Why is the design of my resume so important?

Employers will usually take, at most, only thirty-five seconds to look at this one-page representation of yourself before deciding whether to keep or discard it. To ensure that you will make it past that initial screening, you should design your resume in such a way that employers can read the document easily and process information quickly. One way to do this is to conform to the conventional format of a resume, since employers know how resumes work and where to locate certain information. In addition, you should keep certain design principles in mind that will increase your chances of getting your resume into the "keep" pile. Designing your resume can be a challenge and requires you to take a closer look at how readers read. Here are some tips to help you make your resume a winning experience.

The Quadrant Test

Readers typically read from left to right and from top to bottom when information is "balanced" (about an equal amount of text and white space) on the page. Being able to anticipate the reader's response to a resume in this way will allow you to manipulate information according to the quadrant test. First, divide your resume into four quadrants, as seen in the example below.

Each one of your quadrants should have an equal amount of text and white space (empty space where there is no text). When your page is balanced, the reader will typically read anything in quadrant 1 first. So, you should put your most important information — anything you want the employer to see first — in this quadrant.

Using Columns to Lay Out Your Resume

One way to create a balanced page is by using columns to format your text. However, keep in mind that since employers spend so little time reading a resume, you want them to read through it with few stops. The reader's eye will stop when it reaches the end of each column. Although you might want to use columns to create a balanced page, you wouldn't want your reader to have to make too many stops and miss important information.Therefore, you should use no more than three columns on your resume. Remember that the first place your reader looks at will be located in quadrants 1 and 2, so the most important information should go here. Also keep in mind that when indenting information you might create extra columns, so be aware of your column count.

Here is an example of a resume section with three distinct columns:

How you use these two font types depends upon how you want your reader to read certain sections of your resume. American audiences are used to reading serif fonts, so these fonts tend to keep the eye reading along the text. sans-serif fonts, on the other hand, make the eye stop. Therefore, sans-serif fonts are typically used for headings and titles, allowing the reader to quickly locate information, while serif fonts are used for descriptions.

The key to using fonts in your resume is to be consistent. For example, if you decide to use a sans-serif font for a main heading, do so for all your headings, and use the same sans-serif font each time. Generally, you should use no more than two fonts in your resume. Remember that you want to keep the reader reading; you do not want to create too many "tricks" for the reader's eye.

Other types of emphasis

By using more than one font type in a way that is consistent throughout your resume (using, for example, a sans serif font for all headings, and a serif font for all text), you create emphasis. Another way to create emphasis is by using bold, CAPITALIZATION, italics, and underlining. Your choice for emphasis depends upon your personal taste. However, you should not mix methods, nor overuse them. You would not, for example, want to CAPITALIZE, ITALICIZE, AND UNDERLINE pieces of text; doing so would only make the text less visually pleasing for the reader. In addition, overusing these tools makes the reader ignore the items you wish to emphasize, thus limiting effectiveness. So, be sure to carefully choose which information should be emphasized.

Maintaining formatting across various modes of communication

It is not appropriate to send your CV as an e-mail to a prospective employer. You may, however, send your CV (and cover letter) in an e-mail as an attachment. Companies often take this electronic version of your résumé and print out several copies of it for people to examine. It is crucial that your CV:

• Is easy for the receiver to open.

  • Use a popular file format that you are pretty sure the receiver has. For example, Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat’s Portable Document Format (PDF) are file formats that almost every company uses at the time this document was written.

  • Do not assume that the company has the most recent version of the software. Since most text presentation software is “backwards compatible,” save your file using the format that preceded the current version. In plainer terms, if Word 2011 is the current version, save your file as a Word 2008 file.

  • If possible, offer your employer alternatives--provide them with two or more formats of your résumé in order to increase the chances that your prospective employer has the software needed to view and print your files.

• Does not lose its formatting.

  • Try to choose a “universal” (multiplatform) file format standard that is known for its ability to maintain formatting across all systems. A perfect example of this is Adobe Acrobat’s Portable Document Format.

The 20-second Test

How do you know when you have successfully created an easily read resume that allows employers to process information quickly? Try having someone perform the 20-second test on your resume. Simply time your reader for twenty seconds as he or she reads your resume. What all did he or she learn about you? If your reader noticed within twenty seconds what you want employers to learn about you, then most likely you have created an effective resume. If not, try moving important information to the first quadrant, checking that you have used sans serif and serif fonts consistently, and limiting the tools for emphasis you use in your document.