Make Your Resume Shine

By Lauren Joffe, New York University

Making your resume stand out from the pack can be a daunting task, especially in a digital age in which employers can quickly review resumes online. Within seconds, you can be ruled in ... or out. So to make an impression, how can you be sure your resume makes the cut? We break down some key tips in terms of content, design and format that will make your resume sparkle and, hey, maybe even get you an interview. (And, no, scented pink paper a la Elle Woods is not recommended.)

Resume Tip No. 1: Content Counts
Without a doubt, the best way to stand out from the pack is to have quality experience that relates directly to the job for which you are applying. However, upon entering a new industry or trying to land that first internship, keeping your content high-quality and well-written is crucial to showing off your skills.

Prioritize work experience. Says John-Michael Stephens, a junior at New York University: “Depending on what kind of place I am applying to, I switch the order of my experience to showcase any experience that is most valuable to a potential employer. For descriptions, I make sure they are more catered toward the company I am applying for. For example, if I am applying for an advertising job, I tailored my internship descriptions to really highlight the ad experience I had at previous internships, even if they weren’t specifically advertising companies I had worked for.”

Tailor your resume to fit the job. Advertising is not marketing. Accounting is not finance. Marine biology research is not environmental research. With this in mind, realize that your resume needs to best highlight your capabilities and skills -- which will certainly be different from job to job. Says Eugene Secunda, professor and adviser at New York University: “I strongly recommend showing exactly how you fit in to the company’s needs. Do research in advance to make sure your points are in line with that of the company. Don’t send out a generalized message -- you need to tailor everything to a particular company. Why are you the solution to their problem?”

Use strong words. With limited room and a short amount of time to convey a message, strong word choice can make or break your resume. Stay away from unnecessary adjectives, as they are ultimately considered “fluff.” Instead, focus on using strong verbs and meaningful nouns. Engage the reader by making descriptive bullets short and to the point -- but most of all, make sure every word serves a purpose:

Verb suggestions: Engage, create, promote, manage, develop, utilize

Verb no-no’s: Do, make, work, use

Be discriminative about what to include. For students with substantial experience, your summer job at the coffee shop doesn’t need showcasing. For those without a ton to brag about, there are certain ways to spin descriptions about volunteer work or school clubs that highlight important qualities (such as leadership, dedication, passion, etc.).

Says Lindsay Smith, senior at New York University: “When I started college and made my first professional resume, I included awards I received and clubs I had led during high school. That was acceptable because I had just graduated and had little experience. But over time, I gradually began dropping details from high school and replacing them with internships and jobs I had been involved with more recently.”

Resume Tip No. 2: Looks Count Too!
Forget the typical resumes you see featured on Monster or Google as prime examples of correct format. When push comes to shove, your resume needs to be different from run-of-the mill examples, particularly when it comes to key design tools, such as typeface, font color and alignment. You don’t have to be a graphic designer to make a well-crafted document. With a couple of tweaks here and there, your Word doc can easily look professionally made. I took a resume-building class in college, and this is what I learned:

Typeface. Beware of Times New Roman. This dry font should be saved for in-class papers and put in your rearview when it comes to designing. Stay away from serifs -- the fonts used in traditional publications, like The New York Times. Those little marks that detail each letter can make readability more difficult, forcing employers to strain their eyes in order to read. Instead, choose a sans-serif font (e.g., Arial or Verdana). They are Web-appropriate and easy to read.

The typeface you choose should also be conducive to your industry. If you are in the market for a finance internship or job, stick with something more formal, such as Arial or Helvetica. However, if you are interested in pursuing an advertising career or something requiring more creativity, experiment with fonts like Orator, Apple Chancery or Euphemia. Your resume can and will stand out with a simple change in font style. It’s also a great way to subtly show your personality.

Font color. Sure, black is always the go-to color, but if you’re crafting a more creative resume, a little punch of color in just the right places can go a long way. Keep in mind that we are not suggesting a multicolored rainbow of a resume. Try adding an easy-to-print color, such as green or purple, to your name and various position titles, staying away from gray and yellow. Your name will pop, and color will quickly highlight your past experience in an easy-to-skim fashion. If you do opt for color, stay consistent throughout the document -- otherwise, your resume could appear sloppy.

Letter sizing. Finding the perfect letter size is key when it comes to readability. While 12-point font is the standard, play around with slight variations. Your name should be the largest size on the resume. The second largest typeface should be your job titles and university only. Contact information, job descriptions and educational details should be approximately one font size smaller, as to create a clear hierarchy when it comes to reading over the document.

Resume Tip No. 3: Focus on Format
Content and design are crucial elements to a cohesive resume. However, it is also equally necessary to pay attention to format, as this can either highlight or detract from your perceived skill set.

For those with very little prior experience, it is suggested to put your educational information first. That means including your university, intended plan of study and GPA, particularly if it is above a 3.5. Students with a significant repertoire of experience should save educational information for last, given that it shows the least about who you are as a candidate. Provided you have at least two or three past experiences to write about (e.g., internships, relevant club participation, volunteer work), commonplace order goes as follows:

• Name
• Contact information
• Objective (optional)
• Experience with four to five descriptive bullet points each
• Specific skills (are you proficient in any software that makes you stand out?)
• Hobbies (only if relevant to the position for which you’re applying)
• Education

Although the rules have changed when it comes to the ideal length for a resume, we still recommend trying not to exceed one page. Hiring managers have limited time and resources, which means looking over several pages is not only overwhelming, but also a nuisance. Plus, if an employer prints a resume and loses the second page, you could be at a severe disadvantage. Fresh out of college, one page should suffice -- which means design, content and format are pivotal in making your resume shine.