Finally, keep these things in mind when putting together your resume. These details may seem trivial in the grand scheme of things, but every detail counts when you are trying to re-establish yourself following a felony conviction.
- * Paper Size: You should be using the standard A4 or letter size paper, 8 ½ “x 11 “. Recruiters are handling hundreds of different resumes. If yours is a different size than every other resume, it is likely either to get lost all together, or to be crumpled or destroyed because it is too big for the file or folder the rest are being sifted into.
- * Paper Color: The only paper colors that are ever considered to be acceptable for resumes and for cover letters are ivory and standard white.
- * Word Processing: The most flexible way for you to type out your resume is by using a computer and a word processor. This will allow you to make changes as needed, and to store different copies or drafts in a single place. Word processing systems also add a lot of extra functionality such as spell checking and the ability to bold face or change type face for emphasis and better organization as well.
- * Printing: You are going to want to find the best quality printing process available. You should print each copy fresh rather than making copies of a printed resume. Copies of copies of copies can quickly become illegible, so make each resume that you print the highest possible quality.
- * Proofreading: Mistakes can be embarrassing on resumes. Proofread your resume as carefully as you possibly can, and then have someone else read it as well just in case. Make sure that your spelling is perfect and that there are no punctuation or grammar errors. Do not rely only on the spell checker in your computer, because they can make mistakes as well. Spell checkers on computers cannot tell if you used “two” instead of “too” or typed “chose” when you meant “choose”.
- * Bullet Points: You should be using bullet points rather than long paragraphs in the body of your resume to emphasize your skills, your job history and other pertinent information. Resumes are skimmed through rather quickly by most prospective employers. Anything that you can do in order to draw your readers in will bring you another step closer to netting the interview for your dream job. Breaking things up into easily readable bullet points is a great way to make sure they get the gist of what you are trying to say without being bogged down by big blocks of text.
- * Formatting: You are going to want to make sure that your formatting is consistent throughout your resume. You should choose a font that is easy to read, and bullet points and headings should all have consistent formatting throughout. Also, you should make sure that section headers are bold or have capital lettering and that there is enough space between each section to differentiate between them. You should use emphasis like bold, italics and underlining in order to highlight the information that is the most relevant in your resume. You should steer clear of flashy sorts of formatting like images, unconventional fonts or dingbats unless you are applying for a creative position. Above all else, your resume should be simple, professional and bold.
- * Format Overuse: Although using formatting was mentioned in the last bullet point, if you draw attention to too many things, it is just as if you were drawing attention to nothing at all. You should feel free to use highlighting effects like bold, underline and italics, but you should do so sparingly if you want to have the greatest possible effect on the areas that you are intentionally trying to draw attention to. Be consistent in the technique that you use for highlighting rather than highlighting too much or highlighting the wrong things.
- * Sending your Resume: There are several different ways that you can send a resume, including e-mail, fax, regular mail, express mail or hand delivered. When it comes to deciding how you will send or deliver your resume, it is always best for you to figure out what the employer will prefer. If a job advertisement does not specifically tell you what way to deliver your resume, then it might be ideal to call the employer and ask them specifically. If there is no way for you to know, then here are some considerations:
- * The advantage of postal mail is that you can make sure the resume will be delivered in the best possible way, its perfect printed form.
- * The advantage of fax and e-mail is that your resume will be viewed much more quickly than if it has to arrive by post.
- * When possible, hand delivered resumes are almost always the best way to go, since you may be able to put it directly in the interviewer’s hands.
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