Use Creativity with Caution when Formatting Your Resume

Word processing software makes it easy to produce an eye-catching resume. A basic understanding of how to use fonts, tables, and features like bulleted lists are all you need to create attractive document.

But you need to be careful not to get carried away with what you can do. Just because you can create resume in a bright green, sci-fi looking font doesn't mean you should (even if you are looking for work in a sci-fi related field). An unusual font, color combination, or layout will certainly get someone's attention, but chances are good that it won't be the kind of attention you want. Most employers we've dealt with look at eccentric resume presentation as a first sign that the sender lacks common sense, and consigns the offending document to the reject pile.

You do want your resume to stand out from the crowd – but the way you do that is with content, not with fonts and formatting. You want your resume to be laid out and written in such a way that your unique strengths and experience can be immediately understood by anyone scanning the document. Standard resume formats help you do that. They group information in categories and in an order that employers intuitively understand and can read easily.

Never forget that your resume is your chance to make a first impression on a potential employer. It's like going up to someone at a party and introducing yourself. You don't want to come on too strong. If things work out, you'll soon have other chances to let your personality show through. In this first meeting, however, you want to assure the person you're dealing with that you're not only qualified for the position they're trying to fill but pleasant, considerate, and socially competent as well.

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