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On-line resumes are different
Having a resume on a website offers many advantages over traditional, paper-based
resumes – it’s easily updated, is available at all times, and can offer
greater detail because you are not limited by space constraints. However,
it is not enough to simply take your normal resume and ‘cut-and-paste’ it
onto a webpage. Here are a few tips that will make your on-line resume easy
to read and review for your target audience:
- The more detail, the better
Paper-based resumes tend to be short (1-2 pages) because they attempt
to provide a quick overview that will capture the attention of the reader
without inundating them with too much detail. However, the more detail
you include, the more your audience will be able to determine whether
you are the right person for them. Ever wonder why you receive junk
mail that includes 4, 6, even 8 pages of text? Experts know and test
results have confirmed that more detail is better and generates a higher
response. The same applies to resumes – if the reader is enticed by
your executive summary to read on, you’ll want to showcase all your
skills and eliminate any doubts and answer any questions that the reader
might have. However, if they are not interested in you, even the shortest,
most concise resume won’t get you their attention. Thus our advice:
err on the long side. Since your resume will be all on one webpage,
your reader can scroll down and you don’t have to worry about whether
it is a 2, 3, or even 4-page resume.
- Choose a screen-friendly font
Since you don’t know what browser your audience is using or what screen
size and resolution they have, you cannot predict what your resume will
look like to them. While you may have highlights, italics, and various
fonts on your paper-based resume, these variations only serve to distract
when something is read on a screen. Thus our advice is to eliminate
font variations and only choose one. On screen, research has shown that
people prefer to read a sans-serif font such as Arial, Tahoma, or Antigoni,
as these fonts are easier on the eyes when read on a screen. The best
font size for the Internet is 11 or 12 points. This text has been written
in Arial, 8 pts.
- Only use three font variations
Research has shown that documents with only three variations of the
standard font are considered to be more credible and easier to read
than those with numerous variations. Thus, once you’ve chosen a font,
only have three variations on that font, for example: 2 additional font
sizes (to highlight headings maybe) and bold, or 1 additional font size,
bold and italics. This makes your resume easier to read, showing your
audience that you are concerned with substance, not flashy graphics.
Also, don’t use underlining anywhere as this is reserved for active
links and may confuse readers.
- Make sure all important data is left-aligned
People hate to scroll horizontally when web content doesn’t fit on their
screen. Since you won’t know the screen size/resolution of your audience,
it is safer to place all important data such as employer name, title,
locations, dates on the left side of your resume. Many paper resumes
show secondary information such as locations and dates on the right
side, to preserve space and to provide a visual balance. However, for
a web-based resume, such placement might hide this information on some
screens, possibly confusing your audience or leading them to believe
that you’ve deliberately chosen not to reveal that information (which
of course will make them wonder what you have to hide rather than pay
attention to your credentials).
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