What should a 2017 resume look like

As you eye different postings, rework this section to emphasize the skills that make the most sense for each rather than using the same boilerplate language for every job. Applicant tracking systems, or the software used to scan resumes, look for relevant keywords to move a candidate forward. Also note: No bot, nor human, is looking specifically for soft skills, James points out. If you were promoted, why? If you saved your department money, how much? Did you successfully lead a high-stakes project?

What have your bosses and coworkers said that you do better than anyone else? Think dollar signs and percentage points. Company name b. Dates of tenure c. Description of role and achievement 4. Education 5. Skills 6. Here are the key steps for formatting a resume. Consider how you might apply each of these when drafting or updating your resume. Setting proper margins for your document ensures the information fits within the readable space on the page.

Standard margins for resumes and other professional documents like cover letters or resignation letters are one inch on all sides. If you have a fairly short resume with a lot of blank space, one-inch margins will likely be the best option to create a well-spaced document with text that fills up the page.

If you require more space to describe your relevant skills and experience, then you might reduce your margins to. If you decide to adjust your margins, you should keep them at or above. Text that spans outside. If you prefer, you can center-align your name, contact information and headline. If you do choose to center-align any text, this is the only section that should be considered. When deciding what font to use for your resume, keep in mind that it should be clear and easy to read.

It is also helpful if your resume is sent through an applicant tracking system. There are two main categories of fonts — serif and sans serif. Serif fonts have tails while sans serif fonts do not. Sans serif fonts or fonts without tails are generally good fonts for resumes because they have clean lines that are easy to read. There are fonts like Georgia, however, that are still widely accepted among employers as simple and professional.

Another factor in making your words clear and readable is setting an appropriate font size. Generally, you should stay between 10 and 12 points. If you have a shorter resume and are trying to fill space, select a point font.

Anything larger might appear unprofessional. If you have a lot of information on your resume, start with a point font and increase it if you have space. If your resume is still more than one page with a point font, avoid reducing your font further.

Instead, see if there is an opportunity to make your ideas more concise. You can do this by removing any irrelevant or extraneous information, combining ideas or making your ideas briefer with shorter sentences and fewer filler words. Make your ideas concise and remove filler words to include only the core value of your statement:. Here are a few other ways you can use to make a shorter resume:.

Bolding, underlining or increasing the font size by one or two points for section headers can help employers quickly find the information they are looking for. Be careful when formatting section headers—they should be differentiated from the section body in a clean, professional way.

You can stylize your headers in a few different ways:. You can also apply these styles to your name and contact information at the top of your resume.

This information should be the first thing employers see, and it should be easy to read and reference. Pro tip: When differentiating section headers, avoid inserting lines that span across the page. The objective section of a resume has become controversial. It used to be a required part of any professional resume, but over time, some feel that it takes up space for little reason. So should you write an objective or not? Your resume will need to include a skills section.

What skills do you want to feature? In some ways, this is the most crucial section of your resume. This is your chance to highlight your strongest points, but also to spin the less-great things in your career like employment gaps :. How much should you include, or leave out?

Unless you fall into either of those categories, the classic resume document is best. But the good news is that you can play around with styling and templates. Just make sure that your bullet points are very strong, and convey the specific message you want the reader to get. The days of appending a list of names and contact information to your resume are gone, my friend. So take that line, and add another concrete skill or experience bullet that further illustrates how great you are for this job.

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