Why Resume Aesthetic is Important

When putting together a resume, the thing that often gets neglected is the resume’s aesthetic. Why worry about margins, fonts, or colors when you have to recall every volunteer experience for the past five years? Nevertheless, resume aesthetic is a surprisingly important part of creating the document. You want the resume to list all of your relevant experiences, but the chances of your resume standing out (especially when applying for a publicly advertised job) decrease if your resume isn’t at least somewhat eye-catching. When we put together resumes at Career Solutions Group, we try to keep the resume simple but attractive. In an article on resume aesthetic (link here), Debra Wheatman states “Your resume is a marketing piece and should represent your brand.” If you think of your resume as an advertisement for yourself, the importance of aesthetic starts to make sense. Here are some thoughts on how to improve your resume’s look.

1. Think about audience. Just as book publishers create book covers to attract a certain audience, so must you think of your resume. What values are important in your area of interest? Is your field of choice more artistic, or more scientific? The field of interest will often decide how the resume should look as much as it will determine the relevant experiences included.
2. Standardize the font. You might find Old English Text to be incredibly pleasing, but a busy HR manager will not have time to decipher it. If you want the resume reader to take your document seriously, don’t fill your resume with flamboyant fonts. There are numerous lists online of which fonts are the most readable. Pick one that is legible and attractive in order to engage the eye and not annoy the person examining your resume.
3. Create sections. The greatest favor you will do for yourself, especially if you’re trying to fit everything onto a single page, is to create sections for different items. Don’t just list all your skills, qualifications, volunteer experience, and school. Instead, split it up into easy to navigate sections. This will make your resume look nicer while simultaneously helping the hiring manager to quickly find relevant information.

When creating a resume, think of structure and design as well as content. You’ll thank yourself for it later. Thinking about making a career change? Not sure where to start? Please consider our career counseling services. Contact us at info@careersolutionsgroup.net. We have helped hundreds of job seekers uncover their passion and make fulfilling career changes.

By: Julia Pillard, Career Solutions Group

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