How to Make a Resume
Format your text., Set up the page., Create your heading., Decide on a layout.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Format your text.
The first thing that a possible employer will see on your resume is the text.
For that reason, it is very important that you make the right first impression.
Choose a professional font in size 11 or
12.
Times New Roman is the classic serif font, while Arial and Calibri are two of the better choices for sans-serif.
Even though sans serif fonts are more popular for resume, Yahoo cites Helvetica as the best font to use for your resumé.
Many individuals find that Times New Roman is a little hard to read on a screen.
If you are emailing your resume, consider using Georgia instead for a more readable serif font.
You can use multiple fonts for different parts of your resume, but try to limit it to two.
Instead of changing between fonts, try emboldening or italicizing specific selections of text instead.
The font size for your header and the introduction to a section may 14 or 16, but otherwise, you should choose 11 or
12.
Your text should always be printed in solid black ink.
Make sure to deactivate any hyperlinks (like to your email, address, and phone number) so that they don’t print in blue or another non-black color. , Your page should have one-inch margins all the way around with
1.5 or 2 point line spacing.
The body of your resume will be aligned to the left and your header should be centered at the top of your page. , This is the section at the top of your resume which gives your contact information including your name, address, email, and phone number.
Your name should be in a slightly larger size
- either 14 or 16 point font.
List your home and cell phone numbers. , There are three general formats for creating a resume: chronological, functional, or combination.
Your work history and the type of job you are applying for will determine the layout style you should use.
Chronological resumes are used for showing a steady growth in a particular career field.
These are best used for someone applying for a job within their career-path to show an increase of responsibility over time.
Functional resumes are focused on skills and experience rather than job history.
These are best used for someone who may have holes in their work history or who have gained experience from being self-employed for a time.
Combination resumes are, as it sounds, a combination of both a chronological and a functional resume.
These are used to show off specific skills and how they were acquired.
If you have developed a specific skill set from working in a variety of related fields, then this is the best resume option for you. -
Step 2: Set up the page.
-
Step 3: Create your heading.
-
Step 4: Decide on a layout.
Detailed Guide
The first thing that a possible employer will see on your resume is the text.
For that reason, it is very important that you make the right first impression.
Choose a professional font in size 11 or
12.
Times New Roman is the classic serif font, while Arial and Calibri are two of the better choices for sans-serif.
Even though sans serif fonts are more popular for resume, Yahoo cites Helvetica as the best font to use for your resumé.
Many individuals find that Times New Roman is a little hard to read on a screen.
If you are emailing your resume, consider using Georgia instead for a more readable serif font.
You can use multiple fonts for different parts of your resume, but try to limit it to two.
Instead of changing between fonts, try emboldening or italicizing specific selections of text instead.
The font size for your header and the introduction to a section may 14 or 16, but otherwise, you should choose 11 or
12.
Your text should always be printed in solid black ink.
Make sure to deactivate any hyperlinks (like to your email, address, and phone number) so that they don’t print in blue or another non-black color. , Your page should have one-inch margins all the way around with
1.5 or 2 point line spacing.
The body of your resume will be aligned to the left and your header should be centered at the top of your page. , This is the section at the top of your resume which gives your contact information including your name, address, email, and phone number.
Your name should be in a slightly larger size
- either 14 or 16 point font.
List your home and cell phone numbers. , There are three general formats for creating a resume: chronological, functional, or combination.
Your work history and the type of job you are applying for will determine the layout style you should use.
Chronological resumes are used for showing a steady growth in a particular career field.
These are best used for someone applying for a job within their career-path to show an increase of responsibility over time.
Functional resumes are focused on skills and experience rather than job history.
These are best used for someone who may have holes in their work history or who have gained experience from being self-employed for a time.
Combination resumes are, as it sounds, a combination of both a chronological and a functional resume.
These are used to show off specific skills and how they were acquired.
If you have developed a specific skill set from working in a variety of related fields, then this is the best resume option for you.
About the Author
Martha Harvey
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in crafts and beyond.
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