DIY Design Strategies To Make Your Resume Stand Out

Even the strongest resume isn't a silver bullet. It can help you get your foot in the door, but it's up to you after that.?

Unfortunately, if your resume doesn't demonstrate your value to recruiters and employers, you will unlikely be contacted for an interview.

If you've been looking for several months without much success, working with a professional resume writer can be a good investment, according to Salary.com.

Don't despair if you don't have the budget to hire a professional resume writer. If you're willing to do the work, you can create a resume that conveys your value.

There are many 'How to Write a Resume' articles available. I've written several myself.

This one, however, is all about resume formatting.?

HOW RECRUITERS READ RESUMES

Most people think recruiters read resumes from top to bottom. They don't.

In 2012, Ladders had recruiters review resumes while wearing eye-scanning goggles. The stat most often cited from this study was that recruiters spent less than 6 seconds reviewing each resume before deciding whether to contact the candidate.

When Ladders repeated the study in 2018, the average time recruiters spent scanning resumes was 7.4 seconds.

As a recruiter, I spent longer reviewing each resume. However, it's important to remember that recruiters are busy. Contingency or 3rd?party recruiters only get paid if their candidate is hired. While corporate recruiters are salaried, they are trying to fill multiple positions.

Not surprisingly, the results show that recruiters scan resumes rather than read them. Which is why having an easy-to-scan format is so important.?

WATCH THIS VIDEO FOR LADDERS' STUDY

EASY TO SCAN RESUME FORMAT

Since resumes are scanned rather than read from top to bottom, having an easy-to-scan resume that draws the reader's eye down is essential. That means layouts with clearly marked sections, title headers, and simple fonts.

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS

?? Reader-friendly, sans serif fonts like Calibri and Ariel, rather than serif fonts like Times New Roman

?? Sections that are clearly defined with lines and/or shading (yes, color is OK)

?? Short 3–4-line paragraphs followed by achievements in bulleted form

?? Bold used strategically, particularly on job titles, which are particularly relevant to recruiters

?? Plenty of white space, margins no less than 0.5", space between sections, etc.

If your resume passes the initial scan test, recruiters and hiring managers will read more to evaluate your value. They don't want to see vague statements like dramatically increased revenue. They want to see results in terms of metrics AND how you achieved them.

They want to see the STORY.

A simple way to develop your stories is using the CAR formula. That translates to Challenge, Action, Result OR Beginning, Middle, End.

Think about your positions over the last 10 to 15 years. What were the challenges? What did you do to resolve problems, improve situations, etc.? What were the results—revenue generated, costs cut, time saved, etc.—in metrics?

ATS COMPATIBILITY

However, since you don't know which ATS the employer is using, your resume should be formatted to be read by most of them.

ATS INCOMPATIBLE ELEMENTS

?? Headers and Footers

Many ATS systems don't read heads and footers, yet I still see resumes with the person's name and contact information in the header. Headers on the second page can be used for your name and the page number.

Footers on the second page are an excellent place to put your contact information in case printed pages are separated.

?? Columns

A lot of people use columns to keep their skills list in order. However, some ATS don't read columns, and others render the contents inaccurately. A better way is to list and center skills like this:

Organizational Development | Business Development | Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) | Executive Presentations | Relationship Building | Continuous Process Improvement | Efficiency Improvement | Leadership Development | Budget Allocation and Oversight | Change Management

?? Charts and Graphs

Charts are wonderful visuals. If you've increased sales each quarter or improved customer satisfaction and employee morale, a chart is a great way to draw the eye and illustrate your achievements. The problem is many ATS systems don't read charts or graphs either.

?ATS COMPATIBLE ELEMENTS

Despite what you may hear or read, using color on your resume will not make your resume ATS incompatible. There are several ATS-friendly ways to make your resume stand out.

?? Shading

Add shading to sections, for example, a skills or professional development section, to draw the reader's eye

?? Bold

Bold a line or a few words, like?increased sales by 23% by opening a mass merchant market,?for emphasis

?? Color

Using color for lines, bullets, and fonts can add personality and make your resume stand out.

USING RESUME TEMPLATES

Resume templates can be helpful when creating your resume. The key is to choose a customizable template that is ATS compatible.

Format: Choose a template with an easy-to-read format with sans serif fonts and plenty of white space.

Customization: Look for an easy-to-customize template that allows you to change the text and colors and add or remove sections as needed.

Section Headings: Ensure that the section headings are clear and easy to read.

White Space: Make sure there is plenty of white space to make the resume easy to scan and prevent it from looking cluttered.

Consistency: Choose a template that is consistent throughout, including the font, font size, and formatting of headings and subheadings.

ATS Compatibility: Choose a template identified as Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) compatible to help ensure your resume content will be correctly screened. ?

WATCH THIS VIDEO TO LEARN HOW TO CHOOSE RESUME COLORS

RESUME TEMPLATE REVIEWS

There's nothing inherently wrong with using a resume template. There are many inexpensive, even free, resume templates available online.

Select a template appropriate for your position and industry and ATS compatibility.

Many sites, including Canva, have attractive, easy-to-complete resume templates. The problem is that the content—name, contact information, professional experience, education—is formatted in text boxes which are not ATS compatible.

Also, there's not much space to include those achievements and results that recruiters and hiring managers want to see.?

WATCH THIS VIDEO FOR CANVA TEMPLATES REVIEW

Other sites, like Etsy, offer a variety of templates. Some are ATS compatible. Some are not.?

Make sure you look for resume templates identified as ATS compatible. You'll be able to download these templates in Microsoft Word and customize them for your needs.

If you don't have basic word skills, look for templates with designs and formats you like. While you can change colors and modify the formatting on Word documents, you may find it challenging if you're unfamiliar with Word.?

WATCH THIS VIDEO FOR ATS FRIENDLY RESUME TEMPLATES

CONTENT ISN'T THE ONLY THING

When it comes to your resume, content that immediately demonstrates your value is essential. An attractive, modern design is the packaging.?

Product marketers know that beautiful packaging can add value to a product.

The format and design can enhance the reader's perception of your resume.

Once you've reached the executive level or are targeting those roles, a resume you show your friends with the caveat that you just threw it together won't cut it.

You need a resume that gives you an edge. That means compelling content and a fresh, modern design.?

??Thanks for reading. I hope you found this newsletter helpful, if you did please share your thoughts in the comments and subscribe. Thanks!

Annette

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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What do I mean by that?

It means I help you show people who you are, not just what you do. And that's what makes people want to hire you and work with you, whether that's as an employee or service provider.

STUFF I DO

?? LinkedIn Profiles and Executive Resumes that demonstrate?your value

? Clifton Strengths coaching to unlock your potential

?? LinkedIn content creation strategies (that get you noticed)