5 Expert Tips to Modernize the “Look and Feel” of Your Executive Résumé

While a direct cause has yet to be proved, the research is clear. Humans’ attention spans are getting shorter. Just eight seconds or less according by research conducted by Microsoft, and this was more than 30% less than similar research had found ten years prior.

Realizing that, it isn’t shocking that a study conducted by The Ladders found that on average, recruiters spend only six seconds reviewing each résumé.

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As we move deeper and deeper into the digital age, it is increasingly important that your executive résumé is written and designed to account for these facts. Your executive résumé should be written tightly, the content succinct. But graphics play a big role as well. Some frequently quoted statistics from a variety of researchers tell us that the human brain can see images that last for a mere 13 milliseconds and that our eyes can register 36,000 visual messages per hour. Further, people retain a memory of the information they have learned through a graphic far more effectively than information learned through words.

It is for these reasons that infographic résumés are so popular now, and a handful of professional résumé writers, myself included, have started offering the development of executive infographic résumés as an option. Of course, infographic résumés are not right for everyone. But, infographic elements can be used to greatly enhance the eye appeal of even the most traditional résumés. Here are some tips to help you incorporate infographic elements in your own executive résumé.

1. Charts, Graphs & Tables

If you have a lot of numbers to include, especially numbers that show an increase or improvement of some sort, consider presenting the data in an easy-to-read table format. Or, it can be very impactful to create a graphical chart or graph to present the data. Microsoft Word has powerful tools to help you with this, or you can create the graph is Excel and import it into your executive résumé. Some examples of what is possible:

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2. Graphical Elements

The Shapes and SmartArt features in Microsoft Word is easy to use and provide the tools to create all sorts of graphical elements in your executive résumé. The standards offered are highly customizable and are great ways to showcase a list of key qualifications or other information and data pieces that can be presented as a process, a cycle, hierarchy, matrix, or more. Some examples:

3. Callout Boxes

Callout boxes are another way to draw attention to key information. Microsoft Word’s Text Box feature can be used for this, or depending on the layout you can use a single cell table. This is a great technique to showcase signature accomplishments, a personal branding statement, or even a quote from a reference letter. Some examples:

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4. Traditional Design Options

In many cases, even simple design elements such as selective shading, page borders, paragraph borders, ruling lines, designer bullets, monograms, strategically applied white space, and drop caps can give your executive résumé the extra visual pop that it needs to stand out from the masses. 

5. Coordinated Styles, Themes, and Color Schemes

After more than 20 years of résumé writing, I consider myself an advanced user of Microsoft Word. However, it wasn’t until I sat down and made a concerted effort to learn how to use Word’s Themes, Styles, and Color Schemes features that I realized how incredibly powerful and helpful they are when designing a résumé.

If you aren’t sure what these features are and what they can do for you, it is worth spending an hour or two learning. Using these features as you develop your executive résumé gives you instantly coordinated color and design schemes to choose from, with so many customizable options that you are sure to create a unique and eye appealing résumé design.

More Considerations

Finally, remember that too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Inappropriately or excessively applied design can make your résumé look gaudy or flashy. This is not the first impression you want to make.

Think strategically and have a reason for your design choices. With a few exceptions for clients in more creative or trendy industries, my rule of thumb is to use muted rather than bright colors very selectively and to shoot for a distinctively understated and sophisticated look.

Some inspiring examples can be found in my resume samples portfolio and if you want expert help and advice, I am happy to meet with you. Just book an appointment for a consultation with me.

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