Creating a Visual Resume

Following the last post on 4 Common Myths About Resumes, you now have the right mindset about the purpose and effectiveness of a resume, but now it’s time to take your resume to the next level.

We expect our resumes to be read by potential employers when submitted for a job application, but that is not always the case. For a job opening with high demand, there may be hundreds of applicants, so a computer may be used to scan for relevant keywords for filtering so that only the most relevant resumes will be considered.

Even if your resume is selected for consideration, how will your resume differentiate and stand out among all the other resumes? In addition to having relevant content, the visual appeal of the resume is also very important. You’ll be surprised at how much better a resume will look just by changing the font. Forget about the commonly used Times New Roman or Arial. Try something different such as Century Gothic instead. Also, try adding some colours and bolding some of the text to highlight particular keywords or sections of your resume.

Here is a great website for referencing to see some visually creative resumes: http://www.vizualresume.com/