls itself "resumé" paper are often too
  textured, too thick, and just too much.

  
  

  You're also right about this being my opinion of "how resumes ought
  to be composed," because, well, this is a blog, and by nature
  opinion-based. At LifeClever, we do not like to call ourselves experts
  (see blog description in the sidebar), but as for credibility, I'd like
  to think I have some. I have a bachelor's degree in design and work for
  a major design firm with an international client list that includes
  Symantec, Adobe, Four Seasons, Sony, and FujiFilm. I've seen quite a
  few resumés from people looking for both design and non-design jobs,
  and the opinions presented in this article are based on this
  experience.

  
  

  As for Times New Roman, even Microsoft is abandoning it:

  
  

  The end of an era for Times New Roman?

  
  

  Yes, Times New Roman is getting replaced with Calibri as Microsoft
  Office's default typeface. It also just happens that the designer of
  Calibri, Lucas de Groot, used to work at MetaDesign, the same studio I
  work at now.

  
  

  Finally, I wanted to point out that this post is about resumé design
  and not explicitly about resumé writing, of which there are numerous
  books for.

  
  

  I'm glad we all have different experiences, and hope more will continue to share in a constructive manner.

  
  


• 
  

  Alfa

  
  

  Sep 26, 2006
  11:18 pm
  

  
  

  Found this interesting post through Digg-ing.

  
  

  I think it's really a case by case basis. In my own opinion, cutesy
  (but not Legally blonde cutesy) resumes are now getting more and more
  nods because of the effort.

  
  


• 
  

  tony

  
  

  Sep 27, 2006
  3:41 am
  

  
  

  At first glance though, the horizontal format of the resume` looked pretty neat. But then like you said, don't try be cute !!

  
  


• 
  

  Whalt

  
  

  Sep 27, 2006
  3:43 am
  

  
  

  Too
  many designery types think that a resume is a portfolio piece. That's
  not what it is for. It is for conveying the relevant information in a
  clear and easy to scan format. Good design can certainly aid this goal
  but too often over use of design cliches detract from it.

  
  

  The best education anyone could get in designing a resume would be
  to stand over an HR person's or manager's shoulder while they sort
  through a pile of applicants.

  
  


• 
  

  Hans Schmutzabstreifer

  
  

  Sep 27, 2006
  7:16 am
  

  
  

  As
  a person who's been in the same position for ten years, and have seen
  little chippies come and go, trust me, a boring and clear resume, where
  the substance outweights the flash, is your best bet. If you make your
  resume too stupid, we will laugh at you and you will never know it,
  because we sure aren't calling you.

  
  


• 
  

  Brigitte Schuster

  
  

  Sep 27, 2006
  9:18 am
  

  
  

  The suggestions mentioned above are a good guidance.

  
  

  However, they should not prevent a designer from creating his own
  visual look for a resumé. Breaking the above rules does not necessarily
  mean that it is a bad resumé.

  
  

  If the hiring company is considering your resumé or not, is often a
  very subjective process. Tastes are different, tastes of design as
  well. Maybe, especially because you broke one of these rules they'll
  look at it. It all depends on the final look, which might be even more
  interesting by breaking these suggestions.

  
  


• 
  

  Al

  
  

  Sep 27, 2006
  12:50 pm
  

  
  

  Hey
  Adam of Waco, didn't mean to sound like a hater, just having a
  light-hearted dig at a personal bugbear of mine. Incidentally the use
  of the numeral 7 was an ironic homage to the title of the original
  article. Had hoped my use of the neologism "apostrophocation" would go
  some way to conveying my intended tone but I guess a lot gets lost in
  type.
  The article was indeed informative and useful, no harm intended, thanks
  Chanpory.

  
  


• 
  

  Keith Gaughan

  
  

  Sep 27, 2006
  2:12 pm
  

  
  

  The
  idea of using Georgia strikes me as a wee bit odd. Why not use
  Palatino? It's available everywhere, is easy on the eye (when printed),
  and much more attractive than either Georgia or Times.

  
  


• 
  

  Daniel

  
  

  Sep 27, 2006
  5:36 pm
  

  
  

  Ooooh! So... not Times New Roman. Okay. Can I use Papyrus instead then? :)

  
  


• 
  

  Neil

  
  

  Sep 28, 2006
  8:15 am
  

  
  

  Just in case you were wondernig, I got the job!

  
  


• 
  

  Paul

  
  

  Sep 28, 2006
  11:19 am
  

  
  

  I
  favor a cleanly designed functional resume design.
  If you need to impress with your cleverness, do it in a leavebehind or
  a followup. It depends on where you apply, big firm vs design shop. You
  can't be faulted for a clean resume. You can however if you set your
  name in Sand and print on pink parchment.

  
  


• 
  

  jerrick

  
  

  Sep 28, 2006
  2:50 pm
  

  
  

  let's not forget another problem - hotmail email address.

  
  

  if you're applying for a design-y job or really anywhere in a
  progressive field you should really consider getting a more reliable
  email account. perhaps gmail? or even your own domain?

  
  


• 
  

  Nabeel

  
  

  Sep 28, 2006
  6:00 pm
  

  
  

  well
  they are not deadly in all the cases... it might be a good resume for a
  junior designer position .. i took various interviews last month for an
  assistant designer .. and many of the resumes did have fancy paper ..
  it didn't bother me at all ..

  
  

  Nabeel
  http://nabeelzeeshan.blogspot.com

  
  


• 
  

  mark

  
  

  Sep 29, 2006
  4:26 am
  

  
  

  coughs quietly nervously raises hand

  
  

  I, um... I still print and mail my resumé (or CV as it is
  here in the UK).. the digital job application doesn't seem to have
  crossed the atlantic quite so well. Blackberries etc aren't as popular
  and people still appreciate having a non-electronic, fullsize (9.8"
  widescreen) piece of reference material on a person that can easily be
  carried about, reviewed in natural light without power on their lunch
  break, and passed around, dropped quickly into a reference folder - or
  scrunched up and dumped in the trash. Many job hunting tips collections
  I've seen reccomend snail mailing or even faxing your resumé and cover
  letter where possible, even if the initial call is for emailed ones, to
  make an impression and to give the employer something of yourself that
  is concrete... rather than one of a thousand emails that can all so
  easily be removed with a flick of Ctrl-A-Del when they get bored or
  tired and think they have enough applicants to form a shortlist already
  (a paper application makes it's impact straight away from the moment
  the envelope arrives, not something you can do with a single text line
  subject header... and it shows you KNOW how to make an impression and
  produce a good printed presentation). Not everyone wants to be tied to
  their PC or handheld all day every day. Besides, who really wants to
  plough through piles of applications on a glorified cellphone with a
  three-inch screen? You'll give yourself eyestrain.

  
  

  So.... these tips were pretty useful to me. Already complying with
  most of them, but I have e.g. been looking for an alternative to the
  Times New Roman, Georgia sounds good. Might see if I can find some
  affordable only-just-off-white inkjet paper. And though I don't know
  how I can have the thing laser printed, unless I stump up the cash and
  go to a professional copy shop, I'll put it on maximum print quality
  (with extra drying time to prevent wicking and smudging) and go make
  lunch while it slowly churns away.

  
  

  Cheers :)

  
  


• 
  

  Amit

  
  

  Sep 30, 2006
  7:34 pm
  

  
  

  Thanks,
  I was able to pull off add a few things to my resume from this list.
  The most blatant was my use of Times New Roman. In terms of paper, I
  generally use a 60 lbs paper that's either white or natural colored.
  The natural is lightly marbelized so it has some accent, but isn't too
  distracting.

  
  

  Obviously this does not apply to graphic design positions
  completely. Though Neil's comments would still apply. It just needs to
  all fit together well.

  
  

  @Shiva Even in this day and age, most companies still use resumes.
  Especially if you go to university job and career fairs. I went to one
  a week and a half ago. Many recruiters asked if I had a resume with me.

  
  


• 
  

  Maria Cecilia

  
  

  Oct 4, 2006
  1:14 am
  

  
  

  Chaponry,

  
  

  Thanks for writing. I like your blog and will try to check it every other day.

  
  

  More power!

  
  

  Cecille

  
  


• 
  

  Mike

  
  

  Oct 9, 2006
  10:12 am
  

  
  

  As
  a user of several Adobe products I can tell you definitivly that fonts
  do NOT always get embedded. Georgia is meant for on screen display and
  does not print as nicely as others. Arial is a poor knock-off of a poor
  knock-off and TNR is a joke. Also a san-serif is less readable in print
  and therefore needs to be an equal size with the serif.

  
  

  Where do you draw the line with embellishments? Are round bullets
  too much? How about diamond-shaped dings? What if it is useful in
  seperating information? Good design is communicating information
  clearly, which can be done any number of ways.

  
  

  We mustn't discount some of these techniques just because they can
  be used poorly. Just like the scourge of PowerPoint, résumés can fail
  much easier when Out-of-the-box thinking is employed, but you have to
  have something that keeps you from getting lost in the pile.

  
  

  -m

  
  


• 
  

  Chanpory

  
  

  Oct 9, 2006
  10:26 am
  

  
  

  Mike,
  thanks for the comment. I agree with you. A good resumé should stand
  out from the crowd. I did not mean to suggest that resumés should be
  generic as possible, avoiding any kind of flair.

  
  

  Used judiciously, a bullet or rule can aid in making information
  clearer as well as adding a hint of style. My general rule of thumb for
  embellishmenets is if it doesn't help make the information easier to
  read or understand, then it's too much. This means floral borders, and
  random clip-art are out.

  
  

  My point is that there are many ways to stand out in crowd without
  being over the top. A fine choice of paper with careful typeface
  consideration and a logical layout will create a subtle distinction
  that speaks more loudly than if the resumé was filled with the latest
  gimmicks.

  
  


• 
  

  Mandy

  
  

  Oct 25, 2006
  1:33 pm
  

  
  

  When
  I first looked at this article, I thought the picture of the resume was
  what it should look like! I think it's adorable, except for the
  small/light text. If I was hiring someone for my business, albeit not
  professional, rigid, or BIG, (Doggy Daycare) I would definitely look at
  this one first!

  
  

  Then I read someone's comment about copies being made, and that
  makes perfect sense. If you're applying for a big company in which
  copies would be made, that would look very unappealing in the copy.

  
  


• 
  

  Kevin

  
  

  Oct 26, 2006
  5:21 am
  

  
  

  @jerrick:
  the big problem with using an email address from your own domain is
  that it takes a lot more thought for HR to use. They have to think
  about what the name is, and how it's spelled, but GMail is a great idea.

  
  


• 
  

  alex

  
  

  Nov 26, 2006
  2:51 pm
  

  
  

  If you really want a good Resume template than check out http://www.getresume.com

  
  

  They provide 4 resume templates and Europass CV, official CV of
  European Union. You can write a resume or CV in English, French and
  Spanish. After registration you will receive eBook on resume writing!

  
  


• 
  

  Pang

  
  

  Feb 4, 2007
  8:32 pm
  

  
  

  Well said, this is a great post for job seekers.

  
  


• 
  

  Chris Grooms

  
  

  Feb 27, 2007
  10:58 am
  

  
  

  Sending
  a file in PDF format when not specifically requested, or it is known to
  be the usual file format for the document you are sending, is not a
  professional move in any sense. You're asking for trouble.

  
  


• 
  

  Dan

  
  

  Feb 27, 2007
  6:35 pm
  

  
  

  Listen
  to Chanpory. He knows what he's talking about. Have fun with other
  personal promotional materials. That will show your design skills while
  your resume shows your experience and education. Using a
  not-so-ordinary-but-not-decorative typeface like Akzidenz Grotesk might
  be a good idea to show that you know about type design. Also, this is
  kind of a personal thing, but I wouldn't ever use Futura or Mrs.Eaves
  on a resume.

  
  


• 
  

  Andyinsdca

  
  

  Apr 8, 2007
  10:51 am
  

  
  

  Who
  uses paper for resumes anymore? All of my resume submissions in the
  past 7+ years were electronic. Things I read about resume writing said
  specifically to use TNR or a similar font because many HR departments
  will print/scan/OCR the resume into a database and TNR is the best font
  for this purpose. (Same goes for the size, 9 is the absolute smallest).
  Obviously, you'd NEVER use grey in such a situation.

  
  

  The rest of this is just common sense, when resumes are emailed/faxed/copied.

  
  


• 
  

  Mark Harrison

  
  

  May 1, 2007
  2:08 am
  

  
  

  Thanks for the article.

  
  

  The only point I'd make (as someone who has hired a reasonable
  number of people over the years) is that the Design of the CV (I'm
  English, and working in England) should be appropriate to the job
  applied to, just as much as the content is.

  
  

  When I'm hiring programmers, I'm looking for logical ability - so
  have a CV that follows a logical pattern, and makes it easy to find the
  information I want.

  
  

  When I'm hiring designers, I'm looking for creative flair, so by all means draw something that stands out.

  
  

  However, I'm CTO at a company with a very clear (and simple) brand
  image. What would REALLY impress me would be if someone submitted a CV
  in our "house style". Not only would it send me a concious signal that
  they took time and effort, but subconsciously I'm sure it would make me
  feel they were ALREADY part of the team.

  
  


• 
  

  Steve

  
  

  May 2, 2007
  1:08 am
  

  
  

  Being an HR executive I must agree with all the tips in the article. Thanks

  
  


• 
  

  Shelly

  
  

  May 29, 2007
  2:55 pm
  

  
  

  Hmmm,
  I don't agree. Last time I had to hire someone, out of 115 apps I got 1
  that was horizontal and decorative. Guess who I hired. Creativity will
  get you everywhere.

  
  

  But, I do agree on the font size.

  
  


• 
  

  j8ke

  
  

  Jun 17, 2007
  12:02 am
  

  
  

  well,
  fo all yall hipsterz, dis waz da perfic ting iz needz fo aply'ing @ da
  local gaz station. gues fo dumb mofos likes me, it'z good writtinz.

  
  


• 
  

  Marcia

  
  

  Jun 23, 2007
  1:01 pm
  

  
  

  I
  agree with the font size but disagree with most of the article. I have
  a very different-looking CV (in South Africa we call them CV's) and
  just from that CV, I always get called for interviews. When I go for
  interviews, at the company, I print mine in a pastel yellow because I
  want to stand out from the crowd and I do.

  
  

  I've been on the hiring side too and I must say someone who takes
  the time to make their CV look nice and a little different gets noticed
  a lot more than the run of the mill CV's. And by the way, I'm in
  financial services (as conservative as you get) :)

  
  

  I do understand that this was written from a design point of view!

  
  


• 
  

  sir william

  
  

  Aug 8, 2007
  9:51 pm
  

  
  

  quote: "However, I see many resumés coming in to our studio"

  
  

  I think I see what's wrong here. The hint on this whole made up fiasco is "our studio".

  
  

  I work at an architect's office. And trust me, I can't swing a dead
  cat without hitting a person who thinks they KNOW....really KNOW
  aesthetics. I'll take empirical evidence any day. And a sample size of
  one office is lacking...

  
  


• 
  

  sir william

  
  

  Aug 8, 2007
  9:53 pm
  

  
  

  p.s. Mark Harrison, a commenter, is the only one who actually hit the nail on the head.

  
  


• 
  

  Vanessa

  
  

  Sep 10, 2007
  5:33 pm
  

  
  

  I
  believe this is a very good resource for beginners making a resume,
  regardless of whether there's evidence of it's verisimilitude. It's
  still a good start. Sure, more experienced resume-writers could do some
  things that are condemned in this, but maybe less experienced
  job-seekers wouldn't be so lucky.

  
  

  Thanks for this, hopefully it will help me in my class with making my resume.

  
  


• 
  

  Emdash

  
  

  Oct 10, 2007
  2:06 pm
  

  
  

  I
  recently sorted through 60 applications for the designer position
  opening in our in-house design studio. I feel that applicants for a
  designer jobs should demonstrate their skills by promoting themselves
  in a compelling way (no ugly courier without regard for margins!) in
  their cover letter and resume-and present their contents logically and
  accurately. I'd say go for understated elegance, no geegaws. Gimme some
  white space!

  
  

  I assumed that anybody who couldn't do that wouldn't be able to
  promote our clients effectively or articulate the strengths of their
  design solutions, either. I saw horrendous typos, including the name of
  a current employer. One applicant said she'd "be an asset" to
  Organization A when in fact she'd sent her letter to us at Organization
  B.

  
  

  One applicant was especially resourceful. He went to our website,
  found the brand download tool, downloaded brand elements, and proceeded
  to create a fancy piece to mail us-kind of an "I am your brand"
  package. Boy did that backfire on him.

  
  

  The result was flashy but awful and a dreadful bastardization of our
  brand. HR thought it was "so creative!" while the creative director and
  I saw it as proof of no understanding of brand whatsoever. Had the guy
  put that much effort into creating "brand him" we might have been a lot
  more interested.

  
  

  When it comes to paper, I disagree with Sin #1. Assess your
  audience. A creative director might like seeing the thought you've put
  into it as part of the quality message. I agree Classic Crest is a nice
  choice, as are Mohawk Digital sheets. 100% cotton rag wove in bright
  white is rarely a wrong choice. Paper isn't dead yet. Yes, we did get
  applications electronically, but the app materials got printed for
  review, and some portfolios were mailed in.

  
  

  When it comes to type, if word.doc is not the required submission
  format, and if you want to show that you appreciate typography, why not
  set your resume in InDesign, which handles type well, then make a PDF?
  Word sucks when it comes to type.

  
  

  I'd add to the list of deadly sins:

  
  

  ~ Never use "to whom it may concern" as a salutation. Oh come on,
  can't you do a little more research than that? Even "Dear Hiring
  Committee" is better, a name is best. Shows you to be resourceful and
  interested.

  
  

  ~ Know who you're applying to-at least look at their website. I
  learned this one the hard way 25 or so years ago. Ended up getting the
  president of the agency on the phone. Finally he asked in exasperation,
  "do you have ANY idea what we do?" and I didn't!

  
  


• 
  

  Tsiftums

  
  

  Oct 11, 2007
  3:44 pm
  

  
  

  Emdash: Spot on. Good thread in general as well. Thanks to all for improving my CV!

  
  


• 
  

  ryo

  
  

  Nov 20, 2007
  7:07 am
  

  
  

  I am currently looking for a new job, this will be very handy for me. Great post!

  
  


• 
  

  Ash Burns

  
  

  Nov 26, 2007
  7:20 pm
  

  
  

  Great
  comments and view point on CVs. As a hiring manager who receives most
  resumes via email, I have a HUGE frustration to add. Please do not
  email me a resume whose doc/pdf title is "resume." I rarely get a
  resume mailed to me with a title such as "John Smith resume_job 1514."
  Please put some thought into this and realize that since many people
  will be emailing documents, the hiring managers will probably download
  your file to a folder in their computer. It may be a smart choice to
  put your NAME or other identifier as the title of your mailed document.
  
  Resume templates are okay but they all look the same!! If you do not
  possess the creativity to design your resume from scratch, then begin
  with a template and alter it a bit. Even changing the type/size/style
  of font for your titles or your NAME would be an improvement.
  
  The HR department may think you have a great resume, but if you breeze
  past them and get stopped at the managers desk, then what good have you
  done? Remember we are visual creatures. First impressions matter, and
  your resume is just that. You have to make me want to read your resume.
  How you organize your words and thoughts on this document make me think
  about your ability to fit in with my team.
  
  At the end of the day, however, I believe it will depend on the place
  of business in which you are inquiring to work. I graduated with a guy
  who made an action figure of himeself and its box was his resume (and
  partial portfolio)! But again, he was applying to work at a design
  firm. Think outside the box.

  
  


• 
  

  Joe

  
  

  Nov 26, 2007
  9:57 pm
  

  
  

  Speaking
  as a marketing manager who has occasion to review lots of resumes and
  who has conducted quite a few interviews for various non-designer
  positions, I think there are some good points in the article. Above all
  else, the resume should be a) legible (readable font sizes, structured
  so you can follow it along) and b) informative (pertinent to the
  position at hand, with necessary info presented with clarity).

  
  

  Beyond that, I think rules are made to be (occasionally) broken, as
  long as they are broken well. However, any time you step outside of the
  tried-and-true, you also risk falling on your face. So there's a trade
  off and a greater risk there - you might impress someone with your
  origami resume, or it might wind up in the trash.

  
  

  I think the bar is higher for designers, since the resume is also a
  work sample. I'd say go for broke and show yourself off. For engineers,
  or secretaries, or lawyers, not so much- the content is more critical.
  Also, the jobs are inherently more ‘conservative'. So for that type of
  position, stick with the middle of the road.

  
  

  Oh, and spell check.

  
  

  Great post, good comments too.

  
  


• 
  

  bayareaguy

  
  

  Nov 27, 2007
  12:00 am
  

  
  

  The fancy stuff is risky.

  
  

  It may make a good first impression but for serious technology jobs, I'd say probably not.

  
  

  As far as I'm concerned if you want me to consider you seriously,
  please just let your background speak for itself and leave the fancy
  stuff to a cover letter, or to an online web version.

  
  


• 
  

  Lawrence the Photographer

  
  

  Nov 27, 2007
  12:13 am
  

  
  

  I
  never knew that resumes come in different sizes HAHA Lovely picture to
  depict your point. Great list what to do and what not to do.

  
  


• 
  

  Matt

  
  

  Nov 27, 2007
  1:04 am
  

  
  

  Spelling the word with 2 "é's" really makes you look bad too. Because it is wrong.

  
  

  Pronounce the word. Do the 2 e's sound the same? No? Then they don't look the same.

  
  

  It's "resumé" NOT "résumé".

  
  


• 
  

  ninnymuggins

  
  

  Nov 27, 2007
  1:33 am
  

  
  

  I often apply for parole with scented paper but it doesn't seem to work. Maybe a new font will break me from my cell.

  
  


• 
  

  cyrano