Smooth and clear is the way to go with design and format. And a bit of color is another way to create some excitement for the reader without overbearing them, said Dana Leavy-Detrick, owner of Brooklyn Resume Studio. Focusing the most important information on top is also important.
“The top one-third of your resume is what a recruiter or hiring manager scans to determine if they will read the rest … and they only give it three seconds,” said career coach Jennifer Braganza. Also crucial is being mindful of the unintentional negative message your resume may convey with a simple email address.
“Having a Yahoo, AOL, or education-based email address makes you look like you’re living in the past,” said Christy Hopkins, human resources consultant at Fit Small Business.