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You are here > Home > Job Search Resources > Resume & Cover Letter Preparation > Building a Powerful Resume > Build a Resume that is Easy to Read Building a Powerful Resume That's Easy to Read We recommend that you format the pages of your resume so that you are putting as much information on each page as possible, without making it look crowded or jumbled. To make your resume readable, here are some basic points:
Full sentences are not required for resumes. So, use phrases whenever possible. For example, an easy to read resume will say, "Accountable for departmental profit and loss," rather than, "Every month I reviewed the financial statements and analyzed the problems with expenses and income and produced reports and actions plans addressing the issues." Be succinct and concise! Keep your phrases short. By now you have heard that resumes should pass the "10 second rule" or "30 second rule". Why? We live in a competitive employer's market. Employers and recruiters literally have reams of resumes stacked on their desks or hundreds of digital resumes in their e-mail inboxes. These reviewers will not, and just cannot, spend more than 10 seconds in making an initial decision about your resume. To pass the "10 second rule", all of your most important information should be easily found on the first page of your resume. In 10 seconds, the reviewer will scan your resume to figure out:
If you think about it, this is a great deal to find out in 10 seconds! Most of what is sought in the "10 second rule" is objective information, such as facts, dates, titles, and names. All of the these initial questions should be answered with the first page of your resume. If your resume is confusing, overly wordy, or unclear, the reviewer may not stare at your resume any longer to try and sort it all out. It is most likely that before the 10th second, a jumbled resume will be set aside and perhaps never looked at again. If you pass the "10 second rule", your next goal is to pass the "30 second rule"! This is where more subjective information is quickly sought, such as:
These subjective questions may seem unfair or unrealistic for someone to ask of a piece of paper in 30 seconds time! Yet, this is reality. Our world is a competitive world and your resume must speak for itself in a very short period of time. How do you make yourself seem professional, honest, loyal, and likeable in 30 seconds on paper? One method is to straightforwardly state who you are in your cover letter (not in your resume). Another is to be succinct in your statement of facts, and clear with your descriptions. (See our article regarding compelling resumes) You can describe your jobs in a manner that shows you are hardworking, intelligent and knowledgeable. No matter what, don't "beat around the bush" or make yourself or your jobs sound different than reality. (See our article regarding factual resumes) Above all, your resume should look professional, thereby making you look professional. Return to: "Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it." (Henry David Thoreau, writer) |
