Get A Job HQ

Fonts

With the advent of computer software and PCs, everyone now has the capability of desktop publishing, complete with fancy fonts.

However, with these innovations come problems, especially if you’re sending your resume via email (as an attachment) to a prospective employer.

Generally speaking, only classic fonts such as Times New Roman and Arial are universal on PCs. Designer fonts like BlackAdder II, Broadway, Mistral, and Stencil must be purchased or downloaded from free font sites on the Internet. Because of this, a resume created using BlackAdder II might look great on your computer, but once it’s transmitted to the employer’s computer, another font will likely be substituted. What does that substitution do? Well, for one, it throws off formatting, potentially stretching your perfect one-page resume onto two or more pages, because fonts differ in height, depth, and the amount of spacing between characters. And while BlackAdder II is a rather elegant, stylish font, the one the computer will substitute may very well be bulky and, quite frankly, ugly.

Therefore, if you’re going to be sending your resume as an attachment to numerous employers, it’s always best to use Times New Roman or Arial. That way, you know your formatting and the overall look of the resume will remain true.

Bullets

Like designer fonts, designer bullets add flair to a resume. And like those fonts, designer bullets are not universal on all PCs. So if you choose one that’s a check mark, a small arrow, a five-pointed star, or anything other than the universal round bullet, those dynamite designs may very well turn up as question marks or numerals on the hiring manager’s computer.

Remember, the best time to use designer fonts and bullets is when you’re “snail” mailing your resume to an employer or handing it to them in person -- that is, when you have a hard copy of your resume for distribution. For those resumes being sent as attachments, it’s best to go with traditional fonts and bullets.

In modern resumes, information about skills and experience can be listed using three distinct formats:

1. Reverse chronological
2. Functional
3. A combination of the two

Reverse chronological

Generally speaking, hiring managers prefer that employment data is provided with the most recent job listed first, followed by the next most recent, and so on. In that way, it’s easy to see career progression from an entry-level position to a more senior status. It’s also easy to detect gaps in dates of employment. These gaps lead some candidates to use a functional format instead.
Functional

Functional formats stress what skills you have, rather than where and when you used them. These formats are best for students who have just graduated from college and have little “real-world” experience, those who have been out of the workforce for long periods because they were raising children, and job seekers who are transitioning from one career or industry to another. However, sometimes combining a functional format with a reverse chronological format makes the most sense. These are called combination resumes.
Combination

With this format, skills that are relevant to the current job search are placed in a special section by function, while the Professional History or Work Experience is presented in a standard, reverse-chronological format. This format offers the best of both worlds, and is highly popular with modern job seekers and hiring managers.

US resumes do not include personal data such as date of birth, sex, religious affiliation, race, or social security numbers. The only exception to the last entry, social security numbers, would be when applying to the federal government for a position. Then, and only then, social security numbers should be listed on a resume.

However, the rules change when you are submitting your resume to overseas employers.

Although each country has a different set of requirements regarding which pieces of personal information they most want to see, generally most will ask for the following:

1.

Date of Birth
2.

Place of Birth
3.

Citizenship/Nationality
4.

Sex
5.

Race
6.

Marital Status

Personal data such as hobbies or activities

Because the modern resume is a business and marketing tool, it’s best to keep personal interests and hobbies for the interview process as a way to “break the ice.” This is especially true if your activities involve some perceived risk or danger. A candidate who is otherwise qualified for a management position might have his resume passed over if he “runs the rapids” on the weekends or participates in a parachuting club. Activities with risk aren’t the only ones to caution against. A candidate who collects rare coins -- an expensive hobby -- may have her resume passed over by a hiring manager for a position that involves controlling a company’s funds.
Remember, hiring managers want to know what you can do for their company in terms of boosting profits or reducing expenses. What you do on your own time is best kept off a resume.

References
Unless, and until, you are asked to interview for a position, references should not be provided to a prospective employer.