Changing Your Resume Format to Fit the Times

In 2011, almost all resume writers have failed to understand that nearly all resumes are written online. Simply knowing this can give the job seeker an amazing advantage.

For instance, a mere 30% of website readers scroll down on any given web page. Therefore, the job applicant can have 2, 3 or even 100 pages, but it doesn't matter if they don't get the most important information to the top.

Moreover, the Western world reads left to right, obviously starting on the top left starting with the upper left corner.

Because of this, the resume writer must widen out the margins and make more room on the top and bottom of the document as well. They should covet the top left of their resume and make sure to fill it with quite compelling content that is aimed to hook the reader's attention.

They should never put their name in fancy font.

If you look at any major news website, they always have a small logo on top. That's because it's very important advertising real estate to the company. Advertisers, regardless of size, want that ad.

When newspapers were printed years ago, they had very large, well-designed logos that had lines in them.

It used to be that half the newspaper homepage was a newspaper logo. Not any more. For the most part, the online news companies have been humbled, or lived to survive as a company another day.

Moreover, the resume writer never wants to put lines in their document. Studies have shown that lines cut off the website reader's vision. It is almost like a stop sign.

With this knowledge, a resume should start with:

(.5 margin will typically still print)

Bob Smith bsmith@....

1234 Anyroad 777-7777-7777

Anytown, USA
Objective:

After breaking my employer's sales record two out of four years that I've been with the firm, I have decided that my strength truly lies in branding and advertising.

While I still want the consistent people interaction as I enjoy account management in sales but, I want to be able to take a product or service and help the company that I'm with tactically beat their competition through pristine marketing.

Strengths:

Branding, Advertising, Account Management, Web Marketing, Ezine Marketing, Search Engine Marketing, Print Marketing

The job seeker got a lot in within 2 sentences. They are taking full advantage of the laws of website reading.

Just by glancing at these 50 or so words, the employer is probably relieved that the person has all the skills that they are looking for. There's also a chance they will just take a quick glance down, be satisfied and contact the job seeker.

Another thing to notice regarding the above written sample resume is how nothing is too fancy with the format in the resume. The resume writer wants to keep things simplistic.

Conversely, if the job seeker doesn't want to be questioned about a job on the phone interview, they should put a separating line in their resume. Lines cut the readers vision off. This is precisely why there are no virtually lines on the NYTimes homepage.

For example, let's say the job seeker has had 3 jobs in their career, but they don't like the 2nd job too much. Here is a good trick to nearly ensure that the resume reader will not focus on it:

______ (small line)

Job 1: XYZ Company

(here you want to pad with details, thus pushing the second job down the page and lowering the risk that potential employer will look at it)

Pad

Pad

Pad

Pad

Pad

__________________ (bigger line this time making it look simply like a design)

Job 2:

The moment you begin tweaking your resume for the web reader, is the moment you get in for the interviews that you want instead of the interviews that underpay and only want you.