When you are building your resume, you will probably be overwhelmed with the different resume layout samples that are available both online and on different types of resume building software. A resume layout can be simple or elaborate and the one that you choose should reflect both your personality as well as the job you are striving for.
Despite the different designs available, a resume layout should contain the same basic information. First off, you should put your name and contact information at the top of the resume in easy to read font. Do not rely on your cover letter to provide the company with your name and telephone number. In many cases, employers who are bogged down with papers never even bother to read the cover letters and toss them away. They re often separated from the resume. So make sure that you have all of your contact information on your resume at the top.
You should also have, in your resume layout, your job objective. This is pretty much a description of the job you hope to get. If you are applying for a job as a receptionist, for example, the job objective would be that of a receptionist. If you have career aspirations further than a receptionist that will fit with this employer, such as a dental hygienist, you should put your job objective down as a receptionist and your career objective as a dental hygienist after you have met the proper qualifications. Many people forget to put down the job objective on their resume and this is a very important part of the resume format. Because employers get so many different resumes, and many have various different openings, you resume may get lost in the shuffle if you do not include a job objective.
Another important part of the resume layout is the prior employment experience. You should start from the last job that you had and work backwards. List the name of the employer, the address and your position with the company. If you received a promotion, make sure you put that on your resume as this is a true feather in your cap and something that an employer definitely wants to see. List all of your skills, knowledge and accomplishments that you know how to perform. Make sure that they conform to the job for which you are seeking. It is a good idea to use bullet points to highlight your skills and knowledge. This will make your resume layout easier to read and draw attention to your skills.
Make sure you list all relevant employment that pertains to the job in which you are seeking. You do not have to go back past 10 years, generally. If you took some time off for a family or other reason, but did something 15 years ago that will greatly help you with this new job, you can list it in a separate part of the resume layout called accomplishments or additional information.
You will need to list your education as well. If you have a post graduate degree, you should list the type of degree you earned as well as the college or university where you studied. You should also list your undergraduate degree as well as that college or university.
Many people are under the impression that resumes should only be one page long. While this has been true in the past and employers do not like to normally look through pages and pages of material, it is more important to list all of your accomplishments that relate to the job which you are seeking than to try to conserve paper. One of the biggest mistakes people make is trying to either cram all of the information into one page using a small font, which makes it very difficult to read, or shortchanging themselves when it comes to listing their knowledge and skills. It is better to have a resume layout that is easy to read and contains all of the vital information, even if it is two pages long.
When choosing the proper resume layout, make sure that you choose one that offers you the best opportunity to acknowledge your skills and knowledge and is clear and easy to read. The type of resume layout that you choose can be modern or classic, but the information should be accurate and highlight all of the best of your abilities.
